IMPORTANT: This chapter includes a sex scene if you have a problem with that then leave now!

Ash came out to generic music they'd picked out for her on her second Raw taping. She took her seat next to J.R. and slipped her headphones on. "Nervous?" He asked. "Not really. I love this shit."
Jim gave her a lopsided smile. "You know your cue?"
"When Nash grabs me I scream 'Daddy' for all I'm worth. Not terribly difficult."
They bantered back and forth for nearly two hours. Finally The Undertaker and Austin were up. The final match. Ash pretended to be oblivious to everything but the action in the ring. When Nash's music hit, they pretended shock, acting like they thought he'd do damage to one of the competitors. Nash stalked over to the announce table and pulled Ash up by her hair. Right before he tore her headset off she screamed. 'Taker turned to see what was going on, and his face turned red. Nash put a mic to his mouth and said in a booming voice. "Found a treasure of yours, Deadman. How far will you go to keep her safe?"

Ash flailed a little and tried to kick at him. He shoved her to the side and she took a nasty looking fall to the ramp. 'Taker charged at the big man. They fought for a bit before Nash made an escape. Just before the cameras went off the home audience saw The Undertaker cradling a shaken Ash in his arms and carrying her backstage.
Once back there, Ash jumped down and did a little dance. "That went well."
"You made that fall look pretty real." "I scared ya, huh? Didn't I?"
"A little." Jeff came up to congratulate them. He patted her on the shoulder. "You did a really great job. You sell better than Shannon does." "I'm surprised. He should be used to taking punishment."
"Still not liking Shannon much?" "My feelings haven't changed in years. Why would they now?" Jeff looked to Mark. "You haven't told her yet?" "Told me what?" When Jeff didn't respond she turned to her dad. "Told me what, Dad?"
"While Nash and I are fighting at the p.p.v. Shannon is supposed to kidnap you." "To what purpose?"
"Sneak in and steal the glory. Appeal to The Undertaker's dark side. Show me that he can be sneaky too. Something like that."
"No."
"Ash…"
"I refuse." "You can't. You signed a contract."

Ash opened her mouth, but snapped it shut when she realized she didn't have an argument. "Is that why he's suddenly inconspicuous?" Jeff nodded. "He was afraid of what you'd do to him when you found out."
"Dad, the pay per view is next Sunday."
"I'm aware." Heather made her way over to them, large camera in tow. She'd gotten a job a few months back taking candid shots for the magazine. "You guys ready to go?"
Ash stalked off to the parking garage to pout. They headed off to the hotel. Ash followed her sister to their room without saying a word. She walked in to find her stuff not there. "Uh, where's my shit?"
"Uh, Ash. Jeff's staying in here with me. I thought you knew that."
"Then where am I staying? Sara's in Dad's room."
"Only one person left to room with."
"Absolutely not.""Unless you wanna sleep in the car, you don't have much choice."
Ash glared daggers at her sister and stalked to Mark's room. She beat on the door. She stood there glaring at him too when he answered. She didn't realize it, but her stance was exactly like The Undertaker's when getting ready for battle. "What the hell is going on? Why am I sharing a room with Shannon?"
"Because your sister wanted to room with Jeff."
"I really don't like any of you right now."
"Well if that includes Shannon then at least I won't be a grandfather any time soon." She wrinkled her nose in disgust. "Gross Dad. It's Shannon. You can't make me stay with him." "It's just one night." "Fine. But I will make you all regret it."
He handed her a key card. "It's just down the hall, sweetheart."
"Bastard." She mumbled under her breath as she stalked away. She let herself into the air-conditioned room and found Shannon layed out on the bed, hair still wet from a shower, watching TV in his boxers. "Can't you wear some clothes?"

"I have clothes on. All the important parts are covered."
"I hate you." She went to the sink to wash her face. She felt around on the counter for a washcloth. After drying off, she reached for her bathroom bag, but didn't find it. "Hey Shannon, could you run to Heather's room and grab my bag with my toothbrush in it?" "I'm in my underwear, Ash."
"It's just two doors down."
"Fine." He got up and Ash followed him to the door. "It's the black see through bag." When he was just out the door she stopped him. "Hang on a sec." She grabbed his long ponytail and acted like she was studying it. He didn't even think she would do anything awful to him here. But she smiled and pulled his hair toward her and shut the door effectively trapping him in the hall. All was silent for a minute before she heard him through the door. "Ash, my hair's stuck."
"I know."
"Let me go."
"Uh, let me think about it. No." She flopped down on the bed and flipped through the stations.
He didn't want to shout too loud and risk bringing other people out of their rooms. He rested his head against the door to relieve some of the pulling on his hair. Finally he heard Mark coming out of his room. He closed his eyes to avoid meeting the man's curious stare. "Something wrong, Shannon?" "No, sir."
"Why are you standing here in your underwear, then?"
"Fresh air?"
"She locked you out?"
"Yeah."
"Move then. I'll get her to unlock the door."
"Small problem with that." Mark got close enough to see Shannon's predicament. A dark look crossed his face. "Ashley Renee!" She answered in a sweet voice. "Yes Daddy?"
"Open the door."
"Sure." She pulled it open and smiled innocently. "Oh, Shannon, how long have you been waiting. You should've said something. Did you get my bag?" He brushed past her and angrily threw the blankets aside. "Get your own damn bag."
She shrugged and walked next door. "Is something wrong, Daddy?"
"Don't do that again." "Sure."

After retrieving her bag, she brushed her teeth and got in bed herself. "Why are you so horrible to me?"
"I don't know." "Yes you do. There has to be some reason. You've hated me since we were kids."
"Shouldn't that tell you something, moron. Stop trying to be nice to me then. I don't like you. You said it yourself."
He sat up and even in the dark she could tell his whole demeanor had changed. He lost that Shannyness that was all over him. Suddenly he was grown up. An aspiring wrestler that had worked hard to become a WWE Superstar. "Well, whatever it is, you need to put it aside while we have to work together. I didn't ask for this, but it could be a big break for me. I know that wrestling doesn't mean a whole lot to you, but it's my life. This is all I've ever wanted to do. All I'm asking is that you don't screw it up for me." "What makes you think I'll fuck it up?" "You have a tendency to take away or maim everything I want."
Ouch. That one had hurt. Maybe because it was true. Ash didn't analyze why, she just turned over and ignored him. She heard him lay back down with a sigh.
She didn't speak to him the next morning as they got ready to leave. They'd be going back home for a few days before taping Smackdown!. She grabbed her bags and met Sara and Mark by their car. Sara raised a surprised eyebrow. "You're not riding with Jeff and Heather?" "No." She climbed into the backseat of the SUV and didn't say much on the three hour drive back home. By the following Sunday she was actually nervous. She paced around backstage while waiting to start taping. The monitor showed that Kevin Nash was still doing his intro. She still had almost 15 minutes to wait. Shannon placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder. "You're gonna do fine. You don't even have any lines." "I know. Just flail. I've got it."
"Then what's wrong? Why're you so nervous?"
"I dunno. Just leave me alone for now."

