Chapter 42 –Claire's POV– Her Turn
Claire stood in the middle of a tightly packed hip-clothing store that Eve had recommended. She smiled as she recalled her call with Eve this morning.
"Holy shit!" Eve exclaimed. "Details...and don't you dare leave anything out," she had demanded.
Claire laughed, "Okay, but I have to do some shopping first and then I will swing by Common Grounds."
"I'm sorry, but did you just say, 'you were going shopping?!'"
"Yes...and I need some ideas...if you know what I mean."
"Well, I am not sure if your fashion sense is going to automatically improve just because of one good lay..."
"Fantastic lay..." Claire corrected her, giggling.
"...Fantastic lay, then...but I'll give you a gold star for effort."
"So, where do I go?"
Eve had given her the name of three shops with eclectic and unusual clothing. Claire absentmindedly slid skirts along the rack at the last shop. Eve had been right about the stores, and Claire was surprised by some of her own choices – garments and styles she had been immediately attracted to – way more aggressive and bold than she had before.
She felt like Myrnin somehow did that for her. She was so tired of hurting. She had suffered at such an intense level of pain for so long, that she truly hadn't thought she would survive. She forgot what it felt like to live. Myrnin was bursting with life, and Claire felt intoxicated by the very presence of him.
She glanced down at her phone. "Shit," she swore softly under her breath when she realized she had promised Eve she would be there in fifteen minutes. Claire left the store empty-handed; she wasn't really bothered by that, as she already had several bags in the car.
They pulled up to Common Grounds and Claire tumbled out of the car; excited to show Eve. She put her phone gently between her teeth, so she could free up her hands. Even still, she had to shuffle the bags a bit to bring them all in in one trip.
"Bitch!"
Claire smiled. From anyone else that might have been offensive, however for Eve, it was a term of endearment.
Eve's eyes widened when she saw the volume Claire was carrying. She reached out to grab Claire's phone from her mouth and set it on the bar, while Claire sank onto one of the bar stools and gratefully dropped the burden of bags she had been holding.
Eve walked around the bar, so she could inspect her purchases. "Wow." Eve pulled out a short, tight dress in shocking red. "Forget 'fantastic lay'...it must have been a mind-blowing lay, to make this kind of a difference in you."
Claire glowed at Eve's words and her appreciation of her new shirts, skirts and shoes.
When Eve was done browsing through the items and making repeated comments about a 'mind-blowing lay' under her breath, she gave Claire a big hug. "I am so glad to see this," she whispered, tears of sincerity glistened in her eyes.
Claire hugged her back tightly before gathering up the bags in both hands, to deposit them back into the car.
Eve shook her head grinning, "I still can't believe you went shopping. You must really be crazy about him..."
Claire blushed lightly, remembering the events of the night before. "Let me go put these in the car and I'll be right back. Then we can drink and, of course, talk to your heart's content." Claire headed toward the door, when she heard her cell phone ping a text notification. She called back to Eve, "That's gotta be Myrnin. He's supposed to text me what time he will be home for our dinner date. Can you grab it and tell me what is says? I want to let the driver know when to pick me up."
Eve tapped lightly on Claire's phone, and then burst out laughing.
"What? Is it from Myrnin?" Claire raised her eyebrows at Eve's expression.
"I sure as hell hope so...or we have a whole lot more to talk about. Of course, I can't be 100% certain since I can't see his face in the picture. I'm guessing you will be able to tell, though, "Eve laughed mischievously.
Claire stood in the doorway, confused. "He sent me a picture? Of what? Did he include the time with it?"
"Well...from this angle," Eve turned the phone, "I'd say that was his dick."
"What?!" Claire gasped. A few of the patrons looked her way and snickered. She almost lost her grip on the packages she was carrying, as she rushed back to Eve.
"Or maybe that's the menu for tonight's dinner..." Eve snickered.
Claire felt heat spread across her cheeks. Eve was still staring intently at the phone. "Are you zooming in?!" Claire spluttered, trying to wrestle the phone from Eve's hands.
"Here you go," Eve surrendered the phone. "So, why didn't you tell me he looked like that?"
