And before she could say something she might regret later, Caroline opened the doors and walked through leaving that part of her life behind—again.
v
“Where’re ya going, baby?”
The question grated on Shannon’s last nerve. It wasn’t so much what was asked but the fact that it was asked at all. Shannon bit back a caustic reply. What she really wanted to say was, “This was just a fuck. We fucked. It’s over. I’m leaving. Simple, simple, simple. It’s not rocket science.” But she didn’t. It wasn’t… Shit, she didn’t even know the woman’s name. It wasn’t her fault she was in such a crappy mood.
When Caroline left her on the patio earlier tonight, a rage came over her like she had never experienced. She was so angry with herself for letting Caroline get to her. The fact that she had no idea she still had feelings for her was one thing, but to let her get under her smooth finish was something that would never happen again.
“I’m going back to my hotel,” she answered pulling on her shorts and looking around the dark room for her shirt. She found it on the other side of the room by the door. She slipped her sandals on and forced herself not to run across the room, grab her shirt, and jet out the door. More calm than she felt, Shannon buttoned her shirt and when she was at the halfway point, reached for the doorknob. “Thanks, take care,” she mumbled on her way out the door.
The hall was brightly lit in direct contrast to the blackness she felt swim over her. Rarely had she felt slimy and cheap after leaving a woman’s bed, but it was all over her now. She had used that woman to get over her feelings for Caroline, and her conscience was creeping up on her. She never used one woman to get over another. Well, maybe used wasn’t an accurate word. She had slept with a few women to exorcise a demon or two from inside her, but it was always a mutually pleasurable event. But not this time. She was rough, straight to the
• 45 •
JuliE CaNNoN
point, and maybe a little bit mean. The woman didn’t seem to mind; she actually preferred it. But it did nothing for Shannon. She was dry as a bone and could barely finish what she had started.
After Caroline had left, she had returned to the party with a chip on her shoulder and an attitude that said “take me as I am or go fuck yourself.” Her sponsors loved it. They had hired her reputation of an almost bad girl who just happened to be the best biker in the world.
The fact that she had the body to back up that attitude was a significant bonus.The woman had caught her eye while Shannon was ordering her fourth Crown and Coke. It was taking more and more alcohol lately to be interested, and on more than one occasion had crossed the fine line between just enough and too much. The bartender was pouring the drinks strong, and between an empty stomach and seeing Caroline again, she was definitely feeling the effects of the alcohol. She and the woman had barely spoken before Shannon was dragging her to the elevator and up to her room. Shannon preferred to go to the woman’s place when she had sex, enabling her to leave when she wanted to. She wasn’t very good with tactfully telling her sex partner to go.
Dawn was breaking when Shannon pushed the revolving door and stepped outside. The air was heavy and it felt like rain. Great, just what she needed, to slog through the rain on her practice runs with a whiskey and woman hangover. How did she get here? One minute she was sipping champagne and making nice with sponsors, the next she was making a dash for the nearest exit. For heaven’s sake, it wasn’t like she’d never run into an ex before. They were scattered all over the U.S., more than a few around the world.
What was it about Caroline that continued to rub at her? They were together when they were teenagers. When they didn’t know any better. Shit, when they didn’t know anything about life and how to get through it. It was a childhood thing. So why did it creep up on her at the most inopportune times and fuck her up so much?
Shannon stopped at the first place that served coffee and bought the largest serving they had. She took her coffee black and strong and this brew was perfect. She walked out of the cool shop sipping her hot beverage, confused over her body’s reaction to Caroline. Again and
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Descent
again, the memory of their last time together was the freshest, sweetest, and the most painful.
It was a hot day similar to what she expected today was going to be. She was in Caroline’s room at MHA; they were studying for their calculus exam the next day. It was four weeks before graduation and Caroline needed to pass this test and the final. Like most things, school came easily for Shannon, especially math and the sciences, but Caroline had struggled from the first crack of the thick math book.
Caroline worked hard and studied even harder to understand the complicated methods, statistics, and ridiculous formulas. She memorized, developed her own form of remembering symbols, and was still eking her way to a passing grade—barely.
They had been at it for several hours when Shannon sensed she was being watched. Her suspicions were confirmed when she glanced up and found Caroline looking at her. She recognized that look. It was the one that set her heart to race, her blood to pound, and her clit to throb.“What are you doing?” she asked, knowing full well what the answer was going to be.
“Nothing,” was the answer.
“Why do I not believe you?” Caroline’s eyes sparked with challenge at her follow-up question.
“Whatever do you mean?” Her voice was thick and smooth.
Caroline didn’t move any closer, but it suddenly felt warmer in the room and Shannon’s throat was dry.
“You should be studying.” Shannon’s protest was weak.
“I am.” Caroline licked her lips.
Shannon suddenly found it hard to breathe. Caroline was looking at her as if she were memorizing every contour of her body. Her eyes moved up and down her with agonizing slowness over those parts that were hidden under her clothes. Her nipples tightened when Caroline lingered on her chest, and Shannon could have sworn they traced the MHA letters on her shirt.
“You’re not going to pass if you don’t pay attention to what you’re doing.”
Caroline’s sweet, sexy smile slid over her very kissable mouth.
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JuliE CaNNoN
“Speaking of paying attention,” she said, making sure Shannon knew she was referring to her erect nipples.
“Caroline.” Shannon tried to sound scolding, but it came out more of a plea than a command.
“Yes?” was the sweet reply.
“Stop,” was her equally pathetic reply.
“Is that what you really want? Do you want me to stop looking at you? Stop caressing your body in my mind? Stop remembering how soft your skin is, how strong your legs are when they’re wrapped around me? How good you taste? Do you want me to stop making love to you in my head?”
Caroline paused. Shannon knew she should say yes. Caroline needed her to be strong and help her focus, but she was only seventeen, for crying out loud. Her libido and insatiable lust for the girl sitting across the room from her ruled her life.
“Yes.”
Caroline raised her eyebrows in obvious surprise. “Yes?”
“Yes. I want you to stop caressing me in your mind, stop remembering how soft my skin is, how strong my legs are when they’re wrapped around you, and how good I taste. I want you to stop making love to me in your head and get over here and do it to me.” Shannon was so turned on she could hardly stand it. It only took a look from Caroline to set her off, but to hear her say what was on her mind took her to another world entirely.
With excruciating deliberateness, Caroline closed the distance between them. Their rooms were small so it wasn’t far, but it seemed like an eternity until Caroline covered her lips with hers.