"So...which do you think? Jeans or leather? Dress slacks?" Chris asked, laying three pairs of pants on the bed in front of him.

"Don't ask me. I'm still trying to wrap my mind around the fact that you actually agreed to go out with Steve Austin. He really is one mean Rattlesnake," Jay said from his seat by the table.

"You're just saying that because he wants to stomp a mudhole in ya," Adam snickered from his position on the other bed.

Chris raised a brow, silently questioning the blond.

"Can't blame him really. Ever since the whole 'condiment incident'," Adam said using air quotes for emphasis.

"That was so not my fault," Jay sputtered, waving his hands wildly as he explained. "Hunter told me that Jeff and Matt were the only ones in the hall when he came into the locker room, so naturally I assumed that they would be the next ones walking through the door." He settled back in his seat, affecting a pout of puppy dog proportions.

"You should have seen Austin's face," Adam chimed in cheerfully. "Jay had swiped the ketchup and mustard from catering because he planned to ambush Jeff and Matt. He'd almost emptied both bottles before he realized that it wasn't the Hardys that he'd sprayed it all over. Head to toe...with that bald head of his he almost looked like a hot dog on a bun."

Chris laughed at the image of Steve Austin covered with red and yellow dripping goo.

"What did he do?"

Chris honestly wanted to know. If he was actually going to consider dating the guy on even a semi-regular basis, he didn't want to find out later that he had no sense of humor. Chris himself loved a good practical joke every now and then and liked it even better when they went wrong.

"Growled," Adam said with a grin. "That's it. Jay ran off like a cat with its tail on fire. Now every time Steve sees him he growls and talks about stompin' on him. You'd think by now Jay would have figured out it's all bluster."

"Easy for you to say," Jay insisted. "You're not the one he gives the evil eye to."

Chris shook his head and smiled. "I think he's right Jay. I may not know him all that well yet, but we talked for hours after the show last week. He doesn't seem like the type to hold a grudge over something like that."

Gnawing on his lip while he looked at the outfits spread out on the bed, Chris wondered once again how he'd ended up with the tag team of E & C in his hotel room. He vaguely remembered running into them in the lobby earlier and saying hello. Maybe that had been his first mistake, he thought with amusement. He also recalled them asking him if he wanted to hit the town after the show and making the huge mistake of saying that he already had plans with Steve. They'd looked at him like he'd grown another head.

Now he was just trying to figure out how to politely get rid of them. Not that he didn't like them...he could actually see them becoming friends...if Jay didn't drive him batty with the surfer/valley girl character that he seemed to drop into with appalling regularity. But right now he wanted a little bit of time to settle his nerves. It had been a long time since he'd been on a real date and he wanted to make a great impression on one Steve Austin. He just had this gut feeling that his future happiness depended on it.

Chris hadn't really been surprised when Steve had asked him out after their little 'get to know you' session. The man had spent a good part of the night staring at him ... with an intensity that had had butterflies dancing in his stomach ... and smiling ...lord how he loved the man's smile. They'd just seemed to hit it off so perfectly.

Sure their common interests hadn't numbered many - Steve was a die-hard country music fan where Chris obviously was not - but they both seemed to have common career goals and their values were in sync. They both insisted that friends and family (and lovers, for that matter) came first before careers. They both believed in a higher power and despite Steve's jokes that higher power was neither Vince McMahon nor Icehouse. And they'd both been celibate for a surprisingly long time despite rumors to the contrary.

And speaking of being celibate...

"C'mon Jay, I think we'd better go. We've rendered him catatonic."

Snapped out of his mental wandering, CJ heard the amusement in Adam's voice and promptly blushed. So not like him to let his mind wander off like that. "I'm sorry," he apologized, blushing even more when Adam waved off his words.

"Don't be. From the way your eyes glazed over I'd say you have enough on your mind at the moment," Adam said with an exaggerated wink. "If I were you, I'd wear the leather because your ass looks really hot in them. Trust me, I looked."

"Perv," Jay said smacking Adam in the arm, though he was smiling as well.

"Thanks...I think." Chris smiled and opened the door for them. "I'll see you guys later."

As he shut the door behind them, Chris let his thoughts wander back to the previous week and what had happened when Steve had walked him back to his hotel room door.

They had gone straight from the arena to a nearby coffee shop (yes a coffee shop!) and talked about everything from home, family, and friends to work and storylines, past and present. They shared a cab back to the hotel... Steve's room was only three doors down from his own... and Steve insisted on delivering him safely to his door.