He gave her puppy eyes, but did as she asked. The camera crew finally made their way into position. "Okay," a man dressed in jeans and a WWE crew t-shirt came up to them. "Do you know your positions?" They nodded.
"Good. Now let's do this right, 'cause we're live." He counted down on his fingers then pointed to them. Ash bent double, acting as though she was checking her shoelaces. She felt Shannon come up behind her.
"Well, well, well. What have we here? 'Taker's little girl is all alone. Looks like a perfect opportunity to show off some Mattitude." He flashed the V1 sign and wrapped one hand around her mouth and the other around her waist. He dragged her backwards. She kicked with her legs and was secretly pleased to actually connect with his shin with one. He turned her around to toss her over his shoulder. With her mouth now unobstructed, she shouted for all she was worth. The scream turned into a surprised shriek when she felt his hand come down on her ass. She closed her mouth and silently fumed. Shannon was getting way too into this. The camera followed them out to the parking garage where he stuffed her into his car and peeled out. Once out of camera shot, she turned in the seat to glare at him. "What the hell, Shannon?"
"What?"
"You smacked me." "Consider it a love tap." He passed the exit to go to the hotel and kept driving.
"You missed our turn." "No I didn't."
"Yes you did." "We're not going to the hotel tonight." "What?"
"We're going somewhere else. I'm kidnapping you."
"Are you deranged? Turn around right now, Shannon."
"No." "What about my stuff? You can't just steal me! Dad's gonna be pissed." "No he's not."
"You mean he knew about this?"
"Uh-huh."

Ash slammed herself back in the seat to silently fume. "I knew you were mentally unstable. Dad just wouldn't listen to me. You've got problems." "No I don't. And trust me, you won't be so pissed when we get to where we're going."
"Where ARE we going?"
"You'll see."
"What about tomorrow's Raw?"
"We're not due back until next Monday. 'Taker's going to torture Matt for information on Raw and Smackdown."
"I want to call Dad."
"No."
All her life, she'd hated being told not to do something. It just made her want to do it more. She spied her bags in the backseat and dove for them. Shannon was expecting it, and caught her around the middle. He maneuvered the car onto the shoulder of the road and pulled her into his lap. She sat still in shock and stared at him. "Let me go." "Why? You're not in danger." His voice was husky with something Ash didn't want to name. She tried to move, but he held her tighter. "Shannon, let me off of your lap."
"Don't try to use your cell phone."
"Fine." "Promise me."
"Okay. I promise, just let me up." When he released her she darted back to her seat. She stayed as far away from him as she could. He deftly slipped back into traffic as if nothing had happened. They drove in silence for almost two hours. He checked the clock when his stomach rumbled. Almost midnight.
"Are you hungry?"
"Yes."

Shannon turned off at an exit that had all night restaurants. "Denny's okay?"
"Fine. Did you bring my purse?" "No. I didn't want you getting any ideas about hopping a bus back home." "You're a bastard." "But a bastard that's going to buy you dinner."
"At Denny's? Wow, Shannon, you really know how to wine and dine a girl."
"Give me time, Little Evil. I haven't gotten to that part yet."
Ash rolled her eyes at the old nickname. She vaguely wondered if she should make a scene in the restaurant, but decided against it. She was starved. They got a booth near a window and ordered. She didn't say much to him while they ate. She jumped when his cell phone rang. "Hello?" There was a pause. "Yes sir." Another pause. "We've still got a bit to go. We should be there by tomorrow. I'm planning on stopping tonight."
"Is that my dad?" When Shannon ignored her, she figured it was. She yanked the phone away from him. "Dad how could you let him do this?" "I didn't let him do anything, dear. He made up his mind, and only told me so I wouldn't worry."
"You could've beat the shit out of him."
"Are you hurt?" "No."
"Is he feeding you?"
"Yes."
"Then you're fine."
"But, Dad…"
"Goodbye, Ashley. Have fun." He hung up.
Ash shoved the phone back at Shannon. "I hate you."

Ash woke up when she felt the car slowing down. She looked over at Shannon. He looked tired. His hair was a mess, like he'd been running his hands through it. He'd lost the ponytail holder and let his hair fall around his face. Ash liked the way the black chunks stood out against his features. They made the green in his eyes stand out. She shook her head. She must be tired if she was admiring Shannon's good looks. He pulled up to a Holiday Inn and got out. Ash noticed he left the keys in the ignition. She contemplated leaving him, but she had no clue where they were. Or how to get home from here. He came back a few minutes later and drove around to the side of the building. She pretended to still be asleep, wanting to see what his intentions were. She heard him get out of the car and grab some stuff from the backseat. Watch him leave me in here all night, she thought. But he came back and opened the door on her side. He slipped one arm behind her shoulders and the other under her knees. He carried her into the room and carefully layed her on a bed. She heard him leave again so she cracked her eyelids. The room looked like any other hotel room she'd been in. But at least there were two beds. She heard him fumbling with the lock and slammed her eyes shut again. Shannon came back with the rest of the bags. Ash was still where he'd left her. Making a quick decision he dropped the stuff and headed for her bed. He sat at the end and pulled her feet into his lap. He pushed her pant leg up to unzip the chunky calf length boots. After setting them on the floor, he scooted her to the middle of the bed and got up. He stripped down to his boxers and got into the other bed. He turned off the light and quickly fell asleep.

