Finding Kenna (SEAL Team Hawaii #3)(83)

“Marshall,” Kenna whispered.

“But if you’re not ready for regular sleepovers, that’s okay,” Aleck tried to reassure her. “I’ll do what I can to see you as much as possible some other way. I don’t want to go back to the way we were before I left though. Seeing you once a week just isn’t going to be enough.” He finally took a breath, realizing how fast he’d been talking, as if that would help convince her.

“You done?” Kenna asked with a small smile.

“I’m done,” he confirmed a little sheepishly.

“I would love it if you came over tonight. My place is nothing like this one, but anytime you want to come over, you’re welcome to. There aren’t any kick-ass security guards like Robert, and there’s no beach to lie on, but I do have a pretty amazing beanbag,” she said.

“I love you,” Aleck blurted. He refused to feel bad for saying the words so early in their relationship.

“I love you too,” she returned a little shyly.

“You think you love me or you know you love me?” he prodded.

She smiled confidently. “I know I do. I’ve known it for a while. But last night I was feeling off-kilter, I think. I was blown away that you could actually love me back.”

Aleck leaned down and kissed her gently. As much as he wanted to push her back on the couch and show her physically how much he cared about her, they didn’t have time. So he kept his kiss light. “If you text me a bit before you’re done working, I can head out there and meet you at your apartment.”

“I’ll make a copy of my key this afternoon before I go to work,” Kenna said. “So you can come and go as you want. I also don’t have a nifty biometric lock. You’re going to have to deal with a regular ol’ key.”

Aleck closed his eyes and let the warm feeling from her words flow through him for a moment.

“Marshall?”

“I’m good,” he said without opening his eyes. “I’m just memorizing this moment.”

He felt her shift next to him and then straddle his thighs. He opened his eyes and found himself face-to-face with Kenna. She used one hand to grip his nape, the other on his cheek. He felt surrounded by her, and immediately wrapped her in his arms, holding her close. If this was how she felt with his hand on her nape, it was no wonder she liked it. It was an intimate hold, and he loved how it felt.

“I am independent,” she said. “I’ve been on my own a long time. I pay my own rent, buy my own groceries, make my own decisions about where to work, who my friends are, and what to do in my spare time. But that doesn’t mean that I don’t want you in my life as much as possible. Sometimes it’s lonely being independent. I didn’t realize how much until I met you. I’ve been driving in the dark for years, and no one has ever said a word about it. I like that you’re worried about me. I like that you want to make things as easy as possible for me. But I feel that way about you too. You work damn hard, and I never want to add to the stress in your life.”

“You don’t,” Aleck told her without thinking twice about it.

“Well, things are still new with us,” she said with a smile, running her thumb over his clean-shaven cheek. It felt a little odd after having a beard for so long, but he wasn’t sorry he’d shaved it off. He liked being able to feel her touch against his skin.

“You are not an added stress in my life,” he insisted. “And I have a feeling you never will be. I don’t care if we’ve been together a month or forty years. I know how damn lucky I am to have you, and I’m going to do whatever it takes to not fuck it up…and to spoil you as well. Driving an extra twenty to thirty minutes to go to work is completely worth it if it means I get to say goodnight in person and wake up next to you in the morning.”

“You’re too good to me,” Kenna whispered.

“No such thing,” Aleck said.

Her fingers flexed on his neck, and he leaned forward and kissed her forehead gently.

After a moment, she said, “Feel free to bring some stuff over so you don’t have to worry about bringing a bag all the time.”

“I will,” he said with satisfaction. He couldn’t think of anything better than seeing his clothes and toiletries mixed in with hers at her apartment.

Actually, yes, he could—having all her things here, in his condo.

But if she lived here, that meant she’d have to make the drive in the dark after work all the time. He frowned as he thought about the logistics of moving their relationship forward.

“What are you frowning about?” she asked.

“Logistics,” he answered honestly.

“Of what?”

“Us. And we can talk about that stuff later. For now, I’m excited that I’ll get to see you tonight,” he said. But he was already thinking about the future. Maybe he could sell his place here and find a condo down in Waikiki. There were plenty of luxury condos closer to her work.

“Me too,” she agreed.

Sighing, Aleck knew he needed to go if he was going to be on time for the AAR.

“You need to go,” Kenna said, as if she could read his mind. She caressed his cheek once more, then climbed off his lap. She held out her hand as if to help him up.

It made Aleck grin. He took her hand and stood. Then he hugged her. “Thank you.”