Page 90 of Kai
My face ignited with a flush. Had Kai been there all along?
He wore only a pair of board shorts printed with tropical flowers. The sun kissed his bare shoulders and chest, worshiping his brown skin and highlighting the elegant definition of his muscles, the strength of his limbs, and the perfect shape of his long-fingered hands, which were draped over his knees.
From where I stood, his eyes looked like slashes carved into his handsome face, but his gaze sparkled with an emotion that tensed his features. The sight of him sitting with his back ramrod straight and his attention lasered on me slammed me back to the now.
I must have gasped because he flashed the ghost of a smile. “Did I surprise you?”
“How…?” I blinked several times.
I felt disoriented but also pulled to him, anchored to his form as firmly asSerenityto her moorings. Even though he didn’t move a muscle, his stare held on to me, a physical grip that steadied me.
How long had I been standing up here, staring at the water? Had I considered breaking my promise to Nix? Had Iforgotten everything my brother taught me?
I couldn’t let him down. I couldn’t let myself down. Whatever this was, it had only happened in my head.
Knees wobbly, I lifted one leg, brought it around, and settled my foot on the deck. I did the same with my other leg. Fighting for balance, I braced my feet on the deck, even though I had to steady myself on the railing. Kai just stared at me, saying nothing.
“How long have you been sitting there?” I asked when I could steady my voice.
“A while.”
“I was tracking a school of fish.” I forced a fake grin onto my face.
He cocked his eyebrows. “There’s no need for you to pretend with me.”
His words hit me in the solar plexus, but I was good at pretending, so I asked a question instead. “What are you doing over there?”
“Meditating,” he replied. “It’s how I like to start my day. Wanna join me?”
“My mind’s too busy.” I released the railing and found my legs held. “My thoughts go too fast.”
“Are you scared of listening to the silence within?”
“Isn’t that an oxymoron?” I scrunched my nose. “What’s the point of listening to silence?”
“Peace,” he said. “A sense of self. Connection.”
“Connection with what?”
“With your soul, spark, spirit, whatever you wanna call it. With your essence. With the universe.”
I cocked my eyebrows at him. “God?”
“Why not if that’s your take?” He paused and studied my face. “You look tired. Rough night?”
“I’ve had better.”
“Sit with me.” He stretched out his hand. “Please?”
Abandoning my mug where it stood, I negotiated the trampoline’s bounce and made my way to him. I eased down next to him, my body stiff, my mind whirling with unease.
“Relax.” He uncrossed his legs and, after leaning back on the window, coiled an arm over my shoulder and pulled me to him. “There’s nothing to fear at this moment. I checked the radars. We’re in the clear. Breathe, Cece. Just breathe.”
I took a big inhale, stretched my legs before me, and allowed myself to lean against him. His heat filtered through the touch of our skin, seeping into me like sunshine. His hold grounded and reassured me.
“Close your eyes and breathe in for four, three, two, one,” he whispered, doing the same. “Hold it for four.” I locked the oxygen in my lungs. “Let it go for six, five, four, three, two, one.”
He led me through the breathing exercise for a few minutes. At some point, he stopped counting aloud. The fresh air felt like medicine to me. The migraine eased. Slowly, I relaxed against him.
