by Ashlee Price
Shannon hadn’t been though. I still remembered the way her body had submitted to mine. She had been as needy as I was, moaning against me as I climbed on top of her. How could I just walk away from that?
When I got back to the bunkhouse, there were no smells of dinner, no sweet shampooed perfume in the air. It was just the empty bed next to mine and the emptiness that I felt in my heart. She was really gone. That evening I tried not to think about it, lying in the bed for what seemed like hours. The pills the doctor prescribed for sleeping didn’t work. What I needed was Shannon, but I couldn’t. I was too afraid that I would have another spell like before and hurt her. I couldn’t let that happen, so I lay there all night thinking about if I could.
The next morning I was feeling worse, groggy and in need of some company. It was scary how quickly I had gotten used to her. I was used to seeing her tired face in the morning, fresh and always smiling. When I finally did see her later in the day, she was not as happy and neither was I.
“Well are you ready to get to work boss?”
I didn’t like the way she said it. Things had changed between us and the easy comrade was gone. I was more upset to see that gone than anything else. While she was a beautiful woman, there was no doubt about that, it was her spirit that I missed more. The easy way that things had been between us. I had always imagined that was what love felt like. Not only the shivering in my belly and the tightening of my loins, but just the simple need to be with someone and the comfort in their company. It was what I had thought about all those nights in the desert. Finding a love that would be all I needed to get home safe. A love like that could get through anything.
But now it was different. It wasn’t until lunch that I remembered that I hadn’t eaten the night before. I just didn’t have the heart to cook anything, missing her meals. I was starving and Shannon true to form, had brought enough for both of us, as well as some leftovers for dinner. “I don’t want you to be hungry out here boss.”
“Please don’t call me that Shannon. I love it when you say my name.”
“Okay Joel, whatever you say. I never know which way this is going to go.”
“What do you mean?”
“Hot one minute and cold the next. I never know what I am getting with you.”
“I don’t know what you are talking about.”
Chapter 9: Shannon
I looked at him and nodded. “Yes you do, but we don’t have to talk about it. I know that you are not too fond of communications Joel. But I can’t help you if I don’t know what is wrong.”
“I don’t need your help.”
“That may well be, but I am here if you ever need it.”
There was a silence between us and I knew that he wasn’t going to say anything, he never did. I leaned back against the tree. He was sitting next to me at our picnic spot. It was the best view on this side of the Fisher land and it had become a ritual with us. Many things had, but I knew at the end of the day, I was going to have to take the long ride back to my old house. I would much rather be with Joel at night. I could see the workers putting up the frame in the distance and each board that went up, seemed like a wall being built between us.
“So what else do we have to do today?”
“Not much. We have a new one coming in tonight, but it will be after dark when he comes in. They have told me that he is unworkable, so we will have our first challenge.”
I nodded, but didn’t say anything. Every moment was challenging with Joel around. “I can always stay a bit later to help you get him in.”
“No, it will be too late. I don’t want you to have to make the ride when it is so dark. It’s not safe.”
I couldn’t agree, but he was the boss. We ended the rest of the day and I left long before the late arrival was supposed to be there. I worried about him by himself, but Joel was more than capable. It was hard not to watch him work and think that. I tried to push him from my mind, but he was who I thought of that night when I laid down and closed my eyes. It was his lips I could feel and wished that it had turned out differently.
***
“Morning, Shannon.”
“Hey, Amber. What are you doing up so early?”
“Work and it is the only way to see you. You leave at dark and come back at dark. What have you been doing?”
“Just working. There is a lot to learn from Joel.”
“So why did you move back in with Travis?”
I didn’t have a ready answer. It was strange to be there so much and not stay. Staying there would have been far more convenient, but I couldn’t very well tell her that I couldn’t because I wanted to pounce her brother every chance I got.
“I just got homesick I guess. Been in that house for a long time and it just felt strange not to be at the ranch.”
“But you aren’t at the ranch. I never see you.”
“I know, but it is just until I get trained and then I can come back up here.”
I could tell she didn’t quite believe me, but I wasn’t going to argue with her. I hated having to lie to her, so I would much rather have not even talked about Joel.
“It’s his dreams again, isn’t it?”
“What dreams?”
“I heard mom and dad talking about him having night terrors. Something happened while he was on base and they let him leave. I am not sure what it was, but they sounded worried. Maybe he is having his dreams again.”
“I think he just wanted his own space. He told me that it would be best if I moved back to my dad’s, so I did.”
“Have you noticed anything unusual?”
I thought of the night before he told me to leave. He had been standing over me, but I hadn’t been afraid. It made sense now, the way he made noises in the night. I had known that he was having trouble sleeping. The pills in the cabinet made sense.
“Not really. Did he always have this?”
“No, just since he went overseas. My parents wanted him to come home, but Joel was too stubborn. He has been different since he has been back. He was never nice to me before, but now, I don’t know. There is something going on. Maybe I should talk to my parents about it.”