Ash woke first the next morning. She rolled over to look at the clock. After ten. They would have to be getting up soon. Check out was probably at twelve. "Good morning." She looked over at Shannon. He was disheveled, his face puffy from sleep, and completely adorable. Something in her stomach fluttered a little, but she ignored it. "Morning."
"Sleep well?" She stretched and groaned. "I'm stiff. Probably from sleeping in jeans."
"I didn't want you to accuse me of molesting you in your sleep, so I just took your shoes off."
"How very noble of you." He got up slowly and sat at the edge of the bed. He rubbed the sleep from his eyes and stood up after a minute. "When I molest you, I want you to remember every bit of it." He headed to the shower, laughing at her shocked expression. When she heard the water cut on, she started getting dressed. She brushed out her waist length hair and tried to braid it. Finally getting frustrated, she just let it hang free. Beside her the bathroom door opened and Shannon emerged wearing only a towel. Her mouth went dry as she stared at him. Drops of water clung to his eyelashes and lips. It ran in little rivulets down his smooth chest. His hair was messy from having the towel ran over it. He looked like sex. He chuckled a little at her and went to pick up a bag. She turned back to the sink and grabbed her toothbrush. When she looked in the mirror she could see a blush staining her cheeks. She looked past herself to Shannon and felt the blush deepen. He had dropped the towel and was pulling on a pair of boxers. Her eyes rounded to the size of saucers and she quickly looked away. She was shaking slightly when she finished. She went back to the bed and put her shoes on.

Shannon noticed her reaction to him and smiled a little. He wanted to keep her off balance. Wanted to stay in control. Leaving his jeans partially undone, he sat down and brushed his hair. He studied her as he did. He liked her hair down. It made her look softer, less angry. She wore a pair of ripped up jeans and a baggy "pain sin-dicate" shirt. She was still blushing and he guessed that she'd watched him getting dressed. His lack of shirt also seemed to be bothering her because she refused to look directly at him. "You didn't braid your hair." She jumped. "Uh, no. It's too long for me to braid myself. I have to pull it around to the side, and I don't like the way it looks when I have to do that. Heather usually does it for me." "I know how to braid."
"That's okay." She didn't think she liked the idea of Shannon touching her right now. Her body had turned traitor and was acting funny around him. Her mind was saying "Yuck. It's Shannon." And her body was saying "Hello Shannon!"
"I'm surprised you let it get so long. You've never been the girlie type."
"I'm not. But I just like long hair. I cut it all off one time and it looked horrible. I just don't have the facial structure for short hair. It brings too much attention to my eyes." "What's wrong with that?"
"How many people do you know with two different colored eyes, Shannon?" He looked at her. One blue eye, one green. He'd always liked them. "Just you." The way he said it made her shiver. "Exactly."
"There's nothing wrong with being unique." "I didn't say there was. I just don't want extra attention drawn to them. I'd rather stand out because I want to."

He didn't understand, so he dropped it. "We should get going." "Where are we anyway?"
"Louisiana."
"What's in Louisiana?"
"New Orleans." "Why are we going there?"
"Have you ever been?" "No."
"Exactly. We're going to spend a week in sin city. We should be there in about two hours." Ash suppressed and excited giggle. She refused to giggle in front of Shannon, so she just shrugged. "I guess it's better than being at home." Had he not been watching her closely he'd have missed the gleam in her multicolored eyes. He threw on a shirt and shoes and they were off. "Do you want breakfast?" She shook her head. "I usually just have coffee. I'm not a morning person."
"Mind if I run through a drive-thru?"
"I guess not." After stopping at McDonald's they headed toward New Orleans. Ash tried not to act excited, but she practically had her nose pressed to the window as they entered the city. They drove through the main part, and Shannon got back on the highway. "We're not staying?"Shannon smiled at the disappointment in her voice. "I have reservations somewhere outside the city." "Oh." "Don't worry. It's only about ten minutes from everything."
He pulled up to a small building and stopped the car. "Stay here. I'll be right back."
Ash looked around in awe. Everything was so green. At home most things were brown. The climate was hotter even though the temperature was lower than it would've been in Texas. It was almost sultry. Shannon came back and drove around behind the office. Several cabins were situated among the trees. He pulled up to one and they got out.

Ash gasped as they entered the building. It was like a little house. A small living room opened up into a kitchen. She followed the hall to a spacious bedroom with only one bed. "Shannon, why is there only one bed?" "That's all they have."
"And you're going to be sleeping where?" He gave an enigmatic shrug, and she let it go. If she had to she'd argue with him later tonight. Right now she was drunk with the new surroundings. "What're we going to do first?"
"I figured we could rest up today, and maybe hit the zoo tomorrow." "It's been years since I've been to a zoo."
"The Audubon is supposed to be really great. It takes all day just to go though it."
"So we're not doing anything tonight?" "What would you like to do?"
"I don't know. You've been here before. What's fun?" "We could go to Bourbon Street. Or they have a great mall. But if you want to go shopping, the French Quarter is defiantly worth experiencing." "Either would work."
"Do you have anything with you besides torn up clothes?" "I didn't pack with New Orleans in mind."
"So we shop." "You didn't bring my purse, Shannon. I don't have money."
"I know." "I'm not letting you buy me things."
"I'm paying for the room."
"But I didn't have any control over that." "And you don't have any control over this. Besides, I missed your 21st birthday. Consider it a late present." Ash stomped her foot in frustration. She hated that she was completely at Shannon's mercy. But in a way it was nice. She trusted him. And she knew she could beat him up if it came down to it. They headed back into the city and parked at the mall. "Let's get you some clubbing clothes. And some more comfortable shoes for when we go to the zoo."
As they were passing the food court, Ash spotted something that caught her attention. "What's a beignet?"
"We'll get some later, when we go to the French Quarter."
"Okay." She let Shannon help her pick out some clothes. They spent a few hours browsing then went back to the cabin. He let her have the bedroom while he changed in the living room. She pulled her new purchases out of the bags and put them on. She looked at herself in the full-length mirror with a look of disbelief. The tight black leather pants framed her small hips and ass. They fit all the way down to her knee, where they flared a bit. Her top was a spandex off the shoulder tank that stopped just above her pierced belly button. She wore her boots to make her legs look longer and give her some extra height. Shannon had insisted on buying her a choker. It was a piece of black leather with an ankh hanging from it. She put on what little make up she owned, applying the eyeliner heavily. It drew attention to her eyes, but she could deal with it for tonight. She brushed her hair until it gleamed and left it loose. After one last check, she left the bedroom. Shannon was waiting on the couch. He wore baggy silver pants with cargo pockets and a white button down dress shirt. He'd left the bottom half unbuttoned. He'd also left his hair down, letting the black frame his face. A silver barbell gleamed from his left eyebrow. He seemed just as caught up in her new appearance as she was in his. They both said, "Wow" at the same time. Ash gave a nervous laugh. "You clean up well, Shannon." "As do you. Turn around."

