Chapter 17 - Nora
Sayid taps the partition and instructs the driver to stop. I look curiously at the carnival in the lot next to us. Is he serious? “A carnival?” I try hard to hide the mix of sarcasm and amusement in my voice.
“Yes,” he smirks. “Have you never been to one?” His dark eyes lit with something I haven't quite experienced.
“Of course I have. Have you—” I stifle a giggle as best as possible as I gesture towards his impeccably tailored suit. “You don’t seem like the carnival type.”
“For you, Habibti, I am anything.” I can’t help but gawk at the perfect man in front of me. A man so willing to do anything for me. He is clearly going to be out of his element, but doesn’t show the slightest sign of annoyance.
The driver opens the door for me and I step out. Sayid follows, then takes off his jacket, handing it to the driver. He undoes the top buttons on his shirt, and rolls up his sleeves. Watching him physically change his appearance in this way, suddenly has my body heated. There is just something in the way he cuffs up his sleeves, that means business. And not the type of business that he conducts in the boardroom.
He runs his fingers through his hair, the sun glistening off his perfectly bronzed skin. He reaches out towards me, “Ready?” I nod eagerly and take his hand. He laces his fingers in mine, and leads me into the carnival. The way our hands connect, leaves me feeling whole for the first time, in a very long time. I would go anywhere with him.
The scent of buttered popcorn, spun sugar, and fried dough fill the air as we walk through the carnival grounds. Bright lights blink and flicker, with the hum of laughter, music, and silly sounds intertwined. I hadn’t been to a place like this in years, not since I was a kid. It brought back good memories, before all the hurt.
As we wait in line at the ticket booth, I glance up at Sayid, who looks entirely out of place in his pristine slacks and designer shirt. And yet, the moment he turns to me, holding a long rope of tickets, his dark eyes gleam with something new. Something youthful, mischievous even. I realize just how wrong I am.
This wasn’t out of character for him at all. Not for the man who had taken me on a whim, stolen me from my own worries, and placed me into his world of impulsive, yet calculated decisions, and unshakable certainty. Once again, he seemed to know exactly what I needed.
“Where to first, Qamari ? ” he asks, his voice carrying a rare playfulness.
“The carousel,” I say without hesitation. It is the first thing that pops into my head. With a boyish smile, he leads us around the booths and over to the carousel. Hands the worker our tickets, and puts the rest in his pocket.
He helps me onto the platform, and I find a beautiful tiger, and a black stallion next to each other. Perfect . “You get the stallion,” I say with a playful wink. “I get the tiger.” I don’t miss the fact that he waits for me to get on first, standing by just in case I need assistance, even though I am fully capable of swinging my leg up and over this thing on my own. I’m still thankful he was there if I needed him.
Once we are both situated, he reaches out for me, taking my hand. The ride begins, and I am already filled with a mix of emotions. The biggest being complete and utter happiness. Such joy that I can’t even remember when it had last consumed me so thoroughly.
As I peek sideways over at Sayid, he hasn’t taken his eyes off of me. He has a big smile plastered to his face as well. My chest spreads with warmth, hit by the depth of his affection. I realize that this is the first time I have truly been out in public with a man who is openly claiming that I am with him. Not hidden behind closed doors. This is not just a real date, this is a real relationship.
The ride comes to a stop, Sayid gets down first, and waits by my side. Mine stops at a high point, and I don’t even have to ask. He is there, hands on my hips, and he gently pulls me down, steadying me on my feet. He doesn’t fully let go—he kisses the top of my head before taking my hand again, and leading us off the carousel.
We head over to the ferris wheel next. As we sit next to each other, I can’t help the warmth and contentment that spreads through me. And Sayid notices as well as he squeezes my hand. He raises his brow in a quiet question.
“Ferris wheels have always been my favorite. I would look for one when we would travel as a family, or when we traveled for softball games. The one in Vegas is probably my favorite so far. I love being up high, and seeing farther than I could dream of.”
Sayid puts his arm around me, pulling me into him. “You are meant for big things, to soar high.” He says it with a purpose behind his words, like he already knows what my future holds. I place my head on his chest, and breathe him in as we go around. Shamsi.
I look down at our hands, admiring the contrast to our skin tones. He is most definitely my sun, bronzed and burning with warmth. And I balanced him. More than just the paleness of my skin. Just like the moon, I need the sun’s light to glow. His light. He pulls me out of the shadows.
We disembark from the Ferris wheel, and he pulls me into him, tucking a strand of loose hair behind my ear before kissing my forehead. “What’s next, Habibti?”
