The Forbidden Temptation

17: Teasing Kisses

Tumango si Ygen bilang sagot sa aking tanong. Hindi niya namalayan kung paano naging mapanuri ang tingin ko sa lalaking kinakapitan ng plastikadang babaeng nakikita ng maganda kong mga mata.

Agad na lumapit ang labi niya sa tenga ko para bumulong. "So, don't be surprised if one day she'll approach you, news already spread that Hercules is living near your house. Literally living in one of your houses."

Napairap ako.

"Was once ours," pagtatama ko kay Ygen, hindi na amin ang parteng tinitirhan nito.

Ngumisi si Ygen nang maglakad si Hercules palapit sa amin.

"Oh hey, Hercules! Glad you came!" bati ni Ygen.

Mabilis siyang nakalapit sa amin ngayon, at masama pa rin ang aura niya dahil sa pagtatagis ng kanyang mga panga. Hindi ba siya natutuwa na may magandang babaeng nakakapit ngayon sa braso niya?

"Enjoying the party?" tanong ni Ygen, at ngumiti lang si Hercules. Ang mga mata niya ay mabilis na tumawid sa mga bisig ni Ygen na nakabalot sa akin.

Bago ito makasagot, nilakasan ang musika at nag-iba ang energy ng mga tao. Mabilis kong dinala si Ygen sa kanto kung nasaan ang iba niyang pinsan at mga kaibigan. Nagbibiruan kami nang tahimik sa simula, tumagal iyon kahit habang kumakain kami ng chips at iba pang finger foods.

Aemy's chocolate fountain was impossible to miss, warm and thick, flowing over a platter of strawberries, marshmallows, and mini eclairs. Tiny cupcakes with pastel pink and lilac frosting were neatly lined along the long table, alongside macarons in the same hues and small tartlets filled with raspberry and lemon curd. There were also trays of assorted cheeses and crackers, bruschetta topped with sun-dried tomatoes and fresh basil, and mini quiches, still warm from the oven.

The theme, Rock and Dark, seemed to contradict the food presentation... pinkish florals and sparkling desserts lined the tables, a sweet rebellion against the moody aesthetic. Sa gilid naman, ilang kasambahay ang nag-aalok ng iced tea, sparkling lemonade, at mga mocktails na may edible flowers, habang ang centerpiece ay isang tower ng cake na kulay onyx na may silver accents, ganap na kaabang-abang sa gitna ng mahabang mesa.

But no one seemed to notice, and most preferred drinking anyway, so by four o'clock, the noise had escalated and several guests were already tipsy.

I'd been feeling my phone vibrate for a while, a call coming in. Mama and Papa already knew that Ygen would be driving me home at twelve, which was why he hadn't touched a drop.

"Ygen, if you wanna drink, it's fine... ako na ang maghahatid kay Kia," someone spoke from the side. I froze. Who was he to make decisions for me? He's just a forced boyfriend, shamelessly flirting with Phenoe.

"But I already told Tita," Ygen tried to explain.

"I already called Tita Cana," Hercules cut in, his tone calm but sharp, like a blade hidden in velvet.

"Yeah, Hercules, why don't you just send Phenoe home? I think she'll be drunk tonight," I said, trying to sound casual, though a flicker of irritation burned inside me.

I couldn't stand seeing that coquettish woman clinging to Hercules' arm. I smiled on the surface, but inside, I wanted to devour them both, make them regret ever crossing me.

After all my hard-to-get games, after even admitting to myself how clingy I'd become... here I am, the goddess Kiashana, trapped in a cruelly woven snare, set by this ruthless-yet-gentle King.

Damn him. If only I could tear him apart... piece by piece.

"Let's go home together," Hercules finally said, his voice calm but firm.

"I don't know about that," I replied, narrowing my eyes at him.

"Ygen, I'll hang with the boys first," I added, emphasizing my words so he could hear, making it clear he wasn't the only one who could find a good time. I wanted to prove that even if he was the hottest, most impossibly perfect creature in my eyes, I could still hold my ground. Hot as the Luzares and Juasensios might be, Hercules was in a league of his own.

"Hi, guys," I greeted the boys who had been trying to talk to me earlier.

"Hi, Kia... hey, upo ka rito, brad! Give her some food!" I laughed at the chaotic energy from the three of them.

"It's alright. I just want to make friends," I said, brushing it off.

"Kia."

I raised my eyebrow when I felt Hercules shadowing my movements. Glancing to his side, Phenoe was gone, but only for a moment... before her plastic smile found Hercules again.

Determined. Possessive. Claiming him like a queen marking her throne. No other girl daring to approach him mattered. Hella... name after a man from a Greek myth, facing countless challenges, now entangled with a cûnt like Phenoe.

"Kia, your mom called. You haven't answered her," Hercules said again, his tone carrying that ruthless calm that made my pulse hitch.

I groaned inwardly. Reaching for my phone in my sling pouch, I froze, thirty-one missed calls blinking back at me.

"Excuse me, guys. Need to call Mama," I muttered, excusing myself.

I stood, moving a few steps away.

"Come back, okay?" one of the boys called.

"Sure," I said with a smile, but the moment I faced Hercules, there he was again, his grip tight, possessive, like he already owned me. I deliberately bumped into his shoulder, keeping my eyes on my phone.

My eyes widened. Only two missed calls were from Mama. The rest... all from Hercules. I opened the messages, my heart skipping at every word he sent.

From Herecleo Lesner;

[Kia, we need to talk.]

From Herecleo Lesner;

[This is important, please.]

I winced and stepped outside the mansion to escape the noise, dialing Mama.

"Hello, Ma, why are you calling?"

"I was going to say, maybe you could ride with Hercules instead of bothering Ygen. He hasn't been drinking, so it's fine for him to drive," she said.

