Ya Amar (My Moon)

Twenty five

My steps were as light as a feather on the manicured grass. I held a blanket adjusting my scarf over my head. My scarf waved to the wind.

"Are you not cold?" I questioned getting Amir's attention. He looked up at me then back at the river. Turning over to his side, I opened the blanket and threw it over his shoulders. I had an abaya on, so I needed no warmth. He said nothing and accepted the blanket.

"Thanks" he appreciated his manly voice throaty.

"What are you doing here alone?" I stood beside him looking down at his head. His hair fell over his forehead creating sexiness to his look.

"Come and sit with me" he opened his hand waiting for me to sit down. Smiling, I settled down at his side and snuggled closer to his body. He wrapped his hand around me covering our bodies with the blanket. My heart pounded gently in my chest.

"Amir" I called moving closer to him. He looked at me and the lines of worries on his face told me something was wrong. I moved closer, wrapped a hand around his torso and placed my head on his shoulder. "What is the problem?" I asked. He took my hand and joined our hands together playing with the wedding band around my finger, his mother's ring. "You look sad" I murmured.

He said nothing which made a part of me drop. He kept playing with my fingers as if they were something interesting. I felt him raise them up and his lips caressed them.

"I grew up in a house filled with love and laughter. There was no day laughter will not boomed around us. Abu (Father) loved us and Ammi (Mother) was always there for us. They supported us in everything we did and tried guiding us to the right path" he spoke his voice was low, slow and had lost its cheerfulness and filled with sadness. "I had always prayed for a love like my parents' own, selfless and unconditional. Ammi used to tell me that their love had not bloomed just immediately they met. She said she had waited five years of marriage to win my father's heart. Ammi said their marriage was arranged. It was based on business. Their love was one sided just from her. Abu never loved her. He despised her and it hurts her a lot but she was not ready to give up. She believed he would love her just the way she was. It was not easy because he broke her many times. After five years, she had his heart"

"She found her way through his heart" I spoke looking at him.

Amir gazed into my eyes. His eyes were engraved with profound sadness that mirrored the expression on his face.

"Yes. They had me and it was the beginning of a new life. After me, Ali came then Sherifah" he sat up. My eyes followed his movement. A part of me reached out for him. My heart tugged for him as I watched with worry at what he was doing. He reached into his pocket and brought out something. It was a picture. I moved closer to him placing a gentle hand on his shoulder. Turning the picture around, he showed me the picture. "My family" he said tugging me closer to him.

My eyes dropped to look at the picture. His family was beautiful. Everyone was beautiful. His mother was dead drop gorgeous. She had chocolate brown hair, a very pretty smile and eyes like Amir's. His father was handsome and looking polished. His father had African dark hair, grey eyes and a cute smile. His brother Ali was just handsome and beautiful like his parents. His sister had dark brown skin and dark thick hair like mine but longer. Amir had taken his mother's eyes but the rest of his looks were from his father. I knew where he got his devilish handsome look from. The people in the picture were happy.

"Our business empire began when my great grandfather moved to London in 1933. With great hard work, my great grandfather made it to where we are today and our company HM incorporation made it to be a company with a promising future. Hayati" he paused. "The business world is tough. There is a great competition in it. You meet different people who want your down fall and different rivals whose aim is to be more than you. Abu decided to do business with Santino De Angelis. It was the time Santino's business was going through some hardship. Little did we know we were inviting trouble. We made a business deal and signed a contract. Santino was a greedy person and cheat. He wanted everything to himself. Abu found out in time and ended the contract with it. It ruined Santino's business. He became furious and he was after our lives then. He made life miserable for us. Abu thought it was time for us to go to Nigeria. Maybe if we stay away for a while, Santino will come back to his senses. But he was wrong" he paused closing his eyes.

"Abu was wrong." He repeated opening his eyes. Santino won't give up. It was like a vacation in Nigeria for my family. None of us except dad had visited Nigeria. I have never been to Africa. We visited almost all the tourist places in Nigeria. I love the places especially Mambilla plateau. That place was amazing" he smiled at the memory "I had joined the family business after graduating from business school, Ali was in his final year at law school and Sherifah was studying at Oxford University, second year. That day, we were to come back to London" Pain washed through his eyes accompanied with fear. His breathing raged and I held his hand. "Angel" he held my hand tighter. "That day we were to come back to London. I was not coming with them. I was to leave the following day because I wanted to meet a cousin of mine. So they left first. Then he called" I saw and felt his body tenses up, his eyes fizzled with tears. "Santino called Angel" he held my hand tighter and I moved closer. His breathing became unsteady.

"Amir" my voice shook as I placed a soothing hand on his shoulder.

