A Dragon's Heart

10.

“So you thought the best thing you could do for me in that situation was to slip away and leave me with your brother in a towel? In a damn towel, Mina?!” I shrieked, my hands flailing around as though to emphasize the effects of what she’s done.

Yasmina simply shrugged. “What? Didn’t it turn out great?”

I scoffed. “Yes. It certainly did after the towel slipped right in his presence!”

She gasped, covering my mouth with her hand as the book she was holding slipped from her hand. “You do not mean it!”

“Of course I do!”

“What did I miss? I should have peeked in after I left just to see this incredible meeting,” she sat on the rug, tucking her feet under and looked up at me with a big smile. “Quick, tell me, what was Akhi’s impression? He certainly lost all his wits, right?”

I turned away, smiling as the scene from yesterday filtered through my mind. It was one of my most embarrassing moments in my life, but also one of the sweetest. If not the hottest.

“I’m not saying anything more,” I grumbled, placing the book I was holding on the shelf. “Besides, why are you sitting down? Aren’t you supposed to be helping me here?”

Yasmina groaned. “Can’t I get the juicy details first?”

“Not after you made me run seven laps this morning. My plan was to ask you why you thought leaving without notifying me was the best idea when we met, but the second we did, you told me to run seven laps, Mina, my thighs are currently killing me!”

“It wasn’t as hard as yesterday’s from all indications though so it was a good trail. We’ll up it to ten tomorrow.”

“No!!!” Feeling the burn in my thighs every time I moved too quickly. “We won’t. We can’t. In fact, I am taking a break tomorrow.”

“As the master here, I do not permit. We will train and discuss weapons more tomorrow. Our training is going to be a little intense this week.”

“You mean this isn’t already intense? Seriously?” I turned and glared at her, as though that would make the training easier. Besides, wasn’t I the one who wanted to be a fighter?

Yasmina stood up, picked a book and turned towards the shelf with a wicked smile dancing on her lips. “We haven’t even started the real training yet.”

I groaned, slumping against the shelf. “Can I just say I hate you now?”

Yasmina grinned, slipping down beside me. “You wish,” she clasped my hand and leaned her head against my shoulder. “You seem happier and more in the moment today. I guess whatever my brother did to make you sad has been fixed, right?”

I shifted a little to face her, wondering how she noticed. Was my sadness that prominent? Had she noticed how affected I was by Bilal’s actions? It was mid-afternoon, an hour and half after we were done training. Yasmina came for me as soon as Bilal left, insisting that we don’t start lagging behind. Now we were done, and she was helping me arrange the books Bilal bought back on the shelf.

I still couldn’t get over the fact that he went to Zambele to get me more books and clothes.

“My Akhi can be a lot sometimes. He loves intensely, if I dare say so myself. Sometimes, it feels a lot being in his presence with how protective he is. But then, nothing would make me change him as a brother. Regardless of how protective and overwhelming he is, I would still choose him over and over again,” she paused, took a deep sigh, then continued. “I noticed how sad you were in his absence, and even without you telling me, I know he did something. Right now though, it makes me extremely happy to see you so… free. Like this is the real you. And I love it.”

I didn’t know what to say, so I simply smiled down at her. The fact that she noticed my pain said how perceptive she was of things. I liked Yasmina before, but after what Bilal had told me about her yesterday and what she said now, I felt more bonded with her.

“You are a darling sister, Mina.”

“As you are, Tiffy. I like your outfit.”

I grinned. “You do?”

She nodded, moving back to look at me. “Never seen clothing like this.”

“My clothes wouldn’t fit you, otherwise I’d have given you some to try.”

I was wearing blue jeans, paired with a white off-shoulder blouse. Nat helped me find a website that sells plus-size jeans. Jeans are one of my favorite clothing, and growing up, it was hard finding a size fit for me. When I swept through the luggage after Bilal had left, and saw seven different jeans, I literally jumped.

I knew he was trying to make up for what he did, but that didn’t mean I couldn’t do something to make him as happy as he’d made me since his return yesterday.

‘I told you to just ride him,’ Jay scoffed. ‘Ride him and spin his world upside down for a decade, Tiffy. You can do it.’

‘Jay…’

‘If I could see that dragon, and if there’s an opening to ride him, I would.’

I rolled my eyes, ignoring her.

“Any other thing about your brother I need to know? Besides tending to flowers and his pet bird, what does he like doing?”

“Why don’t you just ask me that, Nurayn?”

I jolted up, my hand to my chest as I stared at the man standing by the doorway, legs and arms both crossed. He had a smug look on his face, and he was dressed in a dark blue thobe, paired with a black keffiyah. He looked hotter than he did this morning.

“Can you please stop sneaking up on me?”

He lifted one of his full brows. “Was I?” he asked, taking small strides into the room.

“Marhaban, Ya Akhi!” Yasmina squealed, running up to him and wrapping him in an embrace.

Bilal made a face, but then held her in his arms. “I told you to stop hugging me. You are too big for hugs, Mina.”

“Really? Then I suppose your wife is also too big for hugs from you, right?”

He chuckled, pulling away from the hug. “Shut up. Are you good? Nothing wrong?” he asked, scanning her face.

Yasmina shook her head. “Everything is fine. Now that you are back though, I’m going to see Jaddah. I missed her. I may stay the night or even for a few days. That is okay, right?”

“Sure,” Bilal nodded. “I will have Aamir go with you, and don’t you dare say no.”

“But I thought we were training tomorrow?”

“Akhi is the best trainer. I bet you’d enjoy him more.”

