The Bucket List (5 page)

"Maybe we could set him up with Rae,"
Ricky laughed as they continued down the hall.

"You've got to be the most beautiful girl I've ever seen,"
Corey murmured as he kissed Kelly again.

She sat in his lap, her long legs wrapped around him as she wriggled in pleasure against him.

"You say that to all the girls," Kelly said when he finally released her mouth and started a hot trail down to her chest.

"And it works all the time," he mumbled.

"What?"

"Nothing," he lied. "Why don't we move to the bed? I've got very wicked plans for
you , Ms. Kelly, this couch just won't cut it."

"
Corey... I've already said we can't," Kelly protested, her eyes still closed from the sensations that were wrecking through her body.

"Come on, Kel... we're adults, we can't play these little games."

"I'm not like that."

Every woman was like that. They just didn't know it.

He continued his slow assault on her senses, watching her face the whole time. He guess it would be another minute or two before she gave in completely.

"I talked to
Peyton..."

Oh, here it goes.

"I don't want to talk about her."

"She said you broke her heart. She told you how she felt and you took advantage of that. Is that true?"

Letting out a frustrated breath, Corey stopped his exploration.

"I never made any promises, I never lied to her,"
Corey said.

"You slept with her after she told you how she felt. Any girl would believe that means her feelings are reciprocated."

"Kelly, this right here has nothing to do with Peyton. I don't have to explain my actions to anyone, certainly not to you."

"Fair enough. But answer this. You've been trying to get me into your bed for years now. Is that because you have feelings for me? I mean
, you wouldn't be this persistent if I was just like all the other girls."

Corey
looked at the blonde woman and frowned. What planet was she from? Everyone knew the Legend Killer didn't do feelings.

"I take it that's a no," Kelly stated.

"I think you need to go," Corey said, still frowning. The last thing he needed was another crazy female confessing her love for him.

"I wasn't going to stay, anyway," Kelly said as she got up from his lap. "Men like you make me sick. I'd never willingly give myself to you."

If she'd shut her mouth and let him do his thing, she'd have been naked and 'willingly giving herself to him' now.

"Then what the fuck are you even doing in here?"

John chose that moment to walk in, saving him from an awkward situation.

"Hey, Kelly," John smiled when he noticed her.

The blonde just scowled at him as she angrily brushed past him to the door.

"I don't know how you can be friends with that man," she said to John just before the door slammed behind her.

Frowning, John looked at his friend.

"What the hell have you done now?"

"I have no idea," he lied. "Where's Rae? Is she still with Irving?"

"I've just seen
Irving downstairs. He hasn't seen her since breakfast," John said. "My guess is she went looking for Dave."

"At least someone is getting laid,"
Corey muttered.

"Maybe she's trying her new thing," John said as he got his clothes ready for the appearance he was making in town.

"What, getting to know him? Did you not see her in the elevator. If we hadn't been there, she would have jumped him right there," Corey laughed. "The whole thing is a joke. She'll never stick to it."

"I hope she does. It'll be interesting to see what she's like when she falls in love."

Corey just chuckled as he got up from the couch.

"Then you'll be waiting for that a fucking long time," he said. "I'm going to take a cold shower, Kelly's just a cock teasing bitch."

"Oooh. The great Corey Steele was shot down," John laughed.

"I'd have had her if she hadn't started shooting off a load of shit. I just didn't want a repeat of the
Peyton situation."

"How is it that all these women want you when they all know what a dick you are?"

"I'm irresistible. What can I say," Corey laughed.

***

Rae cursed as she stumbled into the room she was sharing with John and Corey. These fucking headaches were getting worse, even with the strong painkillers she was popping down like candy. She could be fine one second then feel like her head was being sawn open the next. Dr. Harvey had explained what would happen. The pain would get worse as the pressure on her brain increased. Eventually she would be in pain the whole time.

How would she stand anything worse than this? She couldn't. She wouldn't.

She swallowed some more painkillers and a very strong sleeping pill, knowing she would be over the worst when she eventually woke up. She was grateful Corey and John had already gone to their signing, she would have had to explain herself otherwise. Now was definitely not the time. The last thing she needed was for them to drag her down to the hospital. She would never step foot in a hospital or doctor's office again. Never.

Corey
had offered Alyssa a lift back to the hotel at the end of the signing. The three of them had been booked at the same place along with a handful of other fighters. She was hot but he would never think of messing with her, she was way too sweet to be treated like dirt. She was also one of the handful of people who didn't judge him so he considered her a friend. He didn't fuck friends.

But
looking at the way his normally talkative friend had suddenly gone mute, he knew John wouldn't mind. What was it with John and women? This was always the first sign that he was falling for someone, the way he suddenly lost his voice around the girl. Then he'd get clumsy and stupid before finally working up the nerve to ask the girl out. Then the bastard would wait a few weeks before even sleeping with the girl. To Corey that was all just a waste of time. If he wanted Alyssa, he'd have her flat on her back and whimpering his name in minutes. He really needed to teach his friend a bit of game. Going so long without being laid was obviously not good for your brain functions.

