Keeping You in the Aftermath
Chapter 4
"She is now about twelve miles from her paddock," Owen pointed up to the screen above them, with a stationary red blinking light by the edge of the park and a trail of green lights that signified the intended path leading to her paddock. "Every one of those green lights are trail check-points, planted every half a mile, so twenty-four in total."
Barry had joined the T-rex recovery mission, along with four park rangers, and they stood gathered in the dim control room, studying the park grid that was operated by Lowery from his monitor. Owen turned to the men, "There are six of us, so each of us are responsible for covering four stations. Here is the trail map, and on it you'll see the designated numbers assigned to you."
He handed each a piece of paper, "As you can see, Barry, you're the first leg, assigned to stations one, two, three, and four. Kip, you're the second leg. Then it's Murray, Stevie, and Diaz. And I'm the last leg leading into the paddock."
Owen waited until the men nodded in compliance, "In each of your trucks, we have placed four racks of meat, each weighing approximately thirty pounds. At your station, you'll find a tracking pole that looks like this. Lowery…"
"Coming right up, boss man."
Owen squinted at Lowery in veiled chagrin, but as soon as the screen displayed the graphics of the tracking pole, he turned his attention back onto the men, "As you can see, there is an attaching mechanism located at the bottom of the pole. You are to clip the rack of meat to that mechanism, but not just that, you are to pull on the red lever at the top."
"What does that do?" Barry asked, just as the graphics enlarged upon the red lever.
"What it does is…" Owen pointed at the screen, showing the top of the pole now blinking in bright flashing red light, "Not only that, it will also activate the low-frequency sonic system. T-rexes are highly visual creatures, with excellent hearing. We're certain that she will be able to sniff out the meat, but we're just doubling up on the insurance to stay on course."
"Technically, tripling up…" Lowery muttered under his breath, but sheepishly grinned under Claire's disaffected glare.
"Once these systems are triggered, you have ninety seconds to get the hell out of there…" Owen continued, "And if you can see T-rex, that means she can see you, too. So stay off her grid. We don't know what condition she is in, but if she's as hungry as we think she is, then she is a very dangerous animal. Your first and foremost concern is your safety, and your priority is to avoid playing the mouse to the world's most dangerous cat."
"Use your walkie, keep communication lines open and active. And I repeat, your safety is your first priority. Abort operation immediately if you're on her path, or god forbid, if you're being chased. I can tell you, T-rex loves the chase and she never gives up."
"Any questions?" Owen looked at each of the men, then turned to Lowery, "You are to report her every movement, got that? Keep your eye on that tracker."
"Got it."
"Alright then, let's move." And with a firm nod, Owen started for the elevator when Claire stepped into his path.
"What about me?"
"What about you…?"
She stepped a bit closer to Owen, with a tight smile firmly planted with her rigid posture, "Where am I stationed?"
"You're already there, sweetheart." Owen snorted with a crooked grin, and Barry tried to muffle his snickering, but failed miserably.
"What do you mean already there?"
Owen pointed to an empty chair next to Lowery, "That's your station. I did you a favor, you don't have to move a muscle."
"What..oh, no…" She protested, dismissing the few chuckles from the men and certainly their awkward glances, "I'm going out there with you…I'm in charge here, and I am not going to just sit around and…"
"The only thing you're in charge of is that chair, and your ass on that chair."
"Ouch…" Lowery's meek voice broke through the hushed room, "That's gotta hurt…"
"Excuse me?" She was about two seconds away from ripping out his patronizing eyes, "Did you…did you just say my ass…?"
"Umm, Owen?" It was Barry who spoke cautiously from behind Claire, "We'll head out first, man. We'll go check out the trucks…"
Owen merely nodded to him, and as soon as the men entered the elevator, he grabbed Claire's arm and pulled her away from Lowery's earshot, "Claire, I don't have time to deal with this right now…"
She freed her arm from his grasp and hissed into his face, "My ass is going out there, and I don't ever need your permission or approval, both of which you can shove 'em up your ass."
"The hell you're not leaving here, Claire."
"Watch me."
But Owen grabbed her arm just as she was ready to storm off, "I'm not having you out there, it's too dangerous."
"I can handle it…now, let go of me."
