They discussed Sabrina's visit that night after dinner, both of them agreeing that it had been a bit of a head shaking success.
They were in the bathtub. It was something they'd done with more frequency since they'd discovered the decadent intimacy of bathing together in the Jacuzzi of the ensuite in the rented chalet in Aspen.
They were reclined against opposite ends of the large oval tub, Boone was massaging her feet, the scent of the bath oil permeating both the hot moist air of the bathroom, and her skin, as his fingers worked their magic. Shannon's eyes were closed and she sighed in contentment, a hint of a smile tugging every now and then at her lips.
"I spoil you rotten, don't I?" Boone broke the silence.
"Hmmmmhmmmm." She nodded slightly and agreed. "But you love doing it. You're all about giving, Boone."
'And you're all about taking. It's a perfect match.' He silently agreed.
She opened her eyes and sat up a bit, pulling her foot out of his hand and reaching for the razor on the ceramic tile ledge that separated the claw footed tub from the wall. She flicked the flipper hand for the hot water with the back of her wrist, appreciating again that he'd had the foresight to have the tap mounted in the middle of the side instead of the more traditional end.
Shannon lifted her leg out of the water and put her foot on his shoulder, sliding down the bottom a bit so she should reach. She leaned forward and handed him the small plastic item.
He took it with a smile, arching an eyebrow and chuckling. "I live only to do your bidding, my Queen."
"Good thing too, or I'd have to have you beheaded and that would be quite a waste. Good used white boys are hard to come by," she jested, and reached to shut the faucet off.
"Glad I rank so high in your estimation." He drew the blade carefully down her calf, making sure that the strip with the lubricant was making full contact with her skin.
"I was thinking about where we could go for summer vacation," Shannon commented.
"Summer vacation? We just got back from our last holiday, and already you're planning on going away again?" Boone laughed.
"Well, we didn't go away last summer," she complained.
"No we didn't," Boone agreed, "because, as I recall, you'd just come back from a six year holiday," he pointed out, an edge of sarcasm in his voice.
"Shut up asshat." Shannon splashed a bit of water at him.
He instinctively flinched, almost nicking her. She frowned at him in warning. "Sorry Your Majesty," he acceded, mockingly. "So where were you thinking?"
She named a bunch of possible adventure type activities, including bungee jumping, but he dismissed them all, Andrew being far too young for most.
Shannon, becoming increasingly frustrated as each suggestion met with negativity, finally threw out white water rafting.
Boone smiled. "That's a great idea," he responded enthusiastically.
"Finally!" she rolled her eyes.
"So where were you planning on going for this adventure?" He moved on from her left leg to her right, lifting it out of the water.
Shannon hadn't really been prepared for this question, after all, it had to have been at least the tenth suggestion she'd made and she'd really just pulled it out of her ass as a last ditch effort. She thought quickly of all the places she guessed it might be offered and named them in succession.
Boone chuckled at the diversity of the list. "Won't you ever get tired of travelling? Jeeze, but you've got a bad case of wanderlust."
Now it was Shannon who chuckled, seizing on the obvious opportunity of his last word. "I'll show you wander," she moved her free foot between his legs, "lust," she finished, pressing her foot against him, feeling him respond immediately.
His breath hitched a bit and the hand drawing the razor down her leg trembled slightly, he raised his eyes to hers, the lids half closing as she continued working the sole of her foot against him.
"You cut me and I won't let you shave what I had planned next," she warned.
He grabbed her ankle and quite firmly moved her foot from its position of conquest. "No fucking way that's happening," he told her decisively, pressing his legs a bit painfully together so she couldn't invade his space again.
She hadn't gone for waxing since that first time after she'd come back. When Boone saw how much discomfort she'd been in afterwards, he'd bluntly told her that she was nuts and offered to take over shaving duty for her instead. After his initial effort, and what it had led to, she'd abandoned any idea of ever again enduring the excruciating torture of Spanish Inquisition levels that visits to the salon always resulted in.
They continued discussing her suggested vacation plan as he finished her second leg. "Up," he ordered her; turning to grab an aerosol can off the ledge.
Shannon levered herself regretfully out of the warm embrace of the bath water and sat on the edge of the tub as he moved between her legs. He sat back on his calves and squirted some gel into his hand, then replaced the can. After working the gel into lather, he spread it on her.