“No, don’t. I just think he needs time to adjust.”
“Okay, but you will tell me if something happens, right?”
I nodded, hating that I had to lie to my best friend, but my loyalty had changed in that instance. “Of course, everything is fine. I am sure he just has a girlfriend that he wants some alone time for. I don’t think you should worry about him.”
Chapter 10: Joel
Shannon was late the next morning. I had been up for hours waiting, but then she still made me wait some more. I was growing restless, wanting to see her, but knowing I couldn’t get too close. I had told myself that it was better to be friends, than nothing. But I was kidding myself if I thought it was enough. Only being with her, having her in my arms would be enough.
When she finally showed up, she smiled at me unbidden like before. She was acting different and the way she looked at me, made me nervous for the reason why. “Good morning Joel. How did the delivery go?”
Her hair was still down, wind-blown back and away from her face. She had a light in her eyes that I had begun to miss. “It was good.”
I didn’t say anything else and after a minute, she dismounted and started in towards the stables. “Oh he is a beaut.”
“Just be careful, he likes to kick and bite from what I have been told.”
She looked back for a moment and then started to rub his head. He didn’t seem at all anxious as he had been with me the night before. As for Shannon, she was approaching it like everything else, void of fear. I was starting to think that she could tame any beast. An hour later when she had him saddled and riding him, I knew it must be true. But could she tame the beast inside of me?
I just wasn’t so sure.
It was getting dark quickly and looking up in the sky, I knew there was a storm coming in. I didn’t want her to get caught in
it, so I invited her to stay for dinner. “Why do I get the feeling you are asking me to stay so I will cook for you?”
“I’m not going to turn down any food, but I just don’t want you stuck out in the rain. It looks like it will blow over fast. If you want, I can make something for you if you like.”
She shook her head. “If you cook like your mother, no thank you. It’s fine. Do you have anything here to make?”
I shrugged and followed her in. I was thankful for the storm clouds overhead. It gave me no choice but to do exactly what I wanted to do anyways.
Soon she was cooking while I took a shower. When I got out, I set the table while she did the same. I heard her calling to me from the bathroom. “Hey, Joel. I forgot I don’t have any clothes. Can I borrow some of yours until mine dry?”
“Sure, just a second.”
I remembered the last time I had covered her and the way it was too big for her curved frame. She was tiny in comparison and I finally found the smallest that I had with me. Opening the door a crack, she was standing there with her hair curling in around her face. She looked beautiful and I stood there staring for a few moments before she reminded me of what I was doing. “Here. This is all I got. I hope they aren’t too big.”
She thanked me and shut the door. It was all I could do not to go in there. “Can you take the lasagna out of the oven before it burns please?”
“Sure.” Anything to get my mind off of the other side of the door. The small bunkhouse smelled like her shampoo and I could already feel a tightening in my loins. It was like I had been trained to get turned on by the smell, just from association. Shannon had only been away a couple of days and I already missed her.
I set the table and waited for her to come out. I didn’t think about the fact that I had given her a white shirt to wear. When she came out, my eyes were drawn to the dark spots that pronounced themselves with a hard bump. More tightening in my own pants. I hadn’t thought about her not wearing a bra, but the result wreaked havoc on me nonetheless.
“Thanks for getting it out for me Joel.”
She was nonchalant, like she wasn’t standing in front of me with my boxers and her breasts swinging underneath my shirt. It pulled where her breasts heaved and her long, black hair was a mess of curls around her shoulders. “No problem.”
“Are you okay?”
I shook my head. I wasn’t, but I was going to have to be. “Yeah, just starving.”
I avoided her eyes as she sat down next to me at the little table. Trying to have a conversation with her was close to impossible and I found myself saying less and less. Each time she moved, her top rubbed against the table. Biting my lower lip, the storm outside matched the same one inside of me. I was going insane and she was the only one that could save me.
“Hopefully the storm passes soon, or you may have a bunk mate whether you like it or not Joel.”
One could only hope.
“Well you are always welcome to stay here. I am sorry about the other night.”
“Are you going to tell me what it was about?”
I didn’t want to, but I had a feeling she knew something already. I shook my head that I didn’t want to talk about it and she seemed to take the answer for what it was. Shannon made me think she could read my mind sometimes, if not my mind, than maybe my heart. How she knew so much without me having to say anything I would never understand.
“You don’t have to say anything Joel. I am glad you are back. You have taught me a lot.”
She reminded me that I was still her boss. “You have been a very good trainee. I will hate to see you go back to the ranch. Your help out here has been amazing. Soon, it will be perfect and I wish you would stay here. The other bunkhouse will be ready in a week or so. Will you at least think about it?”
I didn’t want to sound desperate, but I was desperate for her to stay. Even if I couldn’t be with her, I wanted her close.
“If I stay, I want to stay here.”