"Claire, will you just listen for once…" Not only Owen refused her order to let go, but now he had her waist firmly between his two hands, "Whether you can handle it is…frankly, debatable…but I need you here to man the controls."
"You're leaving me here to be Lowery's assistant…"
"No, Claire…" He brought his hand to her face, and gently held her chin with his fingers, "I need you to be my eyes and ears. I'm putting my life in your hands, and I'm trusting you with that…"
"Owen…"
"Claire, please…I can't have this operation without having someone I trust in here."
"Thanks…thanks a lot…" Lowery waved his hand at Owen, "Oh, wait…sorry…forgot I wasn't suppose to be listening."
Owen didn't heed him attention and kept his eyes steadfast upon her, "Claire, can I count on you?"
It would've been easy for her to remain stubborn and insist on getting her way, as she had been accustomed to, according to her reputation, and anything less would cause a serious turmoil in her spectators' conclusions. But this situation presented a downright unfair distraction, that of Owen Grady standing a breath away from her, with his hand beholding her face, and his eyes…darkened with tease and ardor. Not that she could be easily swayed by such frivolous sensibilities, but much to her dismay, it was also becoming increasingly more difficult to retain that wall of discipline and control. "Fine…but I could've done without the ass comment."
"Sorry…can't help my idiot man brain, distracted by your…"
"Owen…"
"Alright, alright…from now on, only the utmost respect to your ass."
"Owen!"
He laughed heartily, "Just messin' with you, Claire…you're too easy."
"Is this…is this how you apologize? By pushing buttons, because it's too easy?"
"OK, I'm sorry…" He then grabbed her chin, and he leaned toward her lips, whispering, "I do sincerely apologize…"
But her state of mind was nowhere he wanted it to be, and she pushed back on his chest, "What do you think you're doing?"
"I'm apologizing…"
"A kiss is not an apology…when will men ever learn that?"
But he leaned closer to her, despite her hand on his chest, "Fine…then a kiss for good luck?"
"If you need luck for the operation, then we're in trouble."
"How about…one for the road?"
"Owen, your men are waiting." Claire held her ground and sternly shook her head, denying him the last sliver of hope for a kiss.
"Gotta hand it to you, Claire, you know how to drive a man crazy."
"Yup, it's too easy."
He lips curled into a broad smile and his eyes crinkled in amusement, "I guess I deserved that…"
Then Owen turned toward the elevator, but before another step he faced Claire with a tender touch to her cheek, "I'll see you in an hour, if everything goes as according to plan."
"In an hour…"
"Be my eyes and ears…"
"OK. Be careful…don't do anything heroic."
"Well…you know me…" Then with his eyes locked with hers, Owen yelled over to the front of the control room, "Hey, Lowery, you listenin'?"
"Yup…"
"She is not to leave this room under any circumstances. I'm personally putting you in charge of that. Got it?"
"Got it!" Lowery raised his hand to give him a thumbs up, and after a last caress to her cheek and a warm smile, Owen prompted toward the elevator.
"Owen…" Claire called him to protest, but the face she saw as the elevator door closed on him was one of resolve and finite determination, as if there was no more discussion to be had regarding her location.
"Great…" She made her way next to Lowery, and focused upon the red blinking light, "Be a good girl, today…just eat your lunch and make your way home…"
"Can't keep up with you crazy kids…" Lowery blurted while busily typing, "So…you fired him, but hired him back…does that mean you guys are back together? And how does that work out with the boss and the employee situation?"
"Shut up, Lowery…"
"You should've kissed him, though…" He ventured hastily, "Just sayin'…it could be the last time you see him…you know, who knows what can happen out there…with him running around with a dinosaur and all…"
"Shut up, Lowery!"
. . . . . . . . . .
"Murray is good to go, he is off trail. Stevie is at station and ready." Lowery spoke into the mic, as Claire intently watched the red blinking light well on its way down the green lit trail, about half way to the paddock.
"Location on T-rex?" Owen's voice flickered through the intercom, and Claire winced at the unsteady frequency.
"She is at station twelve, happily chomping away. Half way mark, and on good pace."
"Good, let's keep it that way."
