Chapter 60
"Are you hungry?" He gently brushed the strands away from her forehead as he asked her.
Ana remembered eating heaps and heaps of pasta to soothe her nervousness for the trip. She was still stuffed from lunch which was probably why she slept so much on their way here. "I had a huge lunch. I want to skip dinner."
The tropical air was heavy in the room, making her clothes stick to her skin. "Could I take a shower? I want to change into something lighter."
Khai nodded, letting her go from his arms. He got off the bed and pointed to the the right wall. "Our bags are in the closet and the shower is fully stocked. How about we take a walk on the beach after you shower?"
Unlike her dream, the weather on the beach was calm and serene that day. Ana decided that she was going to talk to him about how she felt on their walk. She nodded with a small smile.
Khai stepped out of the room, opening the doors so he could sit on the shore.
Ana walked over to the closet and opened her suitcase to find a pair of clothes. She rummaged through the piles of clothing, searching for something comfortable. Her familiar bag of toiletries was right on top, but she didn't recognize any of the articles of clothing in her suitcase. She sighed in frustration, cursing herself for not seeing this coming.
Meghan had packed her entire suitcase with stringy bikinis and scarves. The only wearable items she could find were two pairs of linen shorts and see through blouses that went with them. She had nothing decent to wear for the entire trip.
Her breathing started to accelerate again as she searched her suitcase one more time. She wasn't about to walk out in a bikini on full display. She wasn't ready for Khai to see her like that, without a proper conversation just yet. Slumping her shoulders, she called out for Khai.
"Can I borrow one of your shirts Khai? I seemed to have packed all the wrong clothes."
He seemed to be lost in his thoughts, gazing at the beach. "Take whatever you need from my bag. I'll take you shopping tomorrow."
Ana opened his suitcase and grabbed the first t-shirt she could find. Grabbing her toiletries and a bikini with little fabric flowers stitched on it, she went to the bathroom for a quick shower.
Careful not to wet her hair, she washed herself and stepped out to look at her body in the mirror. She traced the scar lightly with her fingers and took a deep breath. Khai's t-shirt covered most of her thighs, resting a few inches above her knees. This should be okay. She tucked her hair behind her ears, slapped her cheeks and sprayed a light perfume before stepping out of the steamy bathroom.
Khai heard the door close behind him and turned around to look at her. His face lit up with a smile as he watched her approach him in his t shirt. "You look adorable." he said.
Ana smiled, rubbing the goosebumps rising on her arms. Only he could make her feel this way, even in all this humidity. He took her hand and they stepped on the beach together. Ana struggled to speak, not knowing how to start the conversation with him.
The waves kissed their feet as they walked along the shore in complete silence. After walking for a few minutes, Khai pointed to a wooden swing hanging from a tall post on the shore.
The swing was so close to the water that the waves still touched their feet as they sat on it. He pulled Ana close to him and gently stroked her cheek with his thumb. They watched the sunset in silence.
Ana checked to make sure her breathing was even before she spoke. She decided to blurt it out before her mind lost the courage to speak again. "Khai, I want to speak about what happened with us before Natalie's party."
She felt his gaze prick her and his hand stilled on her cheek. "I have a scar… from when Sean attacked me back in Bellevue."
His shoulders tensed and she could hear his breath hitch. Keeping her gaze on the sunset, she continued narrating the entire incident of her first attack. She spoke about how her mother had to heal her to hide the attack from society and how she was stuck with a scar to remember that forever.
"I was afraid of how you would see me if I told you all this." She hugged her knees to her chest, feeling lighter after telling him the whole truth. "That's why I went on a downward spiral."
She peeked up at him, to gauge his expression. He stared at the sunset with furrowed brows. Ana could feel the rage seething from his eyes. Not wanting to ruin the night, she climbed onto his lap so she could face him. She took his face in her hands and looked into his eyes as she spoke. "You saved me, though. You showed me that my fears were baseless and that something like this wouldn't stand between us. I'm sorry I didn't understand that sooner."
He gazed at her silently for a long time before his hand moved to stroke her ear. The anger slowly melted away, leaving a subtle hint of pain lingering in his eyes. "I'm sorry you went through that. Nothing would change how I feel for you." His voice was hoarse, but steady. "I won't let anyone hurt you, ever again." He promised.
Ana believed him. She knew he would never let any harm come to her. He had been saving her from the moment he laid eyes on her. It was the thought of him that gave her the courage to escape Sean. He was her strength, the only permanence in her life and she was foolish to take so long to know this.
His affections for her were irrational and she couldn't fathom what he saw in her to hold her the way he did, but what she felt for him was just as deep and unconditional. She felt as though she couldn't breathe without him anymore.
The emotions from her heart spilled out before she could make sense of them. "I love you, Khai."