La Tigra Hotel / Florida

"ALONE?"

Baliwalang tanong niya sa babaeng halos palibutan na ng mga kalalakihan sa dance floor. She was swaying her hips seductively and dancing to the beat of wild music. Marami rin namang kababaihan ang nagsisipag sayaw at halos ipagduldulan na ang katawan sa mga kalalakihan, pero iba ang babaeng nasa harap niya ngayon. Nakakadagdag pa sa karakter nito ang pagiging misteryosa dahil sa suot nitong itim na maskara na tumatakip sa kanyang mga mata.

Even though she's wearing a black lace masquerade mask that hides her eyes, she still looks exquisite. Her eyes carry an innocence wrapped in mystery, yet tinged with loneliness. Or perhaps he's only imagining it—hallucinations because of alcohol and desire.

"Yes, why?" sagot naman nito bago huminto sa pagsayaw at iniyakap ang braso sa batok niya.

"Want to dance with me? I'm lonely you know. My parents died in that fucking plane crash and I hate my freaking husband! So yeah, can you make me happy tonight?" muli pa nitong tanong.

Namumungay ang mga mata, namumula ang magkabilang pisngi na hindi niya sigurado kung dahil ba sa kolorete o sadyang natural na mapula ang pisngi nito. But one thing is for sure, the lady in front of him was drunk... and in trouble.

Nevertheless, he smiled and stared at her lovely face—innocent copper-brown eyes, a perfectly pointed nose, kissable lips, smooth milky skin, and a seductive smile. Damn, this woman was turning him on in no time! Nag maskara pa nga, halos nakikini-kinita niya na rin naman ang maganda nitong imahe sa kanyang isipan.

Tomorrow is his wedding day to his longtime fiancée, Frances De Vera. Matapos ang bachelor's party niya kagabi kasama ang mga kaibigan niya sa condo unit niya ay nagkanya-kanya na ring layas ang mga hudyo. Pero siya, heto at nagpapakasaya pa sa La Tigra. Isang exclusive hotel na pag-aari ng kanyang Ninong Steve na business partner at matalik na kaibigan ng mga magulang niya. Kilala ang La Tigra Hotel, hindi lang sa Pilipinas kundi maging sa ibang bansa, kung saan lahat ng pantasya ng karamihan ay puwedeng maganap ng walang nakakaalam.

At sa La Tigra Hotel niya rin sinusulit ang nalalabing araw ng pagiging malaya niya, dahil pagkatapos ng kanyang kasal... tapos na rin ang maliligayang araw niya. And again, he looks at the woman with desire. Bukas matatali na siya at hindi na magagawa pa ang mga bagay na ginagawa niya at nagpapaligaya sa kanya. He still has one more day to do everything he wants, and after that... goodbye na sa pagiging binata at hello sa pagiging understanding husband.

"Do you want to have sex with me?" he asked, instead of answering her questions. "I can make you lose yourself in pleasure, make you scream until the night fades, and bring you to ecstasy again and again - without the risk of pregnancy. That's the best twenty-four hours I can offer you tonight," he whispered, his words heavy with desire.

To his surprise, the woman kissed him on his cheek and wrapped her arms around his neck. She kissed him gently but he felt hundreds of butterflies in his stomach like a pussy!

"Would sex make me feel better and help me forget my problems? My misery? And even numb me for a bit? she asked softly. "If so, then let's go... I want to know what it feels like. So take the opportunity, Mister-"

"Leon," he answered.

Napangisi siya. Hindi siya makapaniwala na lalabas sa maninipis at mapupula nitong mga labi ang mga salitang iyon. Hinawakan niya ang kamay nito at hinila paalis sa dance floor. Inakay niya ang dalaga sa dulong silid na inuukopa niya sa La Tigra.

"What a wonderful night!" he whispered to himself.

Nang makapasok sa loob ay kaagad niya itong sinunggaban ng halik sa labi. He was stunned for a moment when his lips touched hers. It was soft and addictive. He had never felt this kind of feeling when he kissed his fiancée's lips.

