Chapter 3

The next morning I woke to an empty bed. For a few moments I went through the usual routine of convincing myself to get up. Finally I levered myself to a sitting position on the side of the bed. I noticed two things simultaneously: I was naked and my midsection looked and felt rather bloated. Then the events of the past night came rushing back to me. Could it be? Did Shannon really want . . . ? I shook my head, I needed coffee before I tackled this mystery. I pulled on a new pair of boxers and my robe and stumbled down to the kitchen.

"Morning hun," Shannon greeted me.

"What's going on?" I asked.

Shannon, because she got up first, usually made the coffee. What she didn't do was make a pan full of scrambled eggs, some sausage, and........were those waffles?

"Just want to make sure you get a good meal before going off to work," she told me.

I studied her face. It was innocent and open, but her eyes looked slightly mischievous and I could see a twitch beginning around the corner of her mouth. I sighed. I might as well go along with this for a bit, at least to see where it led.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Forty minutes later I found where it led. Right to another stomachache. Now I was also running late for work, but it's hard to hurry when you've been stuffed like the proverbial goose. Showering was interesting as I soaped up my hard distended abdomen. My feet didn't get cleaned because bending down didn't seem like an attractive idea. My work slacks didn't want to button around my ballooned abdomen but I finally got it buttoned and my belt fastened (albeit one notch looser than usual).

At work I felt a little sluggish during the morning, but to my surprise I was quite hungry at lunch.

"Whoa, now that's a lunch," Brad remarked as I set down my tray in the cafeteria.

It was loaded with roast beef, mashed potatoes with gravy, two rolls, green beans, and a gigantic brownie.

"Skip breakfast?" Anne asked.

"Just hungry today," I replied, feeling a little defensive.

I tried to justify it to myself, saying I would leave at least a third on my plate so I wouldn't feel like a pig. Unfortunately, it was gone before I noticed, and the warm glow from my abdomen was maddeningly satisfying. Even as my slightly overfull stomach pressed up against my belt I found myself wondering what we'd have for dinner.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~

"Need a sugar fix?" Anne asked as I walked back from the vending machine snacking on a candy bar. "I would have thought the brownie at lunch would be enough."

I smiled at her, trying not to let her off-hand comment needle me too much.

"Just a little snack for energy," I said.

I just hoped she wouldn't see the bulge in my pocket from its twin. By the time I finished off both bars I was starting to get that sated feeling deep in my gut that was becoming so addicting. Was it really so bad that I liked to be full? What would be the consequences? I spent the rest of the afternoon daydreaming about large meals and steadily increasing waistline. Was that what Shannon really wanted? I decided that I would find out at dinner.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~

"Want more?" Shannon asked with a slight grin.

I groaned and mutely shook my head. Dinner had been chicken and dumplings. I had let her fill up my plate so many times I lost count. I had loosened by belt, then loosened again, then flat out unbuckled it and popped open the straining button on my slacks. My flat stomach had swelled throughout the meal, going from slightly rounded to its current gorged state. My belly was taut, aching, and incredibly distended. I reclined in my chair, absently massaging my bloated gut and occasionally stifling a belch. I was full, too full, stuffed to the eyeballs. My breath was short and I was feeling uncomfortably warm.

If this continued, I wouldn't be able to ignore the consequences for long. What was happening here? Why this sudden interest by Shannon to see me eating myself into a stupor? Why this sudden eagerness by me to comply?