Chapter Twenty
N AGISING si Drew sa marahang langitngit ng pinto. She opened her eyes drowsily. Nakita niya si Jace at kasalukuyang isinasara ang dalawang panel ng pinto sa balkonahe. Gayunman ay naramdaman pa rin niya ang paghaplos ng mabining hangin sa mukha niya.
“I’m sorry if I wake you up. Masyadong malamig ang hanging pumapasok,” wika nito. “Tama na ang mga bintana.”
A tiny frown marred her brow as she wondered about the time. “W-what time is it?” she asked sleepily and would have yawned when she noticed that he was only wearing a towel around his hips. Napabangon siya nang tuluyang pumasok sa isip kung bakit naroon si Jace at nakatapis lang ng tuwalya. Basa ang buhok nito at natiyak niyang kanina pa ito dumating at nakapaligo na.
“A-anong oras ka dumating?” Wala siyang maisip sabihin.
“Ten-thirty. Hindi ka nakapaghapunan sabi ng Mama. Pero hindi ka na rin ginising ni Yaya Saling nang makitang tulog na tulog ka. Gusto mo bang bumaba at kumain?”
Mabilis siyang umiling. Nakahanda ito sa pagtulog at hindi niya alam kung ano ang gagawin at sasabihin. She was gaping at him. Ang kabang nararamdaman ay halos magpabasag sa dibdib niya.
Pinukol ni Jace ng tingin ang suot niya. His lips twitched in one corner in a hint of a smile. “Leggings and a T-shirt? At inaasahan ko pa namang daratnan ko ang asawa ko sa isang manipis na negligee.” Humakbang ito patungo sa kama at naupo sa kabilang gilid.
Instinctively, Drew started up. Tumayo mula sa kama sa kabilang bahagi naman.
“Napakadali para sa aking buhatin at ihiga ka sa kama, Drew,” he said arrogantly. “Iisa din ang kauuwian niyon, you will fall into my arms quickly. At huwag mong itatanggi iyon dahil iyon ang totoo.”
“It’s because I’m insane. It’s the only possible answer!”
Jace sighed patiently. “Do we have to argue all the time? I’ve missed dinner... I’m tired... at mas gugustuhin ko na lang na matulog. But not too tired to make love with my wife. I’ve been fantasizing this moment since we left Manila. So let’s stop this nonsense, Drew. Come back to bed.”
“It will be a cold day in—” Nahinto sa lalamunan niya ang sasabihin nang bale-walang alisin ni Jace ang tuwalyang nakatapi sa balakang nito.
Her eyes went wide... and stared. She didn’t understand why he was fully aroused when they had not even touched. Curiosity, awed, delight, filled her that she could not even look away.
The arrogant brute was one of the most compelling men she had ever seen. Beautiful. Sculpted muscles, smooth skin, dark hair. Standing there naked and fully aroused, he was simply devastating. She couldn’t breathe.
“He’s a god, Drew...”
She couldn’t blame Sheila.
Inihagis ni Jace sa sahig ang hawak na tuwalya at pumaloob sa bedsheet, covering his body from the waist down. Kalmanteng nahiga at iniunan ang dalawang braso sa ulo.
Ang katahimikan ng gabi ay tila lambong sa pagitan nila. For an untold number of minutes, they stared at each other. Then Jace shattered the silence with soft, beguilling suggestion.
“Let’s make mutually satisfying love, my princess.”
Muling napahugot ng hininga si Drew. Ang nangyari sa kanila sa loob ng honeymoon suite sa hotel sa Las Vegas ay hindi maihahambing ngayon. Ang una ay isinisi niya sa margarita. Wala siyang mahagilap na maaaring idahilan kung isusuko niya ang sarili ngayon dito. Na siya niyang gustong gawin.
“We are married, Drew. I want to make love with you. You want to make love with me. Huwag nating gawing dahilan ang alak sa pagkakataong ito,” wika nito na tila nabasa ang iniisip niya. Lifting his hand, he held it out to her, palm up. “Come over here,” he coaxed gently. All the arrogance disappeared, leaving only a man. A very attractive man.
As if hypnotized, she slowly walked back to the bed—and him. Inabot siya ni Jace. “Come lie with me, love,” he paraphrased in a voice low with gathering passion, “and be my wife, again.”
Ni hindi makuhang magsalita ni Drew. She knew that what she did was an act of surrender. And she might really be insane, because she had risked her pride for this moment.
“I want you naked.”
“W-what?”
“Take your clothes off for me, Drew. I want to see you... all of you.” The command was sensual.
Alanganing iling ang ginawa niya. “N-no...”
“I’ve seen it all before. Pero gusto kong gawin mo para sa akin... please...”
Of course, he had seen it all. Subalit si Jace mismo ang nagtanggal ng kasuotan niya noong una sa paraang hindi niya namamalayan.
Subalit nakikiusap ang tinig nito. At sa panahong nakilala niya ito, ang pakiusap yata ang salitang wala sa bokabularyo nito. Humugot siya ng marahang paghinga at alanganing tumalikod upang hubarin ang T-shirt subalit kinabig siya paharap ni Jace.