Claire's fingers fumbled while she tried to tap the screen into submission. "Like what?"
"You know..." Eve waggled her eyebrows while she held her hands apart in the air.
"Put your hands down," Claire hissed.
"I'm just saying'" Eve continued to giggle while she sipped on her drink.
"Where did he even get this idea?!" Claire remembered their earlier conversation about social media. "Damn Tumblr! He told me he had posted a shirtless picture; if he posted this...I am going to kill him."
Eve spit out her drink, unable to contain the laughter rolling out of her. When she could breathe again, she teased Claire, in a poor imitation of a British accent, "My, my, my...it looks like there's a game afoot. Did you notice the little bitty words beneath it? Apparently he thinks it's your turn..."
Claire looked up at Eve and spoke with a glint in her eye. "Okay...if it's a game he wants..." she left the sentence hang in the air as she contemplated ideas.
Eve's eyes widened. "Are you serious?!"
"Oh...yes. You only live once – might as well enjoy every second of it. Hmmm...I'm just not sure a picture will have the right...impact. Claire looked around the bar until she spotted a pool table and chairs secluded in a corner. "Tell me, could I reserve that table for tonight?"
"Fifty bucks and you have yourself a reservation... but what about your dinner plans?" Eve looked at her curiously.
"We're eating out," Claire grinned mischievously.
When she got back to the lab, Myrnin was already home. "I've changed my mind. We're going out," she smiled as she breezed past him, on her way to the closet.
"Okay," he looked at her inquisitively tasting her good mood. "Not that I am complaining, but what happened to your 'expand my horizons with different foods' plan? What was it going to be tonight...Thai?"
Claire hollered from closet, "Oh...we can do Thai takeout any night; I'm in the mood for something...spicier... tonight."
Claire continued to dig in her closet and through the drawers until she found the shortest skirt she owned. That should do it, she thought smugly. She headed to the bathroom, slipped on the skirt, and inspected her image in the mirror. The black fabric pulled tightly along her waistline and then flared out over her hips in gentle frills. It was definitely short – stopping just a few inches below her bum.
Claire slid her arms through a slim-cut crisp white button down shirt. She left an extra button open at the top. Lastly, she slid off her underwear and went to find shoes. She had to admit her footwear selection was meager. Thankfully Eve had plied her with more than one pair of over-the-top shoes. Claire pulled out a pair of sexy strappy black heels. She slipped them on and tested her stability. She hoped she could maintain her balance because falling on her ass was definitely not the look she was going for tonight.
During the ride to Common Grounds, Myrnin had not stopped staring at her. Claire knew he was evaluating her emotions, aware something was different; but from the look on his face, he wasn't quite sure what.
She smiled innocently and tugged his hand as they walked through the entrance. They were immediately met with pulsing hip-hop music, with bass so loud, Claire could feel the percussion in her chest.
She wound her way through the crowd to the table with an elegant reserved sign, and specifically chose the chair not directly in the corner; leaving that one for Myrnin. The chairs were wide, plush and comfortable. Myrnin sat and relaxed back, looking at her lazily.
Eve emerged from the crowd suddenly, hollering over the music, "I saw you come in. I'm pretty sure this will get you started," she winked at Claire, handing her a glass of clear liquid. Eve turned her gaze to Myrnin expectantly.
"Vodka, it is." He agreed.
Eve nodded with a smile and headed back to the bar.
The next song had a smoother tempo, allowing Claire to actually hear what Myrnin was saying."So...did you just have a sudden desire to play pool tonight," he glanced toward the pool table in front of him.
"Something, like that...," Claire replied coyly.
She saw his lip twitch in amusement. "You know...I feel I should at least warn you. I am somewhat skilled at this game; are you certain you want to challenge me?" he asked with unmistakable humor and confidence in his eyes."
Oh...I may just surprise you." Claire suppressed a giggle, sipping on her vodka.
Eve returned and handed him a glass, smiling innocently. "Very nice naughty bits, by the way."
Claire choked on her drink, sputtering and coughing to regain her breath.
Eve grinned slyly at her and headed back to the bar.
Mynin's eyebrows went up as he looked to Claire, with a smirk. "So...it was good enough to share?"
