The Twain Shall Meet

The Twain Shall Meet by Deidre Dalton is Book #3 in the Collective Obsessions Saga.

An innocent meeting as children sparks a fateful yet perilous liaison between Shannon Larkin and Mike Sullivan. Will their romance follow the same tragic path forged by their mutual ancestors Colm and Molly?

Holiday Excerpt from Chapter Ten

Christmas 1970

Larkin City, Maine

    CHRISTMAS DAY DAWNED BRIGHT and clear, with snow covering the grounds of the Larkin estate. The exterior of the house resembled a painting from a different age, with long icicles hanging over windows and doorways, and smoke billowing from the many chimneys. The air was bitter cold, but the sun was shining without a cloud in the sky.
    Shannon stretched drowsily in her bed, burrowing deeper under the covers. She wondered idly what fashionable outfit Aunt Phoebe decided to give her this year. Every Christmas, Phoebe gifted Shannon with a chic outfit from her old boutique or from a trendy store in New York City, trying to convince her that "one must dress and act with the times." Convention and fashion were important factors to Phoebe, but Shannon wasn't inclined to be a devotee of high style.
    She finally rose from her bed and hurriedly dressed in dark blue slacks and a gray turtle-neck sweater. Running a brush through her hair and scrubbing her teeth, she donned a pair of snug-fitting slippers and went downstairs.
    No one was up and about yet, so Shannon started a pot of coffee in the kitchen and built a fire in the hearth in the drawing room. Rubbing her hands together, she stood before the blaze seeking warmth. She gazed at the Christmas tree that stood twelve feet high in the opposite corner of the room. Presents were crammed underneath. Curiously, she walked over to the tree and began examining the gifts carefully. Each package had a to-and-from tag taped on it. She glanced at several of them and then stopped short. A medium-sized package, gaily wrapped in green and red paper, was addressed to her. It was from Scott. She picked it up and shook it gently, trying to determine the contents. It must be something solid, she thought, feeling the slow movement inside as she shook it.
    "You're as curious as a cat," a deep, unmistakable voice said teasingly from the doorway of the drawing room.
    Shannon turned, blushing profusely as she looked at Scott. He was dressed casually in blue jeans and a blue-gray flannel shirt, the sleeves rolled up to his elbows. He was particularly handsome this morning, his green eyes sparkling at her.
    "I confess I'm a curious person," she admitted sheepishly, walking back to the fireplace. "When we were little kids, Sean and I used to sneak downstairs in the middle of the night on Christmas Eve. We'd open every gift addressed to us, then re-wrap them before going back to bed."
    Scott laughed as he joined her at the fireplace. "Didn't your mother ever find out?" he wanted to know.
    "She knew all along," Shannon grinned. "Here Sean and I thought we were so clever, but Mum never let on she knew. I grew out of it about six years ago."
    He chuckled. "I keep forgetting you're still a teenager."
    "And I keep forgetting you're over the hill," she returned, but with a smile on her face.
    Presently, they were joined by the rest of the family. Irish coffee was freely distributed, as well as eggnog laced with rum. The gift opening began.
    Predictably, Phoebe's gift to Shannon was a designer gown. It was a maxi-skirt dress, deep burgundy in color with a slightly plunging neckline.
    "I bought it from a designer in New York," Phoebe said. "The line is simply called Chic by Anita."
    Shannon thanked her for the present. She glanced at Scott, who was staring at her with a puzzled look on his face. The expression vanished as he retrieved her gift to him from underneath the tree.
    She grabbed the package addressed to her from Scott. Grinning, she said to him: "Now my curiosity will be appeased." Un-wrapping the gift, she was careful to preserve the paper. (This was a trick taught to her by Phoebe - "If you save the paper you can use it again next year," she once said, "no use in wasting perfectly good wrapping paper").
    Shannon gasped in surprise when she viewed the gift from Scott. It was a small figurine of a Japanese woman in a kimono, fanning herself. It was exquisite. The kimono was black with a red dragon embroidered on the sleeve. "It's lovely, Scott," she exclaimed. "Thank you very much."
    "My pleasure," he smiled at her. "Now it's my turn."
    From her chair by the Christmas tree, Phoebe winced as Scott ripped the wrapping paper carelessly. "Oh, well," she sighed. "That paper has seen three seasons, so I guess it doesn't matter."
    Shannon flashed a smile at her great-aunt, and then returned her attention to Scott. He was gazing in wonder at the gift she had given him. It was a black turtle-neck sweater with a red dragon silk embroidered above the right breast.
