infinite1ups | Dinner (@americanass)

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Dinner (@americanass)

It was a good thing Claire didn't have any work to do that was terribly important, because she'd spent most of the day distracted thinking about the night before. Confessing her feelings for Steve had been on her mind for weeks, and she could never figure out the right time to go there. Maybe it had been her vulnerability after the nightmare, maybe not, but last night apparently was the time. Whether it was the right time, she still wasn't sure.

Neither could she gauge how Steve seemed to feel about the whole thing, as she hadn't had much opportunity to see him, much less talk to him. They both seemed to be busy, though she hadn't forgotten his offer of dinner that night. Just dinner, no mention of a date, not that she'd really expected that. They both needed time to sort this out, maybe sitting down to talk over dinner would help, especially after each took their time to think it over privately that day. She imagined he was thinking it over now, even if he hadn't considered it before.

As the afternoon inched closer to evening, she considered dinner plans. Claire knew her impulsive nature was influencing her now, but she couldn't help wanting to do something nice. Not a date. She wasn't going to go all out, just prepare a little something for the two of them. It was easy enough see him in passing, to request that he meet her in the dining room around six. And then she got to work.

Claire held herself to some semblance of playing it cool, of not trying to prepare anything too extravagant or that might give the impression that it was a date. No, it was just dinner. A simple pasta dish, a salad. No wine, that would... imply things, and it wouldn't do either of them much good anyway. At least, she thought she recalled that Steve's alcohol tolerance was on a level with hers.

Once the table was set, all she had left do was, well. Wait. He'd probably be on time, she guessed, but she was growing too nervous to check the time. Of course he'd show up, right?

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"What? Like candlelight dinners, walks on the beach?" He joked, teased, but the interest in the answer was still genuine. He wanted to know everything she wanted. He wanted to know how to make this thing work and what was going to make her happy.

If it took candlelight and walks on the beach, if it took throwing rose petals down on the bed like people did in movies, he'd do it and he'd be happy to.

His feelings for Claire might be complicated, they were definitely complicated and they were going to take some time to sort out, to figure out what was real and what was his own fantasies and what was the heat of the moment, but if there was anything he was already sure of it was that he wanted her to be happy and he wanted her to want things the way he wanted them.

And he wanted them.

"Somethin' like that, yeah," she agreed, perhaps sounding a little shy. It felt silly saying it out loud. "Just, you know, cuddling up for movie nights. Maybe taking a long drive. Anything, really."

Everything was better when they were together, even the mundane stuff. Volunteering so much of her time to put in the extra work with Steve was as much to be around him as it was to be helpful. She felt sort of lucky that things had seemed to work out on both fronts. Their time together was always the highlight of her day, and she was proving herself to be useful for the team - it was a win-win.

"Of course, I'd be lying if I said I hadn't thought about... everything we just did. Thought about that maybe more than I should've." Claire's voice was quiet, head still resting against his chest as she spoke. There was a low rumble of a laugh, and she continued, "And I can't tell you how many times you'd poke your head in my room to check on me at night, just when I was thinking about how much I wanted you to exactly that. But then I'd always imagine it ending up with you kissing me somehow."

Romance as she described it didn’t sound all that different from the way they already spent time together. It sounded like friendship but somehow somehow still more. Maybe just because they wanted it to be more. Because they knew they wanted it to be more now.

He gave a soft hum and his fingers began tracing idle lines against her skin, touching just for the sake of touching, just because he could now. They’d crossed the line and no matter how far over it they wound up going, right then and there there was nothing Steve wanted more than to just keep touching her. To keep holding her to his chest like he never had to let go again.

“It’s too bad you never said anything. We could’ve been doing this a long time ago.” Except that probably wasn’t true. Steve knew it was a unique set of circumstances, just the right feelings at just the right time that had brought them close enough together to even realize that it was something that could be real.

And he had no illusions that he’d ever have let himself want it if Claire hadn’t moved first. He’d have forever called it fantasy.

"I wanted to," she admitted, sighing. "I was scared. Thought I'd mess things up, make it awkward, or get in trouble somehow. Even if nothing ever happened between us, I wanted to keep working with you." Which was to say, she'd rather have Steve as just a coworker, mentor, and friend than not at all. To think she could have it all was basically a dream come true.