Lowery looked at Claire with a disapproving smirk, as she had remained standing for the entire hour. "You can relax, Claire. She's eating…and the plan is actually working. Amazing…"
"I will relax when Gate Nine is closed, and with her behind it."
"Control room…this is Stevie. I'm clear and off grid."
"Good job, Stevie. T-rex is on trail and steady." Lowery eyed the red blinking light at station sixteen, "Diaz, Diaz, waiting for Diaz."
"Diaz at station seventeen and ready."
"That's a go-ahead…you're good to go."
"Roger that."
Lowery snickered behind Claire, "Do they still say, 'Roger that'? It always makes me laugh when I hear that…I don't know why…"
Claire didn't heed to any of Lowery's words, but kept her eyes firmly fixated upon the red blinking light, as it coursed past station sixteen and onto seventeen. So far, the pace had been steady and uneventful, but they were dealing with a nine-ton T-rex, and Claire had yet to breathe in suspense of creature's jaunt across the park. Claire eyed the two blinking yellow lights on the grid, one belonging to Diaz heading toward station nineteen. And the other yellow light belonged to Owen, awaiting for the T-rex at station twenty.
"Did you…did you see that?" Lowery exclaimed suddenly, pointing at the grid.
"What?"
"T-rex…she skipped right over station seventeen. She didn't eat…and she's moving fast…"
With a deathly focus, Claire fixed her eyes upon the red blinking light, and Lowery was right, T-rex had picked up speed. And as it headed towards station eighteen, she gasped as it ran right past it without eating. Claire looked at where Diaz was, and the T-rex was just a quarter of a mile away.
Claire snatched the mic from Lowery and screamed into it, "Diaz, Diaz, do you copy? Diaz?"
"This is Diaz."
"Abort mission, get off the trail. T-rex is right behind you. I repeat, abort mission and get off the trail."
"Copy that, mission aborted. Going off grid."
She watched as the blinking yellow light headed south, and sighed in a bit of relief when T-rex stayed on course on trail. But Claire cried out in panic when she saw that T-rex was headed straight toward Owen about a mile away.
"Owen…Owen…pick up your damn walkie!" She screamed into the mic, "Owen! Can you hear me?"
"I can hear you, Claire. What the hell is going on?"
"You need to get out of there, T-rex is right at your trail less than a mile away, and she is coming at you fast."
"Where's Diaz?"
"He's safe, he's off grid. You need to abort mission, now."
"What happened with the T-rex?"
"I don't know…she stopped eating and picked up speed. But I'm not having this discussion with you right now…get your ass out of there, now!"
"Did you just call attention to my ass?"
"Owen!"
"Over and out."
"Owen…Owen? What the hell…" He had turned off the connection, and Claire can only watch the blinking yellow light in breathless anticipation. T-rex was now just a quarter of a mile away when the yellow light started to move…but he was moving along the trail. He did not go off grid, as she had ordered him to.
"That son of a bitch!" Claire cursed out loud and grabbed the mic again, when in an instant the red blinking light disappeared from the screen. "What the hell was that? What the hell just happened?"
"I don't know…" Lowery furiously worked on his monitor, "Her tracker is on…but…it looks like it's malfunctioning from where it's positioned…in her…"
"Oh, god…this cannot be happening…" It didn't help that Owen was staying doggedly on the trail, now being chased blind. She held the mic and screamed into it, "Owen! Owen…pick up the walkie, goddamn you…"
The yellow light was still moving, and it was now about half a mile from the paddock. But the intercom remained dead silent.
"Owen…Owen…pick up!" Claire couldn't breathe, "Owen…Owen…pick up the damn walkie…"
"Claire…"
"Owen, what the hell is going on?"
"Not…now…"
And the intercom went silent again.
"No…no…no…" Claire paced around the floor in panic, feeling utterly helpless and desperate…if something happened to Owen…and she'd be damned to stay there and just watch without doing something about it. And in the chaos of her feverish thoughts in full hysteria, she started toward the elevator, disregarding the glaring detail that she had no idea what she was doing, but hoping against hope that she'd figure something out by the time the elevator reached upstairs.
"Hey, where are you going?" Lowery called out to her, "Claire, get back here..."
"I'm going to go…help."