She locked her elbows bracing herself on the edge, then leaned back slightly for him.
He slid the metal blades over her carefully, eyes slightly narrowed in concentration; fingers teasing as he stretched the delicate skin one way and then the other. She watched him intently, the rise and fall of his chest increasing in speed as was hers. A bead of perspiration grew on his upper lip that had nothing to do with the temperature of the water in which he was still immersed up to the waist. The fingers of the hand that wasn't holding the razor lost their purchase on her skin more often as her natural lubrication made her slick.
Boone was almost panting when he finally announced, "Done," then put the razor on the ledge, using a damp washcloth to clear away all remaining vestiges of his work.
"Barely even started," Shannon contradicted her voice deep and throaty.
He moaned as he lowered his face to her, one arm sliding around her back, the other bringing his hand to join his mouth in continuing its' work.
When her right elbow gave way almost sending her tumbling to the floor in a move that would have been more characteristic of Boone than Shannon, he decided a change of venue was in order.
He rose to his knees; the obvious state of his own arousal suddenly revealed as his hips cleared the water. They quickly exited the tub and he followed her down as she lay back on the bath mat.
It didn't take long; they were both so close. When her entire body suddenly stilled, her knees spreading even wider, telegraphing that her impending orgasm was going to be even stronger and of longer duration than usual, he gave a few more quick short strokes, then thrust himself full in, now concentrating more on his pleasure than hers. They rode out the waves together, both breathless. When it was over he continued to move gently against her, milking every sensation out of the aftershocks, finally collapsing on top of her.
When rational thought finally returned, he slowly rolled off her, whimpering a bit as this overheated back met the chill of the ceramic tiles.
There was a gentle knocking at the door, "Guys?" Andrew called. He knew exactly what they'd been doing in there and hadn't even contemplated employing telepathy.
"Yeah?" Boone responded as Shannon rolled onto her side to snuggle against him. He frowned a bit at how awkward he felt at her action and their post coital state as he waited for their son to answer.
"I wanted to wait up and see you before going to bed, but you've been in there for over an hour and I'm getting tired, so 'night." Andrews shrugged in disappointment and turned to head to his room.
"Give me five," Boone called, "I'll be there to tuck you in, okay?"
"Sure Boone, I'll just finish the chapter I'm reading." Andrew smiled to himself. There wasn't a struggle over Boone between himself and Shannon as there had been between Sabrina and Shannon, but every now and then he felt a pang of jealousy as he thought to the years he'd had his dad all to himself. He'd come to love his mom too though, her devotion to Boone unmistakeable and going a long way in winning Andrew over. If Boone loved her enough to have been reduced to such drastic action at her departure then Andrew knew she was more than worthy of his love also. He'd formed his own opinion but in the end it mostly came down to the fact that he loved her because Boone did and that was more than enough of an endorsement for him.
After rousing an almost sleeping Shannon, and the two of them quickly showering, and throwing on some clothes, they both went to fulfill his promise to Andrew and kiss him goodnight.
Boone was in his office the next day when Shannon came in with an emergency with which she needed him to deal. It was Saturday, but they had an event that night, so they'd both come in, though the plan was to be there for only a couple of hours. Andrew had been left to his own devices, with strict instructions to check in and out with who ever Joan had running the store that day. It had become their usual Saturday pattern.
"Mark called; the panel truck just broke down." She told him, and gave the location.
"I've already told you that that kid shouldn't be driving it! He revs the shit out of it like it's some 70's Trans Am and drives it like an Indy car. It's only three months old, but he's probably blown the engine. Shit Shan, can't you just listen to me sometimes?" Boone exploded.
She crossed her arms and gave him a look. "If you've finished with your little 'I told you so' tirade, can you please become productive and help with a solution?"
"Bitch," he muttered, then rested his elbow on the table and lowered his chin to his hand, thinking. "Where's the other truck?"
"Almost at the site, they left at least twenty minutes before Mark did." She watched as he stood and strode purposefully to the window that looked out on the employee parking lot. Boone surveyed the space quickly, noting that there was just one vehicle that met his immediate needs.
