Always and Forever

by Lyn Denison

“ ‘Rollercoaster Love’ was one of my favorites,” Angie was saying, “and I enjoyed hearing you sing it again tonight. I also liked one called ‘Till She Touched Me.’ I thought it was so romantic.”

  Shann shifted embarrassedly. If she’d known back then that anyone was listening to that song with its impassioned lyrics she suspected she’d have been mortified. She hadn’t even played it for Leigh. “I’ve brushed that one up quite a bit, and I’ve had some interest in it.”

  “Do you ever perform it yourself?”

  “I think I might. At the Muster. Maybe at my night show. The lyrics are a bit, well, physical.”

  “Mmm.” Angie paused. “Well, I guess I should go in.”

  Neither of them made a move, and Shann swallowed nervously. She could see the sparkle of Angie’s eyes in the moonlight and her fingers tightened on her guitar case as though she needed its solidness to support her.

  “I used to imagine you’d see me out here,” Angie’s voice was impossibly lower, “and that you’d come out and we’d talk. Funny how things change. Talking’s the furthest thing from my mind tonight,” she said thickly. She leaned slowly forward and put her lips to Shann’s.

  Chapter Six

  Her lips were incredibly soft and oh, so arousing. Shann felt weak, as though only Angie’s touch was holding her together as she drowned in the velvety softness of her mouth.

  Angie drew back a little, and Shann swayed toward her. She nuzzled Angie’s bottom lip, teased it delicately between her teeth, and sucked it gently. Then she drew back again and Angie took Shann’s guitar and leant it against the wall before kissing Shann again. She ran her tongue tip over Shann’s lips, paused at the corner of her mouth, then sought the sweetness within.

  Shann moaned softly, at least Shann thought it was her. But it might have been Angie. Then they were straining together, their kiss deepening, breast to breast, stomach to stomach, thighs to thighs. Shann slid her hands inside Angie’s denim jacket, her fingers luxuriating in the smooth warmth of Angie’s skin.

  Eventually they drew slightly apart again, both breathing raggedly.

  “I don’t think I could have gone another night without doing that,” Angie said thickly.

  “I thought it was only me,” Shann managed to get out.

  Angie gave a soft, throaty laugh. “Oh, no. Believe me. It wasn’t just you.” She slid her fingers into Shann’s hair, cradling her face, and kissed her slowly, deeply, again.

  Shann ran her lips along the line of Angie’s jaw, tasting her skin. She nibbled her sensitive earlobe, and when Angie made a low sound deep in her throat, Shann found her lips again.

  “You are really something, do you know that?” Angie whispered, and Shann slid her mouth down over Angie’s chin, settling her lips to the erratic beat of the pulse at the base of her throat. “God, Shann! I can hardly stand up.”

  Shann’s hands moved from the curve of Angie’s waist and up to cup her full breasts. She could feel the hardness of Angie’s nipples against her hands, and she teased them with the pad of her thumbs. She let her mouth slide down from the base of Angie’s throat to cover her breast, suckling the hard peak through the thin material of her shirt.

  Angie clutched at Shann’s head, holding her to her, then she drew Shann up again so they could kiss again. She fumbled with the buttons on Shann’s shirt, pushed it aside to mold Shann’s lace-covered breasts. And it was Shann’s turn to moan brokenly.

  Sliding one leg between Angie’s, Shann moved against her. Her hands molded Angie’s jean-clad buttocks, drew her impossibly closer. She heard Angie catch a ragged breath, and Shann knew Angie was as aroused as she was.

  Shann’s fingers fumbled for the top stud on Angie’s jeans but Angie’s hand shakily covered hers, and Shann hesitated.

  “Shann. We can’t. I want to. But not here. Someone might—”

  At that moment a deep woof came from the open window of the house next door. Leigh’s room, Shann recognized hazily. Tiger’s nose peered at them over the windowsill.

  They sprang apart. Shann’s fingers were shaking so hard she was finding it impossible to rebutton her shirt. Angie helped her and then pulled her own jacket around her.

  The light flicked on, sending a bright shaft over them. Mike Callahan called the dog’s name as he crossed to the window. Taking hold of the dog’s collar he looked out into the darkness, his body silhouetted against the lighted room.