"Damn! I like your lips." He takes off her clothes, letting them fall on the floor. "I want you so bad baby! Since you know my name, may I know yours?"

Dinig niya ang paghugot ng malalim na hininga ng babae ng lumapat ang labi niya sa dibdib nito. Marahan niyang pinagapang ang dila niya roon habang minamasahe ang isa.

"Leon right? Like the animal, king of the jungle?" tila wala sa huwisyong sabi ng dalaga, saka marahang hinaplos ang dibdib niyang may tattoo ng mukha nang isang lalaking Lion. "Do you want me to tame you?"

"Spare the animal, but yes, I'm the king of my own kingdom. Now tell me your name..." he said, before sucking her nipple like a hungry baby yearning for milk

"Ahh... V-Very... just c-call me Very." She answered like a well-fed cat.

Pagkarinig sa pangalan ay binuhat niya na ito at dahan-dahang inihiga sa gitna ng kama. He took off his shirt, removed his belt, and pulled down his jeans and boxer shorts. After that, he takes off Very's clothes until the last piece that hides her body.

"Perfect!" he whispered while staring at her naked body. He sucks the skin on her neck, leaving a mark for sure. Then he did it again and again.

"Hey! W-what are you doing?" Pinagkrus nito ang braso sa leeg nito para pigilan siya sa ginagawa. "Are you planning to suck my neck until my blood squirts out?! Crossbreed ka ba ng hayop at bampira, mamumula yan at mag iiwan ng marka!"

Bahagya siyang natigilan. So, Very, the mysterious lady is a Filipina... good to know. He kissed her chin. "I don't care, everyone has to know that you have me." His kisses trail to her jaw. "Only me okay? Don't let any man do this to you. Just me... only me, Very."

"O-okay... I won't..." she answered innocently. Unaware of how seductive she was in his eyes. But when he tried to take off her lace mask, she complained and held his hand. "Leave it... wala pa tayo sa exciting part, 'wag kang excited. And wait, do you understand tagalog? Are you a Filipino?”

That put a smile on his lips. Hindi niya na to sinagot at nagpatuloy na lamang. Napuno ng mahihina nitong daing ang apat na sulok ng silid ng muli niya itong halikan sa leeg, pababa sa dibdib at pababa pa. He can feel her body trembling, her breathing ragged and her body burning with desire.

Nakagat nito ang pang-ibabang labi kasabay ng pagbilis ng paghinga nito ng bumaba sa patag nitong sikmura ang mainit niyang labi. Her body softly arched, panting, craving for more, aching, when his tongue started making circles around the valley of her narrow waist.

He had already gotten rid of her underwear, and he couldn't control himself from desiring her. Just for tonight... siya na muna ang magmamay-ari sa dalaga... only for tonight. After this, kanya-kanya na. Ang mahalaga, nag enjoy sila sa at maghihiwalay nang walang samaan ng loob.

"I'll make you mine now. Are you ready?" he asked as he moved closer to her. "You can cry out, and you can do whatever you want, but you can't run from me, and I won't stop once we begin."

"Would that hurt?" she asked curiously making him smirk. She looks innocent, but he knows that behind that innocent face is a wild woman waiting for a man who satisfies her needs in bed.

"No," baliwalang sagot niya saka marahas na pinag-isa ang katawan nilang dalawa. "Unless you're a virgin."

His brows furrowed when he felt something like a barrier. Hinawakan niya ang isa nitong binti at ipinilit na ipasok ang kanyang pagkalalaki.

"Fuck! Oh god!"

Lalong nangunot ang kilay niya. Sa isip niya'y hindi naman ganito kahirap sa tuwing makikipagtalik siya.

"Hey! You're hurting me!" daing ng dalaga at pilit siyang tinutulak paalis sa ibabaw nito. "Oh god... oh god! Stop it, you're hurting me!"