"Ah... oh, I see. Okay, Ma."

I exhaled sharply as I felt his lips press against my neck. His hands swept through the loose strands of my hair, twisting it lightly so he could trail soft, lingering kisses down to my shoulders.

The grumpy, not-so-sweet Hercules... huh, this was a whole new level.

"Kia, are you okay?" Mama's voice came faintly through the phone.

Hella... my call wasn't even off yet, and I was already gasping under the heat of his kisses, his body pressed tight against my back. His hands snaked around my waist, fingers teasing along my sides, and then his thumb brushed lightly under the curve of my breast, so subtle it was almost cruel.

"I... I'm fine... I need to put it down," I stammered, my voice catching.

"Oh, okay. Enjoy yourself there, love you," Mama said.

"Love you too, Ma," I murmured, but my breath hitched again as I felt his thumb teasing, gliding under the swell of my chest, just brushing my n****e through the fabric. My whole body stiffened, a shiver running down my spine.

"H-Hercules..." I moaned softly, my flimsy composure melting under the careful, deliberate pressure of his touch.

"Do I really have to do this just so you'll give me a moment to talk to you, Kia?" His lips pressed lightly against my shoulder, traveling up to the sensitive nape of my neck. I could feel the taut grip of his hand in my hair, just enough to anchor me, a subtle restraint that made every brush of his touch sharper, more deliberate.

"Can you... talk to me without all this... carnality?"

I wanted to protest, to tell him how insulting that question was, but the words caught in my throat the moment he lifted the hem of my shirt, his hot palms pressing firmly against one of my breasts. He flicked the edge of my bra, teasingly, before his long, skilled fingers found my n****e, circling and pinching just enough to make me shiver.

"Oh... yes... Hercules..." I breathed out, tilting my neck to the side, giving him better access.

His lips followed the arch of my collarbone, kissing and nibbling, leaving a trail of heat and sparks that made it impossible to think clearly. Every careful, tantalizing touch left me weak, my body leaning into him almost without thinking.

His lips traveled again... this time aiming straight for mine. I arched my body instinctively, tilting my head back, my pulse spiking. He was behind me, towering over my frame, and I even had to tiptoe slightly to reach him. With a swift, fluid motion, he twirled me to face him, his hands guiding me backward until my back pressed against the cool wall, hidden among the tall pines and thick foliage.

The shadows shielded us, but I didn't care... the world had narrowed down to just him and the heat between us.

His hands returned to my breasts, kneading them with skill and firmness, rolling and pressing as though he were sculpting dough, each movement sending jolts of fire through me.

One hand tangled in my hair, tilting my head back further, bringing us impossibly close. His lips followed the curve of my neck, leaving hot, teasing kisses that made me arch and shiver uncontrollably. I couldn't help but moan, my voice soft but needy.

Then, his fingers traced the cut of my shirt, the fabric daringly above my cleavage. He brushed over the exposed skin, leaving a trail of heat, and pressed his lips to the same spot, marking it with dark, insistent hickeys.

The mix of his teeth and tongue against my sensitive skin drew a low gasp from me, a heady, breathless sound that seemed to echo softly through the quiet greenery. Every touch, every kiss, was deliberate... possessive yet teasing, pushing me closer to the edge, and I wanted more.

I caught the sound of laughter from behind us, and instinctively, I stepped away from him. The moment I faced him, my chest tightened... heat surged through me, sudden and undeniable.

I noticed the flush spreading across his cheeks and neck, a delicate pink blooming on his warm, mestizo skin.

The contrast was striking against his naturally sun-kissed undertone, making the blush impossible to ignore. Every subtle shift of color highlighted the fine planes of his face... the curve of his jaw, the sharp line of his neck... and for a fleeting second, I could see him in a way that was both vulnerable and impossibly magnetic.

Mabilis akong tumakbo palayo sa kanya at nagtago sa mga halaman, dumapo sa lupa at umupo.

Humihingal, hindi dahil sa takbo, kundi dahil sa init at pagkabagot na nararamdaman ko mula kay Hercules... parang sinasadyang painitin ang bawat hibla ng katawan ko.

"Hercules, ba't nandito ka? Hinahanap ka ni Phenoe," boses iyon ng isa sa mga bisita ni Aemy.

Mas dumami ang lalaking lumalabas roon, at mabilis kong inayos ang aking sarili, pilit nagkukwento sa telepono at parang nakikipag-usap sa aking ina.

"Yes, ma... I'll be home..."

Tumayo ako at dahan-dahang naglakad, subalit bawat hakbang ay mabigat sa dibdib ko.

"Hi Kia," bati sa akin ang isang lalaki, ngumingiti.

"Hi," naiilang akong gumanti, habang ang iba ay nagpatuloy sa kanilang direksyon, tila papunta lang sa sulok para maglamlam, may nakakapit na babae sa isa sa kanila, at halata ang init ng relasyon nila sa paraan ng kanilang pagkakayakap.

"Balik na ako sa loob," nagpasya akong bumalik, iniwan ko siya doon. Nanginginig ang buong katawan ko bago ko muling naitayo ang sarili.

"Kia, don't step forward... or else I'm gonna tell everyone in this mansion I'm bringing my girlfriend home. This will never be a secret anymore," banta niya, at napahinto ako. Hindi dahil natakot ako, kundi dahil namangha sa tapang at tuwa sa tinig niya... parang sinasabi sa akin na kaya niyang ibunyag lahat.

At girlfriend niya ako... talaga ba? Pero bakit hinahayaan niyang kumapit sa kanya ang babaeng iyon? Ang init ng selos at kaguluhan sa dibdib ko ay sumabog sa bawat hibla ng aking katawan.