Pulling up to the hotel, the driver who happens to be Jerry, opens the door for us and Mekhi half guides half carry me through the lobby onto the elevator and into our suite. He closes and locks the door, then sweep me off my feet and carry me into our room. He places me on the bed and helps me to remove my shoes. I look at him through my wet eyelashes and feel so lucky to have someone as caring as him by my side.
"Thank you Kai, for everything," I say with a croaky voice.
"You don't have to thank me, this is what I am supposed to do," he says finally looking at my tearstained face.
"Still," I say quietly.
"Oh baby, it hurts me to see you like this. What can I do for you," Mekhi asks laying his head in my lap.
"I don't know. I don't even know why I'm so affected by seeing him," I say running my fingers through his hair.
"How about a bath? Maybe it will help you to feel better," he suggests.
"Okay," I agree and he gets up to go into the bathroom.
As he's running bath water, I try to think to myself why did the flood gates open up so heavily after seeing Jay. I know that I do not want to be with him, I haven't seen him since I ended things with him that day. I can't really think anymore, so I give up and focus my attention on the running water and the fuzziness takes over.
"Come on, it's time to get you in the tub," Mekhi says coming out of the bathroom.
"Hmm," I say and he removes his jacket from my shoulders.
"Can you stand," Mekhi asks.
"Where are we going," I ask confused.
"To take a bath," he says.
"Bath? Okay," I say finally standing.
"Let me help you," he says grabbing my hand.
"Okay, you're always helping me. Did you know that? Help, help, help that's why I have to work hard so I won't need your help in the future. How can I stay with you if I can't even help myself," I ramble as he helps me into the bathroom.
"I don't mind helping you, you know that right? You don't have to work so hard," he says to me coaxing me.
"But I do or you will leave me too and I will be alone again," I say with a sigh.
"Why do you think that," he asks as he removes his shirt.
"Because I'm not enough," I answer twirling my fingers as he continues to strip down to his boxer briefs.
"You're enough for me, that's all that matters. Now can you undress yourself or do you need my help," he asks as he's holding my chin looking into my eyes.
"I need help," I say.
"Okay," he responds and I turn my back to him so that he can help me out of the dress.
He pulls the dress over my head and I shimmy out of my panties and walk toward the bathtub. As I'm getting ready to step in, Mekhi grabs my hand and helps me into the bath. I sit down in the tub slowly as the water is hot and steamy. Mekhi follows me into the tub and pulls me against his chest. I lay my head back and close my eyes against the lights and the fuzziness.
"Why do you have on underwear," I ask as I feel the fabric of his boxer briefs against my naked skin.
"Because this bath is more for you than it is for me and I'm afraid to leave you alone," he says with his deep voice rumbling in his chest.
"Oh, that sounds reasonable. I guess," I say in a quiet voice.
He begins to move around and I hear water splashing but I can't bear to open my eyes so I just ignore it until a warm washcloth is placed over my eyes. I adjust myself and lay my head on his chest where I can hear his strong heartbeat against my ear. He rubs my shoulder and we sit in silence for a while.
"How are you feeling now," he asks me.
"Relaxed and sleepy," I respond.
"Ready to get out," he asks.
"Yes," I reply.
"Okay," he replies and begins to move around.
A minute later, I feel a sudsy loofah rubbing my arms, then chest. I try my best to cooperate with him, moving my limbs when needed. He washes my back with one hand and holds me up with the other. I become alert when he washes between my legs, he pauses when my breath hitches but finishes his task quickly. When he's done washing me, he uses his foot to let the water out of the bath tub. He stands and wrap himself in a towel, then helps me to stand, dry off, then wraps me in a robe. Afterwards, he helps me to remove the remaining make up from my face and hands me my toothbrush to brush my teeth.
He carries back into the room when I'm finished and sits me on the bed. I watch him as he goes through my bag of hair care products and come over with a brush and hair wrap. He places the items on the bed, then loosens my ponytail and massages my scalp. I close my eyes as he parts my hair with his fingers, then brush and twist my hair.
'This guy is everything! What the hell was I doing crying my heart out after seeing that idiot earlier? I have to do everything in my power to keep him with me! I'd be a fool to let him slip through my fingers.'
"Okay, you're done. Go ahead and lie down," he says after tying my hair wrap around my head.
"Thank you," I say sleepily and crawl to the top of the bed as he pulls the comforter back.
"You're welcome, I'm going to take a shower just sit still until I get out," he says pulling the comforter up to my chin.
"Yes," I say nodding my head then closing my eyes.
After closing my eyes, I find myself dozing off into sleep. Sometime later I feel Mekhi get into the bed and pull me close to him. This action cause my stomach to roll and I jump out of bed and bolt to the bathroom. I empty the contents of my stomach in an embarrassing drunken fashion. I don't notice Mekhi rubbing my back until I've completely finished giving the toilet bowl all that I can.
"Thank you," I say as he helps me stand and walks me to the sink.
"Feel better," he asks.
"Honestly no, I feel like crap. My stomach feels better but that's all," I say turning on the water to wash my mouth and face.
