It was over. It was really over.
And she had a few days to spend with Domik.
Alone.
Together.
She shivered with anticipation of what the next few days might bring.
“You were going to tell me something?” She turned her head on the headrest to look at him through tired eyes.
He shot a glance at her and smiled. “Nothing that can’t wait until we get there.”
“All right,” she said, closing her eyes. “I might just have a nap.”
She let the noise of the engine and Domik’s thumb stroking her hand lull her to sleep.
* * *
She woke to the sound of the truck’s tires on gravel and rubbed at her eyes. The headlights lit the road in front of them and, as Domik turned the vehicle, the lights illuminated a low brick building, its walls whitewashed. He stopped the truck and turned off the engine, the interior lights switching on and making CJ blink to clear her vision. Soft lights in the garden cast a warm glow over the terracotta stone of a series of paths around the building, giving the place a welcoming feel.
“Are we there?” CJ asked, sitting up from where she was slumped against the window and stretching her arms as far overhead as the truck would allow.
“We are,” Domik said. He stopped the truck, turning off the engine and hopping out.
CJ opened her door, but he was right there, opening it and handing her down. “Are we far from the base?” She asked, watching as Domik opened the rear door and pulled out the duffel.
“Not that far, only an hour.”
She followed him across the neatly swept stone path to the large wooden front door, which he opened, standing back to let her enter before him. She took her dusty boots off, setting them to one side of the door on a rack for that purpose, and wriggled her toes against the cool marble tiles. A lamp had been left lit, sending warm light spilling across the entry that opened into a large open-plan living area.
Domik shut the door behind them, locking it with a soft click. She spun on her heel to watch as he dropped the duffel bag to the floor and placed his own boots next to hers.
She stared at the two pairs of boots, the simple domesticity of his larger pair sitting next to hers sending a warmth through her chest. She lifted a hand to rub at her sternum.
“Clodagh?” Domik’s deep voice rumbled near her ear and she started.
“Shit. Sorry, I’m still half asleep.” She forced a smile as she turned to face him.
His brows drew together as he gave her a long look before handing her an envelope. “This was on the table.” He tilted his head toward a small wooden table to one side of the entryway that she had overlooked. “Can you read it?”
“Sure,” she said, taking the envelope and running her fingers over the thick paper. Their names were written in a curling script on the front, and she blinked rapidly to clear her stinging eyes.
Our names on a letter.
She opened it, pulling out a note welcoming them and providing keys for their stay. She read the contents aloud, then turned to Domik with a laugh. “This is definitely not a dodgy sex motel.”
Domik snorted. He bent to pick up the duffel before heading further into the suite, CJ padding after him on her stockinged feet.
The marble tiles continued into a kitchen with a large matching pale gray marble island bench. As she moved closer, she spotted a bottle of wine in an ice bucket and a covered tray, and her stomach rumbled. The other half of the living area was carpeted, the soft cream color offsetting the terracotta of the walls. But it was the wall of glass that overlooked a wooden deck and the dark desert beyond that drew her.
CJ slid open one of the glass doors and stepped out onto the deck. “Wow,” she breathed, tilting her head back to stare at the stars that shone bright in the darkness. “It’s different when you know what’s out there.”
Domik followed her onto the deck.
CJ shot a glance over her shoulder, then gestured across the desert. “This place is something else.” She crossed her arms over her chest and turned to face the huge alien warrior who had got under her skin so deep she never thought he would leave. “Tell me why we’re here, Domik,” she asked.
He looked down at his feet, shifting from foot to foot before meeting her eyes. He wasn’t smiling, not that she expected him to be, but he had become a lot easier in her presence in the past few days, so the difference was abrupt.
