guarding the heart

chapter 24: Plus One

Rachel hummed quietly to herself as she printed off the photograph sent to her by Mercedes of their win on stage from Sectionals. It was a good photo of the group, who had gathered around only minutes after their win to crowd the trophy and give a 'thumbs-up' or 'number one' finger to the camera. True, it wasn't as impressive as their Regionals win the year before, but they had only won that competition once, whereas at Sectionals this was now three successive victories. It was a landmark win for the group, and the first time in history McKinley High had won the Sectionals portion three years in a row.

But something much more significant happened that night.

She and Finn had finally, finally reunited. Her soul seemed to rejoice at the mere thought of Finn now leaning down to ensnare her lips with his whenever the urge struck him, or her reaching up for one of her own whenever she needed to feel his lips against hers. They had wasted little time getting to their first make-out session, it having been merely the Sunday after the competition. It didn't involve anything under the clothes (well, not in private areas, at least) but she knew that would happen soon. They were too attracted to each other for that to not occur at all, and unlike their first time together (okay, first time really together) she didn't plan on resisting anything that she was comfortable with simply for the sake of propriety. If she was comfortable letting Finn do certain things, and vice versa, then why shouldn't they? It was an expression of love and caring and trust, and there was no one she'd rather reveal herself to physically than Finn.

"Looking good , good lookin'."

Startled, Rachel turned quickly to see Finn standing in her room's doorway, leaning against it like he always did until she invited him into the room. She chuckled a bit at thinking that she'd let Finn into her room no matter what, but he was always insistent that she invite him in before he barge into her private space. Leaping up from her chair, she bounded across the room and pulled him down by his shirt's lapels to give him a searing kiss in greeting, letting his tongue into her mouth before lightly nipping at his bottom lip and then pulling away. "Hi! I missed you."

"You saw me yesterday." Finn grinned, still holding her with his arms around her waist.

"Not after school, I didn't."

He shrugged. "Guard meeting. It's not something I can call in sick for unless, you know, I actually am sick."

Rachel walked her fingers up his chest until they traced his jaw and then secured themselves at the back of his head. "Oh, I don't know. I think I could have passed something onto you." She smiled as her hand tickled the small hairs on the back of his neck, causing him to hunch over a bit. Taking advantage of his bent posture, she gripped his earlobe with her teeth and sucked lightly, internally cheering at the slight groan of longing which came from his throat. "Like that, baby?" She purred, moving over to his neck and sucking gently.

In response, his right hand travelled straight down her back until it rested on her buttocks and squeezed, causing Rachel to moan a bit and focus on the feel of his large, warm hands on her body. He pulled her in more tightly against him, and her eyes went wide at already feeling the bulge in his pants against her stomach and upper waist. She met his eyes, which were dark and clouded with lust.

"That was fast." She remarked with a smirk.

"It's been a while." Finn smiled in response, not ashamed or embarrassed in the slightest that he was sexually aroused by his girlfriend and grinding his hips into her suggestively. Again, that newfound confidence and assuredness shone through Finn's actions and Rachel wholeheartedly approved. Whether it was at school, around town, at her house or his house, he didn't hesitate in holding her hand, wrapping her up in his arms for a kiss, pulling her onto his lap to cuddle, or in this instance, display to her his desire. No matter where they were, he seemed proud and eager to show everyone and anyone that there were together. It was decidedly different from the year before, and she wouldn't have it any other way.