"Are you out of your mind?" Lowery ran and stood before the elevator, "What are you gonna do…scare up the T-rex? Stand in her way? Because that's gonna work out just great for you."
"Get out of the way, Lowery."
"Claire, I can't let you go…"
"Lowery…"
"Owen will kill me if I let you leave, and you know, I kinda appreciate not being killed."
"I can't just sit here and do nothing…I won't watch Owen…"
"Become a tasty dessert?"
"Lowery!"
"Geez…Owen was right, you are too easy…"
Claire was getting ready to push Lowery aside when they heard the intercom beeping, and she ran to it without missing a beat. "Owen?"
"Get ready to close Gate Nine."
"What are you doing?"
"Wait for my count…in five…"
"Owen, what the hell are you doing?"
"He's inside…" Lowery pointed to the video cam streaming on the side screen, "He led her into the paddock…son of a bitch…"
Claire gasped in horror as she watched T-rex, and she had Owen cornered against the far wall of the paddock. He was thrusting one of the tracking poles with its bright flashing red light…he was holding her attention until the gate closed. Claire knew what he was about to do…and she didn't even have time to pray, as every option at this point seemed too late to consider.
"Claire, close the gate."
"Are you out of your mind?"
"Claire, now! Or I'm a dead meat, literally."
Lowery didn't wait for her signal as he pressed the button, and the gate lurched in motion. Claire muffled her scream with her hand over her mouth, as the gate started to close, and Owen was still waving the tracking pole at the T-rex. Then, just when it looked impossible and time had long gone to the losing side, Owen threw the tracking pole to the field yonder, and he dashed for the gate. And between the sliver of the closing gate, he slipped through and tumbled to the ground.
"That's some bad ass son of a bitch, right there…" Lowery muttered under his breath, as he leaned back in his chair and breathed out a loud sigh of relief.
"He has got to stop doing that." Claire herself fell onto a near-by chair, feeling utterly spent and exhausted, with her heart still trembling in frenetic shock. And she had yet to decide whether Owen deserved a good smack to the face, or if she should just kiss the shit out of him.
"Are you guys there?"
"Yup…" Lowery answered him.
"I'm on my way to the control room. See you in ten."
. . . . . . . . . .
"Owen…"
Claire spotted him standing with Barry, Stevie, and Kip by their trucks when she exited from the control tower, and at first sight, she ran to him and threw herself into him, holding him tight with both of her arms wrapped around his neck. She was fully aware that this very sudden and very public show of affection was unwarranted of her reputation and character, but at that moment, being carried by a wave of relief and release, her only defense was that she just couldn't help it. She could even gladly disregard the embarrassment, just as Barry feigned his cough in awkward bewilderment.
"Claire…I'm alright…" Barry wasn't the only one caught in the awkward as Owen tentatively placed his hand on her back to soothe her, "I'm alright…"
"Don't you ever pull a stunt like that again."
"Truth is, that's my signature move."
"I know…and that's a problem."
Claire released her arms from him, and found that the men had all but disappeared. "Where are Murray and Diaz?"
"They're back in the ranger tower…they're good and alive…and they have successfully transitioned back from being lunch meat to park rangers."
"That's not funny."
"The mission was a success, Claire. I'm allowed to have a little bit of fun, aren't I?"
"Success is a funny word to use here, as you ending up inside the paddock with T-rex was not part of the plan."
"Things change and plans change…you have to roll with the punches."
"I bet you jumped at the chance to get in there with T-rex, Mr. Alpha of all species."
Owen laughed in a roaring amusement, "Imagine being the alpha to that T-rex, that's some bad ass mother f-…"
"Owen…"
"I'm gonna choose to take whatever you said to me as a compliment, but she was about two miles away from the paddock…I had to do what was necessary, because I wasn't going to screw it up. We can't afford another day with her out on the loose."
"Well…that was incredibly reckless...and stupid."
"Don't dismiss the stupid…because sometimes that's what life throws at ya." Then Owen's lips curled into a smile, "But I'm touched that you were so worried about me…Claire, you do care about me after all."
"Of course, I care…it'd be me cleaning up your limbs off the ground."
"Nah, she would've swallowed me up whole, me being such a fine lookin' tasty treat."
"More like a hotdog on a stick."
