Taboo - Chapter 1

The drive from the club to Claire’s apartment was eerily silent, and it made her nervous. Yesterday, he didn’t say a word to her in the club and tonight, when he finally did talk to her, he was cold; not at all like the man that she remembered meeting four years earlier. Then again, a lot of things had changed in the past four years. Claire wasn’t the naive cheerleader anymore; she was constantly running with her dad, moving around, adapting new identities and becoming someone else other than herself. Peter seemed less like the old Peter she used to know, and that frightened her.

They arrived safely at Claire’s apartment; she quietly apologized for it being messy but Peter didn’t seem to care.

“Do you want something to drink?” she asked, going to her small kitchen to grab something from the refrigerator. “I have mostly soda and water; alcohol’s not allowed.”

“Water’s fine.” he said from the main room.

Claire grabbed a bottle of water from the refrigerator and joined Peter again. She smiled, giving it to him before she sat down on the couch. Peter took his water and sat down on a chair opposite her, not saying anything else. The two of them sat in silence for awhile until Claire couldn’t take it anymore. “What was that about back there?”

“What was what?”

“Pushing me up against the car and smelling me?” she said.

Peter grinned, laughing to himself which only annoyed her. “I was just checking.” he mused.

“Oh well, I’m okay,” Claire mused, still confused about his behavior. “But was that really necessary though?”

He shrugged. “I suppose not,” he mused, “but you are working in one the seedier parts of town, Claire.”

“Yes, I realize that; I have been paying attention, Peter.” she shot back.

“Have you?”

“Yes.” she said shortly.

He grinned again, studying her. “To the girls in the club?” he wandered.

“Sometimes,” she mused. “But I’m not --- you know that I’m not that way.”

“Of course,” he covered. “I mean do you pay attention to the girl’s moves when they’re on stage, or the things that they do in private rooms for clients?”

Claire didn’t know to respond to that question. She would have to be an idiot not to know about the type of things the girls did in the back rooms. “I’m not stupid Peter,” she said. “I remember taking sex ED in high school. I know what sex is and anyway, it’s never sex. It’s almost always a lap dance and some fondling.”

“I never mentioned anything about sex,”

“Why did you ask then?” she countered.

Peter stood up then, put down his water on the glass table separating them and came over to where she was sitting, kneeling down in front of her. Claire didn’t know what he was going to do next until she felt his hands crawl under her blouse, kneading her breasts.

Claire knew that this was coming; she felt it earlier in the club but it still surprised her. She surprised herself even more when she closed her eyes, moaning as he fondled her.

Claire always thought the longer she stayed hidden, eventually the time away from him would make her forget about him. But the way he was touching her now, forced back memories of their first meeting in front of that trophy case which seemed like ages ago. She had such a crush on him then, feelings that turned into an infatuation that made her ditch the Haitian and fly to New York to find him.

She smiled, remembering that moment, biting down on her lip, eyes closed. Peter grinned, slipping one hand away from her breasts and down her skirt. She wreathed beneath him, panting as he eased his forefinger in and out of her. Claire's moans became louder as she unconsciously spread her legs for him.

He removed his hand from her breasts, running it down her stomach and then pulled it from her blouse, unbuttoning it and letting it fall the ground, next slipping off her short skirt. He wasn’t surprised to find her wearing black underwear.

Claire gulped, as his eyes roamed down her body, studying her every curve. She couldn't help but blush, staring back at him and she realized that he wanted her, and God help her, Claire wanted him. Peter removed his hand from her panties as she unclasped her bra and removed her underwear, leaving her naked before him.

Peter stood up, lying back on the couch as Claire crawled on top of him, removing his shirt and jeans. Claire slipped a hand beneath his boxers, eliciting a groan from Peter as she gently stroked him before taking off the last piece of clothing separating them.

Once he was naked, she stretched her body like a cat, kissing from his chest to his waist. She paused briefly, pushing her long hair aside, wrapping her hand around his erection before brushing her lips over it.

