Come Away With Me

Chapter Two


Molly finished folding her clothes, placing them neatly in her suitcase. Walking over to the hotel room door, she opened it a crack so that Chris wouldn't have to knock. She was afraid she wouldn't hear him if he did (she was deaf in her left ear) and that would give him just one more thing to bully her about. With a loud sigh, she zipped her bag and sat down on the bed. She really wasn't very happy about the way things had panned out. Chris Jericho was her absolute last choice of a housemate for the next two weeks. But what else was she suppose to do? She had no family nearby to stay with, and her cousin Bob "Hardcore" Holly was traveling with the Smackdown roster. "Yet another good reason for me to change rosters."
"Already talking to yourself, Mighty Molly?"
Molly turned seeing Chris walk into the room as if he owned it. That's the kind of confidence I want,ly tly thought wistfully.And just as soon as I'm better and move to Smackdown...
Smiling sweetly at him and getting up to grab her suitcase, she sauntered past him. She was determined that he wasn't going to kill her spirit for the next two weeks. "Of course, Jerky. It's the only intelligent conversation I'll be getting for the next two weeks."
Chris' eyes narrowed dangerously. At first, when she smiled...WOW! It was like an anvil being throw into his gut. Then she had to go and open her mouth. "Are you insinuating that I'm not intelligent?"
Molly motioned him out of the room. As he came out she closed the door and turned to head towards the elevator. Grabbing her arm, Chris turned her abruptly around."Are you gonna answer me?"'
Molly glanced down to where Chris's hand was wrapped around her upper arm. Looking pointedly at him and then her arm, Molly said, "Did I ask you to put your hands on me?"
Chris grinned. This was ground he was comfortable on. Slowly sliding his hand up and down her arm, Chris gazed into her crystal blue eyes. He wasn't prepared for the look he found there. Wary and a little frightened, still she stood there, not backing down. Immediately Chris dropped the thought of having a little fun with her. God, what was I thinking? She's probably never even flirted with a man. "No you didn't, but you didn't answer my question."
Stepping onto the elevator, Molly turned to him. "No, Jericho, I was not insinuating that you aren't smart." Chris smiled, his cocky grin short-lived when she added, "You are probably the biggest SMART ass I've ever met!" Molly stepped off the elevator at the ground level, leaving an irritated Jericho to follow after her.
They piled their stuff into Chris' Xterra and got going,neither speaking.Chris because he was still pissed and Molly because, well, she was still a little sore from that chair shot. After only 45 minutes on the road, Chris looked over to see Molly slumped against the window, sound asleep and snoring softly. A sly smile slid across Chris' face as he thought of something to get Molly back for her little "smart ass" comment. At the next exit they came to, Chris got off and stopped at the nearest convenient store. Careful not to wake Molly, he ran inside and quickly made his purchase.,Getting back on the road, they were a few miles outside of Chris' home when Molly finally woke up. She stretched and yawned loudly. Sleepily rubbing her eyes,she turned to Jericho.
"Uh, how close are we?"
Silence.
"Jericho, come on. Stop acting childish."
Still,silence.
"Jericho!"
Chris pretended to glance over and acted surprised to see her awake. Reaching up and pulling out the ear plugs she hadn't noticed before, he said," Molly! I didn't know you were awake!"
"Jericho, why in God's name are you wearing ear plugs?"
He grinned. She had opened the door. "Well, after about the second hour, I just couldn't stand it. I mean, an ambulance passed us and I couldn't hear it because of..."
"Because of what?"
"YOUR SNORING!!!"Chris yelled. Molly looked at him in horror. Did she really snore? She'd only ever had brothers, no sisters to room with and, well, it was kinda embarassing to be 24 and still a virgin...
"Don't worry, honey. I bought enough so that I won't hear you at all the next two weeks." Chris kept laughing...the look on her face was priceless!
"You...you...won't t-tell a-anyone, right?"
Chris stopped laughing and looked over to where a serious faced Molly sat, staring straight ahead. Good, Jericho thought, let her be pissed. It serves her right, after that 'smart ass' comment. "Now honey, how would I explain that I know you snore? Just because we'll be in the same house, doesn't mean we'll be in the same room." He reached over to run a fingertip down her arm. Goosebumps appeared where his finger had traced. "Unless,of course, you want me in your room...or more particularly in your bed..."
Molly gasped and swatted his hand away from her. "Not freaking likely, Jerky. I'd rather eat slugs."
At hearing the nickname he hated so much being used again by her, he lashed out. "You mean you haven't yet? I mean by the looks of it, you've tried every food known to man." Molly leaned her head back against her seat.
She knew it was only a matter of time before he started ragging on her about her weight. Molly knew she wasn't very pretty...she sure as hell couldn't compete with the other divas. People like Torrie, Trish and Ivory just seemed to be perfect in every way. She was too short..(barely 5'4") too heavy and well, just not attractive. I'm not having a pity party for myself Molly thought. I'm simply telling it like it is. She didn't stop to analyze why it still hurt, though.
"What? Is that the best you've got? C'mon Jericho, I know you can do better. What about..."