"Eh…still an irresistible treat, to any female blood such as yourself…"
"Who knew T-rex had such a stalwart self-control, seeing that she let an irresistible treat get away…"
"It's her loss…" His smile lingered on his face, but his tone suddenly changed, "We do need to have a conversation about her health. She stopped eating at station seventeen…that's barely half a day's worth. She didn't eat for three full days…she should be eating a lot more than that."
"Something is not right…"
"She's injured. And when she was chasing me, it wasn't because she was hungry."
"What should we do?"
"I don't know…it's not like we have a dinosaur veterinarian at our disposal."
"At the least, we need to get a sampling of her blood. But the lab had been shut down, and I have no idea when we will have enough equipment and manpower to open it up…"
"Well, we've gotta figure something out, because she is angry and agitated. And that's not safe for anyone in the park."
Claire was lost in thought when Owen leaned in to get her attention, "We are…we are still on for tonight, right?"
"What?"
"Our date…you didn't come here to pick a fight with me, so you could get out of our date, did you?"
"Oh, the date…" She didn't know why her cheeks just flushed in heat, and she squirmed in embarrassment, "No…I mean, yes…we're still on."
"Good…" Owen smiled broadly, "I'm gonna take care of Blue for the rest of the day…do you wanna come to the raptor paddock after work?"
"Yeah…sure."
"Great…then, I'll see you there."
. . . . . . . . . . . .
As Claire drove into the lot next to the raptor paddock, the place seemed nearly empty and deserted. She saw couple of maintenance crew by the feeding barracks, but there was no sign of Owen, or even Barry for that matter. She quickly glanced at the small clock on her car, and it was a bit after seven o'clock. Was she that late?
She parked the car, and then pulled down the windshield mirror to check her make-up and hair. After a full days of work, and especially after the adventures with T-rex earlier in the afternoon, her face looked absolutely ashen and ghastly. She quickly fished out a lip gloss from her bag, and swiped it across her lips. She also wiped the smudges of her melted eyeliner, and cursed at not being able to find a compact blush in her bag. Then she looked over her hair, and attempted to settle some fly-aways from her now frizzy hair. "Oh, what's the use…"
Indeed, it was no use, and Owen had to just accept her as she presented. Plus, this was Owen…and what did it matter what he thinks? This was going to be just a shot of tequila, as he had put it, and their so-called date will be over with. Nothing to be too concerned about, and she just had to get through it, all for the interests of the company…and that's that. And really, what it boiled down to was her acting on behalf of the company, and if this was a small sacrifice she must relegate to, then so be it.
But as she stepped out of the car, she couldn't explain why she felt compelled to ditch her blazer, and opted to show off her deep V-neck dress. Or if she had truly dared, she would even admit that in the morning, the date was all she could think about as she rummaged through her closet. Black was too dreary…red was too suggestive…white was too business-like…so she settled on deep green to off-set her red hair and accentuate her eyes. But, lest she forgets, this date was most definitely her sacrifice for work.
"Claire! Hey, Claire!"
She turned toward the sound of Owen calling her, and found him in the holding paddock, with Blue as its only resident. He was stroking Blue's head strapped onto the metal enclosure, and Claire felt timid in the presence of the animal, as if she was intruding upon a clandestine lovers' tryst.
"Hey, Claire…wow…you look great. And I'm underdressed…again."
"Why am I not surprised…"
"Yeah, you probably shouldn't have too high of an expectation for me, as far as the dress code goes."
"I'll let it slide this time."
"Are you insinuating that there will be a next time?" Owen turned to the raptor, "What do you think, Blue? Should I read into it or not?"
Claire simply smiled and stood next to Owen, and watched silently as he stroked Blue's face. It was still so surreal to behold of this creature so close, to see into the depth of her darting eyes, and even hear her breathe. And when Blue shook her body in the containment, Claire felt the ground jolt from the tremors rattling through the metal, and she gasped in wonder and in terror of the power and the strength of the raptor. It was just yesterday that Blue was the predator in the wild, but today, she looked almost tame and helpless under Owen's caressing hands. It didn't help that she was the lone occupant amongst the three empty containment enclosures.
"How is she?"
"She's been good…roamed around by herself today, feeling out her home again."
