A/N: I'm back, with the sequel to "Thank God For Mojo" - and I'm sure it's probably managed to become even more OOC and such since the first round. I do highly recommend you read TGFM before you start on this, if you haven't already, as it won't make sense otherwise.
Thanks to the lovely people who reviewed TGFM, it was really great to receive positive feedback from those few that have posted some wonderful Stella/Shannon works themselves.
If you're liking this, I have a few more stories in the pipeline that I need to clean up and sort out, so hopefully these little stories will become a bit of a series.
Disclaimer: I don't make any money off this and don't own anything bar the vague storyline.
I strode into the locker room that evening and spied Shannon taking her boots off by her locker. I smiled at the sight of her. It'd been a tough day. Not just work-wise but also with putting up with our colleagues. Their reaction and teasing concerning our new relationship had been varied and difficult. It wasn't easy as someone that had never been in a relationship with a member of the same sex before. She'd taken their banter and knocking around fairly well on the outside, but I knew it was taking it's toll. Her slumped shoulders and slow, clumsy movements were very telling.
I quietly made my way to her, though my efforts not to disturb her too much made no difference. She was off in her own little world. I stopped behind her and gently slid my hands onto her shoulders.
"Hey." My voice held a warm smile as I started to rub her shoulders, easing away some of the tension.
Shannon looked around at me and smiled tiredly, "Hey, you."
"Rough day. You alright?" I asked, still kneading away.
"Hmm..." she made no effort to respond, instead she let her head hang forward and relaxed under my touch.
"We can continue this at mine if you like?" I asked, trailing my hands down her shoulder blades. I felt her stiffen and I removed my hands as if I'd been burnt.
"And I thought I was supposed to be the sex starved one." she muttered, and I felt my stomach drop.
"Oh, Shan. That's not what I - I meant the massage. I don't see this relationship as just sex." I sighed, and sat down beside her, facing the other way on the bench seat. She looked at me and I could see how tired and run down she really was.
"I'm sorry." she shook her head, rubbing at her eyes.
"It's okay. Today was tough." I nodded, taking her hand and giving it a squeeze. "I'd just like to take care of you tonight - if you'll let me."
She smiled at me gratefully but I could tell my offer wasn't going to be enough to persuade her. Before she could respond I spoke again.
"Come on. I'll cook you dinner." I began, prompting a tiny smile, "Then a massage before bed. And I think it would help to talk about what's happened with us over the last few weeks." I spoke softly, giving her a hopeful look.
Shannon returned my smile with a shake of her head, "When did you get to be so amazing? Why have I never seen this side of you before?"
"Because I need someone wonderful to be amazing for." I replied, trying not to appear to giddy. I looked her in the eye to bring my point across and her eyes sparkled back at mine. "Your place or mine?" I asked softly.
"Yours...figure you'll know your way around your own kitchen better." she nodded, "Or at least I hope so." she added with an amused look, standing to open her locker.
"You'll pay for that one." I laughed, swatting her on the bum.
As I led Shannon into my apartment block, I felt a slight wave of nervousness wash over me. It wasn't a feeling I had often around new girlfriends - or boyfriends for that matter. But I'd known her for a while already and I wondered exactly what she would think of my home.
"You're in such a great spot." she commented, and I nodded.
"I never really think about it. But it's a decent area. Close to work, fairly central to all the things I need."
"Not too far from my place either." she grinned, her blue eyes flashing at me. I matched her grin as we reached my door and I let us both in.
As I walked into the lounge room, I did a quick scan in case I'd left anything incriminating lying around.
"It's not much, but it's home." I bit my lip, watching Shannon's reaction closely.
"It's beautiful." she marvelled, looking around the room. "Did you do this yourself?" she asked, gesturing to the wall. Walking around the couch, she took a closer look at the mural that stretched across the flat. There was a white, sandy and peaceful looking beach adorning the far wall.
"Yeah. One of my hobbies." I nodded, smiling at her obvious approval. "Every few months I paint the wall white and start something new."
"I never knew." she breathed, looking at me as if trying to work out why I'd never told her.
"Well I don't like to brag," I smirked, and she returned my look. "Much."
"Are all your rooms like this?" she asked, turning to face me.
"Yeah. They all have a different theme or idea, every room." I nodded before grabbing her hand and taking her down the hall and into my bedroom as if to prove my point.
"Wow."
