Thanks so much to everyone's continued support of this story. On to the next part… Rating goes up to E on this one ;)
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Chapter Ten:
"Lady Jane, that break up did wonders for your mood," Joe jokes, walking into her office. "I've never seen you look happier."
She rolls her eyes, locking her phone that she'd just been staring at. She was texting Jamie, something she couldn't seem to stop doing lately. He'd had to leave without much warning the day after she ended things with Frank due to some business he and John needed to take care of. Not being able to know exactly what that meant worried her, but they'd talked the whole time he was gone, excited for his return.
She knows John is pushing it, letting Jamie stay in Georgia for as long as he has. Their friend had already gotten in trouble from his boss the day before he and Jamie left, but she appreciates his efforts in trying to give them as much time as possible together. Realistically, she knows he'll have to go back eventually, only to return for the trial, but for now, she'll soak up every last minute with him.
She had hoped that when he got back, she'd finally get to be with him, completely.
But their children, unfortunately for them, had other plans.
John had finally allowed Jamie to spend the night a few days after arriving back in Georgia, which excited both of them, but Faith had had a bad dream, crawling into bed with her and Jamie before she could even remove his clothing.
"Mama," Faith sniffled, cracking the door open.
Claire jumped out of her skin, pulling her nightgown down from where she'd just started to raise it. "What is it, sweetheart?"
Faith stepped into the room, jumping into the bed and snuggling into Jamie's chest. "I had a bad dream," she whimpered, looking over to Claire.
Claire stood there, her motherly instincts winning out over her hormones as she slipped into bed beside her daughter. "Oh, sweetheart," she cooed, "it was only a bad dream. It's over now."
"D'ye want to talk about it, a leannan?"
She shook her head, curling into his embrace. Her little body shook as she clearly thought about her nightmare again, and Claire rubbed her back, humming softly.
"Oh, I do like to be beside the seaside," she sang softly, Faith twisting to curl into Claire's arms, her head resting on her mother's chest. "I do like to be beside the seaside. Oh, I do like to stroll along the Prom, Prom, Prom…"
Her voice trailed off as Faith's breathing evened out, her body splayed between her parents.
Once her little snores filled the silence between them, and Claire knew she was definitely asleep, she went to pick her up, but Jamie stopped her with a hand on her wrist. "Nae, let the lass sleep here wi' us," he begged. "What if she has the nightmare again, ken? I wouldna want her to wake up alone."
Unable to fight his sweet logic, she'd snuggled back into the bed with a sigh, kissing Faith's head as they all drifted off to sleep.
That next morning, Brianna had awoken to discover her sister got to sleep with Mama and Daddy, and therefore that night, it was Bree's turn to toss and turn, kicking she and Jamie in the stomachs and shins all night as their little wild child slept in bed with them.
She smiles at the memory, just glad her girls get to have these moments now.
"Earth to LJ, come in, LJ" Joe teases, waving his hand in front of her face.
She swats his palm away, laughing and apologizing.
"I am quite happy," she assures, going back to his original statement to prove she was listening. "Thank you very much."
Joe grins, shaking his head as he swipes the apple she'd bought at the cafeteria canteen earlier off her desk, taking a bite as he makes his way across the hall to his office.
Giggling, she yells into his office that she'll be in later to rummage through his drawer of snacks to make up for the one he just stole, which simply earns her a laugh as he goes back to his paperwork.
Her thoughts flit back to Jamie, and the week they've had together since he returned from North Carolina.
The first few nights, he'd had to go back to the safe house like normal while John got it approved for him to stay the night. Then, their bed was filled with their children, and the last two nights, work had gotten in the way of making love to her husband, coming home far too late after surgeries and finding Jamie already passed out in their bed.
She was sexually frustrated like never before, but Jamie had reminded her, in between kisses to her flushed skin, that he didn't want their first time to be a quickie. He wanted to take his time, wanted to savor every inch of her, which only made her more desperate with each passing day.
"I just want you," she huffed, causing him to laugh as they cleaned up the kitchen.
"Aye, and I want ye more than life itself, mo ghraidh," he said, stepping over to where she stood at the sink. He pressed his front to her back, but she turned, wrapping her arms around his neck. "I want ye so badly, I can scarcely breathe."
