Title: Popsicle
Author: Crimson Coin [email protected]
Rating: uhm ... PG 13 ...except for the hard R part. Heh heh
Disclaimer: I do not own anyone mentioned in this fic, nor the company they work for.
Summery: It's cold, it's wet, and the car won't start.
Pairing: You'll figure it out soon enough.
Archiving: Just ask me first, and you can have it.
Timeline: Winter of 2001
+++
"Great. Absolutely wonderful."
"It's not my fault."
"We're stuck on a dirt road in the middle of nowhere because you had to pee."
"I'm a guy, we can pee in the woods. And do you know how hard it is to pee outside when it's below freezing. Let me tell you, Princess, it's not a pleasant experience."
"I wouldn't know." Her voice tinged with aggravation. "I usually don't go pop a squat in the middle of the woods."
"Maybe you should. It would humble yah."
Trish glared at the man in the driver seat and she crossed her arms. "Well if you'da gone fifteen minutes ago when I did at the rest stop like a normal human being, then we wouldn't be stranded in East BUMFUCK!"
"It's not my fault the car won't start. She won't turn over; I have no cell service. It's 11:00 at night and fucking cold. NONE OF THAT IS MY FAULT!"
"Well, what are we going to do?"
"We have no choice. We'd freeze outside at this hour. We have to sleep in the car and ... I don't know. I'll walk the fifteen miles back to the last town in the morning."
Trish flipped her hair back over her shoulder. "I can't believe this. The one time I have no other ride and why oh why did I accept your offer for a lift. I can't stand you. You're the cockiest bastard I ever me, Chris Jericho."
"Well, you're the bitchiest bitch I ever met." Jericho shot back then popped the truck.
"What are you doing?"
"I should have a blanket or two in the trunk." That said, he stepped outside and quickly closed the door as the artic chill bit at his skin. Short-sleeved shirt, jeans and sneakers, the cold burned right through him. His fingers blue and numb by the time he reached the trunk. His nose and ears scorched red, the wind violently whisping through his hair, wrapping its cold fingers around him.
He couldn't even feel the handle when he opened the door and sat back down in the seat. Closing the door, the wall of heat inside the car slammed into him, making his skin burn painfully.
"Damn, that's cold." He growled, tossing a blanket at her.
She quickly wrapped herself. "Are you ok?"
He wrapped himself as well, smiling. "Yeah. Careful there, Princess. Someone might think you gave a shit."
"Well fuck you." Trish spat. "Sorry I asked." She turned her back on him, looking out the darkened passenger window.
He sighed, pulling his cover right up to his chin. He snuggled into the chair, the soft cotton comforting. He wasn't about to tell her he was freezing. That he couldn't feel his toes. Fucking puddle. His feet were soaked. And the last thing he needed now was wet shoes and socks. He threw the covers off, bending down, contorting himself around the steering wheel to remove the damp footwear.
She sniffed. "Do you really have to take your shoes off? It's bad enough I have to smell YOU. Must I also smell your feet?"
He didn't answer, the inside of the car already growing cold, very cold. His hands shaking as he undid the ties.
She glanced over her shoulder at him and her gaze immediately softened. His skin pasty pale, his lips blue and trembling. The blanket he'd taken was a sleeping bag, completely unzipped and tossed heedlessly on the back seat. Her eyes focused on what he was trying to do.
Realizing his condition, she squirmed to face him and reached over. He froze, looking at her with wide eyes and trembling lips. He couldn't move as she untied his shoes for him, pulling the soaked sneaker and sock off.
She tapped his other leg. "Come on. Let's get the other one off."
He lifted that foot and she undressed that as well. He smiled. "Thanks." Though his teeth were chattering. She smiled back and he crawled into the backseat, sliding into the sleeping bag and zipping it up to his waist. "Trish?"
She turned to look at him.
"Here." He pulled his T-shirt over his head and held it to her. "Take it."
She eyed him then shook her head. "No, what are you doing?"
His muscles jumped at the cold, his nipples hard. "Take it. I'll be fine. Please."
She took his shirt, pulling it over her clothes and wrapped herself back up in the blanket, watching him.
Shivering, he settled completely into the sleeping bag, zippering it right up and burying himself to the nose. The backseat was big enough, he could stretch out a good amount, just having to slightly bend his knees.
