Craving Shannon (15 page)

She closed her eyes tight and forced the resentment back down. Feeling sorry for herself would get her nowhere.

She stretched out and lost herself in the movie.

A few minutes before the ending, she felt her eyes grow heavy. She yawned deeply and let herself slip away.

Shannon had no way of knowing what time it was or how long she had napped, but she sensed a presence looming. She opened her eyes to see Chad glaring at her. He was sitting on the coffee table, legs apart, elbows resting on his knees, hands clasped tight. He wore a disturbed expression.

She stared back at him but said nothing.

“I don’t like being slapped,” he said bluntly.

Shannon caught a whiff of beer from him, but could tell by his demeanor that he was quite sober.

“I don’t like being horribly disrespected, especially by someone I trusted,” she replied.

He narrowed his eyes and scowled. “What the hell are you talking about?” he questioned. He shook his head quickly. “You know what?” he asked rhetorically. “I don’t really want to know. I’m not going to beg you for an explanation again. I’m through racking my brain, trying to figure out what I’ve done to deserve your wrath.”

Shannon said nothing.

“I walked all the way to the office today,” he said quietly. “When I reached 54
th
Street, I realized I didn’t want to be there, so I walked all the way back downtown to the gym. I stayed there for an hour. When I left there, I walked all the way to Battery Park. I really didn’t know where I wanted to be, but I knew for certain where I
didn’t
want to be. I couldn’t bear to see the hatred in your eyes.”

Shannon shifted awkwardly. A flicker of a doubt sparked in her.

“I was going to call the guys to see if they were heading to the pub, but for some reason, I couldn’t bear to see them either,” he continued. “I went to a bar on Bleecker Street. I sat alone for hours, drinking beer and trying to figure out what I’m doing with you, what I’m doing with Donna. I tried to convince myself that I didn’t care why you suddenly hated me, but you know what? I do. I know I’ve been completely unfair to you, but believe me, I never wanted to hurt you.”

“I heard what you said about me,” she admitted. “Last night, I was just about to enter the living room and I heard you arguing with your parents. I heard everything you said.”

The confused look returned. “What did I say about you?” he asked.

“That I had let my shitty upbringing turn me into a poor excuse for a human. That you knew you were better than me…” she trailed off and shrugged sadly.

“What?” Chad demanded. “Shannon, what the fuck are you—” He stopped short. A look of understanding graced his face suddenly. He put his hand on his forehead. “No, Shannon. No, that’s not what you heard.”

“I
know
what I heard—”

“No, you don’t know what you heard!” he said firmly. “I wasn’t talking about you, silly girl.”

“Then who?” she demanded.

“I was talking about Donna,” he exclaimed. “I’m not proud of the mean things I said about her, but my father pissed me off and I was trying to hit him where it hurts. I made fun of her upbringing because my father had the same upbringing, as did I. I’m always riding him about the pretentiousness, the over-the-top upper classness.”

“That’s not a word,” Shannon mumbled. She looked over at Chad just in time to see the tiny smirk on his lips. All of the rage dissipated, allowing remorse to move into its former spot. How could she have doubted him so?

“It’s not a word,” he agreed, “but you know what I mean, right?”

She nodded, too ashamed to make eye contact.

“The thing is…” he said. He sat next to her on the couch, put his hand on her cheek and moved her face to his. He tucked a stray strand of hair behind her ear. “…I could never say anything like that about you.”

“I’m sorry,” she mumbled.

“You shouldn’t be. I don’t doubt that I deserved to be slapped by you, but not for what you thought.”

“For what, then?” she asked.

He leaned in and put his mouth to her ear. “Because, for as much as I’ve tried, I can’t seem to quench my desire for you,” he murmured. “I haven’t been thinking straight since the moment I laid eyes on you. All I know is that I’m thoroughly addicted, and if that means I’ll burn in hell for it, so be it.”

The feel of his breath on her neck and the sound of his seductive words scorched through her, causing her entire body to burn with white-hot need. “I want you to touch me all over,” she moaned softly.

“Oh, sweet Shannon, you have no idea how badly I want to,” he purred. He took her mouth with his, ramming his tongue through her lips. She marveled at how good his tongue felt against hers, the way they twisted together desperately, stoking the desire that was consuming her utterly. She dug her nails into his perfectly sculpted shoulders, then ran her hands down his strong biceps,

He licked a trail up her neck and tugged on her earlobe. “I can’t believe you doubted me.” He whispered.