Those little touches were relaxing, as evidenced by the way Claire seemed to melt in his arms. She could fall asleep like this, she thought, but she wasn't ready for sleep just yet. No, she didn't want to miss this for anything.

"This morning I decided it was worth the risk to try," Claire added thoughtfully. "I figured if I waited for a sign from you I might never see one." Of course, she was teasing, knowing all too well that he was trying his best to be professional, no matter how deep and intimate those late night talks had gotten. She appreciated that he held her in such regard to be so careful with her.

And she had been careful in her own right, taking the time to sort out that her feelings weren't just superficial or flippant. She didn't make a move until she was certain about how she felt.

Her head lifted from his chest to turn her face up and smile at him, a touch playful. "We can make up for lost time all you like, though."

She joked, but she was right. There never would have been as sign. Because Steve never would have let there be anything more than there was if she hadn't made the move. He was glad she had. The options now laid out before them now were exciting and everything he could have imagined and more. Sooner or later they would have to figure out what those things were, what they wanted them to be, but for the time being just laying in bed and talking like they always did seemed right.

And Steve always liked the way they could talk to each other. It was comfortable. He could be more honest with her than he was with just about anyone. Even if he'd never thought he'd be able to tell her he was interested in her as more than what she was.

His expression brightened a little when she lifted to look at him, arching up to kiss her impulsively. Quick and light and just because he could. "Oh, I like," he agreed easily. "Just how long are we talking about making up here? Because I've been looking at you since...just about the first day I met you."

Looking at her, it was impossible not to think she was beautiful, not to want her. He'd just been resolved to never acknowledge it.

She loved that this was so easy for them, just laying there and talking. They'd spent so many hours talking in bed, late into the night, that even with the change in dynamic, it still felt natural. That emotional intimacy had already started between them, long before the physical.

Another thing Claire loved, was how easily those small shows of affection came. Little touches, little kisses, indeed just because they could.

But even still, she was surprised at what Steve said. That long? Claire never would've guessed. He hid it so well.

"Since we met, really...? I mean, about that long, yeah." Her cheeks were getting warm again, and now she wasn't sure if it was because she was blushing, or if she was getting worked up once more. Maybe it was both.

Regardless, she couldn't help but grin. "You know, when I first met you, I had one ridiculous but distinct thought. If you gave me a piggyback ride, I'd be your backpack. That's where my brain went at first."

At first, being the key words. Her other thoughts had been far less wholesome and goofy.

Edited 2023-05-20 01:18 (UTC)

Steve couldn’t help it. He laughed. The image she painted was so ridiculous, should remind him more that she was so much younger than him, technically, but all it really did was make him like her even more. It was endearing. He'd never call her innocent, knew her too well for that, but that didn't mean there wasn't an innocence to her and that her first thought had been wanting a piggy back? Was a hilarious reminder of just that.

"Why is this the first I'm hearing that one?" he teased. "I've gotta say, you wouldn't make a very good backpack even if you are about the right size for one. You wouldn't be able to hold much stuff."

He couldn't say he'd thought the same sort of thing. Every image he'd ever had of Claire was entirely inappropriate given the relationship they'd had until today. None of them had been romantic, at least beyond the way slow and leisurely sex could be. He couldn't call any of his thoughts about her even close to as innocent as a piggyback.

Steve's laugh was absolutely worth any silliness she felt at actually admitting that out loud. Claire decided she'd gladly make a fool of herself just to hear it again, just about whenever an appropriate opportunity presented itself. The smile on her face lingered as she leaned up to kiss his cheek.

"Oh, yeah. I wouldn't make for a very practical backpack at all," she admitted, giggling. "That thought didn't last very long because I got distracted thinking about possibly needing a stepladder to kiss you." Among other things, of course.

But she was curious to know what he'd thought about doing with her, too. Her lips trailed down over his jaw, then lower to kiss his neck, voice soft and low. "What about you? What'd you think when we met?"

He answered with a thoughtful him, thinking back. His thoughts about her had always run along the same lines, but his very first thought? Had it been so inappropriate?

Pretty much.