+++
His eyes fluttered hours later to the sound of erratic breathing, panting. He opened his eyes. Rain was pounding hard against the car, the rhythmic patting quite soothing. Then he saw her, soaked right through, her entire body shaking and huddled. "Trish!" he sat up, the cold of the car not even registering. "Trish?"
Trish looked up to him and smiled weakly. "I ... I ... I ... hhhad tooo ... pee."
Chris quickly unzipped the sleeping bag and reached for her. "You can slap me in the morning." He said then pulled her shirts up over her head. Leaning around the front seat, he unfastened her pants and with great difficulty managed to push them down to her ankles. "Come here." He gathered her in his arms, pulling her into the back seat, sliding her pants the rest of the way off.
Swallowing hard at the sight of her in matching lace lingerie, he laid her in the sleeping bag. Her eyes closed and teeth chattering. "Trish?" She opened her eyes, seeing him worried. That long blonde hair pooling over his shoulders. He grabbed her hand, then zipped the first little bit up to her knees. Being extra careful, he helped her sit up then lay the other blanket on the seat. He lowered her.
He lifted towards her, getting onto the seat and slipping his feet into the bag then wrapped an arm around her waist. Pulling her against his chest, he turned the bag so the open end was to her back then eased her down so her back was on the blanket. He used the sleeping bag as a large blanket, laying right on top of her, wrapping the sleeping bag around them.
God, she was freezing. He tangled their legs, making sure his chest covered hers then pressed his head to the side of hers. He could feel the cold pulsating off of her; he was worried. "Come on, Baby. Let me know you're still here."
She gripped his sides with her icy hands and squeezed slightly.
"Can you squeeze hard than that?"
She shook her head.
"Alright." He said, gently. "I know what this is gonna sound like but the faster we get you warm, the better. Ok?" She nodded and he settled further into her. "Ok, slip your hands down the back of my pants. Skin on skin will warm you."
Without arguing, Trish slipped both tiny hands down the back of his pants, even under the boxers and she sighed at the warmth. He shuddered a moment at the icy touch, but soon pushed it from his mind. He rubbed his foot over hers, along her calf, anything he could to stimulate the blood flow.
His body so warm and heavy on hers, the cold leaking out of her, she couldn't even feel the chill in the car. "Thank you." She whispered.
He smiled. "You just get warm. Vince would have my hide if his prettiest diva had frostbite."
"You think I'm pretty?"
He nodded. "Hell yeah. Pretty, sexy, the works. Think it now and I thought it from the moment I saw you." He chuckled, almost nervously. "You know if I was ... uhm ... looking."
She smiled, squirming slightly and relaxing into the heat of his body. "Well, if we're being honest, I don't think you're that bad yourself." She bit her lip. "Why ... why did you ask me to ride with you to the next arena."
"Honestly?"
"Please."
He sighed, burrowing his head in her neck. "Because I wanted to spend time with you ... a ... alone. And ... and I know that you don't travel with Test or Albert anymore and ... and I wanted to ..." He cleared his throat. "Well, if I'm being totally honest, I wanted to get to ..."
She chuckled at his nerves, rubbing her foot along his calf in comfort. "Wanted to what?"
"You're not making this any easier."
"I'm sorry." She said softly, a bit more seriously.
He started over. "I wanted to spend time with you and get to know you and ... and just talk. But ... well things didn't quite go as planned. You know since we argued the minute you sat down."
"But we always fight. Why would you want to spend time with me?"
He licked his lips. "Cuz you're the only girl who dishes it back at me as fast as I give it. That and because I think you're incredibly sexy. And I want you."
She squirmed again. "So ... So that's not your hand."
"I'm sorry, Trish." He said, quickly. "I'm so sorry. I'll move."
"No." She squeezed his ass, pulling him against her and keeping him from moving. "I ... I'm still cold."
"Uhm ... ok."
She ran her hands up his back, pressing into the muscles just above his waist. "Do ... do you want me?"
He nodded. "Every man alive does. Why ... why did you accept my offer ... for a lift?"
"I have a secret."
"What?"
"I want you too," she breathed.
He pushed up to look down at her, surprised. "What?"
She smiled. "Does that surprise you? I said, I want you too. When you look at me and when we're arguing and the way your eyes blaze and ... you just send this ... this charge through me that ..."
"Charge!"
