As always you guys rock! I love you all... so too hold you over for the weekend here's the next chapter... :)


Chapter 11
S
igns

The sound of her machine wasn't enough to ease her mind. Shannon's words were scarred in to her brain. She couldn't escape the feeling in the pit of her stomach, or the sensation she felt when his lips touched hers.

They hadn't spoken since. She left his office after an uncomfortable silence fell between them. She had work to do, and so did he. She had hoped it'd be enough to calm her thought process.

She was wrong.

That's all she could think about. Shannon had told her on many occasions that he loved her. He'd never been afraid of his feelings. But she had never heard them out of Jeff's mouth. The once in the woods, but he had been drinking, he had been emotional, and though she wanted to believe it was true, she couldn't hang on to those words.

And she couldn't believe that it had been in that context.

Was it a sign? She wondered.

Taking the moistened paper towel she wiped the area of the access ink, the tanned skin with purple outline stared back at her, waiting to be tattooed. Craving the needle to puncture the skin.

How was she going to get through this next week? How was she going to concentrate on her job? She had to deal with Shannon everyday as well as Jeff.

What would Jeff do if he knew what Shannon had done? Would he flip?

She took a second to regain her thoughts. She was able to finish the tattoo with minimal thoughts of Shannon or Jeff. Though it was a hard battle, which was nearly lost.

Nicole walked in to the waiting area and saw several familiar faces, one that seemed to make her smile without much thought.

"Phil? What are you doing here?" She asked snapping off her latex gloves.

"Thought I'd stop by and see how you were doing…"

"That's so sweet of you," She smiled at him. "But all the way from Chicago?" She asked, though she was flattered Illinois wasn't exactly North Carolina's neighbor.

"Had some time off, and I've got some remodeling going on so I'm staying with Matt for a couple of days…" He grinned.

"That's cool,"

"Yeah, I thought Jeff might be staying with him, but he's not…" He started, giving her a knowing look.

"Oh," Her smile faded slightly. "He's been staying with me…"

"Matt told me." He nodded his head understandingly. "Withdrawals…"

"Yeah," She looked away not really wanting to talk about the situation of Jeff, she had just gotten both of the naturally blonde wonders out of her thoughts for a moment, and now he was putting them back in.

"That's amazing," Phil stated, he took her chin in his hand. "You're amazing," Nicole turned ten shades of red, completely embarrassed as Phil smirked at her. "Really you are, I hope Jeff can see that…"

"Me too," She stated hopelessly.

"You free for lunch?" He asked.

"I think so, but let me check my schedule…" She gave him a small grin.

"Definitely, I'm gonna go say Hi to Shan," Phil stated before giving her a small smile back and heading in the direction she did not want to go in for awhile.

Nicole smiled heading to the front desk, where Tanya was trying to fit in on of the walk-ins. Noticing that she didn't have any customers for the next hour, she grinned inwardly and cleaned up her room.

Shannon couldn't think. She plagued his brain, everything about her. From the way her hair fell down her back, to the tattoos that scared her skin to the smell of her perfume. Everything about her was intoxicating, and he couldn't think straight.

He was completely consumed by his thoughts that he didn't hear the door open; Phil caught his attention by clearing his throat. Shannon's green eyes snapped up and connected with an all too familiar face.

What the hell is he doing here? Was the first thought that jumped in to his mind.

He had heard through the Gas Chamber grapevine that Phil Brooks brought his Nicole out to lunch. He forced a smile on to his lips and stood up welcoming his friend in to his office.

"Sup Shan?" Phil asked.

"I should be asking you that, Phil"

"I'm stayin' with Matt for a few days…" Phil shrugged his shoulders.

"Yeah?"

"Yeah, so I decided I'd drop in, check up on Nicole… I'm gonna take her to lunch…"

"Oh you are?" Shannon raised an eyebrow. "Again, huh?"

"Yeah, figured I could do something nice for her… y'know?" Phil stated not catching on to Shannon's hostility. "She's probably under a lot of stress with Jeff and everything…" He pursed his lips together. "Matt's told me a little bit of what she's had to go through, and I just feel terrible that someone like her would have to go through that…"

Shannon suddenly felt ill. He had taken advantage of her when she was at her weakest, at her most vulnerable breaking point. What kind of best friend was he? How come he hadn't thought about that?

"That's cool," Shannon tightened the grip on his pen. "Well, have a good time man… I've got a lot of work to catch up on," He pointed to his desk that was covered with papers.

"Sure man, I understand, just wanted to stop in and say hello…" He gave his friend a grin.

"Of course," He nodded his head.

Phil gave him a slight wave before disappearing in to the shop. He saw Nicole coming back out of her area and smiled seeing her with purse in hand. They didn't say anything to each other, only leaving the shop and in her car.

Shannon couldn't get Phil's words out of her head. It's all he couldn't think about. He had been so stuck on himself that he hadn't stopped to think of her. He hadn't thought about her feelings, or where she was emotionally.

