Chapter 41

Shannon tried once more to flip the pancake in the skillet, it was her third try, the last two were so inedible it wasn't funny. She swore she’d figure it out this time. She scooped the spatula under and gave it a quick turn. "Yes!" she exclaimed to herself when it finally cooperated.

She'd woken early untangling herself from the man sleeping soundly beside her and showered. He'd said he liked having someone cook for him so she figured she'd give a breakfast a whirl. As she tinkered with stuff in the kitchen, he'd woken, dressed and gone to his car for a change of clean clothes before he too showered and returned to the couch relaxing with a cup of hot coffee she'd handed him.


He chuckled as another muttered oath echoed from the kitchen. Obviously not her thing, cooking, but she was trying it for him. In some weird little way that made his heart warm. Felt nice, real nice. He turned back to the game and stretched, his jaw popping slightly in response. He hadn't actually got that much sleep the night before. She'd taken to making love like a junkie took to drugs, teasing him until he had no choice but to drill her into the bed repeatedly. God damn, first time in three years he'd done it that many times in one night, well with the same woman that is.

She glanced at the clock, 11:30, damn late breakfast for her, her tummy rumbled. Mel still wasn't home, she wanted to worry but the more she thought about it, the more she came to grips with the thought that maybe her sister was just getting caught up in emotion for once. God knew she herself was.

The man in her living room had done one hell of a number on her, she could barely walk right. When he'd threatened to fuck her senseless he’d made good on the threat. She smiled a satisfied smile as she took the eggs from the fridge " how you like your eggs?" she called out hoping he didn’t prefer some crazy five star chef style, she wasn't sure she could handle anything other than scrambled without it turning into a travesty.

"Scrambled!" He grinned and lifted his cup. "with cheese!"

Cheese? "'Okay!" She turned back to the fridge rummaging for cheese. She found what she was looking for and began to attempt to cook again when she heard the key turn the front door lock. She glanced up to see her sister and Richie literally stumble into the house laughing.

"I SO told you its NOT my fault. YOU did it, you KNOW damn WELL you did it. I was innocent dammit!" She pulled him in the door and giggled. "You always wanna blame....” She stopped and yelled, “HEY SQUIRT I'M HOME!"

His gaze lifted from the game he was watching to them and shook his head. Ok they were fighting yet they weren't fighting, weird. What the hell was wrong with them? "Bout time you showed up."

"HEYYYY man!"Rrichie called to Jon before turning to Mel once again and grumbling "Innocent my ass!"

Shannon simply raised her eyebrows at both of them and mumbled "Don't call me squirt."

Her brows beetled down as she turned to Richie, her hands moving to her hips. "AM TOO INNOCENT!" She whirled on Jon and grinned. "HEY we brought brownies, wanna brownie? I made 'em myself."

Shannon turned down the heat on her and Jon’s breakfast and peeked around the corner, leaning against the wall to watch her sister offering Jon a very scary looking something.

Jon's brow flickered up, his eyes moving between the two overly exuberant and giggling people. Something was fuckin' wrong. She was too off or happy or hell something. "What the hell did you do to her this time?"

She skittered across the floor and leaned in and went forehead to forehead to stare into a set of crystal blue eyes that reminded her of the ocean. "Shit you got ocean eyes. Now Rock star, do you want a brownie or not?" A grin slid onto her face as her hand touched down on his shoulder and pinched hard. "Oops! Whatcha get for being loud at da man!"

She waggled her brows and whirled backwards, her gaze intensifying. "Like I said Dork, YOU came up with that plan now dammit admit it!"

He came up off the couch muttering. "So help me god, you punch or pinch me again and I'll...."

Shannon watched as Richie didn't laugh... he giggled. The tall dark, imposing looking man GIGGLED! She sought Jon’s eyes across the room silently asking him what was up with his friend before turning her attention to her way too excitable sister. "Mel... what the hell are you on?"

She glanced over at Shannon and grinned. "Brownies."

She shook her head fighting a laugh, "Brownies... ok." She turned back into the kitchen dismissing the craziness in the other room to concentrate on her cooking.

Richie looked at Jon "Hey man... pinching is an endearment with her, consider yourself lucky! And have a brownie... go ahead their special," he winked.

His brow winged into his hairline. "You're fuckin' kidding,SPECIAL? Oh man tell me you didn’t.”

"I didn't!! She did" he said gleefully.

"You're shittin' me?" he shook his head. "Not Nun?"

"I'm waiting Richard! Admit it!"

"What???" he whined, "ok ok.... " he said more to appease her than agree with her. He crossed the room and sidled up to her kissing her playfully.

"Foods done." Shannon called from the kitchen.

"Ooohhh! Food!" Mel turned and raced to the kitchen, filching a pancake straight off the plate and shoving it in her mouth. "Hey! When'd ya learn to make pancakes Squirt?"

Jon’s laughter barked as she broke from the kiss for food. "Oh man you are so losing your touch."

Richie pouted and followed Mel into the kitchen, scowling at Jon's jibe.

"HEY!" Shannon exclaimed as Mel snatched a pancake "That ain't for you!" she grabbed both plates and headed for the table glowering. "Make your own dammit."

She turned to Richie, a full on pout starting. "She stoled the pancakes."

"Aw baby.. she's just a little ole meanie, " he cooed. "don't worry I'll make ya some.”

Shannon rolled her eyes and sat the plates on the table.

She frowned, "Don't want none, you won’t admit things." She grinned and sidled up next to the table, her hand flashing out to steal another pancake. "So Squirt, what’cha been doing huh?"

"Stop it!" she smacked Mel’s hand causing her to drop the pancake back on her plate. She was totally floored by the change in Mel. She wanted to laugh at her antics, wanted to laugh til she cried, her sister was acting like a drunken fool. She never thought she'd see the day but she simply raised an eyebrow and said quietly "nothing," as she reached for the syrup.

Jon moved to the kitchen doorway and watched the two women. "If this is your idea of nun, Id hate to see your idea of..." he almost said whore but stopped himself, 'loosely moraled female."

Mel's spine went straight, her shoulders tightened and a small gasp left her as she turned towards Rich's friend. A low growl started to rumble in her throat. Did he just call her a nun or a whore?