"Alright, let's get you something light to eat and an aspirin," he says patting my head when I'm finished washing at the sink.
"Okay," I agree and turn around to see that he's bare chested and his pajama pants hanging off of his hips in a seductive way.
"See, something you like," he asks catching me checking him out.
"Of course, but I'm not in my right frame of mind so it doesn't count," I say weakly responding to him.
"Sure, let's go onto the balcony to get you some fresh air," he says walking with me into the room then out into the living room and finally balcony.
Mekhi helps me into a chair on the balcony, then goes back into the room leaving me alone. Sitting on the balcony with the fresh salty ocean air, I feel a little better so I lean my head back onto my chair and close my eyes.
'I'll bet his mind is working overtime trying to figure out what's going on with me. The good thing is that it makes two of us. I won't waste anymore of my tears on Jay; he is my past and that is where he has to stay. I have to be strong and show Mekhi that he is the person I want to be with…'
I open my eyes, look around, and find that Mekhi is still inside. Moving too fast, I feel dizzy so I close my eyes and lean my head back against the chair once more. I continue to think and try to make sense of my actions this evening. Unable to come up with any feasible reasons in my drunken muddled mind, I give up and let the salty ocean air relax me.
"Are you sleep," I hear Mekhi ask in a soft voice from above me.
"No, just resting my eyes against the spinning fuzzy world," I say loud enough for him to hear me.
"I have some soup for you to sober up. Can you feed yourself or would you like me to feed you," he asks mischievously.
"I would like you to feed me, I'm afraid if I open my eyes I won't be able to find the bowl or spoon," I say in a weak voice attempting to make a joke.
"Yeah, you did a number on yourself," he says with a light chuckle.
"I did. I'm sorry you had to see me crying over some guy that isn't you and I don't want to be with," I say to him.
"I can understand you feeling overwhelmed, you are human and you're allowed to feel how you feel. My only concern is that your mouth is saying that you don't want to be with him because of the way you broke up but those tears love…to see you cry like that hurt me. Are you sure that I am the one you want to be with," Mekhi asks and I immediately open my eyes in time enough to see the flash of vulnerability in his eyes.
"Of course you are the person I want to be with. I don't know why I cried the way that I did maybe it's the build-up of all the emotions I felt from him first contacting me until now. I never imagined that I would see him here while on spring break, which is supposed to be some epic adventure that now feels as though it has been hijacked. I refuse to shed anymore tears for that jerk. I'm really sorry for making you uncomfortable," I say looking him in his eyes with a pounding swirling head willing him to believe me.
"Okay," he says and lifts a spoonful of soup, blows it, then places it to my mouth.
"Thank you Kai," I say after accepting his offering.
"You're welcome love," he says feeding me another spoonful of soup.
"Are we okay," I ask him after swallowing the soup.
"Yes, I'm not going to hold a moment of weakness over your head love. So long as your choice is me I can handle everything else," he answers.
"Kai, I have something to tell you…you know I really do…" I say.
"Shhh, whatever you have to say can wait until you aren't drunk and have a clear mind," he says interrupting me placing a finger to my lips.
"It's clear enough," I say lightly.
"Not for me, your eyes are barely open, you aren't even speaking at a regular volume, and you already let me know how crappy you feel. So I can wait for whatever it is you want to say," he says easily.
"Okay," I reply.
"Good, now eat this soup because it's getting cold and I have an aspirin for you to take when you're finished," he says to me.
Mekhi then feeds me the sober soup, one spoonful at a time until it's finished. As promised he hands me two aspirin and a bottle of water. After taking the aspirin and finishing the water he leaves to take the dishes and trash inside.
"Come on, let's go to bed. It has been a long night and I am sure you are as tired as I am," he says when he comes back out onto the balcony.
"Okay," I say and move to stand.
"Here, let me help you," Mekhi says and gently sweeps me off my feet and carries me into the room.
"Thank you," I say as he place me on the bed.
"You're welcome. Although you don't have to thank me, I'm your man. I'm supposed to do these things for you and I don't mind it," he says getting into the bed next to me and pulling the comforter over us.
"Why are you so good to me Kai," I ask as he cuddles close to me wrapping his hands softly around my waist.
"Baby, because you are it for me. I could take you away and marry you right now. I can afford our living expenses without relying on my family's wealth. I can take care of all of your worries and problems making them all disappear. Protecting you and taking care of you is what I want to do. So let me do that for you," he says sweetly and gently into my ear sending my heart racing and my face blushing.
"You want to take me away and marry me," I ask softly.
"Yes, in that way you will be mine. However, I couldn't do that to you knowing the love and respect you have for your family and that you would want to share that part of your life with them," he replies.
"So are you asking me to marry you," I ask him with a racing heart.
"No, baby. Not right at least, you deserve a more grand proposal," he replies.
"We're too young for this," I say to him blushing my drunken little life away.
"No we're not. As long as we know what we want we will be fine," he says.
"You're right," I agree with him.
"I know, now go to sleep," he says.
"Good night Kai," I say with a small yawn and close my eyes.
"Good night my love," he says and kisses the back of my neck lightly.