Page 173 of Sweet Dominion

Then, without a care for who was watching, he tilted her chin up and kissed her softly.

I blinked.

It was a tender, unhurried kiss that made it clear how much he adored her.

Wow. Dima is in love? Dima?

My heart ached a little realizing that Romeo and Chanel would never see this.

Meanwhile, Rose responded to that kiss by falling into it and resting her hand on his chest.

Well I think the reporter actually is falling for him too. This. . .relationship may be longer than I thought. Would he marry her?

I looked down at the cat, Barbara Whiskers and smiled.

She lounged on the table as if she were therealjudge here. She even had her own little plate set up in front of her. It was clear Dima had planned to feed her some of the food entries, as if this whole event were as much forherenjoyment as it was for theirs.

Dima. . .with a girlfriend and a cat. I guess now anything is possible.

Completely stunned, I checked out Barbara Whiskers some more. The cat seemed completely at ease. Her eyes were half-closed, although she was still on full alert. And she had her tail lazily rising and then falling back onto the table.

A long, calming sigh left Chen.

I put my view on him.

Chen leaned back in his chair and wore a silly smile on his face. “It’s such a lovely day. Don’t you think so, cousin?”

I eyed him. “I do.”

“Look at the sky.”

“What?”

“Look at that amazing sky above us.”

“Uh. . .” I lifted my view. “O-kay.”

“God made that sky.”

I held in my laughter.

That’s right. He is high.

Chen pointed up like I couldn’t see the damn sky above us. “That’s a beautiful sky. It really is.”

I swallowed down my chuckle and nodded. “I agree, Chen.”

“We don’t look at the sky enough.”

“We don’t.” I signaled for the waitress.

When she hurried over to the judge’s table, I pointed at Chen and kept my voice low. “Get him a large glass of water please and a plate of food.”

“Yes, Mountain Master.” She left.

Chen continued to gaze at the clouds. I didn’t even think he realized that a waitress had even came by. Chen let out another sigh. “I’m going to write a poem about the sky today. I think I will call it. . .”

I watched him. “Yeah?”

---