"When we love, we always strive to become better than we are. When we strive to become better than we are, everything around us becomes better too."

-Paulo Coelho, "The Alchemist".

Chloe's POV.

Kissing Molly's head, I hand her to Zach, "Time to go, baby girl," he whispers to a giggling Molly who's playing with his jacket. My heart clenches at the sight of him looking hurt while my bottom lip is enduring the torture of me biting down my tears, "She's going to be alright,"

Zach assures me stepping back he handed Molly over to the couple but her face is already scrunching up, "She's a toughie," I whisper trying to lighten up the mood but Zach knew me better than that. He rests his arms around my waist as we observed how Molly was adjusting to her new parents but her arms are extended towards us.

"I'm sorry, I need to go," I mumble while tears start to cloud my eyes and turn around before walking away, "Chloe," ignoring Zach's pleading voice, I storm out. This is going way harder already and me crying would only make it worse.

Walking out, I get to my car and let out the breath I was holding along with my tears while resting my head against the car. The cold wind of the evening blends with my tears making my face feel icy, "Sugar," my head snaps as I hear Zach's voice and his expression is pained before pulling me into his embrace.

"Shh," he rubs circles on my back while I hold onto him with my tears never find an ending. Why was this feeling like one of the worst things, I ever had to endure? And what's even worse is that it's just not me feeling this way, Zach is going through the same.

Pulling back just enough, I look at him before wiping my tears which were blurring my vision while his gaze is fixed on me, "She deserves the best," I say trying to convince him that this was for the best but I wish my heart could believe that she'd stay safe.

"She does," he just nods with a sigh but I'm sure neither of us is okay with this. He lifts his hand, wiping off the new hot tear that slips down my cheek, "Let's just do something distracting. Maybe a movie or something with the guys?"

He suggests trying to give me the best smile he could, sugar-coating the sadness, "Sure," I say before pulling his face down to mine for a kiss. He's quick to respond, deepening the kiss while caressing my cheek.

"I need to stop at the restaurant first to check everything one last time," he whispers with a sigh, kissing my forehead, "Hey cheer up, your restaurant finally opens again tomorrow,"

I say with the best grin I could muster up making him smile, "You're right, that's something to be happy about,"

"Yup now let's go," I say patting his chest with a smile before we pull away from each other and he holds out the car's door for me. Shutting my door close he jogs around the car and get's into the driver's seat while I put on my seat belt, "Just message the guys and ask them to order in?"

He asks addressing Blake, Hailey, Emmett, Dan, and Eli who are currently waiting for us to return and cheer us up for sure, "Yup," I say, grabbing my phone while Zach starts driving. Typing away a quick message, I put my phone away once Blake replied almost immediately and sigh, sitting back in the leather seat.

My eyes follow the series of buildings that we've passed by quite a lot of times lately making me blink away my tears quickly, Zach had enough on his plate and I didn't need to add up. Was this a great start for a new year? I'm not sure about me but for Molly, yes. She gets to have a family who hopefully cherishes the amazing memories Molly is going to give them. And Zach, I hope this opening of his restaurant again would give him all the success he worked for.

"Sugar," his voice interrupts my thoughts while his fingers entwined in mine, "Yeah?"

"I love you," a heart-warming smile makes it's way onto my face reflecting his, "Love you too," he stops the car as we enter the dark parking of the restaurant before pulling me into a kiss, slowly taking off the restraints of our seat-belts.

He grabs me by my waist, pulling me onto his lap making me gasp but he never lets my lips leave his. His tongue slips across my lips causing a moan to escape my lips before pulling back. His face highlights through the rays of moonlight showing his contoured face full of expression – love, sadness, and fear. Fear. That one thing I hate seeing in him.

My hands caress his face as he turns on the dim light of the car on, "What's wrong?" I ask him a little worried but I already knew, Molly occupied his mind as well, "Why does everything have to be so hard?"

He asks resting his forehead against mine, "Because that's just life," I sigh letting out a shaky breath while his left arm, rests on my hip and his right, played with my hair. He pulls me closer, resting his head on my shoulder and I end up doing the same, never wanting to leave his safe embrace.

"I think we need to slow down things for ourselves now," he whispers against my shoulder, "Yeah, we should try making the most of every day," I say letting my mind wander, we needed to pause things and get everything back in track for ourselves.

"It's your dad's birthday tomorrow," Zach says suddenly pulling me off his shoulder to face him. I shake my head with a sigh, "Haven't spoken to him since you know when," I say referring to the last time I was a nervous wreck in his arms while calling my dad and no, that didn't go well.