He grinned, pressing his lips to hers, then her jaw, before moving down to her neck and sucking on that pulse point that he knew drove her crazy. "But," he said, lifting his lips from her neck, "I want," he said, kissing her collarbone, "to take," a kiss to her earlobe, "my time wi' ye," he finished, his lips landing back on her jaw, kissing back up to her lips and covering her in goosebumps.
She could feel the blush rising on her pale skin, heating her from the inside out. Christ, she wanted him so badly, she thought she might just come by looking at him.
"I want to savor every inch of ye, Claire," he whispered hotly into her ear, making her breath catch in her throat. "Our first time together again shouldna be some rushed thing while the girls clean their playroom, ken?" he asked, her breath panting out in the space between them, his words teasing her, toying with her libido. "I willna take ye in the shower or on this counter," he said, smacking the granite behind her, "until I can have ye fully and completely in our bed." His lips find hers again, trailing slowly down to her neck, then her chest, peppering kisses above her racing heart. "I will have ye," he teased, "and I will savor every inch of yer velvet skin," his hand glided across her arms, down to her hips, reaching around to grasp her arse in his hands. "I will hold this round arse of yers completely, and soon," he quipped, smacking said arse for good measure.
Damn him.
He knew she was horny, turned on beyond belief, and the feel of his hard cock beneath his jeans told her he was just as affected by his words as she was. But his amusement over her predicament seemed to take precedence over how he was feeling. Bastard.
Pulling herself from her thoughts, she calms her breathing, thoughts of her husband's naked body beneath hers filling her mind. God, she couldn't wait to see him again. Whenever that may be.
She knows it's good, in the long run, that things have gotten in their way to slow them down. They still have things to work out, still have more to learn about what the other had done all these years or how they've changed.
They can't go on dates out in public, which has frustrated Jamie, but John had been dropping him off at her house or she and the girls had gone to the safe house. The girls much preferred Jamie coming to their home, though, after they discovered Sophia wasn't in Georgia with John.
John is a great friend, and she's thankful he's bent so many rules to make this work for them until the trial.
Sighing, she looks across the hall, catching a glimpse of Joe as he makes phone calls and looks over an x-ray.
She wants to tell him so badly, wants to shout it from the rooftops. She'd almost blurted it out to Geillis the other day while grabbing coffee together, but she can't, she won't…
She was thrilled for tonight, though, she had finally worked up the courage yesterday to tell Geillis that she had a date tonight, which meant her friend immediately offered to babysit the girls, "Just in case things go weel wi' this mystery man."
Claire laughs at the memory, texting Geillis to confirm she and Dougal can still watch the girls.
Aye, o'course, hen! You enjoy this mystery man and I'll drop the girls off in the morning… or whenever ye text me to say ye're ready for them to return ;)
Snorting, she opens up her text with Alexander Malcolm, confirming that she'll drop Faith and Brianna off with Geillis tonight and then they can have the whole evening to themselves.
Canna wait, Sassenach. Been thinkin of it all day…
She blushes, biting down on her lip as her mind swirls with images of all the things he might do to her tonight, finally.
Before the day ends, Joe bounds back into her office, holding up his phone. "Woah, woah, woah," he says, waving his phone in front of her. "What's this I hear about a date?"
Groaning, she looks up to the ceiling, shaking her head at the fact that Geillis has a bigger mouth than she originally thought.
"I didn't want to say anything until tomorrow," she gives as a made up explanation. "If it's terrible, we'll have something to laugh over, and if it goes well, then… I'll have a nice story to share over lunch."
Joe claps his hands together, hooting a sound of excitement, saying letting Frank go was the best thing she could have ever done. "I'm happy for you, LJ," he tells her, his voice growing sincere. "You deserve some happiness, and I hope this guy is the start of that."
She feels a lump form in her throat as she thanks her friend, smiling as he makes his way back into the office to grab his briefcase and head out for the day.
Claire does much the same, wrapping up a patient file before gathering her belongings and heading out.
{**********************}
A few hours later, the girls' bags are packed and both Faith and Brianna are bounding with excitement, ready to spend the night with Aunt Geillis and Uncle Dougal.
They've earned a night away, she thinks, knowing they've worked hard in school these first two weeks back from the break, and they've, surprisingly, kept the secret of Jamie to themselves.
