Page 68 of Pallas & Kawehi

But was she the woman to make him happy? She didn't know.

She wanted to be that woman.

She just wasn't sure that she was ready to try and fail with him.

She felt like the only thing holding her to Nick was their marriage. That piece of paper in the computer banks at the Department of Health.

But as she stood there in her kitchen, just a few inches away from Dom, she knew with a terrible certainty that she was already in love with the man standing beside her. Earlier she’d still been fighting her feelings for him, but she had already been falling at that time. Now, she had to admit she was in a complete free fall. She loved him, there was no denying that.

Before she could even begin to understand how that had happened, Dom stretched and yawned. "Sorry."

"No. Don't be sorry," she smiled at him, touching her fingers to his chest. "You're tired."

"I'm good." He leaned in and kissed her gently on the lips. "It was all that sun."

"Ha ha." She chuckled. "I don't think you should drive back to the base if you're tired."

"I know there's a Wendy's somewhere close and I can get coffee."

Kawehi stepped in closer and wrapped her arms around his middle so she could lay her head on his chest. "Do you have to get up early in the morning?"

He rubbed his hands along her back, and she enjoyed the way they seemed to melt into each other.

"No. I don't have to do anything until the afternoon tomorrow."

She leaned back and looked up into his face. "Why don't we lie down and get some rest, then I won't have to worry about you falling asleep on the drive back to the base."

"You don't have to worry about me-"

She touched her fingertip to his lips. "Now why does that sound so familiar?"

"Great minds think alike?"

They were both laughing then, just holding each other. Kawehi felt his heart pounding against her own and she loosened her hold on him. "So, are you going to sleep a little? You don't have to stay the night. I just want to make sure you're not sleepy on the way back to your apartment."

He sighed, but before she could ask him what it was about, he swept her up into his arms and over his shoulder. "Okay, where are we going?"

She was shaking with laughter. "How did you do that?"

He gave a soft pat on her backside. "Where are we going?"

"End of the hall."

They were there in a moment, and he set her back on her feet. "You want me to shower before I get in bed?"

She gave him a tempting smile. "I’ll shower and change and leave it to you. Don’t worry. I have a great hot water heater and I like it cool to the touch."

Kawehi moved to her dresser and pulled something out. "Do you need me to lend you something to wear?"

She was laughing when he took out his keys. “I’ve got a change of clothes in the car.”

She had a lightness to her step as she left the room.

PALLAS

Waking up in Kawehi's bed was amazing. Back at his apartment, it didn't matter what time he got up, his back always hurt. But waking up with his arms around her was a game changer.

He leaned his head forward, nestling his face into the crook of her neck.

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