He turned to her. "I need you to go tell Luce that she's got a new assignment for today. Tell her we need her to take her van to where Mark is and that they need to transfer as much to it as they can. Get one of the guys to help her take the seats out of it before she leaves. And make sure you offer her compensation for the use of her vehicle." He quickly gave her his instructions and then reached for the phone on his desk and turned from her, his free hand rubbing at his head as he continued to formulate a plan. She stood there enjoying watching him in action, as he called the store to confirm that the delivery van was there and available.
He snapped his cell open and hit a speed dial number as he turned and hung up the landline and started moving for the door. "Hey bud, it's me," he started then frowned and stopped short as he registered her continued presence. Telling Andrew to hang on he asked, "Why are you still here? I don't think Lucy has suddenly become psychic and has somehow divined what we need her to do. Get your butt in gear Shan." He pressed the cell to his ear again and continued on his way, leaving her to follow him down the hall to complete her own task.
On his way to his car and on hands free on the way home, he arranged for Andrew and his friend Peter to meet him at the store, called for a tow truck, phoned Mark to advise him of the plan, then took an incoming from Shan to confirm that Lucy was on her way.
He swapped his car for the van and arrived at Marks' location just in time to help finish loading things into Lucy's van. He sent her on her way; then the four of them loaded his own van. The tow truck arrived shortly thereafter and once his van was packed full he headed for the event location with the two boys, leaving Mark to deal with the towing arrangements. He'd been too focused on the immediate situation to deal with the kid, who no doubt thought he was going to get off Scott free, but Boone had the full intention of speaking to him on Monday. The kid was young, early twenties, but that didn't mean that he didn't have to take responsibility for his irresponsibility. Boone knew he wouldn't be doing Mark any favours by letting this slide; it would only reinforce a pattern that could adversely affect the guys' future. And if his future was with CR Catering, then Boone was doing himself a favour as well.
Once at the event and unloaded, Boone, naturally, got sucked into helping and in late afternoon called Shannon to come and pick up the kids. Andrew put up a bit of a fuss, wanting to stay with Boone, but in the end she drove away with both boys, telling Boone, uselessly she knew, not to be late.
She woke in the night, her subconscious rousing her. She'd wanted to roll onto her side and had been trying to pull the covers with her but they wouldn't budge. She blinked away the fog in her head and turned to determine the cause of their impediment. A one hundred and fifty pound dead weight was holding them firmly in place.
Boone was laying fully clothed n top of the bed beside her. She hadn't even heard him come in; he still wasn't home when she'd gone to sleep, unsurprised by his extended absence.
Sighing, Shannon slipped out of bed and around to his side. She didn't even consider trying to wake him, instead just undoing the fastenings on his jeans and working them past his hips and down his legs. She pulled his socks off and then worked him to her side of the bed after pulling the covers fully back. She shook her head, unimpressed at the situation then tucked the blankets up around her sleeping spouse.
She crawled back in, on his side now, and happily wrapped the now freed up covers around herself.
In the morning a sudden movement of the bed, followed by a thud and a muffled curse woke her. She looked over at the empty space beside her and grunted a laugh as his head slowly made an appearance from over the edge of the far side.
"Tell me you didn't just fall out of bed?" Shannon asked in amusement.
"What the fuck am I doing on your side?" He answered with a question, putting his fingers to a sore spot beside his eye.
She started laughing harder, "You fell out of bed!" She pointed at him. "Oh god, this is priceless."
"I must have thought I was on my own side and was rolling into the middle," he defended himself. "I think I hit my head on your night table. Why am I over here?" Boone asked again, still exploring his temple.
Shannon explained about the night before, and then said, "I wish we were still in high school, so I could tell every one about this." She thought with a bit of glee about the embarrassment with which she could have humiliated him.
"If I was thirty-two and still in high school, believe me, there's a lot more reasons than falling out of bed for people to make fun of me." He'd risen from the floor and was sitting on the bed again. He tipped his head toward her so she could check out the place where he'd hit his head.
"Gonna leave a mark, dumbass," was her assessment.
"Gee, thanks for your overwhelming concern. Your worry positively fills me with warmth, I feel so special." He replied sarcastically. "Come on, let's get up and get our shit together. I've got plans for the three of us for the day."