She's suddenly nervous that a whole night with their aunt and uncle might loosen their lips, but she pushes those thoughts away as she loads everything into the car. She refuses to let her fear hinder her night alone with Jamie.
Once the girls are dropped off with lots of hugs and kisses, and promises in the car to not say anything about Daddy, Claire heads back to her house.
When she walks in, her breath is lost to her.
Jamie is in the kitchen, lights turned down low in the dining room and candles lit on the table.
She feels warm and fuzzy deep inside her belly. She loves this man so much, hasn't said those words much yet, though she's not entirely sure why, but wants to shout it from the rooftops now.
"Smells amazing in here," she croons, walking over to where he stands at the stove, wrapping her arms around his stomach, her chest pressed to his back.
"Hm," he grunts, pointing toward the stove, "just finishing the chicken."
Nodding, she steps back, sliding up onto the countertop as she watches him work. He stirs the sauce, then the noodles, and she knows he's making her favorite—chicken parmesan. He was always so good at making this, and she's glad he chose it for the night.
He finishes the chicken, smirking over at her, before asking if she wants to help dish it all out.
Hopping from the counter, she grabs two wine glasses, taking them over to the table to join the bottle of red he already has out.
Walking back, she takes a plate from him, scooping her portion of pasta onto her plate.
Once they're settled at the table, a basket of garlic knots he'd made as well between them, they enjoy a nice, quiet dinner. It's romantic, and she has to laugh a little, noting how much quieter the house is without the girls.
"Aye," he laughs, "But ye canna say ye don't miss the noise."
She grins, knowing he's right. Having children changes you, changes the amount of noise you tolerate in the house, and when it's too quiet, she always feels as if something is wrong.
But this is nice, for tonight, having an evening away with her husband.
That word still makes her smile, a word she'd tucked away in the recesses of her mind, convincing herself she'd never use again in the context of any other man but Jamie Fraser.
Over dinner, they talk and catch up, Jamie filling her in on more details of his trip back to North Carolina that he hadn't had a chance to tell her about yet.
"There was word of a trial date soon," he explains, saying that he and John needed to go over some details and work on his testimony. She knew they'd met with his lawyer, Ned Gowen, the other day to practice his cross-examination and other trial prep, but again, both he and John had been tight lipped about it all. She gets the feeling that he isn't telling her everything, but she doesn't question it, doesn't want this night to be ruined.
They talk of the girls, of what they've been doing in school and how Faith has a ballet recital coming up in a few months that she's been practicing for.
"Bree also has a competition in July," she says, biting her lip. "Hopefully things will be safe by then and you can come?"
Jamie nods, taking a sip of his wine. "We'll see, mo chridhe," he says, adding, "it all just depends on the trial, but I verra much hope so."
She nods, too, understanding that he isn't in control of any of this, and she reminds herself just to be thankful that she knows he's alive.
As they finish their meals, taking the last sips of their wine, Jamie stands, reaching out a hand. "May I have this dance?"
She looks around, a grin tugging at the corner of her mouth. "There isn't any music."
Jamie shrugs, laughing a bit as he pulls out his phone. He turns a soft tune on before looking at her pointedly, extending his hand again.
With a playful roll of her eyes, she takes his hand, allowing him to pull her up. Their arms wrap around the other as they sway to the hum of the song.
There in her kitchen, she dances with her husband, and the silent tears that trickle down her cheek can't be helped as she embraces the feel of his skin against hers and the vibration of his chest as he hums the song in her ear. No matter how out of tune it may be, it's the most beautiful sound to her right now.
She pauses, pulling back to look him in the eye. She stares for a moment, lost in his blue orbs. She smiles shyly, the words on the tip of her tongue. "I love you, James Alexander Malcolm Mackenzie Fraser."
His gaze mists over, a lone tear slipping down his cheek as he chokes out, "Aye, and whether I'm dead, or you, whether we're together or apart, I will always love you, mo nighean donn, so verra much."
Their lips meet then, conveying all the things they'd yet to say to one another.
He deepens the kiss, pulling a moan from the back of her throat, and their hands begin to wander. Hers settle on his arse for a bit, tucking into the pockets of his jeans, while his hold her by the waist, still swaying her to the music.
