Save Me

by Mardria Portuondo

  “Apparently, our daughter has something major to tell us,” my mother said.

  “Then let’s hear it. Arien, try to start with the good news first. Remember we are not as strong as we used to be,” my father said, as I sat beside Shannon.

  “Wait. Why are we having a meeting with Shannon?" my mother asked. "Honey, if you want to hire her, it's entirely up to you. Just fill us in on the details. Right, Les?"

  "Honey, I don't want you to feel as if you have to go through us for everything or that you have no autonomy…"

  "I'm not hiring Shannon," I said and they looked at each other confused. "Shannon and I are dating."

  "Dating?" my mother asked and looked at my father for clarification.

  "As in a relationship. Shannon and I are in a relationship," I further explained.

  "Relationship?" she looked more confused, but I knew it was her brain having difficulty accepting it.

  "Mom, we are lovers," I said and there was no way she couldn't understand after that.

  She understood and her eyes popped open. My father's face was unreadable, and I was dying to hear what was on his mind. Shannon had stopped breathing and I held her hand, mostly for my comfort because I was terrified of what they were about to say. The silence was driving me crazy and I knew it was the same for Shannon because I had warned her that it would not be a warm welcome to the family.

  "I knew it was a man in her life that was responsible for how she has been acting! Remember I told you, Lester?" my mother said.

  "It's not a man. It's a woman," I pointed out.

  "Man, woman, whatever. But I knew it," she said triumphantly. "So where did you two meet?"

  "At a party," Shannon said quickly to avoid me telling them the truth, as if I would. However, there was a part that I had to come clean about because I didn't want it hanging over our heads.

  "Shannon is Raj's wife…"

  "Raj, your accountant?" my father asked.

  "My former accountant. Yes, that's the one," I said then quickly added. "Their marriage is over and Shannon moved in with me last night."

  Both my parents sat back in the sofa and stared at us. I squeezed Shannon's hand as we waited for their official response. My mother started to cry and my heart shattered into pieces because the last thing I wanted was to hurt her. However, I would fight for Shannon no matter who I had to go through. My father put his arms around my mother to comfort her and Shannon hung her head in sadness. I knew it would be bad, but I didn't expect it to be so emotional and hurt my parents so much. I expected them to be angry about my choice of partner and complained about everything, including them not getting grandchildren. I expected then to ask Shannon all sorts of questions about her life and family, but I did not expect this.

  "Mom…," I released Shannon's hand and walked over to sit beside her. "Mommy, why are you so upset? I'm happy and I thought that's what you wanted."

  My father got up and walked over to Shannon and held out his hand to her. She hesitantly took it and he helped her to her feet. My father wrapped his arms around her in a big hug and Shannon's eyes popped open in surprise. My mother got up and went over to them, pushed my father away and took Shannon in her arms.

  "Thank you. Thank you. Thank you," my mother kept saying over and over.

  I was flabbergasted at what I was witnessing. I thought my mother was on the verge of a heart attack that I was in a lesbian relationship, and I felt badly for causing her such distress.

  "Welcome to the family, Shannon," my father said then my mother put her to sit while I was abandoned at the other end of the couch.

  "I don't understand," Shannon said. "I thought you were disappointed in her choice."

  "No. These are tears of joy. You have no idea what you've done for us. This girl has been driving us insane. She is our only child and she had no interest in building a stable, meaningful life…"

  "Neither did I. She saved me. I have a purpose now and there is so much that I want to do and share with her," Shannon said and her voice trembled with emotions.

  My mother held her hands.

  "What is your passion? What do you do?"

  "Well, I have never worked. After I left university my mother died. I took it very hard, then during that time I met Raj and we got married. After that, I never really had any drive to do anything."

  "What did you study?" my father asked.

  "Well, I finished high school at fifteen and I graduated from University at twenty-three with a master's degree in bioengineering…"

  "What did you say?" my father got up from the sofa and stepped away from her.

  I could not believe what I was hearing and I felt so stupid that my parents got to that question before me. I really knew nothing about Shannon and I had plans to learn all there was about her, but this revelation blew me away.

  "You!" my mother pointed at me. "You are getting married right now…"

  "Whoa, whoa, whoa…," I got up and joined the gang. "You are not permitted to do this, Mother. This is my life and…"

  "Johnson, I need an office beside Arien's. Do you think we should move her secretary?" my father was on the phone. "No. Arien has a girlfriend who will be here with us. I need her to have an office...no, a real girlfriend…"

  "Dad!" I shouted. "What are you doing?!"

  "Right! We could put them there. That's a good idea, Johnson," my father said, ignoring me.

  "You need to leave," I said to my mother and held her hand to help her to her feet but she pulled it away.

  "You two shouldn't wait to get married. Time…"

  "Mom, Shannon is still married to someone. There is a divorce process…"

  "Have you signed the papers as yet?" she asked Shannon.

  "Raj is sending them to me in a few days…"

  "Few? Don't worry about it," my dad said. "I'll have my people handle it."

  "Thank you," Shannon said with a smile.

  I was happy for how it was turning out but they needed to leave.

