A Place To Stay

Chapter 23

Winter had grown even colder. Cliff shoveled snow away from the edges of the house, trying to clear things up a bit. Mary and Gray came by to see the animals, and they all had a nice visit together as well.

Claire got done with her outside chores before Cliff did, and set to work cleaning the house. She hummed happily as she worked, tidying up everything. While cleaning the window, she looked out and saw Cliff going to put up the snow shovel. She hurried into the bathroom and uncovered the large Japanese style bath tub, and began to fill it with very warm water. Then she went back out to greet him as he came in. She kissed him sweetly, helping him out of his coat, and said “Let’s take a bath together.”

Cliff grinned at the idea, both for the chance to get warm and the chance to get naked with his wife. They went into the bathroom together and shed their clothes, giggling a little. They slipped into the steaming tub together, and settled in. They just relaxed for a while, getting used to the hot water. Then Cliff pulled Claire close, and turned her around. “Let me wash your hair.” Claire smiled and leaned back, dipping her head into the water to saturate it fully. Then she came back up, and Cliff got a palmful of shampoo, and set to work. He lathered her head gently, raking his fingers through her long blonde hair, and it felt just wonderful. He massaged his fingers into her scalp, and she sighed happily. Then, he leaned her back down into the water, rinsing out the suds. She came back up once more, and he worked a large amount of conditioner through her hair as well, which she then rinsed off.

When that was finished, Claire turned around to face him. “Now, let me shampoo YOUR hair.” Cliff nodded happily and turned around. Claire picked at the piece of string holding his ponytail together, and finally worked the knot loose. His long brown hair fell down over his shoulders, the blonde tips just reaching the middle of his back. Claire played with the ends of his hair for a moment, pondering them. “Your hair is so unusual. Why is it blonde at the tips? I thought when I met you that you must have dyed it blonde a while back, and it was growing out, but it’s still like that.”

Cliff shrugged. “I don’t know…it’s always been like that. I guess my hair lightens a little in the sun during the summer, and the ends have been around the longest, so they’re the lightest part of my hair.” He leaned back into the water, his hair swirling in front of Claire. He came back up with his head dripping, and Claire got some shampoo and started to work. She played with his long bangs, pulling them back and lathering them up with the rest of his hair.

“Do you think you’ll ever cut your hair?” she asked him.

Cliff mused this. “Maybe. I like it like this though. Don’t you like it?” He suddenly sounded worried.

“I love your hair,” Claire reassured him. “I don’t want you to cut it, but if you wanted to, then I’m sure I’d like that too. Why did you grow out your hair long in the first place?”

Cliff laughed. “Well, before I came to Mineral Town, I had been wandering for about two years. Getting a haircut is not at the top of your priorities when you’re a drifter. And then…I just got used to it, so I didn’t make any effort to get it cut.” Cliff leaned back, letting Claire rinse his hair out. She then applied conditioner to his wet tresses. She slid her hands over his hair, spreading the slick substance all over. Cliff spoke up again. “Do you like the way it looks down better, or in a ponytail?”

“Well, I do like either, but I like the ponytail better.” She urged him to dunk his head again to rinse the conditioner. He came back up, wiping the water from his eyes. “Yeah, I like my ponytail too.”

Claire then got the washcloth and soaped it up, moving all his hair over one shoulder so she could wash his back. She gently rubbed the washcloth on his neck and shoulders, then on his arms and down his back. She took her time, making small circles over his skin. He relaxed, leaning forward slightly and enjoying her touch. Finally, she rinsed out the cloth and used it to rinse the soap away from his skin.

“Okay, your turn,” Cliff said, and they both rotated their bodies so that he was now facing her back. He moved her hair out of the way, then soaped up her back, scrubbing softly across her body. After a while, he reached around with the washcloth and clamped one breast with it. “Heh heh…” he laughed slyly. Claire just laughed too and let him do what he wanted.

When he finally finished, she said, “Wow, I don’t think my chest has ever been this clean before!” Cliff just laughed again and rinsed her body off. She leaned back into him, and he leaned back against the back of the tub. They relaxed in the water for while longer, then got out together, drying each other off and getting into their bathrobes.

They went into the bedroom and lay down on the bed facing each other, still warm and damp. Cliff stretched out and untied her bathrobe, then parted it gently. He traced his fingers over her skin, gazing at her lovingly. Claire moved closer to him and kissed him, wrapping one leg around his hips. He pressed into her, opening his own bathrobe with one hand, and then he wriggled out of it and threw it aside. Claire shed her bathrobe as well, and Cliff moved on top of her, parting her thighs with one knee. He eased his hips between hers and moved inside of her. They both sighed happily and moved together, the pleasure building up rapidly. Cliff got his signal and pressed more firmly against her with short, precise movements, and she cried out in ecstasy as he made her climax. His delight at causing her such pleasure brought him over the edge, and he groaned deeply as he released, spilling inside of her.

They lay happily, their still wet hair dampening the pillows. They kissed and then held each other until they fell asleep, completely relaxed and blissful.