Their kisses heat up, his lips leaving hers to lave kisses to her neck and jaw. His hands trail to her back, roaming up and down, seemingly unable to find one spot to land on.
His hands all over her like this sends a thrill up her spine, and she shivers in his embrace.
She pulls away, panting, unable to wait any longer, "Will you come to bed with me?"
Jamie grins, asking playfully, "To bed or to sleep?"
Snorting, she whacks him on the chest, shrugging her shoulder playfully. "Well?" she asks, raising an eyebrow.
Leaning in again, he captures her lips once more, teeth clashing together as they both go in too frantically. They pull away with a laugh, moving together more slowly, savoring the taste of one another.
Growing somber, Jamie asks, "D'ye still want me, Claire? Even after all these years?" His brow furrows as he says, "I ken ye've tried to move on, so…"
"Whoever you are, James Fraser," she declares, wrapping her hands around his neck, assuring that his gaze is locked with hers. "I do want you."
She leans in with that, kissing him soundly on the lips, making sure he knows without a doubt that he is hers and she is his. Their hands move hurriedly, both reaching for the buttons on their jeans. They laugh, knowing they're still just as in sync as ever, and they work together, ridding the other of their bottoms.
The tunic top she'd been wearing is long enough that it still covers her, like wearing a short dress, but she grins at his plaid boxers, wondering how many pairs of tartan underwear he still owns.
They kick their denim to the side, lips finding each other once more. His hand reaches up into her shirt, his warm palm on her back.
"Take me upstairs, Jamie," is all she has to whisper before he's taking her hand, guiding her out of the kitchen, through the living room and up the stairs to their bed.
Their dishes are still out, glasses with wine sitting in the bottom of them, the pans he'd used still in the sink, but for tonight, she'll let it slide. This is far more important.
When they get to her bedroom, there's an electric current radiating between them, as if both of their bodies are on fire.
She's nervous, though she shouldn't be. This is Jamie. This is her husband. He's seen her naked a thousand times, but never after giving birth twice.
Her body has changed over the last six years, and she's suddenly self conscious over what he'll think.
She realizes she's staring at the floor when she sees his toes move against the carpet, and she looks up, smiling softly when she catches his gaze.
"Take off your shirt," she suddenly commands, her moment of self-consciousness fleeting as the need to see him more than she needs air takes over. "I want to look at you."
He hesitates, and she remembers him telling her about the scars on his back. She hopes that he knows she won't mind them, but she tells him anyway. "It's alright."
Jamie slowly undoes the buttons of his blue dress shirt, slipping it from his arms and letting it pool at his feet. He tugs at the hem of his undershirt, pulling it from the confines of his jeans as he lifts it over his head.
If she could come on command, it would be from the way her husband's muscles moved just then as he removed his shirt. Holy hell, she knew he was the most gorgeous man on Earth but seeing him shirtless for the first time in years really just does something to her body.
There's a wetness growing between her thighs, and her core is aching, longing for his touch.
He looks nervous, and she realizes it's because she hasn't said anything.
Licking her lips, she raises one hand, placing it lightly on his chest. Her fingers trail from one side of his chest to the other in a feather light motion as she moves to stand behind him, kissing his shoulder as she does so.
As she moves to his back, her hand ghosts over from his chest, to his bicep, down his hip and to his arse. God, what a backside he still has; firm and taut, nothing has changed in that aspect in all these years.
What has changed, however, is his back. She feels herself grow emotional as she thinks of those men dragging him down the street for miles, ripping the beautiful flesh off his back, and marring him forever.
It doesn't change how she looks at him, though, he's still as gorgeous as ever.
Her nose presses into his back, kissing each scar tenderly. Those scars may be a reminder of the worst night of their lives, but they also serve as a reminder that he survived, for them. She roams around back to his front, her hand trailing behind her ever so slowly as she forces herself to stop touching his rear.
She gets back round to his front side, her fingers grazing against his forearm.
"Well then," he says lowly, "Fair's fair." He grins, a lilt to his voice as he demands, "Take off yer's as well."
Smirking, her chest heaves up and down as she reaches for the hem of her shirt, lifting it up and over her head. She has a camisole on underneath it, so she doesn't feel too exposed just yet.