"This is it."
Molly stopped abruptly, not really wanting to finish the conversation anyway. A beautiful,old two story house with a wraparound porch sat up on a hill, sort of looking down at all the houses around it. Molly could just envision a southern lady of the house, standing on the second story balcony and waving to her husband as he rode off to war. A long sigh escaped her.
"Wow."
Chris grinned. "Thank you."
Molly frowned at him. "Not you...the house."
"I know. Beautiful, isn't it?"
They finished making their way up the driveway and began to unload their luggage. Molly grabbed her large suitcase and small travel case and made her way toward the house. Chris looked on, astonished.
"Is that all the luggage you brought?!?" he asked incredulously.
Molly frowned down at her cases. "Why? Is there something wrong with that?"
Chris gathered up his two normal size suitcases and walked to the house with her falling into step beside him. "No. It's just that every diva I've ever seen has carried at least four suitcases for a two week stay."
Molly shrugged as Chris dug the keys from his pocket. "Well, I don't need many cosmetics. What I wear normally is pretty light and well, it's not like I have much to work with!" she said gesturing toward her face. Chris stopped looking for the correct key on the ring when one slipped off. As Molly bent to retrieve it, she missed the frown that Chris sent her way. "And as far as clothes go...I don't have many and what I do have is all interchangeable. You can't go wrong with black."
Now that he was really noticing her, Chris realized that she really did wear a lot of black. The outfit she had on now, for instance. Black stretchy pants, lightly flared at the legs and a black top made out of some flowy material, with long billowing sleeves.
"Why black?" Chris blurted as they made their way into the front hall.
"It's the most slimming color. Jericho, this house is amazing!" Molly ran her hand lightly over the polished cherry banister. "Look at all these antiques! They're gorgeous" She turned to where Jericho was standing.
As soon as Molly had touched the banister, Chris had the oddest feeling. Almost like the house sighed as if saying, Finally. That combined with the odd tug he felt in his chest, had left him temporarily incapable of speech.
"Hello! Earth to Jericho!"
"Wha-- oh sorry.Just remembering something I've gotta do." he lied. He quickly recovered, saying "Well, if you're going to be here for the next two weeks, I might as well give you the grand tour." Molly beamed brightly.
"That'd be great!"
For almost 30 minutes they were relatively civil to each other, while Molly 'oohed' and 'aahed' over the rooms. Chris came to a closed door and turned to Molly. "This is my favorite room in the house. It's the only one I had remotely modernized, besides the kitchens and bathrooms." He opened the door and stepped to the side to allow Molly entrance.
The sight she saw took her breath away. There was a stage...an honest-to-God- stage, theater seats, and a cleverly concealed recording room. Various instuments sat on the stage. "Oh wow..."
"Yeah. This is where I go when I've got company I don't wanta see."
"Forewarning me in case of a fire, Jericho?"
Chris frowned. "No. This room is soundproof. I didn't mean to insinuate...." What a damn minute! Why am I apologizing to her? he wondered. "Forget it."
Reaching out to lightly touch his arm, Molly stopped him as abruptly as if she had hit him with a Mack truck. What's wrong with me? Chris wondered,staring down at the woman clutching his arm.
"I'm sorry Jericho. It's just that..." she paused, sounding a little unsure of herself. "We're always trading insults. It's the only way I know to communicate with you."
Tired of analyzing everything, all the weird visions and feelings he'd had since bringing Molly into his home, Chris reached up to tuck a wayward brown curl behind her. "r. "Maybe we should try another form of communication."
Molly held her breath. He was so close... she could see the flecks of green in his blue eyes. She didn't think she'd EVER been this close to him. Slowly, as though giving her a chance to pull away, Chris brushed her lips with his. Once, twice...on the third time, Molly's little sigh was his undoing. He deepened the kiss, exploring the sweet taste that was essential 'Molly'.
She'd never been kissed like this. Like he was trying to memorize her lips with his, his tongue learning the taste of hers. Her hands curled into fists in his shirt and only then did she realize that her hands had come up around Chris' shoulders and that his hands were at her waist. He gently rubbed her back,easing her against the doorframe. His hands came up to wrap around her soft, soft hair...
"Ow!"
Cold reality came crashing down on him the minute he heard Molly cry out. Stepping quickly away from her, he asked "Are you okay? I didn..I mean, I shouldn..." he ran his hands impatiently through his hair. "Dammit Molly, I shouldn't have done that!"
Gingerly rubbing her head and fighting to hold back the tears that threatened to overwhelm her she said quietly ,"It's fine, Jericho. Now you've had your little fun that you can go back and tell the boys about. How you kissed Molly the Prude. Or, wait, is it Virgin Molly this week?"
"Virgin Mol..."
Straightening her shoulders she turned to look at him. God, but she looks good standing there, her lips all swollen... Wait, did I just answer her question? "Molly, I'm sorry, I never..."
"Just forget it happened, Jerky." Molly said snidely."I'll be in my room." With that she turned and left, leaving an incredibly confused and angry Chris behind.