Thanks for the support to this story so far. I'm not sure how many chapters it'll end up, but I was struck by significant inspiration this week and am very excited to share where it's going :)
Claire took a deep breath before turning off her car. She really didn't know what to expect from Owen or this afternoon. It had been almost a week since their lunch, and she hadn't heard anything from him since then. Zara was uncharacteristically tight-lipped about non-work matters during the same time period. Claire couldn't help feeling cynical about this being some sort of booty call or worse. Absent of external feedback to the contrary, she worried that he intended to embarrass or humiliate her.
She looked around the property, and Owen was nowhere in sight. She didn't want to knock on his door. Under no circumstance would she be entering his bungalow today. Over her dead body would Claire be giving him the impression that she was easy. If she was ever going to sleep with him, he needed to earn her trust. She also needed to be sure that he wouldn't hurt her. Claire squeezed her eyes shut. What was wrong with her? She hardly knew him, but he was already twisting her into knots. There was something about Owen that made it particularly difficult to disentangle fantasy from reality. Was it her analytical mind or libido trying to fill the gaps in her knowledge? She was reminded why she avoided relationships and hoped this wasn't a mistake.
Claire opened her eyes to the sound of a screen door slamming shut. Owen was slowly descending the steps of the deck and beaming at her. He looked effortlessly gorgeous in jeans and a plain black t-shirt. She was pleased not to be over-dressed. When she stepped out of her car in a green tank top and stonewashed jeans, he was obviously checking her out. It made her feel better than she wanted to admit.
"What are those?" he asked with curiosity, pointing to her shoes.
"Bicycle sneakers," she answered proudly. She took a lot time considering her footwear, unsure of his plans.
"Are those the only flats you own?" He was mocking her. She pursed her lips in frustration.
"No, but I didn't want to worry about laces getting caught or shoes falling off when we're riding that." Claire crossed her arms and nodded her head in the direction of the motorcycle parked across his lawn. She hoped he would be pleased with her thoughtfulness. Instead, his eyebrows went up higher than she thought was physically possible.
"You...planned...to ride my bike?" he stammered. Claire suppressed a groan.
"Isn't that how you get around?" she challenged.
"Yeah, but I wasn't expecting..." His voice trailed off as he scratched his head and chuckled nervously. She dropped her arms in defeat. He wasn't taking her anywhere. It was a booty call after all.
"Forget it, Owen." She huffed and turned toward her car.
"Wait! Claire, are you leaving?" There was desperation in his voice. His confidence had evaporated. He grabbed her hand, but she pulled it away and glared at him angrily. "You have the wrong idea. I just didn't think you'd be willing to ride it. I figured you'd want to take your car where we're going."
"So," she hissed, "we're actually going somewhere?"
"Jesus, Claire, maybe we shouldn't if you're gonna assume I'm a scoundrel." They were both breathing heavily as the air felt suffocating. She took a step back from him and broke eye contact.
"I'm sorry," she stuttered and shook her head. Owen softened before her eyes. She needed to let her guard down without losing her sense of self. She kicked a patch of grass, letting out her frustration. "Don't assume things about me either." He nodded earnestly. "Where are we going?"
"It's a surprise." He grinned devilishly then added with a wink, "It'll be better with the bike." He reached out a hand to her, but she hesitated to take it. She was still smarting from his forceful grip on her a minute earlier. "Come on, Claire. If you can't even hold my hand, how do you ever expect to stay on the bike?" She felt her blood pressure surging at the thought. He surely felt it, too, when she finally took his hand. She caught his warm sigh of relief at their touch. This time, his grip was firm but tender. Owen was full of surprises. His behavior was not at all what she expected after he hadn't touched her once during their walking lunch. Plus, it was only a short distance to his motorcycle.