He moaned, breathing hard as he reached down, stroking her hair with his hand. Claire continued to kiss him, her hands roaming freely over his body until Peter grasped them both; pulling her so she was straddling him. He stared at her for a moment before kissing her; Claire opened her mouth, her tongue dueling with his as her hips moved against his erection.

The twitch was still there but Peter tried to ignore it for the most part as he trailed kisses down Claire's neck to her breasts, sucking at her naked flesh, forcing her to arch her back against him. Claire rubbed her body against him again as he eased slowly inside of her and moaned as he started making circular motions; her heart beating wildly in her breasts. She wrapped an arm around Peter's neck, her nails digging into skin, making marks that quickly healed.

She trembled, shaking nervously so Peter took both of her hands in his, holding them tight behind his back as he kissed her. The distraction worked and Claire's body began to relax and he let go of her hands, letting them roam across his back.

As Claire continued her exploration of his body, Peter's menstruations became faster. She stopped kissing his chest, closed her eyes and made soft cooing sounds, wrapping her body tightly around him, unconsciously forcing him deeper inside of her in a quick, swift motion. Claire's eyes opened suddenly upon realizing what she did and looked down at Peter, as he smiled at her, kissing her forehead before returning to a slower pace.

Claire smiled back at him, shifting her weight on top of him as Peter gently parted her legs; she shifted again but this time, finding her own rhythm. Peter closed his eyes, moaning as Claire's steady rhythm became faster and faster with his hands around her waist, steadily slowing her down. But Claire didn't want to. Peter tried restraining her again but she pressed on, shutting her eyes, moaning louder and louder, sweat accumulating on her brow and around her breasts until she finally screamed, crying Peter's name.

She started trembling again and found Peter's hands on her waist, grasping them as he sat up, holding her against his chest, wrapping his arms protectively around her. He smiled, kissing her temple, brushing her hair away her from her face. Claire still panted as her body started to cool itself down; she closed her eyes again, hearing nothing except for Peter's heartbeat and she smiled.

Peter smiled too, stroking his fingers along her damp skin, listening to her heart beat and for the first time in a long time, it made him feel alive.

~~

Peter smiled, stroking his fingers across her arm, holding her close when Claire awoke. She turned over, opening her eyes groggily, smiling at him. She brought her hands up, tracing the scar on his face. Peter closed his eyes, kissing her hand as it came over his lips.

“I just wanted to make sure that you were real,” she whispered, kissing him.

“I don’t blame you for thinking otherwise,” he teased, “You don’t know how many times I’ve thought about you over the years, dreamt about you.”

“Fantasizing about doing what we did last night?” she finished, running her hands along his torso. “I felt it…when we were in the club, the connection, the way you were looking at me.”

Peter didn’t say anything, stroking his fingers through her hair. “It was almost electric, don’t you think?” she continued.

“It was.”

Claire was silent for a moment, planting kisses along his chest as Peter lightly ran his fingers along her back, tickling her. Peter smiled as she started giggling suddenly, her face turning a shade of red. She stopped kissing him and instead, laying her head on his chest, wrapping her arms around him. “You could stay, you know,” she said suddenly.

“I never mentioned leaving,”

“I know but if you want to, you could stay unless,” Claire continued, looking up at him, “Unless you’re already with someone …”

Peter sighed, taking her hand and kissing her palm. “I am but-”

“Do you love her?” Claire cut him off, “Do you love her the same way you love me?”

He shook his head. “No,” he whispered, running his fingers along her skin, “but if you want me to stay, I will Claire.”

She arched her back against his touch and shivered slightly. “I want you to stay,” Claire managed, Peter smiled, relieved to hear her say that until, “but I think you should go back.”

Peter scowled. That was not what he wanted to hear. He wanted to stay with Claire more than anything; he felt at home in her arms, warm and safe. He couldn’t imagine leaving her again and possibly never seeing her again. He wasn’t sure if he could handle that.