I smile, the affectionate word laying deeper roots within me every time he says it. “You brought me here, Mr. Hassan,” I tease. “You pick this time.”
His lips curve in a mischievous grin. “Then let’s test our luck with something simple.” He takes me by the hand again, threading his fingers through mine as he pulls me toward a booth lined with brightly colored bottles. The game attendant grins, offering Sayid a baseball as Sayid hands over some tickets.
“Knock them all down, win a prize.”
“Alright, Nora, show us what you got,” he smirks, handing the ball over to me. I wink at him as I take the ball. Accuracy and precision have always been my strength. I rotate the ball in my palm a couple of times. Smaller than a softball, but I grip the laces with a comforting familiarity.
I give the game attendant a fleeting look as I wind back. And with a sharp rotation of my arm, release the ball, driving it straight into the bottles, and scattering every last one to the floor with force. Sayid lets out a whistle, indicating how impressed he is.
“Damn little lady, I think we have a winner.” The attendant gawks before gesturing to the prizes on the counter. I grin up at Sayid, he beams back at me full of awe and pride. I reach over the table and pick out a simple, brown teddy bear.
“If I didn’t know better, I would think you’re a secret carnival game hustler,” Sayid teases as he wraps his arm around my waist, pulling me towards another booth. He stops at the strength tester, the kind you have to swing a mallet and ring the bell at the top.
Sayid hands the man the tickets, and untucks his shirt. I cross my arms, tilting my head. “Oh? I didn’t take you for the carnival game type.” The man running the booth eyes him up and down, probably assuming a polished man like him wouldn’t make a dent. I know better, I have felt the steel muscles he keeps hidden away.
“Watch closely,” he murmurs to me as he takes the mallet. His grip tightens, then he swiftly swings the mallet down hard.
The bell rings so loud and sharp that it turns heads. I can’t help but giggle as I applaud him. “Show off,” I tease him with a wink.
He sets the mallet down, and turns to meet my heated gaze. “You like it,” He says, returning my wink. He isn’t wrong.
The next booth over has even more prizes—stuffed animals in every size. “You can trade the bear in for the larger prize if you want,” offers the attendant.
“May I?” Sayid asks, reaching out for the bear. I don’t protest, I am interested to see what he will choose. I give him the bear, and he hands it over to the attendant. Then he points to the biggest one, a massive white tiger. Sayid takes the tiger, and brings it over to me.
“For you,” he says with this boyish grin on his face. “A tiger for my Princess Jasmine.”
“Are you seriously referring to Aladdin right now?” I shake my head in amusement. “This thing is ridiculous. It’s almost as big as me.”
He shrugs. “It seemed fitting. Besides, I like ridiculous.” And I like the way he makes me feel. He listens to the tiniest of details I give him. I hug the tiger to my chest, warmth blooming in my stomach. I have never seen this side of him before—light, teasing, utterly carefree. And it was for me.
He pulls me onward and over to the food booths. Sayid turns to me, raising a brow. “What do you want, my love?” My Love? He’s said it in Arabic, but hearing it this way—he is going to ruin me. Or perhaps, save me.
“Um, something sweet I think, Mr. Hassan.” I smile up at him and bat my lashes. He smirks, and orders us a cotton candy on a stick. After he is handed the fluffy pink cloud, he takes my hand again and leads us down the walking path that goes around the park.
We find a nice bench to sit on facing the nearby river. Sayid takes a piece of cotton candy off the stick, and instead of eating it, he guides it to my lips. I open for him, eyes locked on his, and take the sweet wisps onto my tongue. I can practically see the tension ripple through him.
I take a piece next, offering it to him, my fingers softly brushing his lips as he takes it into his mouth. My body heats in response, and I feel the need to clench my thighs together.
He pulls off another piece, my body tingling with anticipation. I don’t know if it's the heat of the moment, or just him, but I already want more. This time when he puts the wisps on my tongue, I reach up, placing my hand on his, guiding the tip of his finger into my mouth. I watch his pupils darken slightly as I suck his finger teasingly.
His Adam's apple bobs as he swallows slowly. The air between us shifts noticeably, and I shiver in response. He pulls his finger from my mouth, and crushes his lips to mine. They are needy, and I want more than anything to fulfil his desires right now.
His tongue finds mine, and even though the taste is sweet, our kiss is far from it. It is hot, and intense. I grab a fistful of his shirt, and pull myself closer to him. I want to feel his body pressed up against mine.