Wrapping her arms around him on the bike gave her an indescribable rush. The sensation was unfamiliar but, strangely, somehow felt like coming home. Despite the auspicious start to their afternoon, Owen seemed just as comfortable with her as she did with him. Claire reveled in the feel of his body against hers. Her nerve endings tingled everywhere. They were driving in the direction of the raptor paddock until he turned abruptly down an older path. Her grip tightened around him as the path came to an end, and he maneuvered them more slowly through the brush.
They stopped at the base of an enormous, ancient-looking tree adjacent to a storm drain. The tree looked weathered by more than just time. Owen helped her off the bike, and they locked eyes. She momentarily lost herself in his gentle hazel irises flecked with green and gold.
"Do you know where we are?" he asked softly, pulling her out of her entranced state. Claire looked around as he continued to hold one of her hands. Her internal island map flashed into her mind's eye.
"The original T. rex enclosure," she said confidently. "On the backside of the Cretaceous Cruise."
Owen laughed, "So much for my surprise." He squeezed her hand. "Specifically, this is the exact spot where Alan Grant fell into the enclosure with John Hammond's grandkids." Claire couldn't help wincing. "I like to come here as a reminder of why I work so hard." She shuddered and performed a visual inspection of the abandoned area.
"How does this help you?" she asked with judgment in her tone.
"It keeps me grounded in reality." He was deadly serious as he held her gaze. "This is the dinosaurs' kingdom. We're only here to learn and hope to survive."
She scoffed dismissively, "That's pretty morbid."
"It's self-preservation." Claire understood that concept well. "Helps me keep my guys at the paddock safe, too. I have a healthy sense of our place in the 'world.'" Owen paused and seemed to be steeling himself for his next statement. "It's complete fiction that they're ASSETS. Calling them that robs them of their actual power and gives you a false sense of security." It felt like an accusation even though his eyes remained sympathetic.
"You're teaching me to fear the animals, is that it?" she sneered defensively. "I thought you wanted me to appreciate them."
"Respect them, Claire." He stared her down. Claire felt his pulse racing against her hand. "There's a difference between respect and fear. Fear makes people weak. I'd never want you to be weak." Her eyes flicked to his lips. He didn't miss it. His cocky half-smile lit up his face.
"Liar," she smirked playfully.
"It's not really weakness if it's mutual." Claire felt sweat between their palms. She couldn't tell who it belonged to. She swallowed hard as he moved in closer, but they were interrupted by the sound of crunching tires nearby.
She closed her eyes and sighed, "Security patrols."
"I want to take you one other place anyway." His eyes sparkled with excitement as he walked them back to the bike.
It was a long ride to their next stop. Owen seemed to derive significant pleasure from her squeezing him when he adjusted their speed on the back roads. She viewed it as his teaching respect and never felt as if he was cavalier with her safety. Her entire body was humming when they finally reached their destination. Claire couldn't remember the last time she felt so aroused. The sensation was, unfortunately, short-lived.
"A little birdie told me you'd never ridden this," Owen teased while leading her toward the park's gondola lift. She wouldn't verbalize the reason for that fact, and silently cursed Zara. It was going to take all of Claire's focus to conceal it, and she still might fail. Claire felt her anxiety rising with every step.
They sat next to each other inside the glorified sky bucket. Owen appeared fully relaxed with both arms resting along the back of the circular seat while Claire clasped her hands together tightly in her lap and fixed her eyes on a random spot on the horizon. Every creaky sound and sideways motion was heightened in her mind. She gritted her teeth to hide her shallow breaths. Her hypervigilance betrayed her.
"Shit," Owen blurted out, apparently aware of her rising panic. Claire froze. Her muscles tightened further. She didn't dare speak, knowing that her voice would quaver. "I swear I didn't know. I'm so sorry." He sounded almost as nervous as she felt. His hands slipped to her shoulders. When she found the strength to look up at him, she was overwhelmed by the genuine concern etched into his features. She didn't like that she had put it there. She didn't want him to feel weak either.