“The very first thing I thought was wondering what it’d be like to kiss you.” It hadn’t even occurred to him that the difference in their heights might make it a little less simple than that, but he had always been more than comfortable with simply leaning down as far as was needed, or just solving the problem by both of them sitting. “Which of course led me to wonder about the sorts of things kissing leads to.”

And that was pretty much where he’d stayed, whenever he’d allowed himself to think about it at all.

“I really tried not to think about you as anything but a colleague for a long time though.” To varying degrees of success.

"At first for a bit I was worried you didn't like me that much. That didn't last long before we started being friends, though." Much to Claire's relief, she and Steve simply got along too well not to be friendly with each other.

She smiled warmly, drawing back some to look at him. Though she was still very much staying wrapped up in his arms - there was nowhere else she'd rather be.

"Now, you can kiss me any time you want, and then all those things kisses lead to..." Clearly she had plenty of her own ideas as far as that was concerned.

“Not liking you has never been a problem,”Steve was quick to assure. In fact, the opposite had been a problem for him on more than one occasion. Keeping his attraction to her under wraps had been a struggle.

One he was more than happy to give up.

So when she smiled and said he could kiss her, and more, whenever he wanted, Steve just went with the impulse. His hand lifted to curl into her hair, draw her down to he could kiss her. Long and slow and deep, not so much of the lightness of their conversation. It meant something. It meant all of his fondness and all of his desires and when he broke away he did so with a quick nip to her bottom lip.

“We’re gonna have to start figuring out what we like.” The sex was going to be good regardless but if Steve knew anything it was that a little communication could make it great.

Not from personal experience or anything, but he knew.

That was reassurance that Claire hadn't realized she might have needed. There was, of course, no doubt that Steve liked her now, but it was still nice to know her initial insecurity had been misguided.

Before she could express her relief, however, he was kissing her. She could feel everything behind it, all those feelings and desires, and she melted into him, all other thoughts on hold. Her hand smoothed down his back, content just to touch him until he pulled away from the kiss. That little nip made her shiver.

"I can tell you, I like that," Claire murmurs, her voice a low rumble of contentment. "And I sure don't mind messing around and finding out what else we like."

He liked that little rumble in her voice, something unlike what he was used to with her in all the very best ways. He could get used to hearing that quality. Just like he could get used to having her in his bed.

Especially knowing that neither of them needed much sleep and there were better ways to spend their nights.

Even if that better way was just talking. Just doing exactly what they’d always done together. Steve wouldn’t trade those hours they’d spent for any amount of sex, any number of kisses. Everything that had come first was what was really important to him. All the rest was just extra. A really good one that he wasn’t giving up now that he had it but a bonus all the same.

With a little quirk of a smile he brushed another kiss to her lips, softer this time, briefer. “Good. Because I plan on doing our fair share of messing around.”

She could get used to those kisses, the soft ones just as much as the slow and deep ones. Naturally, she loved their conversations, and even their time spent together quietly. But this new development made her happier than she could even begin to describe.

A hand lifted to cup his face, thumb brushing over his cheek. Steve's smile had always given her a little flutter inside, and now even more so.

"Yeah? Thinking about messing around some more tonight?" Claire asked, amused. She was all too aware of their lack of a normal sleep schedule, and the night was still pretty young.

Though she was completely content to simply snuggle up and talk, she had a feeling they might not be done exploring one another for the night. Maybe that was the best part, the fact that no matter what they did, she was just happy that they were together. Even if it did feel like kind of a cheesy thought, it was the truth.

Her nose brushed gently against his as she leaned in for another kiss. Just because she could. "I'm curious to learn more of what you like."

"I was thinking about it," Steve agreed playfully. "Unless you've got other plans."

He knew she didn't. He didn't. They'd made plans for dinner and to see where the night went and, unless something happened that required their particular brant of help, they were both free to just enjoy each other's company. Which was exactly what they needed to figure out how all this worked and what they liked together enough to keep going day to day without constant distraction.

At least for Steve. He was absolutely sure that until he got his head wrapped around this new development and what it meant and how they were going to move ahead, that was all that he was going to be able to think about. He was a single minded sort of man.

It just so happened that currently his mind was entirely on Claire.