"After all, wouldn't want ya ta git molested by Bradshaw or Show," Steve insisted with a rather sweet smile.

"That's enough to give anyone nightmares," Chris replied with a smirk. "Tonight was...nice," he said sincerely, hoping that there would be a repeat in the near future.

"So..." Steve said quietly, surprising Chris by grabbing his hand, "does this mean that yer not ta the point of wantin' ta kill me yet?"

"Not even close," Chris breathed out in a rush, smiling shyly at the man who had focused his gaze firmly on Chris' lips. Steve looked up into his eyes for a long moment before returning his stare to the vicinity of Chris' mouth.

"And I'd much rather kiss ya than kill ya," Steve said while still staring at his mouth.

Chris involuntarily licked his lips just then, though he'd have been thrilled if Steve had seen it as an invitation. 'Please, yes please, just do it!' his mind repeated over and over.

"But I can't do that 'til I take ya out proper-like," Steve said with a maddening grin.

'But why the hell not?' he whined internally, just barely refraining from whimpering.

"So...Christopher...will ya let me?" Steve asked, still staring at his desperately needy lips.

'Let ya...? How does that go? Oh hell yeah! Where the hell did I put that room key?' he thought frantically.

"Take ya out, I mean. Next week after the show good for ya?"

'That long? Now would be good!' Firmly wrangling his brain from the control of his raging libido, Chris smiled. "I'd love to let you...take me out, that is. Next week would be great."

Steve smiled that maddeningly sexy smile and backed away, finally releasing his hand before giving a short wave and heading down the hall to his own room. Chris watched him walk away, leaning against the door with a quiet sigh until Steve stopped in front of his own door. Then he hurriedly dug for his key and rushed into his room so that Steve wouldn't notice his pitiful condition.

The alarm on his watch beeping intruded on his thoughts and reminded him that it was almost time for him to leave for the arena. Shrugging, Chris stuck all of the outfits in his bag. He'd check with Steve first to see where they were going. He wouldn't want to wear his leather to a five-star restaurant. Or his dress slacks to a country bar...that'd just be begging for trouble. Checking one last time to make sure he had everything, he headed out for the arena.

****

"Steve! Have you got a minute?"

Steve let out a short bark of laughter and turned, a smirk on his face, to address the man crossing the hall towards him. "I'm guessin' if I didn't, I'd have ta be makin' one for ya anyway, Vince. Ya know...ya bein' the boss an' all." Austin shook his head at the beaming smile on the man's face.

"True, very true," Vince replied folding his arms over his chest as he gave Austin a thorough visual inspection from head to toe.

Steve felt a little like a bug on a pin...and a lot creeped out.

"That's not what you're wearing for the big night, is it Steve? I mean, aren't you going to dress up a little bit?"

Steve narrowed his eyes slightly as he tried to figure out what exactly Vince knew and where he'd gotten his information. He'd only been in the building for five minutes and he hadn't said a word to anyone prior to running into the big bossman. He didn't think Chris was the type to just blurt out the news that he had a date to their boss...unless Vince had cornered him. "How'd ya know 'bout that Vinnie Mac? Ya been spyin' on me or somethin'?" Steve asked in an amused tone.

Seeing the almost nervous glance that Vince tossed over his shoulder, he spotted the two men that Vince had been talking to just before he'd trapped Steve in this bizarre conversation. The two blond Canadians were staring at him, though when they realized he was looking at them, they suddenly developed a great interest in the crate that they'd been leaning against. How the heck those two dizzy blonds knew about his plans with Chris, he couldn't begin to guess, but it was obvious that they did. He caught Jay peeking in his direction and just for the hell of it gave him the meanest look he could muster. And since he was Stone Cold Steve Austin...that was one pretty damned mean look.

Chuckling as the blond suddenly grabbed his friend's hand and literally dragged him down the hall, Austin turned back to Vince with a wicked grin on his face.

"Steve," Vince said with a sigh, "will you please stop scaring that poor kid half to death? It's not like he did it on purpose."

"I know that. If he'd a done it on purpose, I'd a kicked his ass already, Vince. Ya know me," he said, flashing a dimpled smile. "Since they spilled the beans, I don't suppose it'd do me any good ta deny it, now would it?"

"Not a bit," Vince beamed. "So where are you taking him? And...Uh...you are going to change your clothes, aren't you?" He asked with a pointed look at Steve's attire.