"She must know the three others are gone…"
"She's a smart girl…she knows what happened to them."
Claire couldn't help but to place her hand upon his arm and lean into his shoulder, as the loss was just as his and the grief must be just as deep. He cooed at the raptor under his breath, "You'll be fine, Blue, you'll be just fine. You're a survivor, and we have each other."
Then he turned to Claire, "Do you wanna touch with her? Wanna try it?"
"Oh…I don't know…"
"Come on, Claire…she's not lethal by touch." He then patted a flat spot upon Blue's head, "Right here…put your hand right here."
Claire was aware her hand was shaking as she extended it toward Blue's head, and with the last look into Owen's reassuring eyes, she laid her hand gently upon the raptor. Her skin felt cool to the touch first, but it became warm like heat was being generated from deep within. The surface was almost too smooth, but it was tough and resilient, and was unlike anything she had touched before. Blue shifted her head under Claire's touch, and she felt as though she could sense the core of the raptor's power underneath her fingers. "Hello, Blue…my name is Claire…and you are an amazing animal…"
"It's pretty wild, don't you think?"
"Yeah…"
Owen smiled with a certain boyish mischief, "You know…I told Blue about you…"
"Really…"
"I told her about our date tonight…and I told her she had every reason to be jealous of you."
"Did you also tell her that this was only a one-time deal?"
"I don't think we have agreed upon that yet…"
"And did you tell her that I'm more than willing to concede your affections to her?"
"Well, now, you should always put up a fair fight, Claire. I have a feeling you have a good chance of winning, though…"
Claire stroked Blue's head and spoke toward her, "Blue, he's all yours. You can have him and keep him."
"Good night, Blue…" Owen stroked her head for the last time, "I'll tell you all about the date tomorrow…but you should start worrying, if I were you. You might be losing your alpha tonight…"
"Let's go, Owen."
They made their way out to the lot, and Claire fished for her car keys in her purse, "Alright, I'll meet you there."
"No, Claire…this is a date, you're riding with me." And Owen grabbed her arm and led her toward his Jeep parked under a tree.
Then they spotted Barry coming out of the far gate, "Hey, Owen…Claire…"
"See you tomorrow, man."
"See you, Owen…and umm…have a good night, you two."
Claire looked back at Barry, as she was certain she had just heard him laugh behind her. She turned to Owen sharply, "Do you tell Barry everything?"
"Not everything…well, not quite…almost everything…"
"Unbelievable…"
"Relax, Claire…it's a date and not some classified national security."
"Well, whatever that happens tonight, it's off limits…especially to Barry."
Owen laughed at her insistence, "And just what do you think will happen tonight?"
"Nothing…"
"Well, I guess then there would be nothing to tell."
"Owen, you know what I mean…"
"No, I don't know what you mean."
"Let's…let's just go…to our night of nothing."
. . . . . . . . . . . .
"Why are there six glasses?"
"Because I ordered six rounds."
"I thought we're only drinking one glass…"
"Oh, Jesus…Claire…will you just relax?"
She looked down upon the six shot glasses lined up in rows before her, all filled with clear liquid to the brim. The waitress had also brought them a small bowl filled with cut lime wedges and a small container of salt. Owen eyed her with scrutiny, "Obviously, you have no idea what any of this is…"
"No…"
"OK, then, I'm gonna have to show you. First off, you start with the salt." He picked up the salt container, and poured some salt on the table. "You lick your hand…like this…and press onto the salt."
He licked just below his thumb, and then pushed it onto the salt on the table, and as he lifted his hand, Claire saw that some of the salt had remained on his hand. "Then you hold the lime in the same hand."
"This is how you drink your shot of tequila. Lick the salt off your hand, down your liquid venom, then bite into the lime and suck in the juice. Like this…salud…" With a wicked grin, Owen licked the salt off of his hand, much to her faint disgust, then drank his shot in one gulp, and bit into the lime with gusto. He even let out a loud yelp at the end, with a healthy dosage of contentment.
"Ready to try it?"
"I guess…"
"Come on, let's drink together."
Then she followed Owen's movements, starting with the licking of her hand and dipping it onto the salt on the table, which she found to be quite unsanitary. She then held the lime in the same hand, and she picked up her shot glass with another hand.