"Stop looking so damn proud of yourself."
He laughed. "Do you want to eat first or play?" he asked, motioning to the table.
"I think...play."
"Shall I break?" He walked around the table to the tightly racked triangle of balls.
"By all means," Claire nodded. That was not the side of the table she wanted to be on, because it faced the crowd.
Myrnin broke the balls smoothly, dropping both a solid and a stripe into pockets. He set himself for his next shot. Claire caught the tiniest bit of hesitation when he followed through on the stroke, missing the shot.
Claire narrowed her eyes slightly. She knew him far too well. The only thing she hated worse than losing was someone letting her win. He was holding back. Claire smirked to herself. Let's see how long that lasts.
He smiled provocatively as he passed her and settled himself down in the chair. Well, that could not have been more perfect; he was right where she wanted him. Claire examined the available shots from the side of the table that faced directly at Myrnin and away from the crowd.
She glanced over her shoulder, making eye contact with him. He looked smug. It took effort for her not to laugh out loud. She smiled innocently and faced the table again, slowly bending over it, stretching her body into position to strike the ball, lowering her breasts until they almost graced the surface - causing the back of her short skirt to rise, revealing her soft skin beneath. From his seated position behind her, she knew he had a full view of her exposed girly parts.
Instantly he was behind her. His hands gripped her hips intently; his low growl was thick with desire as he demanded in her ear, "Fück me."
Claire giggled, turning around to face him. She reached her hand down; he was rock hard. "But your text told me it was my turn...and I am not done yet," she batted her eyelashes at him.
He pressed his body into her, leaning down to kiss her neck.
"No...no," she said lightly, pushing his chest back. "I distinctly remember you telling me how good you are this game...I'd like to see that."
"What do I get if I win?" he growled in anticipation, his eyes bright with excitement.
"Anything you want..." she whispered. She held his gaze while his pupils dilated almost completely.
She raised her eyebrows, a not-so subtle hint that he would have to stop dry humping her, if they were going to finish the game. He backed away slowly and she turned toward the table, repositioning herself for the shot. She heard him groan. She sunk that and three more solid balls, before missing the next one. She smirked. She might actually have a chance of beating him. She was a fairly decent competitor and she didn't have the handicap of trying to play with a woody in her pants.
Myrnin rounded the table. Claire watched his features. He was beauty in motion; his stance was smooth and his eyes were calculating, determining the best way to win his prize. He quickly dispatched three striped balls, before barely missing the next one. He shifted himself in his pants. Claire smirked.
Claire found herself on her preferred side of the table: her back was again to the wall and to Myrnin. Myrnin strode purposefully and sat in the chair, as she decided which shot to take. She suspected he already knew which one she would pursue and settled himself into the chair to enjoy the show. She leaned over and watched the solid sphere roll smoothly into the pocket, leaving her one ball left before the 8-ball.
The music picked up in intensity and rhythm, as she bent over the table again. She didn't hear his movement, but as she leaned into position, she felt his hand run gently up the back of her thigh. Claire quivered but was determined to keep her focus. She was so close to beating him; something she knew very few people ever did.
She relaxed and held her body still. She was certain she could make it – that is, until his hand slid over and he stroked his fingers along the middle of her soft exposed skin. Her entire body jolted with heat at his touch. Unsurprisingly, she missed the shot. She looked at him wryly, but he kept his face perfectly smooth. He wasn't fooling her. Claire could read even his tiniest expressions –he was far from calm as he circled the table and eliminated the remaining striped balls, leaving the 8-ball his last target.
Myrnin leaned forward into position for the shot. He looked up at Claire, his eyes gleaming with sexual intent while he mouthed the words, 'anything I want'...
Her breath caught.
He followed through with the stroke, without bothering to look back down at the ball. The 8-ball slid into the pocket.
Myrnin set the pool cue down on the table gently, never taking his eyes off of Claire. He advanced on her slowly, eliminating the space between them.
She took a step back and felt the chair behind her.
He wrapped his arms around her and brought his lips down to her neck. "I think we should sit down," he murmured.
Claire glanced over at the chair she had been sitting in earlier.