Jamie bites his lip, smiling as he steps closer, silently asking if he can remove the thin layer.
She nods, her breathing growing ragged as he bends and lifts the thin material, his lips trailing a path up from the hem of her thong to the underwire of her bra, causing her skin to ripple with goosebumps.
He tosses her shirt onto the floor, joining his, as she reaches behind, unclasping her bra. In a moment of bravery, she also hooks her fingers into her thong, drawing it slowly down her legs.
Jamie does the same to his boxers, and before she knows it, they're standing there in front of each other, both looking as nervous as they did the first time they were ever together like this—young, nervous college kids embarking on a love they both knew wasn't like any other they'd experienced before.
He takes a step back, the backs of his knees hitting the mattress as he stares at her naked form.
She chuckles nervously, reaching up to cover her body as best she can. "Will you bloody well say something?" The apprehension over her own body flaring up again.
She knows she has stretch marks now in places she didn't before, her hips a bit wider after birthing both girls, and she fears momentarily that he won't find her attractive anymore.
His mouth opens, then closes, like a fish out of water before he swallows thickly, his eyes trailing up and down her body. "Christ, Claire… ye're the most beautiful woman I've ever seen."
Her face softens at those words, all the love she's ever felt for this man quadrupling right then and there.
She goes mute for a second, eyes welling with tears, and all she can do is chuckle wetly, shaking her head and saying he needs his reading glasses for more than just reading.
He grins, stepping closer and lowering her hands, revealing her breasts to him once more.
"Dinna cover yerself up, mo nighean donn," he whispers reverently, "ye're mine… and I am yers. Always."
With that, his lips descend onto hers once more, their hands gripping each other by the waist and drawing them closer.
She moans at the contact, the feel of his skin on hers after all this time almost too much to bear.
They move slowly, lip refusing to part as they seem to memorize each other all over again.
One of Jamie's hands moves from his hip to her arse, gripping the mound in his large palm.
The feel of it flares her nerves all over again, and she begins to shake. "Sorry," she laughs when he pulls away to look at her. "I'm not sure why I'm shaking."
He smirks, pecking her lips chastely and saying, "Tis alright, Sassenach. I'm nervous, too." He smiles, kissing her neck, "It's been a verra long time, for both of us."
His words comfort her, though she knew he hadn't been with anyone since her, hearing it confirmed settles her nerves even further.
She reaches around, removing his hand from her rear and pushing on his chest lightly, guiding him backward to the bed. When his knees touch the mattress again, he sinks down, Claire standing above him.
She smiles coyly down at him, his hands raising to rest on her waist, a spot he can't seem to let go of so far tonight.
Her hands cup his cheeks sweetly, leaning down to kiss him.
They're going slow, and she's enjoying it, but she also thinks she might explode if things don't move along. With that thought, she presses on his chest, ushering him to lay down.
He scoots back so his head is on the pillows and she climbs on top of him, straddling his waist.
Their mouths meet again, fiercely, passionately, her wet core pressing onto his stomach.
Jamie groans into her mouth, and she begins to shimmy her hips, begging him without words to touch her.
He flips them over, hovering above her as he peppers kisses from her jaw to her navel, sucking at random intervals and making her squirm.
She pants out, encouraging him to keep going. "Touch me, Jamie," she begs, and that's all it takes before his hand is on her mound, a finger dipping inside and curling up at just the right angle.
The feel of his large finger inside of her just about brings her off the bed, but his other hand holds her in place, his mouth kissing along her hip bone.
"Jamie," she pleads, writhing beneath him. "More."
His kisses continue their descent, placing his lips along her inner thighs. "Christ, ye're sae bonny," he breathes in between kisses. "Missed ye," another kiss to her thigh, "sae much," and one more to her core, making her moan at the surprise of the kiss' placement.
His tongue pokes out, licking up from the base to the top, swirling around her clit just like she likes. Even after all this time, he still remembers what she loves, what gets her off the quickest, and she's glad he's not spending too much time on that, wanting to savor the feel of having him like this in her bed.
She begins to edge closer to her climax already, her hand gripping his hair that's started to grow out lately, pulling him away. "Not yet, Jamie," she pants, "want you inside of me."
He practically growls, reaching down to take his cock in his hand.