Other plans. Yeah, right. It would have taken a state of emergency to make her leave. The way Claire shifted close, an arm curling possessively around Steve's waist, made that abundantly clear.

"Any plans I have right now involve us not leaving this room at least until the sun comes up," she said, lips brushing against his jaw as she worked her way down to his neck. She moved slowly, exploring and savoring every inch of skin she covered with kisses. Her hand did some exploring as well, palm flat and smoothing up Steve's back, then down again.

Apparently, she was also rather single-minded. Seeing where the night had gone, she wanted to stay there as long as possible. It felt too perfect, better than all her fantasies.

While Claire didn't think she'd be so distracted that she wouldn't be able to complete her work, she knew her focus would be shifted all the same. The initial stages of a romance were generally easy to get swept up in, and this was that on an even more intense level. Overwhelming, but in the best way.

The slow, methodical press of her lips over his skin continued, down to his collarbone. She gave a gentle and playful nibble, humming contentedly. "What else might you be thinking?"

Overwhelming didn't even begin to cover the swirling mess of Steve's feelings. He'd need time to sort through everything, and he wanted to spend every minute of that time, however long it took, with Claire. Wrapped up in her, wrapped around her, enjoying her touch and touching her and listening to every little gasp and moan and hitch of her breath that told him how to do it best.

She was pretty good at telling him so far; he had to hope it kept up.

His hand lifted to tangle loosely in her hair as she made her way toward his chest, the steady beat of his heart picking up in anticipation. "I'm thinking you should keep doing what you're doing and see where that takes us."

Steve had an inkling of an idea of her intentions, didn't dare to hope he was right.

Steve was definitely onto something when it came to figuring out where she was going, though she was certainly taking her sweet time to get there. They had all night, and she wanted to make the most of it.

That included showering him with as many kisses as possible as she slowly down his collarbone. Claire's gaze lifted to smile up at him, a few blonde strands falling over her eyes. Messy and flushed, a far cry from how put-together she usually was when they worked.

"You might be able to guess where it takes me," she teased, eyes on his as she laid a kiss on his chest. Even if she was sure he wanted it as much as she did, she liked dropping hints and making sure he had no objections.

With a quiet hum, she lowered her head once more, lips brushing across his chest. With a nudge, she began gently encouraging him to get on his back.

“Might,” Steve agreed gamely, laughter lingering beneath his voice. “But I think we’d better make sure.” He wasn’t going to tell her to do anything but continue. No chance of that. Even if it wasn’t necessary, even if he’d be perfectly happy to give to her without ever receiving in return. He wasn’t stupid enough to turn an order down.

Especially an offer from the person he wanted. The person he cared about. Would even say he loved in some ways, was looking forward to doing it in others.

He moved easily at her prompting, settling back against the pillows. His hands came to smooth across her back and up her shoulders, to brush through her hair gently. There was no pushing, no nudging her to keep going, just touching for the sake of touching while he let her explore him at her leisure. Even if excitement and anticipation were starting to bubble in him again, every part of him that was impatient urging him to take what he wanted. Steve could be patient when and where it mattered.

It mattered with Claire.

Those gentle touches were all the encouragement she needed. She was clearly eager to keep going without much prodding from Steve. And down she went, shifting further along the bed, kisses trailing toward his stomach. She wasn't even thinking about reciprocation, only about showing her affection and desire.

Despite her eagerness, Claire still took her time. It was a slow exploration, lips and tongue and hands working in tandem to shower every inch she could reach with affection. She had definitely spent time imagining herself doing exactly this, more time than she was currently willing to admit.

"You ought to have guessed by now," she giggled as she crept lower, pressing a kiss above Steve's waist. One hand smoothed down his thigh, and she peeked up again that was every bit as loving as it was mischievous.

"Speak now or else I'm not comin' back up 'til I'm done."

The slow exploration of her mouth did plenty to bring Steve’s excitement rushing back. Not that it took much to get him going in the first place. For months just the thought of Claire’s mouth on his body had been enough. He’d had to be cautious, incredibly so, not to let thoughts like that drift into his mind before. But now? In bed with her and with that eager sparkle when she glanced up at him?