"No," he whispered as he turned their bodies so that he was closer to the chair; sat down and pulled her onto his lab, all in one smooth motion. Claire couldn't contain the small cry of desire that escaped her lips as she felt him slide into her. She had no idea how he had freed himself from the zipper of his pants without her even seeing the motion.
They looked like any other couple: comfortably seated, the girl on the boys lap. But they were far from any other couple, as he pulsed inside of her, holding her firmly to keep her still; the wavy frills of her skirt flared out, keeping their connection concealed. Her heart raced as she squirmed in eagerness. Myrnin tightened his grip.
"You're close already, aren't you?" he spoke huskily in her ear.
Flickers of anticipation ran up and down her spine. "Yes," she breathed. Claire couldn't deny it. She felt strung as tightly as trip wire – the slightest move from him would set her off completely.
He held her hips and pushed fast upward into her once. His motion had not been noticeable to others, as he held her slightly above his lap; however, the angle of his precise movement, had her seeing bits of color against her closed eyelids. Claire bit her lip, trying not to scream his name.
He held her still again while she tried to wiggle against his grip. "Patience..." he whispered throatily in her ear, heightening her anticipation. Claire did not want to calm down and crushed her lips to his feverishly. He jolted her senses again with another firm upward thrust. She couldn't contain the loud gasp that broke free from her lips.
Myrnin's tongue slowly followed the path from her lips to her throat and up to whisper in her ear, "Are you ready, love?"
Anticipation rocked through her system, leaving her breathless. Claire nodded, unable to speak as he held her.
"It's okay to scream, if you want to..."
Claire wasn't sure she was going to have any choice in the matter.
He suddenly pushed deeply into her, bringing her body down firmly against him. That was all it took. She cried out involuntarily, trying to muffle the sound against his chest. She panted as she felt both of their climaxes. Myrnin still had a firm grip on her hips, not allowing her to move even an inch.
Claire peeked out into the crowd, expecting to find everyone watching her; but no one was even turned in their direction. She giggled breathlessly. "Do you want to stay for dinner?"
"Oh....no...I haven't even begun to do anything I want..." he nibbled on her ear.
Claire's insides clenched again with desire.
"That's good...," he murmured approvingly.
"Are there any other business establishments you would 'fancy a fück' in...maybe the local dry cleaners or the mall?"
"Hmmm...I won't need that for...what I have in mind," he murmured.
Without her permission, another shockingly intense wave of desire flowed through her and she clenched almost violently around him again.
Myrnin moaned, "However you are going to have to stop doing that... or you are going to find yourself on top of that pool table."
.
AUTHOR'S NOTE – CLARIFYING THE 'SCIENCE'
At some point in the future, I may edit to make this 'science' more clear, but time is short so I will just expand on it here for a minute.
Split in Consciousness: occurred the moment 1409 Myrnin experienced an additional/alternate event (he met Claire). Claire did not understand this science at the time, which is why she tried to get him back on his 'original' path by telling him to live life as he 'normally' would.
TWO Timelines: in reality, his newly split consciousness was jerked off of his original timeline and began a second timeline. This action did not change or alter anything on the original timeline; it just started a second one.
Memories: are made up of physical things (actions, spoken words), not thoughts or feelings.
Current Myrnin: the split in consciousness is irrevocable and cannot be breached. This means current Myrnin cannot read 1409 Myrnin's mind; he doesn't 'see' his thoughts and emotions. However, once 1409 Myrnin does, sees or says something, it becomes physical outside of his consciousness, creating a memory. Memories transfer.
Current Myrnin 'sees' this second timeline as it happens but he recognizes it for what it is - an alternate timeline by an alternate self. For him, it is like reading a book about his alternate self - just distant memories.
We don't know yet exactly the extent of his lost memories of Claire on his own timeline; however, when he 'sees' her in the alternate timeline, its just a 'story' in the book to him, nothing more. He watches the events unfold, but none of the emotion is transferred to him.
Time Portal: Once a memory is stolen, it doesn't come back. Within the same timeline, memories and emotions, like love, are connected, which is why the time portal can strip away memories of love.