The Forbidden Wish(109)

“I did? Ha. You’re hilarious. Come and kiss me.”

I do, and the now-familiar warmth of his lips steadies me. He tastes of salt and the wine we shared with the others at our small farewell party.

Aladdin pulls away first and lifts one of my hands to his lips, kissing the delicate henna patterns on my skin, then turning my arm over to kiss the inside of my wrist. The ship’s crew makes themselves busy on the other side of the ship, giving us privacy.

“You’re the most beautiful girl in the world,” Aladdin murmurs. “Have I ever told you that?”

“Enough to make me wonder if your father was a parrot.”

He laughs. “Look, we can see the sunrise from the stern.”

Taking my hand tightly in his, he leads me at a run across the deck, both of us wobbling and stumbling from the roll of the waves. We are laughing and out of breath when we reach the stern, just as the sun begins to peek over the far horizon. The mist on the water catches the light and begins to glow soft and gold, until it seems we are sailing across a sea of clouds.

“My lady,” says Aladdin, extending an arm toward the sun, “I give you gold as a token of my love.”

“All I want is you,” I reply. I turn and kiss him, pulling him against me, feeling the warmth of the dawn in my hair. Then I rest my head on his shoulder, simply feeling his arms around me, his heart beating against me.

“Are you cold?” asks Aladdin. “You’re shivering.”

“A little.”

“I’ll go get a blanket. And breakfast. If I can find the kitchen.”

“Galley, love. It’s called a galley.”

“Right. Galley. Got it. I’ll ask the captain. What was his name?”

“Sinbad, I think?”

“I’ll be right back.”

But I catch his hand. “I’m all right. Don’t go yet.”

He stays with me, and together we watch the sun stain the sea and sky a thousand and one shades of gold. My thumb rubs the ring on my finger, its dents and contours as familiar to me now as my hand.

So this is what it feels like to have all your wishes come true.

The End