“I love you Peter,” Claire breathed, “but I want to be free to love you, to hold you in public and kiss you without someone---“

“This is Las Vegas Claire,” he cut her off suddenly with a kiss, “No one knows who we are here, and what we mean to each other. It doesn’t matter.”

“Maybe,” she conceded, “but what about her? You’re just going to leave her for me?”

“Yes,” Peter said simply, brushing his fingers along the nape of her neck, “We’re not married or anything.”

“No,” she agreed, “but it doesn’t make it right.”

“Then what does?” he countered, removing his fingers from the nape of her neck and placing his left hand on her breast while the other settled on her crotch. Claire was about to say something but her voice hitched in her throat as he gently started stroking her. “You don’t want me to go away, Claire.”

“No, but will you at least think about it Peter?" she managed, closing her eyes as Peter’s fingers slid in and out of her at a varied pace. "Please, for me?"

“I promise," he purred, kissing her neck and shoulders. A smile teased at her lips as Peter parted her legs, easing inside of her again. It wasn't as painful as the first time but it still made her shiver. It didn't feel wrong to be with Peter like this, despite what conventional wisdom told her. Before he was her uncle, he was hero, and that title held more weight in her heart than anything else.

Claire breathed heavily, finding a rhythm that matched his, grasping his hands in hers, and barely holding on.

Peter couldn't take his eyes away from her, staring as she relished in her pleasure, pleasure that he was giving her. She was so beautiful. Claire had always been beautiful to him but now, her beauty was almost ethereal.

He leaned up, kissing her just before she broke, crying his name and collapsing on top of him. Her breathing slowed as her body still trembled. Peter kissed her temple, brushing her hair aside and smiled as she fell asleep.

~~

Peter sighed, watching Claire sleep on his chest. He watched her breathe, her breasts rise and fall, her hair fall across his chest. Before Claire, he couldn't even remember the last time he felt this at peace. He knew when the explosion happened that she couldn't have died but that didn't stop him for searching for her. She became his obsession. The one thing that kept him going, that made him feel alive.

All this time, he never stopped and considered why she made him feel that way. She was family of course but he always felt that there was more to it than that.

Love never occurred to him. He thought that he found love with Niki (he was always a little naive when it came to love and the women he thought he loved). She was something special. They found each other after the explosion. Love, or what Peter thought was love, came quickly.

He was so incredibly naive back then. They had sex, fought, broke up, got back together, sex -- it was a twisted cycle with them. Every time that Peter thought it was over, they were together again and every time, he thought it was because of love.

The last fight he had with Niki over Claire, made him put his feelings for his niece in perspective and he realized, his obsession, his desire to find her wasn't just to affirm to himself that she was alive. It was because he loved her and needed her.

He could feel that need when he watched her in the strip club, and he was sure that Claire felt the same. She told him so later.

She also made him promise to think about not leaving Niki for her. Peter could go back to Niki and continue his life with her but there was no way that he could forget about this time with Claire. Even if he did go back to Niki, he wouldn't put it past her to figure out that he had slept with Claire. She would probably call him a fucking pervert or something worse.

That would remind him of the taboo and that it would always be there, mocking him. Claire was right about that. God, how he didn't want her to be right about that. He waited four years to find her and now that he had, he had to walk away from her.

Peter sighed, kissing her forehead, brushing his fingers against the side of her breast as she snuggled his chest. He hated himself for what he had to do but as much as he wanted to be with her, he had a stronger desire to protect her; to be her hero again. He had to leave, but he hoped that one day fate would allow them one more blissful moment like this.

~~

When Claire awoke several hours later, she was alone. She closed her eyes, mentally shouting at herself for saying something to him earlier but then she reminded herself, her memories of their time together would always be hers.

She opened her eyes again and found a card on the glass table and picked it up. It was a business card with the name of a club and there was writing on the back. She flipped it the other side, reading it:

In case you ever need me, you know where to find me.

Love, Peter

Claire put the card back down on the table and lay back on the couch, closing her eyes and dreaming of Peter and the day that their relationship wouldn't be taboo anymore.

The End