They got along fairly well for the most part. It hadn’t always been that way when they were growing up. They had the typical sister squabbles, but they didn’t last long since Bridget was only fifteen and Rachel eleven when Shannon got married. Their brother, Mitch had been thirteen. God, it seemed like a lifetime ago since they all lived in the same house with their parents. Shannon often wondered if she hadn’t gotten pregnant and married so young, would her life have turned out much differently? That was a question she would never know the answer to.
“What is he doing here?” Bridget asked in her most demanding voice, pulling Shannon out of her reverie.
Shannon took her sweet time answering, knowing Bridget’s anger would be simmering under the surface, and if she didn’t like her answer it would bubble over. She didn’t feel like having one of Bridget’s confrontations. And Shannon knew her sister all too well, nothing she said would change her mind about Cole. Hoping to stall for time, she quietly put the food away, except the chicken salad and rolls.
She finally faced her sister. Hell, she was the older one, why should she have to make herself accountable to Bridget or John or anyone else for that matter. This was her life, and she was in love with Cole, and nothing anyone said would change her mind. Absolutely nothing could change her feelings for him, feelings which just ran too deep. They were now a part of her.
“He’s here because we’re friends, and he came to stay for a few days between concerts.” Shannon stared at Bridget, daring her to question her answer.
Bridget gave her the look she had been famous for since she was ten years old and thought she ruled over everyone. She pursed her lips, narrowed her eyes and stared until for some unknown reason you had to buck up, tell the truth, and come clean. Her kids, when she had them, would be doomed.
“Friends,” she said, emphasizing every single letter.
Shannon looked at Rachel, pleading for help. Rachel shrugged her shoulders. “Hey, don’t look at me to come to the rescue. I’m dying for juicy details. He is,” she sighed and fluttered her lashes, “sexy as hell. If you don’t want him, I’ll take him.”
Now, Bridget shot Rachel the look.
Shannon loved her sisters, but they were nosy. She didn’t pry into their love lives, did she? Well, maybe she did occasionally. Especially Bridget’s as she was so tight lipped.
“Okay, okay, we’re.” Lovers. In love. Made for one another. Screwing each other’s brains out? Okay, a little crude, but true as of last night. “I guess you could say we’re dating.” Could she possibly hope that would be the end of the discussion on Cole as she turned her back and proceeded to make up three sandwiches? She would make one fresh for Cole when he came down. And she had the feeling he wouldn’t until her sisters left.
After carrying the food to the table, she sat down to eat. Bridget and Rachel joined her, bringing bottles of water. The next question had her nearly choking to death on her sandwich. As close as her sisters were, they usually didn’t discuss the intimate details of their relationships. So needless to say, Shannon sat facing her sisters shocked speechless.
“Well. Are you having sex with him?” This interrogation came from Rachel, her supposed ally.
Shannon could have killed her traitorous body for blushing and her hands for shaking so badly she had to drop them to her lap.
Bridget gasped. “How could you have sex with him? Need I remind you he spent years in prison? Do you know what happens in prison? He could have any number of sexually transmitted diseases, including AIDs. And let’s not forget to mention why he was there in the first place. Such as the fact he killed his wife. What were you thinking?” Her voice rose several octaves on the last sentence.
Shannon looked from Bridget, whose face flushed red with anger, to Rachel. Rachel looked a little sympathetic toward her. Thank you Rachel!
Before she spoke, Shannon steadied her voice to keep out her growing frustration. “What I think is, it’s none of your damn business. Now, I’m going to eat lunch and you two are more than welcome to stay, but the discussion about what’s taking place between me and Cole is over. I will not discuss it again.”
She was so thankful when her sisters gathered their things to leave. As much as she loved them, the relationship between her and Cole was still new and fragile and she wanted to spend what little time they had together with him alone. Without the interference of her beloved, but opinionated and nosy sisters.
Bridget gave her a hug. “I hope you know what you’re doing.”
