Seals and Bounty: The Bodyguard

Wyatt

As I was walking back down the stairs calling her name, and there was no reply.

"Mari," I said, "Mari, where are you?" Panic hit me like a gut punch by the time I got to the bottom step. I turned and looked into the living room, she wasn't there, I headed to the kitchen, nothing. I checked the downstairs bathroom. She wasn't there either. Now I started yelling her name louder. Finally, I heard a moan coming from the living room. As I walked back in, I went to the other side of the couch and there she laid, sleep, bawled up like a little baby.

I went back to the stairs, grabbed my bag and went ahead and put it in the trunk, and cranked the car. I went back inside and scooped her up in my arms and sit her in the car, buckled her in, then locked the house up.

I sit in the car for a minute because I had no idea what her address was. Then I decided to ask Rodriquez.

I tapped on his window.

"Hey man, she is knocked out and I don't want to wake her up. Do you have her address?" I asked.

"Yes, I do. Just follow me. I wouldn't want to wake her either. She needs her rest. Do you have everything you need then? Are we ready to go?" Rodriquez asked.

"Thank you and yes, I have everything. I will follow you," I replied.

When we pulled up at her house, Rodriquez got out first and headed to do an outside perimeter check. I wasn't going to leave her in the car asleep while he searched. He knew that, so he proceeded without him.

Once the yard, windows, and doors were checked from outside, Rodriquez asked him if he had the house key. I hated to go through women's purses, but I did this once, grabbed her keys, and handed them to him. He then went in to check the small house. He returned ten minutes later with an all-clear.

I got out of the car, went to her side, and scooped her up in my arms again, and headed into the house. It was a small two-story house. I headed upstairs and found the master bedroom. I shuffled back the covers with one hand, while still holding her with the other. I had realized before that she really was a very petite lady that felt right in my arms; I was really feeling that right now.

Once the covers were back, I laid her on the bed, took off her shoes, and covered her back up. What I really wanted to do right now was slide into the bed beside her and hold her all night. But I knew that was not the professional thing to do. So I closed her bedroom door and went back outside to gather my things. I found a blanket laid out on the back of the couch. I took off his shoes and laid down. I knew it was going to be hard to fall asleep, but maybe I could close my eyes for a few minutes knowing that Rodriquez was just outside the door.

I thought I heard someone knocking. I jumped up and realized it was someone knocking at her front door. I must have dozed off. I didn't even realize where I was at first. I go to the door.

"Who is it?" I asked.

"It's Rodriquez. I just wanted to come inside to use the bathroom," he said.

"Yeah, of course," I replied, still checking the peephole to make sure it was him. I still opened to door cautiously to make sure there was no one was hiding either. Once he was inside, I asked, "Man, why don't you just stay inside, and we can take turns doing rounds outside and sleeping? I know you guys don't have to stay in your car, it's just not something you always ask about is to be inside."

"Man, that would be good. And no, we only come inside when asked, or there are several of us on a high-profile case. I appreciate you bringing up the offer," Rodriquez stated.

I looked at my phone and the time said 0400. It must have been a really brief nap!

I laid back down on the couch as I heard Rodriquez come out and sit in the recliner. The next thing I hear is my alarm going off, and it was time to get up and cook breakfast.

"Rodriquez, why don't you shut your eyes for a few minutes while I cook us all some breakfast. She said that there was food in here." I said.

"That sounds great, thanks," he replied.

Once I was finished with breakfast, I woke up Rodriquez before going into Mari's room to see if she wanted to eat. When I walked in, she was curled up in the fetal position sucking her thumb. I almost lost it right then and there. I immediately got hard. Damn, now I have to get myself together, quick. Hoping she wouldn't notice, I tried to wake her up.

"Mari, Mari," I said as I touched her shoulder, "Breakfast is ready. Are you hungry?"

Her eyes opened, and she looked at me with this innocent glow in her eyes, then she must have realized she was sucking her thumb because her face went straight into embarrassment.

"There is no need to be embarrassed. You're not the first Little I have met. But that truly is not a conversation for us to have today," I said.