“I’m sorry,” she moaned.

“Well, sweet girl, maybe that’s just not good enough.”

“What do you mean?” she gasped.

“We’ll see,” he murmured. He slid his hand over her left breast and pinched her nipple through the material…hard. “We’ll see,” he said again in a voice that promised retribution.

A jolt of electricity shot through the lower half of her body. She was half crazed with lust, eager for anything he had in mind.

He lifted the ends of her t-shirt, pulled it over her head and threw it on the floor. “I thought we were done with that rag,” he said.

“I refused to wear anything you bought me because I was mad,” she admitted quietly.

“You were trying to defy me?” he asked. He reached out and pinched
both
her nipples. She gasped and nodded.

“You naughty little girl,” he accused. “There are consequences for defying me.” He put his hands on her hips and flung her over his lap, face down. He ran his right hand gently down her naked back. “Your skin is so soft,” he murmured.

Shannon lay with her face to the side, firmly against the couch cushion, waiting desperately for his next move.

Slowly, with both hands, he slid her panties down just past her bottom. She moaned quietly, loving how vulnerable she felt.

His hand smacked down on her ass, hard.

She cried out. It hurt more than she had anticipated, but some strange part of her enjoyed the sting.

The second smack was a little less severe, but by the third, her bottom felt like it was burning.

“Your lovely ass is all red, Sweet Girl,” Chad said. “Do you think you’ve had enough?”

Shannon shrugged and whimpered.

He ran one finger down from the top of her bottom all the way to her swollen mound of nerves.

“You liked being spanked, didn’t you?” he asked. “You’re so wet, Shannon.”

“Yes,” she sobbed.

He stroked her gently in her most sensitive place. She rocked her hips up and down in response, wanting more, needing relief.

He tore the panties off her hips and flung the scraps onto the coffee table. He stuck the forefinger of his right hand into her damp passageway. He pushed it in and out a few times then moved it to the opening above, the one he had yet to enter. He rammed his finger in, causing her whole body to go rigid.

“Do you like that, Sweet Girl?” he asked, moving it in and out.

“Yes,” she cried out.

He put two fingers from his left hand in her tunnel and worked both openings at once, finding a rhythm.

Shannon’s hips rocked out of control, frantic for release. When she thought she could take no more, he moved the heel of his palm down to her engorged center and rubbed in time with his fingers.

Shannon’s consciousness shattered!

The mind-blowing sensation was too much to bear. She screamed and cried, needing it to end, but never wanting it to stop.

Moments later, the orgasm hit her so hard she almost passed out. Blinded by white-light, she felt her body lift off the couch and shudder violently.

When she finally descended back to earth, Chad left her little time to recover. He pulled his pants down to his thighs, picked her up by the waist and lowered her onto his hard cock. Still gripping her hips, he bounced her up and down rapidly, unable to fuck her hard enough. She looked down at him and noted the half-crazed look on his face. He leered up at her as though he wanted to eat her, as though his whole existence depended on consuming her completely.

Shannon loved the power she had over him at that moment. She put both hands on her breasts and squeezed, locking her eyes with his.

“Ah, Shannon,” he moaned watching as she caressed herself.

She put both her forefingers in her mouth and sucked on them suggestively. His eyes widened. She placed her wet fingers on her nipples and rubbed them in circles, moaning quietly.

“Oh, fuck!” he bellowed, glaring at her intently. “Oh, sweet heaven. You’re fucking gorgeous!”

She bounced on his hard shaft for many long moments, drowning in the feel of his manhood deep within her.

Feeling as though she may cum again, Shannon threw her head back and arched her back, riding Chad’s cock as hard as she possibly could.

“You’re too much, Shannon,” he yelled. “I’m going to cum hard inside you.”

She looked down at Chad just in time to see his handsome face contort from the force of his orgasm. That was enough to put her over the edge and she came with him, calling out his name.

She lay against him, her head on his shoulder, his arms wrapped around her back. They panted together for several moments, both trying to regain equilibrium. When they had both recovered, Chad picked her up and carried her to his bedroom without saying a word. He laid her down on his bed and covered her up with the duvet, then slipped into it next to her and gathered her into his arms. Without so much as a
‘goodnight’
he rocked her gently until she drifted off to sleep

Chad woke to find Shannon is his arms, warm and naked.

She looked up at him and smiled sweetly.