It's already so hard, she can feel it pressing against her thigh, and fuck, she wants him so badly. She reaches down, replacing his hand with hers and drawing a moan from her husband's lips.
She strokes him once, twice, smirking at the way his eyes flutter shut. "Do you like that?"
She loves to tease him, loves the way his brows scrunch together as he focuses on the pleasure, how he can barely manage to get his words out coherently.
"Aye, ye ken I do, woman," he grits out, both of them chuckling at how quickly he turned to putty in her hands. "But if ye want me inside ye, ye're gonna have tae let go before I come in yer hand."
At his words, she gives him one more stroke, twisting on the very end to tease him, her thumb grazing under his foreskin to that most sensitive spot, and he curses, glaring at her playfully.
Jamie leans down, kissing her soundly and taking her hands in his, pulling them beside her head and holding them in place. Their fingers intertwine there as his lips work their magic against her skin, once more trailing a wet path from her lips and further down.
"Jamie, I want you inside me," she urges, and he relents, his teasing and toying coming to an end as he finally reaches down, double checking with his fingers that she's wet enough for him.
He takes his cock in his hand, guiding it to her entrance, and holy shit, she has missed this. He glides in easily, her wetness coating him enough that it's not as uncomfortable as she thought it would be.
He's a large man, with a cock big enough to match, and after six years, she's tight. But he fits just right, Jamie moving slowly, allowing her time to adjust to the feel of him again.
Their bodies move together, her hips undulating beneath his, matching him thrust for thrust. They gyrate in slow, rhythmic movements, his hips jerking every now and then as he draws closer to his release. Claire thought she'd never experience this feeling again, so she wants to cherish each and every second, but that is becoming more and more difficult as she feels her insides twisting, clenching as she feels herself moving toward the precipice of ecstasy.
"More, Jamie," she pants, rocking beneath him.
"Tell me what you need, Sassenach," he beseeches, kissing her mouth, then her earlobe, nibbling on the skin and riling her up even more.
She grips his shoulders, nails digging in and forming crescent moon shapes there, then lets her hands soothe over the scarred flesh, once more reminding her that he's here, he's hers, and he's alive.
"Harder," she moans, "oh god, faster."
Not one to have to be told twice, Jamie speeds up, sinking his cock further into her, sheathing himself all the way to the hilt, his balls slapping against her arse as he rocks into her.
"Mmm," she moans, "y-yes, like that!"
She attempts to flip them, knowing he'd hit the right spot from a different angle, and she begs Jamie to help.
With a smirk, he rolls them over, Claire straddling his waist like before. She rocks against him, his hand reaching up to rub at her clit.
"Look down, mo nighean donn," he groans, eyes practically rolling to the back of his skull, "watch me take ye like this."
Oh god, he can't say things like that if he wants her to last longer.
Her eyes are pinched shut, but she forces them open, looking down to watch their sweat slicked bodies move in tandem, bringing each other to their sweet releases.
"Oh, god, Jamie," she moans, writhing harder against him.
His thumb rubs harder against her clit, and she can feel her core tightening, gearing up for her release.
She places her hands on his chest, his hands firmly planted on her hips, holding her steady, and she looks into his eyes, loving the way he's staring at her.
Their eyes connect, and it only adds fuel to the fire, another reminder that they're here, both alive, and have found each other through all this craziness.
What started off at sweet love making has turned into this frenzy of hands, mouths and body parts all joining together as if this is their last time.
Jamie thrusts his hips up, his cock hitting her in that spot she's been searching for, and she cries out, telling him right there and don't stop.
Ever the attentive lover, he follows her directions, and she suddenly wonders if he's close, if she's doing enough for him. "Do you need more?" she pants, trying to get her question out before her climax overtakes her.
He laughs, surprising both of them, but when she looks back down at him, he's staring so lovingly into her eyes that she might cry. "No' a damn thing, Sassenach," he says, rocking up into her again, "this—you, are perfect. Keep… going."
She leans in then, their lips pressing together as they chase their release, his fingers working her up along with his cock as she rocks against him.
Before she can even call out his name again, her eyes slam shut and she sees stars behind her lids, crying out in euphoria as her orgasm washes over her.