"Salud…" Owen cheerfully clinked his glass into hers, and drank first, with the satisfied yelp at the end to conclude the motion.
Claire stared at her clear drink. This was it…and it wouldn't be that bad, right? Then, with determination and an ample of motivation to just getting it over with, she licked the salt off of her hand, and downed the drink in one gulp. Then she bit into the lime and inhaled in the juice.
"Aargggh…" She felt the wicked liquid course through her veins, with its sharp and stinging kick. Her throat burned like fire had scraped by, and it felt as though the liquid had flared up to her nose. Then it hit her head, then her stomach, with a punch of strong concoction alien to her body. She had never been a drinker, if at all, and this liquid brought a jolting shock to her senses.
"Congratulations, Claire, on your very first shot of tequila. First of many, I presume?"
"This…this burns my throat…and my nose…"
"You're not doing it right…" Owen leaned into her in midst of the loud music in the bar, "When you down the tequila, don't breathe in. Bite the lime, and then breathe. That should cut the burning from the liquor. Here, try another one…"
"Oh, no…"
"Claire, you've gotta do it properly to enjoy it."
"Owen, that was my one shot of tequila."
"Yeah, so?"
"That's it…our date is over."
"Oh, for cryin' out loud…" Owen leaned back into his chair and stared at her with a scowl, "Fine, Claire…if you wanna go, let's go. I'm a man of my word…one shot of tequila date, it is."
Owen didn't mask his disappointment, and as Claire sheepishly looked around the bar, she was willing to admit that being there with him was actually kind of nice. Owen didn't turn out to be a lout at the bar who drank too much and talked too much, and truthfully she was enjoying his company and the simple fact that they were alone together. And perhaps there was some cause to celebrate, as they were able to successfully bring T-rex back to her paddock. Plus, it was Friday night, after all…no harm done.
"Alright…maybe couple more shots won't hurt."
"That's my girl."
. . . . . . . . . .
Claire didn't know how it happened, but when she looked down upon the table, all of her shot glasses were empty, and not only that, it seemed like she had drank some of Owen's as well. She found Owen across the table with a stern look on his face, and she smiled at him…because she was happy…very, very, tingly happy. And the more she smiled at him, his face became fuzzy and definitely furry…as if he was turning into a giant teddy bear. "Hey…big bear…"
"Alright, I've gotta get you home…you're drunk."
"I am not drunk…"
"Claire, you drank all of your shots, plus three of mine. Sweetheart, you're drunk."
"If I'm drunk, would I do this?" She then got up from her chair, and never mind that suddenly she had no control over her legs, she made her wobbly way toward Owen. He watched in curious perplexity as she proceeded to plop down upon his lap, with her arm firmly draped across his shoulder, "Do you still think I'm drunk?"
"Yes…very…let's get you home, Claire." He attempted to get her back on her feet, but she protested with a loud groan.
"You're never fun, Owen…big, strong Owen…" Then she grabbed his cheek and brought his lips close to hers, "You're one handsome fella…"
"Maybe you're not that drunk after all." Owen muttered while shaking his head, "Come on, princess…time to go."
But she was intent on doing something entirely different, as she leaned into his lips and kissed him. Owen pushed away, "Woah, what are you doing?"
"I'm kissing you, silly…" And she leaned into his lips again, but he held her firmly against him.
"No…Claire…"
"Owen…don't you wanna kiss me…"
"I do…but not when you're drunk…"
"Then, why don't we do this…" Claire leaned into him and caressed the nape of his neck, then whispered into his ear with her lips teasingly grazing his ear lobe, "Why don't you take me to your…bungalow…and we can kiss there…"
"Claire…" Owen attempted to push her away, but his efforts were becoming less and less convincing. It didn't help that Claire had just left a trail of kisses on his neck, and he didn't protest to that.
"Owen…I'm yours for the night…"
"Claire…you're very drunk…"
"I know you want me…"
"Claire…"
"What are you afraid of, big boy?"
. . . . . . . . . . .
A/N: I feel like I'm not writing Owen Grady, but Chris Pratt because I'm a big fan of his goofy humor. Ahh, whatever…this is FAN FICTION, so I hope you'll throw me some graces with it!