Irresistibly Yours, Enemy Mine

Chapter 17

"I think it’s time," bulong ni Alaric habang nakaupo sila sa balcony ng unit niya, magkatabing nakatapak sa malamig na tiles, pareho lang tahimik na pinagmamasdan ang langit na unti-unting nagdidilim.

“Tungkol saan?” tanong ni Stine, kahit may ideya na siya.

He turned to her and smiled. “Sa atin. Sa kanila.”

Tumango siya, ngumiti rin.

---

The Next Day

Navarro Residence

“Ma… Pa…” Stine stood in front of her parents’ garden patio, hawak ang kamay ni Alaric.

Don Ramon looked up from his coffee, habang si Doña Clarisse ay halos mapatigil sa pagdidilig ng mga orchids niya.

“We need to talk,” dagdag pa ni Alaric, his voice calm but firm.

Sa unang mga segundo, walang nagsalita. Pero dahan-dahan, umupo si Doña Clarisse, habang si Don Ramon ay sumandal nang mas maayos.

And when Alaric started speaking, it wasn’t a defense.

It wasn’t an explanation.

It was an apology.

“Pasensya na po, sa lahat ng sakit ng ulo. Sa pagiging immature ko… sa pagkukulang ko kay Stine.”

“And I forgive you, hijo,” sagot ni Don Ramon, “but you must continue proving your sincerity.”

Stine squeezed Alaric’s hand.

“I will, sir. Hindi lang sa inyo. Lalo na sa kanya.”

Doña Clarisse dabbed her eyes with her handkerchief. “We always knew it was you, Alaric. Kailangan lang talaga kayong ipagsigawan ng tadhana sa isa’t isa.”

Tumawa si Stine, “Sa sobrang lakas, may kasamang suntok at luha.”

---

Ybañez Residence – That Weekend

This time, it was Stine who spoke.

“Sorry po kung nag-walk out ako noon. I wasn’t ready.”

Doña Vivian, who had always treated her like a second daughter, stood up and hugged her.

“You don’t need to explain. We’re just happy you’re both smiling again.”

Don Emilio placed his wine glass down and nodded. “We trust our son. And we trust you.”

Nagkatinginan sina Alaric at Stine. And in that moment, family peace was restored.

---

That Same Night – Friends’ Mini Reunion

Sa private pool area nina Theo, gathered around a bonfire, nandoon silang lahat — Theo, Ram, Jace, Eli, Zion — at si Nathan pa rin, surprisingly present.

They were roasting marshmallows, laughing at an old college trip, when suddenly…

“So…” Theo smirked. “Kayo na ba officially? Or may ‘rules’ pa rin?”

“Hoy,” Stine playfully slapped his arm. “Respect the journey.”

“Ahhh, so courtship era pa rin?” pang-aasar ni Ram.

“Hindi,” sagot ni Alaric habang nakatingin kay Stine. “Love era na.”

Nag-cheer ang barkada.

Nathan smiled softly at Stine — a look of peace, not longing — and raised his glass. “To peace. And real love.”

“Cheers!” sigaw ng lahat.

Later that night, habang nakaunan si Stine sa lap ni Alaric sa bean bag, with the crackle of the bonfire filling the silence, she whispered, “I’m glad we told them.”

“So am I,” he murmured, kissing the top of her head. “They’re part of our story, too.”

Gabi. Tahimik. Mabanayad ang ihip ng hangin.

Stine sat on a blanket spread over the balcony floor, legs crossed, while Alaric handed her a mug of hot chocolate.

“Alam mo,” sabi ni Alaric habang umupo sa tabi niya, “di ko talaga makalimutan nung sinabuyan mo ko ng tubig sa garden niyo noong eleven tayo.”

Stine choked on her drink, laughing. “Kasalanan mo ‘yun! Binato mo ako ng itlog!”

“Kasi kinain mo yung last slice ng mango float ko!” he defended.

She giggled, resting her head on his shoulder. “Naalala mo pa ‘yon?”

“Hindi ko nga makakalimutan. Two weeks akong di kinausap ng mama mo.”

They both burst into laughter.

“Grabe… ang dami nating pinagsamahan no? Even when we hated each other,” she said, shaking her head.