"Sugar," he lifts my face up by my chin while I bite down my trembling lip, "It's been a long time and I don't want to talk to him again. He seems happy so I don't want to tackle with an inconsiderate person really," I say with my eyes closed. My legs start hurting at the position and I move them a little, trying to accommodate them better while Zach just observed my every move.

"Alright then, we don't care about him." He confirms in a statement showing that he's on the same page as me, "Yup," I mumble letting out a sigh of relief.

My hand slaps against my mouth as an unintentional moan escapes my lips feeling Zach's hard-on against my heat, "Weren't we just having a serious conversation?" I ask him with a giggle making him grin as well.

"Yeah until you decided on moving on top of me," he whispers against my lips making me part my lips a little inviting him into a kiss. My hands tangle themselves in his shabby hair as he pulled me flush against his body while never leaving my lips. His warm hands make their way under my sweater making me moan against his lips, "My office."

Is all he says before we both rushed out of the car, locking it quickly with Zach hot my heels and his hand never leaving my waist while he left quick kisses on my shoulder. Groaning, I grab the keys from his hands and unlock the door of the restaurant and he takes a few quick strides to turn on the lights while I locked the door again. Leaving the keys on the reception desk, I follow my best friend to the elevator feeling impatience wash over me.

"Sugar," he whispers behind me as we wait for the elevator and he slides his arms up and down my side while kissing my neck. The elevator dings, opening the doors but I stay paralyzed in place making Zach smirk against my skin, "Feels good?"

He asks me before taking off his lips from my neck and nudges me in making me roll my eyes, "Fuck this," he groans punching the buttons before facing me with his blue eyes piercing into mine before he grabbed my by my butt and lifted me off effortlessly, "Zach!"

I squeal holding onto him while he gives me a boyish grin, "Love startling you this way," he whispers, walking us out of the elevator onto the dimly lit corridor while I kissed his jaw leaving wet kisses with a smirk dancing on my lips.

"Patience Sugar," he says taking off one hand from under me and opening the door to his office before hitting the lights switches. He slams the door close before walking to the couch in two long strides and drops me onto it, "This is something I definitely wanted to do for some time now,"

"Having sex in your office?" I question him with a raised eyebrow thinking about the time we did end up doing it in my office as well. Oh wait, that's what happens when we've got guests and get interrupted, "Yeah taking you in my office enough to remind me of you every single time I walk in,"

His whispers against my shoulder send shudders down my spine, "You're so sex-obsessed," I giggle as he lifts my sweater off my body grinning, "Nah, just can't get enough of my best friend like always,"

A gasp escapes my lips as his wet lips land on my perky nipples, "Zach," I moan pulling at his hair before getting off his clothes while he continues his foreplay, "Lacking patience as always, Sugar,"

He lets out a small laugh making me grin as he quickly discarded the rest of our clothes before making himself comfortable on top of my on the little couch we're about to taint. A series of moans escape my lips as I feel him against my heat while he kisses my bare chest, probably leaving hickeys, "I love you,"

He whispers staring into my brown orbs before sliding into me, cutting off my response with a kiss. His teeth graze my lower lip gently, gaining a whimper from me while he makes love to me at his own torturous yet blissful pace, "Everything with you is beautiful, Chloe," he whispers before returning to the kiss with his gaze never leaving mine. My moans are lost into the kiss while our bodies move in sync pushing us closer to the edge.

Pulling away from the kiss, I arch my back as pleasure courses through me while Zach continues to thrust into me while leaving wet kisses down my neck. My breathing is heavy as I calm down from the high, all while being a moaning mess.

"Ugh!" I groan as my phone goes off while Zach reaches out to it on the floor still inside me, "Blake,"

He huffs rolling his eyes while I get try calming my breath down before swiping across my screen, "Hey Blake," I bite down on my lower lip, controlling the moan that's threatening to roll out while Zach continues his sweet torture with a smirk on his face.

"Where are you guys? The food's here,"

"We'll be there in an hour, Zach had some last-minute work to get to,"

"Alright, be home soon,"

"Okay-" with that, I hang up as a loud moan escapes my lips, "Zach!" I slap his arm but it soon turns into my fingers digging into his arm while he speeds up, "You were saying something, Sugar?"

He grunts in a low raspy voice as my mouth hung in an 'o' as the unexplainable feeling rushes down my body, "One hour huh?" I nod with a grin he covers it with his soft lips capturing mine.

Was this fucking our way out of the mess we always find ourselves in? For a second, I wondered so but this was way more than that. It was showing that we had each other and reminding what we had was stronger than the problems that make themselves appear. It's a darn good proof of our love.

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