She had been dealing with Jeff and his withdrawals for two weeks now, coming up on the third week slowly but surely, and him coming on to her wasn't helping. He was sure of that. He had to stop thinking with his dick and start thinking with his head.

He loved her; there was no doubt about it, but instead of telling her. He had to show her. He had to be there for her when she needed it, and not by throwing around those three little words or attacking her with his mouth. He had to be nurturing. He had to help her, take care of her.

How could he do this? How could he show her what he really felt?

"So, how are things?" Phil asked taking a bit of the burrito that sat in front of him.

"Much better than the last time you were here," She grinned. "Thank you for asking,"

"I can't say that I know what you're going through, but I can only imagine…"

"You have no idea," She shook her head. "I think this time was worse than the last… and I hope to God it's the last time…"

"Hey, I saw Trainspotting… once…" He grinned at her, trying to make her smile.

He succeeded.

"It makes a big difference when it's real life…" She couldn't help but laugh.

Phil was magical. He could make her laugh effortlessly… he could turn her Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day around. She could definitely see how this Chicago native fit in so perfectly with the North Carolinians, they were all goof balls in their own right and so was he.

"Thank you," She smiled at him as they finished eating.

"For what?" He asked carefully as he tossed their tray in the garbage.

"For lunch, for everything…"

"Just a little friendly conversation, no big deal…" He concurred.

"But it is," She stated fiddling with her keys. "You're right… it's been really hard…"

"I figured as much," He stated pushing his dark brown hair out of his face. "You need a break."

"Yeah, I did… and I thank you for that too…" She smiled. "It can get pretty heavy in that shop, working with Shannon and all…"

"Shannon?" Phil asked confused. "I thought you're troubles were with Jeff?"

"Both," She admitted.

"What's going on with Shannon?" Phil asked. "I know he was kind in a bad mood today, but he seemed pretty busy with paperwork and all…"

"He and Jeff hit a big sour patch… a big one…"

"Oh yeah? Like what?"

"A big sour patch, named Nicole…" She pursed her lips together sitting on the hood of her Prius.

"Oh, that kind of sour patch?" Phil pulled his lips together tightly in thought, "I can see where that would cause a problem… or two…"

"Try a big one, in the shape of a match on Wednesday night…"

"A match?" Phil asked.

Nicole nodded and rubbed her forehead, "When we were kids, if anyone of us had a 'beef' with another we'd take it up in the ring. As we got older the tradition just kind of stuck. But, it's been a long time since anyone of us has had a beef with another… so I thought we got over it… were past it… but I guess not."

"That's cute," Phil laughed crossing his arms over his chest. "You used to wrestle?" He asked.

"A little bit," She shrugged.

"What happened with that?" He questioned.

"Well, I kind of lost my interest in it after my parents died… I just never had the heart to do it again…"

"I'm sorry to hear that," He pulled her to him, in a sideways hug. "You haven't gotten in to a ring since then?" He asked her.

"Nope," She shook her head.

"Would it be something you'd be interested in?" He asked.

"I never really thought about it," She shrugged.

"Well, I'd be more than happy to spar with you… or teach you a few things…" He stated with a lopsided grin.

"I'll keep that in mind," She grinned.

Phil glanced down at his cell phone and smirked, "I guess I should get you back, huh?"

Nicole glanced up at the bright sky and nodded her head, "Yeah, I guess so…" She grinned.

Nicole tossed Phil the keys to her car and he gladly drove her back to the shop, She didn't notice any foreign cars in the parking lot and wondered how Phil got there. She voiced her question and he told her what she thought, Matt dropped him off on the way to the gym.

"Take my car, I'll grab a ride home with Shan," She stated tossing him the keys.

"You sure about that, I can wait until Matt gets back…"

"It's cool, I can suffer for a short period of time with him," She grinned. "Thanks again… for everything…"

Phil gave her a genuine smile, "You're more than welcome… you know if you need anyone to talk to… who's not like… related to the situation, just give me a call…" He stated.

"I will, thanks…" She smiled heading back in to the shop as Phil got in to her car and took off.

Shannon watched as she entered the shop, he put on a matching smile and welcomed her back. Nicole looked at him oddly for a second and he didn't let his reaction alter.

"Did you have a good lunch with Phil?" He questioned.

"Yeah," She answered slowly. "It was nice…"

Shannon just nodded, "You're 1 o'clock is here…" He pointed to a middle-aged biker looking guy and she smiled at him.

"Thanks Shan," She was about to walk away when she remembered she had to ask him for a ride home. "You think you can give me a lift home tonight?" She asked.

Shannon's smile grew as he simply nodded his head.

Nicole didn't need anything more than that. Her lips pulled over her teeth in a stiff, straight smile as she ushered her client in to her room, preparing for the next two hours, or rigorous vibration.


Had to get some more Phil action in there... he's just getting sexier and sexier to me. First Jeff, then Shannon, now Phil... aye-yi-yi... what's a girl to do?

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