AUTHOR: Cathie McMath.
EMAIL:
RATING: Possibly at PG 15
CONTENT: Swearing (naughty words!), sexual themes, and violence. All the things that make a good fic!
SUMMARY: Lita gets a secret admirer... That turns out to be more than a little creepy. Lita/Jeff pairing.
DISCLAIMER: I do not own anyone or anything related to the WWE. Vince McMahon does, and I'm very, very jealous.
DISTRIBUTION: Just email me first and let me know if you want it.
FEEDBACK: I would really appreciate hearing from you guys, seeing as it took my absolutely FOREVER to get this chapter done and up, and well.. because.. it's the end! So be sure to let me know what you think.. even if it's just to abuse me for taking so god damned long!
AUTHOR'S NOTE: Thanks for sticking with me, even though I've had a bit of a break and haven't written anything for ages. I really appreciate you guys reading and reviewing. Thanks, and I hope you enjoy this chapter!
------
Lita tightened her grip on the man beside her, closing her eyes and sighing in content as she listened to the waves crashing at her feet. Resting her head on his chest, she focused her attention on the sound of his heart beating, and smiled to herself.
She was so happy.
She never even knew this type of happiness existed. She'd never felt anything like this before in her entire life. This constant state of butterflies in her stomach, her heart so full of love it felt like it would burst, the never ending smile that played across her lips. She felt so charged, so alive...
So happy.
Her head still resting on his chest, she stole a glance at her left hand, that was entwined with his. A strong glow spread through her body as the ring on her finger shone in the sun. It was a plain gold band, with a small emerald crystal set in the middle. Simple, yet it symbolised so much.
Soon, she and Jeff would be man and wife.
The redhead smiled to herself, the movement of her lips brushing against Jeff's bare chest.
"And just what are you grinning about, missy?"
The warm tone in his voice caused her heart to skip a beat. God, the effect he had on her, even now, never ceased to amaze her. After so many years of friendship, and the past two years of their relationship, he could still make her heart stop with a single word.
She looked up at him, brushing her hair behind her ears at the same time. "Nothing really," she answered, beaming madly.
Jeff looked at her for a few moments, his left eyebrow rising quizzically. "So that gigantic smile plastered onto your face is over nothing?"
"Well, nothing besides the fact that I love you."
Chuckling, Jeff dropped his head slightly to place a kiss on her forehead. He ran his fingers through her hair, brushing it away from her face. "You're nuts, girl. Absolutely nuts." He took in a breath, his voice lowering slightly. "I love you too."
Lita sat up suddenly, her eyes shining brightly. "Can I bury you in the sand?"
"What?"
"Oh please, please let me bury you!" She sent him a cheeky smile as she scooped up some sand and let it fall through her fingers. "It'll be heaps of fun, I promise!"
Jeff laughed, folding his arms under his head as he looked up at her. "Fun for me, or fun for you?"
"Both," she said seriously. A pause, and then a slight shrug of her shoulders. "Actually, probably a little bit more fun for me."
"And you think that will convince me to let you do it? Nah uh - I don't think so, Li." He closed his eyes, taking in a deep breath of the sea water air. "Let's just lie back down, close our eyes, listen to the sounds of the beach and... HEY!"
His eyes shot open as he felt warm sand being poured onto his stomach. He glared at the redhead who sat beside him, a glint in her eyes and a mischevious smile on her lips. She let out a giggle as she scooped up another handful of sand and poured it onto his foot, slowly covering his toes.
Quick as a flash, Jeff jumped up from his position on the sand, and leapt forward to tackle Lita to the ground. Grabbing her around the waist, he fell ontop of her, attacking her sides with his fingers. She squealed as she writhed beneath him with laughter. "Stop! Oh God, Jeff.. stop! That's not fair!"
He laughed, never pausing his assault. "I asked you very nicely not to put any sand on me, but you didn't listen and went ahead and did it anyway. So this is what you get!" He grabbed her left foot, and focused on tickling the arch of her foot, which caused her to almost convulse with laughter.