Rachel hugged her next. “Sorry, you know how Bridget can be. Will we see you at Mom and Dad’s on Sunday for Dad’s sixtieth birthday?”
Shannon couldn’t help herself from groaning, knowing she’d get an ear full from her family that day. “Yes, I’ll be there. Who do I owe for the present?”
“Mitch,” Bridget replied. “He bought a really nice bird bath at this garden shop. We each owe him forty bucks.” Even though Mitch was the only male among her siblings, he always seemed to take care of the details when it came to present buying or parties. If and when he settled down, Shannon knew the woman he chose would be extremely lucky.
When Shannon closed the door after her sisters, she leaned back against it and tried to breathe steadily. She felt as though she’d gone ten rounds in the ring without her boxing gloves. Ten long rounds being beaten to a bloody pulp. Why was everyone so quick to judge Cole before they got to know him? The sound of her phone chiming away on the counter had her running up the stairs to the kitchen.
“Hello,” she said as her finger slid the arrow.
“Hey Shannon, how’s it going?”
She smiled and sank onto a stool. “Hey Kevin, why do I get the feeling this is not a business call?”
Well for starters,” Kevin said and she could picture his shit-eating grin from ear to ear. “A certain male with a sexy as sin voice called me recently. Want to tell me about it?”
Shannon found herself laughing and glad he called when he had. She needed this light, teasing banter they did so well. “Think you can handle it?” she goaded.
“Well maybe, just don’t shock me. Seriously, is he there in your home?”
“Ya,” she breathed out, her heart going still. “He’s here, thanks to you giving him my address.”
“Don’t mention it. Do me a favor and tell him I said hi.”
Shannon laughed once again. “Sure, I’ll tell him. But you do remember what I said?”
“And what would that be?” he teased.
“He likes women.”
“Oh, that,” he croaked out. “I know, I can dream, can’t I?”
She giggled. “Sure Kevin, you can dream. I, on the other hand, have lived the dream.”
“You loose woman you. Oh shit, I have to go...love you. Don’t do anything I wouldn’t do.”
“Now why would I do that? Bye, love you. Oh, Kevin? Thanks for looking out for me?”
“Anytime sweetheart. Anytime,” he replied.
As soon as she hit the end button, she ran up the two flights of stairs to her bedroom to find Cole. When she caught sight of him, her heart melted. He’d braved the freezing cold balcony, lying in a lounge chair, looking uncomfortable as hell. His teeth chattered loudly, and his lips were tinged blue.
“Are you coming in? You must be freezing?” she asked, concerned for his health as he wasn’t used to New England weather.
“Come out,” he said, sounding and looking defeated.
Shannon grabbed the quilt off her bed and joined him. He opened his legs for her to sit between them and wrapped his arms around her as she covered them with the quilt. With her help, it wasn’t long before he burned hot against her.
“I’m sorry,” whispered Shannon. “My sister Bridget can come across a little harsh.
She felt him take a large breath, his chest rising and falling with it. “You have nothing to be sorry for. They are your sisters and obviously Bridget loves you and is concerned about you. There was a time when I was proud of
my name and who I was and what I had accomplished in my life.” As he spoke, his voice became melancholy. “By twenty-three, I’d had it all. And believe me, I’d worked fucking hard for it. But the most pathetic thing about it was that I didn’t appreciate it at the time. I never thought it would end so quickly and so badly.”
“When I was arrested, I believed in the judicial system, innocent until proven guilty.” He paused to gather his thoughts. “Boy was I wrong. Was it because of who I was, or what I represented? Why did everyone despise me? I will never forget the contempt and hatred vibes I felt coming from the jurors from the beginning of the trial. They were biased from the get-go. But, stupid me,” he snorted. “I still believed I’d be found innocent. How could I be found guilty when I didn’t do it?”
