We took a short nap, and I woke before Dallas. I hadn't gotten the opportunity to study his sleeping form before. Both times, he'd woken before me. His muscular arm was locked around me, so I had to slip through his arms, since I couldn't break their hold. I lay on my side to study the man who'd stolen my heart. Was I being naively trusting? Me and him, it just seemed so right. 

He was two or three times my size, a difference that made me feel protected, treasured. His eyes were closed, but I could easily remember their soft blue, the fire that burned in the black depths of their center when it was just him and me and nothing between us. He would make a good father. A strong mate. 

My breath caught. I'd not dared think or hope for it before. Could he be my mate? Would he?

My body was tingling with the possibility. I hadn't realized how much I wanted it until this moment. I could see me living here, with Dallas, with our child—no, children. I wanted a whole pile of kits and cubs with Dallas. I wanted it so badly it hurt.

I took a shuddering breath. I needed to calm down first. A shower would be just the thing. I hadn't taken one this morning, too eager to get on the road.

I rifled through my bags and found a clean change of clothes and my toiletries bag and closed Dallas's door softly behind me.

I jumped when I turned around to find Kit staring at me, her arms crossed. "I told you to keep it down."

"I—we just—" 

She held up a hand to stop me. "At least I know you're not making babies. Been there, got the maternity clothes, right?"

I darted a look around. Can we talk for a moment?

"Aren't you on your way to shower?"

In a minute. I pushed her back into her room and shut the door behind us, even though it wasn't necessary when mindspeaking. Habit, I guess. Any private conversations in the Monroe home had to be actually in private or someone would start poking at you, asking what was going on.

How do you know when you've found the one?

Kit plopped onto her bed. You know I'm the last person you should be talking to about this.

You're the only person I have to talk to. I sat next to her. Besides, it's not like you don't know everything about the situation anyway.

Kit sighed. I'm not talking about the moral rightness of it. But think about it. When have I ever been in a relationship?

I tilted my head in thought. There was that guy... in ninth grade.

Yeah I used him for his chemistry notes.

The barista whose schedule you memorized?

Kit flipped her hair. He was the only one who could get my drink right. Try again.

I racked my brain, but all I could come up with were a string of one night stands. Not that I was judging. That would be hypocritical of me. I don't know. 

That's kind of my point. I don't do relationships. Never have. I don't expect I ever will. Sex is fun—a lot of fun, but I don't like mixing sex with relationships. 

That's...

Weird? Kit sounded almost defensive.

No. Unexpected. I really hadn't noticed. I'm sorry, Kitkat. 

Kit shrugged, but her arms loosened. Any time I've tried to talk to someone about it, they just assume I haven't met the right one yet, or that I'm a jerk.

Well I know you're a jerk. I smiled to show her I was kidding. But as far as relationships, if you say that's just how you are, I believe you, Kit. 

Kit graced me with one of her rare, grateful smiles. Thank you.

Now was the perfect time to tell Kit I thought Dallas was the one for me. That he was it. But even though I'd been accepting of her, was she going to be as accepting of me? I couldn't help but feel as if she was going to turn on me like the rest of our family.

Kit seemed to sense the turn of my thoughts. Sorry I can't be much help.

Deep breath. No time like the present. I think I'm in love with Dallas. I know it's soon, but I think it's like you knowing you don't want sex and a relationship, it's something I just know. It's deep in my bones.

I didn't dare look at Kit, but when she spoke, her voice was gentle, without judgment. That sounds like imprinting.

Fuck... I hadn't even thought of that with everything that was going on. I was almost sure you were going to say it's hormones.

Well, it probably is hormones, she mocked my tone from earlier. But if you say you're in love... you probably are. And you've probably imprinted on him.

That made a lot of sense. And it actually made things easier. An imprint was like a half bond. It could only happen with a compatible person, and it would push me to be close to Dallas, to take care of him. If he had imprinted on me as well, we basically got to jump six months of normal relationship cycles. Which meant that I wasn't crazy for thinking of mating Dallas so soon. Not that he'd asked me. 

I hoped he would ask me.

"Go on, take your shower," Kit urged. "Your guy will be up and looking for you soon. I watched some TV with Simon today. Guess what? He's an even bigger jerk than me. You two should get along great. Now go."

"I'm going, I'm going." 

Even though Kit hadn't been able to answer my original question directly, she'd led me to the answer I needed anyway. Which was probably better in the long run.

The shower was restful, though by the time I got out, I hadn't decided what I was going to do with my newfound knowledge about having imprinted on Dallas. After clearing the air with him earlier, though, I didn't feel the pressure to find out right now.