I knock the cotton candy from his grip and onto the ground as I swing my leg over him, straddling his lap. He stills beneath me, breaking our kiss. “I’m sorry.” I say, almost jumping off of him at the hesitation, but he pulls me back to him, holding me in place by my hips. “I…”
“Shh, Habibti.” He presses his finger to my lips, and tucks a strand of hair behind my ear. He leans in so his lips brush against my ear as he speaks. “Make no mistake, Nora. I want you more than anything I have ever wanted before in my entire life."
"I know you can feel just how hard it is for me to resist you right now." He shifts ever so slightly, I can feel his erection pressing up into me. "I want you all to myself, in the privacy of our own bed. And when I finally take you, Nora, I promise you won’t need a safe word. You will always be safe with me.”
His gaze is heated as he locks onto mine, something deep and unspoken passing between us. “All you have to do is say no,” he continues. “And I will stop. I will never push you. But make no mistake, Habibti—I am going to show you pleasure that no man has let you experience. The kind that lies in true happiness… and absolute safety.”
I swallow hard, my heart hammering against my ribs as a shiver ripples through my body. I can't help but grind against him as my body trembles. I can feel him tighten under me as he grips my hips tighter. He isn’t just making promises, these are his vows . And as I look into his unwavering gaze, I realize—I am already, absolutely, in love with Sayid Hassan.
His body shifts beneath me as he smirks. “Now, let’s get you home before I forget that we have dinner reservations.” I stand up on my feet, and grab the stuffed tiger off the bench. He rises and places his hand on my lower back. He guides me back through the carnival and towards the car.
As we are leaving, I spot a little girl, walking toward the exit with her family. Her lip jutted out in a pout with an unbearable sad look on her face. I look up at Sayid. “Hang on just one second,” I say as I pull away from him and move towards the girl.
“Excuse me, but would you like this tiger?” Her and her family pause at my offer. I look at her parents, then back at the girl. She looks up at her parents, wide eyed. They nod in approval, and her face lights up immediately. I can’t help but smile as I hand the tiger over to her.
She jumps up and down as she takes it from me, it is just as tall as she is. “Thank you so much!” Her parents also echo their thanks as I walk away. Sayid has a smirk on his face as I approach him, his hand stretching to pull me back into him.
He leads me over to the car that is already waiting for us outside the exit. “Just when I thought I couldn’t possibly love you more than I already do, there you go showing off your amazingly generous heart again.” My chest tightens as his words hit me. I freeze outside the car as the driver opens the door for us.
Sayid slides in first, and quickly pulls me in with him. He confessed his love for me on the plane, but it is now somehow different in this moment. “Did you just say you love me?” I tease him with a smoldering look. As the doors close behind me, Sayid cups my face tenderly in his hand.
“I love you Nora Stevens, with all of my heart, body, and soul. You draw out the best in me, like a moth to a flame. I want you to be the only one that gets to see that side of me. I know that I have loved you for far longer than I would like to admit, and I wouldn’t expect you to return the same—”
“I love you too Sayid!” I blurt out before I can stop myself. I have never been so sure of the word than I am right now. I didn’t want him to have any doubt in the way I felt about him in return. For the first time in my life I truly love someone, and I understand what it means to be loved.
He takes a sharp breath in, like he wasn’t breathing before. Then his mouth claims mine softly at first, but then it deepens. He kisses me like I am the very breath he needs to survive. And I feel it too. I need him. All of him.
The car hits a slight bump, and we move apart. He reaches over me, and clips in my seatbelt that I had forgotten in the heat of the moment. “You know, you can still be my Princess, even though you got rid of your tiger.” He smirks with a playful tone, but the look in his eyes holds something a bit more serious.
“I don’t need the tiger. I already have the perfect mix of both Aladdin, and Jafar, sitting right next to me,” I say with my most seductive Princess Jasmine imitation, that I have clearly practiced in the mirror many times before.
Sayid practically chokes on his own laughter. A true deep laugh that I have never heard from him until now. He calms himself after a moment, and clears his throat. “I should have known that Aladdin wouldn’t have been enough to pique your interest, Hayati.” Facts.
“I mean he’s cute and all, great singing voice, but there’s just something about the way Jafar claims Jasmine.” I know Jafar traps her in the hourglass of death, but I saw the way he looked at her in that outfit he put her in.
I cuddle against Sayid’s shoulder, and he kisses me on the top of my head. We stay like this, just enjoying each other’s presence as we travel back to the hotel.