SECRET SERVICE

Chapter Ten

Gwendolyn was the first to wake, immeditaley realzing she wasn't alone in her bed. Alaric laid at her side, turned over on his back. It was apparent she had been hogging the blankets all night due to only part of him being modestly covered.

Nonetheless, he was sprawled out from end to end of her bed, leaving her near the edge. This was the moment to remember. Alaric appeared to be so peaceful, and Gwendolyn wasn't sure that it she had ever seen him this relaxed before.

As if on cue, he let out a long snore, causing her to jump slightly before laughing at herself.

It was not common for Gwendloyn to take any man home, she had always preferred hotels herself. From the moment she became a woman, her life was scrutinized not only by all of America, but the entire world.

There were tabloids guessing when she lost her virginity. If she was seen with a cup, it was automatcially assumed she was an alcoholic. A cigarette? A drug addict. Each time she made a small falter that was reported to the news, her father would blame her for anything malicious that happened to him afterwards.

As if his presidency was solely based on her direct actions. After her mom died, Gwendolyn lost the support she needed as a woman, navigating her adulthood on her own.

It wasn't until her sophomore year in college she had lost her virginity, and she solely dated men who were of equal status, a man who didn't mind signing an NDA.

Yet, last night she had slept with Alaric and not even for a moment did an NDA cross her mind. At the very least, one had been signed when he had been hired.

She could feel a blush creep up her body to her cheeks as she thought about last night.

Alaric had been a... thoroough lover. She was sure she had lost count at how many orgasms she recieved, or even how long he had lasted. Even after that, she recalled him waking her up two additional times in the night.

She stared at his sleeping face, trying to find a single imperfection. Alaric was different than any other man she had ever met. She was sure that he was made for her and she was hoping that he had felt the same.

She didn't want to lose Alaric after all of this. In any other circumstance, the man she had slept with would be long gone by now, but here Alaric was.

Guard down and by her side.

That derserves some type of reward...

As quietly as possible Gwendolyn shifted into a sitting position, her skin growing covered in goosebumps due to the chill in the air.

Straddling Alaric, she leaned down and gave him a soft kiss on his forehead, attempting to wake him this time. He didn't stir, but his deep breathing stopped, letting her know he was beginning to wake.

She kiss him again, this time on the bridge of his nose. Still no reaction. Again, she kiss his cheek and he was stilll yet to move. The only thing truly giving him away was his erection she felt slowly growing on her inner thigh.

She kissed him again, this time on his lips. She could feel her body needing his, and she as prepared to awaken him rudely if need be.

As if he read her mind, this time he responded by returning her kiss, yet his eyes still remained closed.

"Wake up." Gwendolyn complained, her demand coming out more as a plea.

Alaric gave her a lazy grin before opening his eyes.

"I am up." He said, proving his by grinding his erection against her. Even the brief contact nearly sent her wild. She truly wondered when he wouldn't excite her this way or if that day would ever come.

Responding to her request, Alaric adjusted himself until their centers aligned, hestiating only a moment before pushing himself into, burying himself to the hilt.

Gwendolyn responded immediately, taking control to bring herself to an o****m. It wasn't long before she felt herself grow close. Abruptbly her orgasms washed over her, spurring her to ride harder.

When she couldn't hold herself up any longer, Alaric gripped onto her hips, directing her body and turning her into a puddle of water atop him.

He pumped into her fast and hard, lifting his leg for stability. As Alaric came, Gwendolyn collapsed on his chest. For a moment, they laid there just as that.

Connected.

Gwendolyn could feel herself growing tired yet again, and considered cancelling all her plans for the day and staying here with Alaric. At least here, she was safe and nothing in the world could bother her.

And as if out of spite, Gwendolyn heard the familar sound of her front door unlocking and then opening.

What felt like less than a milisecond later, she was sitting on the bed alone, while Alaric was standing as naked as he was born, removing the safety off of a gun she had no idea he had nearby.

"Gwenie!"

The voice acted as a bottle of ice cold water being dumped on her enitre body. Even Alaric had recognized her father's voice comig from below, causing the both of them to scramble to find clothes.

"f**k, I forgot he was coming this morning." Gwendlyn whispered while getting dressed, "You just stay here. I will get rid of him."

She closed the door leaving Alaric standing there in just his underwear now, rushing downstairs.

"Hey! You didn't tell me you were on the way."

Her father stood in the kitchen with two coffees in his hand. Behind him, Michael was pulling out plates for whatever they had in the paper bag.

"I called you two times, you didn't answer."

"Oh," Gwendolyn said, willing her heart to calm down enough for her to appear normal, "I was sleeping."

"This late?" Michael questioned.