"Nosy much?" Steve asked, showing his exasperation just a bit as he glanced down at the Stone Cold t-shirt and blue jean shorts that he was wearing. When Vince continued to stare at him expectantly, he knew that he wasn't going to get away without giving details. Steve, being Steve, decided to play with his head just a bit and slipped into his on-screen character. "This here is Milwaukee, Vince," he said as if that should explain everything. And if he were anything like his Stone Cold character, it would have...if Vince had had a clue what he was talking about.

"And what is the one thing that Milwaukee is famous for Vince? What? That's right," he said cheerfully, not giving Vince a chance to reply. "They're famous for beer. So my plan is ta stop somewhere and have us a beer." He could almost hear the 'What?'s as he delivered his little speech with all the dramatic pauses. "And then head on down ta 'Water Street' and find us a place ta eat. Somethin' with an all-ya-can-eat buffet...and beer." Vince looked at him with something akin to horror on his face and Steve almost lost it. "And then maybe we'll find us a tavern. With music...and dancin'...and more beer. And o' course last but not least I thought I'd take him back ta the hotel...and play some games. Like poker...strip poker...and pin the tail on the ass..."

"...Donkey, Steve. It's pin the tail on the donkey," Vince said as if he were dazed. He was looking over Steve's shoulder and suddenly went a little pink in the face.

"Not the way that I play it, it ain't," Steve said with a wicked leer. "And then there's always my favorite...bottoms up..."

A loud peal of laughter from behind him put a quick stop to his monologue and he stiffened slightly as he recognized the musical tone. "Well...at least that saves me from having to ask what I should wear..."

He heard the amusement in Chris' voice and spun around to smile at him. Eyes all sparkling with laughter he was a sight to behold...a perfectly delicious sight. Steve forced himself to close his mouth before he started drooling and winked at the blond.

"Maybe I should just forget the clothes and go naked," Chris said, returning the wink saucily.

"I think," Vince said swallowing audibly, "that I'll just leave you two alone and talk to you later. Yeah, later..." With that he turned and strode down the hall so quickly that he almost bowled over the blonds who suddenly appeared from a side hallway.

Steve and Chris watched the boss toss a look back over his shoulder before talking in a quick whisper to the two men. The three then hurried down the hall together towards Vince's office.

Steve turned back to Chris and they both burst into laughter. "So...does Vince give you dating advice often?" Chris asked with an impish grin.

Steve rolled his eyes and then smiled at the man beside him. "I think it's become his mission in life ta see me settle down. 'Bout a month ago he set me up on a blind date...with Mark."

Chris sputtered and looked at him incredulously. "You and...and Mark? The Undertaker and Stone Cold Steve Austin?" Then he laughed so hard that Steve was worried he might strain something. "Not that...not that you two wouldn't look cute together," he gasped out in between chuckles.

Steve scowled. "Cute my ass..."

"Oh it is, believe me," Chris said and then immediately blushed. Steve was pretty sure that he hadn't meant to say that out loud. "How could Vince think you guys would be a good match? I mean I can't see either of you guys volunteering to be on the..." Chris clamped his mouth shut tightly at that point, the pink in his cheeks turning to a bright red.

Steve grinned and rubbed his chin. He really liked Chris' tendency to blush and made a note to see that it happened as often as possible. Though so far every time it had happened in his presence it had been because of Chris' runaway tongue. "Nice ta know that ya took note of my manliness...among other things," Steve said, smiling when Chris ducked his head. "And just so ya know...most of that stuff I was sayin' ta Vince was just ta pull his chain."

"I kind of figured," Chris said, slanting a shy smile at him.

"So this is what I was thinkin'...find someplace open ta grab a bite...not a buffet," he added with a smirk. "And then maybe I'd take ya dancin'. Ya ever done any Texas two-steppin', Christopher?"

"Can't say that I have, but I'm sure you can teach me," Chris replied with a smile.

"Oh there's all kinds of things I'm willin' ta teach ya," Steve said with a wink, smiling at the sudden spark of interest in those pretty blue eyes. "Ya better go find Mark so ya can go over yer spot for tonight. If ya don't talk ta him ahead of time, he's liable ta level ya with some line that'll have ya bustin' yer gut. Got a wicked sense a humor, the Deadman does."

