Love is blind

Chapter 5

I was already seeing more than I could handle.

Her delicate hands unbuttoned button after button of that tight shirt, letting the garment fall little by little from her shoulders to her waist. As she had promised, there was another shirt underneath that one, but much thinner and more low-cut, with no sleeves of any kind. Only two fragile suspenders made sure that her naked torso wasn't completely exposed. Then came the skirt. Should I turn around? She'd said that I wasn't going to see anything. She unfastened three small metal buttons that held it in place and dropped it at her feet.

She wasn't lying when she said she was wearing clothes for four women down there.

"More bonds that I can't reach."

'Can't be. She wants me to untie her petticoats?'

I was miserably grateful that she wasn't able to see the intense red on my cheeks, but there was little I could do to keep her from noticing the trembling of my fingers. I untied three petticoats one after the other and she made them fall in the same way as her skirt to finally be "only" with a fine petticoat and a pair of bloomers.

"Should I untie this one too?"

"No! No... The bloomers have a... hole that would reveal more than is appropriate."

"Oh... I see."

"Are you seeing it?!"

"No! No! I... I meant I understand..."

"Oh... Okay."

If I could get redder than I was before, I certainly did it in that very second, but I wasn't the only one.

"Kristoff..."

"What is it?"

"Will you let me take your hand to enter? I don't feel very safe."

"Uh... sure about that?"

"Uh-huh."

"Okay, give me a minute. I can't go in with all these clothes on me either."

I ridiculously turned around as if that was going to change something and took off my sash and shirt. It would have been advisable to also remove my pants, but that situation was awkward enough as it was. I would put other dry ones at home.

I went back to her and brushed her fingers with mine without daring, for some reason, to take her hand as before and she clung to my hand tightly. That cleared my mind at last. She needed to feel safe and protected and I wasn't going to let that tension spoil her moment. I was there for her.

"Come on. It's gonna be fine."

She nodded with a shy smile and we began to take small steps until our feet were submerged in the cool waters of the lagoon. Anna clenched her fists at the touch of the water and gasped heavily.

"Too cold?"

"Yes!! Love it! Let's go!"

She pulled me as if she really saw where she was going as the water rushed up our legs until it reached my waist and thus almost her chest.

"Time to stop, mermaid. I remind you that you can't swim."

"Teach me!"

Without letting go of my hand, she cupped her nose with the other, took a deep breath, and ducked down, putting her head under the water. A few seconds later she came out suddenly, gasped again, and yelled with all of her might.

"Yeeeeah!!!"

Then, carried away by euphoria, she released my hand and threw herself into my arms again, falling hard on my chest and hanging her arms around my neck.

"Have you seen what I've done?!"

"Yeah," I replied laughing.

She laughed out of sheer nerve and excitement and then dropped her hands down my body to return to her starting position, but something left her paralyzed just upon my pectorals.

"You're not wearing a shirt?"

"Ah, no. I needed some dry clothes to get back."

"Oh, my God! I'm so sorry! And me throwing myself at you..."

Anna lowered her hands completely and pressed them to her body.

"It's okay. I like to see you enjoy yourself."

She smiled again and nodded.

"I guess I should wash up a bit."

"Do what you need. I'll turn around and stay right here in case you need anything."

"Okay."

Again she just trusted me. No questions. Without the uncertainty on her face; just the purest faith. It seemed incredible to me that someone like that could exist. I turned around and listened to her splashing and her humming. I heard how she caressed her skin and felt how, from time to time, a small portion of skin brushed my back as she swayed. I closed my eyes. I wondered what her world would be like. I tried to put all my senses in what I couldn't see and, although what I perceived was probably nothing compared to what was reaching her, I felt closer to her than before. A little more a part of her. But, seriously, what was I doing? Did I want to be a part of her?

"Ready! Can you take me to the waterfall?"

I turned back to her and opened my eyes to meet her beaming smile. Yes. I didn't know how much or in which way, but I did want to be a part of her.