She did a spin for him, smiling to herself at his whistle. He opened the door for her and they headed for Bourbon Street. They called a cab to drop them off. He put an arm around her shoulders as they got out. "Stay close to me." "Why 'cause you look so tough and macho that no one would mess with us?" "Something like that."
Ash laughed. "Shannon, you're too pretty to be macho." "Okay, then stay close to me 'cause I want you to."
She started to pull away. "See. I knew you would do that. Look. Let's just have fun. You can go back to hating me when we get home. And I promise I won't tell anyone if you enjoy yourself or my company. It's easy to loose yourself and be someone else here. Just go with it." "We'll see." But she did step closer to him and allowed him to replace his arm around her. New Orleans at night in late October wasn't unbearably hot. They went into most of the hokey touristy shops before getting to a club. Ash started to just walk in, but Shannon tugged her back. "That's the Oz."
"So?" "That's a gay club." Ash's face reddened. "Oh."
"We can check it out if you want. But," he looked down at himself. "I'll be popular in there."
"Maybe later," Ash mumbled. "I know a few clubs that you'd probably like. Let's get a drink."
He led her toward one of the outside vendors selling hurricane's and alligator on a stick. He bought both. "I'm not eating that, Shannon." "Just try it." She took a small nibble and was surprised to find it was good. He ended up buying another one. "Only one drink?" "Trust me, you don't want to guzzle one down by yourself. It's got like seven different liquors in it. And you can't taste any of them." Ash took a cautious sip and let the fruity mixture roll around on her tongue. "It's really good." They continued up the street passing the huge cup between them. She was already starting to feel a good buzz when they came to another club. She didn't look at the name as Shannon pulled her inside. The dance floor was packed with people, but he found them enough space to move. He pulled her close and let the music carry him into a rhythm. She let him lead her, not sure what to do. He leaned down and spoke directly in her ear. "Move you hips more." He put his hands on her waist and guided her. He slipped his leg in between hers so that her movements looked extremely lewd. She normally would've pulled away, but remembering what he'd said earlier, decided to just go with it. She even decided to take it one step further. She slipped her hands in the open part of his shirt and ripped it open. His eyes gleamed at her as he gave her a feral grin. She moved up to his neck and looped her arms around him. She leaned back and pushed her chest out, while still grinding herself down onto his leg. She could feel his groin pressing into her stomach. Her little show was not leaving him unaffected. A shiver ran up her back. If she did anything too bad, she could always blame it on the alcohol. He braced her with one hand between her shoulders and leaned down to run his tongue along the column of her throat. She moaned but it was drowned out by the music. When the song ended, she blinked as if coming out of a trance. He kept her close as he led them to the bar. "What do you want to drink?"She stood on her tiptoes to reach his ear. "Rum and coke."

He ordered her drink and a beer and they headed for a set of stairs that opened into a balcony. It was quieter up there with few people. He led her to a corner overlooking a side street. "Having fun?" She sipped her drink. "Yeah."
"Good. I didn't know you could dance." "That wasn't really dancing, Shannon, it was more like…" "Like what?"
"Nothing."
"No. More like what, Ash?" "Foreplay." She didn't look at him as she answered. She used the little plastic straw to keep her drink from settling. "Which is all dancing really is."
"If you say so." He could tell she was uncomfortable with the line of conversation. Good. She was still unbalanced. He hadn't expected her to be so comfortable with him so quickly. He plucked her drink from her hand and set it and his bottle on the railing. "I do say so." He leaned back against the wall and pulled her between his spread legs. His thighs trapped her hips.
"Shannon…" "Yeah?"What're you doing?" "I'm going to kiss you." He leaned close but felt her put a hand against his chest.
"I hate beer." "Excuse me?"
"You smell like beer." "Oh." He let her go to grab her rum and coke. By the time he'd taken a swallow, she's slipped away from him. "Did you think it'd be that easy to steal a kiss from me? It's going to take a lot more work than that."
"Is that a challenge?" She shrugged and took her drink back. "Could be. But I wanna dance more." She drained the glass and walked back downstairs. Shannon noticed a little more wiggle to her hips than usual. He, too, drained his beer and followed her. Ash waited at the bottom and watched him. His ripped shirt flapped open as he walked, showing off his muscled chest. She gave another little shiver. He certainly had grown up well. Maybe he wasn't the stupid kid she remembered. When he reached her he didn't say a word; just looped an arm around her waist and pulled her into the crush of people. The song was a slow one, so he moved so close to her that every part of them was touching. He put one hand on the back of her neck and the other right above the top of her pants. He buried his face in the other side of her neck and lightly nipped the sensitive skin behind her ear. She could feel him smile at her shiver. He laved the spot with his tongue and tickled her back with his fingers. He nibbled down her neck to her shoulder to where her shirt was. He slipped his tongue under the cloth and heard her gasp. She yanked his head up by the hair and pulled his face down to hers. His body hardened at the arousal in her eyes. She paused with her lips only a breath from his. She teasingly darted her tongue out to lick her lips and smiled, then let her head fall back. With a growl he attacked her again with lips and tongue. She arched into him, grinding with the tempo. She let her hands roam over his exposed chest and stomach. It was his turn to shiver when she scratched down his chest to his abdomen. He was confused when she suddenly pushed him away.

With a saucy wink, she sauntered out of the club. He found her waiting just outside the door. "Tease."
"So glad you noticed." "Am I going to get anywhere tonight?" "Depends on what your goal is." He didn't answer right away. He liked this side of Ash. The devil may care side. Where she wasn't worried about being with him. Or letting herself have fun. She'd been too wrapped up in trying to find a career she liked lately. Hopefully she didn't close back up when they got home. But even if she did, he had this memory. "What if my goal is just a kiss?"
"Somehow I doubt that." He gave her a wicked grin. "Okay. How 'bout this. My ultimate goal for this week is to see you naked and panting beneath me. Or above me. I'm not picky. I want to hear you screaming when I make you cum."
Her face flushed with desire. "Oh. At least you're honest. And will this be before we go to the zoo? Or after?"
"It doesn't matter." "Well, then. I guess we have plenty of time to get to your agenda. Plus I get to sight see. Works out great for both of us." "Does that mean I'll get what I want?" She just smiled at him.
"That's not an answer." Same smile.
"You are a tease." "So far. But we'll see if that changes within the week."
Once they got back to the cabin, Ash flopped down on the couch with a giggle. "That was great." "I'm glad you enjoyed yourself. It's getting late. If we're going to the zoo tomorrow, we should get to bed." "It's already almost five. Maybe we should put the zoo off for a day when we'll get more sleep." "Okay. We can go to the Quarter tomorrow."