Nagtatakang pinakatitigan niya ang mukha nitong pulang-pula at mga matang may nangingilid na luha, habang mariing kagat ang labi at halos bumaon ang kuko sa likod niya. Tinuyo niya ang luha sa gilid ng mga mata nito at hinawi ang buhok nitong nagsabog sa mukha, at walang pakialam na hinablot ang suot nitong maskara. Doon palang siya natigilan ng humantad sa kanya at matitigang mabuti ang mukha nito sa malapitan.

"What the hell! How old are you?!" Halos manlamig ang katawan niya ng tumambad sa kanya ang tila batang-bata pa nitong itsura sa malapitan at ganoong anggulo. Hindi naman siguro siya makakasuhan ng rape at child abuse kung sakaling minor de edad pa ito at maghabol dahil ginusto rin naman nitong sumama sa kanya.

But he can't stop right now, he’s almost there! He kissed her forehead, tightly gripped her waist, and filled her core with his hard and erect sex which made her cry out in pain.

"You're a virgin?!" he asks panicking. But Very did not answer, because after he filled her to the brim... she passed out. “Fuck!”

Tulad nga ng sinabi niya’y hindi na siya puwedeng huminto once na magsimula na siya. Kaya naman, kahit nahihirapan ay inangkin niya ang dalaga sa pinakamarahan niyang paraan.

"Ah fuck! What a torturous night having a virgin beautiful lady sleeping beside me!" he whispered and kissed her cheek. "Oh, I forgot, I already popped your cherry, which means... you're mine exclusively!"

Pinakatitigan niya ang nahihimbing ng dalaga matapos niyang maabot ang ikapitong glorya. First time in his twenty-fifth years of existence having sex with a sleeping virgin... oh but not anymore.

Makalipas ang ilang saglit ay kinumutan niya ang dalaga saka tumalikod. Bukas niya na lang ito kakausapin at makikipag areglo kung sakali mang magising ito at maisip na maling-mali ang makipaglandian ito sa kanya na nauwi sa kama.

Papikit na siya ng mula sa maliit na bag na nakapatong sa bedside table ay may umilaw at dire-diretso ang pagtunog. Nang kunin niya 'yon at buksan ay daig niya pa ang binuhusan ng kumukulong mantika ng makita ang mukha ng lalaking kilalang-kilala niya sa screen ng cellphone ng dalaga.

"How on earth did she get Xavier's number?! Magkakilala ba sila?!" Hindi sinasadyang napindot niya ang answer button na talaga namang ikinabahala niya ng husto.

[And I thought my freaking wife didn't know how to answer the call anymore. Where are you... wife?!]

Sa halip na sumagot ay pinindot niya rin kaagad ang end button saka wala sa loob na naibagsak ang cellphone ng dalaga sa mesa. "Wife? For real?!"

Nang muli niyang lingunin si Very ay payapa pa rin itong natutulog habang siya ay tigalgal pa rin at hindi makapaniwala. Sino nga ba ang mapapanatag kung ang asawa ng matalik niyang kaibigan ay narito ngayon at payapang natutulog sa kama niya. Hindi lang 'yon, he was her first. He took her virginity, not knowing that she was his friend's wife! Double fucking fuck!

"This is bad..." He stared at the young woman's sleeping face, her expression so soft, so untouched, that it made his chest tighten. He dragged a hand over his face and exhaled slowly. "So damn bad."

His gaze lingered despite himself, tracing every small detail as if committing her to memory. "You let me taste something I shouldn't have," he murmured under his breath. "Something... too warm, too sweet." He let out a hollow, almost bitter laugh. "Something I would not forget."

He pressed his fingers to the bridge of his nose, eyes closing for a moment as if to gather what little restraint he had left. "It should've ended here. One night... just a passing thing. I should've walked away and been grateful for it." He blew a deep breath.

"...instead," he said quietly, voice rough with restrained longing, "I'm left wanting something I can't have." His jaw tightened. "Because of who you are... what you are... it turns everything into a fucking bad romance." He pause. Then whispered.

"A mistake I don't regret enough to forget."

*****

_PAUPAU_

05.25.26