Page 60 of Pallas & Kawehi

"Oh, if you're trying to spend time with me, you can start bowling. Or we can spend time together when I'm not working... like we are now."

"I think a two-pronged strategy might get me the kind of access I'm looking for."

"Two-pronged strategy? Is this what you do as a Marine? Come up with battle plans and then execute them?"

"I just want to spend time with you, Kawehi. I do have to admit that being a Marine, I've learned a specific set of skills, but with you, I'm running on need and instinct. I want whatever time and attention you'll give me and that's got nothing to do with what I learned in the military. It's just me wanting to be around you."

"Then it's good that we can stay here into the night. I want to spend that kind of time with you, too."

When he leaned in for a kiss, she opened her mouth under his that had everything to do with her own instincts.

Meeting Domenico had been the most amazing thing to happen to her in years.

TEN

KAWEHI

By the time the others left, Kawehi was exhausted. It wasn't anything emotional, just physical. She spent much of her life inside of the bowling alley and when she wasn't there, she was at home. There wasn't a lot of time in her life for going down to the beach.

Or that's what she'd told herself.

"How are you feeling?"

She smiled at Dom's question. He asked her questions and he actually wanted to listen to the answer.

"I'm tired. I feel like I'm about to drop."

"Have a seat," he gestured at the picnic table near the front door of the cabin. "I'll get you a bottle of water and you can relax for a bit."

She sighed. "Cold water sounds amazing."

Kawehi heard the distinctive sound of the cooler opening and then the soft crunch of ice moving around.

"Is it wrong that I want to dive headfirst into the cooler?"

"You like ice baths?" Dom's laughter warmed her even more.

"I've never tried one, but I've been to the Ice Palace before, and I didn't even put a sweatshirt on."

"Ice Palace?"

She turned on the picnic table seat to look at him and saw the cold water dripping from the bottle and his forearm. Suddenly, she was sweltering again. "It's our one ice skating rink here on the island. My mom was on their first drill team when they opened up."

"Your mom was a figure skater?"

Kawehi shrugged. "She took lessons and performed with the group, but she took me when I was a kid and chaperoned some school field trips. She thought I was crazy that I didn't want to wear a sweatshirt or a jacket."

"Here." He put the cold bottle of water in her hand, and she sighed happily. "I want to hear more about your family."

He put a hand on the picnic table and straddled the bench seat. He reached out a hand and set it on her shoulder.

"Ouch!"

He pulled his hand away from her but didn't move away. "What's wrong?"

She dropped her chin down to her chest. "I don't think I put enough sunscreen on. I'm pretty sure that my shoulders are going to look like a red lobster tomorrow." She set the bottle down on the picnic table and reached a hand across her chest to touch her shoulder, hissing when she felt the pain. "I should go in and grab my after-sun lotion."

"You stay here. I'll get it."

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