*POV #1*

I should have been surprised to see the blood on my fingertips when I pulled my hand away. But it's become almost a nightly occurrence. What I should probably do is ask Rob why he's got it in for my face. And even though we'll both know I'm joking, he'll get all sad and apologetic...and I'm just not up for that tonight.

So I'll let the backstage quacks do their medical voodoo and think about going back to the hotel...alone.

The solo existence that I wanted. Or so I thought. Because it seems that ever since we decided to part company...I can't sleep at all. And when I do manage to fall into that strange netherworld for a few moments...I'm the one doing the dreaming. My hands are traveling with aching slowness along your impossibly smooth, young skin. My lips trail down the length of each gorgeous leg. A trip that seems to go on forever. And just when I think I'm about to claim what I've been longing for....my eyes open.

Yeah....deciding to fly solo was such a good idea.

But you can't change history, so it's off to get yet another medical clearance and one more night of hopeless reverie.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

*POV #2*

I know I'm still considered a rookie. And I know I have a lot to learn...especially about keeping my mouth shut and just doing what's asked of me. But I hate coming all the way to the arena only to find out that all they have planned for me is a promo....and one with Austin to boot.

And we all know what that means. Ask people when the show is over if they enjoyed my work and I'll bet they won't even remember I was there. But I pride myself on being patient. Not many guys get the chances I'm getting and I know that if I do the right things...just like you told me....I'll be fine.

Somebody mentioned that you were hurt after your match and I literally had to force myself to stay in my chair. My first...and only.... thought, was to go to you. And I'm sure you would have simply seen it as the concern of a caring friend. Albeit a friend that's decided to keep as far from you as possible.

But the fact remains, that I still would have known. I wouldn't be at your side just checking on a fellow performer. I'd be fighting back the urge to take your hand...kiss your fingers gently… and watch the look of pain slowly leave your eyes.

At least that's how it happens in my dreams.

And yeah...I'm still having them. Not being in the same room with you hasn't ended them. If anything they're more frequent...more intense.

And I'm still not sure how you can miss something you've never had. But when it comes to you… and the feelings I can't escape...logic means nothing.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

When he stepped through the lobby doors and saw him standing there....or more to the point...leaning there.....his first inclination was to walk back out to his car and wait. But his face was still stinging from where he had been cut earlier and he was exhausted. And if he really wanted to be honest, there was something about the way he was poised there, motionless, his elbow resting on the counter, head in hand, that forced him to keep walking.

"Hey Randy....everything OK?"

He thought he'd captured just the right mix of friendly concern and professional distance. But when the dark head came up and he looked into his eyes, he wasn't quite so sure.

"Hi Chris, " he said, his voice tired, but so incredibly sexy that Chris nearly licked his lips at the sound.

The smart thing would have been to just get his own key and keep moving. But the roundhouse kick from RVD must have jarred something lose in his brain. Because he did the one thing he kept promising himself that he would never do...he touched him.

It was only a friendly hand on his arm. But the jolt that traveled through his fingers at the feel of his warm skin shot that theory right through the head.

"Are you ok?" It was a mistake to continue speaking...and he knew that. It still didn't stop him. "Just keep talking," he told himself. "And maybe he won't notice that you're nearly panting with desire for him."

Randy's eyes dipped closed for just a second, believing that Chris would probably view it as weariness and not for what it really was. A completely instinctive reaction to the feel of his hand on his body. And when he opened them, the calm, caring look he saw in the other man's eyes caused just a slight wobble in his knees.

"Yeah… I suppose," he managed to force out. "I'm just wondering how comfortable the back seat of my rental is going to be. It looks like they lost my reservation."

The alarm bells went off almost immediately in Chris' head. "Show some sympathy," he thought. "But get the hell away from him...now!"

"You're kidding?" He paused, still leaving himself an opening to escape. An opening he almost instantly ignored. "You can always room with me...it's no problem."

The clerk behind the desk looked up expectantly. It was his first week on the job and he not only feared unemployment, but the man whose room he had somehow lost looked quite capable of snapping him in half.

"I don't want to put you out," Randy responded. "This isn't your problem."

Chris smirked ruefully and thought, "I know what my problem is." But he couldn't in good conscience leave this young… incredibly beautiful man, standing here for the rest of the night. Besides, what was one more night without sleep?

"You aren't putting me out...I'm offering." And with that he turned to the enormously relieved desk clerk and made the arrangements.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Neither man was sure if it was the lateness of the hour or something unspoken between them, but they moved around the room in near silence, unpacking what was necessary and changing into something more conducive to sleeping. Even if neither of them believed that actual sleep was a possibility.

There was only one bed in the room...but it was a king sized one and since Chris figured on keeping his eyes open all night anyway, he didn't view it as a problem.

After he stripped down to his boxers he pretended to be enthralled with something he saw out the window. But out of the corner of his eye he watched Randy carefully, holding back soft sighs of approval as he too got undressed.

Finally shaking his head to clear it, Chris turned and headed for the bathroom. At almost exactly the same moment, so did Randy. Two months ago they would have laughed it off. Two weeks ago, there might have been a nervous laugh and some mumbled apologies. Tonight was completely different.

