by E. D. Brady
He sat down on the side of the bed. Shannon’s body stiffened. He leaned over and moved her hair over her shoulder, touching her neck gently in the process, the contact infuriating her. Without a second thought, she jolted upright and slapped his face as hard as she could.
He touched his cheek and looked at her with confusion and shock evident in his features.
“Get away from me,” she screeched through clenched teeth.
“Shannon, what the hell?” he barked.
“Just get the fuck away from me,” she bellowed. “I swear, if you touch me again, I’ll scratch your eyes out!”
“What did I do?” he asked in a stunned voice.
Tears were streaming down her face in torrents. She didn’t even try to wipe them away. “I’m not playing around,” she warned.
“I…what did I do, please tell me?” he begged. He made a move to put his hand on her shoulder but then pull it back when she recoiled from him.
With a blank look, Chad stared back at her as though he was trying to read her expression. He bit his lip and kept his eyes locked with hers, not flinching from her hateful glare. He held up his hands in front of him. “Okay, I’m going,” he said in a soft voice. “Just calm down, I won’t bother you again.”
He crossed the room and slammed the door behind him.
Shannon sagged back down and cried until she fell asleep.
⃰ ⃰ ⃰
“Did you sleep alright?” Elizabeth asked the following morning.
“Fine, thank you,” Shannon replied. There was no disguising the concern in Elizabeth’s voice. Having already seen her swollen eyes and blotchy face in the mirror, Shannon could only imagine what was going through Elizabeth’s mind.
“Are you sure?” Elizabeth pushed.
Shannon nodded. “I think I may be coming down with something though.” She hoped that silly excuse would be enough to satisfy Elizabeth.
Elizabeth squinted infinitesimally then smiled. “We’re having breakfast in the kitchen.”
“I’m not very hungry,” Shannon responded.
“Then you can have some yogurt or fruit salad,” Elizabeth suggested.
Shannon nodded, knowing that it would be futile to refuse. One way or another, Elizabeth was going to insist that she join the Clarkson’s for breakfast.
She entered the kitchen and noticed Chad by the coffee machine, filling a mug. Charles sat at the large, round table, glancing up and down at a newspaper while chatting with Rosa.
Chad looked over at her with a wary smile. She nodded once in acknowledgement but couldn’t muster the kindness to smile back.
“Coffee?” he asked.
She nodded. “Kay,” she replied curtly.
Knowing how she took her coffee, he didn’t need to ask. He poured the milk and sugar, walked across the room and handed her a mug. “Thanks,” she said without looking at him.
“You’re welcome,” he answered. He continued to look at her as though he was expecting her to say something. “You okay?” he asked finally.
She shrugged, nodded then shook her head.
“Maybe, yes, no?” he said with a hint of humor in his voice.
She looked at him finally, but only to shoot daggers at him with her eyes.
“Okay, then,” he murmured sardonically.
Shannon was so grateful to Charles and Elizabeth for their kindness that she didn’t want to cause an uncomfortable atmosphere during breakfast. She tried her best to converse as lively as possible and to be civil with their only son.
When she and Chad entered the secluded limo, however, she withdrew into her own little corner, her body language sending a clear message that any conversation was a no-go. She sat at the far end from him, pulled her knees up to her chest and wrapped her arms around them. She leaned her head against the side of the vehicle and feigned sleep, sensing that he probably wasn’t buying the act. It mattered little to her whether he believed she was sleeping or not. It wasn’t like her ignoring him would actually hurt his feelings. She was just a poor excuse for a human. That thought sent a piercing ache through her heart, but damn it if she’d ever cry in front of him again.
When they reached his apartment, she walked straight to the guest room and slammed the door. She climbed under the covers and stretched out, feeling strangely comforted to be alone.
Some hours later, sure that she had heard the front door close and assuming that meant that Chad had gone out, she ventured out of her room in search of food. She found sliced chicken in the refrigerator along with a loaf of bread. She made a sandwich and carried it into the living room. She sat on the couch and turned on the TV. The media was all abuzz about a nor’easter that was heading in their direction. The snow could start as soon as noon the following day and continue until Sunday night with an expected accumulation of up to two feet, enough to bring New York City to a grinding halt. In the midst of her misery, Shannon felt a flutter of excitement at the prospect. It had been years since she had seen a decent snowstorm.
She spent the next hour mindlessly flicking around the channels, only half watching bits and pieces of movies and TV shows. Finally, she found something that caught her attention: Legally Blonde. She remembered watching it with her brother and mother when she was a little girl. She took a moment to swallow the bitterness that was threatening to consume her. She was really and truly alone in the world. Her one and only friend turned out to be a using, slime-ball liar who found her repulsive, yet didn’t mind using her to get off.
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 54th 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 excus
e 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
Chapter 19
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 que
stioned.
“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.”