"I'll keep that in mind. So...I'll see you later then," Chris said, backing down the hall. He squeaked as he backed into a crate that he hadn't noticed before. Steve smiled as Chris turned around and hurried down the hall to find Mark. At least he smiled until he noticed three sets of eyes peeping over the top of another crate about thirty feet away. He growled, causing one of the sets of eyes to disappear almost immediately, before rolling his eyes and stomping off towards his dressing room.

"Silly bastards thinkin' they're Cupid or somethin'," he mumbled as he shook his head.

****

"And we're out..."

Chris immediately covered his face with his hands. Thanks to Steve's warning earlier he hadn't broke character, but it had been damn close. When he'd gone to see Mark earlier, Mark had told him he'd have to think about a reply to Chris' interruption of his spot with Big Show. Chris had shrugged it off, thinking Mark would simply warn him against interrupting him again...and he had, but not before he'd told the entire viewing audience that he had more shower time than Chris had ring time. Chris, being a guy, had immediately had imagery of all kinds flooding his head.

Mark...shower...naked...soap...oh hell.

He hadn't blushed, but lord had he wanted to.

A large hand slapped him on the back and he nearly toppled over due to the surprise of it.

"Ya done good kid," came the smooth tone of the man known as the Undertaker. Chris looked up to find Mark with a huge smile on his face. "But I almost had ya."

"Told ya he'd pull somethin'." Chris turned to smile at Steve. "More shower time than he has ring time? I didn't realize ya still cleaned yer pipes that often, old man." Chris watched in amusement as Mark glared at Steve. "Good thing Shane's a horny little bastard..."

"Christ Steve. Why don't ya say it a little louder? I'm not sure Vince heard ya."

If looks could kill, poor Steve would have been dead. Chris' eyes widened in surprise at the obvious implications.

"Ya haven't told 'im yet?"

"Do I look like I have a death wish, baldy?" Mark asked rolling his eyes before stalking off down the hall.

"Mark and Shane McMahon?" Chris asked in surprise. "How did Vince miss that?"

"Cause he's too busy tryin' ta set us up. Lucky for Mark..." Steve answered with a grin. "I've got ta stick around 'til the final match so I can nail Shane..."

Chris eyes went wide and he bit his lip to keep from laughing. "Does Mark know?" he choked out, noticing the exact moment that Steve realized what he'd just said.

"Aw, hell. That's not what I meant and ya know it." Steve shook his head, laughing at himself. "Brat," he said, though Chris thought it was said in a rather affectionate tone. "I'll meet ya in yer dressin' room after the show."

Chris nodded and headed off to change, still chuckling as he walked down the hall. At least things were never boring with Steve around, that was for sure.

****

Steve had changed his clothes, despite the temptation to wait to change until after he'd left the arena just to give ol' Vince palpitations. Shouldering his bag over his clean t-shirt, he eyed the blue jeans that he'd changed into. They were clean, they didn't have holes in them, and if Vince didn't like it he could kiss his... After all, it's not like they were going to a five-star restaurant...not at this hour.

He stopped three rooms down from his own and knocked sharply on the wooden door.

"Come in!"

Turning the knob, he walked in and stopped three steps into the room. There stood Chris dressed in blue jeans so tight it looked like he was poured into them, another of those sparkly shirts - this one in blue to match his eyes, with his hair loose around his shoulders. Steve wanted to skip supper altogether and go straight for dessert.

Chris stared at him for a moment...more specifically at the writing on his chest...before lifting his sparkling eyes and saying, "I'd love to." It took Steve a moment to figure out what he was talking about. In fact, he had to look down at his shirt that starkly asked: 'Wanna Raise Some Hell?!'

Hooking his arm through Chris' he tugged him gently towards the door. "Well then let's git ta it, darlin'."

"Darlin'?" Chris asked as they walked down the hall. "A little fresh aren't you, calling me that less than two minutes into our first date," he said with a smirk on his face.

"Some reason it just feels right, darlin'," Steve replied, a boyish grin on his face. And he had to admit to himself that it did feel right. Somewhere inside he knew this wasn't going to be just their first date, but the first of many.

****

Dinner had gone well from Chris' perspective. Very well. They'd found a dimly lit restaurant that was still serving supper at that hour down in the popular 'Water Street' nightlife district. The place had offered steaks so damn big that they'd required their own plate, along with all the fixings. Steve had obviously been in heaven. Chris liked a guy that actually ate when he was hungry instead of picking at his food to try to impress someone. They'd shared a bottle of wine, not beer, over supper.