She furrowed her brow. "What?"
He blinked a few times. "I just realized something."
"What?"
He smiled. "I have one of those self-jumpers for the battery in the trunk." When he would move, she held him tighter.
"Don't go anywhere." She said with force.
"I thought you said I stunk earlier."
"I never said you stunk, I said I could smell you." Trish eyed him. "But it was bad because you smell good."
Confused, he cocked his head. "It's a bad thing that I smell good?"
She traced her hands to his sides then around to caress his chest. "Bad in the sense that ... when you smell good ... you're irresistible."
He shivered. "My God, your hands are still ice." His elbows to either side, he grabbed her smaller hands in his much larger. Cupping them, he brought them to his mouth, breathing onto them. The air he expelled was hot, the delicate brush of his lips, the slight scratch of his stubble causing her to shudder. He softly kissed her hand, almost soft enough that she couldn't feel it. Almost. "Are you warming up at all?"
"A little." Her voice on her breath.
"Maybe I should try to jump the car. It'll warm you up much faster. I ... I don't think the body heat is working."
But again, she stopped him from moving. "Don't. It's freezing outside."
"It's freezing in here." He glanced around, noting how the windows were fogging up. "God, your skin is still cold against mine." He lay flush onto her again, wrapping his arms under her back and around her smaller frame, hugging her. The sleeping bag was pulled up over his shoulders, leaving only their head exposed. Then he froze. "Trish ... uhm ... what are you doing?"
"Unzipping you pants." She said, nonchalantly. "I thought that was obvious." The zipper obnoxiously screeched open.
"I uhm ... I don't know if this is a good idea."
"You said yourself. Skin on skin is warmer. And I can't feel enough of your skin." He bit back a moan at those words as she wrestled with his pants, eventually the garment lay on the floor and their legs were entwined again. She hummed. "Mmmm, you're nice and warm."
He expelled a shaky breath. Here he was in his boxers lying on top of a gorgeous woman who only wore her bra and panties. He could feel the blood pumping ...everywhere. Her body was so soft, her legs so smooth. He swallowed hard. "Maybe ... uhm ... maybe I should try and jump the car." He pushed up, looking down at her. "You know cuz you need to warm up."
She smiled, teasingly and seductive. "I don't know. You're doing a wonderful job of that." She blinked slowly, then licked her lips. "You feel mighty hot to me."
He swallowed his groan and he could feel his body's growing reaction to her. He couldn't help it; and hell, she had to feel it too. "But you ... you're hands are ... are freezing. You ... you're still ice."
A seducing glint in her eye, she hooked a heel into his calf then tickled her hands up to his hair, wrapping her arms around his neck. "Then thaw me." She pulled him down and kissed him.
He growled, the softness of her lips driving him mad, and here it was only her lips. He pulled back. "Thaw me?" he smiled. "That's so ... so ... I don't even know what to call that." He chuckled.
Trish smiled, a faint flush rising to her cheeks. "How about ..." she bit her lip, thinking for a moment. "You can jump the car in the morning ..."
"And you can jump me now?" he finished for her.
She laughed. "Sure, that works." Then brushed her fingers over his brow, cheek, then over his jaw. "I've really been missing out when it comes to you."
Chris chuckled. "What, having a clumsy cocky bastard crushing you?"
"Yeah." She sighed with a smile.
He gave a small pout. "That wasn't very nice."
Trish leaned up, kissing the pout away and when she pulled back, he was smiling. "I'm sorry, my clumsy cocky bastard." She arched her hips into his ever so slightly. "But I am dead serious ... about wanting you." She kissed him again, this time with hunger as her tongue swooped over his lips.
Chris groaned when her tongue plunged into his mouth, exploring and searching. And she moaned when his tongue was just as eager, tangling expertly with hers. Delirious, breathless, he pulled back. He was panting; her lips swollen and wet, her cheeks tinged with a slight flush of arousal and he could feel her body twitching against his with excitement. "I ... I don't want ... to go back to ... the way we were ... in the morning."
"I don't think we could." She pulled him down, claiming his lips.
- End -
*** Well, just so you all know, this is just a little Chris/Trish muse dating back to just after the T&A days of our lovely Miss Stratus. There is a higher rated version of this floating around and if you wish to read it ... just let me know and I can send it to you ... or send a link. Thanks for reading. ***
Author: Crimson Coin [email protected]
Rating: uhm ... PG 13 ...except for the hard R part. Heh heh
Disclaimer: I do not own anyone mentioned in this fic, nor the company they work for.
