When A Man Loves A Woman

7

"Do you think I am following you?"  He smirks at her.

"That's a valuable reason," she folded her arms.  "I presumed that you decided to stay here when you learned that I am coming," then smirks back with a right brow raised.  

"So arrogant, eh?" Nakikita ang pagkaaliw sa mga mata nito.  "How would I know that you are coming?  I heard that you hardly attend this kind of event, so why did you think that I stayed here for you?"

"Because the way you approached me at the red carpet, where I don't know how you spotted me, then finding me at the bar gave you away," inirapan niya ito.  

Bigla itong tumawa ng malakas at dahil nasa kulob na lugar sila, feeling niya ay nag-vibrate ang buong elevator.

"You got me there, but  I assure you, staying in the same hotel with you is not part of the plan," namulsa ito at humalukipkip.  "My manager booked my stay here a few days after I received the nomination, so what you're thinking is not possible."

Napasiksik siya sa isang sulok ng elevator nang humakbang ito palapit sa kanya.  "But you said one thing right.  I spotted you easily among the crowd." Napapikit siya nang haplusin nito ang pisngi niya.  "You can still make my heart flutter."

Inis na pinalis niya ang kamay nito. 

"Don't use flattery words towards me, Hawk.  I will not work anymore." Itinulak niya nang may kalakasan ito.  "I don't know why you're flirting with me."

"I'm not flirting with you yet, my Wife," ngumiti ito na lalong nakapagpa-inis sa kanya.  

"Stop it, Hawk.  You're not funny at all," napatingin siya sa numerong lumalabas sa screen para tignan kung nasaang floor na sila.  Nagtataka siya na parang napakatagal naman yata para makarating sila sa twentieth floor ng gusali. 

Hindi na ito muli pang lumapit sa kanya ngunit nakikita niya ang pilyong ngiti nito.  "You should make me the cover of your magazine," she closed her eyes and started counting from her head.  "It will definitely be sold in five minutes once it reaches the rack."

She still tries to ignore him.   She's praying for the elevator door to open so she can get out and leave the moronic actor there.

Then suddenly, the elevator stopped and turned the light into emergency mode.

"Oh, God! Please, no!" she continued to press the bell button.  "Please help us!  We are stuck in here!"  She banged the door.

Panic started to rise on her body, and tears began to build up in her eyes as sweat rolled from her forehead. 

"I cannot breathe,"  she whispered.

Then she felt warm arms wrapped around her. 

"Take a deep breath, Love, slowly,"  his right hand held her head to caress it.  She followed what he said and settled her head on his broad chest.  "Yes, that's it.  You're doing great, Love." 

She closed her eyes and curled her arms at his back, finding comfort.  She didn't know that he still affected her until now.  The way he holds him can still calm her nerves.  The guy still knows what to do at a time like this.  

"Let's go back to the way we were...."

The lights turned back on, and the lift started to move again.

She immediately stepped back to release herself from his embrace.  Looking up at him, she smiled bitterly.

"We can't because there is nothing to return to in the first place," then she turned around and stepped out of the lift when the door opened.

"Ynah," nahawakan nito ang braso niya at inikot siya upang mapaharap dito.  "It's been ten years...I let you have your life for ten fu*kin' and freakin' long years!  Isn't it enough?"  Ayaw niyang ipagkamali na lungkot ang nasa mata nito.  

"Let me go, Hawk," she said while trying to pull her arm.  "Don't do this.  You know that everything between us is over."

"No!"  Hindi nito pinapakawalan ang braso niya.  "It's not over because you are still married to me," he said in a low but firm voice.  

"And for eight years, I am asking you to give my life back," namuo ang luha sa kanyang mga mata.  "You just told me that you let me have my life for ten fu*kin' and freakin' long years, but that is not true.  I am still chained in this marriage, and I cannot understand why it's hard for you to let me go," pinalis niya ang luha na tuluyan nang bumagsak.  

"I cannot let you go...."

"You can live without your inheritance, Hawk.  This business made you one of the highest-paid actor in the world.  Mabubuhay ka nang maalwan na wala ang mana mo, kung yan lang ang ikinakatakot mo.  Or if you want, I can tell your father that it is I who wanted this divorce to happen.," tuloy-tuloy ang pagsasalita niya. 

Naramdaman niya ang paghigpit ng kapit nito sa braso niya.  "Money has nothing to do with us, Wife," madiin na sabi nito.

"Oh no, Hawk.  Money is the main reason why we are imprisoned in this marriage," she struggled herself free again from his grasps.  "You're hurting me, Hawk." 

