Chapter fourteen – Summer's End

It was the last week of Summer but the weather was holding; the sun was still shining and the temperature was still soaring. If this had been any other time Gray would have been on the beach, soaking up the rays with Kai, but at this moment he was at Claire's. The two had been all but shunned by most of the town folk so they had been sequestered together ever since Gray had told Mary the truth.

Gray was sitting on the floor by the bathroom door, Claire inside, fighting a losing battle with her stomach. "Have you been taking the morning sickness medicine the doctor prescribed?" Gray asked, his head lolling back against the wall; he felt useless.

"No, Gray! I just really enjoy being stomach sick and unable to do anything!" Claire growled from the bathroom, causing Gray to grimace. Why did it suddenly feel like he was back with his grandfather? "They're fucking useless!"

Gray could hear the water running from the sink, and a moment later Claire exited the bathroom, slumping to the floor besides Gray. "Sorry…" She said quietly, a hand resting on her stomach. "I just feel so shitty most of the time..."

"Nah, it was kind of a stupid question…" Gray offered her a weak smile but when Claire didn't smile back he sighed and wrapped an arm around her. "I'm sorry they didn't help…It must really suck to feel sick all day."

The farmer laid her head against Gray, not saying anything. Claire was really worrying Gray. She hadn't been herself since she found out about the baby, and between barley being able to maintain her farm and loosing her chick, Grace, she had been depressed. Gray did not know what he should do. He came down to her farm every day after wok and, helped out where he could, but Claire still seemed so defeated. Today, somehow, she seemed even more sullen than usual though…

Silently, Claire got to her feet and headed towards her bed. "I have something to show you." She stated. Gray was intrigued, getting up and following Claire to her bed. Claire rummaged through her night stand and Gray sat on the bed, patiently waiting. She turned towards him, a photo of some sort in her hand, and sat down beside him.

"Meet baby Duclerc." She spoke softly, handing the photo to Gray. It was a sonogram, he quickly realized, holding the photo with shaking hands. It took him a moment to find the baby in the picture, but once he saw it, he couldn't look away. That small bean was his and Claire's child. He lowered the photo to Claire's stomach and knelt on the floor, trying to picture the bean growing in there.

Gray's reaction made her smile, and she ran her fingers through his blond hair. "Its weird to think they're really in there, isn't it?" Claire asked. Gray just nodded, mesmerised. "I didn't know they were going to do the scan or I would have asked if you wanted to come."

Claire ran her hand through his blond tresses again, and suddenly inappropriate thoughts started flooding her mind. Gray was between her legs, his arms resting on her legs, and she had her hands in his hair… The all to familiar ache was back in full force.

The blacksmith looked up at the farmer, concern on his face. "You only? I felt you tense up…" Gray asked, noticing the flush on her face. "Are you going to sick?"

Claire shook her head but refused to make eye contact with him. "J-just come sit on the bed." She answered. "Its weird to have you down there…"

"Oh!" Gray jumped to his feet, realizing that it was a bit awkward. "Sorry…I'd feel weird if you were between my legs like-" Now it was Gray's turn to blush, realizing how odd his word choice was. "Wait! Not like in a blow job-way. I just meant, like I just was with you! I-"

"Please, just sit down." Claire mumbled, putting her head in her hands to hide her face.

Gray obeyed, feeling like an idiot. Fuck. What if Claire thought he was a pervert now for his train of thought going to sex? Maybe she wouldn't have even noticed his bad wording if he had just shut up. But no, he had to point out it sounded like a blow job. Great…Now he couldn't get that image out of his head.

Gray looked over at Claire, who was still blushing heavily. He wanted to say something, but he was afraid that it would somehow make things more awkward. After a moment of quiet contemplation, Claire's blue eyes were gazing into Gray's and the next thing he knew, Claire was pressed against him, kissing him hungrily.

Gray had been surprised by the abruptness of Claire's kiss but he eagerly returned her passion. He placed a hand on the back of her head to deepen their kisses and Claire left out a soft moan, placing herself in his lap without breaking away from his lips. Claire bucked her hips against him, causing his erection to harden and push up against her through his pants.