Summery: It's cold, it's wet, and the car won't start.
Pairing: You'll figure it out soon enough.
Archiving: Just ask me first, and you can have it.
Timeline: Winter of 2001
+++
"Great. Absolutely wonderful."
"It's not my fault."
"We're stuck on a dirt road in the middle of nowhere because you had to pee."
"I'm a guy, we can pee in the woods. And do you know how hard it is to pee outside when it's below freezing. Let me tell you, Princess, it's not a pleasant experience."
"I wouldn't know." Her voice tinged with aggravation. "I usually don't go pop a squat in the middle of the woods."
"Maybe you should. It would humble yah."
Trish glared at the man in the driver seat and she crossed her arms. "Well if you'da gone fifteen minutes ago when I did at the rest stop like a normal human being, then we wouldn't be stranded in East BUMFUCK!"
"It's not my fault the car won't start. She won't turn over; I have no cell service. It's 11:00 at night and fucking cold. NONE OF THAT IS MY FAULT!"
"Well, what are we going to do?"
"We have no choice. We'd freeze outside at this hour. We have to sleep in the car and ... I don't know. I'll walk the fifteen miles back to the last town in the morning."
Trish flipped her hair back over her shoulder. "I can't believe this. The one time I have no other ride and why oh why did I accept your offer for a lift. I can't stand you. You're the cockiest bastard I ever me, Chris Jericho."
"Well, you're the bitchiest bitch I ever met." Jericho shot back then popped the truck.
"What are you doing?"
"I should have a blanket or two in the trunk." That said, he stepped outside and quickly closed the door as the artic chill bit at his skin. Short-sleeved shirt, jeans and sneakers, the cold burned right through him. His fingers blue and numb by the time he reached the trunk. His nose and ears scorched red, the wind violently whisping through his hair, wrapping its cold fingers around him.
He couldn't even feel the handle when he opened the door and sat back down in the seat. Closing the door, the wall of heat inside the car slammed into him, making his skin burn painfully.
"Damn, that's cold." He growled, tossing a blanket at her.
She quickly wrapped herself. "Are you ok?"
He wrapped himself as well, smiling. "Yeah. Careful there, Princess. Someone might think you gave a shit."
"Well fuck you." Trish spat. "Sorry I asked." She turned her back on him, looking out the darkened passenger window.
He sighed, pulling his cover right up to his chin. He snuggled into the chair, the soft cotton comforting. He wasn't about to tell her he was freezing. That he couldn't feel his toes. Fucking puddle. His feet were soaked. And the last thing he needed now was wet shoes and socks. He threw the covers off, bending down, contorting himself around the steering wheel to remove the damp footwear.
She sniffed. "Do you really have to take your shoes off? It's bad enough I have to smell YOU. Must I also smell your feet?"
He didn't answer, the inside of the car already growing cold, very cold. His hands shaking as he undid the ties.
She glanced over her shoulder at him and her gaze immediately softened. His skin pasty pale, his lips blue and trembling. The blanket he'd taken was a sleeping bag, completely unzipped and tossed heedlessly on the back seat. Her eyes focused on what he was trying to do.
Realizing his condition, she squirmed to face him and reached over. He froze, looking at her with wide eyes and trembling lips. He couldn't move as she untied his shoes for him, pulling the soaked sneaker and sock off.
She tapped his other leg. "Come on. Let's get the other one off."
He lifted that foot and she undressed that as well. He smiled. "Thanks." Though his teeth were chattering. She smiled back and he crawled into the backseat, sliding into the sleeping bag and zipping it up to his waist. "Trish?"
She turned to look at him.
"Here." He pulled his T-shirt over his head and held it to her. "Take it."
She eyed him then shook her head. "No, what are you doing?"
His muscles jumped at the cold, his nipples hard. "Take it. I'll be fine. Please."
She took his shirt, pulling it over her clothes and wrapped herself back up in the blanket, watching him.
Shivering, he settled completely into the sleeping bag, zippering it right up and burying himself to the nose. The backseat was big enough, he could stretch out a good amount, just having to slightly bend his knees.
