So, I was chatting with Elise one night and after some back and forth the idea for this little drabble wouldn't leave me alone. :)

Professor Grady

The sound of Murphy scratching at her office door, followed almost immediately by a whine, was what finally clued Claire in that Owen had arrived home. She'd been so caught up in her work that she hadn't even heard the garage door.

Pushing back from her desk, she let out a small grin as she continued to hear Murphy pawing at the door, his whine increasing. Recently he'd taken up the habit of searching her out the moment either she arrived home (if he was already there) or when he did (on the rare occasions that Owen and he stayed at work later than usual). Claire had to admit that she found the habit endearing, especially since normally it was difficult to get Murphy to leave Owen's side.

"Hey, Murph," she greeted the dog as she pulled her door open. She crouched down, trying to pet him while his tail wagged eagerly and he slathered her in doggy kisses. When he finally calmed down enough that she could pull away, she looked towards the garage entrance, but didn't see Owen.

"Owen?" she called out, standing back up. When he didn't answer her, she turned her attention back to Murphy. "Where's your dad gone?"

Murphy immediately turned around, starting down the hallway, and Claire followed after him obediently. She was surprised when he didn't turn into the kitchen, and then skipped the living room too, heading up the stairs instead. Murphy stopped just outside of the master bedroom — the one room in the house he wasn't allowed in — sitting down as his tail thumped against the ground. Thanking him, Claire gave him a quick pat on the head before heading into the room.

"Owen?" she called again, not immediately spotting him, but the sound of something clattering in the bathroom gave his location away. "Did you remember to pick them up?"

"Yeah," Owen's voice drifted out of the bathroom on a resigned sigh.

"Can I see them?" she asked. She was itching to go straight into the bathroom, but she also knew this was a touchy topic for him and she'd half expected him to "forget" to pick them up.

There was some more noise from the bathroom, and a moment later the door opened and he gingerly stepped out towards her, his gaze focused on the ground.

Claire thought she'd been prepared for this moment, but when he finally looked up, stopping a couple of feet away from her, she felt her breath catch in her throat, a grin creeping across her face.

"That bad?" he asked worriedly, one hundred percent misreading her reaction. He immediately reached up and she quickly stepped forward, grasping his arms before he could pull the glasses off.

"Not bad, not at all," she countered, reaching up and straightening them on his nose, trying to ignore the flutter in her stomach.

"I can't believe I need glasses," he whined.

"You are in your forties now, you know," she just said, her hands resting on his shoulders, before sliding down his arms. "Besides, they're really…"

"Really what?"

Claire bit her lip as she tilted her head to the side, considering her word choice carefully. "It's a very good look. You're really settling into your Professor Grady role."

"I hate 'em," Owen grumbled, reaching up again to remove them.

"No, don't," she shook her head. "Besides, how can you hate them already? You've had them on for like three minutes."

"They make me look old."

"No, they make you look hot," she corrected.

"Really?" Owen perked up in an instant, his hands reaching for her and coming to rest on her hips. "You think so?" He sounded so hopeful, that Claire had to press her lips together to hold back the laugh that wanted to escape.

"I really do," she nodded, reaching out one hand to trail it down his chest. "So, Professor Grady…"

"Yeah?" He cocked his head to the side, a grin finally appearing on his face.

"You wanted to see me after–Ugh, no," she cut herself off mid-sentence, shaking her head as she grimaced. "Sorry, can't do it. Student–teacher, yuck." She shuddered.

"Not a fantasy of yours?" Owen asked, pulling her to him, his hands circling behind her.

"That? No." She shook her head. "But, glasses?" Her hand crept back up his chest, before sliding around his neck and tugging him down towards her. "Hell, yeah."

Seriously, guys and glasses? Hot. Sigh. 😁