    He looked at her, his eyes warm. "Thank you," he said softly. "It seems we both had the same thing in mind - red dragons."
    She flushed with pleasure. "It will look great with your coloring." She then continued watching the rest of the family open their presents. The morning progressed swiftly. Soon, the coffee and eggnog ran out. Shannon offered to make more in the kitchen. Mae Jensen was always given Christmas off so she could spend time with her daughter and grandchildren in Larkin City, leaving kitchen duty to members of the Larkin family.
    Scott insisted on helping Shannon, so he followed her to the kitchen as she pushed the tea trolley that doubled as a holiday refreshment cart. He put on another pot of coffee while Shannon started to mix an eggnog recipe in the blender. She had already consumed one Irish coffee, which made her feel warm and content inside.
    Scott wandered off in the direction of the back door, leaving Shannon in the main area of the kitchen. After a brief moment, she heard his voice. "Shannon, can you come here for a second?"
    Wiping her hands on a tea towel, she walked to the back door. She came to a stop when she faced him.
    "Where did that come from?" he asked her, pointing upward to the mistletoe tacked on the wood beam spanning out from the back door. "I saw it earlier and meant to ask you about it."
    Shannon looked up and then laughed. "Aunt Denise enlists Kevin's help on Christmas Eve to place mistletoe above random doorways. Then Denise goads people to kiss when she catches them standing underneath it. She's a romantic at heart."
    Scott's eyes darkened suddenly. "Then we have to honor tradition, don't we?"
   Before she could speak, Scott stepped closer. Placing his finger under her chin, he gazed directly into her eyes as he lowered his head to take possession of her mouth. She dropped the tea towel, putting her hand on his chest as they kissed. He touched her hand and then moved it up around his neck, holding her waist with his other hand. He pulled her closer against him, where she felt the hard leanness of his body. She gasped involuntarily. He increased the pressure of their kiss, his tongue entering her mouth, caressing her with its touch. She moved her other arm around his neck, and he lifted her from the floor slightly as they continued to kiss. While his lips were gentle yet firm at the same time, it was also obvious he would not be denied. Mutual desire pulsed between them, the incinerating kiss causing her to tremble.
    Shannon felt as light as a feather. Was it the Irish coffee making her feel weak at the knees? Strangely, she had no reservations about Scott's kiss. Her body seemed to take on a will of its own. She welcomed his probing tongue and hard body. For that moment, she felt secure and warm in his embrace, and suddenly very aroused.
    When Scott finally released her, she was breathless. He was smiling at her, almost serene in his regard. She was struck by the look that passed between them. It was lust, certainly, but she sensed he was feeling something else. They were staring at one another as if there was a high energy charge in the room, connecting them. She felt it to her very soul, as did Scott. He could not take his eyes from her face.
    "What in hell is taking so bloody long?" Sean demanded as he strode into the kitchen. He set his coffee cup on the kitchen table with a thud. "Isn't the coffee ready yet?"
    Sean noticed Scott and Shannon by the back door, where they quickly moved away from one another. She bent down to retrieve the tea towel, and then smiled sweetly at her twin. "What am I? The maid of Larkin House?"
    "No," Sean quipped. "You're the Madwoman of Challiot - La Folle de Chaillot - or rather, the madwoman of Larkin House."
    "Thanks a lot," she retorted teasingly. She glanced at Scott and asked: "Do you think me the madwoman of Larkin House?"
    "No, no," he said gently, his eyes still warm. "You just have the amazing ability to drive certain people around you mad."
    Sean laughed. "My thoughts exactly," he declared. "Now, come on, where's the brew? The whole family is grumbling for it."
    Shannon placed the eggnog and coffee on a large tray. "It's ready," she informed him. "Just don't drink it all by yourself on the way."
    Scott walked over to Shannon and took the tray away from her, placing it on the tea trolley. "It's a bit heavy," he said. His eyes sought hers. She was still flushed, a smile playing around her lips. She simply could not bring herself to look away from him.
    Sean watched them, his eyebrows raised in question. What was going on? Both his sister and Scott were so subdued, so thoughtful. Something was definitely happening here, he decided. Shrugging, Sean took his coffee cup from the kitchen table, and then led the way back to the drawing room.