Then he smiled coaxingly. “You’re mine, Drew. Just as I am yours. Shyness and propriety have no place in my bed, in our marriage bed. Only pleasure.”
Ang mga kamay niya ay dumako sa laylayan ng garter ng leggings niya at unti-unting ibinaba iyon.
Jace watched. Entranced by the black nylon gliding over her belly, thighs, and the long length of her legs. Kinuha nito mula sa mga kamay niya ang leggings at inihagis sa sahig. Isinunod ni Drew ang T-shirt. At muli ay inabot iyon ni Jace at isinama sa naunang hinubad niya.
The light from the lampshade glowed against her smooth skin. Her breast rose and fell with each breath, her pink nipples tempting.
And Jace sucked in his breath. She was far more beautiful than his memory of four days ago.
“Take the last thing off, Drew,” he commanded hoarsely.
Sandali siyang natigilan. Jace smiled tenderly. “I never imagine you to be this shy, Drew,” usal ni Jace. “Sa dinami-dami ng hindi magagandang taguri sa iyo ng press. Namamangha ako sa bawat pagkakataong nagniniig tayo.”
Subalit ang ngiti ay unti-unting naglaho nang hagurin ng mga mata nito ang kabuuan niya. His eyes ablazed with undiluted passion and desire. Tila siya mitsa ng dinamita at ang apoy ng pagnanasa sa mga mata ni Jace ay posporong nagsindi sa kanya upang tuluyang maglaho ang anumang inhibition na nararamdaman niya.
Her lacy briefs joined her leggings and T-shirt on the floor.
“You’re a siren!” He pulled her against him and clasped her mouth to his.
“What’s a siren, Jace?” she murmured in his mouth.
“Someone who lures men to death... and I’m dying, Drew... of want and longing,” bulong nito. Then his tongue slid down her neck, pausing where the throb of her pulse beat wildly beneath his lips.
“Touch me, love me,” Jace whispered against her mouth.
Ang tinig nito ay tila mumunting alon na humahaplos sa pagkatao niya. She slid her hands across his shoulders, down - his back, nagmamadali siyang damhin ang katawan nito. His skin was hot satin stretched tautly over thick muscles that shifted beneath her touch.
If she had risked her pride for this moment, it was a small price to pay for the pleasure of holding him this way.
He spread the warmth of his lips and tongue down her body, tasting her breasts, her ribs, her belly.
Napasinghap si Drew. Isang mahinang ungol ang kumawala mula sa kanya. What Jace did was wicked. How incredibly delicious. He delighted her in every possible way until she shimmered with pleasure, shivered and called his name.
Pagkatapos ay tinakpan siya ng init ng katawan nito. She trembled at the touch of his hard masculinity against her thigh. He pressed against her, watching her face as he entered her body. Her lips parted in a soft gasped and he covered them with his own.
“Drew,” he groaned as he moved within her.
Hindi na mahalaga kung sino ang nagpasuko at sumuko. Nang mga sandaling iyon, she arched as the world shattered around her. She wanted nothing more than to live the last day of her life in his arms.
Jace collapsed beside her catching his breath. He embraced her spoon style. Ang kamay nito ay nakapulupot sa baywang niya. Nararamdaman niya ang mainit nitong paghinga sa batok niya. The heat of his body warmed her.
“I love you...” He spoke in a gurgled tone.
She stiffened. “Y-you do?”
Subalit hindi sumagot si Jace. Marahan siyang bumaling paharap dito. Bahagyang umungol si Jace at sandaling humigpit ang pagkakayakap nito sa baywang niya. She turned and he eased into her arms. She slid her hand down his back, cradling him.
“Jace...”
Tulog na ito.
I love you. Narinig niyang sinabi ni Jace. Pero iyon ba talaga ang sinabi nito? She wanted to believe so... to hope so. It would make a lot of difference. Para sa pagsasama nila.
He lay naked as a babe in her arms, ang mukha nito ay nakasubsob sa dibdib niya. And something inside her stirred. Damdaming hindi gustong huminto sa pagdaloy mula sa puso niya. Softly, she combed his dark hair with her fingers.
Drew sighed contentedly. All the explanations in the world could not have prepared her for the shattering pleasure of making love with this man. There simply weren’t any words to describe the splendor of it. Subalit ang pagkatapos, tulad ngayon, ay lalong hindi niya kayang bigyan ng paliwanag. She had never been happier in all her life.
And she was a fool, kung patuloy siyang makikipagtalo sa asawa. He was right, she would fall easily into his arms, nang walang kahirap-hirap sa bahagi nito.
Deep in her heart, she had wanted him the first time she saw him. And everytime he touched her she came apart. Hindi lang niya kayang aminin sa sarili iyon. She never thought she could want anything as much as she wanted him.
And now she had him. At marahil ang pagpapakasal niya kay Jace ang pinakamagandang pangyayari sa buong buhay niya. How could love have come so unexpectedly? Paano niyang naisip na may pagtingin siya kay Grant gayong kahit saan niya hanapin ay walang maaaring ikumpara sa nararamdaman niya ngayon sa asawa?
She smiled above his head at banayad na dinampian ng halik ang ibabaw ng ulo ng asawa.