Jamie is not far behind, grunting out a stuttered oh god, oh, C-Claire! as he spills inside of her, jerking his hips a half dozen more times before he has to stop, the sensation too much for both of them.
Trying to catch her breath, Claire rolls off of him, coming to lay beside him. Her hand is still on his chest, and she grins over at him.
Jamie rolls onto his side, his knuckles grazing under her chin as her hand follows the lines of his forearm.
They take a moment, hands gently intertwining as they stare at each other in contented wonder, catching their breath.
She smiles dopily at him, and he cups her cheek, drawing her in for a loving kiss.
Claire's hand finds his cheek as well, as when they pull apart, it's as if their eyes can't look away, completely transfixed on the other.
Her amber eyes trace the lines of his face—those laugh lines around his mouth, the blue of his eyes which have grown darker with his arousal, the way his jaw is still so chiseled… God, she loves him.
They lay there for the longest time, hours passing as they doze in and out, but never truly sleeping, not wanting to let each other go for a single second.
"Yer breasts are like ivory," he says suddenly, causing her to chuckle. His hand moves down from circling her nipples to the plains of her stomach, reaching below the sheet that covers her body. "Christ, to touch ye, Sassenach." He kisses her, his hand gliding gently across her hip and down further. "You wi' yer skin like white velvet and the sweet, long lines of yer body… God I couldna look at ye and keep my hands from ye or be near ye and not want ye."
He wraps his arm around her waist, pulling her tightly to his body and kissing her soundly again, their lips smacking together as they savor the feel of being together again.
"Do you suppose we'll always feel like this?" she asks, her fingers resting below his chin, feeling his stubble beneath her knuckles.
He kisses her once more, confessing, "It's always been forever for me, Sassenach."
They situate themselves with that, nothing else needing to be said, as Claire cuddles into his large chest.
His hand rests beneath his head, stretching his body out for her taking.
"I should check on the girls," she whispers after a while, kissing his chest. "I didn't call to say goodnight."
She checks the time, laughing when she realizes it's only ten o'clock, so she sends Geillis a text, asking if everything is okay.
Dinna fash, love. Everything is just fine, she types, sending Claire a picture of the girls from earlier, both holding up their hands to show off the manicure Geillis has given them.
Giggling, she sends her thanks, telling Geillis she'd call in the morning.
She knows Geillis will have questions about this mystery date, so Claire has until tomorrow afternoon to think of something.
For now, she turns her phone around, showing Jamie the picture of their daughters.
He grins, asking, "Ye don't suppose Dougal got his nails done too, do you?" to which she laughs, saying she doesn't think Dougal is involved in much when it comes to the girls.
Rolling his eyes, Jamie scoots further into the bed, pulling Claire with him.
They talk and laugh, their hands never leaving the other as the minutes pass. They come up with a story to tell Geillis, and Jamie checks in with John, letting him know the house was locked up and they were both inside.
Later that night, their bodies join again, this time slow and unhurried, both of them laying on their sides, rocking and moving together as they bring each other to another release while their eyes never lose contact.
Before the morning comes, they've each found another three more releases, causing Jamie to joke that they should try to beat their record of five in a night. And they do just that, again and again, their bodies seemingly unable to stop coming as they make love for the next few hours, just falling asleep before Claire's alarm goes off at eight thirty.
Jamie doesn't hear the alarm, much to Claire's amusement. He was always the one to sleep through her early morning wake up calls when she had to be at the hospital for a shift.
She shuts off the alarm on her phone, turning on her side to watch him sleep.
He's so beautiful. And he still smiles in his sleep just like the girls do.
As Jamie comes to, rolling his large frame over onto his side to face her, she smiles, biting her lip as she watches the sleep fade from his gaze. "Good morning," she purrs, reaching out to walk her fingers along his bicep.
He watches her hand, then takes it in his before her path can make it to his jawline, kissing her knuckles and whispering, "Mornin', Sassenach."
They lay in bed, hands roaming and mouths exploring for another two hours, snoozing off and on and truly relaxing with one another for the first time in forever.
Around eleven, Claire drags Jamie into the shower, where she wakes him up fully on her knees, his hands pressing so hard onto the tiled wall that his palms have the indentions left behind when she stands, swallowing down his seed.
