Guarding Her Heart 💚

Chapter 6

Richard watched Delaney in her leggings and sports bra as she approached the punching bag. He pulled out some purple boxing gloves, "I got these for you."

She smiled, "thank you! Purple is my favorite color."

He nodded, "I know. I asked Liz."

She laughed, "Of course you did."

He shrugged, "so." He helped her put on the gloves before positioning her in front of the bag. "You're right handed, so left foot slightly forward." He pushed her foot with his, "good. Fists up." He took a few steps back and watched her punch the bag, "good. Keep your back straight, don't lean into the punches."

After a while he removed the gloves, facing her on the mats. He showed her a few defensive maneuvers if she was grabbed. He grunted as he ended up on the mat on his back with her on top of him, "good."

She laughed as she straddled him, grabbing his hands and pinning them above his head. She squealed as he quickly overpowered her, pinning her to the ground. He smirked, pinning her arms above her head like she did with his, his face hovering over hers as he heard her breathing heavy. He smiled before standing up and they heard a knock on the door upstairs and someone enter the house. He went up first to find Liz in the living room. "You should really announce yourself before you just walk in."

"Sorry Richard." She looked to see Delaney come up from the basement all sweaty, "what are you guys doing down there?"

Delaney came and sat next to her as Richard went to the kitchen to get them both water bottles. He handed her one before sitting in a chair across from them. "We were working out. Richard is teaching me self defense."

Liz nodded, "okay. Well I was sent by Sandy. And you're not going to like it."

Delaney groaned, "okay." She took a drink from her water bottle before setting it on the table in front of her.

Richard stood up, "if we're done for the day, I'm going to take a shower."

Delaney smiled at him and nodded, "sure. Of course." She turned back to Liz as he left, "so. Spit it out."

Liz sighed, "you know that song you recorded with Chris before you broke up?"

Delaney groaned and nodded, "I do."

"Well, they want you both to perform it together at the award show next weekend."

Delaney stood up from the couch, "no way! I can't stand looking at him let alone perform with him."

Liz nodded, "I know. But it's in your contract to perform together."

She sighed, "I hate this so much."

Liz stood up, "I know. A few pictures together on the carpet. Smiles, small talk and perform the song."

"Fine Liz. Tell them I'll do it. I assume Chris is already on board?"

Liz nodded, "he is."

She groaned, "fine. Can you go now?" Once she was gone, Delaney went up to her room to take a shower. When she came back downstairs she found Richard watching tv in the living room, "hey." She plopped on the couch next to him.

"What's going on?"

She shrugged as she reached over to grab some chips from the bowl in his lap. She sighed, "I have to perform a song with Chris, my ex."

He nodded, "oh. And I assume it wasn't a good break up?"

She scoffed, "definitely not."

"Can I ask what happened?"

She groaned, "he cheated on me. But it wasn't just that. He got this girl pregnant and paid for her abortion and silence."

"Wow. How has that not gotten out?"

She shrugged, "I never told anyone. Him and I are the only ones that know. And the girl obviously. His brother Scott knows he cheated, finding out a few days ago."

He shook his head, "why didn't you say anything? I mean, the media spins the narrative that you broke his poor Boston heart."

She scoffed, "yeah well. He's worked hard to get to where he is. What would happen to him if everyone found out. And what would it say about me that he cheated? That I wasn't enough. Pretty enough, good enough."

Richard turned to face her on the couch, setting the bowl on the table before grabbing her hand, "hey. That's not it at all. Some guys just can't control themselves. That says way more about him than it does about you. I can't imagine you ever not being good enough. And you're gorgeous, so don't think that way." He shrugged, "he's lucky that you're so compassionate."

She nodded as she watched him go back to watching tv, "thank you Richard."

"Of course."

"You know you'll have to escort me. My bodyguard and what not."

He nodded, looking back at her, "I know. Oh no, I have to escort a pretty girl in a pretty dress for a night. Sounds awful." He smiled as he heard her giggle. He motioned to the tv, "want to watch a movie?"

"Sure." She picked up her phone from the table, "is it okay if I order tacos?"

"Whatever you want. You're the boss." He watched her giggle again as she looked at her phone and he felt his heart jump. She had small dimples in her cheeks that only appeared when she was laughing. He hadn't lied before, he thought she was gorgeous and was quickly becoming intoxicated by her laugh. He couldn't believe she would ever think she wasn't good enough. If she were his, he would remind her everyday how special she was. He groaned in his head, looking back at the tv as he reprimanded himself for thinking of her that way.