“All day,” she said with a nod.
“Hell, yeah!” Alexander grinned. “You don’t have to ask me twice!”
Chapter Fourteen
Sarai didn’t know who was more excited for their day trip, she or Alexander. She lay across the twin bed in the second bedroom of her father’s home. In the other room the old man snored loudly, his exhalation vibrating through the entire house. Sleep had been elusive, anxiety feeding on her insomnia. She hadn’t had a decent night’s rest since coming back to Thailand. Sleeping alone, without Alexander curled against her, was punishing. If she had her way, they would have already been back in Boulder, back to the life she envisioned the two of them having.
Her father snorted, then rolled, his own bed creaking from the breach. She knew that if she peeked in on him, he would be wrapped around the thin pillows that adorned the bed he slept in. She had often wondered if he missed her mother’s presence in his bed as much as she was missing Alexander’s in hers. She also found herself wondering if her mother would understand the passion that she shared with the beautiful black man. If Khim Montri would have allowed her to forgo the pretense of propriety that she was making Alexander dance in order to honor her father. There was much Sarai found herself wondering about as she lay there missing the man who’d professed to love her more than anything else in the whole world.
Sarai was so ready to be done with the lies. She loved Alexander with every fiber of her being, and she was ready for the world to know. She didn’t want to bite back the words that told him and everyone else how much love she had for him. And then she imagined her father’s heartbreak if she were to break protocol and be like the women whom everyone whispered badly about.
The morning sunrise didn’t come soon enough. By the time Gamon rose for the day, Sarai was up and dressed, with his morning meal ready at the table.
She greeted her father with a warm hug and kiss. “Good morning, father!”
“Good morning, Sarai. You are up early.”
She nodded as she poured him a cup of rich, dark coffee. “I have a long day planned. Alexander has not seen any of Phuket yet so I thought I would take him on a trek to Phang Nga.” She took a sip of her own brew, ignoring the look her father gave her.
“Won’t you be needed at the gym today since Zachary and I are going to Bangkok to do business?”
Sarai shook her head. “No. Zachary has given me the day off. He asked me to give his brother a tour of Phuket. Everything will be fine.”
“I’m not sure that I like the idea of you and that man spending time together. People will talk and . . .”
Sarai interrupted, her curt tone surprising them both. “People will talk no matter what I do. They will talk about me just like they talked about my mother. I don’t care what any of them have to say and neither should you. I care that you trust me to do what is right for me and will make me happy. That is all I care about, father.”
“I don’t know that he is the right man for you, Sarai.”
“What is it?” she asked, concern painting her expression. “Why do you not like Alexander? Why won’t you even try to like him?”
Gamon suddenly shook his index finger at her. “You are so much like your mother. That is why people talked about her and that farang dam! She was impulsive and she didn’t always make the best decisions.”
Sarai’s eyes widened at the outburst. “This is about Alexander’s father?”
Gamon pursed his lips tightly together. He sat back in his seat but said nothing.
“Father? Please?” she persisted. “What did Alexander’s father ever do? Was there something between him and mother?”
Gamon slammed a harsh fist against the table, the gesture startling Sarai into silence. He cut his eyes at her, his gaze narrowed and chilly. He held up his hand to silence her.
Despite Sarai’s efforts to continue the conversation he would not be moved. The two finished their breakfast in silence. When she was finished, Sarai pulled on a pair of sturdy waterproof hiking boots. She packed a swimsuit, a change of dry clothes, a few bottles of water, her wallet, and a camera into her backpack.
“What time will you be home?” Gamon questioned as she headed toward the door.
“I’m sure Alexander and I will be back before you and Zachary return from Bangkok.”
With one last nod of his head, Gamon wished his daughter a good day, then retreated into his bedroom, closing the door behind him.
* * *
Zachary was walking out of the door of his cottage when Sarai pulled up in front of his home. Alexander followed on his heels, skipping eagerly in her direction. His enthusiasm made his twin laugh, his thick dreadlocks waving from side to side.