Shannon hung onto every word Cole said, and she wept for the young man he’d been and for his idealistic beliefs. Then he continued, his voice just as mellow. “When they read the verdict, I thought I’d die on the spot. I physically felt the thrust in my heart shattering my world, my beliefs that justice would prevail. I cried for Lindsey because I loved her regardless of our unconventional marriage and because the person who had killed her would go unpunished and free.” He tightened his arms around her, buried his face in her hair and breathed.
“When my appeal was denied, I died. When I was in jail waiting for my trial, I knew it would only be a matter of time before I was free,” he huffed. “Could I’ve been more wrong? The day I arrived at the maximum security prison after being convicted, I really didn’t care whether I lived or died. There were many days I prayed for death.”
He sniffed and cleared his throat. “Then one day I’m in the shower. It’s amazing what your mind can overcome and the strength your body possesses when there are those trying to violate you.”
A groan escaped Shannon’s lips and she held her breath, waiting for him to go on as her heart broke apart for him.
“Needless to say, I spent quite a bit of time in the beginning in solitary confinement. Which, trust me, I preferred. Eventually I gained the other inmates’ respect, and they left me alone. And I’m relieved and so thankful to say my sexual experiences in prison were limited to my own lonely, overworked hand.”
Shannon swallowed, trying to cool the fire burning in her throat from her tears. “Cole, you don’t have to tell me all of this. I love you anyway.”
“I know, but I wanted to tell you. There’s more.” He shifted in the chaise lounge and continued, “I became addicted to books, my music and song writing. It killed me I didn’t have a guitar, but fortunately for me I could hear the music in my head. I thanked God every day I hadn’t lost the sound of the music. Anyway, AJ, once a month, sent me a package that contained books and other such things that were allowed. He mailed me every one of yours, among other authors. I spent so much time reading your books over and over. I would stare at your picture endlessly—I swore I could feel you looking at me, smiling at me. Before I even met you, I felt a connection.” He laughed nervously. “I think I was halfway in love with you before we even met, weird huh?”
Shannon laughed nervously as well. “Not so weird, I felt the same way about you. Every time I saw you on television, in the paper or in the gossip magazines, it was like you were looking inside me, and I could see inside you. There was a connection. There is a connection. How else can we explain how and why we met and came together? And I must say, I had strong feelings for you, feelings for a total stranger I’d never met. But when I did meet you, the connection was instantaneous. It was real, it is real and extremely powerful.”
Cole traced little circles with his fingers on Shannon’s arms, causing her body to quiver and her pulse to soar.
“When I was finally paroled early, the first thing I did was hire an escort to spend the whole night with me. I needed to feel like a man. To be with someone who would not judge me. And I wanted someone to hold me through the night. Fifteen years is a long time to sleep on a springy mattress in a cold cell with nobody to hold onto but yourself.”
Shannon sat up and shifted her body so she straddled him. She needed to look into his eyes, his golden brown eyes shining glassy with tears.
“Cole?”
He put his finger on her lips. “Shh. I want to clear the air and I don’t want your pity. I didn’t tell you for the pity. I told you because I wanted you to know. I don’t want you having questions or wondering about things and being afraid or embarrassed to ask. I need to clear the air between us.” He placed his warm hand on her cheek and she leaned into it. “As the woman I love, I wanted you to know.”
Shannon closed her eyes and let her tears fall as everything he’d just said registered in her brain. When she finally opened her eyes, she smiled with all the warmth, compassion and love she could muster. Then she lowered herself down and kissed the tears from Cole’s face. Salty tears from pain. Tears from loneliness. Tears from love.
“I love you Cole,” she choked out.
***
He slid one hand up to the nape of her neck and brought her lips down to his, reveling in the sensations ricocheting inside his body. There was a connection all right. The joining of body, heart and soul. What stronger connection could there be?
Shannon adjusted her body, lay down with her head on his chest and Cole knew the moment she drifted off to dreamland. Her breathing slowed and her body relaxed and became heavier. He relaxed back himself and smiled at how lucky he was to have found her, and he joined her in sleep, enjoying every minute of holding her and feeling her head and hand on his heart. The heart that belonged to her exclusively, now and forever.