“You hungry?” he asked, trying to suppress the feeling that something was different. Something tugged at his insides, something foreign. 

“Yes,” she replied. “I’m actually starving.”

“How fast can you get ready?” he questioned.

“Twenty minutes, maybe,” she responded. “Why? What time are you leaving for Derek’s parent’s house?”

“Because I want to go for breakfast, and I’m not going to see Derek’s parents.”

“But I thought—”

“It’s been cancelled. There’s a blizzard coming,” he replied. “Besides, I didn’t really want to go this year so I was a little relieved.”

She flung the covers aside and sat up. “I’ll be quick,” she assured him and headed for the bathroom.

Chad, having used the guest bathroom, washed and dressed by the time she was ready. He sat on the edge of the bed and looked up at her. “Come here,” he requested.

Shannon walked over and knelt on the floor in front of him. “What?” she asked playfully.

He put his hands on her shoulders and looked into her eyes. “I was just thinking…I seem to remember you making me a promise, and I think today would be a perfect day to call that in.”

“What?” she asked again, her eyebrows knitting together.

“You promised that you’d watch The Lord of the Rings with me, remember?”

“I did, didn’t I?” she answered.

“You did,” he said nodding. “We’re going to be housebound most of the day, so…” he trailed off and shrugged.

“Okay,” she responded, giving him her biggest smile.

“So here’s the plan,” he began. “The snow is forecast to start around noon. If we leave now, we can get everything accomplished before it arrives.”

“Get what accomplished?” she probed.

“Well, first I need eggs and bacon, so we’ll hit the corner diner right away. Then, we have much shopping to do for our big movie date.”

Shannon giggled. “What shopping?”

“Lunch, dinner, popcorn, hot chocolate…oh, and wine for tonight…lots of wine.” He reached out and stroked her cheek affectionately.

“Nachos,” she added.

“And popcorn,” he said again, chuckling.

“Peanut M&M’s,” she added.

He nodded firmly. “But most importantly, we need a trip to The Gap.”

“For what?” she asked, confused.

“Christmas Pants,” he replied as though it was the most obvious thing in the world. He rolled his eyes playfully.

“I have no idea what Christmas Pants are,” Shannon admitted.

“Lounge clothes,” he explained. “Like flannel pajamas. Y’know, like the kind you wear on Christmas Eve…for Santa.”

“Ahhhh,” she breathed, feigning deep understanding. “So you’re trying to tell me that you spent a fortune buying me skimpy lingerie, but now you want to see me in flannel pajamas?”

“Crazy, isn’t it?” he replied, grinning.

“Should we make a list?” she asked.

“Oh, hell yeah,” he agreed. “We could be stuck in here for days.”

“It’s New York City,” she teased. “Somehow I doubt that.”

“Doesn’t matter,” he said dismissively. “The Lord of the Rings is a big deal. Everything needs to be perfect.”

Shannon found a legal pad in the kitchen and wrote down everything Chad had suggested. She read it back to him. “Did I forget anything?” she queried.

“Add ‘fuzzy couch blankets’ to that,” he ordered.

“Done,” she said proudly.

“Okay, let’s go. Time is of the essence.”

“You’re strange, do you know that?” she asked, laughing happily.

“Completely bat-shit,” he agreed, taking her by the hand.

They feasted on a breakfast of eggs, bacon, sausages, hash browns and pancakes.

“If I ate like this every day, I’d be as big as a house,” Shannon commented while Chad paid the check.

“Wouldn’t matter, you’d still be lovely,” he replied off-handedly.

Ninety minutes later, they were back in the apartment with many shopping bags. Shannon put the salmon in the freezer, the sandwich meat, bread and spinach salad in the fridge, and the chips, popcorn, hot chocolate and candy in the cupboard while Chad neatly stocked the wine rack.

He rummaged through the remaining bags then threw two blankets on the couch, one pink, one blue, then handed her a bag. “Pajama time,” he said. “Go!”

“Bossy,” she mumbled.

“Yeah, well, I am…your boss, that is…technically…”

“Chad, look!” Shannon screeched, pointing toward the far wall.

He turned around to see thick snowflakes flying past the window. “Wow, good timing.”

“We have to go back out!” she blurted out excitedly. “Please, it’s been years since I’ve seen snow.”

He rolled his eyes. “Okay, little girl, let’s go.”