     WHEN SCOTT AND SHANNON returned to the drawing room, Sean darted in front of them so they were forced to pause in the doorway. From her place on a divan, Denise Larkin pointed to the couple with a wide grin on her face. "You're under the mistletoe," she said with glee. "Come now, honor the tradition and kiss each other."
    Both Scott and Shannon looked upward. Sure enough, there was another sprig of mistletoe tacked in the doorway arch. "Is this for real?" Shannon muttered under her breath. "Sean maneuvered us to stop here on purpose. If we let him get away with it, he'll contrive to get us under all the doorways with mistletoe as the day goes on."
    Scott laughed, his eyes crinkling at the corners. "It doesn't sound like such a hardship to me. In fact, I can't think of a better way to spend Christmas - or any day, for that matter."
    Rory's voice boomed from his place next to Denise on the divan. "Kiss, kiss, kiss . . ."
    Soon, the rest of the family took up the chant. Embarrassed beyond reason, Shannon turned to face a grinning Scott. "You do know they expect a chaste kiss?" she told him in a quiet tone so no one else could hear her. "It's supposed to be all in good fun."
    "Of course it is," he answered her, reaching over to take her hand. He leaned in slightly and gave her a closed-lip kiss for about five seconds. As he started to pull away, he suddenly leaned back in and gave her another quick kiss, squeezing her hand as he did so.
    Refusing to look at her family members, who were clapping with delight, Shannon felt her face flaming as she came into the room with the tea trolley. Scott wasn't far behind her. He seemed perfectly composed, a half-smile on his lips.
    "I hate all of you," Shannon hissed at her family with irritation, her face still flushed. She moved to the sideboard, placing the coffee and eggnog on the surface. She was blessedly out of earshot from the family now. Within seconds, Liam and Sean were by her side. Sean refilled his coffee cup, while Liam whispered in Shannon's ear. "The two of you haven't done it yet, have you?"
    Shannon looked at her cousin with brows furrowed. "Done it? Done what, Liam?"
     "You know - done it. Gone all the way?"
    "Not that it's any of your business, but no, we have not. I've only known the man for one month, for chrissakes."
    "You should do it already," Liam urged her with a smirk. "Every time you and Scott occupy the same space, it's like the room is on fire. The heat is plain as day, and I'm not the only one who's noticed, obviously."
    "Mind your own affairs," Shannon replied crisply. "Your personal life isn't above reproach, so I'd be careful how you judge mine."
    "Fair enough," Liam acknowledged sheepishly. He leaned over and kissed Shannon on the cheek. "You're like a little sister to me, Shan. I'm just thinking about your welfare."
    "By pushing me into bed with Scott Page?" she returned quickly, one eyebrow raised.
    Liam shrugged. "You're a young woman now, Shan, not a little girl. I don't think Scott is after a one-night stand or a brief fling. The man really has a thing for you, pardon the expression, and I think you feel the same way about him."
    Scott was suddenly by her side, his voice low and smooth as he asked: "Did I hear someone mention my name?"
    "Yes," Shannon glanced at him, her cheeks pink. "Your ears must be burning."
    He smiled at her, the warmth reaching his eyes as he returned her gaze. "Why don't you tell me about it?"
    Both Liam and Sean left the sideboard, re-joining the family in the main area of the drawing room. "Cowards," Shannon muttered under her breath. "They pick on me without fear, but the second you show up they scurry away like petrified little mice."