“Mina…”

She rushed to me, engulfed me in a hug and whispered, “Make him lose those frown lines on his face, please.” Then she pulled away, and left the room.

And suddenly, everything felt too much and too little at the same time. The scent. The presence. The man. Everything.

“Hi,” I said meekly, hating the tremor in my voice.

“That is not the way to do it.”

I blinked. “Do what?”

“Greet your husband, Noorie. That is not the way I intend to greet my wife every time I see her.”

I swallowed. “How do you intend to greet her?”

“Like this,” came his slow reply before he closed the gap between us and pulled me into a hug.

I melted into his touch instantly, loving the feel of his hard muscles against my soft parts. This is slowly turning into one of my favorite things to do.

‘The man that he is!!!’ Jay swooned.

“My favorite thing to do is to hold you in my arms and listen to the thudding of your chest against mine,” he whispered into my ears, one of his hands cupping the curve of my butt. “And you, overall, are my favorite, Noorie.” he added.

‘Hold my tail before it gets wet, Tiffy. Freaking hold it!’

‘Can you please stop?’

‘Am I the only one wet between my tail? Just me? Sure. Fine.’

I smiled against his chest. I could totally get used to all this.

“How was your day?” he asked.

“It was fine. Yours?”

“Bland. I missed you.”

“Are you always this cheeky?”

He chuckled. “Am I now? I thought I was being romantic?”

I gave him a playful smack on the chest as I pulled away. “You came back early.”

“The report rounded up faster than I thought, so, yeah,” his eyes roamed all over my body for the first time, and when we locked gazes, he murmured. “You look breathtaking.”

I ducked my head down, smiling. I was one of those people easily called silly in love and I do not care.

“But can I ask you for a favor?”

“Huh?”

“I am not trying to dictate what you should or shouldn't wear. But do me a favor by wearing a jilbab over your clothes. If we go out like this now, everyone would look, and I am not exactly sure I’d be able to control myself or Sameer from ripping men’s eyes out. Plus, I want to be the only one who gets to see you this way, Nurayn. Again, this is not a dictatorship. Just a favor.”

“You think they'll stare because of my weight or…”

“Nothing like that,” he cuts me off quickly, taking my hands in his. “More like you are the most beautiful woman out there. Your weight has nothing to do with this, but your beauty does,” he paused, licked his lips and continued. “So do those curves.”

I laughed. “You are being insufferable.”

“Trust me, no one would care about your weight. You are who you are with it and I like you just the same, Nurayn,” his voice had dropped. His gaze turned heated.

Without saying anything, I walked up to the wardrobe, ruffled through and found a light blue jilbab. I slipped it over my clothes and wrapped the veil that accompanied it over my low bun hair. Even without him asking, I had no plans to step out dressed the way I was. I had every intention of respecting their culture as my own. Then I sprayed some perfume, focusing on my pulse points more. Goodness knows that besides books, one thing that makes me extremely happy was perfume.

“How do I look?”

Bilal’s brows were furrowed as he stared at me. “Maybe we shouldn't go out at all.”

“Why?” I asked, something dropping in my chest.

“You look even prettier, and I am afraid men would still stare regardless of what you wore. I can't handle it and…”

I cut him off by pressing a light kiss on his lips. “Shut up and take me out.”

He smiled, took my hand in his and led us out. We walked down the long hallway, and surprisingly, there were more servants now that he had returned than before. We stepped outside, and I noticed it was almost late afternoon. Just like he promised.

Then he snapped his fingers, and Sameer appeared, his large frame creating a shadow around us. He dipped his head down, bringing his head to mine as we locked gazes. Tentatively, I brought my free hand and carefully touched him, his rough scales feeling weird in my hands.

‘Would you mind if I lick you from head to toe just to be sure everyone out there knows who you belong to?’ The dragon said in my head, and it took me a moment to realize he was talking to me.

“You're going to get her wet, Sameer,” Bilal answered.

‘Isn't that the whole point? Get her wet so everyone knows and…’

“Keep quiet, Sameer.” Bilal scoffed.

The dragon huffed, smoke coming out of his nostrils as he leaned into my touch.

“Shall we go? Ready for a ride?”

“Huh? We are riding… him?”

“Sure! You would love the empire from above. Especially at night.”

‘What? I can't ride him!’ Jay shrieked. ‘I absolutely forbid you to ride him!’

‘I thought you were interested in riding him just a while back?’

‘I don't mean that ride. Duh. I would gladly have you ride him. But not this. I am scared of heights, Tiffy. Don't do this!’

The dragon, as though it had heard our conversations, snickered, puffing a whiff of smoke to my face.

‘I can't say no though. Besides, I am excited to know what it feels like riding a dragon.’

Jay rolled her eyes, then suddenly stilled, her eyes wide.

‘Tiffy?’

‘Huh?’

‘Do dragons smirk?’ She asked again, looking at the huge dragon standing before us warily. ‘Because it looks like he just smirked at me. You know, that one sided type that shows he knows exactly the effect he has on me.’

Unable to hold it in, I laughed.

“I wish I could hear your wolf too. I wonder what she just said.” Bilal murmured as he lifted me up and carefully placed me onto Sameer, who had fully leaned down to make it easier for us, a red and golden saddle placed over his back.

Before I could answer, Bilal had settled behind us and Sameer lifted into the air.

Jay screamed, as I did everything within my power not to scream with her as well.

‘No! No!! No!!! Someone save me from this beast please!!!!!’ Jay shrieked loudly in my mind.