Back out on the street, Shannon beamed joyously, putting her face up to catch snowflakes in her mouth. Chad was overcome with affection for the girl, floored by how adorable he found her. He stood watching her, enthralled, yet again, by her ability to find so much happiness in such a simple thing. With all she’d been through, it was a wonder she could ever delight in anything.

She put her arms out and spun around, unfazed by the cold. “It’s so beautiful,” she gasped. Her silky dark hair was peppered with spots of white. Her cheeks were flushed pink, and her eyes sparkled with awe. She was a sight to behold.

“So are you,” Chad mumbled under his breath. “Let’s go,” he urged after a few more minutes. “It’s freezing. I promise we can come out later this evening and make snow angels.”

“I’m going to hold you to that, Mr. Clarkson,” she replied.

He didn’t doubt that she would.

Back inside, Shannon ran to change while Chad boiled water for hot chocolate. She practically skipped back into the kitchen in her new, lavender and pale-blue plaid, flannel pants and long-sleeved, lavender t-shirt. She wore her hair in two braids, hanging over each shoulder.

“You’re not ready?” she said, frowning.

“That’s because I was making you this,” he answered, handing her a warm mug.

“Go,” she ordered then took a sip.

“Bossy,” he mumbled, winking at her.

When Chad walked back into the living room, in black and gray plaid pants with a black t-shirt, he noticed that Shannon had already set the chips and popcorn in bowls on the coffee table, along with boxes of M&M’s and Starbursts. “Ready?” he asked.

“Ready,” she agreed, setting her hot chocolate on the end table.

Shannon was a dream to watch a movie with. She gasped and screeched at all the right moments. She was so enthusiastic, that Chad was almost having more fun watching her than his favorite movie. On more than one occasion, during a scary scene, she pulled the blanket up to her eyes and peeked out from over the top. And when Frodo was stabbed by a Morgul blade, Shannon shed silent tears, melting his heart.

“What do you think?” he asked, when it was time to switch disks.

“I can’t believe I’ve never seen this before,” she said. “Thank you so much for showing this to me.”

“You’re welcome,” he replied, noting that strange sensation flare up inside again. He shook his head to dispel whatever the hell it was. “Should we make lunch?” he asked.

She nodded and followed him into the kitchen. They made sandwiches quickly then headed back to the couch. “I can’t believe I’m eating again,” she lamented. “I suppose I should be grateful. I spent more than a few days experiencing real hunger.” He noticed her wince at the memory.

“I knew it,” he said sadly, under his breath.

By the time The Fellowship of the Ring was over, Shannon was well and truly hooked. She wanted to put The Two Towers on immediately, expressing serious concern for the wellbeing of Frodo and Sam.

Chad shook his head. “First, I promised you snow angels, and I always keep my promises. Then, a little later, I’m going to make you a special dinner.”

“Salmon,” Shannon said knowingly.

“Yes, but I have a secret recipe that will knock your socks off,” he replied.

They changed back into jeans and sweaters, threw on heavy coats and headed back outside.

Chad and Shannon were not the only overgrown children to play in the snow that late afternoon. It seemed Mother Nature had turned even the most cynical of New Yorkers into frolicking kids. After making a few snow angels each, and once they were thoroughly soaked, they plunged into a good old fashion snowball fight. Before long, there were at least ten people, all previously strangers, forming teams and hurling large balls of snow at one another. Chad couldn’t remember the last time he’d laughed so hard. Even passersby, ones who didn’t wish to participate, smiled at the battle that raged in the street.

Finally, Shannon announced that her hands were numb from the cold.

They said goodbye to their new friends and headed back inside.

After showering and changing back into their warm pajamas, Chad opened a bottle of wine and handed her a glass.

“Do you need help with dinner?” she asked.

“No, but some company in the kitchen would be nice,” he responded.

After dinner, they made their way back into the living room to continue with their marathon.

Shannon was quieter during The Two Towers. Chad concluded that it was probably a combination of tiredness and a wine buzz. She was still very much enjoying the story, but she fidgeted a little as though she was having trouble getting comfortable.

He looked over at her and patted his lap. “You can put your head down here and stretch out,” he suggested.

She nodded and smiled appreciatively.

She made it almost to the very end. When there was only fifteen minutes left of the movie, Chad sensed that she had drifted off to sleep. He put both hands underneath her and hoisted her up into his arms.

She stirred a little on the way to the bedroom. “We didn’t finish,” she mumbled. “I want to see the rest.”

“Tomorrow, Sweet Girl,” he assured her. “There will be more good times tomorrow.”