Until You Love Me Again

Chapter Eight

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AGAD na hinablot ni Isabel ang kapares na silk robe ng suot niyang night gown at dali-daling isinuot yun nang marinig ang pagputol ni Alexander ng tawag sa kabilang linya. Tinatali pa niya ang belt ng robe habang bumababa siya ng hagdan.

Alexander cannot be serious, can he? He cannot be standing outside her door at this ungodly hour. She hurriedly unlocked her front door and there he was. Apparently, he can be serious.

She took a good look at him and it was as if she was seeing a different man. Nakatayo ito sa harap niya but he wasn't looking at her. Nakayuko ito and his hands were inside his trouser's pockets.

His hair was unruly and tousled than usual and she could almost see the tiredness in his eyes, kung hindi lamang ito nakayuko. His necktie was loose that allowed an open button just below his neck.

Tumaas ang kanang kamay nito, sinapo ang magkabilang sentido at parang robot na pumasok ito sa kabahayan. Nasa itsura nito ang matinding pagod at panghihina. Kung hindi lang niya nakikita ang kotse nito sa labas ng bakod ay iisipin niyang naglakad ito ng milya-milya bago nakarating sa bahay niya.

Tumayo ito sa gitna ng sala at nakatalikod ito sa direksyon niya pero ramdam niyang nag-iisip ito ng sasabihin sakanya. After a few more seconds of silence, Alexander straightened his back as if to say something pero inunahan niya ito.

"What are you doing here?" tanong niya. Her voice didn't sound angry or bitter, just tired. "Hindi ba ang sabi ko sayo, wag ka nang lalapit samin ng kambal?" dugtong pa niya nang hindi ito sumagot.

"Now, you didn't really expect me to do that, did you?" tanong nito pabalik. No, she didn't. Noon pa man ay matigas na ang ulo nito.

"Ano pa ba kasi ang gusto mo? Kaya kong buhayin ang mga bata. Hindi kita kailangan.. hindi ka namin kailangan" saad niya. If Alexander was facing her, she could've seen the pain that crossed his handsome face.

"Oh you do, poppet" saad nito, calling her with the old pet name he dubbed her with that arrogant tone of his. She rolled her eyes.

"Ilang taon na kaming namumuhay ng kami lang at kahit kailan, hindi kami nagkulang sa kahit na anong aspeto, lalo na sa pagmamahal. Trust me, we don't need you" she answered back, emphasizing her last sentence.

"Well, then, I need you!" halos pasigaw na saad nito sabay harap sakanya. He looked her straight in the eye. "I need them" saad nito kapagkuwan in a softer tone at yumuko itong muli.

"After all these years, you're still so selfish. Hindi lang ang kailangan mo ang importante dito. Not even mine. Ang importante dito ang makakabuti sa mga bata" saad pa niya.

"At hindi ako makakabuti sakanila? I'm their father for crying out loud! It's practically my right."

"Right? Simula nang wala kang ginawa para makausap man lang ako pagkatapos ng--- what are you doing?" Hindi niya natapos ang sasabihin niya dahil pinapasadahan siya ni Alexander ng tingin mula ulo hanggang paa at mas lalong lumalalim ang pagkakakunot ng noo nito every passing second.

"What the hell are you wearing?" tanong nito na nakapagpakunot ng noo niya. Ano ba ang issue nito sa suot niya? Then he heard him groan inwardly.

"Ano bang problema mo? Ikaw tong nambubulabog ng bahay ng may bahay nang dis oras ng gabi at itatanong mo bigla kung ano ang suot ko? E di malamang na nakapantulog na ak---"

"Pantulog? You sleep wearing that piece of..."

"Of what?"

"That piece of.. that piece of f-fabric?" Did he just stammer?

