Free Underwater by Maayan Nahmani Page B

was lost to my dark thoughts, wishing that someone would save me from myself.
    Just as I thought I was going to drown in the rage, I felt small hands wrap around my waist from behind. For a split second, I was haunted with images from Afghanistan, in the small cage where I was held, tortured and at the mercy of the monsters. But as fast as it came, the panic dissolved when I felt her soft body press against my back. The sense of fear was replaced by peace and I shut my eyes and soaked up the emotions that her touch created.
    Without even looking, I knew it was Tiny. She was the only one who seemed to banish the darkness. I’d never reacted this way to anyone else’s touch, and it unnerved me. I felt her head rest on my back and I wanted to hold her too. Turning around slowly, still inside the circle of her arms, I faced her and then pulled her firmly against my chest.
    This was what her touch did to me. She made everything better, and I realized this woman was my clarity. I wanted to talk to her and ask her so many questions. Just… hearing her voice would be enough for me. There was a big possibility that when she left here tonight I wouldn’t see her again. And I couldn’t let the opportunity pass me by. Her presence here was a sign. A sign that I shouldn’t let her go. That I should find out what was happening between us. Because something was definitely happening. Even if it was only friendship, I would take whatever she would give me.
    I pulled back and tipped her chin up with my thumb and index finger. For a few moments, I tried to tell her with my eyes how much I didn’t want to let her go, and she stared right back.
    “Are you alright?” I breathed out and rested my hands on her shoulders. I needed to keep touching her. “Did he hurt you anywhere?”
    “Don’t worry, I’m alright.”
    Relief washed over me.   ”Good.”
    She bit her bottom lip and darted her eyes around the room. The crowd stood mute, watching us. Fuck…I was so wrapped up in her and what happened that I didn’t even noticed we had an audience. She took a deep breath, exhaling slowly, before her eyes found their way back to mine.
    “Thank you, Dorian.”
    I leaned in and tucked a wild strand of hair behind her ear. She looked surprised by my action; however she didn’t pull away from my touch as I expected her to. I bowed my head and whispered in her ear, “Would you come with me outside? I need to talk with you.”
    I watched her carefully. After a few seconds of contemplation, she nodded in agreement. I let out a sigh, realizing I’d been holding my breath. Fuck. Those were the longest moments of my life.
    “Just let me tell my friend and I’ll be right back.”
    Reluctantly, I nodded. Feeling the loss of her touch, I watched as she turned around and walked towards her friend who was looking at us with open mouth and wide eyes.
    All I could think about while I waited for her to return was that, sooner or later, I would make this tiny woman mine.
     

     
    She stood under the night sky, her head tilted up, clutching her jacket close to her body, protecting herself from the cold.
    I couldn’t help noticing how beautiful she was. Before I knew it, I found myself standing inches from her face – not touching – just standing close enough to feel the warmth of her body. I hadn’t consciously walked towards her. She was like a magnet, pulling me in.
    I could tell my nearness alarmed her. Her body froze. She lowered her head and pulled her lower lip roughly between her teeth, worrying it. All I could think about as I watched her with hungry eyes was how I wanted to pull her abused lip into my mouth. Fuck. I was losing my mind. She made me feel too much, too soon, and I had no fucking clue how to deal with all these new emotions.
    Was she tense because I flustered her or because I scared her?
    I fucking hoped it was the former.
    She cleared her throat a few times before she spoke. “I saw the owner looking at us as we came