The time on the clock read 2:42pm, shocking even Gwendolyn.

"Long night."

"Well, it surely wasn't spent with you packing." He added.

"Were you both here to help or just to play twenty questions?" Gwendolyn asked with a raised brow, now growing annoyed with Michael's questioning.

"To help." Her father interjected, shooting Michael an annoyed look as well.

"Well the good news for you is I already have help coming by in a few hours." Gwendolyn lied. She hadn't so much as bought a box to pack anything in, but she wasn't starting that arguement right now.

All she wanted was for them both to leave as soon as possible.

Her father's brows furrowed, "Is Willow coming by?"

"Yes, and Alaric, they are helping me pack and move." She hoped that her lie had come off as confident as she felt it sounded.

Her father glanced at his watch, "Well I did clear the morning, I don't think there is a such thing as too much help."

"Dad, I am sure you have many more important things to do then to sit on my couch while me and my friends pack."

"You, your friend, and your bodyguard." Michael corrected.

Gwendolyn shot him a vicious look, "That too."

"You have a point there." Her father muttered, pulling out his cellphone and glancing at it before continuing, "Alright, Michael. We are saved of some hard labor this morning but we have four hours opened back up on my schedule. It'll be a busy morning."

Gwendolyn gave her father a greatful smile, relieved she was able to convince him to leave.

"Don't forget about the banquet tomorrow." He said as he exited.

"I will have Alaric go over the rules with you." Michael said with a stiff smile before exiting the kitchen with her father.

There were only three heartbeats before she heard the familar shuffling of Alaric coming down the stairs. He looked just as good as she left him, only wearing his jeans and socks as he walked over to her as if they weren't nearly just caught.

"Well, that was a close one." He said, opening the bags her father had left on the counter.

"Too close for comfort." Gwendolyn let out a sigh that released the tension that she hadn't noticed she was holding in.

She watched Alaric unpack the bag seeing her favorite bagel with extra cream cheese — as she always preferred, and a bacon, egg, and cheese bagel.

"Is this one yours? I hope it is." Alaric pointed at the cream cheese filled bagel.

Gwendolyn rolled her eyes, picking it up, "Yes."

"Thank God." Alaric teased while picking up his own sandwich and taking a bite.

Now, it was her turn to tease, "Someone worked up an appetite."

"Yeah," he said with a mouth full of food, "You worked me like a racehorse."

That comment earned him a shove, it didn't matter if it was true or not. Alaric laughed as Gwen began to eat, as she too, was starving after last night... and this morning.

"Do you think Michael knows anything about us?" Gwendolyn asked.

"Why? Because of his weird line of questioning?" Alaric asked, "It is not likely. Unless he was in the room with us twenty minutes ago, he couldn't possibly know."

His words eased her anxiety as she realized her paranoia was ridiculous.

"Has he always been so curious about you?" Alaric asked.

Gwen took a bite of her bagel and shrugged, "Not usually, but I am sure it's because of everything that is going on right now. He is like a second dad to me."

"I swear the guy is already a dad. At least I think he mentioned it once, he rarely every speaks to me if it is not an order."

Gwendolyn laughed, "Yeah, he has a son. I think he is like thirteen by now, but he's been divorced most of his life."

"Hm." Alaric said.

"Hm, what?"

"What? I didn't say anything, it is just a sound." Alaric said, each word higher than the previous.

"You're lying, tell me what you're thinking." She demanded.

"I am not accusing the guy of anything. I am just asking questions."

"Well, you don't have to question Michael, he is not somone you have to worry about." Gwendolyn reassured, "I have known Michael for ten years andn if he ever wanted to do anything, he would have done it already."

Alaric watched her for a moment with a look she couldn't quite read before he finally spoke, "You're right, that makes sense."

Quickly changing the subject just to ease her own discomfort, "Oh yeah, we can't forget about the banquet tomorrow night. It is another night designed for photo ops and such."

"It is also likely that your secret admirerer will be present." He added.

His words were a cold reminder of the reason why he was in her life in the first place. She had gotten too comfortable feeling safe around Alaric and she would soon have to go back into the world of smoke and mirrors.

"It's nothing you have to worry about though. I am getting some of my old friends together to act as an unknown third eye." Alaric continued, "Anyone would expect security to be keeping their eye on you, but never a guest and a couple of waiters. I am hoping that they will catch something that we don't."

"That's reassuring."

"And I will have my eye on you the entire night, but I was gong to do that anyway." Alaric winked, causing her to giggle like a school girl.

"I will keep that in mind when I get fitted for my dress today." She said, "And thank you for including me in on your plan, it means a lot."

"Of course." Alaric said, and as always, she knew that he meant it.