"Okay, okay," she gasped, breathless in a fit of giggles. "I give up! You win! I'm sorry, I'm sorry! Just... let.. me... go!"
And then suddenly, Jeff let go and sat back down, a smug smile on his face as he took in a deep breath. "Ah, I love days at the beach."
"You're evil."
"But you love me anyway."
Lita let out a small chuckle at his cockiness, and shook her head slightly, yet didn't say anything more.
"See. You totally dig me." Jeff ran a hand through his slightly damp, blonde hair and sent a wink the redhead's way. "Don't even try and deny it."
The corners of her lips twitched into a half smile, and she opened her mouth, ready to argue with him, when a shrill ring sounded from the beach bag lying beside her. She dug through the bag, picking up her cell phone and placing it to her ear.
"Hello? ... Hey girl! How's it going?.. Good, good! Jeff and I are just hanging out at the beach..." she let out a laugh, pushing her hair behind her ears. ".... yeah, definitely. No, nothing really... sure! That sounds great... yep, we'll be there. Okay... see you soon!"
Lita ended the phone call, and placed the phone back into her bag. She turned to Jeff, who had his eyes trained on her curiously. "It was Trish," she explained. "She asked us over for dinner tonight.
"Mmmmm," Jeff smiled, his eyes closing slowly. "I love Trish's home cooking. What's she making? Please tell me it's some of that delicious roast chicken that she always has with that special sauce."
She shook her head. "Actually, Bubba's cooking tonight."
"Bubba?"
A nod. "Trish said he had something special planned."
"Are you serious?"
Another nod.
"Does Bubba even know how to turn an oven on?"
Lita let out a laugh, and patted Jeff on the shoulder as she stood up, placing her bag over her shoulder.
"Does he know that you can't cook a chicken by putting it through a table?"
"Don't worry sweetie, I'm sure Bubba knows what he's doing," she sighed, pulling her sunglasses out of her bag and sitting them over her eyes. She looked down at him, still laying on the sand. "Are you coming?
Jeff glanced at his watch, and then back up at his girlfriend. "You want to go already?"
"I kinda want to have a shower and get cleaned up before we go to their place. I always get sand everywhere when I go to the beach." Lita brushed at the back of her thigh, causing sand to fall to the ground.
Eyebrows quirking, Jeff smiled slowly. "Everywhere?"
"You're hopeless," she said, shaking her head. "If you're not ready to leave yet, stay for a little while longer. It only takes you about five seconds to get ready anyway. I'll go home now, take my time getting clean and ready, and you just come home whenever you're ready. How's that?"
Jeff wriggled his toes into the warm sand, and smiled appreciatively. "That would be lovely, Li."
"Just be home by about six, okay? They're expecting us at seven, and I don't want to be late." She bent down, and planted a long kiss on the top of his head. She brushed away a strand of hair that hung down in front of his eyes, sweeping it behind his ears as he looked up at her. "See you soon baby."
As she began walking towards the car park, he called out after her, "I promise I'll try my best to avoid all the girls that throw themselves at my feet the moment you leave!"
She laughed, stuck her tongue back out at him, then continued walking.
-------
Pulling into the driveway of the house that he and Lita had bought together, Jeff parked his car just behind Lita's, turning off the engine. Still sitting in the car seat, he ran a hand through his hair, scratching lightly. He felt sand fall from his head, and laughed to himself. You really did get sand everywhere when you went to the beach.
He got out of the car and walked to the front door, glancing at his wrist watch. 6:15. Pretty good timing. Lita should pretty much be ready by now, and he had plenty of time to hop into the shower, and throw on some clothes before they had to leave.
He stepped in the front door, and placed his keys on the table in the hallway. Scratching at his head again, and feeling more sand fall from his hair, Jeff padded down the hallway and towards the kitchen.
"Baby, I'm home!" he called as he opened the fridge door, grabbing a cold bottle of water from inside and gulping it down eagerly. "Are you almost ready?"