  “It’s only me, Mike,” Angie said lightly. “And Shann. We’ve just arrived home.”

  “Oh. Angie. Evening, Shann. Thought it might be someone up to mischief. Come on in then or this daft dog will wake the whole neighborhood.” Taking the reluctant dog with him, he crossed to the door and flicked out the light.

  They were cocooned in the moonlight once more.

  “Well.” Shann laughed ruefully. “That certainly cooled our ardor.” She pushed her tangled dark hair back with a shaky hand.

  “Do you really think it did? Cool our ardor, I mean.” Angie ran a finger down the length of Shann’s arm and Shann felt the sear of her touch through the suede of her shirt.

  Taking hold of Angie’s hand, Shann checked the darkened window, and then raised Angie’s hand to her lips, nibbling a slow kiss in her warm palm. Then she took one of Angie’s fingers into her mouth, sucking gently.

  “Shann!” Angie begged. “Do you know what you’re doing to me?”

  “If it’s anything like what you’re doing to me then I have a pretty fair idea.”

  “I want to stay but—” Angie drew a steadying breath. “I best go.” She hesitated, holding Shann’s gaze. “Shouldn’t I?”

  Shann was so tempted to suggest her room, but Corey was in the room next door, and Liz was an early riser. And Angie’s? If by any chance Ann Callahan discovered the notorious Shann Delaney in her niece’s bed, well—the last time had left scars Shann wasn’t sure had healed. It would be folly to put herself into the position where those wounds could be reopened.

  “Yes. I should,” Angie repeated, almost to herself. She kissed her own fingers and placed them quickly on Shann’s mouth before she disappeared over the fence and into the house.

  Corey frowned. “Are you okay, Mum?”

  They were out on the back deck. Shann had just brewed morning tea, and she was waiting for her father and Liz to join them. Gerard was studying, and Amy was visiting friends.

  “I’m fine, love.” Shann assured him. “I’m just a little tired from my late night. I think I’m getting old.”

  “Yeah, right.” Corey exclaimed. “How did it go at Gina’s?”

  “Pretty good. I enjoyed it and, more to the point, so did the audience.”

  “So are you going back to sing there?” he asked and Shann nodded.

  “Gina asked me to. Were you okay with it last night?”

  “Of course, Mum,” he said indignantly. “I’m not a baby.”

  “I know, but it’s my job to worry about you.”

  Corey rolled his eyes and came over to give her a hug just as her father joined them.

  “Ready for your cup of tea?” Shann got up to help him into his chair. She poured him his tea and set it in front of him. He’d been talking to Shann’s stepmother on the phone.

  “Ruth sends her love,” he said as he added sugar to his cup. “It’s the middle of the night over there, and she couldn’t sleep so she rang me.”

  “Is she enjoying her holiday?” Shann asked.

  “I think so. She’s been catching up with long lost relatives.” He laughed. “I can only be grateful I’m not there.”

  “Oh, Dad. You would have enjoyed it, too.”

  “Do you reckon?”

  Corey passed his grandfather a plate of biscuits.

  “I wouldn’t have met Corey if I’d gone to England with Ruth,” he finished and winked at his grandson.

  Corey grinned. “We were going to come and visit you anyway next school holidays.”

  Shann’s father glanced at Shann. “You were?”
/>
  “We’d talked about it,” Shann said. “When Liz told me about your operation I thought—” She shrugged. “We came a few months early.”

  Liz joined them then, walking carefully but a little more freely. “I feel so much better now that I’ve washed my hair and, apart from that, I’m finding it’s a lot less painful to move.”

  Shann passed Liz her tea.

  “How did you go last night? I didn’t hear you come in.”

  “That’s ’cause she was very late,” Corey said. “But she’s going to sing there again.”

  “Thank you, my little PR person,” Shann laughed at Corey.

  “That’s great, Shann.” Liz sipped her tea and sighed her enjoyment.

  “Do you get many jobs singing?” her father asked and Shann nodded.

  “Quite a few.”

  “Where do you play?”

  Shann hesitated. “Well, wherever I’m booked to play. Clubs. I’ve done some studio backup work.”

