Guarding Her Heart 💚

Chapter 11

Delaney woke up in the morning alone in Richard's bed. She noticed he threw another blanket on her when he got up. She sighed, going to her own room to get dressed. She went downstairs to find Richard making breakfast, "good morning."

He smiled as he turned to face her, "morning."

She sat at the counter as she watched him avoid her gaze. He set a water bottle and aspirin in front of her. "Richard, about last night."

He shook his head, still not looking at her, "let's just pretend it didn't happen."

"Which part? Me having sex with Chris or sleeping with you?"

He sighed, "yes."

She grabbed his hand as he set a plate of food in front of her, making him look up at her. "Richard."

He shook his head, "please."

She sighed, letting go of his hand, "okay. Can you stay today?"

He nodded, "sure."

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After breakfast Delaney sat down to watch tv. Richard sat in the same room, reading as he watched her. Paparazzi photos popped up of her leaving the after party with Chris. She groaned seeing all the headlines of whether they were getting back together or not. Then she heard the host say that he dropped a new single today. She turned up the tv as she listened to the song.

🎵 I can feel her breath as she's sleeping next to me
Sharing pillows and cold feet
She can feel my heart, fell asleep to its beat
Under blankets and warm sheets
If only I could be in that bed again
If only it were me instead of him
Does he watch your favorite movies?
Does he hold you when you cry?
Does he let you tell him all your favorite parts when you've seen it a million times?
Does he sing to all your music while you dance to Purple Rain?
Does he do all these things like I used to?
14 months and seven days ago
Oh, I know you know how we felt about that night
Just your skin against the window
Oh, we took it slow and we both know
It should have been me inside that car
It should have been me instead of him in the dark
Does he watch your favorite movies?
Does he hold you when you cry?
Does he let you tell him all your favorite
Parts when you've seen it a million times?
Does he sings to all your music while you dance to Purple Rain?
Does he do all these things like I used to?
I know, Love (I'm a sucker for that feeling)
Happens all the time, Love (I always end up feeling cheated)
You're on my mind, Love (Oh darling, lead her where that leaded)
It happens all the time, Love, yeah
Will he love you like I loved you?
Will he tell you every day?
Will he make you make you feel like
You're invincible with every word he'll say?
Can you promise me if this was right?
Don't throw this all away
Can you do all these things?
Will you do all these things like we used to?
Oh, like we used to🎵

"What the fuck!" Delaney stood up as the song finished and they plastered photos of her and Richard smiling and shopping on the screen. Richard stood up next to her, watching the tv as they implied she had been cheating on Chris with him. He groaned.

"I'm gonna kill him!"

He watched her put on her shoes, "what are you doing?"

"I'm going over to his house to murder him!"

Richard sighed, grabbing her hand. He brought his hand up to her hair, carding his fingers through to make her calm down, "think about that before you do it. What are they going to say if you just show up there acting crazy. Just calm down love." He dropped his hands, "Delaney. Sorry." He felt her wrap her arms around his midsection as he pulled her to him, "it'll be fine."

She nodded as she pulled away slightly, looking at him. She placed her hand at the nape of his neck, pulling his lips to hers. She heard him moan as he placed his hand on her lower back, pulling her closer to him as he brought his other hand to her cheek. The kiss quickly became more urgent as she backed him up to the wall, helping him remove his shirt. She moaned as he tugged her shirt off, grabbing her by the waist as he lifted her to him, turning to pin her against the wall. She groaned when she heard her phone going off and Richard pulled away, resting his head against hers, both of them out of breath.

"We shouldn't be doing this." He quickly set her back on her feet before grabbing his shirt to put back on.

She groaned, "we're adults Richard. We can do what we want."

He sighed, "I wish that were true. Answer your phone."

She watched him leave her alone in the living room as she put her shirt back on and answered her phone.

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Delaney sighed as she opened the door to Tanya and Sandy enter the house. She looked back to see Richard leaning against the door frame of the living room, his arms crossed in front of his chest. "Well. Let's have it."

Tanya sighed, "you're an adult Delaney, we shouldn't have to come here and lecture you about being careful when you're in public."

Delaney sat down across from them as Richard stayed in the doorway. "Meaning what? Going home with Chris? Shopping with my bodyguard?"

"Yes." Sandy pointed to Richard, "is something going on here?"

"No!" They both spoke in unison as Delaney sighed, "we're friends. I'm not allowed to talk to and laugh with my bodyguard. Am I supposed to ignore him?"

Tanya shook her head, "no. Of course not. Just making sure. You know how it looks." She looked from Richard, back to Delaney, "now didn't I say return home alone last night?"

Delaney groaned, "I know. It isn't his fault. He tried to talk me out of bringing Chris home. If it makes you feel better, I kicked him out in the middle of the night."

Sandy sighed, "okay. And are you guys getting back together?"

Delaney shook her head, "no. Definitely not. It was a mistake. I was drunk. I'm sorry. Now what about this song? The timing implies that I cheated on him."

Sandy sighed again, "unfortunately there isn't a lot we can do. It isn't like you can tell an artist what song they can or cannot release. He's allowed to tell whatever story he wants. As are you. You could always come clean about everything that happened."

Delaney groaned, looking at Richard to see him watching her, "I can't do that to him. I'm sorry."

Tanya shrugged, "well then there isn't a lot we can do."

Delaney nodded, "okay." When they were gone, she stood in front of Richard. "I'm going to take a nap."

He nodded, playing with the ends of her hair, "okay."