That night Cole cooked his famous omelet for Shannon and Cameron. And afterwards they sat in the family room, fireplace roaring, and Cameron and he played guitars while Shannon sat curled on the chair, eyes and ears transfixed on the two males in the room.
Cole spent the latter part of the evening making love to Shannon, and then he held her through the night, content once again to sleep soundly. Reveling again in the love she so freely lavished on him.
***
Shannon and Cole awoke the next morning to the sound of a door banging and a loud, angry voice yelling, “Shannon, I’m coming up.” Her pulse instantly soared and she sat up, clutching the sheet to her bare breasts as she listened to her ex-husband stomping, none too quietly, up her stairs. What the hell did he think he was doing? She’d had just about enough of his meddling in her life when it came to Cole. And she could just imagine how he came to find out Cole was here. Bridget. Wait until Shannon got a hold of her tattletale of a sister.
Cole immediately jumped out of bed and had just managed to pull on his jeans when the door burst open and John stood there face red with anger, hands fisted at his sides and the veins pulsing at his temples. The three of them stared at one another, eyes switching from one face to the next until Shannon couldn’t take it anymore and broke the silence.
“John, what are you doing coming in here like this, acting like a lunatic?” She didn’t bother keeping the anger out of her voice.
***
John stood speechless as he took in Shannon’s appearance. She’d let the sheet drop and her breasts bounced, exposed to his gaze. He swallowed hard. He had forgotten how beautiful she was. He quickly looked away, trying to calm his suddenly pounding heart. Christ, he had no business seeing her like this. And he would not acknowledge the fact he was turned on by the sight of her nakedness. And definitely would not acknowledge the sudden strain against the front of his jeans.
“Shannon for God’s sake, cover up,” he growled out at her.
***
He’d seen her naked before, so the hell with him. She climbed out of bed and heard John curse as she grabbed her robe off the back of the chair and wrapped herself into it. She was still tightening the belt when she turned to face her ex. She promised herself she would not lose her temper. It would not solve anything. So she tried to fight back the anger trembling inside her, trying to explode like Mount Saint Helen
on a really bad day.
“You coming in here was wrong. What I do with my time, my body and my life are none of your concern. I want you to leave.”
John was clearly pissed beyond reason and he glared at her. “It is my concern. You’re the mother of my son and whether you like it or not, it gives me a say in your life.” His temper snapped and he went for Cole, who’d stood in the background watching the exchange between the once married couple.
“You murdering son of a bitch, stay away from my family,” John yelled as one hand closed around Cole’s neck. He had him shoved up against the wall before Cole clearly knew what hit him. Shannon’s eyes widened with surprise and shock at John’s behavior.
It didn’t take long before Cole wrestled away from John’s death grip and threw an upper cut into John’s gut, sending him down on one knee, coughing and wheezing. He didn’t stay down long though before he charged Cole again. They went at it for a time, each one getting their punches in, and it would have gone on for a lot longer if Cameron hadn’t come into the bedroom.
“Stop it, stop it,” he yelled at the top of his lungs, and Shannon’s froze at the anguished expression on her son’s face. Cole and John ignored him. He finally got their attention with his next sentence.
“Cut the fucking shit, now!”
Chapter Ten
Both men froze in their tracks and turned around to face an extremely upset Cameron. John was bent over at the waist, his hands on his thighs as he sucked in air. Shannon could see the blood clinging to his nose and lips. He mumbled something unintelligible and booked it into the bathroom.
Shannon broke out of her spell when she heard the bathroom door slam and she hurried to Cole’s side. “I’m sorry about John. I don’t know what got into him.” She reached up with her trembling hand and gently brushed his hair out of his eyes. She cringed. “You’re going to have quite a shiner and your lip is split.”
Then to her surprise Cole began to laugh, he hugged her to him and laughed harder. “I don’t think I’ve fought over a girl since I was thirteen.” He pulled back and smiled at her, then flinched. “Ouch, my lip hurts. Who do you think won?”
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