  "Shannon, we're so happy that you are in our daughter's life," my dad said. "She knows nothing about bioengineering. Her head refusing to grasp even the basic concept…"

  "I deal with finance, Dad."

  "And you are a master at that, but it was painful to listen to you in that meeting. All that I have taught you did not register one bit. Shannon here, on the other hand…"

  "You two need to step back and allow me to handle my relationship. I don't want it to be rushed or burdened with your selfish desires," I said firmly and seriously. "You need to leave. Right now."

  "I'm spending quality time with my future daughter-in-law," my mom said.

  "That's rather presumptuous. How do you know it will work out?"

  "She left her husband for you and you have completely changed your life because of her. There is no way out, my darling. This is the real deal. My prayers have been answered. My only question now is when will I get my grandchildren because…"

  "Out!" I shouted at my parents and I had never spoken to them like that before but everything was just spinning around me and it was just too much. "I am serious! Not another word!"

  They were both surprised by my tone, but the most important thing was that they obeyed and left without saying a word. I could finally breathe. I threw myself onto the sofa and took a few deep breaths. I was happy they accepted Shannon, but the way they were bullying their way to the center of my relationship was not OK. Trying to fend them off drained me of my energy, and I just needed a moment to breathe. Shannon sat beside me and rested my head on her lap.

  "That went well," she said as she played with my hair.

  "It could have been worse, but well is not the word I would use to describe what just happened," I said. "I can't believe you studied bioengineering. How insane is that?"

  "Insane that it played right into your parents' hands. I had no idea that's what you do here."

  "I suck at the damn thing. My father will take you over and I won't get a chance to have my girlfri
end at work to myself, instead she will be to busy with corporate life. I'm so mad," I sighed and Shannon laughed.

  "Baby, we can tell your dad no. You can have me to yourself if that's what you want."

  "Tell my dad no...hah! This is his passion in life and he's a shark that smells blood. You are stuck with me baby," I said and looked up at her to see a big smile on her face.

  "Nowhere else I would rather be," she said. "Actually, there is a place I want to be right now."

  Shannon started to undo the buttons on my shirt then slipped her hand into my bra and grabbed hold of my breasts.

  "Oh shit…"

  "Let me lock the door," Shannon said, but I did not want her to stop.

  "No...wait."

  "I am not going to ruin this wonderful invitation into your family by letting your parents walk in and see my head between your legs," she said as she pushed me from her lap.

  I watched as Shannon walked to the door in her sexy red dress and it was so surreal that she was mine. I remembered a time when it looked impossible and I was willing to subject myself to just about anything to be with her. I didn't have to share her anymore.

  With the door secured, Shannon walked back to me with a beautiful smile on her face. She got on her knees and told me to stand up.

  "I want to see if you can endure my tongue without falling to the floor," she said, looking at me with lust in her eyes.

  "Honey, you're not the only addict here," I said, leaning forward and resting my elbows on my legs. "There will be a lot of sex between us, but we have to be fair. You went under that desk earlier and ate my pussy like a fucking wild animal and you don't expect me to have a turn with you?"

  "I...I didn't…"

  "Stand up," I commanded and she did as she was told.

  I slid my hands up her smooth legs and slipped my fingers under the waist of her panties then pulled them down. Heat rushed to my pussy and it immediately started pulsating. My mouth was salivating as my body anxiously awaited what Shannon had to offer.

  She stepped out of the panties, and I brought them to my face. I inhaled her in and bit into the fabric, then I looked up at her.

  "Get your ass on my desk," I said, and she wasn't smiling because she knew some serious shit was about to go down.

  Shannon sat on my desk and rested on her elbows then slowly spread her legs because she knew exactly what to do. Her pussy glistened with her nectar, and beckoned to me to enjoy what she was offering. I wrapped my arms around her legs and lowered my lips. I took a long, slow lick up to her clit and slowly sucked the soft slippery nub into my mouth.

  "Oh my God...harder...don’t tease me, Ari,” she begged as she struggled for air.

  I ignored her request because I wanted to enjoy her and the feel of her soft, delicious flesh in my mouth.

  “Oh shiiiit...I can’t take it!” she cried. “Arien!”

  Shannon grabbed hold of my head but I removed her hand and pinned it on the table beside her. With one hand off her hip, I was forced to eat faster because I could not hold her legs open to slowly enjoy her like I wanted. I had no choice but to relieve her of the pressure that I rapidly built up inside her. I sucked her pussy inside my mouth and played with the flesh with my tongue.

  “I’m cumming...just like that….fuuuuuck!” Shannon cried out and grabbed my head, forcing me into her as she came in my mouth.

  I loved the taste of pussy, and I loved the feel of a woman cumming on my tongue; the pulsation of the clit and the contraction of the muscle sent my senses wild. I was so happy that I had a girlfriend who was blessed with the same insatiable sexual appetite as I was. Shannon groaned and bucked as I ate her long after her orgasm had ended, but I had to save the rest for later. I wanted to take her to dinner then return home for another night of raw sex, starting in the bathtub.

  Shannon sat up and cleaned my lips with her tongue as she tasted herself.