Tila natauhan ito at pinakawalan siya.  "I'm sorry," napatingin ito sa braso niyang namumula.  Alam niyang magkakapasa na ito maya-maya lamang.  "I didn't mean to," aabutin siya sana nitong muli ngunit nakaiwas siya.  Humakbang siya paatras.

"Leave me alone, Hawk, and sign the papers that I will send you. You have to let us have a normal life," tumalikod na siya at humakbang palayo dito.  

Nakahinga siya nang maluwag nang marating niya ang kuwartong inookupahan at maisarado ang pinto.  Laking pasalamat niya nang hindi na ito sumunod pa sa kanya.

Nahahapong napaupo siya sa couch.  Sumandal siya at pumikit.  Parang tila naubos ang lakas niya sa mga naganap ngayong gabi.  Gusto na niyang magpahinga ngunit hindi siya sigurado kung dadalawin siya agad ng antok.

Tinanggal niya ang suot na coat at inilapag sa bakanteng lugar sa tabi niya.  Hindi pa rin niya idinidilat ang mga mata ngunit nagtaka siya kung bakit may dala siyang coat gayong dress naman ang suot niya ngayong gabi

Bigla siyang napadilat at nanlaki ang mga mata niya nang mapagtanto na hindi niya pag-aari ang damit na iyon!  Naalala niya na isinuot nga pala iyon ni Hawk sa kanya.

Naihilamos niya ang palad sa kanyang mukha.  Hindi niya akalain na ganoon siya katanga.  At ang magaling namang lalaki, hindi man lang binawi sa kanya ang suot niya gayong kanina pa niya ito kausap.

Napatingin siya sa pintuan nang marinig ang doorbell.  Alam niyang hindi iyon ang housekeeping dahil gabing gabi na at hindi naman siya nagpa-sched ng cleaning ngayon.

"Baka si Casper," sabi niya sa sarili.

Tumayo siya at agad na binuksan ang pinto para lang mapatda.  Si Hawk pala iyon!

"Sorry for disturbing you, but I....."

Agad niyang isinarado ang pintuan at mabilis na kinuha ang coat nita na nasa sofa.  Muli niyang binuksan ang pintuan.  

"Here," imbes na iabot ay hinagis niya iyon na nasalo naman nito.  "Thank you."

At akmang isasarado na niya iyon nang biglang pigilan ni Hawk sa pamamagitan ng pag-hawak doon.  Napaatras siya nang itinulak nito ang pinto at hinawakan siya papasok sa kuwarto.  Narinig niya ang pag-lock nito sa pinto.

At tila dahil doon ay bigla siyang nagising. "What do you think you're doing, Hawk!"  Galit na sabi niya dito.

Hindi ito nagsalita ngunit hindi siya nakahuma nang napakabilis nitong nasakop ang bibig niya.

Naramdaman niya ang kuryente na  gumapang sa buong katawan niya dahil sa halik nito.  

'Oh, God.  This can't be happening!'  She said, but she didn't have the strength to resist him.

And to her surprise, her arms automatically curled on his neck.

Hawk pulled her closer.  His free hand looked for the zipper of her dress.  

She pushed him a little, trying to grasp for air and to the little sanity that she still has.

"We have to stop this, Hawk.  This doesn't seem right..."

Ngunit hindi ito nagsalita bagkus ay muling sinakop ang labi niya.  Naramdaman niya ang lamig ng aircon nang tuluyan na nitong matanggal ang kanyang kasuotan.  

Ang mga kamay niya na kanina ay tumutulak dito ay kinapa ang mga butones ng suot nito at tinanggal iyon isa isa.  Tinulungan pa siya nito upang matanggal na nang tuluyan ang damit na nasa katawan nito.  

Binuhat siya nito at maingat na ibinaba sa kama.  Pumaibabaw ito sa kanya. Mula sa kanyang mga labi ay bumaba ang halik nito sa kanyang leeg.  

Napasinghap siya nang maramdaman ang pinong kagat nito sa kanyang balikat.  Napahawak siya sa buhok nito.

She moaned when he palmed her mound and pulled her nips.  It's been a long since the last time she felt this way.  And her previous also with this guy.

Ynah knows that this is not right, logically, but legally they are still allowed to do this.  

"Czarina," he called her name while trailing his lips on her skin, not leaving any places unloved.  

He slid his hand inside her laced bikini.  Her lips formed an 'O' when he found what he was seeking for.

"You want me, Ynah, just as much as I want you," sabi nito nang muling ipantay ang mukha sa kanya.

Hindi siya nagsalita at hinaltak ang leeg nito palapit sa kanya.  

Oo, totoo ang sinabi nito.  

Nananabik siya na muling makapiling ang kanyang asawa.