  Her father frowned. “Are most of these jobs at night? What about Corey?”

  “He comes with me when he can. Depends on the venue, but usually I have a couple of friends who babysit for me.”

  “It’s okay, Pop. I like staying with Pauline and Max. They have kids my age.”

  What would her father say if he knew Max was really Maxine? She’d better change the subject before Corey innocently elaborated.

  “I’ve got a really good group of shows to do at the Gympie Muster in a few weeks. I’m looking forward to that.”

  “They get about eighty thousand people attending the Muster, don’t they?” Liz asked. “Remember we saw that show on TV about it last year, Dad?”

  Their father nodded. “Didn’t it rain?”

  Shann laughed. “They say it usually does, but maybe we’ll be lucky this year.”

  “Mum and I went to the one at Tamworth a couple of years ago,” said Corey. “We had a great time.”

  “I’ve always wanted to go to the Muster at Gympie so it will be exciting to go there as a performer,” Shann said.

  They talked for a few minutes about the various stars who would also be performing at Gympie, yet all through the conversation Shann’s eyes kept returning to the Callahans’ house. She’d seen Ann and Mike drive off after a struggle to get Tiger into the car, and she knew Angie was at work.

  Had she imagined those heady, aroused moments they’d shared last night? She couldn’t believe the response she’d felt to Angie’s kisses and caresses. If only they’d been able to—Shann swallowed as a rush of desire arrowed down between her legs.

  After Angie left her, Shann had hurried quietly inside. She’d taken a shower, letting the hot water cascade over her body, teasing her breasts that were still sensitive from Angie’s caresses. Her skin had tingled as the water flowed over her and she felt her knees go weak at the memory. She’d leant against the wall of the shower until she was strong enough to climb out, towel herself dry, and slip into the oversized, long-sleeved T-shirt she wore to bed.

  By the time she’d stretched out on her bed she knew sleep was going to elude her. She ached for the feel of Angie’s body melded to her own.

  How she wished she’d let Angie join her. Corey was a heavy sleeper. He didn’t wake when storms passed over with thunder rolling. But it was her father’s house. She pushed such thoughts back where they came from, telling herself that had nothing to do with the situation. But of course, to Shann it did.

  On the other hand, she told herself, she wasn’t a child anymore. She was an adult, a single adult. And so was Angie. If they shared a night of lovemaking what would it hurt? No one need know if they were careful. She’d never been promiscuous and, besides, Angie was hardly a one-night stand.

  Shann pulled herself up. Her feelings for Angie were complex to say the least. Yet she was afraid if she tried to analyze those feelings she’d have to face even more questions.

  From the moment they’d seen each other that tumult of awareness had drawn them together. It had intensified as they swayed together on the dance floor. Last night’s kiss had been inevitable.

  And Shann couldn’t recall being as attracted to anyone. Even Leigh.

  Shann paused, wondering why she’d allowed herself to compare memories of Leigh to her feelings for Angie. It made her feel just a little disloyal to Leigh. And she was hardly being fair to Angie.

  There was no comparison, was there? Kissing Leigh had been exciting, too. They had barely left childhood. Their hormones had been raging. But Shann had genuinely loved Leigh. And she’d thought Leigh had loved her. She had. But not enough. Yet Shann knew her relationship with Leigh had been on Leigh’s terms. Any physical contact had always been at Leigh’s instigation.

  After that first kiss and Leigh’s decision that they couldn’t do it again, it was nearly a year before they’d kissed once more. For Shann, being with Leigh had become almost bittersweet.

  On that particular night, when their relationship changed again, Leigh had asked Shann to come over after dinner to help her with an overdue school assignment. Shann had found Leigh in tears. She’d been dating Evan Radford, and they’d had an argument.

  “Why are guys so cruel?” Leigh sobbed.

  Shann didn’t think guys had the embargo on being cruel, but she suspected Leigh didn’t want to hear Shann’s observations. “What did he do?” she asked, feeling it was expected of her.

  “He says he wants to go to the drag races with Caleb and some other guys on Saturday night, and we were supposed to go to the movies.”

  “You could go to the drag races, too,” Shann suggested.