  “You are so fucking hot,” she said on my lips, “and beautiful. I can’t wait to get you home.”

  “I’m taking you to dinner…”

  “No! I want us to go home. I want to spend time with you...just you and me. I have dreamt about having you to myself, just being in your arms and be free. I want us to go home and get naked. I want us to just be naked around the house so I can touch you and feel you and fuck you whenever I want,” Shannon said as she kissed me between words.

  “Let’s go,” I said and grabbed my bag.

  I saw Shannon’s panties on the sofa so I picked it up and stuffed it into my bag because we did not have time for her to put them on.

  There was a knock on the door. I opened it and Elise walked in.

  “Miss Todd, this is your schedule for tomorrow, and these are your messages,” she said with a smile. “There are some letters for you to sign, but you can do those tomorrow if…”

  “I really have to run, so save whatever you have for me until tomorrow,” I said, and she nodded with a smile and left.

  Elise was such a beautiful girl and so intelligent. I was happy that I fought for her because she was the best at what she did and looked beautiful doing it. I turned around to see Shannon with an angry face.

  “What?”

  “I don’t like her.”

  “What? No...change your view of her because she is the best and we need her,” I warned as I wondered what was there not to like.

  “She's so openly flirting with you, Arien.”

  “No, she isn’t! She is just a friendly girl...and that’s how she is with Lynn,” I explained.

  “She is beautiful.”

  “Yes, she is; but she isn’t even close to as beautiful as you,” I said and touched her face gently. “And I mean that one hundred percent.”

  “And here I am thinking that you are the most beautiful woman I had ever met,” she said as she leaned into my hand.

  “I get that a lot, but that’s because they haven’t met you.”

  “We are like a power couple, you know. Beauty and brains. We are going to hit up some parties and introduce ourselves as couples...oh they would be so envious of us,” she laughed.

  “Get your butt home. We need to get this evening started,” I said and slapped her ass.

  “So hot,” she said as she opened the door.

  We knew we would have to hide from my parents as we passed their office. Luckily, we were able to quickly slip by without them seeing us. I gave Blake the look, warning him not to let them know, and he smiled and allowed us to go without the sabotage.

  Soon we were on our way home. Shannon did not have on underwear so I pulled her dress up and played with her pussy as I drove. It was so exciting, and I could not wait for us to get home to an evening of love and passion. It was so surreal that I got her to myself. I felt bad for Raj, but what could we really do? Shannon could not pretend that I did not exist, and I couldn’t just move on knowing that the only person I would ever love was also in love with me. I tried to do that and failed big time. Shannon had saved me from myself, and I was so lucky that she came into my life because, at this moment, I would be making plans for the next sex party; instead, I am making plans to take over a company...and Shannon would be right there with me.

  Chapter 19

  It had been three weeks of whirlwind romance with Shannon and me, incorporated with intense training and my parents’ nosiness. We used every spare moment of our day to be together, and it had been very exciting to have her popping in with flowers, chocolate, a bottle of wine, whatever she could get her hands on that would make me happy. Shannon was the best thing that ever happened to me and she spoke about where we had been in life, compared to where we were, and where we were heading.

  My parents adored Shannon, and my father was excited to be her mentor. He told me that she was extremely smart and he was very proud of my choice. My mother, on the other hand, was mostly concerned about when we would have kids, but she would say it to me and not to Shannon. Maybe she didn’t want Shannon to feel like she was pressuring her into doi
ng something she was not ready for. I shared my mother’s opinion, however, I could not admit that to her because I would be digging a hole for myself. It was a conversation I needed to have with Shannon, and I wondered who would be the one to carry the baby.

  We were both new at learning about the company, and it required a lot of meetings and training, even travels to other branches to have a direct look at the operations. However, since my trip to Italy, I could not get rid of the baby bug. I knew Shannon would be excited for us to have a family, but there was so much going on. We were still waiting on her divorce to be final, which was three months away, and immediately after that, we would get married.

  My mother was planning a massive wedding, which I told her I did not want, however Shannon told me to let her have fun. I explained to her that I wanted something small, but she explained how excited my parents were and they would never get another chance to plan another wedding because I was the only child they had. I agreed, and told my mother to at least wait for the divorce to be completed before she started sending out the invitations.

  My office door burst open, and it was my girlfriend’s signature move. She never felt like she needed to knock, and I had no idea why.

  “Babe, you should practice knocking before you enter. I could be having a very important meeting,” I said with a smile.

  “True, but no one came through my office to you, and Elise told me you were not in a meeting. And...as your soon to be wife,” she said as she pulled me in her arms, “I shouldn’t be knocking and waiting outside your door like I’m your little bitch.”

  “My mother knocks on my father’s door before she enters,” I pointed out.

  “Really? Huh!” she said thinking. “Then who the fuck am I to just barge right in. I’ll knock next time.”

  “I love you,” I said between laughter.

  “I told the girls we should not be disturbed…”

  “I think I need a day or two to recuperate, Shannon.”

  “Not for sex. I just want us to relax and talk,” she said.

  “Really? You expect me to believe that?”

  “I swear.”