Lovingly care for (7)
I believe the answer is:
cherish
'lovingly care for' is the definition.
(I've seen this before)
This is all the clue.
(Other definitions for cherish that I've seen before include "Protect and care for lovingly" , "Foster" , "Hold dear, be fond of" , "Protect and treat with affection" , "Hold dear, keep in one's heart" .)