“He’s about to drive me crazy!” Zachary teased. “Take him somewhere. Please!”
Sarai grinned. “I’ll take care of him as long as you take care of my father.”
Zachary groaned. “Why does that sound like Gamon’s not going to be in a good mood?”
“He’s . . . how do you say? He’s in his feelings?”
Alexander laughed. “I think she’s definitely getting the better end of this deal, Z!”
His twin laughed with him. “I know she is!”
* * *
The early morning hour was indicative of another beautiful day. The sun was luminous and resplendent, searching for the perfect spot to settle into against the bright blue sky. Their day started with a drive through Phang Nga province, west of the Malay Peninsula. The area had once been the site of a James Bond movie, and Sarai was excited to point out the limestone rock formation jutting out of the sea that had been featured in the Roger Moore film.
Their lazy drive passed through plantations of towering rubber trees and small villages that looked like they’d never been touched by the evolution of time. When they reached the villages of Khao Lak, they stopped at the café in the Marriott hotel for a cup of coffee.
“So I still can’t touch you, right?” Alexander asked, his tone teasing.
Sarai smiled. “Be good and I promise you won’t be disappointed.”
“I don’t need to be good! You’re the one pretending, remember?” His tone had morphed, raising her red flags.
She took a deep breath and held it for a split second before responding. “Are you unhappy with me, Alex?”
Alexander leaned forward, sliding his coffee mug out of his way. “I love you,” he said, then repeated it a second time. “I love you and being with you makes me very happy. Not being with you is driving me mad. That and the lies to keep up the charade are what make me unhappy!”
“I know and I’m sorry. I thought I was doing the right thing. But now,” she hesitated for a split second. “Now, I’m not so sure.”
“Does that mean we can go to your father? That we can do that pamanhikan thing?” he asked, the word sounding like a cross between pancake and hiking as it rolled off his tongue.
Sarai laughed at his effort to pronounce the Thai word that loosely translated meant “the ceremonial merging of their two families and the official mark of their engagement.” She nodded her head. “I think I need to be honest with him. I still respect the Thai ways and I don’t want to disappoint my father but lying to him is probably a bigger sin.”
“I agree.”
“And it’s not fair to you.”
“I definitely agree with that.” He leaned over the table to kiss her mouth, pressing his lips to hers just as their waitress paused to deliver the check.
The young Thai woman looked from him to Sarai and back again. Her eyes were wide as she tried to make sense of their situation. There was a look of disdain that appeared to cross her expression despite her efforts to not let any emotion show. Alexander grinned as he gave the woman a slight wink of his eye.
“I’m an American,” he said proudly, his chest pushed forward. “And this beautiful woman is my wife. And in America, when a man gets good news from his woman he has to show her how much he loves her. It’s a rule!”
Sarai reached across the table and rested her palm against the back of his hand. “Let’s have a great day together. Let me show you the things I love most about Thailand. Then let’s go home and make beautiful babies.”
Alexander smiled as he kissed her one more time. “I think I’m going to like making babies with you, Dr. Montri. I think I’m going to like that a lot.”
* * *
Khao Lak was surrounded by pristine beaches and warm tropical water. The views from every angle were extraordinary. Sarai and Alexander had walked the sandy shoreline hand in hand as she regaled him with stories about her childhood and growing up as an only child who had played with both her parents in that very sand.
Their mini-adventure took a somber turn as they visited the Tsunami Museum. Although Alexander recalled the news of the 2004 tragedy that had befallen the Asian coast, the massive oceanic wave ravaging the area, its full impact didn’t hit him until he walked the memorial that had been built to honor some four thousand people who had lost their lives in Khao Lak.