"Oo" saad niya, awkwardly. Bakit? Pangit ba?" Sandali niyang tiningnan ang sarili. Oh hell! Why does she even care what he thinks? "Pwes pasensya na Mr. Alexander the Great. Hindi ko naman alam na dapat pala e nakaball gown kapag matutulog at h---"'

"Magpalit ka ng damit" saad nito, trying not to look at her. Did she look that bad para hindi nito magawang tingnan siya? Aba, nakakaoffend na to ah.

"What did you just say?" tanong niya, challenging him to repeat what he said.

"You know what I said, Isabel. Magpalit ka ng damit" saad nito.

"At bakit naman ako magpapalit pa? Anong oras na? Wala ka pa bang planong umalis?" pagtataboy niya dito at bago pa siya makagalaw ay inisang hakbang nito ang distansyang nasa pagitan nilang dalawa.

In a blink of an eye, he grabbed her by the waist and held her. Their faces where an inch apart and she can smell his breath, she can smell him.

God! Is he gonna kiss her? Wala sa sariling napahugot ng hininga si Isabel sa isiping yun. She suddenly felt butterflies in her tummy like a high school girl waiting for her first kiss. What the hell is happening to her? After six years, it could be expected that she knew better than to swoon over this man.

"Look at me" Alexander commanded when she tried to look away. At parang nahihipnotismong sinunod naman niya ang sinabi nito.

She looked directly into his eyes and saw a cloud of desire all over it. Hinigpitan nito ang pagkakahapit sakanya at naramdaman niya ang isang pamilyar na umbok... doon. She gasped and looked at him with gaped eyes.

Why is he aroused?

"You feel that?" tanong nito pero hindi siya nito binigyan ng pagkakataon na saguting iyon. "That's what you and that... piece of fabric you're wearing do to me" dugtong nito in a raspy voice.

She held her breath and bit her lower lip. Nararamdaman niya ang pagreact ng katawan niya sa pagkakalapit nilang yun and God, she can feel his arousal against her belly. Alexander is the only man she had been intimate with and this is the worst time to be aroused by him.

"Stop biting your lip" saad nito habang tinititigan ang kanyang mga labi. Agad naman niyang sinunod ang sinabi nito but it only made Alexander groan.

"Damn it, Isabel" bulong nito and in a flash, his lips were on hers.

He was kissing her! Hard. Possesively. Hungrily. Passionately. With longing. It was as if he was parched and she was the coolest water in the world. And she was lost.

She opened her mouth to give him more access and she immediately felt his tongue invading her mouth. Gosh! She forgot how good of a kisser he was. Pakiramdam niya ay nagiging marshmallow na ang mga tuhod niya and her mind refused to function.

She was not thinking, just feeling. Naramdaman niya na umakyat ang kamay ni Alexander sa batok niya, probably to have more control while kissing her. Kasabay nun ay umakyat rin ang mga kamay niya sa batok nito.

Her body was literally against his and it was as if she wanted more. She wanted to be closer to his body. She wanted him naked, both of them. Before her thoughts could wander further, Alexander stopped kissing her.

Nanatiling magkadikit ang mga noo nila while they were both catching their breaths. Naramdaman niyang umiling-iling si Alexander with a playful smile on his lips.

"I forgot how good it was to kiss you" bulong nito in his sexiest voice. Parang lalo yatang nanlambot ang mga tuhod ni Isabel sa sinabi nito.

Goddamnit!

"Hindi ito ang ipinunta ko dito. I came here so we can talk about the twins without having to shout at each other but definitely not to lose control either" saad nito kapagkuwan.

"So kung ayaw mo pang masundan ang kambal natin, utang na loob, Isabel. For the sake of my self-control and sanity, please. Please change into something that does not allow me to see any part of your body that I would want to put my mouth on" dugtong pa nito.

She need not be warned twice. Tinulak niya ito at patakbong umakyat sa hagdan papunta sa kwarto niya like a stupid teenager. Nasa proseso siya ng paghahanap ng damit nang makita niya ang sarili sa salamin.

Was she blushing the whole time?

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