The conversation had flowed well between them as it had the week before with no weird lulls. That was a huge plus for Chris because he liked talking... a lot. Steve kept up with him without them stepping all over each other...that was good. Chris was feeling rather mellow as they walked down the street to a bar that they'd noticed on the way to the restaurant.

It looked like a nice quiet place, without seeming seedy, where they could blend in. And though he wasn't sure that Steve was going to have much luck teaching him to dance to this sort of music, he was game to give it a shot. They grabbed a corner table and after the waitress had brought them both a beer, Steve stood and held out his hand.

Five minutes later, Chris had to admit that Steve danced very well. And he wasn't half-bad himself with Steve leading. He laughed as Steve introduced a new twist and twirled him around.

After dancing to another two songs, Chris was ready for a break...and a drink. Grabbing both of Steve's hands, he pulled him back to the table, laughingly begging to rest for a moment. They settled into their chairs and Chris took a long swig off his beer, nearly draining it. He blushed when Steve whistled at him. "I like a man that can put a beer down like that," Steve said, wiggling his brows at Chris.

Chris laughed and shook his head. "Why does that not surprise me about you Steve? Ready for another one or am I going to end up drinking you under the table tonight?"

"Oh, I'm always ready, darlin'." Steve told him with a leering grin.

Chris laughed and stood from the table. "I've heard that about you," he said, winking. "This round is on me. I'll be right back." After winding his way between the tables, he leaned against the bar and ordered two more bottles. He was waiting for the bartender to open them when he felt a hand settling on his shoulder.

"Hey, Wesley? Ain't this one of them pretty boy wrestlers that we were watching on television earlier?"

Chris pulled away to put some space between him and the loud voice next to his ear, forcing the man's hand to fall from his shoulder. "Pretty boy?" he asked, turning to look at the man standing next to him. His eyes widened as he took in the rather tall, heavy set gentleman that was eyeing him like a dessert cart at a five-star restaurant, though he doubted the man had ever been in one. "I prefer stunningly gorgeous myself," he said with a smirk. "Is there something I can do for you? Or are you just going to stare at me all night?"

The man blinked and Chris really wanted to roll his eyes, but the guy was big...big enough that he didn't want to start something unless he had to. Besides...getting arrested after being with the company for only two weeks would not be a good thing. "I think you and I should go dance, pretty boy," the man said, reaching for Chris' hand. He grabbed it before Chris realized that the uncouth man actually planned on dragging him out to the dance floor whether he accepted or not. He could hear the hooting and hollering of the man's companions and couldn't refrain from rolling his eyes that time. Digging in his heels, he forced the man to stop, just barely.

"I'm here with someone else, so if you don't mind, I'm going to have to pass," Chris said loudly, almost wincing when he heard the cretins at the table laughing. The man turned around to look at him just as one of his buddies spoke up. "Damn, Tommy, looks like that pretty boy's turning you down. That means you owe me a beer."

Chris was almost incensed at the idea that they'd bet on whether or not he would join the big idiot out on the dance floor, but when he got a look at the sour face of Tommy, he decided that he would try to smooth things over. "Look, let me buy you and your friends a drink and I'll go back to my friend and everything will be great," he said looking up at the man hopefully.

"I don't think so darlin'." Chris winced as he peeked past the large frame of the man still holding his wrist captive. Steve's hand wrapped around the man's forearm and a second later he found himself released. "Next time ya should ask b'fore draggin' someone off. It don't look like Chris wants ta dance with ya...Tommy." The contempt in Steve's voice as he said the man's name made Chris shiver. Oh. This so was not good...

"Well, well, well...if it isn't Stone Cold Steve Austin," the man said looking him up and down. "You don't look so tough." The man lifted his free hand and gave Steve a hard shove.

Chris groaned even as Steve's fist went flying towards the man's nose. The big man swayed and Chris jumped back with a squeak as Tommy toppled against the nearest table. He looked at the table where the man's friends were sitting and wasn't at all surprised to find them rising to their feet. "A bar fight Steve?" he asked with a smirk.

"Wouldn't want ya ta git bored, darlin'." The Rattlesnake replied with a smile on his face. "Look out," he said almost calmly.

