Page 13 of Guarded By the SEAL

“Don’t you need to… I don’t know, make some calls or something?” she begs. “Like, to your boss or whatever? Because I can’t explain it, but there is certainly something going on. I’m all freaked out.”

“I’ve put in the calls, Petra, and it’s fine. I think maybe you’re just freaked out.”

She pulls back to look at me and cocks an eyebrow in my direction. “You’re telling me that you can’t feel it? Because I know you can. I heard it in your voice when you came in to check on me.”

“So, I freaked you out?” That’s probably for the best. I can undo that. “Okay, well I’m sorry about that?—”

“No, I felt it already. That’s why I went in the shower in the first place. Because I was all cold and I needed to warm up. Then I got out of the shower and you were gone, and this place felt like a horror movie.”

There is no point in trying to deny this or argue it. Instead, I nod sharply and start thinking of ways that we can get around it. “Okay, so let’s stick together for a while. Watch a movie and have some dinner or something, a few drinks too, maybe. Keep distracted, but also aware in case we hear anything again.”

“But I thought you said that you checked everywhere.” A shudder runs through her. “Aren’t you sure?”

“I’m sure that nothing is here,” I reply, realizing my mistake. I probably shouldn’t have said that, but I’m not going to be able toswitch off from this weird feeling anytime soon. “But just to be safe.”

She nods but looks doubtful. On the one hand, this has definitely helped us get past that almost-kiss without any worries, but on the other hand, it’s another disaster that we could do without. But we don’t have any choice. One way or another, we’ll have to get through this.

“Are you sleeping?” I ask Petra as she falls against me again. It’s hardly a surprise since this is the third movie we’ve watched. It’s not even halfway through the film yet, but she can’t handle it. I didn’t think that she would be able to. Petra just seems not to want to give in to rest just yet. “Petra?”

“Hmm, no,” she murmurs back, clearly half asleep. “I’m awake. Watching the film.”

“Okay.” I laugh as I move. “Time to get you up to bed. I’ll carry you.”

I can’t help but notice how much closer Petra cuddles into me as I carry her this time around. It was more forced contact when I took her inside the house after her fall, but this feels different. Maybe it’s because she’s sleeping. I don’t want to get my feelings all twisted up again over nothing. I’ve been doing what I can to push what happened earlier away. I don’t need to add to it.

“Here we are.” I lay Petra down on the bed, but she doesn’t let go of me. “Petra, you’re in bed now. You don’t need to cling to me. You can get some sleep if you want to. You look tired. I can walk around?—”

“I don’t want to be alone,” she mutters without even opening her eyes. “I want you to stay.”

My eyes nearly pop out of my head. Did she just ask me to get into bed with her? Surely not. Petra must be sleep talking or something. She thinks that I’m someone else, maybe. There is no way she can want this.

“But… but you are in bed,” I whisper. “You don’t want me to get into bed with you.”

“I do.” She nods and peeks at me, letting me know how serious she is. “I don’t want to sleep alone. I won’t be able to rest. I know this is a bit weird, but it’s a big bed. Please. Don’t leave me. I don’t want anyone to be able to get me, Harry, and I can’t shake off the sensation that someone else is here to get me.”

“Er.” I don’t know what to do. I don’t think I should ignore her. “Sure, okay. I will just.” She shuffles up to give me plenty of room. This is really happening. No escaping it now. “Get into bed with you, then.”

It feels weird as I climb into the bed with her, for a little while… but soon, the warmth of her body calms me down. Petra has already passed out. She’s sleeping hard while clinging to me, not letting me leave, so I can just enjoy being able to be close to her. For protection, obviously. It’s much easier for me to look after Petra when she’s in my arms. Now if I could just switch off the other feelings that are currently cascading through me, then everything will be perfect.

11

PETRA

The warmth surrounds me, makes me feel safe, cocoons me. I don’t want to leave this safe space because my brain keeps telling me that outside of it, there is danger. Red-hot danger that could change everything for the worst. This safe space inside my dreams is where I need to stay.

But of course, I can’t stay sleeping forever, however much I want to. I can’t fight off the urge to wake up because it’s damn near overwhelming. My eyes are going to open whether I want them to or not.

I’m surprised as my eyes do pop open because the room is bright, flooded with light. I always remember to close the curtains before I sleep. Even though I’m on the first floor of the house, it helps me to feel safe. I don’t understand why I would have any sort of safety in my mind with them open…

“I wasn’t drinking again, was I?” I can’t imagine it. Not after the hangover I had the first time around. Plus, I don’t feel like shit again today, so it seems unlikely, but something is off for sure.

Oh, my God. How I didn’t notice him the moment I popped my eyes open, I will never know. Something blocked out my brain so I couldn’t see him on purpose. But now, the weight of Harry in the bed next to me is unbelievably noticeable. He must be the reason I felt safe while sleeping.

It all comes screaming back to me. I don’t know exactly what happened last night, but it was something for sure. Something bad. I had a creeping feeling all over my body and I couldn’t shake it off. Harry noticed it too and it freaked him out. He went outside with his gun and checked the whole place. He wouldn’t have done that if he didn’t think that there was someone here as well. He knew it. We both did.

I made him get into bed with me. I pretty much insisted on it. It’s kinda nice that he did that, especially when I think about how strained things have been between us. He could have told me to grow the hell up and get some rest. He doesn’t owe me anything, but he stayed with me to make me okay.

Harry is a good person. I do know that. I need to give him a lot more credit for that. Thank God he’s asleep right now, though, because I honestly wouldn’t know what to say to him. This is weird and definitely awkward. I think it might be best for me to sneak out of the sheets now so he can wake up alone. We are probably going to have an awkward conversation anyway, so it’s best to save that for later on.

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