Chapter 25: Ace (Claire's POV)
I got downstairs after getting dressed when I stepped out of the shower and saw Leo sitting there on the floor playing with the puppies. He had no idea that I showered in his bathroom and used his stuff. And I had no idea why I did that. I guess I wanted to smell like him.
I sat down beside him, my damp hair dripping water at the ends. "Hi," I grinned.
"Hey," he said absentmindedly, focused on the puppies. I smiled, playing with Ace while he played with Max. "Why didn't you tell me you were taking a shower in my bathroom?"
I turned to him, a grin on my face. "Why? Did you come check?" I arched an eyebrow at him.
"Claire," he chuckled, "I can smell you."
"And what do I smell like?" I asked.
He turned to me, "You smell like me."
"So? I-"
He kissed me fairly quickly. I pulled away and looked at him, a smile pulling at my lips. "I like it," he mumbled before pecking my lips.
I chuckled before standing up and grabbing the dog food. "Where's the cup?" I asked, turning to him.
"What cup?"
"The cup to take out the food," I laughed.
"It should be in there," he said, still playing with them. I saw Ace running over to me but Leo grabbed him. "Come here, you nasty," he mumbled before pulling him up, placing kisses on him. He let him go a minute later and held onto Max. I found the cup and took out their food, mixing it with gravy food which is just nasty to look at, and then set the bowls down.
I washed my hands before going back over to him. He held his arms out, leaning his head back on the couch before pulling me down in his lap. "What are you doing?" I giggled, tucking my hair behind my ear while turning to look at him.
"I'm hungry," he mumbled.
"What do you want for dinner?" I asked while turning to hug him.
"Hmm," he thought, "Spaghetti," he mumbled.
"I can make that," I chuckled.
He placed a few kisses on my cheek lazily before I stood up. "Why are you wearing that?" he asked.
"Wearing what?" I asked, looking down at my clothes. My sweatpants were all in the hamper, waiting to be washed and I just shaved my legs so, of course, I wanted to wear shorts and climb into comfy sheets.
"That," he snapped the hem of my shorts.
"Because I wanted to," I said while turning around and going into the kitchen. I set the water to boil while looking for spaghetti.
"You don't sleep in that though." He wasn't wrong, I don't normally wear clothes like this to sleep. I had pajama shorts on with a loose tank top and a black cardigan.
"I do sometimes," I shrugged while reaching out for the spaghetti. I closed the pantry and turned around to see him right there. "What?" I laughed.
"Are you really gonna sleep in that?"
I looked down at my clothes for like the third time. "Yeah, why? Do you want me to change?" I frowned.
"No," he shook his head, "You look cute."
"I look cute?" I chuckled while opening the box. He nodded before kissing me, pulling away with a lazy smile moments later. "Where'd Flynn go?" I asked.
"He said he's going out with Aesha. I don't think he's coming home tonight."
"He's staying with her?"
He nodded, "I think so. Why?"
"Then I'll just make enough for us," I replied, putting the rest back in the pantry. I left it to boil over and talked to him for a while. We were talking about childhood stories when his phone rang.
"Hello?" he asked. His eyebrows furrowed before his jaw turned hard. "No, I already told you this," he said. The person on the line said something that made his jaw tick. "She's not here," he growled. I watched carefully, guessing that it was Seth on the line. Probably asking about me.
I don't even understand where I fit into place with this whole situation.
Leo was rambling on about something when I grabbed the phone and hung up, putting it on silent and screen down on the counter. "I was talking to him!" he exclaimed.
"I don't care," I shrugged, "I was talking to you before he called."
"That was important, Claire," he glared at me.
"That was Seth. That's not important."
"Yes, it is." "Why? He's not finding out that I'm here, is he?" I arched an eyebrow at him.
He took a daring step forward and I held my grudge, refusing to take one back. "Why don't you ever let me do what I'm supposed to?" he asked, his hand holding my cheek.
"Which is what?"
"Keep you safe," he sighed.
"It doesn't get safer than this," I shrugged, saying what I always say.
"I'm going to kill you myself," he mumbled, his hand going around my throat.
I laughed before pushing his hand off.
That was way more attractive than it should have been.
I turned and got back to the spaghetti I was supposed to be making. He wrapped his arms around my waist from behind and rested his chin on my shoulder. "I'm not kidding," he whispered.
"Bet," I scoffed, "You would never hurt me, let alone kill me." I turned to him while turning the stove off once I finished, leaving it to cool a little bit.
"I could kill you if I had to."
"And why would you have to?" I questioned.
"If you don't listen to me," he smirked.
"And when don't I listen to you?" He didn't have an answer. "That's what I thought," I nodded before serving him his food and serving myself as well. We sat down on the couch and ate while watching TV.
Once we finished, he offered to do the dishes and I took the dogs out to the backyard. He came and sat beside me after a while. "Someone's going to have to start taking them on walks," he sighed.
"I'll do it," I grinned.
"Funny," he said sarcastically.
I sighed in defeat and watched them run around. "You couldn't kill me, Leo," I turned to him, "You've gotten too attached."
He sighed, "That's not good. I'd kill to keep you, you know."
"I'm not going anywhere," I shrugged.
"Yeah, but you're not going to be here forever," he replied.
"I'm still there. Whenever you want me." I looked at him and saw him already staring at me.
"I really like you," he whispered.
"I really like you too," I replied. He kissed me slowly, pulling away when we heard barking. We both looked to the front to see Ace sitting there, barking at him. My brows furrowed before I kissed him again to see if Ace would bark and he did. "That's what it is," I mumbled.
Max was rolling around in the grass a few feet away, having the time of his life.
Leo grabbed my jaw before kissing my cheek. "She's mine," he said smugly to Ace.
"I'm nobody's," I retorted.
"Why not?" I turned and saw Leo pouting. He looked adorable.
"Yet."
He stopped pouting while I focused my attention on Ace, giving him a few good belly rubs. After ten or so more minutes, Leo whistled and Max came running following us inside. "They're not sleeping in my room. Especially him," Leo glared at Ace.
"Yes, they are," I rolled my eyes. They struggled a bit on the stairs so we carried them up and I set them down on the bed.
"Really?" he deadpanned.
"Don't give me that look," I said while taking the cardigan off before climbing in bed, cuddling with the puppies.
"Okay," he nodded, "I see how it is." I laughed. "Forget about me now that they're here, okay," he shrugged.
I patted his spot on the bed and he rolled his eyes before lying down. He threw his shirt off before lying on his side, facing me while I did the same, gaping at him. "What? You can sleep like that, I can take my shirt off?" he shrugged.
"I'm not half-naked," I scoffed.
"I wouldn't mind," he smirked. I set Ace and Max on the carpeted floor before they dozed off in the bed. Leo moved closer to me while I had my back facing him and I played with the puppies.
I turned to face him after they fell asleep, which was almost instantly. He tucked my hair behind my ear before leaning in and kissing me. It wasn't slow but it wasn't fast. It wasn't gentle but it wasn't rough. It was just... passionate.
His leg went over mine while his hands grabbed my waist and pulled me closer. I rested my hand on his chest but didn't push him away. He pecked my lips before pulling away and looking at me.
We're getting too attached too quickly, yet neither of us seemed to mind it.
The last thing I remembered was being cuddled and kissed on the forehead before I dozed off.
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Chapter twenty-five
So, I took ya'lls advice, I didn't do school today, I didn't write too much today, I took a day off and yeah, my head didn't hurt and I felt better
<3
next chapter: satan