He placed the bottle on the counter top, waiting for a reply, when something caught his eye. A small piece of paper on the dining room table. Frowning slightly, he walked over into the dining room, and reached for the slip of paper that stood propped up on the table.
"Upstairs."
Upstairs? What was that supposed to mean? Jeff glanced towards the stairs, wondering what that redhead was up to. Looking back to the note, his eyes softened as he noticed a small, neatly drawn love heart in the corner of the page. Suddenly, it clicked, and a grin spread across his lips. So she was being cheeky, and wanted to play a game before they left for dinner.
He was up for that.
He padded towards the stairs, making his way slowly up each step. Halfway up the staircase, he noticed another small note. He picked it up and read eagerly.
"Bedroom."
The grin grew wider, as the image of his fiery haired fiancee waiting for him on their bed, wearing nothing but gorgeous black, lacy underwear and a smile flashed before his eyes. God, just the thought of that woman drove him crazy. He pictured her eyes, her lips, her legs, her breast, every single sexy curve...
Jeff quickened his step, pausing just outside their bedroom door. The door was ajar, and he couldn't help but steal a peek through the open crack. Breathing slowly, he tried to see if he could spot her, but she wasn't lying on the bed. Maybe she was in their bathroom, still in the shower? He pushed the door open, and searched the room with his eyes.
"I'm here, Li. What have you got for me?"
Trying to find where she was hiding, his eyes fell on something sparkling on the bed. He frowned, and then noticed that there was another note beside the object. He walked over to the bed, confused, and as he grew nearer he realised that the shining object was Lita's engagement ring.
Why the hell would she take her ring off?
He picked up the ring, studying it in his fingers. The dark green emerald sparkled as he held it in his hand and he wondered why she wouldn't have it with her. She never took it off. Never. Not since the day that he got down on one knee while they were holidaying in Mexico, placed it on her finger and asked her to be his wife. She had smiled that dazzling smile, said yes, and had not once taken that ring off since that moment.
The ring still in his hand, Jeff's gaze fell on the note sitting on the bed. And it was then that his heart began to pound. Suddenly nervous, he licked his lips and reached for the note. The paper felt strangely odd in his hand, almost like it was burning his skin. He looked at the words written, and it was as if the very breath had been sucked out of his lungs.
He suddenly realised he knew that handwriting.
And it wasn't Lita's.
Throwing the paper down, he spun around, his eyes wild as he rushed into the bathroom. "Lita?"
He exited the bedroom, running into each of the spare rooms, calling her name as he moved from room to room. His breathing quickened dangerously, his heart pounding in his chest. "Lita?" he cried more desperately now, wishing for her to just answer him. "Lita, where are you? Stop... please.. stop fooling around! Where are you?"
Running back down the stairs, Jeff's green eyes searched around him, looking for any sign of where she might be. She had to be here. Her car was in the drive way. He hurried into the kitchen - her keys were on the hook. She was here. She had to be here.
Flashes of memories he had buried long ago burnt fiercely under his eyelids. He had felt like that before... the same sick feeling inside that made him want to pull out his own insides. Memories of running through arenas, calling out her name, hearing her screaming and feeling absolutely helpless...
"NO!"
Jeff roared, panting heavily. He shook his head. It wasn't possible.. He ran back up the stairs, and flung the door open into the bedroom. He grabbed the note from where it had fallen, and forced himself to read the words on the paper, his eyes stinging with hot tears.
He focused on the words, and when he was done he fell violently to the floor, his knees giving out from underneath him. Harsh sobs wracked his body, and a strained cry of utter desperation escaped from his throat, nearly choking on it. He looked at one hand, clutching Lita's ring so tightly that it was beginning to cut into his skin, and then he looked at the other hand, the note clenched in his fist.
And he cried.
"I told you a long time ago that I would have Lita. I'm a man of my word. Remember Jeff, The Game is forever.
All my love,
Hunter."
THE END.