    Scott chuckled as he refilled his coffee cup. "C'mon, Shannon. Tell me what Liam said to you."
    She sighed, and then related her conversation with Liam word-for-word.
    With one hand on his hip and the other resting on the sideboard, Scott glanced down at her, cocking his head slightly. "So what do you think about it?" he asked softly.
    "About what Liam said?"
    He nodded, watching her face.
    "He has his opinion, just like anyone else."
    Scott straightened himself slightly, but his gaze still rested on her. "Do you think I'm after a one-night stand or a brief fling?"
    She met his eyes. "I can't read your mind."
    He exhaled quietly. "I'm after neither from you."
    "Oh?" She was surprised. Their kiss in the kitchen - just moments ago - was by no means chaste, so what was he really playing at? If he wasn't angling for a one-night stand or a brief fling, then what did he want from her?
    "I want to get to know you better," he said calmly, as if reading her thoughts. "You intrigue me, Shannon. To be honest, I can't resist you and I'm weary of fighting it." He shrugged. "Contrary to what you might think about me, I'm not some sort of primitive brute who wants to drag you by your hair into my bed."
    Shannon regarded him, a challenge in her eyes. "The first time you were here at the mansion - on Thanksgiving night - you told me you came and went as you pleased. You said that's the way you like your relationships." She shook her head. "I'm just not into that."
    "I've changed my mind since then," he admitted without hesitation.
    "Why?" she prodded.
    He looked at her. "Because of you."
    "How can a leopard change its spots in such a short time?" she asked suspiciously. "Especially after years of preferred habit?"
    "I'd like to explain myself in detail, but later, please - when we have more privacy."
    She sighed. "Okay. But trust me - I'll remind you."
    "I'm sure you will," he responded dryly, then continued: "Your cousin Liam is right about one thing, though." Scott removed his hand from his hip and touched Shannon's arm. "I really do have a thing for you, like it or not."
    She smiled. "I think I like it."
    "Good." He took a sip of coffee, watching her. "Now, to the last point."
    "Last point?' she repeated, puzzled.
    "Should we just go ahead and do it, as Liam suggested? Or should we wait and do it when the time is right for both of us?" Scott glanced down at her again, his face serious and unreadable as he waited for her answer.
    Shannon held her breath, thrilled by his gaze and steady, deep voice. "We should wait until it's right for both of us," she finally managed to say.
    He smiled. "So, you agree there will eventually come a time when we'll . . . do it?"
    "You tricked me," she accused him. Then her eyes sparkled. "Or we could just keep kissing until the house bursts into flames."
    His smile widened, revealing his even white teeth. "There's that, too."
    Brian approached them at the sideboard, empty coffee cup in hand. "Uh, can I get a refill?" he asked, the mirth barely hidden in his tone. "Or is this a bad time?"
    Scott was quick to take the older man's cup. "Here, allow me." He refilled Brian's cup with the steaming brew on the sideboard.
    Brian took the cup, taking a brief sip. "Is everything okay between the two of you?" He glanced between them. "Any problems I should know about?"
    "We're good," Scott responded strongly. "Couldn't be better."
    "No problems whatsoever," Shannon reassured her father.
    "Nice to hear it," Brian stated with a knowing smile. Lifting his cup slightly in their direction, he turned and walked back to his seat on the divan.
    Scott and Shannon looked at one another for a long moment, and then joined the rest of the family.