+++
His eyes fluttered hours later to the sound of erratic breathing, panting. He opened his eyes. Rain was pounding hard against the car, the rhythmic patting quite soothing. Then he saw her, soaked right through, her entire body shaking and huddled. "Trish!" he sat up, the cold of the car not even registering. "Trish?"
Trish looked up to him and smiled weakly. "I ... I ... I ... hhhad tooo ... pee."
Chris quickly unzipped the sleeping bag and reached for her. "You can slap me in the morning." He said then pulled her shirts up over her head. Leaning around the front seat, he unfastened her pants and with great difficulty managed to push them down to her ankles. "Come here." He gathered her in his arms, pulling her into the back seat, sliding her pants the rest of the way off.
Swallowing hard at the sight of her in matching lace lingerie, he laid her in the sleeping bag. Her eyes closed and teeth chattering. "Trish?" She opened her eyes, seeing him worried. That long blonde hair pooling over his shoulders. He grabbed her hand, then zipped the first little bit up to her knees. Being extra careful, he helped her sit up then lay the other blanket on the seat. He lowered her.
He lifted towards her, getting onto the seat and slipping his feet into the bag then wrapped an arm around her waist. Pulling her against his chest, he turned the bag so the open end was to her back then eased her down so her back was on the blanket. He used the sleeping bag as a large blanket, laying right on top of her, wrapping the sleeping bag around them.
God, she was freezing. He tangled their legs, making sure his chest covered hers then pressed his head to the side of hers. He could feel the cold pulsating off of her; he was worried. "Come on, Baby. Let me know you're still here."
She gripped his sides with her icy hands and squeezed slightly.
"Can you squeeze hard than that?"
She shook her head.
"Alright." He said, gently. "I know what this is gonna sound like but the faster we get you warm, the better. Ok?" She nodded and he settled further into her. "Ok, slip your hands down the back of my pants. Skin on skin will warm you."
Without arguing, Trish slipped both tiny hands down the back of his pants, even under the boxers and she sighed at the warmth. He shuddered a moment at the icy touch, but soon pushed it from his mind. He rubbed his foot over hers, along her calf, anything he could to stimulate the blood flow.
His body so warm and heavy on hers, the cold leaking out of her, she couldn't even feel the chill in the car. "Thank you." She whispered.
He smiled. "You just get warm. Vince would have my hide if his prettiest diva had frostbite."
"You think I'm pretty?"
He nodded. "Hell yeah. Pretty, sexy, the works. Think it now and I thought it from the moment I saw you." He chuckled, almost nervously. "You know if I was ... uhm ... looking."
She smiled, squirming slightly and relaxing into the heat of his body. "Well, if we're being honest, I don't think you're that bad yourself." She bit her lip. "Why ... why did you ask me to ride with you to the next arena."
"Honestly?"
"Please."
He sighed, burrowing his head in her neck. "Because I wanted to spend time with you ... a ... alone. And ... and I know that you don't travel with Test or Albert anymore and ... and I wanted to ..." He cleared his throat. "Well, if I'm being totally honest, I wanted to get to ..."
She chuckled at his nerves, rubbing her foot along his calf in comfort. "Wanted to what?"
"You're not making this any easier."
"I'm sorry." She said softly, a bit more seriously.
He started over. "I wanted to spend time with you and get to know you and ... and just talk. But ... well things didn't quite go as planned. You know since we argued the minute you sat down."
"But we always fight. Why would you want to spend time with me?"
He licked his lips. "Cuz you're the only girl who dishes it back at me as fast as I give it. That and because I think you're incredibly sexy. And I want you."
She squirmed again. "So ... So that's not your hand."
"I'm sorry, Trish." He said, quickly. "I'm so sorry. I'll move."
"No." She squeezed his ass, pulling him against her and keeping him from moving. "I ... I'm still cold."
"Uhm ... ok."
She ran her hands up his back, pressing into the muscles just above his waist. "Do ... do you want me?"
He nodded. "Every man alive does. Why ... why did you accept my offer ... for a lift?"
"I have a secret."
"What?"
"I want you too," she breathed.
He pushed up to look down at her, surprised. "What?"
She smiled. "Does that surprise you? I said, I want you too. When you look at me and when we're arguing and the way your eyes blaze and ... you just send this ... this charge through me that ..."
"Charge!"
