CHAPTER 3

Pagdating namin sa unit niya — isang modernong space na amoy cedarwood at mamahaling alak — hindi ako nagsalita. Hindi rin siya.

Nagkasalubong lang ang tingin namin.

And that was enough.

He took my hand, guided me to the sofa.

And we sat there.

Tahimik.

Hawak lang niya ang kamay ko. At sa sobrang katahimikan, doon lang namin narinig ang isa’t isa huminga.

Then finally, he whispered, “We should talk.”

At doon nagsimula ang usapan namin…

“Let’s not make this complicated.”

Yun ang sinabi niya habang nakaupo kami sa mismong sofa kung saan ako ngayon nakasandal.

Renzo stood across me — Mukha siyang relax, pero ramdam ko ang tension sa paligid namin.

I took a deep breath. “You mean… what happened was just…”

“Good,” he cut in, his gaze steady. “Amazing, actually. But let’s be honest, Celle — we don’t even know each other.”

Tinamaan ako sa dibdib nun, kahit hindi niya sinadya.

He smiled, softening a little. “Look, I’m not saying I don’t want to see you again. I do. I just don’t want you to expect anything beyond... this.”

“This,” I echoed.

He nodded. “Just us. Just pleasure. No pressure. No labels.”

Parang may kumalabit sa puso ko. But I forced myself to nod. “Okay.”

“Okay?”

“Okay,” I repeated, this time with a smile I wasn’t sure was fake or brave.

After all, wasn’t that what I needed?

Wala akong time. Wala akong space para sa drama. My father would kill me if he found out I was seeing anyone, let alone someone as unpredictable as Renzo.

So why not take what I could?

Why not get lost in him — in the way he made me feel, even if it was temporary?

Even if it was dangerous?

“Then we’re clear,” he said, walking closer.

I tilted my head. “Ground rules?”

He smirked. “No asking about the past. No falling in love.”

That one hit harder than it should’ve.

I smiled anyway. “Got it.”

He offered his hand.

Not for a handshake.

Not for formality.

Just… to pull me back into him.

And I let him.

Because maybe pretending not to care was easier than admitting I already did.

Tumayo siya mula sa sofa pagkatapos naming ayusin ang “rules” ng kung anong meron sa amin.

No labels. No feelings. Just pleasure.

Pero bakit ganito kabigat sa dibdib?

He held out his hand again. “Come with me.”

Tahimik akong sumunod habang inakay niya ako papunta sa bedroom. Pagpasok namin, dumiretso siya sa ensuite bathroom. The lights were soft, almost golden, and the sound of water rushing from the showerhead echoed gently.

Pagharap niya ulit sa akin, tahimik niyang hinubad ang suot niyang shirt. Slowly. Walang pagmamadali. Parang sinasadyang ipakita sa akin ang bawat detalye ng katawan niya — defined chest, toned arms, the trail of muscle leading down to where my eyes dared not settle too long.

“You okay?” tanong niya, marahang tinanggal ang clip ng buhok ko.

I nodded. “Yes.”

He leaned forward and kissed my forehead. “Let me take care of you.”

Pumasok kami sa ilalim ng mainit na tubig — siya muna, at sumunod ako. Ramdam ko ang init na mas malapit sa init ng katawan namin kaysa sa tubig.

He stood behind me in the golden-lit shower, water running down his chest, his eyes dark as sin.

“I want to see all of you,” bulong niya, habang marahang hinuhubad ang suot kong dress.

His fingers brushed over my shoulders, warm and steady. Dahan-dahan niyang ibinaba ang straps, hanggang tuluyang bumagsak ang tela sa paanan ko. Naiwan akong hubo’t hubad sa harap niya, basa ng singaw, ng init, ng pagnanasa.

“God, Celestine…”

He didn’t rush. His hands slid over my waist, then up — thumbs brushing the underside of my breasts before he gently cupped them.

Nilamas niya ako nang mabagal, mainit ang palad, hinahagod ang u***g gamit ang daliri hanggang sa tumigas ito sa pagitan ng mga daliri niya.

Then his mouth descended.

“Ahh…” Napakapit ako sa balikat niya habang dinila-dilaan niya ang kaliwang u***g ko, sabay s****p — malambot pero malalim, parang hinihigop niya ang kaluluwa ko palabas.

Basa ang bibig niya. Mainit ang dila niya. At ang bawat s****p ay may kasamang ungol na dumidiretso sa kaselanan ko.

Habang sinususo niya ang isang u***g, nilalaro ng daliri niya ang kabila. My legs trembled as pleasure rushed through me in waves.

He kissed up to my throat, then my lips — and this time, his mouth claimed mine with full intensity.

Tongue to tongue.

Walang pasakalye. His tongue slid between my lips, tasting, claiming, exploring. Nalasahan ko ang sarili kong ungol habang hinahalikan niya ako na para bang gutom siya.

His hands traveled down, past my belly, between my thighs. His fingers found my wetness, and he groaned low.

“Shit, ang basa mo na…”

Sinapo niya ang hiyas ko — buong palad. Daliri niyang humagod sa hiwa ko, paakyat-baba, marahan pero matalim. Then, slowly, he slid a finger inside.

“Renzo…” I moaned against his lips.

“Shh…” He kissed me again, deeper. Then added a second finger, moving in and out slowly, twisting slightly — like he knew every corner of me.