He moaned her name, his hand moving to her breast, squeezing it gently through her shirt. The fabric rubbed against her nipple and Claire gasped in pleasure. Her breasts had become very sensitive lately and Gray's hands felt heavenly on them. She tore her t-shirt over her head and tossed it behind her. Her hands moved hurriedly to remove her constraining bra, the cups were almost over flowing and as soon as Claire had unclipped the hinderance, her breasts spilled out. Claire flung the useless garment to the side and brought Gray's hand back to her bare chest. The blacksmith rolled her pink nipple between his callused fingers and Claire shivered in pleasure, her back arching. Gray took her other nipple into his mouth, sucking gently at the pink bud as he squeezed the other. She tasted like salt here, probably from the heat, and when he used his tongue to lick around her nipple teasingly, Claire tangled her hand in his hair again, thrusting hard against him.

Gray carefully lifted her and set her on her back on the bed, her blonde hair spread around her like a golden, heavenly light. The young man leaned down and started kissing Claire's neck, starting at her jaw then kissing a straight line down her chest and over her stomach until he reached her shorts. Claire's face flushed as she watched him. He kissed down the front of her shorts, and then between her legs, where Gray could feel the heat and dampness through the cloth. "Please Gray…" Claire moaned, bucking her hips.

Feeling himself throb with desire, he could only imagine how Claire must have felt. He reached for the waistband of her shorts and painstakingly slowly pulled them and her panties down her toned, firm legs, revealing her gorgeous vulva, already slick from Gray's teasing. But Gray wasn't done yet. He came back up and placed himself between her legs, settling between her strong thighs before he started planting kisses over her mound. Each time he kissed her, she bucked against him, trying to urge him to give her what she wanted, but Gray was a horrible tease. He kissed the space where her leg joined her hip, licking the line her panties had left behind and Claire shivered with desire. Finally, Gray moved to her folds, licking slowly up one side and than the other, savouring her taste and feeling more aroused with each taste. He settled his tongue between her lips and started licked very gently, holding Claire's hips down so she couldn't try to thrust him in deeper. Gray dipped his tongue in further, being met with an even stronger taste as Claire was soaked. He slipped his tongue inside her and then slowly back out, repeating the movement a few more times before dragging his tongue from her core to her clit, earning a moan from the blonde woman. Gray swirled his tongue around the delicate bud, causing Claire to squirm beneath him and tangle her hand into his hair once again.

"Is here okay?" He asked, licking her from his lips.

"Perfect," She responded, and Gray went back to work. He began sucking on her clit, gently at first but then with increasing pressure as Claire moaned and writhed underneath him. He stopped sucking with a small 'pop' then licked her from her wet core, back to her clit his time pushing against her harder than before. Gray reached up with one of his hands and took her nipple back between his fingers, squeezing it as he sped up his licking, causing Claire's legs to shake and her back to arch.

"Please don't stop!" Claire moaned, her hips gyrating against Gray's mouth. 'Wouldn't dream of it' thought Gray as he kept a steady pace, with strong broad licks while he pinched Claire's nipple a little harder. This pushed Claire over the edge, wave after wave rushing over her as her whole body shook while she climaxed, Gray finishing her with a few more licks before bringing himself to sit next to her and look at her with a smirk.

She was still breathing heavily, her eyes shut as Gray tucked some of her hair behind her ear to get it off her face. "Good?" He asked, sounding cockier than he had intended to. Claire's blue eyes opened dreamily, and she nodded.

"Now we have to take care of you." Claire said, pointing to Gray's pants where his cock was straining against the fabric. He blushed when he noticed a wet spot forming at the tip of erection. He had been really turned on as he ate Claire out…

The farmer sat back in Gray's lap, lifting his t-shirt over his head and revealing his toned chest. Claire was almost as impressed this time as she was the first time she saw his chest. She found him incredibly sexy, noticing this time that he had sparse hair covering the top half of his chest and in a fine line leading down into his pants. Claire undid the button on his pants and with a little help from Gray, got him out of both his pants and boxers.

Gray seemed a little more comfortable now that his cock was free of its constrictions and Claire wasted no time bringing her lips to his tip, licking off the moisture that had collected there. Gray gasped as her tongue traced the tip of his cock and moaned in ecstasy when her warm, wet mouth took the rest of him in. She slid him in and out of her mouth slowly, then would speed up with no warning before slowly again to almost a stop. Gray looked down at her as she expertly bobbed her head up and down his shaft. Fuck. This was even hotter than he imagined…

Claire took her mouth from Gray's cock and brought moved to his ear. "Can we fuck?" She asked, Gray detecting a hint of embarrassment in her voice.

