"No?" She tosses meat at the hatchlings before moving deeper toward the fully-grown dragons. I follow after her like a lost puppy in need of a home, but she's gotten under my skin and with one coy comment, I'm in need of an explanation.
"Enlighten me then." I challenge and she readily accepts.
"You're handsome and you know it. You sweet talk women into doing your bidding and aren't one to settle your sights or heart on just one. You use your dashing smile and humor to slither out of trouble. Am I landing in the general area?"
I cross my arms over my chest and smirk. "So, you think I'm handsome?"
She rolls her eyes. "Proving my point."
My humor typically lightens tense situations, but with her, nothing lands. Blunt, stubborn, judgmental, and grumpy. That's the perfect description for Hagar Naziri. But if she wants honesty, I'm not shy. I can play that game too.
"You're so quick to label me as a cocky playboy but you have no idea what I'm really like."
She continues tending to the dragons, declining to respond. ZuZu nuzzles my leg for pets, but I won't fall behind, so I scoop the hatchling into my arms and march after the stubborn Naziri. "And what about you?"
She still doesn't stop or look at me. "What about me?"
"You package your honesty in unfeeling bluntness because you think being kind and vulnerable are weaknesses."
She whips around, perhaps I've touched on the right issue. "Just because we both have scars doesn't mean you understand me."
"Since you value honesty, then let's be honest with one other." I close the gap between us. "You're right. I do use my looks and my humor to get ahead. I don't settle down with one woman because up until being captured, I didn't know if it was possible for someone with regeneration powers to die. I couldn't willingly put any woman through a life like that. To watch as she grew older, as our children grew older, only to watch them helplessly waste into nothing and be left to wander this world alone knowing everything I lost. So yeah, I haven't settled down with one woman. I fill the void in my heart by spending nights with whoever I want. It does nothing to dull the ache in my heart but for a moment, just one solitary moment, I feel like maybe in the future there'd be some hope for me. Is that honest enough for you?"
Hagar stares at me intently but says nothing.
"Fine," I scoff. "Don't respond. I have a clear conscience."
"Why'd you come down here?"
Her question makes me pause. "What?"
"Why did you seek me out?"
I mull over the question. If I was going to be completely raw with her, I'd have to admit I wanted to see her again because she makes me feel something I've never felt before. I'm not sure what it is exactly, but it's as if she's ignited a fire within me. Perhaps, it's just someone challenging me and I like a good fight. But a small, timid part of me thinks maybe it's more than that.
Instead of offering that personal information up on a silver platter for her to smack down and trample, I say, "Like I said before, I wanted to thank you for helping me. You saw me spiraling and stopped me from drowning. But I see now I made a mistake coming here." I pat ZuZu's head one more time and puther back on the ground. "Forgive my intrusion. I'll leave you to your work." I turn on my heel to make my way to the exit, ZuZu nipping at my heels, but stop when Hagar speaks.
"Wait," she commands and like a dutiful servant, I obey. "Hani mentioned when she bound your wounds, you seemed flirtatious. But then again, my sister tends to exaggerate." She sighs. "I was swift in judgment and for that I'm sorry."
I slowly turn around to face her, my brows raised.
"Don't look shocked." She plants her hands on her hips. "I am perfectly capable of admitting when I'm wrong." A grin stretches across her face.
"Why are you smirking at me?" I'm feeling whiplashed from every conversation I have with this woman.
"There's fire in you," she seems pleased.
"And that appeals to you?"
She takes another step closer. "It shows me you're willing to fight."
"Every damn day."
"Not fight with your fists," she shakes her head, clicking her teeth.
"Oh, I meant arguing," I double down. "I love a good argument. I especially like what typically happens after the argument."
My implication lands and her eyes are… hungry? "You are…"
