AN: Thank you for all the reviews in the last chapter. I hope this chapter makes you all happy. I will start working on the next chapter today. Let me know what you all think.

Chapter 15

Shannon sat in his office at the shop staring at the wall behind his desk. Karen called Shane and told him she was taking a week off. She hadn't talk to Shannon in a few days. Jeff and Matt kept telling him to give it time but he didn't want to wait any longer. He loved her. He fucked up but he loved her.

He heard his door open and close but couldn't be bothered to turn around. Nothing matter anymore. Nothing but Karen mattered.

"Is staring at a wall like watching paint dry," a familiar voice asked behind him. He spun around in his chair in shock. Karen was standing there. His Karen looking as beautiful as she always did, even with sad eyes. Shannon leapt out of his chair and raced to her. As he went to wrap his arms around her, her hands came up preventing it.

"We need to talk," Karen said trying to hold her ground. "We need to talk about what happened."

"I know," Shannon said flopping on the couch almost dejectedly. "I am so sorry that I flipped out like that. You didn't deserve it. I never should have said those things to you."

Karen sat softly next to him on the couch. "That's the thing with spoken words. Once you say them it's hard to take them back. I know you are sorry. I listened to all your messages."

"Do you think you could ever forgive me? I love you Karen."

Karen looked up at him and felt her own eyes water as she saw tears in his.

"I love you too Shannon but my past is not something we can magically make disappear. I stripped. I didn't sleep with the clients. Joe was my real first. The first guy I chose to be with and wasn't forced to. You were my second. You knew that yet you still said those things to me."

"These last few days, knowing how much I hurt you, I felt like ripping my own heart out. I can't stand that I caused you pain. I wasn't supposed to ever do that."

"In a way, I hurt you too." Shannon looked at her confused but allowed her to continue. "I overheard the guys and Beth talking that night. Matt said you saw red and that all you probably saw was John and faceless guys touching me and it burned you."

"Red was a shade that night but it bothered me that you held that piece of you back from me."

"But I didn't. We just had different ideas of what my dancing was. I assumed you knew what I was talking about and you assumed I was doing something else." She looked up at him and stared directly into his eyes. "Is this something you can get past? I need to know now."

Shannon raked a hand across his face. "I'm not going to lie to you. It's going to be hard for me when we are out wondering what guys might have seen what's mine naked. But if not getting past it means losing you then I have to find a way to. You not being in my life is not an option."

Karen leaned back and laid her head on Shannon's shoulder. "I guess that's fair."

Shannon reached a hand up and stroked her arm. "Does this mean you will come home? The kids really miss you."

Karen laughed a bit knowing he was talking about the dogs. "I miss the kids too. If we did break up that custody agreement would have been killer."

"Are we okay?" Shannon asked causing her to lift her hand up.

"We will be," she replied leaning in for a soft kiss.

Matt's house…

Shannon and Karen pulled into Matt's driveway. Karen needed to pick up her things to take back home.

"Looks like there is peace in the land," Matt called from the living room as they walked into his home. He was happy to see them holding hands. He saw how devastated they both were over the past few days.

"Shut up Mattie," Karen said launching herself over the couch and into his lap. She gave him a big slopping kiss on the cheek and whispered thank you as she scrambled off his lap and headed up the stairs.

Matt looked at Shannon confused. "What did I do?"

"You got us back to gather," Shannon said clapping him on the shoulder. "Apparently something you said actually made sense."

"I always make sense," Matt said preening at the idea that he had got them back together.

"I hear a happy Reject," Beth said coming in from the backyard with Jeff. Shannon and Matt laughed as Jeff fixed his pants as he walked through the door. True to her word, Beth had been sexing her boy up.

"I, in my infinite wisdom, helped them get back together," Matt said smiling.

"You and wisdom," Jeff said scratching his head. "They don't go together."

"Fuck you," Matt said throwing a pillow at him. "And fuck you both as well," he added throwing pillows at a laughing Beth and Shannon.

"Who's messing with my Mattie," Karen called from the stairs.

"They are being mean to me Kar," Matt said with a pout.

"No pouting sweeting," Karen said wrapping her arms around his waist. She laughed when he stuck his tongue out at the group. "Very mature Matthew."

"I am just happy this drama is over," Jeff said wrapping his arms around Beth as he nuzzled her neck.

"So," Matt said releasing Karen from his arms. "How about a lap dance?"

Jeff and Beth sucked in their breath and looked at Shannon who just cocked his head at Karen.

"What," Matt asked. "Too soon to ask?"

Karen looked at Shannon with a mischievous glint in her eyes. She winked at him as he nodded.

"Sure," Karen said dragging Mattie to a chair. "Just give me a moment."

Matt looked surprised and looked at Shannon who just looked away.

"Karen, baby, I was just kidding."

"No Matt," she said as she came back in the room. "After all you did you deserve a little treat. Now close your eyes."

She smirked at Shannon as Matt closed his eyes and she placed a scarf around his eyes. Holding a finger up to her lips she beckoned Shannon over. Whispering in his ear his eyes lit up as she told him her plan. She motioned for Beth to get the camera as she ran her hands up and down Matt's chest.

"Are you ready for your reward," Karen asked huskily.

"Yes ma'am," Matt asked to scared to say no. This wasn't a side of her he was used to. Plus her fiancé was in the room.

Karen held back a giggle as Beth started recording. She motioned for Jeff to be quiet as she watched him hold in his laughter as Shannon straddled Matt and started grinding against him.

"Hot dam," Matt yelled out.

"You like it," Karen whispered into his ear.

"Hell yeah!"

Karen quickly tugged the blindfold off. Matt blinked up at an ass shaking Shannon.

"What the fuck," Matt jumped up knocking a hysterical Shannon to the floor. He turned and saw the camera and groaned.

"Give me that tape Britt," he howled.

"Oh I couldn't," Beth said wiping her eyes. She quickly passed the camera to Jeff who took off running.

"I will get you little brother," Matt yelled as he ran after them closely followed by Beth who snagged their second camera.

Karen giggled and looked down at the still laughing Shannon. She held a hand out to help him up only to be pulled down on top of him. She gasped as he rolled and pinned her underneath him.

"You are sick and twisted," he said as he licked up her neck.

"So are you," she heaved out with a shiver. "You went along with it."

"What can I say; I love how you're twisted mind works."

"My mind? And here I always thought you just wanted me for my body."

Shannon jumped up and pulled her quickly off the floor and threw her on his shoulder. He smacked her ass causing a yelp. "I want your body too, but Matt would never be able to look at his rug the same way again."

"Then take me home," she said grabbing his ass.

"Your pleasure," he answered heading out the door. He couldn't wait to get her home.