After my quick tour dragged on a lot longer than necessary as Shannon inspected each painting before begging me to do one for her, I set about making dinner.
Shannon arranged herself at the breakfast bar and watched me cook, snagging the odd mushroom from the bowl when I wasn't looking. After the first couple she'd popped in her mouth, it turned into a game and by the end of it she'd hidden half the contents of the bowl on the seat next to her.
I served up a simple pasta dish with bacon, mushroom and cream, and Shannon was immediately hooked.
"My God..." she groaned, "Tell me this isn't the only thing you can cook, Stella."
Her rapturous expression made me grin and I winked at her, "You'll just have to stick around to find out."
"You won't be able to kick me out!" she laughed, digging in.
When we were finished, I cleared up and came back to the lounge room, plonking myself down next to Shannon on the couch.
"So. We can stay here a while or we can move into the bedroom and I'll strip you naked." I suggested helpfully, with a perfectly innocent look on my face.
Shannon couldn't help herself, snorting before erupting into contagious laughter.
"As interesting as that sounds," she recovered, "I think we should have that chat." she gave me an amused look and I smiled as I turned the TV off.
"Okay. Where should we start?" I asked, totally clueless and hoping Shannon would take the lead.
"Wow, Ms Control. No preferences on where I should start?" she prodded in vague shock, a ghost of a smile on her face.
"None. Besides, I'm only 'Ms Control' in the bedroom. Ane I think I deserve a sexier name than that." I decided.
"Okay. List of things to do. Number one: -"
"Stella." I interrupted, and received a confused look. "Oh, come on. Aren't I number one on your list of things to do?" I asked with a cocky grin. Shannon gave me a deathly look and I pouted, "You're number one on mine."
"Funny, Stell." she reproved, her eyebrow raised in a sultry look.
"Sorry." I murmured with an almost bashful smile, dipping my head.
"You're way too easy." Shannon smiled gleefully, her face lighting up as mine clouded with confusion. "I think you like being told off. I bet you get off on being dominated by a woman." she decided seductively.
"You little shit!" I exclaimed in shock, "Oh you're so going down for that trick!" I laughed.
"We'll see." she said in a smooth, challenging manner.
"Oh you're lucky I don't start here and now. You could use a good spanking." I warned playfully, my eyes lighting up.
She looked at me as though I'd mentioned cake and ice-cream, but said nothing in response.
"Alright. Before this gets out of hand and we end up defiling your couch, lets get back to the conversation." she bit her lip.
"Yeah, okay. Sounds like fun." I taunted sarcastically.
"Tell me, Stella." she began, leaning her head on the hand that was resting on the back of the couch, "What on Earth possessed you to kiss me?" she smiled, her eyes blazing.
I recalled the kiss and Shannon's reaction fondly, grinning in self satisfaction.
"Anything I could have said right then would have only dug me deeper into a hole I hadn't even started myself."
"You're telling me that Josh told the others about me?" she asked incredulously.
"He's a bloke, Shan. What did you expect?" I scoffed. "Once knock off time rolls around, Mr Serious gets stuffed in Josh's locker along with his uniform."
"Yeah I guess you're right." she nodded, "But seriously, that was the first thing that came into your mind? To kiss me?"
"Of course it was. Come on, I couldn't have thought up a better opportunity myself. It shut the boys up, it shut you up. I got to kiss you and look where we are now." I explained, looking like the cat that got the canary.
"And if I hadn't pursued you? What would you have told me?" Shannon protested.
"Then I would have denied any feelings you thought I might have had, to protect our friendship." I replied calmly. "For the sake of our working relationship at the very least."
"Okay." she conceded
I gave her a disbelieving grin. "This isn't a discussion. This is a 'Grill Stella' session."
"Well, fire away then. I know you'll have some questions."
"How long have you had feelings for me?" I asked accusingly.
"Since I first laid eyes on you." she replied confidently, staring me in the eyes as if daring me to disagree with her.
"Come on!" I scoffed, shaking my head.
"Stella, I've always known I'm attracted to you. I wasn't necessarily happy about it to begin with, but this isn't an experiment. I've spent a lot of time and worked very hard to process the feelings, understand them and accept them. I've also been very careful to hide them and protect myself. I never thought you'd have feelings for me." Shannon explained intensely and I felt immediately remorseful for dismissing her so callously.
"I'm sorry. Bit harsh of me. I just need to learn to trust you." I apologised, disappointed in myself.