Ash drug herself up and headed down the hall. "So we never discussed the little matter of where you're sleeping tonight."
"It's a big bed, Ash." "But I have my virtue to think of." "Are you serious? You're going to make me sleep on the couch?" "It's comfortable." She opened the door and slipped in. "Goodnight, Shannon." He braced his hand on the closing door. "I could insist." "But will you?"
"Not about where I sleep. But I must insist on getting a goodnight kiss." "What if I don't kiss on the first date?"
"Well, I do. So I guess you're shit out of luck. Your virtue be damned." He leaned in and captured her lips. He was gentle at first, slipping his tongue into her mouth. But then he turned aggressive. He made her feel possessed and cherished all with out touching her anywhere but where they were connected. Too soon he walked back down the hall. She stood there; half tempted to call him back, but eventually closed the door. When she woke up the next afternoon she stretched languidly in the huge bed. It really was too big for just one person. She blushed as a mental image of her and Shannon filled her mind. She got up and took a shower. She dressed in a new pair of jeans that actually fit and a white tank top. She put on her new sneakers and left the room. Shannon was still sleeping. He'd taken everything but his boxers off last night. The pants and shirt were crumpled on the floor beside the couch. A sheet was tangled around his hips; showing more than it covered. She reached down and lightly tugged on a lock of his hair. "Wake up, sleepy head."
His eyes opened lazily and he smiled. "I don't want to." "Too bad. We're going to the French Quarter today, remember."
"I remember. But it's not going anywhere." He captured her hand and pulled her down so that she was sprawled across him. She tried to push herself off, but he held her. She could feel his body was very much awake. "Are you always this happy in the morning or is it me?" "Both." "You're shameless."
"Pretty much." "And depraved."
"Always."
"And hard to insult."
"You got one part right."

She hated that he could make her blush so easily. "Stop that." He laughed and released her. She scrambled up and retreated to a chair by the window. "You done in the bathroom?"
"Yeah." He grabbed some clean clothes and went to take a shower.
By the time they got back to the cabin, Ash was breathless with the new sites. And Shannon. He'd kept her close all day; finding reasons to touch her. She'd had a blush almost all day from the not so cleverly disguised innuendoes he'd been flinging around. To top it all off they'd been caught in a rain shower that had soaked Ash's white shirt in no time. She'd finally convinced him to buy her a dry shirt. But not a white one. On the way back to the hotel he bought a bottle of Bacardi and said they were going to play a game tonight. Ash grabbed some dry clothes out of her suitcase and changed quickly. She emerged from the bedroom wearing loose pajama pants and a large t-shirt. Shannon too was wearing loose cotton pants, but with no shirt. His blue boxers peeked from the waistband. "So what's this game you want to play?"
"It's called 'have you ever?'"
"How do you play?"
"Pour two shots. One of us asks a question starting with 'have you ever'. If the answer is yes then you drink."
"Okay." She sat next to him on the couch. "I'm game."
"Good. I'll start." After pouring the shots, he sat back. "Have you ever…been attracted to Jeff?"
"No."
"Really?"
"Yeah. Is that so hard to believe?"
"I guess not. It's just that most of the girls I know have."
"Well, I haven't. My turn. Have you ever…brought another girl up here?"
"No. This is only my third trip to New Orleans." He liked her question. She wanted to be the only one he did this with. "Let's make this a bit more interesting. Have you ever…had sex?"
Her eyes went very wide. She nervously licked her lips.
"You haven't. Have you? I thought that was going to be a sure fire one to make you drink."
"Well it wasn't." She snapped. "Don't get mad. There's nothing wrong with being a virgin. I just didn't think you were."
"Yeah, well, when would I have had the time to have sex? While I was living with my crazy momma? Or my overprotective father?"
"You're not with either one of them now."
"No. But we're playing a game. Have you ever…had a one night stand?"
He looked at his shot guiltily and downed it.
"SHANNON!"
"It happens sometimes. I'm careful when it does."
"When's the last time."
"A few months ago. Have you ever…wanted to sleep with me?"
"In what way?"
"You know what way. Have sex."

Ash took a deep breath, contemplating lying. But she tipped her head back and drank the fiery liquid. Shannon refilled the glass. "Now this is getting fun."
"I don't wanna play anymore."
"Too bad. It's your turn."
"Have you ever…" Deciding to turn the tables on him, she stood up and pulled her shirt over her head. His gaze went immediately to her bra encased chest. "Wanted to see me naked?" Of course, he drank. "Have you ever…wanted me to see you naked?" Not only did she drink, but she grabbed the bottle and settled herself into his lap. "Have you ever…wanted to fuck me?" When he grabbed for the bottle, she moved it out of his reach. She poured some into the valley between her breasts. "How 'bout a body shot?" He dipped his head to her chest and licked at the liquid. She pulled him closer to her. "All of it." He leaned her back and braced her with his arms. He lapped up as much of it as he could. She groaned when he abandoned her cleavage and went for a cloth covered nipple. She still had the bottle in one hand, so she used the other to tangle his hair in her fingers and keep him where he was. He undid the clasp of her bra and using his teeth, pulled the material away. She arched into him when his hot mouth touched bare flesh. Her ears were ringing with the pleasure of it. He pulled away and she realized she really was hearing a ringing…phone. He cursed savagely and grabbed at the cell phone on the coffee table. "WHAT?" After a moment he thrust the phone at her. "Um, hello?"
"Ash, you sound funny."
"Oh hey Heather. I'm fine. Just tired."
"Long day?"
"Yeah. We've been walking pretty much everywhere since we got here."
"You don't sound like you're having a bad time."
"New Orleans is great. We need to come down here with Dad sometime." Ash tried to keep her voice steady as Shannon traced his thumb back and forth over her nipple. He had leaned back into the couch and pulled her up with him. Her ass was right over his groin so she wiggled her hips in retaliation. He groaned quietly. "What was that?" Heather asked.
"What was what?"
"Sounded like Shannon. Ash, are you hurting him?"
"I'm not sure. Maybe."
"Ohhhh. I get it. I really should let you go now. That's why Shannon was so disgruntled when he answered."
"It's not what you think."
"Sure, Ash."
"It's really not. I have no intention of sleeping with him."

