The Guard

30

THE GUARD
• Serena's pov •

Everything felt perfect. Life was back on its axis again, and I could never be more grateful for choosing the right decision on choosing Bridger.

The snow has melted, and the birds have now come forth for spring. An engagement party has surpassed, and everyone was present. Ruth even brought a pie for us, congratulating on our love, wishing for forever.

She leaves early, needing to be home for the evening. I did not mind, I knew she did not wish to be in the public, and I respected her decision.

Just as I am cutting a piece of pie for myself, a presence walks into the newly additioned kitchen. Timothy faces me with a smile and I round the counter, colliding my body with his for a hug.

"Thank you for coming," I whisper.

"Congratulations, I could not be more happy for you," he says.

I squeeze his arms when we pull apart, and his eyes glance over to the pie and gazes. He's lost in a trance of some sort and I shake him to come back to earth.

"Timothy," I called his name, eyeing the pie as well. "Would you like a piece?"

He shakes his head, biting his jaw. "No, thank you," he declined my offer.

"A pretty lady made it for me, she is such a doll. I wish you could have met her," I whine when realizing they have not met just yet.

He hums. "Hopefully someday, right?"

"Yes, of course." I beam brightly with a smile.

"Happiness looks good on you," he retorts, pinching my cheek.

A cough interrupts us, and I glance around Timothy to find my almost husband to be. He raises a brow.

I shrug innocently. "I came for pie."

"I see," Bridger observes, entering the room further.

Timothy blows out a breath, not intimidated by Bridger's looming presence. What surprises me the most is that Bridger's hand comes down onto Timothy's shoulder, squeezing it.

"Thank you for coming," he says.

Timothy catches his hand, shaking it firmly. "Who would I be if I did not celebrate the love between the two of you?"

I take a bite of my pie, a thumb comes down on the side of my lip, cleaning off any excess pie. Bridger places his thumb into his mouth, tasting the sweet treat.

"Almost as sweet as you," Bridger whispers into my ear and my whole face cascades red.

"I think it is my time to leave the room, no?" Timothy chuckles, exiting before he can witness Bridger eating my face.

Bridger does not waste any time in grabbing my face, and kissing me deeply. His tongue sweeps in, savoring the flavor of my pie.

"Mh, Ruth can bake," he mumbles across my lips.

"She can," I agree, lost in the kiss.

One of his hands comes around my body, feeling of the pie and my brows furrow when his fingers glisten with cherries. His other hand pops open my dress, my breasts are out in the open and I go to complain that they're people here and could come into the kitchen any moment, but he smears the cherries across my breasts; including nipples.

Gasping, I look down at my breasts being covered in the sweet treat. "Bridger," I grit out.

His head leans down, his lips open and his tongue latches onto one of my breasts and my head almost falls back. My eyes sink into my head, my lips are bitten by my teeth to try to hide a moan waiting to slip out.

"It is much better eating it like this," he whispers across my skin, causing goosebumps to scatter across my pale skin.

He takes my other breast into his mouth, cleaning off the excess treat and both of his hands grip my waist, holding me still so I could not escape from his needy mouth.

"You cannot do this, you cannot tease me like this." I was out of breath speaking to him, and I could not believe his actions.

Hearing footsteps, he quickly pulls up my dress and grabs the fork, placing a piece of pie in his mouth, acting innocent. My cheek was blood red when Josephine entered the kitchen, and smiled, unaware of what we had just done.

Or what Bridger had done.

"Hello," she greets the both of us, and I'm coughing out a response to her.

"How are you, Josephine?" I give her a smile, ignoring Bridger's hot gaze.

His hand plants across my bottom, his fingers trickle to rise my dress and I try moving, but I cannot without showing Josephine his actions.

Jospehine pours herself a glass of lemonade. "I could not be more happy for the two of you, you both deserve love."

"Thank you," I told her.

"You are a doll, Josephine," Bridger tells her, causing her cheeks to blush and I catch his eyes, and he winks at me.

Jaxson walks into the kitchen with Ugene on his tail, ready for anything to hurt his King. Bridger releases my dress, leaning over the counter to finish off my pie.

"I wish for everything to go smoothly," Jaxson ends his conversation to Ugene and Ugene nods as the good courtier he is.

Josephine pours another lemonade, I am assuming it is for Arabella, and escapes the room. I am also assuming she was nervous to be standing around all of us.

Ugene leaves his attention from his King, and filters over Josephine whom leaves his being. Crossing my arms, he meets my raised brow.

"How are you, Ugene? Enjoying the party?" My questions fall through the room and everyone is now looking at him.

"I told him he could go mingle with the others, but he insisted on staying by my side. Ugene, go," Jaxson laughs as he orders his leading man to leave him be and enjoy himself for once.

Ugene does as he is told, standing by a quiet corner of the room, not really caring for conversation with anyone. Ugene was a mystery to all of us, we would never understand the King's courtier nor his story. He was not necessarily an open book to all of us, but he was kind.

He did not speak much, he was always quiet around others and there was no harm in that, but it makes me wonder if he was happy?

I would play cupid if I wished to and force Ugene to speak with Josephine, but something tells me that they will soon have to speak to each other since they are both the royal courtiers.

And maybe, just maybe Ugene will get a taste of his darkest fantasies.

"Sorry, mother cannot stop speaking," Arabella excuses her absence, entering the room with a cup of lemonade that Josephine prepared.

Jaxson rounds his arm around her waist, kissing the top of her head. Bridger leans against the sink behind us, gripping my waist to meet his, and I sink into him.

Arabella notices and smiles. "It feels good, does it not?"

"What?" I tilt my head only for it to meet with Bridger's jaw. He kisses the top of my head, and it only causes butterflies to shoot across my stomach.

"Choosing love, letting love win," she answers.

I look up to Bridger, and he leans down- not caring to kiss in front of our Queen and King, and kisses my lips.

"It does, it feels like a dream," I say, and Bridger kisses me again.

It takes my breath away, and we both look to find Jaxson and Arabella in their own world now.

"Our dream," Bridger promises.