The morning light wouldn't shed any real illuminations on why this particular moment occurred. Call it fate...call it karma. But the second they looked at each other, they both just knew. Something had to give.

As he kept his blue eyes riveted to his face, Chris reached up his hand and ran it down the length of Randy's arm. He could feel the muscles twitching beneath the skin and he knew he didn't imagine the small gasp that he heard. Without stopping to think, he moved his hand downward until the younger man's fingers were laced loosely with his. He waited a moment until he was sure that Randy wasn't going to pull away...and then he took the chance that he had, up until this moment, only fantasized about.

"Just say no… and none of this ever happened."

Randy tried to shake his head...but he seemed powerless to move. He pursed his lips to speak, but his throat was constricted with overwhelming need. All he managed to do was lean his body closer to Chris, silently granting him permission to end this incessant torture.

Two hands drifted slowly up his chest, fingers brushing with whisper softness across his puckered nipples. Randy whimpered in response, compelling himself to keep from crying out.

Chris let his eyes travel shamelessly, finally allowing himself to indulge in the man's sheer, physical beauty. His hands continued their journey, crossing the broad plain of his chest, traveling the taut expanse of his shoulders and down each, well defined, arm.

His touches were gentle...almost reverent. But they left no doubt that there was unbridled passion just below the surface.

The moment his hands reached the waistband of his shorts, Chris looked up into Randy's eyes, giving the younger man one more opportunity to change his mind. The gentle smile he saw there, answered any question Chris might have had.

The boxers slid with amazing ease down each long, luscious leg and Chris groaned softly at the sight before him. Raising up he placed a hand on Randy's chest, circling a nipple with one gentle finger. He leaned forward and pressed a soft kiss to the corner of his mouth and at the same time let his free hand brush the hard aroused flesh that was wedged between them.

Every sense that Randy possessed was on fire. His ears were practically ringing from the sound of his own heart pounding the blood through his veins. His skin was on fire and his mouth watered at the thought of tasting Chris for the first time.

He moaned hungrily as Chris finally settled his lips on his waiting mouth. They were soft...and warm....and tasted as sweet as he had imagined. It was tentative at first. Chris gave him every opportunity to guide exactly how he wanted things to proceed. And within seconds...he knew. Randy parted his lips and Chris eagerly slid his tongue inside, sighing contentedly at the welcoming heat.

It was as perfect as any kiss Randy had ever dreamed about and for the first time, he reached up and touched the man who had filled his nights with hope. His hair was so soft. It sifted through his fingers as they tunneled endlessly.

Their bodies were now pressed together and Randy could feel just how much Chris wanted him. He was still afraid. Unsure that he would be able to allow this to happen, but more afraid of stopping it.

It was Chris who finally broke the kiss, leaving Randy longing to feel his hot lips again. He trailed a wet tongue down along his throat and teased it along the length of his collarbone. With each new inch explored, Randy was rapidly losing control. He couldn't ever remember wanting anyone...or anything so badly. He rested his hands gently on Chris' shoulders, warring with the urge to push him lower.

But he needn't have bothered. Chris had his journey thoroughly mapped out. His eager mouth traveled across the bulging ab muscles and down past his lean hips. He took exquisite care in moving down and then up, both magnificent legs. He cupped his tight balls gently as he placed tender, moist kisses along his hardened shaft.

Randy felt his body jolt in response. jerking as if being touched by a live wire. Chris smiled and then grasping the taller man's hips firmly, he surrounded him with the wet, warmth of his mouth.

Passionate cries filled the air as Randy succumbed to a moment he thought would forever be only a mirage to him. Looking down, he watched as Chris used his incredible mouth to bring him achingly close to release, only to pause and begin all over again. His fingers were knotted in the tangled blond hair of his lover as he offered himself completely.

Another moan of satisfaction escaped him as he felt Chris' hands slide effortlessly behind him to gently squeeze and stroke his waiting flesh. He tried with every ounce of his being to hold on. Willing the moment to last for the rest of his life. But it was no use. With a cry of painful pleasure, he finally let go. His body was no longer under his control...and in a startling revelation, he discovered that this was what he had always wanted.

He hadn't been attracted to any other man before, because deep inside, whether he knew it or not, he had been waiting for this man.

As Chris rose up to gaze into his eyes he realized that he was still standing....but just barely. In complete silence, Chris moved him gently until he was stretched out on the bed behind them. He then followed him and laid down next to him.

"Are you ok?" he asked.

Randy nodded mutely, his mind racing with everything that had just happened. Chris reached out a hand and gently clasped Randy's. "I didn't plan this, you know. In fact, I've being trying to avoid it."

The younger man looked down to where their hands were joined and tightened his grasp. "I'm glad you're so weak," he whispered.

Both men laughed softly.

For several minutes they laid perfectly still, their faces inches apart, breaths mingling gently. It was only the beginning and without saying a word, they both knew it. The awful tension of denying what they both wanted..what they needed... drained away, leaving them filled with a warm, mellow sensation. The night was far from over. But now that they had opened the door, there was no need to rush. Time was squarely on their side. They shared one more smile as a feeling came over them that they had both become convinced they would never experience again.

Deep, dreamless sleep.