Shannon grabbed the phone. "But I have every intention of trying to change her mind. So I'll be keeping the phone on silent. We'll call if anything bad happens. Otherwise don't bother trying to get a hold of us." He hung up on Heather. "Great, Shannon. Just great. Now everyone will think we're sleeping together."
"Isn't that where this was heading?"
"Not necessarily."
"Keep telling yourself that. But I can feel how hot you are all the way through both of these pants." Ash slapped his chest and got up. "You're so vulgar." She grabbed her shirt and slipped it over her head.
"If you want to see vulgar I'll show you some of the thing's I'd do to you."
"No thank you. I'm going to bed."
"Me too. And I'm not sleeping on the couch again."
"You said you wouldn't insist."
"Last night. But tonight I am." She glared at him and stalked to the bedroom. "Fine. Have it your way." Once in there she got in at the edge of the bed with her back to the other side. Shannon took his pants off and got in. He scooted all the way over next to her, but not touching. "Is asking for a goodnight kiss too much?"
"Definitely."
"So I guess I'll just have to take one." She didn't have time to react before he flipped her over on top of him. "You seem to like being lower than me." He rolled over so that she was trapped underneath him. "You were saying?" Her legs had parted during the shifting so that his hips were nestled against hers. "I'm not kissing you."
"Kissing isn't a prerequisite for what I had in mind."
"Into unwilling females, are we Shannon?"
"Unwilling huh? What about all that moaning and heavy breathing when I sucked your nipples. And let's not forget you grinding your ass into my lap." She blushed again despite the thrill that went through her. "Why do you have to say that shit."
"Does it embarrass you?"
"Yes."
"Why?"
"I don't know. It just does."
"I guess we shall have to remedy that with practice."
"Excuse me?"

In answer he pressed his hips forward and moved to the side a little. She gasped and jerked up involuntarily. "Do you like that?" She stared up at him with stubbornness and refused to answer.
"I love a challenge." He leaned up enough to once again pull her shirt off. She didn't protest; just kept staring back at him mutely. He'd been around her long enough to know that she'd accepted his challenge. He started with the underside of her breast and trailed the tip of his tongue up to her nipple without touching it. He circled it several times before flattening his tongue and licking straight across it. She gasped, but didn't say a word. He gently bit her, before closing his mouth around it. She started to tunnel her fingers in his hair, but he captured her hands and pulled them over her head. She arched up into him, silently asking for more. "You want me to continue?"
She nodded.
"Then beg me."
She once again gave him that stubborn look. "Just the answer I was hoping for." He moved off of her, but returned a second later with something in his hands. He'd looped the belt around her wrists before she could move. She started to struggle, but he attached the other end to the headboard. She wiggled her hands and found the bindings to be loose. Loose enough that she could pull free if she chose to. She didn't. He settled down beside her with his obvious erection pressed against her thigh. He flicked her nipples a few times and trailed his fingers down her stomach. He toyed with the waistband of her pants; dipping his fingers just underneath it. She tried to keep still, but a light tremor shook her body here and there. He inched into her pants a little at a time, watching her face as he went. "No panties? Someone was hoping for just this type of thing, huh?" He ran his fingers down her thigh, bypassing the place he wanted to touch most. He could feel her muscles clenching as he made his way back up slowly. Using one finger he traced the outer edge of her, gratified to hear her gasp. "Tell me what you want me to do."She refused to answer.

"Stubborn woman." He parted the folds and just barely inserted his finger into her. She arched and let out a soft whine. He pulled her pants the rest of the way off and moved between her legs. She tried to keep her thighs closed, but he pushed them apart easily. He layed down with his head propped on her thigh and continued where he'd left off. He could smell her arousal and it fed his own. He slipped one finger into her fully; feeling how tight she was. He almost groaned himself at the thought of burying himself into her. But not tonight. He used his other hand to lightly manipulate her clit while he worked the other one in and out of her; never giving her the pressure or pace she needed to cum. She was writhing on the bed within minutes. "Tell me what you want, Ash and I can make it happen." She opened her mouth, but nothing came out. He could feel her getting closer so he placed a light kiss on her clit. She screamed in frustration and pulled at the belt. "Shannon, I swear, if you don't…" She bit her lip and moaned when he slid another finger into her. "Don't what?"
"You know what!"
"Tell me." He gave her another small, intimate kiss.She bucked her hips up toward him. "Do you want to cum?" "YES!"
"Then tell me."
"I…I just…did."
"I want to hear you say it."
"Sh…Shannon." She moaned again. "Shannon…please. " "Please what?" She finally pulled her hands free of the belt and grabbed his head by the hair. "Make me cum."

He began thrusting his fingers faster immediately. She fell back to the bed with a hoarse cry. He found her clit with his lips and sucked it into his mouth. He felt her tighten on his fingers and she gave a loud groan as she came. He continued to nibble at her flesh until the spasms finished. He sat back on his heels and waited until she opened her eyes. Once she was watching him, he brought his fingers to his mouth and sucked her juices off of them. She sat up and started tugging on his boxers. He captured her hands. "We can't have sex tonight, Ash." She looked at him through blurry eyes. "What?"
"I don't have any condoms. I wasn't expecting things to move this quickly."
"You mean…you didn't have any intentions of…"
"My only goal was making you cum. I think I accomplished that."
"But I…I'm still…"
"Horny? Me too. But we can't have everything we want, dear." Ash yelled wordlessly and flopped back against the bed. "I hate you." He layed down next to her and pulled her to his chest. "No, you don't."
"Uh-huh. Just because I like what you do to me, doesn't mean I like you."
"If I pick up some condoms tomorrow will you like me better?" "Maybe."

He woke her up early the next morning. When she got a look at what time it was she groaned and rolled back over. "Too fucking early."
"The zoo opens at eight, Ash. We need to go early if we're going to see everything." When she still didn't move he slapped her on the ass. Ash yelped and bolted upright. She glared into his smiling face and slid out of bed. He'd laid a pair of shorts and a blue tank top out for her. She started to protest his assumption that she'd wear what he wanted her to, but realized that's what she'd have picked out. After she dressed and brushed her teeth and hair, Shannon held up a bottle of sunscreen. "We'll be outside all day. Let me put some on her shoulders." She turned around and felt him move her ponytail over her shoulder. He squirted the fragrant lotion into his hands and warmed it up before applying it to her skin. She sighed as he worked it in, letting the light coconut smell envelope her. He was done too soon. He held the bottle out to her with a smirk. "Do me now?"
"You can make anything sound dirty."
"Are we back to being prudish? Do I have to teach you another lesson?" Ash thought back to how hard it was to fall asleep last night. "No." She grabbed the bottle from him and slathered the cream onto the exposed parts of his shoulders.
They drove down to the River Walk and bought two tickets to the zoo. When Shannon led her toward the waiting ferry, Ash faltered. "We're getting on a boat?"
"Yeah."
"Why?"
"It'll take us to the zoo. And bring us back."
"There isn't another way?"
"We could've drove, but I thought you'd like to go this way." Ash steeled herself and slowly made her way to the ramp. They took a picture by a life preserver with S.S. Audubon written on it. Shannon held her clammy hand as they boarded. "Are you okay?"
"Uh-huh."
"Are you scared of boats?"
"Not boats."
"Water?" "Uh-huh."
"Baby, I'm sorry. I didn't know. Shit, I'm such a bastard."
"Not many people know, Shannon. It's okay."
"Your dad didn't tell me when I told him what I was planning."
"He doesn't know. Neither does Heather."
"Who does?"
"My mother and the emergency room doctors that had to pump water from my lungs."