They eat a late breakfast, and finally clean the kitchen from the night before, laughing as they find their pile of denim beside the kitchen table.
"I guess I should take all this upstairs," she giggles, collecting their clothes, "we don't want Geillis finding any traces of a night well spent."
Jamie chuckles, moving to the sink to clean their dishes, while Claire takes their clothes upstairs, tossing it all into the hamper. She finishes some laundry she started the day before, then joins him downstairs.
He's in the living room, feet propped up on the coffee table as he reads a book, those adorable reading glasses perched upon his nose. She joins him, cuddling into his chest as he begins to softly read the book aloud to her.
Before long, the story is forgotten, Jamie's hands finding their way beneath the hem of her yoga pants.
Claire moves to straddle him when the doorbell rings, startling her right off of his lap. She yelps, clamping a hand over her mouth as nerves skitter across her skin.
"Shit," she hisses, searching for her phone. "Geillis must've text me to say they were on their way."
She finds it, tucked inside a couch cushion, with three texts from Geillis saying they were on their way, then wondering if she got the message, and finally saying she'd wait in the driveway for a few minutes in case Claire needed to hide the mystery man away.
Rolling her eyes, Claire stands, hauling Jamie up with her. "Little cock blockers, I swear," she mumbles to herself with a lazy grin as she moves toward the door.
Jamie laughs out loud, covering his mouth so as not to be heard. His shoulders are still shaking uncontrollably as Claire shoos him hurriedly up the stairs, telling him to stay quiet while Geillis is here.
He chuckles, but of course he understands, mumbling something about feeling like she's cheating on Geillis and hiding her lover away.
"You're a ridiculous human being," she laughs, swatting his arse as he ascends the stairs.
Claire walks to the front door, placing her hand against it and calming her breath. She runs a hand through her hair before opening the door, the girls bursting with excitement to tell her all about their night at Aunt Geillis and Uncle Dougal's house.
As Geillis makes her way in, Claire sends up a silent prayer that she and Jamie got rid of all traces of him being in the house.
She seems to have covered her tracks well enough, but Geillis stays, sending the girls upstairs while she gets the scoop on the mysterious date from Claire.
Giving her best friend the story she and Jamie came up with, she assures Geillis that it was a lovely evening, but he left well before midnight like a perfect gentleman, much to Geillis' dismay.
Claire watches as Geillis looks around suspiciously, those bewitching eyes of hers looking Claire up and down, her suspicion fading into sympathy that confuses Claire.
"What?" she asks, tugging at her shirt self consciously.
Geillis steps closer, tutting, "Ah, love…"
At Claire's silent question, Geillis says she can smell Jamie's cologne all over her, which instantly makes Claire worry. "I remember after he… left us," she hesitates, obviously trying to be gentle with her wording, "ye covered everything in his fragrance."
And she would know, too, the smell is probably burned into Geillis' mind after all the nights she slept in Claire's bed with her, soothing her nightmares away and making sure she stayed healthy for the baby growing inside her. "Is this 'cause of ending things wi' Frank?" she inquires, "Made ye think of… of Jamie… being gone?"
Well, that wasn't exactly the story she was wanting to spin but well, this'll be easier than explaining a new man popping up out of the blue.
So, Claire sighs, looking down. "Yeah," she whispers, the guilt of her lie, and using Jamie's death even knowing it wasn't real, already consuming her.
She looks up to Geillis, tears brimming in her golden eyes. Geillis' bright blue eyes meet hers, pulling her in for a hug.
She soothes her with reassurances, saying she's glad she was able to have a night to herself. "But if ye ever just need a night to be sad, dinna get me all excited thinkin' ye got herself a hot date, ye ken!"
Laughing, she ushers Geillis to the door, promising she'll be fine now that the girls are home and thanking her for watching them.
With a kiss to her cheek, Geillis makes her way back to the car, and Claire closes the door, turning to rest her back against the wooden frame.
After steadying her heartbeat, Claire meanders upstairs, joining Jamie and the girls in Brianna's bedroom where they spend the afternoon watching movies and painting Jamie's toenails.
Another picture added to Claire's hidden folder, for sure.
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Faith and Brianna were little cock blockers for a wee bit, but Jamie and Claire finally got some time alone! Haha… Hope you enjoyed! Please review!