"Yeah," He said breathlessly. "If that's what you want to do."

"I need you." She moaned softly into his ear, causing him to flush wildly.

Claire reached over to the bedside table and pulled out a condom, ridding it of its packaging and returning to Gray's cock. She slid the condom down over his aching erection before sitting in his lap again. She kneeled and lined up the head of his cock with her entrance. Gray grabbed onto the bed sheets as she slid down his length, her walls squeezing him tightly.

Gray pulled Claire down to his face and kissed her lips feverishly. As he kissed her, Claire began bucking against him, moving him in and out of her and rubbing her clit against him in the process. She was still so worked up from before she knew that Gray would not need to do much to get her off again. Claire picked up her speed and Gray raised his hips to meet hers, moaning against her lips.

"I-I'm close already…" Claire whimpered, an embarrassed flush spreading over her cheeks.

Gray kept up his pace, and whispered in her ear "Well, come for me then."

Claire clenched her muscles, grinding against him until her muscles began to spasm in orgasm. She moaned his name and Gray bucked his hips against her, enjoying the way her orgasm gripped and grabbed at his cock. After Claire stopped shaking, Gray rolled them over, so he was on top, allowing him to thrust more quickly. Claire kept twitching inside, each trust seeming feeling more intense now, her orgasm making her more sensitive. She squeezed him tightly inside her as she rolled her hips, meeting Gray's over and over.

It wasn't much longer and Gray was moaning Claire's name, his body trembling as he emptied himself inside her. Both were panting as Gray pulled himself out and flopped down beside Claire. Gray's head was full of thoughts as he laid there, trying to catch his breath. Was that a good idea? Would they do this again? He thought about how nice it felt to kiss and hold Claire and couldn't help but wonder if Claire felt anything for him, besides lust. Gray took the condom off and tossed it in the waste bin by the bed. Maybe he and Claire could give dating a shot…

Gray looked over at Claire and was shocked to find her crying. "Claire… What's wrong?" He felt panic rise in his chest as she buried her face into his chest. He held her close. "D-did I hurt you?" He asked, worriedly.

The farmer shook her head but continued to sob. Gray rubbed her back as his mind raced. Did she hate him? Did she regret the sex? What in the world was happening?

"I'm leaving, Gray." Claire said finally.

This didn't clarify anything to Gray. "What do you mean?" He asked, maybe even more confused now.

Claire pulled away from Gray and wiped her eyes. "I am moving back to the city…" She whimpered. Gray's jaw dropped but Claire continued. "I can't keep working on the farm like this. I don't want to give up, I really don't, but this pregnancy has made it too difficult. I tried to keep on going, Gray but I am always sick and exhausted, and I just can't…" Claire was crying again now.

Gray gently wrapped one of her thin bed sheets around her, hoping to provide her some comfort. Gray couldn't imagine how hard this decision must have been for Claire. She loved her farm and always looked so happy when she was out in her fields. Gray felt guilt wash over him. This was his fault. He did this to her. Even though he knew Claire loved the baby, if there had been no baby Claire would still be living happily on her farm.

Claire had composed herself a little now, pulling the bed sheet around her tightly. "Your life might go back to normal if I'm not here. You can go back to the way things were before I showed up. Mary might even forgive you if you give her enough time…" Claire took a deep breath, a hand resting on her small stomach. If she removed herself from Mineral Town, Gray might be able to salvage his life here. He was one of them after all. "You can come see the baby once they're born if you want. Or you can forget we exist. I understand if you don't want to stick around."

Gray felt as if Claire had reached into his chest and tore out his heart. How could he forget about Claire? Let alone their baby! "I would never abandon the two of you like that, Claire." He reached down and placed his hand with hers on her stomach. Claire let it rest there for a moment before getting up and gathering her clothes.

"I appreciate that, Gray. You're a good guy." Claire said as she pulled back on her t-shirt and slipped back on her shorts.

Gray certainly didn't feel like a good guy… he found his pants and put them on, overcome with so many questions and thoughts that he felt unable to put any of his feelings into words.

Claire was handing him his shirt now. "I am leaving the first week of Fall." She said simply, and that was it.