Clawen • What comes next

|| CHAPTER 3 ||

Claire helped Maisie find some clothing, the shampoo and the rest of the much-needed stuff. Helped her on her way, before giving her some privacy. Claire being new to all of this and not having any kids herself, found it hard to know what to do and what not to do with Maisie. Asking her multiple times, what she wanted, if there was anything she needed help with and so on. Maisie was a very smart girl considering her age, which they'd both noticed very quickly, upon meeting into her. 

Closing the door behind her to leave Maisie to do her things, which she had assured Claire, she was more than capable of doing on her own. Not that Claire had any doubts about it, but she had the need to make sure she wasn't leaving Maisie clueless. 

Claire walked back into the living space, as you could call it. Owen was standing there, leaning against the table with his arms crossed. It was very obvious that he was waiting for Claire, with the way his face lit up as she turned to look at him. She longed for him. His touch, his smell, his lips. Having been without him for so long and then suddenly getting brought together and never having left each other's sides from there. Some people would call it difficult, other people would call it something else. For both Claire and Owen, it was the simple feeling of pure bliss. Being in the same space again, breathing the same air. It was as refreshing and secure as anything they could think of. 

Claire walked over to Owen slowly, looking right at him the whole time. He let his arms fall to welcome the beauty making its way to him. He slowly and carefully placed his hands around her waist, as she let her fingers graze his cheek, before running down to rest, around his neck. Leaning into his space, breathing him in, Claire felt whole. Had it not been for Maisie being in the next room, she might have just stayed in that position forever. 

Their foreheads met before Claire whispered "I missed you so much". In her beautiful voice, Owen could have sworn she sounded like she was about to cry. He pulled her further into him, before slowly leaning in to give her a kiss. Claire accepted it without thinking twice and moved her hand up to caress his cheek. The other one made its way to the back of his head and into the small amount of hair there was. Owen sighed as they pulled apart, knowing that this was all he was getting for now, and a very small amount of it. He had missed her more than he thought. More than he could have ever dreamed of. He missed her smell and the way she felt wrapped in his arms. She smelled so good, oh so good. She always had this very specific scent about her, and it had come to be a smell Owen longed for most days, after she left. Not knowing at the time, they were together, that her scent was gonna be one of the things he wouldn't be able to move on from. 

Claire leaned more into him. Practically let her whole weight on him, knowing he could take it easily. Her concern however, was with this old trailer table, the were currently both leaning against. She sighed before getting her weight back on both her feet. "If we keep going, we're going to end up breaking your rotten table" She said. Owen snorted, before nodding. "You're probably right about that, yea". He stood up and took her hand, leading her onto the couch slash bench. Everything always had more than one purpose in a trailer. 

She followed suit and he moved so there was space enough for her to sit by his side. He wanted her to sit on his lap, to just throw her whole body onto him. But keeping in mind what she said earlier about, them taking it slow, he moved a bit over. She wouldn't have any of that tho, he noticed as she sat down on his lap. It was like she read his mind and threw out her previously spoken words. 

She leaned her side into him, taking a deep breath and closing her eyes. This was most likely the closest she could get to Owen for a long time. Knowing this, she took the moment to just live, breath and relax in the embrace. The embrace of the love of her life, that she had let slip away, right through her fingers. Thinking back, she could have slapped herself. How could she ever let him go? Just like that, not even thinking twice. Being in this moment, being so close to him and feeling as safe as she did. She promised herself to never let him go. To never make that horrible mistake again.

There it was again, The sweet smell of the woman of his dreams. The smell that made him feel safe and secure. The one that send him to a whole other world, with no worries or concerns. Letting his face fall into her hair, on purpose. Letting himself breathe her in. If he had to admit it, he probably took too deep breaths for his own good. Telling himself to get some control, he turned his head so his cheek was resting against her head. He could hear her breathe. Could hear her slow deep breaths going in and out. 

By this time around, it had become easy for him to tell how Claire felt, by the way she was breathing. It was the smallest things, that would change the way she took air into her lungs.  Eventually tho he learned how to hear and feel the way she reacted to certain things. How her breaths would get all up in the ceiling when she was angry and then as calm as a summer breeze when she was snuggled against his side.

The way she breathed when she got stressed or lost control over something was easy for him to tell, and one he leaned quickly. She had a specific way she would breathe while concentrating on something and she would breathe quicker, more desperate and in an extremely sexy way, whenever they engaged in one of their favorite activities. Of course, her breathing while getting chased or hiding from some wild dinosaur had happened so many times, this time around that he was very much familiar with that one as well. 

They heard the bathroom door open and out came Maisie with long wet hair, wearing long grey soft looking pants and a black t-shirt. Claire panicked, having been lost in the moment. She sat up straight and moved from Owen lap to stand up. "Hey sweetie, you feeling okay?" Claire asked Maisie, as she straightened out her shirt and walked towards her.

Owen was in another world when he suddenly felt the weight on top of him disappear. Opening his eyes, he realized that Maisie had entered and quickly understood why the weight had disappeared. Knowing Claire, she was probably wishing she could go back in time so that Maisie didn't see them as close as they were. Claire was all about being professional and organized. Letting Maisie see them like that, went against everything Claire stood for. He smiled to himself, knowing that Claire was tearing herself apart inside at the moment.

 "Owen do you want to shower first?" Claire asked. "No it's fine, you can go" Owen said, as he made himself more comfortable on the couch. "No, Owen it's fine, you can go first. I'll stay here with Maisie" Claire said and basically forced Owen into the shower with the stare she was sending his way. Yes, she wanted to shower, oh boy did she want to shower badly right now. But she wanted Owen to go first. It was his van, his home. Plus, she wanted some time with Maisie, to get to know the girl a bit. Also, she knew that if she showered, her body would force itself straight to bed afterwards. 

Owen walked past the two girls and gave Claire a questioning look. She knew what that look meant but she was too tired to argue and gave his back a pad before he closed the door. 

Right. 

Hello friends, it's me 

How do you like it so far? Going too fast? too slow? Give me your opinions.

I love receiving comments from you guys saying you like the story and can't wait for more. What I would love more than your lovely comments tho, was if you guys pointed out the specifics that you liked. 

It would help me a great deal! Thank you :)