The memorial park sat to the west of the village, by the beach. The inside of the museum featured tons of photos of the storm’s aftermath. The main memorial consisted of two walls; one a bare concrete structure that was bowed and curved like a massive wave. The wall opposite was adorned with name plaques, photos, and fresh flowers paying tribute to family that were gone but never forgotten. The poignant reminders moved Sarai to tears, and Alexander wiped them from her cheek with the back of his hand.
After paying their respects, Sarai made arrangements for them with a local tour group. The jungle trek was a first for Alexander as he soon found himself sitting atop an oversized elephant that slowly waddled from side to side along the trails that ran through the thick brush, deep into the valley, allowing them to take in the stunning scenery. They connected with another guide whose enthusiasm was infectious as he led them on a bamboo raft down the river, farther into the jungle.
They were both relaxed as they sat back and the paddler maneuvered his way into the tropical rain forest. Sarai pointed out gibbons that were swinging through the trees, and as they moved downstream, there was a snake basking in the sun. The wildlife and plant life was plentiful, and in the midst of the natural surroundings, Alexander felt overwhelming joy to be in that place with the woman of his dreams.
After a thirty-minute jaunt, they floated into water that was clear and cool, bordered by an exquisite waterfall that screamed adventure. Neither could resist the opportunity to jump in for a swim, laughing and playing as if it were the most natural thing in the world for them to do.
Lunch came next, the local fare purchased from a stand on the side of the road. Sarai had assured him he had nothing to fear, and he was delightfully surprised as they dined on fried noodles with chicken, vegetables, and egg. They followed the filling meal with an assortment of fresh fruit that had been chopped into bite-size pieces and was served with a salt and chili mix to dip it in.
Once their stomachs were full, they headed to Khao Sok and the Monkey Cave that was a tourist favorite. There were a few visitors when they arrived, but it was far from crowded. A Buddhist temple sat outside the entrance to the cave, and there were stalls selling snacks to feed the monkeys. And there were a ton of monkeys! Thieving, noisy, flea-infested primates that set Alexander’s nerves on edge.
“They won’t bother you as long as you don’t tease them,” Sarai joked.
Alexander cut his eye in her direction. “Nothing to worry about,” he professed. “I will leave them alone as long as they leave me alone.”
She laughed as she pulled him into the cave’s entrance. A faded gate opened into a large cavern with high ceilings. Inside the hollow fissure sat an oversized reclining gold Buddha that was easily sixteen yards long and just as high. There were several other large standing Buddha images, and the entire space had been decorated with religious artifacts. A monk sat meditating in front of the large statue, the man surrounded by a host of fat, lazy cats who were napping, with no cares in the world. Alexander was in awe of the place, proclaiming it a favorite after the elephant ride and well ahead of the monkey show.
By the time the two found their way back to Phuket City, they were exhausted, and invigorated, their time together reviving the emotions that had consumed them when they’d been in Boulder. Sarai pulled into Revolution’s campus, guiding her car back to Zachary’s front door.
She stole a quick glance down to her wristwatch. “I don’t think my father and Zachary are back yet. But I don’t know what time their flight was.”
“How long is the trip from Bangkok?”
“Just over an hour. No time at all by plane.”
“We could grab dinner,” Alexander said. “I need to shower first and if you want we could go back into town to get something to eat.”
Sarai shook her head. “Why don’t I just arrange for the kitchen to bring something up for the four of us? I’m sure when they get back they’ll both be hungry too.”
He nodded, pushing open the car door. “I’ll be here when you get back,” he said softly, and then he leaned to kiss her cheek before pulling himself from the front seat. He ducked back down to stare at her. “You haven’t changed your mind, have you? About our telling your father?”
For a brief moment Sarai thought about her father and their conversation at breakfast. She knew Alexander would worry if she told him so she chose to keep the details to herself. She reasoned that maybe Zachary could help her get some answers from her father, or his.
Her smile was easy and swift, the subtlest lift to her thin lips. “Never,” she whispered softly.
He nodded, slammed the door closed, and waved after her as she pulled off in the direction of the main building.