The beautiful brunette had been bubbling away to him from the back of the expensive rental that had been hired for
them, completely unaware of the effect she had on John. Obviously, he needed to have a word with her as well. At this rate, it would take them years to finally get together.

In the lobby of their hotel, he held the brunette back.

"I'll be up in a minute, John. Tell Rae to pick a movie or something. We can watch that until it's time to go to the Hall of Fame ceremony."

John looked at his friend with an inquiring look.

"I'm just going to have one drink with Alyssa in the bar," he answered the unasked question. "Won't be long."

He ushered
Alyssa to the bar before John could say anything.

"Are you going out tomorrow night, sweets?" he asked as he ordered their drinks.

"No. I just thought I'd get an early night for a change, maybe pamper myself and then catch up on my beauty sleep."

"Beauty sleep? You don't need that, you're more beautiful than all the other
groupies put together," he said with his trademark charm.

"What do you want?" she asked, clearly not buying it.

"What? Can't I compliment you without wanting something?"

"Spit it out,
Corey."

"I just wanted to ask if
you'll come out with Rae, John and me tomorrow night. And tonight for the Ceremony."

"You don't need to sweeten me up to ask that. What do you really want?"

Corey took a sip of his drink as he thought of a way to put his question across. Then he decided that didn't really matter. She either liked John or she didn't.

"How do you feel about
John?" he asked bluntly.

The brunette actually blushed which was all the answer he needed.

"What do you mean?" she asked coyly, looking away from him.

"Come on,
Mandy. Don't play games. You know you can tell me anything."

That was true.
Corey didn't have many friends, but to the few he did have he was as loyal as they came.

"Where's this coming from? Has he... has he said anything?"

"You saw the way he was in the car. The guy's falling for you," Corey laughed. "I think you two would be perfect together, actually."

"Did he ask you to say something to me?"

"No, but if I'd left it to him you'd have been waiting years for him to tell you how he feels."

"Well, I think I'd actually prefer to hear it from him,"
Alyssa said decisively as she finished her drink.

"Which is why I'm asking you to come out with us. You always look hot when we go out, John won't be able to help himself!"

Mandy laughed as she picked up her bag.

"I suppose I could. I mean
, I also get to meet this really elusive Rae. That's worth getting dolled up for."

Corey
frowned a bit. He hadn't thought this through. Mandy was the type of girl Rae preferred, she'd probably try to hit that the second she laid eyes on her. Like John, Alyssa was off limits. He'd tell Rae that but he was sure she would come on to Mandy anyway, just as she did John. Word had already gone round how Dave had nailed 'Corey's special friend', so obviously, she couldn't keep her pants on long enough to do the whole date thing. He had to prepare Alyssa for what was obviously coming.

"Let me get you another drink. I think I should set you straight on a few things."

Rae was fast asleep when John walked into their room. She looked pretty done in, probably from her excess the night before, then her after breakfast party.

"Wake up, lazy bones," he called out as he sat on the bed next to her and gently pushed her wild hair from he face.

When she didn't stir, he noticed the bottle of pills she had clutched in her hand and frowned as he read the label. Sleeping pills. Why the hell did she need those? He noticed the little frown that marred her pretty features even in her sleep and smoothed it. Something was obviously bothering her.

Her phone vibrated on the bed next to her and he automatically answered it. He'd been doing it for
years, it wasn't an issue at all.

"
Rachael Taylor's phone," he answered.

"Hi, this is Dr Harvey in St. Luis. May I speak to her please?"

"She's asleep at the moment but I can pass on a message," John frowned.

"Is this
Corey?"

He remembered they had the same doctor and since Rebecca had passed away
Corey was listed as her next of keen.

"No, sorry. He's out, he should be back in half an hour or so."

He heard the doctor sigh heavily.

"I've been trying to get a hold of
Rachael for two weeks now. Could you please make sure she calls me back? It's really urgent."

"I'll tell her as soon as she wakes up."

He knew Rae had an intense dislike for doctors and anything to do with them. It was no surprise she was avoiding Dr. Harvey, she'd done it her whole life.

"Please," the doctor said again. "It's very important that you do."

When he hung up, he put the phone on the bedside table. That was when he noticed another bottle of pills, and this time he shook her awake. Why the hell would she take such strong pain killers? Wrestlers lost their careers and sometimes their lives because of those pills.

"What?" she mumbled as she stirred.

"What's all this?" he asked, shaking the bottle in her face.

"Oh, God,
John! You woke me for that?" she asked with irritation as she rolled over and tried to go back to sleep.

"Why do you need these?" he asked again.

"I had a head ache," she shouted. "Now leave me alone."

These were way too strong for just a headache.

"Who prescribed them to you? You can't have these for headaches."

"My doctor."

She was already half asleep by then.

"The same doctor who just rang and said he's been looking for you for weeks?"

He could have sworn he felt he tense but he couldn't be too sure when she rolled back to face him.

"What did he want?"

"He wants you to call him urgently."

"Maybe it's about those damn pills then," she said. "Maybe he made a mistake."

That could explain it, he reasoned.

"Well, don't take anymore of these until you've spoken to him. I have weaker painkillers in my bag."

"Yes, Daddy," she chuckled.