"Answer me this, Stella. I'm not just another notch in the bedpost am I? I'm not going to be another Michael to you, with you hot and cold for me all the time?" she asked genuinely and I felt sick as my reputation preceded me.
"No. No way, never. Michael isn't...wasn't...he didn't mean anything." I swallowed my sadness down. I felt terrible for making her doubt me.
"I'm still trying to work out why you never chased me in the first place." she smiled sadly. "You always went after everything else you wanted."
I took a moment to remember the day we met.
"You didn't exactly come across as someone that was interested in women. And I couldn't just crack onto a team mate. As time went on, I saw you only dated men and never expressed interest in women. But I should mention, now that I think of it, this explains why you hung around to finish - or start - conversations with me in the change rooms when I was the only one getting changed. How many times did you sneak a look?" I smiled teasingly.
Shannon instantly went bright red, and I knew I'd caught her out.
"Shut up." she mumbled, looking anywhere else but at me.
"Oh but you're so cute when you're embarrassed!" I teased, giggling and moving in close to give her a soft kiss on the lips. She was trying not to smile as I pulled back.
"I hate you." she mumbled again, still pink.
I laughed and changed the subject, "So I'm guessing the comment you made the morning after the kiss was an attempt at fishing?" I asked.
"I was trying to see if you were just playing around." she admitted ruefully.
"When did you figure it out?"
"When you smacked me on the bum." she smiled mischievously, "At least, I had a feeling. I wasn't absolutely positive."
"I think you enjoyed that. Just a bit." I bit my lip, looking her up and down seductively.
"I thought maybe you were punishing me for not letting you take control of the situation." she admitted, not acknowledging a thing I'd just said. "I knew for sure when you copped a good feel in the locker room." she smirked at me.
I broke into laughter and she shook her head, still hardly believing I'd had the guts to make such a move.
"I know, I could have faked it. But it was clearly a win-win situation." I explained uselessly. "You got to know that I like you and got to touch your boobs!" I laughed harder.
"You're worse than men." she informed me, though still quite amused.
"Not really. You just have really nice ones." I flicked my eyes to her chest and back to her face, nodding knowingly.
Shannon rolled her eyes, "Hopeless."
"Can't deny my appreciation of every part of you." I grinned. "Now, most important question of the night. Well, it's more of a discussion really. I already know the answer." I smirked.
"What's that?" she asked with caution, curious but unsure if I was luring her into a trap.
"You." I moved in closer, "Like." I stood and pulled her to her feet, "Having." I brought her flush against me with my left hand on her waist. Her hands took hold of my shoulders.
"What?" she asked, her voice scraping out hoarsely as my seduction took her over.
I leaned forward so my mouth was right by her ear.
"You like having your arse spanked." I whispered mere moments before I slapped her firmly on the bum.
Her hips jerked into mine and she gasped in the most delightful way. I felt her hands tighten on my shoulders as she breathed heavily in my ear.
As she tried to gain a little composure I repeated my action, once more sending her hips jerking into mine. This time though, she let out a strangled cry of pleasure.
I settled my hand comfortingly on her behind, starting to rub and soothe where I was certain a red mark would have formed. As I did so, I leaned in and kissed Shannon gently on the soft skin of her neck, laying sweet pecks all over. My rubbing motion had turned into a massage and I could feel her fingers digging in as my kisses became open mouthed. Her heavy breathing and occasional whimpers were sending my senses into overdrive.
"Mmm, someone likes that." I commented playfully between kisses, earning a low moan. Shannon leaned her head forward over my left shoulder, letting it hand as her arms moved down to encircle my waist. I took the opportunity to slide my left hand down to join my right in my efforts appreciating her tight bum. Immediately I was rewarded with a downright unplanned reaction as her hips began rocking against mine. She swore softly between gasps before turning to bite my neck.
"Oh!" I gasped, completely enraptured. "God you're sexy as hell right now." I said fiercely, jerking her forward and thrusting against her hard.
"If you don't take me to bed right now I'm going to kill you." she threatened, looking at me with such feral, ferocious abandon that I picked her up and gladly carried her all the way there.
Well, that's it. Sorry if I left you hanging, but I'm not big on writing smut (honestly, I'm sure someone took over my hand when I wrote "Thank God For Mojo") and it seemed a fitting end. Let me know if you liked it, constructive criticism is also most welcome.