Paradise (Book One)

Could I Have This Kiss Forever

Over and over I look in your eyes
You are all I desire
You have captured me
I want to hold you
I want to be close to you
I never want to let go
I wish that this night would never end
I need to know

Could I hold you for a lifetime
Could I look into your eyes
Could i have this night to share this night together
Could I hold you close beside me
Could I hold you for all time
Could I could I have this kiss forever
Could I could I have this kiss forever, forever

Over and over I've dreamed of this night
Now you're here by my side
You are next to me
I want to hold you and touch you and taste you
And make you want no one but me
I wish that this kiss could never end
Oh baby please

Could I hold you for a lifetime
Could I look into your eyes
Could I have this night to share this night together
Could I hold you close beside me
could I hole you for all time
Could I could I have this kiss forever
Could I could I have this kiss forever, forever

I don't want any night to go by
Without you by my side
I just want all my days
Spend being next to you
Lived for just loving you
And baby, oh by the way

Could I hold you for a lifetime
Could I look into your eyes
Could I have this night to share this night together
Could I hold you close beside me
Could I hold you for all time
Could I could I have this kiss forever
Could I could I have this kiss forever, forever

 
"I love you." And he kissed her on her temple.
 
Their emotions already subsided. Words were rarely said between them.
 
Asher is now lying beside him, feeling and comprehending what had happened between them in the past hour.
 
"And I love you. Pero Ge, hindi ka ba napapagod sa pagsasabi niyan? Ako kasi, medyo masakit na lalamunan ko sa pagsagot sa 'yo," kunwaring nagrereklamo ni Asher.
 
"Bumabawi lang ako sa mga buwan, araw, oras, minuto at segundo na hindi ko nasabi sa 'yo yon."
 
"At pilit kong itinataboy sa isipan ang guilt feeling na nararamdaman ko sa hindi pagsabi sa 'yo ng totoo," piping dugtong niya.
 
"Sumobra naman yata ang pagka-corny mo, Ge."
 
"I like it when you call me that, "Ge". Ang sarap pakinggan pag tinatawag mo ako nang ganyan, babe."
 
"Uhm!" hinampas siya nito sa dibdib.
 
"Aaww!!"
 
"Naku, sorry! Sorry! Ikaw kasi!"
 
"What did I do?!"
 
"Wag mo nga akong tawaging babe! You call your women that, and I'm not one of them!"
 
"Pati ba naman yun?" nakangiwi niyang tanong.
 
"Ah, basta! I don't like you calling me that. You call me on my name na lang," nagmamaktol  na ito.
 
"Pa kiss nga ulit!" At hinalikan niya ang dalaga sa ilong. "Para kang bata kung magmaktol. Ang cute mong tingnan!"
 
"Ewan ko sa'yo! Diyan ka na nga!" at umakto itong aalis ng kama. Sa pagbangon ni Asher, natuunan nito ang gilid ng torso ng binata na may benda.
 
Napaigik na naman si Gerald sa sakit. Hindi siya makasigaw at nagtimpi na lamang.
 
Paglingon ni Asher, nakita niyang namumutla siya at pinagpapawisan. Ang mukha niya ay hindi maipinta sa sobrang sakit na nararamdaman.
 
 "Oh my God, oh my God! I'm sorry, Ge! Baby boy, sorry na. Hindi ko sinasadya. How clumsy of me! Baby boy, sorry na, sorry na, please!" paulit-ulit nitong paghingi ng paumanhin, naiiyak na rin sa awa sa hitsura ng binata.
 
Naiiyak sa sakit pero tumatawa naman si Gerald nang magkita niya hitsura ng dalaga habang humihingi sa kanya ng sorry.
 
"Akala ko ba masakit? Bakit tumatawa ka pa? Gerald!!!"
 
"I love you, Baby Girl! From now on, I'll call you Baby Girl as you call me Baby Boy. It sounds perfectly better than anything else! Just give me a kiss, mawawala lahat ng sakit sa katawan ko," he said, winking.
 
Parang nag-isip ang babae. Pagkatapos ng ilang segundo, umupo ulit ito sa tabi niya.
 
"Okay," pagsang-ayon nito at kumindat rin sa kanya.
 
"Stay put, don't move," parang sinusukat nito ang posisyon niya. "Ahm, where do I start? Tell me where you're agonizing baby boy."
 
At sinimulan na siyang torture-in ni Asher.
 
"My arm is itching inside." She kissed his left arm, the one with the cast, trailed kisses  until the end, just before the portion where the skin is exposed.
 
What is she doing?
 
"Okay na?"
 
"I did not feel anything of your kisses, but the itching is gone."
 
"Where's next?"
 
"My legs. Nangangawit na ako sa pagkasabit ko dito."
 
"Really?"nakataas-kilay na tanong ng babae.
 
"Really."
 