Claire forcefully grabbed his shirt with both hands and pulled his mouth down to hers. No sooner had she parted her lips for his did his arms snake around her waist. She felt her fear melt away and her muscles relax as she focused on the deliberate movements of his tongue, the taste of his kiss, and the pressure of his fingers. She was vaguely aware of being pulled up to straddle his lap while gradually losing awareness of anything beyond their embrace. Her arms wrapped around his neck to bring them as close as possible - closer even than when pressed together on his motorcycle. Claire lost all sense of time. At some point, they passed through the station at the top of the ride, but neither of them made a motion to disembark. She couldn't give a shit about what the operator thought of their display. Making out with Owen was all-consuming and liberating - it quashed any self-consciousness she might otherwise feel.
Claire sensed his movements becoming sloppier and heard his whimper as he took a breath. She never felt so powerful or strong. She bit his bottom lip while running a hand through his hair. His hands began exploring the bare skin just under her tank top as she tensed her thighs around him. She couldn't stop the laugh of gratification that suddenly escaped her throat, so pleased by his grunts and the fullness she felt rising between his legs. In fact, she couldn't stop laughing once she started. It was like a domino effect when she considered the irony of her joy. Fortunately, her laugh was also contagious, and Owen didn't seem to take offense. Both out of breath, Claire rested her forehead against his and whispered, "I couldn't be more on top of the world." Her cheeks were sore from kissing and laughing but still maintained a grin.
"You're welcome," Owen said through his twinkly-eyed smile that she felt was hers alone. He kept her steady with a hand on the small of her back as their breathing slowed. "Why didn't you tell me you were afraid of heights?" She relaxed in his lap and softly placed her hands on either side of his face. His countenance no longer disfigured with worry, only his laugh lines remained.
"Fear makes people weak," Claire answered with a knowing smirk.
"You may have conquered it."
"You'll probably need to keep bringing me up here for 'exposure therapy,'" she countered playfully.
"Anytime." His eyes bore into hers hot and sultry. "As long as you're conquering me, too." Their physical height above the park and her continued leverage over him was a heady mixture. Claire felt dizzy. Owen leaned forward to kiss her neck. She let out a soft moan as she closed her eyes. She started to drift out of reality. When she felt his hands moving upwards from beneath her tank top, it snapped her back.
"Stop," she commanded. "Not here." She would not allow him to get to second base in full view of park guests. Making out in public was already a huge challenge to her comfort zone. With her mind no longer clouded by panic, Claire reconsidered the messages she was sending Owen. He raised his hands in surrender before resting them on the back of the seat. "Thank you," she said after planting a quick kiss on his lips.
He looked her up and down lasciviously then teased, "I can't believe you hesitated to hold my hand earlier." He rolled his eyes.
"I'm not naturally a touchy-feely person, Owen."
"Could've fooled me, the way you held me on the bike." One of his hands gently rubbed her back. "You never fail to impress me."
"I'm not trying to."
"I know. That's the best part." He pulled her into him and feathered kisses across her collarbone. "You're also sexy without trying." She shivered under his touch. Claire wished she could move off his lap without insulting him. She needed some space to think. This was unnatural for her, even if it felt good. She still wasn't sure of his motives. Claire sighed audibly and put her palms flat on his chest. His lips were still slightly puckered when he opened his eyes. He wore a wounded look. She could easily get lost in those flecks of green and gold again. This was dangerous.
"How do I know that's not a line, Owen?" She was being honest and hoped it didn't come out accusatory.
"There you go again," he huffed. Claire furrowed her brow and pulled out of his lap.
She couldn't look at him when she said, "I barely know you. I have to go by the information I have."
"Secondhand information," he hissed.
"Do you deny your reputation?" she spat back as she turned to face him. Owen remained silent, seemingly pleading the Fifth. She had a reputation, too, and was suddenly eager to show him that she could be otherwise. Did he want the same? There was undoubtedly a spark between them. She just couldn't tell if they were headed toward an explosion, a standard burnout, or an eternal flame. She wasn't sure which option scared her more. "Show me differently then," she said sympathetically. "No red carpet required."
