Page 50 of Pallas & Kawehi

"I wish I was there, too."

There was a moment of silence on the phone, and he knew he couldn't push things. Not with her. He wanted her to be right there with him on every step, because he wanted this to last. He wanted to be with her however she wanted him. And he'd do what he could to make her feel the love he had for her.

"You're on base," she was almost whispering, "I couldn't ask you to come into Kailua just to rub my feet."

"It wouldn't be just rubbing your feet," he felt his skin go hot, "I'd get a chance to see you. Touch you."

"And we can talk for a while if you're okay with that."

"I'd love to talk to you." He filled his lungs with air and let it back out again. "Even if it's just for a few minutes. I'd like to see you and hold you."

"If it's not too late, come on over, Dom."

"It would never be too late to keep me from coming to see you if you want me there."

"I do," her voice was stronger. "I want you here."

"Then I'll be right there."

She was waiting for him when he pulled into her driveway, parking his car behind hers.

He pushed open the driver's door and got out, barely getting it closed behind him when she was in his arms.

Nothing had ever felt so good as having her in his embrace, her arms around his neck.

He wanted to tell her how he felt, but he knew it was too soon for her to hear it. The trouble was, he'd never been more sure of his feelings before.

"This is the best welcome home I've ever gotten."

She tightened her arms around him. "Well, I'm really happy you're home. I don't know if you can tell me where you've been or what you've been doing, but I don't care. You came home and that's all that matters to me."

He meant to take her hand and find a place to sit her down, but it didn't happen that way. He leaned in and kissed her.

It surprised her almost as much as it surprised him. It was magnetic, bringing them together. She melted against him, and he knew if he didn't make a move to stop, he might just end up carrying her inside. He knew it wasn't the time for that.

Not yet. They still had some growing together as a couple before he took her to bed.

"I love kissing you." He murmured the words against her lips and rubbed his hands up and down her back in a gentle, comforting motion. "But I think we need to find a place to sit so I can get your feet in my hands."

Her hands moved over the back of his head, rubbing against the back of his neck. "It's okay if you don't. You just got back from... wherever you've been. I'm not expecting you to rub my feet. I'm just happy to see you. To feel you, alive and well."

Those were magic words for him.

He didn't mind if she wanted to feel him all over.

"I want to get my hands on your feet, gorgeous. So where are we going to sit?"

She looked up at the sky overhead and he tipped his head back to look at it too.

The moon was only a crescent over their heads, casting its silver light over them and the garden.

"The grass is dry," she looked down and his gaze dropped down to her feet, bare and pale against the dark, spongy grass. "We could sit out here if you'd like. Enjoy the moonlight."

"Anything to spend time with you."

"You say the sweetest things," she smiled back at him, "but the crazy thing is... I think you really mean it."

"I do." He copied the words she'd said earlier, but he knew that the words had more meaning to him. She'd been burned once before, but he'd never do that to her. He'd never let her wonder where his heart was.

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