Page 8 of Closely Guarded

That might just be the most beautiful thing I’ve ever heard said.

Chapter 9- Nick

“In… in love?” Zach looks shocked. I’m still waiting for that punch, but it never comes. Instead, a look of relief washes over his face. “You guys are in love with each other? Oh, thank god. That’s so much better than what I was anticipating. Way to freak me out, guys.”

Well, I can’t say that that was the reaction I was expecting. “Come again?” I ask.

“It’s different if you both feel the same way,” he continues. “I was afraid that you were just, well… you know, using her.”

Claire sputters indignantly next to me. I make my offensive known. “What the hell do you take me for?”

“I’m sorry! She’s my little sister, I protect her… even if it is from you. So, if you hurt her, I’m going to have to kill you, best friend or not. And you know that I know how!” Zach’s smiling, and his sudden change in mood is almost enough to give me whiplash. Almost. I’m too grateful that he seems to be on board with Claire and I to focus on it too much.

Suddenly, Claire springs forward and flings her arms around Zach’s neck. “Okay, okay,” he pats her gingerly on the shoulder before disentangling himself. “Let’s do this some other time, okay? Maybe when you’re not standing there in my best friend’s t shirt.”

The three of us exchange smiles and Zach leaves Claire’s apartment. She locks the door behind him before turning around and leaning back against it.

“So…” she starts, and drags a toe along the linoleum floor, tracing a pattern only she can see. “You love me?”

God, she has absolutely no idea how enticing she looks right now, all rumpled. Despite the fact that it almost swallows her whole, my shirt rides up one creamy thigh as she nervously shifts in place, waiting for me to answer her question. All I can do is give her the simple truth. “Yeah, I do.”

Her smile lights up this tiny apartment. “That’s good, that’s… really great.”

“Yeah?” I ask and slowly walk towards her. “I think so too.”

We should probably move away from the front door, get settled somewhere more comfortable. We still have a lot to talk about, after all. Zach, Lenny, my new medical training… it all seems so insignificant compared to this moment, right now. She loves me and I love her. That’s something worth celebrating. “There’s something that I’ve been wondering,” I muse, and brace my hands on either side of her head, leaning in to nuzzle her neck.

“Hmm, what’s that…?” Claire asks breathlessly. Her hands drift up and down my back and she occasionally scratches a nail against the back of my neck. It feels fantastic.

“I’m wondering if you taste as good as what you create,” I purr into her ear.

When all Claire does is tilt her head to the side in inquiry, I decide to show her what I’m talking about.

With quick fingers, I lift my shirt off of her and toss it to the floor before dropping to my knees. Now all I’m concentrated on is slipping my fingers beneath the pale pink band of her panties and encouraging her to shift her hips closer to my face.

“Nick? Wh-what are you do-doing?” Claire’s panting and when I spare a look up, her navy eyes are dark with arousal. Her question is a reminder that despite her enthusiasm, she’s still so new to the art and intimacy of sex. I look forward to showing her everything there is to enjoy.

“I’ll show you,” I whisper up to her, making sure to breathe lightly across her covered mound. “But first, you have to let me take these off. It will feel good, I promise.”

She obediently lifts each leg so that I can slide her panties off over her feet before tossing them back to join my shirt in the depths of her apartment. I lean in and press my nose to the dark curls between her legs, and I feel her tremble.

I pull away and take her hands in mine. “Claire, do you trust me?”

“Of course.”

“Good.” With her answer, I lean forward and show her just what I was talking about.

Chapter 10- Claire

Seven years later…

“Hey sweetheart, I’m back. Are you in?” I call out as I round the corner of the hallway and head into my living room. Zach is sitting on the couch reviewing some paperwork. He’s recently started wearing a pair of reading glasses for the documents and scripts with fine print. The thin wire frames make him look a little bit older, a little more distinguished. The house is quiet around us as all three of the kids are with their Uncle Zach for the day. My brother and his fiancé were kind enough to take them so that Nick could get some work done and I could have a part of a day off. It’s a Saturday, so I had to get to the bakery quite early to make sure that everything was ready for the anticipated mid morning rush. As it was, I sold out of scones and berry muffins by noon!

It’s still early in the afternoon now, and I’ve left my bakery in the very competent hands of my staff so that I could go home and have some time with my husband. Even after six years of marriage, thinking of Nick as my husband still makes me smile.

Nick is no longer in the Air Force, a fact for which I feel selfishly grateful. He completed his medical training with ease and was amazing as a field medic. The only problem is, he has a tendency to be a little too brave. The last time that happened, Nick ran into enemy fire to help a pilot who was trapped under their aircraft. He got the injured pilot out but was also hurt in the process.

When I got the call from the nearest military hospital that my husband had been injured in the line of duty, the shock and fear sent me into early labor. I ended up giving birth to our twins—a boy and a girl!—in the hospital while under careful observation. Later I would find out that Nick had been in surgery at the same time I was in labor, having surgery to repair some internal injuries.

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