"He told me he wants to know how I will save them. He told the car brake has failed and it has no control. He did it. He knew we were in Nigeria. He knew our every move. Santino knew everything. I tried Hayati. I tried Angel" a tear fell from his eyes. "I wanted to save them but I was late. The car exploded right in front of me. They died Angel. They left me" he trembled. His palms were damp with cold sweat.

"Amir, you can't do this again. You cannot allow him to get into you again" my heart raced with fear of him having a panic attack.

"And you came" he held my face between his shaking hands and looked into my eyes with fear filled eyes. "You walked in like the angel you are. When you left that day, there was a certain light you left behind" his voice became low, the fear in it began to fade as he looked into my eyes. "Ya amar, things happened fast and I realised I do not want to lose you too. I want you with me every single time. I don't want to lose you Habibti"

"Amir" I held his arms.

"Don't say anything just promise me Noorie, promise me you won't ever leave me. My biggest fear is losing you. You mean more than just my heart to me. You mean a lot that words can't say"

"I promise Amir. I promise I won't leave you" I said wiping his tears away.

His lips curled into a smile. He looked at me. For that moment, everything around me faded away. I saw only his face, his smile and the twinkle in his eyes. My heart thudded against my rib. My pulse quickened at the glint in his eyes. Amir moved closer wrapping his arm around my waist. Pulling me closer, the hand that rested on my face stroke my skin softly. My skin tingled sending a little pulse of excitement through me.

Slowly, his forehead touched mine then his nose touched my nose. Our lips were just a meter apart. Any movement, our lips would crash. I gulped as his ragging breathe fanned my face. Sensually, he stroke his nose against the side of my face. My throat grew dry. I took in sharp breath, my eyes gazing at his red lips. I raised my eyes to look at him. He had an expression I have never seen on him before. He was looking down at my lips.

"I want to kiss you" he said, his voice suddenly husky and thick.

"What?" I spoke, my voice barely loud.

"I want to kiss you Angel" his hold on me got tighter, our body brushing against each other. "Bousini hayati" he spoke in Arabic which I don't understand. "Kiss me back" he demanded and crushed his lips on mine.

His lips were slow, warm and soft, heartening in a way words can never describe. His hand stayed under my ears, his thumb brushing my cheeks. Our tousled breath quickened. My hands moved up and entwined around his strong neck slowly reaching up to entangle his hair which was soft and silky on my touch as I caressed his lips harder. He pulled me closer until there was no space between us and I could feel his heart racing. My heart could not stop pounding harder in my chest.

When we pulled away, we tried catching our breath. I was dazed, dazed from what we just shared. There was a lot of promise and passion in what just happened. I nuzzled my head into his warm chest, carved to aptness. He hugged me and we stayed like that for long, no one talked. It was calming and peaceful.

"So, will go on a date with me?" he asked. I looked at him, a playful smile on my face.

"Well...." I trailed off with a teasing smile. He pleaded me to agree with his eyes. "I will love to" I replied.

"Why did you refuse at first?" he asked, his red lips that were pressed into a line curved up.

"Because I was playing hard to please" I replied

"Really? You were not angry?" he asked with doubt.

"Yes, I was not angry. Why will I be angry at a handsome man like you?"

"So you find me handsome?" the corner of his lip quivered into a smirk.

"Yes and attractive"

"Aren't you been shameless by telling me how you see me?"

"Do I have to be shameless to admire my man?"

"My man?" he raised an eyebrow "You sound very possessive Hayati" he adjusted his body folding his legs under him.

"I am really possessive. You might not know that now"

"That's nice. Now, I know the type of woman I have to be possessive but don't you ever give me such an attitude again" I understood what he meant.

"Why?"

"It was hurting so damn well that it was more painful than anything I have ever felt"

"Wow" I turned around to look at the river, my back buried in his chest with his hands around me holding my hands.

"You were ignoring me and refused to let me close to you"

"So which one hurt more? Ignoring you or preventing you from coming close to me"

"Both" he kissed my head.

"Where did you get that food you gave me in the morning?"

"I got it from an African restaurant. Any problem?"

"No, it was delicious" I kissed his hand.

"Can you turn around and look at me?"

"Why should I turn around?" I laid in his arms twisting my head slightly to look at him. "It is not like your face is something I am willing to stare at the whole day" I rebuffed.

"But you said you found me attractive and handsome" he fondled with my fingers.

"That does not mean I want to stare at you all day" I said my face flushed.

"I love you" he said.

"What?"

"Ana bahebik" he said, his voice rough as he stroke my cheeks. "Always remember that Angel" he said before claiming my lips.