Her mouth on him was all he could think about.

Steve’s breath came a little quicker, pulse racing from her attentions.

“Is that supposed to make me want to stop you?” he questioned in a low laugh, brushing his fingers through her hair again, pushing a few loose strands back from her face. There was no world in which he’d turn away what she was so very clearly offering. Was it necessary? No. But did he want it all the same? Absolutely.

"I'd hope it doesn't," she murmured, glancing up at him again. "Though I'd always stop if you said no. Not to get too serious in the middle of all our fun." Being clear about boundaries was important, especially as they were still in this exploration stage, each learning what the other liked.

Since Steve very clearly wasn't saying no, she was happy to continue. The hand on his thigh curled inward, fingertips creeping up along the inside. All the while, Claire positioned herself between his legs, settling comfortably against the mattress. She could get used to the view from down here, she decided.

But she didn't spend too much time admiring, instead focusing her attention on exactly what she'd fantasized about doing for months. Leaning in, she swept her tongue up along the shaft of his cock, savoring the lingering taste of their lovemaking from before. She repeated the action, hands steadying herself on his hips so she could focus on working with her mouth.

Claire hummed her approval, then gently took the head of his cock between her lips, tongue swirling. Her gaze lifted to his face just to see his reaction. Seeing how much she pleased him was as much a part of the fantasy as everything else.

There was absolutely no doubt in Steve's mind that if he actually wanted to stop and he said as much, she'd back off. Just as he was absolutely sure she understood without him needing to say it that the same was true for him. Steve would never push her into something she didn't want, would always stop if she asked him to.

He'd probably stop if she even seemed to hesitate, he was so cautious about going too far with her.

She didn't seem to be hesitating at all in that moment, and for that Steve was glad. Eager for every touch, he watched her intently, the labored breath not eased at all when she moved to settle between his legs. Breath that was gone completely at the first brush of her tongue. It was a shock of pleasure better than anything he'd imagined. And he'd imagined in a lot of different ways. He'd imagined so much with her. Reality was turning out to be better in every way.

Steve's expression was full of lust-filled wonder when her gaze lifted to his. Seeing her with her lips wrapped around him like that was beyond any image he'd ever painted in his mind, all at once had him throbbing against her tongue.

"Claire, that's..." He didn't even know what it was. Amazing didn't seem to cover it. Steve just brushed his fingers fondly against her cheek, hoped that would get some of the point across.

If her mouth weren't otherwise occupied, she'd be grinning like a fool. The mostly-unspoken praise from Steve was enough to have her over the moon. That gentle touch on her cheek made her eyes flutter closed briefly, and she made another humming sound of approval.

But she wasn't pulling away, even if she had half a mind to tease him. That's what, Steve? Claire might have asked, instead she ducked her head down a little farther, taking him into her mouth more.

Given the obvious delight in her eyes, she was enjoying this as much as he was. She was happy to take her time, to fully explore and learn all the things that made him react. What made his breath catch, what made him moan, what made him forget what he was saying in the middle of saying it.

That look of lust in his eyes gave her a shiver. It had been something she fantasized about but couldn't quite imagine. Steve had always been so careful and controlled around her, it was hard to picture that look on his face.

Now, though, it would live in her memory forever.

Claire didn't move down too much farther, instead pulling up, and then slowly back down. A slow, teasing, torturous rhythm. Though she was eager to show off - she was good at this, and she liked doing it - she wanted even more to make sure he got the most enjoyment.

He wasn’t a man who would do anything to urge her along in what she was doing. Her mouth wrapped around his cock was more than enough, more than he could ever ask for. The slick warmth of her tongue and lips, even the softness of her skin against his thighs, pulled the breath from his lungs and every thought of anything but the way she felt. So Steve didn’t press at all, the hand he touched her with in turn gentle.

His fingers tangled in her hair, keeping it pulled back from her face so he could watch her, watch her lips slide around him. The pleasure it gave was ramped up with the sight of her.

That sparkle of something that looked like real enjoyment in her eyes did as much for him as the physical sensations.

And Steve couldn’t hold back the low groan of appreciation, the way his breath came in heavy huffs and short gasps, as if he couldn’t find the even in between.

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