Lass Ride: Changing Gears

Chapter 11

Becky wasn't used to being so in demand, at least not on a house show weekend. In the smaller locations where there wasn't as much to do, most of the wrestlers took advantage of the brief downtime and called their families or caught up on their favourite movies, TV shows, or video games. Cesaro's options for gourmet coffee were slim to none, but he suggested an alternative. "I always bring a small French press with me," he confided as he and Becky rode up in the elevator. "And some freshly ground coffee just in case."

"In case of a caffeine emergency?" Becky teased lightly. In all honesty, she couldn't blame him. They were on the road so often and kept such odd hours that coffee practically qualified as a necessity. "Well, if you're willing to share, we could probably get a kettle of hot water from room service."

"This isn't some cheap attempt to get in your room," Cesaro said suddenly, "or to get you in mine."

"I know that." While Cesaro had let her know that he'd be open to more than friendship, he had never brought it up since. "I trust you. If you'd rather go down to the dining room," she added, "I'm sure they could open it for us for a little while." Since WWE had essentially booked most of the hotel, the owners had been falling over themselves to accommodate any requests the wrestlers made; compared to some of the strange meals a few people had asked for, Becky thought opening the dining room for half an hour was relatively minor.

Cesaro shook his head. "Your room is fine. I'll just have to stop at mine to get the kit." When they got off the elevator and headed to Cesaro's suite, Becky thought she could feel someone watching her and turned just in time to see Randy Orton watching them from down the hall. "Ignore him," Cesaro advised. "Everyone else does."

"Everyone else doesn't have an iron-clad contract with Hunter," Becky replied, turning away and leaning against the wall as Cesaro opened his door. "I give him three seconds and he'll be on his phone reporting to Stephanie, telling her he saw me going to your room." She didn't really care what Hunter or Stephanie thought about her, but if any rumours about her being involved with Cesaro hit the dirt sheets, she would have to do damage control with Seth and the others. Even if they believed her, the seed would be planted and anything else they heard would automatically seem a little less unlikely. That was usually Randy's method of attack—set a trap and let his prey get tangled up in it, then finish them off. "And that's nothing against you. I just don't like being the subject of rumours. It leaves a stain that never really goes away."

"It's harder for women, I know." Cesaro held open the door, but Becky lingered in the doorway, one leg stretched out into the hall. It reminded her of some of the measures parents took when she was a teenager to try preventing their kids from having sex, like keeping one foot on the floor if they were sitting with someone on their bed or the couch. All of Cesaro's things were neatly lined up against the wall and he found his coffee kit in seconds. "I have cups," he said, "so we don't need to ask for any."

"They'll probably send some anyway." Becky took the kit from him while he closed up his suite. "And tea and biscuits and whatever else. I think they're just glad for the business, not that I can blame them." More and more of the smaller cities were getting left off of the house show circuit, so the ones that did get events were trying to keep them.

Since Becky had the coffee kit, Cesaro took her bag. "You're in 427, right?" When she nodded, he took the coffee kit from her and gestured to her bag. "Not a long walk."

"It never is." Hunter and Stephanie rarely attended the house shows, but they always made sure her rooms were near Cesaro's and Randy's; almost everyone else was responsible for booking their own. "I don't mind it with you, of course." After she pulled her room key from her purse, she motioned down the short hall. "He's the one who bothers me."