* * *
Alexander had showered and was lounging in the warm pool when Sarai finally returned. He lay with his body beneath the water, his arms outstretched against the painted tiles, his head resting back against his neck. His eyes were closed, and he slumbered lightly, slow, easy breaths of air filling his lungs.
Missing each other had taken a toll on them both, the effect not at all what she’d anticipated. There had been moments when she’d looked into a mirror and had seen her mother’s reflection in her eyes. That look that had often dimmed the light in the matriarch’s smile when her heart had been someplace other than with Sarai and her father. Sarai hadn’t liked what she’d seen, and she had absolutely hated what she’d seen on Alexander’s face.
She wore a simple floral shift dress with casual flip-flops on her feet. Kicking off the shoes, she eased into the pool, maneuvering to his side. The warm water felt good after the lukewarm shower she’d grabbed in the women’s locker room.
Alexander’s eyes flew open as she straddled his body. Her dress rode up around her waist as she eased her pelvis against his lap. She wore no panties and he gasped loudly, stunned by her boldness. His arms wrapped around her, pulling her gently against him. Both hands cupped her buttocks as he held her, her knees clutching the sides of his thighs. As she slid into the embrace she nuzzled her face into his neck. Her kisses were gentle whispers of warm breath against his skin. She paused at that spot just beneath his chin, suckling the soft flesh. As she did she felt his body harden between her lean legs.
Her smile was teasing as she drew back to stare at him. There was no denying the desire that pierced her eyes, and his. Alexander tightened his grip, the round of her bottom filling both palms. He pushed and pulled at her body, grinding the vee of her crotch against the engorged muscle that had pulled taut in his swim shorts. His breathing was raspy, and every muscle had hardened. The sensations were more than he anticipated, and he suddenly bucked, his whole body bristling with tension as he fought the urge to explode. She plunged her mouth to his, kissing him fervently. In that moment all either wanted was for him to settle the length of his cock deep into her soft folds.
> When he did, Sarai rode him, both savoring the sweetest sensations of their intimate connection. He’d lifted his hips as she’d slid his shorts over his ass and then he’d kicked his trunks from around his ankles. As she’d dropped her body down hard against his, she had held her breath as he entered her easily, sliding into her sweet spot, where both knew he belonged. She had pushed and pulled against him, the slow, rhythmic motion like a choreographed dance. She plunged her body up and down against his, over and over again, soft, then harder. Their loving was swift, and when his body erupted deep into hers, his orgasm swept her right off the edge of ecstasy.
They both panted heavily, fighting to regain the regularity of their breathing. His body was still locked tightly in hers, his erection barely subsiding. Alexander stood upright, carrying her against his chest as he stepped out of the pool. As they moved in the direction of his bedroom, he tore her dress from around her, the soaked fabric falling to the floor behind them.
Once inside the privacy of his room, he dropped her against the queen-size bed. His cock had softened slightly, falling from the wet, warm cavity that had been wrapped around him. As he fell against her, she lifted her legs and spread herself eagerly, wanting him back inside of her.
Alexander paused at the entrance to her sweet spot, his hands gently kneading her body. His caresses were heated, each pass of his hand like having a low-voltage jolt of electricity shot through her body. The intensity of the sensations was sweeping, the vibrations like nothing she’d ever experienced before. Sarai was dizzy with lust, her breath coming in fast, hard gasps. His hard dick pressed against the soft line of her thigh and it felt good to have him teasing her so unabashedly. Sarai pulled him into another deep, heated kiss. Her tongue licked his lips as she pushed her way into his mouth. Her touch was probing, her excitement spilling over in her warm breath.
Alexander ran his hands up and down her sides and back. He marveled at how smooth and flawless her skin was, the sensation against his palm like stroking silk. Then he cupped his hands around her tiny breasts and tweaked each of her nipples until they were hardened buds of dark candy against his fingertips.
Guilty Pleasures Page 18