Chris quickly stepped to the side and stuck out his foot. The man that had rushed him fell face first into a wooden chair. "Oops," Chris said with a shrug of his shoulders. Another of the men had just reached Steve and put his fists up. Steve rolled his eyes and then pulled off a perfect version of his stunner. The guy was groaning on the floor, when the third man wrapped his arms around Chris from behind. Steve was growling and stalking towards them when Chris saw the fourth man, a wiry little bit of nothing sneaking up behind Steve. "Watch out," Chris managed to gasp out though he felt like he was being squeezed by a grizzly bear.

The warning came too late and the little guy, Chris was pretty sure he was the one Tommy had addressed as Wesley, hit Steve over the head with a beer bottle. Glass exploded everywhere. Steve snarled and shook his head as a mixture of beer and blood ran down the side of his face. The guy holding Chris suddenly let him go and ran for the door. Steve turned and fixed his eyes on Wesley and the man stood shaking in his boots for a moment before making a mad dash for the exit.

Hunched over, still trying to catch his breath, Chris reached with one hand for Steve's. He led him to the nearest chair and pushed him into it. "You okay?"

Steve smirked and pushed Chris into the chair right beside his. "Just fine and dandy," he said, his eyes looking in the direction of his non-existent hairline and the blood that was still trickling over his scalp. "You?"

"Good...good...just great actually," Chris said before starting to laugh. "You still want that beer?"

Steve snorted and looked over Chris' shoulder. "Somehow I don't think we'll be gettin' any more beer here tonight, darlin'."

"I'm going to have to ask you guys to leave."

****

They'd managed to catch a cab outside the bar so that they didn't have to walk back to their rental car. Chris had volunteered to go get it the next day and Steve's head hurt just enough that he decided to let him. When they got to the hotel, the desk clerk eyed them strangely as they walked towards the elevators.

Finally making it to Chris' room, Chris tugged him through the door and Steve followed docile as a puppy. He really hadn't intended to get in a bar fight tonight...talk about a bad impression for a first date, but to Steve's way of thinking...shit happens. Maybe it was better to start off with a disaster, because if they could get past that then the next date could only be an improvement.

Chris came back from the bathroom with a wet cloth and a towel and started cleaning the blood from his scalp. Austin fidgeted restlessly wondering why Chris was being so quiet.

"Ow," he whined as Chris probed the edge of one of his cuts.

Chris chuckled and looked down at him. "Don't be such a big baby. You don't need stitches, I don't think. It's stopped bleeding mostly."

"Chris, I want ta apologize for what happened..."

"Why?"

The question startled him and he looked up into amused blue eyes.

"You rescued me. Why are you apologizing for that?" Chris asked him as he folded his hands over his chest.

Steve rolled his eyes and couldn't help the sarcastic note in his voice. "Yeah, I'm a real knight in shinin' armor..."

Chris surprised him, tossing a leg over his thighs and settling in his lap to face him. "My hero..." he sighed dramatically. Steve slapped a hand against his hip for being such a smartass. "Is that your way of telling me you're wearing silver underwear?" Chris asked with a smirk.

Steve laughed and shook his head. "I'm not wearin' any. Not that you'll be finding that out firsthand tonight, darlin'."

He really, really liked it when Chris pouted, he decided. "We did actually make it through a first date...even if it weren't really proper, so I s'pose that means I can kiss ya..."

Steve barely got the words out before Chris surprised him by leaning in and kissing him. It was deep and hot...searching tongues and nipping teeth...everything Steve had known it would be. Chris whimpered, the sound muted by his own searching tongue, and Steve tightened his grip on the slender hips beneath his hands.

When he pulled away a few minutes later, Chris was panting and his cheeks were flushed a deliciously bright red. Steve wanted nothing more than to carry him off to the nearest bed and keep him there...for a month. Too bad...cause he wasn't about to do it. He was determined to take this slow and do it right...even if he could almost picture the gigantic cloud of UST hanging in the air with Chris as a slightly soiled angel - pitchfork, horns holding up a crooked halo, and pointy tail - pouting temptingly at him through the haze of gray.

Shaking his head at his overactive imagination, he stood, and settled Chris on his feet. As he backed towards the door, he grinned. "So...does this mean I can ask ya out again, darlin'?"

"Oh hell yeah," Chris sighed.

Steve laughed as he walked out the door and headed down to his room.

He spent the rest of the night drinking beer; grinning like a fool; and dreaming of a sexy-as-sin angel, dressed in an obscenely sparkly silver robe, with his blond hair pulled up in a topknot.

The end.

Read the sequel From the Ashes