She furrowed her brow. "What?"
He blinked a few times. "I just realized something."
"What?"
He smiled. "I have one of those self-jumpers for the battery in the trunk." When he would move, she held him tighter.
"Don't go anywhere." She said with force.
"I thought you said I stunk earlier."
"I never said you stunk, I said I could smell you." Trish eyed him. "But it was bad because you smell good."
Confused, he cocked his head. "It's a bad thing that I smell good?"
She traced her hands to his sides then around to caress his chest. "Bad in the sense that ... when you smell good ... you're irresistible."
He shivered. "My God, your hands are still ice." His elbows to either side, he grabbed her smaller hands in his much larger. Cupping them, he brought them to his mouth, breathing onto them. The air he expelled was hot, the delicate brush of his lips, the slight scratch of his stubble causing her to shudder. He softly kissed her hand, almost soft enough that she couldn't feel it. Almost. "Are you warming up at all?"
"A little." Her voice on her breath.
"Maybe I should try to jump the car. It'll warm you up much faster. I ... I don't think the body heat is working."
But again, she stopped him from moving. "Don't. It's freezing outside."
"It's freezing in here." He glanced around, noting how the windows were fogging up. "God, your skin is still cold against mine." He lay flush onto her again, wrapping his arms under her back and around her smaller frame, hugging her. The sleeping bag was pulled up over his shoulders, leaving only their head exposed. Then he froze. "Trish ... uhm ... what are you doing?"
"Unzipping you pants." She said, nonchalantly. "I thought that was obvious." The zipper obnoxiously screeched open.
"I uhm ... I don't know if this is a good idea."
"You said yourself. Skin on skin is warmer. And I can't feel enough of your skin." He bit back a moan at those words as she wrestled with his pants, eventually the garment lay on the floor and their legs were entwined again. She hummed. "Mmmm, you're nice and warm."
He expelled a shaky breath. Here he was in his boxers lying on top of a gorgeous woman who only wore her bra and panties. He could feel the blood pumping ...everywhere. Her body was so soft, her legs so smooth. He swallowed hard. "Maybe ... uhm ... maybe I should try and jump the car." He pushed up, looking down at her. "You know cuz you need to warm up."
She smiled, teasingly and seductive. "I don't know. You're doing a wonderful job of that." She blinked slowly, then licked her lips. "You feel mighty hot to me."
He swallowed his groan and he could feel his body's growing reaction to her. He couldn't help it; and hell, she had to feel it too. "But you ... you're hands are ... are freezing. You ... you're still ice."
A seducing glint in her eye, she hooked a heel into his calf then tickled her hands up to his hair, wrapping her arms around his neck. "Then thaw me." She pulled him down and kissed him.
He growled, the softness of her lips driving him mad, and here it was only her lips. He pulled back. "Thaw me?" he smiled. "That's so ... so ... I don't even know what to call that." He chuckled.
Trish smiled, a faint flush rising to her cheeks. "How about ..." she bit her lip, thinking for a moment. "You can jump the car in the morning ..."
"And you can jump me now?" he finished for her.
She laughed. "Sure, that works." Then brushed her fingers over his brow, cheek, then over his jaw. "I've really been missing out when it comes to you."
Chris chuckled. "What, having a clumsy cocky bastard crushing you?"
"Yeah." She sighed with a smile.
He gave a small pout. "That wasn't very nice."
Trish leaned up, kissing the pout away and when she pulled back, he was smiling. "I'm sorry, my clumsy cocky bastard." She arched her hips into his ever so slightly. "But I am dead serious ... about wanting you." She kissed him again, this time with hunger as her tongue swooped over his lips.
Chris groaned when her tongue plunged into his mouth, exploring and searching. And she moaned when his tongue was just as eager, tangling expertly with hers. Delirious, breathless, he pulled back. He was panting; her lips swollen and wet, her cheeks tinged with a slight flush of arousal and he could feel her body twitching against his with excitement. "I ... I don't want ... to go back to ... the way we were ... in the morning."
"I don't think we could." She pulled him down, claiming his lips.
- End -
*** Well, just so you all know, this is just a little Chris/Trish muse dating back to just after the T&A days of our lovely Miss Stratus. There is a higher rated version of this floating around and if you wish to read it ... just let me know and I can send it to you ... or send a link. Thanks for reading. ***