"Okay." Asher stood up, went in front of his leg hanging, kissed the cemented toe 'til his knee, this time, including the exposed skin after, but she gave only a light kiss.
 
"How am I doing so far, Baby Boy?"
 
"That's better. What about my torso? It's still aching for what you did kanina, eh. Nadagdagan yata ang ribs na nabali."
 
"Ganon ba? Kawawa naman si Baby Boy ko. Teka lang."
 
Bumalik ito sa pagkakaupo, itinaas ang laylayan ng damit niya hanggang ma-expose ang tiyan niya sa dalaga.
 
"What are you doing?" hiinihingal na niyang tanong.
 
"Sabi mo, masakit, di ba? So, I'm gonna kiss the pain away."
 
At hinalikan nga nito ang benda niya sa tiyan, mabagal at magaan ang halik.
 
Unti-unting tumaas ang halik at naging mariin, hanggang umabot sa may dibdib niya ang labi nito. She kissed him on his right chest, mere inches from his nipple. Then she lifted her head and winked at him and then bent down to kiss the left part, just exactly where his heart was beating fast.
 
"Masakit pa, Baby Boy?" tanong ni Asher sa nang-aakit na boses.
 
"Ha?" Nawala siya sa huwisyo sa ginawa ng dalaga.
 
"Eto, Baby Boy, hindi siya masakit?" itinuro nito ang benda niya sa ulo.
 
Tango lang ang naisagot niya.
 
At dumako na roon ang labi ng dalaga. Isinama nito ang kanyang mata, noo, ilong at pisngi. Lahat ng parte ng mukha maliban sa kanyang labi.
 
"There! That's done! May masakit pa?"  she innocently asked.
 
"You tease! Come here!"
 
And he kissed her hard this time. And the woman he's kissing is doing the same thing, kissing him back with the same intensity. And without him asking, she opened her mouth so he can invade inside. He played his tongue against hers, and her, doing the same. They were like two fencing players enjoying the game.
 
After minutes of non-stop kissing, they stopped. He looked at her with a big question in his eyes.
 
"From where did you learn to kiss like that?"
 
"I have a very good teacher," nahihiya nitong sagot, hindi makatingin sa kanya ng diretso
 
Immediately, his ears turned red. And his brows crossed.
 
She have a teacher?!?!? What the....?!?!?!
"He's very good looking. Tall, wavy hair, brows always crossed, firm jaw. Beautiful eyes, brown eyes..."
 
"Enough, Asher, please?"

Pero nagpatuloy lang ito na parang hindi narinig ang sinabi niya.

"... that became my favorite color. He has a beard that makes me tingle all over every time he kisses me.

His ears are turning red whenever he's angry, or was it out of jealousy? His lips are so kissable that I want to bite...."

Pilit niyang bina-block ang sinasabi ng dalaga as he was already consumed with too much jealousy.

"I said enough! No more words about him Asher or you won't like...."

"His name is Gerald. Gerald Anderson," sabay tingin nito sa kanya.

"Will you stop.....what?!"

"You know him? He's a nice guy, actually. Sabi nga ni Maj, "Maginoo pero Medyo Bastos". And I..."

May sasabihin pa sana ang babae pero sinaklit na niya ito sa leeg para muling mahalikan.

"Don't pull another stunt like that, Baby Girl, please. It's making me crazy. You're making me crazy."

And he claimed her lips once more.

He was already burning with jealousy when Asher started describing her "teacher". Yon pala, siya yon.

What if kung nagkataong meron ngang iba? Saan siya pupulutin ng pagseselos niya?

He has to control his jealousy. Ayaw niyang ito pa ang maging dahilan para sila magkahiwalay.

His relationship with her is already complicated. Sumasaglit pa rin sa utak niya ang kasalanang nagawa niya sa tatay nito at dito na rin mismo.

If he wants this relationship to work, he has to trust her. He has to remove that jealous character of his.

But more importantly, he has to be honest with her.

What about her father?

If he has to beg Don Delfin just to accept him as Asher's man, he'll do it.

But for now, kahit ngayong araw lang, he'll stop  thinking about it. Magpapakalunod muna siya sa ligaya kasama ang dalaga.

They stopped kissing and Asher laid back in bed, arms wrapped around his waist, her face deep in his neck. He could feel her breathing, and it's synchronized with his heart beating. He like the situation they are in now. He somehow feels at peace. He feels like he can live like this forever, her beside him. And if she's with him, he feels he can do anything. He can do everything and all will be alright.

Is this how it feels to be in paradise?

He smiled. Maybe, yes. And if Asher is his paradise, then he's willing to stay there forever.

He lifted his head and looked at her.

"Something wrong?" she asked.

"Wala."

And he kissed her tenderly, pouring out all the love he has for her.

He stopped and stared at her for a whole long minute.

"What?"

"Can I have this kiss forever? Can you be mine forever?"

Kumunot ang noo ni Asher.

"Will you marry me, Asher Tua Geronimo?"