Captured Hearts Book 1 in the Heart Series - Wattys 2015 Winner

Chapter 16

The next morning as they awoke for Fajr, they both lay there a good few minutes after the alarm had gone off. It had been a long and rough night for Hudayfah and he had tossed and turned in his sleep. His restlessness had kept Jenna up as well, then factor in the time it took for them to fall back asleep after her nightmare, and they were both pretty tired.

"We're going to miss Fajr if we lay here any longer." He said eventually, and she sighed, turning over to look at him.

"I'm so tired." She nudged him in his ribs, "and it's all your fault."

He laughed and sat up.

"I know. I'm sorry, this whole thing with Rami has had me terrified. I couldn't sleep very well."

She sat up as well, and he leaned over to touch her cheek.

"What do you say we get dressed up tonight and go to the Plaza for dinner?"

Her eyes lit up.

"Are you serious?!"

He nodded.

"Yes. The next few days are going to be hard for us to get any time alone with the guys here, and now with your brother here as well." He winced slightly. "Let's do one thing for us." He hesitated. "Well we will have to take two of the guys with us, but they won't get in our way."

"Why two?"

"I love all of the men out there like my brothers, but it would take two of them to equal Rami."

Jenna smiled, before frowning slightly.

"Is he doing better?"

Hudayfah shrugged.

"I haven't checked on him yet, but considering no one came pounding on the door, I bet he is doing okay InshaAllah."

"InshaAllah." She said before yawning largely, and pushing the blanket off of her to get out of the bed. "I'm guessing you're going to go pray with the men downstairs?" she asked as she went into the bathroom.

He followed her, heading for his own sink.

"Yeah. You can join us if you'd like but you'd have to put on real clothes first." He eyed her short blue nightgown admiringly, and she blushed under his gaze.

"Stop it." She whispered, and he grinned slightly.

"Stop what?"

"Stop staring at me."

"You look beautiful. It's hard not to stare."

She turned to focus on her Wudu, her face burning up, and he began to do the same, accidently splashing her with water as he began to wash his arms. She gave a giggle as the water hit her, and he turned to look at her in the mirror, a mischievous grin coming onto his face.

"Don't you da..." she tried to warn but it was too late and he had thrown a handful of water into her face. She let out a gasp and a shriek as the cold liquid drenched her face and the front of her gown, and he gave a loud booming laugh at the shocked look on her face. "Do you think this is funny!?" she demanded, and he nodded a smirk on his face.

"Very." He threw another handful on her. "So is this!" she gave another cry of shock and he laughed again.

"Well then you would think this," she paused to throw a handful at him, "is hilarious!" to her disappointment he dodged her first attack, but she quickly emptied the toothbrush holder, filled it, and threw the cupful into his face. He blinked in surprise, sputtering slightly, and she burst out laughing.

"You're so going to get it." He warned, and before she knew it, they were in a full on water war, Jenna shrieking, and Hudayfah coming after her. Soon he had pinned her to the wall by her arms, and while at first they were both laughing, the realization of how close they were to each other sunk in, and they became quiet. After a moment he brushed a wet lock of her hair out of her eyes, and suddenly her heart began to beat fast, her breath coming out quickly.