  “I thought of that, but he said it was a guys’ night out.” She threw her arms around Shann’s neck.

  “Well, looking on the positive side, the drag races would be pretty boring,” Shann said.

  Leigh drew back and sniffed. “You know what I should do? I should go out with someone else. That would teach him a lesson.”

  “Who would you go out with?” Shann couldn’t understand playing those sorts of games.

  “I don’t know.” Leigh brushed at her damp cheeks. “I wish you were a guy, Shann.”

  Shann gave a laugh. “I’m glad I’m not.” The advantage, Shann acknowledged wryly, would be that she could make love to Leigh without freaking anyone out.

  “Remember when you kissed me?” Leigh asked, and Shann felt her breath catch in her throat.

  “You kissed me back.”

  “I know. It was good, wasn’t it? And honestly it was better than kissing Evan.”

  Shann felt a surge of pleasure at Leigh’s words.

  “Let’s do it again.”

  “Leigh!” How Shann wanted to. “I don’t think—I thought you said it was abnormal.”

  “No one need know.”

  “You’re supposed to be going out with Evan.” Shann reminded her.

  “As of today I’m not. He can go take a hike.” Leigh walked over and turned the key in the lock on her bedroom door. She turned back, leaning on the door, and smiled at Shann.

  And Shann felt herself respond to that look. She’d wanted to kiss Leigh again so badly.

  Leigh slowly moved back toward Shann, paused when their bodies were touching. Then she moved impossibly closer, and her lips found Shann’s.

  For a moment Shann resisted and then she lost herself in Leigh’s kiss and she kissed her back. Shann felt herself falling in love with Leigh all over again.

  That was over ten years ago, she reminded herself. And it had nothing to do with how she felt about Angie. Did it?

  It was well into the early hours of the morning when Shann finally drifted into a fitful sleep. She awoke feeling listless and not rested. And desperately wanting to continue her interrupted lovemaking with Angie.

  “Earth to Mum,” said Corey, dragging Shann back to the present.

  “Oh. Sorry, love. I was miles away. What did you say?”

  “I need to get some stuff for school. I just remembered.” He pulled a shee
t of paper from his pocket. “Mrs. Corcoran says I should get it by Monday.”

  “Oh, Corey. You should have said something when we were shopping yesterday. What is it you need?”

  “The other kids have boxes, to keep their stuff in for art class.” He held the paper out to his mother. “My teacher’s put the measurements on there. She says you can get these boxes at a hardware store, and I thought we could go over to Angie’s shop.”

  Shann hesitated, pretending she was studying the sheet of paper Corey had handed her.

  “He’s right, Shann,” said Liz. “Why not pop over to Angie’s shop. I’m not sure if they’re open all day, but I think they are.”

  “I can’t leave you and Dad alone again,” Shann protested.

  “Rubbish! We’re fine, aren’t we, Dad? I can get around now, and Gerard will be here all day studying.” Liz waved Shann’s protests aside. “We have your mobile number anyway.”

  “Why don’t we go now,” suggested Corey. “In case the shop closes at lunchtime.”

  “Well, will you be okay, Dad?” Shann looked at her father, and he pulled a face.

  “I’m not planning on running a marathon,” he said dryly.

  “I suppose it would only take us half an hour or so.”

  “Great. I’ve been wanting to see Angie’s shop,” said Corey. “Don’t forget the piece of paper, Mum.” He headed for the stairs.

  “Hold on, Corey. I have to change. I can’t go like this,” Shann flushed a little as she saw Liz look at her sharply. “And you need to wash your hands and face and comb your hair.”

  Corey gave an exaggerated sigh. “Okay,” he said as he headed inside.

  “You look fine, Shann,” said Liz. “It’s only a hardware store, and you’ll probably be the best dressed customer there.”

  “I’ll just change my sweatshirt,” Shann retreated to the bedroom. But what to wear. She pulled her sweatshirt over her head and took a long sleeved tailored pale blue shirt out of the closet, slipped it on, tucking the shirttails into her jeans. She shrugged on her padded denim vest and ran her brush though her hair. She opened her door and almost ran into her son.

  Corey was coming out of his room smoothing his own hair. He held up his hands. “Squeaky clean.”