They sat down at a table on the middle deck. Shannon put her back to the window so she wouldn't have to look out at the water. "What happened?"
"I don't want to talk about it."
"Okay." He pointed to the bar.
"Want a drink?"
"Just coke, please."
"Sure." When he got back she guzzled the drink, hoping it would settle her stomach. The ride over lasted about thirty minutes. Shannon made goofy faces at her and kept her talking the whole time. The dread in the pit of her stomach finally lessened when her feet were on dry land. She took a few deep breaths and tried to stop shaking. Shannon looped an arm around her waist. "Let's go look at some nanimals."
"Nanimals? What are we, like five?"
"Sure. At least until we can get back to the cabin." Ash fought the blush, and this time succeeded. They did indeed act like kids through most of the park. Neither had been there before and they rediscovered the joys of zoo going together. Ash dragged Shannon by the hand to several different exhibits. They paused by the leopard area. She leaned back against Shannon and sighed. "Have you ever wondered what it'd be like to be one of them?"
"Not really."
"I have."
"Are you not happy as a human?"
"It's not that. I've just always wondered what it would be like to be a predator. A real one. And to be completely free. Not bound by any obligations or needs. Just an open…uh…where ever leopards are from."

Shannon smiled down at her. "I think I know what you mean." He kissed her forehead. "But I'm fine with all of my obligations. And I'm fine right where I am." She gave him a puzzled look and they moved on. It was damn near closing time when they made their way back to the ferry. "How 'bout a rum and coke on the way back?"
"Sure." She found a seat while he got them some drinks. "So what's on the agenda for tonight?"
"A quick stop at a drug store is my first priority. Past that I don't care."
"What makes you think I still want to sleep with you?"
He shrugged. "We could always play 'have you ever' again."
"That's okay."
"You didn't like the way the last game ended?"
"With my sister calling? Not really."
"The phone is on silent."
"Which reminds me. I really do need to call her back."
"You can call her when we get back to the cabin." After a stop at Wallgreens they headed back to their temporary home. Ash grabbed the cell phone and went outside, wanting privacy for just a moment. Heather picked up on the first ring. "Hello?"
"Sorry about Shannon being so rude last night."
"It's fine. Did you have fun?"
"Up until a certain point."
"Hurt?"
"We didn't get that far." Heather waited for her sister to continue.
"How bad is it really?"
"A pretty good bit. But it's worth it. And Shannon's a sweetie. I'm sure he'll be careful."
"I know."
"Don't be nervous. That'll make it worse."
"Okay. Relax. Got it."
"Ash, I can't believe I'm giving you a pre-sex pep talk."
"Yeah. It is kinda fucked up."
"So I'm gonna let yo go now. Have fun."
"I'll try."

Ash walked inside to find an empty living room. She heard noise coming from the bedroom and went down the hall. She found Shannon sprawled out on the bed in just his jeans watching TV. He looked up at her. "Hey babe."
"Uh, hi." She perched on the very edge of the bed. He patted the spot next to him.
She shook her head.
"Come on. I won't bite. Unless you ask me to." She stiffly scooted up to where he'd indicated. He pulled her against his side and turned his attention back to the TV. She relaxed by slow degrees. He ran his hand lazily up and down her arm. Eventually she moved into a more comfortable position with her head on his shoulder. "Why don't you take your shoes off? You'll be more comfortable."
She sat up and removed her sneakers then lay back down. He curled her against him again. He traced circles on her side where her shirt had come up a little bit. She stiffened again when he started further up her ribcage.
"Freezing up on me all of a sudden?" "No."
"What's with the jumpy?"
"I don't know." He pulled her on top of him and sat her up. "Nervous?"
"Maybe."
"I won't make you do anything you don't want to. We can just watch movies tonight."
She idly ran her fingers over his chest. "I don't care."
"Yes you do."
"Shannon, I don't know what I want. I'm completely out of my element here. But wasn't that your intention?"
"Originally, yes. But I don't want you to feel like you have to do anything for me. I didn't know you were a virgin when I planned this little adventure. The rules have kind of changed since then."
"How?"
"Now I'm going to let you control the pace. Before I was going to take charge and force you to keep up."
"That's reassuring."
"You do what you want to do. I'll go along with it."

She couldn't resist the sweet smile he was giving her. She felt her heart start to melt, but shook it off. She would not let her heart come into this. She leaned down to kiss him. As he'd said, he let her have complete control. She explored his mouth with her tongue, finding out what made him sigh and what made him groan. He was as responsive tonight as she'd been last night. His hands stayed on her hips the entire time she played. Eventually she drug herself away from his mouth and peppered light kisses over his cheeks and eyes. She kissed his eyebrow ring and then moved to his ear. He groaned again when she traced the outer shell with her tongue. She pulled at the barbell through his lobe with her teeth, and then kissed it. She worked her way down his throat to the little hollow at the base where she licked inside. His grip on her tightened. She scooted down so she could reach his chest. She wasn't sure if male nipples were as sensitive as hers were, but it was worth a shot. Apparently they were, because he let out a gasp when she bit one. "Did I hurt you?"
"Yeah, but in a good way." His voice was raspy; his eyes heavy lidded.
He looked sexy as hell like this. Ash bent her head again, determined to taste as much of him as she could. She continued her downward path to the barrier of his pants. She sat up and started to unbuckle them. He put his hands over hers. "If we're not going to have sex, I'd rather keep them on. Better self control and all that."
"You've shown perfect control."
"But with you I could loose it at any time." She looked him in the eye and finished undoing his pants. She pulled them down his legs and off. "I trust you."
Shannon smiled at her words. "She'll never know how much that means to me." He thought to himself. "That's great." He said out loud. "But I don't trust myself."
"If I ask you to stop, will you?"
"Of course." He couldn't say how happy he'd be, but he'd stop.
"That's all I need to know." She pulled off her clothes before removing his boxers. She stood before him, completely naked, and blushed. "You're beautiful."
"That's the first time anyone's ever accused me of that. I never pictured it'd be you that said it, Shannon."
"Come here."

