Page 65 of Pallas & Kawehi

"Come with me."

He kept one arm around her, steering her toward the door of the cabin. Earlier, it had looked like a gingerbread cottage when she'd seen it, but now she didn't notice a single thing about it except how cool it was inside and the way he gently ushered her inside but never took his hand from her hip or his arm from around her back.

As soon as they were inside, Dom pushed the door closed and reached out to put the lock in place. He turned back toward her and met her lips with his as she had stepped in toward him.

He hesitated for a moment when her hands reached for his t-shirt, her fingers curling under the hem and her short nails moved over his skin. He tilted his head to the side, putting their cheeks against each other. "I hope you're not trying to tickle me."

"Not at the moment." She leaned closer and felt her breasts press against his chest as her lips moved down to his neck. "I'm just trying to get as close to you as I can."

They both broke apart for a moment as Kawehi dragged his t-shirt up and over his head. He reached between them and slipped his hands under the hem of her sleeveless top. It was fitted to her skin, but he could still move his fingertips against her belly. The sensations he created against her skin made her feel like she was burning up on the inside.

His hands shifted as she moved her own across his shoulders and down over his upper arms, making her suck in a breath as his fingers slipped open the button at the waistband of her shorts.

She moved back, her eyes finding his for a moment before she looked down.

The front of her shorts was open, the button undone, but the zipper below it was still in place.

"We..." he licked at his lips, "we don't have to go any further."

Kawehi's hands joined his but held still as she looked deeply into his eyes.

"Even if he'd fought me on the divorce and I doubt he would have since he left me alone, disappearing to god knows where, I doubt we'd still be fighting it in court two years later. If you don't want to keep going because of Nick or any other reason," she explained, "I'm fine with stopping, Dom. But I'm ready. And I want you. If you think it's too soon-"

"Hardly." He smiled at her. "I want you, but it's more than physical, Kawehi. I want everything with you."

Her mouth dropped open. "I... I don't know if I'm ready to give you my heart yet."

"I'll follow your lead," he assured her. "I just want to give you-"

"You can't just keep giving me pieces of yourself, Dom. It's not fair to you."

"I want to be with you," he leaned in and brushed a kiss over her cheek. "If I feel like it's not fair to me, then I'll deal with it. If I want to say something, I'll say something. But what I need you to know is that I'm right where I want to be. If you just want me to hold you and watch the waves come in onto the beach, we can do that. If you want to go back home. I can take you there."

She shook her head. "I don't want to leave to get away from you, I just can't give you everything you're giving me."

"I'm a big boy. I can take care of myself."

She nodded. "I know. You're trained to fight men. Defend your country. But this is different. I don't want you to give me so much of yourself and then someday, wake up and think that I've... that I've conned you into... something."

"Those aren't your words."

Kawehi pulled back, confused. "What?"

"You're saying them, but I think someone else put those words in your head."

"You mean, Nick."

"Yes, the asshole. I think he put all kinds of nonsense in your head so you're not sure what's you and what's him. He might have left you here, but he didn't take all of the damage he did to you."

Kawehi took a step back and lowered her hands to her sides, gripping onto the fabric of her shorts. "I thought I was ready for this. I mean. The physical part, absolutely, but I'm not sure if I can do that if I'm not... ready for all of it."

He put his hands out and gave her a smile. "Let me take you home. I think being here with the cabin is a little much. It would probably have been worse if we were in the bigger cabin, like the one we were outside of earlier. Those cabins have a double bed and bunks, but no linens so it's more of a camping thing, but all we have in here are beds. That can't be easy."

She looked around and nodded.

“And we have neighbors.” She lifted her hands to her cheeks and felt them heat. “They’re really close.”

He reached out and stepped closer, placing a kiss on her lips. “This is all going to be at your speed, okay? We’ll go back to your house. If you want me to stay. I’ll stay. If you want me to go, I’ll go. Anything between those options works, too. This is all about you, okay?”