Finding Kenna (SEAL Team Hawaii #3)(82)
“Robert brought them by.”
As soon as Kenna swallowed, she asked, “Our Robert? From downstairs?”
“The one and the same. I guess you mentioned to Alfonso you weren’t able to get some yesterday, and he must’ve mentioned it to Robert. So he stopped by on his way to work to pick them up.”
“Seriously?” she asked.
“Yup.”
“Wow. We’ll have to figure out how to thank him. That was…that was definitely going above and beyond. I know, I’ll get him a gift certificate to Duke’s. He said he’s been there lots of times.”
Aleck merely grinned at how the word “we” fell so easily from her lips. He liked being a part of a couple with Kenna. No, he loved it. “Want to go sit on the balcony and stuff our faces before we shower?”
“Yes,” she said immediately. She’d put on a bathrobe Aleck knew for a fact hadn’t been in his condo when he’d been deployed. The fact that she’d brought over more of her things made him even happier.
Aleck couldn’t remember a better morning. Normally after a mission, he had a hard time getting it out of his mind. He’d go over what he’d done and what he could’ve done better. But this morning, all he could do was appreciate the beautiful sunrise and the equally exquisite woman by his side.
They ate a few sweet pastries on the balcony, showered—which turned into another long round of lovemaking—then he made omelets for both of them. After a proper breakfast, they sat on his couch, Kenna resting against him, and got caught up on what had happened in Oahu while he’d been gone. Aleck was feeling happy and mellow. Yes, the sex played a large part in why he felt that way, but it was more Kenna’s comforting presence. She didn’t ask questions about his mission, and while she’d missed him, she’d clearly gotten by just fine on her own, as he knew she would.
And now he truly understood how much he appreciated her independence. Previously, when he’d thought of the woman he might end up with, he assumed it would be someone who needed him…or at least his money. And as conceited as it was, he’d also thought he wanted someone who would worship the ground he walked on. Which was ridiculous, now that he thought about it. If Kenna had been like that, she would’ve had a much harder time with his deployment.
After hearing about the sleepover Kenna and the other women had at his condo, and about some of the more memorable customers—for both good and bad reasons—that she’d served recently at Duke’s, and how well she’d gotten to know Robert and the other security employees, Aleck was deeply satisfied, and grateful, that he’d found someone like her.
The clock was inching toward the time when he needed to leave for the base for the initial AAR—after-action review. The team and their superior officers needed to go over what had happened in Iran, and why and how things could be done better in the future, both by the team and those who planned the missions. Kenna also needed to get home to get ready for her shift at Duke’s.
“You get off at your regular time tonight, right?” Aleck asked.
“Barring anything crazy happening, yes. Why?”
“If it’s all right, I’d like to come to your place tonight.”
Kenna was snuggled up against his side, and Aleck had his arm over her shoulders. She tilted her head so she could see his face. “But you said you have to work all day for the rest of the week. It’s a long drive from my apartment to the base.”
“It’s not that far. I mean, people commute from all over the island to the Naval base,” he said.
“Still…” Kenna protested.
Aleck felt his stomach clench. Did she not want him to stay at her place?
“Here’s the thing,” he said softly. “Now that I’ve spent the night holding you in my arms, I don’t really want to sleep by myself if I don’t have to. I know there will be plenty of times when we have no choice, but driving an extra ten or so miles is nothing when it means I get to see you after your shift and hold you as I sleep.”
Kenna just stared at him, and Aleck couldn’t read her expression.
“If you’d rather I didn’t, say the word,” he said.
Her eyes widened and she immediately shook her head. “No! It’s not that. I mean, yes, I’d freaking love it if you stayed the night. But wouldn’t it make more sense for me to come here? I don’t have to get up early tomorrow and you do.”
Relief swept through Aleck. “You’re a seriously independent woman.”
She looked confused at the topic change. “Yeah,” she agreed.
“You’ve been on your own a long time. You’re perfectly able to take care of yourself. It’s more than obvious…but I have to admit that I still don’t like the idea of you driving out here after dark.”
Kenna frowned slightly.
He went on. “If you come here after you get off work, it’ll be late. I’ll be in my meeting by the time you leave to go to Duke’s, so I can’t drive you there. It’s probably not a good idea for me to pick you up, because then your car will be in the garage in Waikiki all night. I could come to your place and pick you up after you get home, and bring you back here, but if I’m going to drive out there, I might as well stay. I just…I’ve thought about you for six weeks, and being with you relaxes me in a way I can’t fully explain. You calm the demons in my head.”