She crawled back up his body and lay down beside him again. "I think I'm going to let you take thing's from here. I'm not quite sure how to go about things."
"It's not terribly difficult. You just do what feels good."
"But I don't know what you like…or what I like for that matter."
"So we play. For instance, I already know you like it when I do this." He leaned down and captured her nipple in his lips. "And this." He slid his hand down past her curls and touched her clit gently. "But past that I'm stumped."
She reached out for him and closed her hand around his hard on. She smiled at his almost pained expression. "So I guess you like that?"
"Most definitely."
She slowly moved her hand up and down on him. After a few strokes he reluctantly pulled her hand away. "Too much of that and it'll be over."
She pouted but took her hand away.
"You can play more next time." He pushed a finger inside to make it up to her. She gasped and arched against him. "Just let me know when you're ready."
"Uh-huh. Don't stop." When he felt her loosening more, he gave her another finger. She thrashed underneath him and clenched her teeth. This time he didn't tease her when he felt her nearing the edge. He increased his rhythm until she came apart. "You more relaxed now?"
"Mmmm-hmmm."

He'd stopped moving, but didn't remove his fingers. Are you waiting for permission?"
"Yes."
"You have it." He rolled to the side and grabbed a condom. He tore into the foil and carefully covered himself with the latex. When he positioned himself between her legs he could feel her shaking. He leaned down and gave her a gentle kiss. "I'll be careful. I promise."
"I know," she said through tight lips.
He pressed forward a little bit, and she screamed. He stopped immediately. "Ash, I haven't even started yet."
"Oh, sorry."
"Baby, please try to calm down."
"I don't take pain well if I don't know what to expect."
"When you got your belly button pierced, did you know what to expect?"
"No. And I screamed bloody murder."
"But was it that bad?" "No."
"So trust me."
She breathed deeply through her nose. "Okay. Let's get it over with."

He guided himself to her tight entrance and slipped in just enough to start stretching her. She stiffened, but didn't scream. She had her eyes squeezed shut. He knew he was going to have to hurt her. There was no getting around it. "I'm just gonna do it."
She nodded, still not looking at him. He buried his face in her neck and pushed all the way in. This time she screamed for real. He held her against his chest, rocking and trying to sooth her. She looked up at him and tried to blink back the tears. "You stopped."
"I can't hurt you. I just can't do it."
"Well the damage is done now. Might as well continue."
He braced himself on his elbows. "Are you sure?"
"I think so."
He made the smallest move and watched her flinch. "How bad is it?"
"Not so much anymore."
"Okay." He retreated a little more and pushed back in. She didn't flinch this time. "Getting better?"
"Uh-huh."
"I'll try to make it good for you. But I don't know if you'll…you know. At least this first time."
"Shannon, are you playing bashful?"
"I just don't want to be rough with you right now." He started to move faster, still watching her face for any sign of pain. He could tell when it started to feel good. A flush crept up her neck and into her face. Her breathing sped up and she started to clutch at his shoulders.
"I think you can go a little faster now."
He groaned and stopped all together. "When you say that it makes me want to loose control."
"So do it."

He breathed heavily into her hair. "Oh God. Don't let me hurt you." He thrust again, this time harder than before. He heard her moan, but not in pain. He tried to make it last, tried to let her cum first, but his body took over. His thrust got shorter, faster, until he was practically slamming into her. His arms locked at the elbows and he vaguely felt her writhing under him. When her muscles clamped down he lost it. He gave another two short savage pumps and came with a growl. He collapsed on top of her and his breath left him in a rush.
"Am I still alive?"
He rolled to the side, bringing her with him. He saw her small flinch and carefully withdrew. "Sorry. I didn't mean to be so rough."
"Don't you dare apologize. It got a lot better near the end."
"So I felt."
Ash blushed much to his amusement. He gave her a lingering kiss. "You're precious when you blush. Let me get cleaned up and I'll be right back." When he was done in the bathroom, he slipped back in bed. She curled into his warmth and was already almost asleep. "Ash?"
"Yeah?"
"Does this change things between us?"
She looked up at him sleepily. "Like what?"
"Are you going to go back to hating me when we get home?"
"Some how I doubt that very much, Shannon."

The next couple of days flew by in a blur. Before they knew it, it was time to start home. Ash was reluctant to leave their little cabin and go back to the real world. She slept most of the way, but about an hour from home she woke up. "Can't we just turn around and live in New Orleans?"
Shannon laughed. "If we lived there the novelty would wear off pretty fast."
"You're probably right."
"Are you okay?"
"I guess."
"Wanna talk about it?"
"There's nothing to talk about."
"Yeah there is. Like how things are going to be now."
"Nothing's really changed Shannon. I said I don't hate you. I never really did but I think you know that."
"Things are going to change, Ash."
"They don't have to."
"Yes they do. Did you think that I planned all this just to get you into bed?"
"Don't."
"I have to. You know I've had strong feelings for you since we were kids."
"A crush, Shannon. You had a crush."
"For this many years? It started out as a crush. Spending all this time with you just made me realize that it's more than that now." She wished he'd stop talking. Wished he'd change the subject. "My goals haven't changed."
"What are your goals exactly?" "Number one is to find out who I am."
"I can tell you that."
"That's the problem. My whole life I've had people telling me who I am. I want to find out for myself. I'm The Undertaker's daughter. I'm Heather's sister. I was even The She Bitch's punching bag. But I wasn't me. I can't add Shannon's lover to that too."
"You know you'd be more than just my lover."
"So what're we going to do? I'd move in with you. We'd spend all of our time together and probably get sick of each other. Possibly get married or some shit. And I still wouldn't know who I am."
"So you can't be yourself and be with me?"

She took a long time to answer. "Not right now, I can't."
"When?"
"I don't know, Shannon. I don't have all the fucking answers. Why can't you just let whatever happens happen?"
"Because the only way I got anywhere with you was to MAKE it happen."
"Well, some thing's you can't force."
"And some things are just too damn important to let slip through your fingers. Ash, I love…"
"Shannon, please don't say it." He shook his head vehemently. "I love you. I don't care if you can't say it back. I love you whether or not you love me. If you don't want to be together I can handle that."
"I'm not saying never. Just not now."
"Fine. You go find yourself. And if the road leads back to me, I'll be waiting."

Yes i know that was a very long chapter, Probably the longest one to the whole story, Please review,sorry about the sex scene but it is very important to the story!