Her words threw me off and I looked down at the empty plate in front of me. I would have liked nothing better that for her to do just that. Having her there with me, reminded me how comfortable it had been. If the tension wasn’t there, it would have been perfect and even then, it almost was. I would have been happy with what we had, if not for my tendency to lose it.
“You can’t stay here Shannon.”
“So you are going to kick me out in the storm?”
I couldn’t of course. It was too dangerous. The horse could get spooked with all the lightning. “Just for tonight and then tomorrow you have to go back to the ranch.”
“Fine, whatever you say boss.”
Chapter 11: Shannon
I went to bed that night frustrated and thinking that I was never going to get what I wanted and needed so badly. Joel just didn’t seem to get that he was driving me crazy. I heard his breath even out long before mine did. When I finally fell asleep, it was to the rhythmic breathing of Joel that was my facilitator. How could he sleep was beyond me, like nothing bothered him.
“What are you doing here?”
I was shaken and then my eyes opened to see Joel standing above me. Like before he was not really looking at me, his eyes fixed on something that I couldn’t see. He was yelling though and it was not like before at all. “Joel, stop it’s me.”
He stopped, but he was still just looking off. I didn’t know what to do, but pull him down and kiss him. Joel resisted me for a moment, but then he came to me like he had that one night. His lips were on me and then his body was over me, pressing me down into the bed. It was more than I had expected, but my legs opened wide for his body to nestle up against me. He felt so good grinding against me, as his hands started to tug on his clothes that I was wearing.
I heard the shirt rip and then the feel of his hot chest against mine. My breasts were smashed as he settled down for another kiss. Joel’s hips were mercilessly grinding against my need. I moaned and whimpered as his mouth left mine and started to move down to my neck. He knew just what to do, where to touch to drive me crazy.
I didn’t know if he was still dreaming or if I was, but I knew that I didn’t want it to stop. He felt too good and as he moved between my tits, I urged him down with my body to a place where I needed him more. His name was spoken over and over again in a breathy voice, urging him to give me what my body so desperately needed.
His hands moved down my quivering flesh, grazing my sensitive skin with his short nails. It sent shivers over me and my hips rose to meet the thrusting of his own. My hands moved to his short hair, tugging on it with my fingers as he took in one of my hard tips in his mouth, swirling his tongue around the dusky nipple. The touch sent pleasure right to my core, making me even wetter in his boxers. My shirt was in tatters and once he sat back on his knees and looked down on me, I knew that there was no turning back.
Before he had always been the one to stop, but with the look in his eyes now, I knew that was impossible. Joel’s hands went to the cotton shorts and yanked them down my thighs in one fluid motion. He groaned as my thighs went together in defense. I wanted him, but the reality was overwhelming at best.
As he slid back between my legs, his body was lower and when I felt his hot breath at my core, I closed my eyes in pleasure. My fingers delved into his thick brown hair and pulled him to me. “Yes Joel, please don’t stop.”
“I have no intentions to.”
He tongue came out and lapped at my need. I could feel his tongue hardened at the end and pressing between my lips. It was sudden and my body screamed out almost as loud as my mouth did. I had been waiting for so long it seemed like my body craved him more than anything else. As his tongue got faster, my body tensed up and it was only seconds before I was crying out his name.
Joel moved down to hold me, gripping my hips so that I couldn’t move away. The faster he licked, the harder it was to breathe. “Please Joel. Fuck, I’m coming again!”
One turned into another and my body was racked with mindl
ess pleasure. I felt a finger slide inside of me, just what I needed to find completion again. Gasping, my body shook as Joel licked and sucked harder, while his finger pumped in my tightness. It had been too long and as I pushed away from him, I begged him to fuck me. I needed to feel him inside of me, needed it more than my next breath.
He moved away and I was instantly missing his touch. Sitting up, I tried to help him but my hands were shaking so bad with desire. Joel pulled his shirt off and my lips and fingers went to his hard ridged chest. I couldn’t believe how hard he was, the ripples under my tongue made my body even hotter for him.
Looking up, his hand grabbed the back of my head, twisting me around so that I was looking right at him. He moved to kiss me and like his grip, it was hard and irrefutable. There was no going back and when he pushed me back down, I didn’t resist. Instead I watched him pull his boxers off of him, the large cock springing forward after its release. My hands went to touch him, wrapping my fingers around his hard length. He growled above me, spurring me on to jerk him off in my hand.
“Are you ready Shannon because I cannot wait any longer?” I shook my head, opening my legs wide for him to settle in. Looking in between our bodies, I gasped when he smacked down on my quim with his heavy length. It was too much, the sound of the wetness or the way he felt smashing against my clit. It wasn’t enough, him on top of me, prodding my hole. I needed him inside of me and I grabbed his ass, pulling his hips into me.
The head pushed in an inch and my eyes closed with the immediate stretch. It had been so long and he was like nothing I had ever been with before. His cock was long and so thick, pressing on my inner walls as he pulled out to push deeper.