Owen breathed out - had he been holding it in? The mischief returned to his face. "What will you require?" he smirked.
Claire shrugged her shoulders then took his hand. "I prefer to figure that out together." She felt the warmth in her cheeks and heard his low chuckle as she leaned into his side. The ride was almost over. They had returned to earth.
When they arrived back at his bungalow, Owen kissed her again. It didn't have the ferocity or unbridled hunger of their kiss in the air, but it made her feel on a cloud nonetheless. He was tender in a way that she hadn't predicted, and there was a quiet grace to how he held her. Owen respected her boundaries but didn't treat her as if she was made of glass. It was just what Claire needed from him. She subsequently wasn't disappointed or upset when he didn't ask her to stay. It gratified her to believe that he simply anticipated her reaction. She was also elated not to be forced into the position of rejecting him. She wanted to end the afternoon on a high note.
As she turned to get into her car, Owen caught one of her hands.
"Your phone number, Claire?" he asked with a slight blush. It was the most adorable he ever looked. "Secondhand information isn't the best."
"I'm sure Zara's been enjoying playing matchmaker," she giggled in response. They were still holding hands, and her skin began to tingle. Claire was suddenly self-conscious of her behaving like a schoolgirl and looked away from him. They exchanged contacts with more formality than was strictly necessary, and Owen seemed amused.
"See you Saturday night," he said with a wink and an exaggerated turn of his body.
"Excuse me?" Claire answered with a double take and a hard tug on his hand. Owen mockingly swirled backwards toward her with a goofy grin.
"Zara put me on your schedule," he laughed. Claire rolled her eyes. "I swear, it's the last time I go through her, but she offered."
"Fine," she relented. "What's the plan?"
"Lady's choice. We'll take turns planning...until we figure this out." He was mocking her again and motioning his index finger between their bodies.
"That may be an impossible task," she teased back.
"As long as we're having fun, I don't care." He smoldered at her and squeezed her hand. She took a sharp intake of breath. Was he going to kiss her one more time? She knew it wouldn't be gentle if he did. She worried it wouldn't stop at a kiss if he did. "Bye, Claire." Owen let go of her hand and stepped toward his bungalow before she had decided whether or not she wanted him to kiss her. She felt left in the lurch but laughed to herself. That was likely his intention. He also probably intended for her to watch him disappear inside his home, which she did. It was a great view.
The following day, Claire made sure to tell Zara to stop being an intermediary with Owen.
"You're spoiling my fun," Zara complained in jest.
"And don't tell anyone," Claire said nervously. "I mean, I know you'll tell Alec, but that's it." Claire suddenly cringed at the thought of people talking about her dating the park's resident lothario. Owen surely wasn't the only one, but he had been the only one Claire cared to hear about from the gossip mill.
"Are you embarrassed by him?" Zara asked astutely with concern in her voice.
"No," Claire fired back defensively. "I just don't know where it's going and prefer to keep my private life private." Zara could read her boss like a book sometimes.
"It won't reflect poorly on you to be seeing him. If anything, people will think you're using him for the sex." Claire rolled her eyes. That didn't seem like an improvement on her current reputation. "Some people - myself included - will simply be pleased to see you taking a walk on the wild side." Zara winked at her. "Where are you going on Saturday?"
Claire stammered, "I...uh...get to pick."
Zara squealed in delight, "Can I help you plan that itinerary after we're done reviewing the investors' itinerary?" She made baby doll eyes, and this elicited a laugh from Claire.
"You are far too INVESTED in my love life," Claire teased.
Zara groaned, "I've been waiting for this to happen for over a year while you've been in denial." She raised her eyebrows and hummed "mm-hmm." Her assistant was right. This was a long time coming. Part of Claire knew that she was held back by worry over screwing it up.
I hope this chapter whet your appetite for things to come. Let me know what you thought of their first kiss. I'll try to have a faster turn-around for what's coming next. I had so much fun re-imagining something that was a significant source of consternation for my writing of previous fics - stay tuned!