Page 6 of Rescued By the Guard

“You called me Bella?”

“I did.”

I chuckle. “You did.”

“Sorry.”

“Don’t be sorry. I was just wondering why you called me that.”

He sighs and runs his empty palm down his jeans. “Oh, well, we don’t know your name, so it’s what I’ve been calling you in my head.” He shrugs, trying to pass it off as no big deal.

“Why Bella? Does it mean something?”

“No, nothing really. You just look like a Bella to me. More soup?” He stands and points at my mug that is still half full. I’m slowly eating it, but I notice my stomach is more settled. I don’t want to push it, though.

“No, I’m good. Thank you.” I take a small sip.

He seems a little uncomfortable with the name, so I don’t want to push. I wonder if it’s the name of a girlfriend or somebody he’s close with and he’s embarrassed he called me by that name.

“What is it you have to think about?”

“Oh, well, I’m wondering about the next steps in my life. What I should do?”

“Yeah? What are they?”

His tense shoulders ease up as he resumes his seat with another mug full of soup. “Well, I’m old.” He chuckles and I make a face at him.

The man is not old, not by a long shot. He’s extremely attractive with a built body, small lines around his eyes that crinkle more when he smiles but is still fit as all get out. I’m sure if I wasn’t in the condition I’m in, I’d be panting over the man. He’s far too sexy to be considered old.

“I’m forty-four, and I’m wondering if it’s time to retire. I’ve put in a lot of years in the service, but it’s lonely now. Watching my brother get married and have kids makes me wonder if I missed out on things and I don’t want to miss out on more. It’s too late for the family part, but at least I can figure out something else in life.”

“You’re not too old for kids and a family. It can still happen.” With how well he’s taking care of me, his future wife and children are going to be so lucky to have him.

An ache builds in my chest I can’t explain.

“Do you have kids?”

I shake my head as I process why my heart hurts. “No, I don’t, but I really want them.”

I take a second before I snap my head to glance at Dale, and he smiles at me. “There you go. You’re not a mom but want to be one.”

Joy fills me as another piece comes to mind, and this fuzzy feeling of being a mom is strong. There’s a knowing inside of me, telling me this is something I have always wanted.

“I don’t know how to explain it, but I want a family more than anything.”

“I’m sure you’ll get them one day,” Dale says.

A brief flutter hits my stomach as a fantasy tries to build of me with my stomach swollen with child while Dale’s hand holds my belly, and he kisses it as he talks to our child.

The soup goes down the wrong way, and I cough and choke as I clear the passage. I shouldn’t be thinking like that. Who’s saying I don’t have a boyfriend or a husband out there, worried and trying to find me and here I am fantasizing about my rescuer?

Dale moves to the couch and strokes my back while grabbing the mug and setting it aside. He hands me a cup of water and I take small sips. “Thank you. The soup went down the wrong way.” Because I’m dreaming about you and I having a freaking baby.

“You’re good.” He remains seated and I blush, but I don’t want him to move.

“How long have you been in the service, then? Why did you join?”

“I went to college to get my Bachelor’s of Science degree because I wanted to be an officer in the Coast Guard. I love the water and wanted to rescue people, and one day hopefully become an admiral.” In a natural response, I lean in against him and rest my head on his shoulder. His arm wraps around me, and a sense of security washes over me. Listening to him speak calms me and I’m able to relax. “Growing up, my family and I used to visit the beach a lot, and I loved being out on the ocean. There was a terrible accident when two speed boats collided with each other when we were out deep-sea fishing. The CoastGuard showed up. I watched them diving into the water from the helicopter and saving everybody’s lives and got locked into my memory from that day forward. Joining was never a dream, it was an inevitability.”

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