I was panting.

My hips rolled against his hand, at bawat galaw niya ay dumidiin sa G-spot ko.

“Look at you, baby. You love this,” he whispered, watching my face while fingering me harder.

I gasped when he dropped to his knees, lips now between my thighs.

“Your turn,” he said, before spreading me open with his thumbs and licking one long, wet stroke up my center.

“Ahh—fuck!”

His tongue flicked my clit with the same rhythm as his fingers earlier — slow, focused, torturous.

Then he sucked.

I buckled, napakapit sa buhok niya habang kinain niya ako nang buong-buo.

Basang-basa na ako, hindi lang ng tubig kundi ng sarili kong katas, at parang gusto niyang simutin lahat.

“Come on my mouth,” he groaned, voice muffled against me.

At hindi ko na kinaya.

Bumulwak ang orgasm ko, ungol ko sabay ng tunog ng dila’t labi niya habang sinasaid niya ang bawat patak.

Paglabas namin ng banyo, walang salita. Binuhat niya ako — hubo’t hubad, katawan kong nanginginig sa init at sarap — papunta sa kitchen.

He laid me on the cold marble counter.

“Open for me,” he whispered.

I spread my legs. He looked down and groaned. “You’re dripping…”

Hinaplos niya ulit ang hiwa ko, pinasok ang gitnang daliri, mabilis at malalim, habang ang hinlalaki niya ay paikot sa tinggil ko.

“Renzo… please…” I begged.

He aligned himself at my entrance, eyes burning into mine.

Then in one long, slow thrust — he entered me.

“Ahhh fuck…” I gasped.

“Ang sikip mo pa rin… parang sinisipsip mo ang ari ko…”

He began to move — mabagal sa una, then deeper, harder.

Each thrust made the counter creak. His hips slammed into me. His hands gripped my waist.

“Celestine, ang sarap mo…”

His mouth found mine again — a messy, tongue-filled kiss habang binabayo niya ako nang buong lakas.

I wrapped my arms around his neck, anchoring myself as he fucked me harder, mas malalim, mas wild.

My moans got louder. “Renzo! I’m—fuck—I’m gonna—”

“Sabayan mo ako. Come with me.”

I came with a scream, pussy clenching around him.

And he followed — hips jerking, cursing into my mouth as he poured himself deep inside.

Bumagsak siya sa dibdib ko, hingal na hingal. Our bodies were soaked in sweat and heat. He didn’t pull out. He stayed there — inside me, arms around me.

“Just physical,” he whispered again, almost like a lie.

But the way his lips pressed against my skin… the way he didn’t let go…

Felt like something else entirely.

Pagkatapos naming magsex — bumagsak ang katahimikan.

Hindi awkward.

Pero mabigat.

Yung tipo ng katahimikan na parang may gustong sabihin, pero pareho kaming takot magsalita.

Nakatulog akong nakaunan sa dibdib niya sa loob ng kwarto niya habang naka-on lang ang dim lights. Ramdam ko ang paggalaw ng dibdib niya sa bawat paghinga. At sa bawat tibok ng puso niya, parang may sinisigaw na hindi ko marinig nang buo.

Pagdilat ko kinaumagahan, wala na siya sa tabi ko.

Napakagat ako sa labi.

Hindi ko alam kung bakit may kirot.

Isn't this what we agreed on? Walang label. Walang damdamin. Walang aasahan?

Pero bakit ako napapikit nang mariin, as if trying to block something inside me from surfacing?

Naglakad ako papunta sa kusina. Doon ko siya nakita — nakatayo, topless pa rin, may hawak na tasa ng kape. Tumingin siya sa akin, and for a second, wala siyang sinabi. Pero malalim ang tingin niya, parang hinuhubaran ang kaluluwa ko.

“Gising ka na,” he finally said.

I nodded. “Yeah.”

He handed me a cup.

Napakunot ang noo ko.

Bahagyang ngumiti siya.

My heart skipped.

Pero hindi ako nagpahalata. I took the cup and sipped.

Silence again.

He leaned on the counter. “So…”

“‘So’ what?” I tried to smile. “Are we gonna talk about last night? Or pretend na parang wala lang?”

He looked at me seriously, then said, “We already agreed, di ba? No strings. No expectations.”

“Yes,” I answered quickly, too quickly. “That’s what I want too.”

But even as I said it, my chest tightened.

And I saw something flicker in his eyes — disappointment? Hurt? I wasn’t sure.

“You don’t need to explain anything,” he said, almost too calmly. “Ayokong pahirapan ka.”

“Renzo…”

“No labels,” he repeated. “We keep it simple. We want each other. We take. Tapos, balik sa kanya-kanyang mundo.”

I nodded again. But my throat felt dry.

We both pretended.

Pretended na okay lang.

Na hindi nanginginig ang kamay ko nang dumampi siya sa balat ko.

Na hindi ko hinahanap ‘yung init ng yakap niya habang natutulog ako.

Na hindi ako natutunaw sa bawat bulong niya habang nasa loob ko siya.

That morning, pag-uwi ko sa unit ko, I stared at the ceiling for hours.

I kept hearing his voice. His moans. The way he looked at me in the shower — as if I was the only thing he wanted in the world.

Pero hindi pwede.

He wasn’t mine. And I wasn’t his.

That was the rule.

So why did it feel like we were already breaking it?