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Chris awoke at the first rays of sunlight filtering in through the windows. He squinted against the glare, not being a morning person in the slightest - and that was when he saw her - and all that had happened the previous night came rushing back to him.
Her bare back was to him, her long black hair mixed with tinges of deep red spread like a fan over the pillow. Victoria... She'd been with him last night, comforted him after... He didn't want to remember that part.
And then, later, they'd come up here to his hotel room. He'd raided the mini-bar and ransacked the tiny bottles of liquor. They'd been drinking, although he recalled she hadn't consumed all that much.
They'd slept together... To say the sex had been merely *good* would be the understatement of the year - it had been great. And beside the physical one, Chris has felt as though he and Victoria had made a real connection.
Despite all of this, the blond man sighed sadly. He'd been beyond vulnerable last night, after seeing Trish with Christian in the hotel bar, the pair all lovey-dovey. It had made him want to puke his guts out. He hated Christian. Hell, he hated Trish now as well. Yet why was he feeling miserable right now, and as though he'd taken advantage of the woman who lay asleep beside him?
He ran a hand through his hair, another sigh escaping him. He shut his eyes tightly, hating himself for having allowed last night to happen. He liked Victoria a lot, he really did. He cared about her, but the timing was just so bad. He *should* have turned her away, no matter how much it might have stung. But no - like a typical guy, he'd *wanted* to get laid, and so he'd figuratively jumped in feet first.
He only hoped things would not be too awkward between them after this. He knew that, if last night had happened a few months or even weeks later, they could probably even have a relationship. Of course, there was no going back - so he decided there was no point in dwelling in what *should* have been.
Suddenly, Jericho felt Victoria rousing beside him, her body giving a sleepy little shudder before he could feel her turn over onto her back. She yawned softly, and, his eyes still closed, he could feel her stretching. He imagined her arms were probably up above her head, but he knew her legs had come into play as well, as one of her bare and incredibly soft feet just barely brushed against his leg.
Then, all was momentarily still and he sensed her gaze on him. He managed to suppress a frustrated and sad groan as, a moment later, he felt the softness of her cheek against his chest as she lay partly over him.
Damn it... The feel of her soft skin, her long silken ebony hair, and her sweet feminine scent were all more than he could bear. He couldn't harden himself to just tossing this woman aside, even though he knew deep down that last night had been a moment of weakness, a rebound.
He felt her hand coming up to gently caress his hair, and the gesture was so tender and sweet, it nearly broke his heart. And he knew, without a shadow of a doubt, that he couldn't hurt Victoria. Intentionally or otherwise, he simply couldn't hurt her.
Deciding to let her know he was indeed awake, Chris slipped an arm around the diva, his fingers caressing at her black and red locks. A moment later, he found her cheek and fingered the soft skin lightly, lovingly.
It wasn't much longer after that he felt her reposition herself. Her soft lips were suddenly
upon his - and he found himself kissing her back.