“Tsk. You didn’t hate me. You liked me. Admit it.”

Stine scoffed dramatically. “As if!”

“Stine…” he turned to her, playful glint in his eyes, “I saw you crying when I transferred schools in grade 5.”

She gasped. “Excuse me?! Hindi ako umiyak! Napuwing lang ako noon!”

“Uh-huh.” He grinned. “With matching hawak sa panyo habang sinisilip mo ko sa bintana?”

She shoved his arm while laughing uncontrollably. “Hindi totoo ‘yan!”

“Sige na nga,” he said, leaning back on his palms. “Pero totoo rin na lagi kang may baon na extra sandwich pag field trip, tapos ako lagi mong pinapakain.”

“Totoo ‘yun,” she admitted. “Kasi lagi kang walang baon. Nakakainis ka.”

“And yet you still fed me,” he smirked.

“Soft hearted lang ako, okay?” sabay irap niya.

“Whatever helps you sleep at night,” he teased, chuckling.

They fell silent after that — not awkward, just peaceful.

The kind of silence that only happens between two people who’ve known each other for years — maybe even all their lives.

Stine glanced at him and smiled.

“You know… it’s kinda crazy.”

“What is?”

“All those years… fighting, teasing, walking past each other like strangers sometimes… but we still ended up here.”

Alaric turned to her, eyes soft. “I think deep down, we always knew.”

“Na tayo?”

“Na kahit anong mangyari, we’d find our way back.”

She leaned in, forehead touching his.

“Maybe… we never really left.”

They laughed again. About more memories — Stine’s first dance where Alaric ruined her moment, the camping trip where he snuck snacks into her bag, the time she got sick and he left a stuffed bunny outside their gate anonymously.

They were rediscovering each other.

Not just as lovers… but as kids who grew up quietly loving the idea of each other.

The fog rolled gently over the mountains.

Cold air kissed their skin, the scent of pine trees lingering in the breeze as Stine pulled her knitted scarf tighter around her neck.

"Grabe, ang tahimik dito," bulong niya habang nakaupo sa wooden bench sa garden ng cabin they rented.

Alaric placed a warm mug of coffee in her hands, then sat beside her, a blanket draped over both their shoulders.

“Exactly why I brought you here,” he smiled. “Walang meeting. Walang ex. Walang drama. Just… us.”

She turned to him with a soft laugh. “And fog. Lots of fog.”

“Mas okay na ‘to kaysa sa init sa Manila.”

She hummed in agreement and took a sip from her mug.

They spent the first day doing nothing but cuddling on the couch while watching old romantic movies — the kind Stine teased him for liking, only to realize he’d memorized most of the lines.

On the second day, they took a morning walk through the pine forest trails, holding hands like high school sweethearts.

“Naalala mo yung field trip natin dito noon?” Alaric asked as they passed a familiar-looking path.

“Yung nagkasakit ka kasi kinain mo lahat ng binili mong strawberry taho?”

He groaned. “Why do you remember all my embarrassing moments?”

“Because they’re cute,” she teased.

“Wow. Thanks.”

They laughed.

Then, silence again.

But it was that good kind of silence — where breathing in sync was enough. Where her fingers curled perfectly between his. Where the sound of birds and crunching leaves filled the space between their heartbeats.

---

Later that night…

They cooked together in the tiny cabin kitchen — or rather, Alaric attempted to cook while Stine tried not to laugh too hard at how terrible he was at chopping onions.

“Love, dapat hindi mo nilulunod sa butter ‘yan.”

“Eh sabi mo ‘buttery garlic’ e!”

“You’re drowning it, not cooking it!”

“Then come here and save it, Masterchef!”

They ended up ordering takeout instead and ate curled up by the fireplace. She fed him spoonfuls of ube jam while he wiped rice off her chin.

It was peace.

Not perfection, not fantasy — but real peace.

A peace made of shared food, ugly pajamas, movie marathons, naps with limbs tangled under a thick blanket, and whispered “I like this version of us.”

Before bed...

As they lay beneath thick sheets, with rain tapping lightly on the roof, Alaric kissed her forehead.

"Thank you for giving me another chance."

Napangiti si Stine, at mas lalo pang dumikit sa kanya, ang mukha'y nakabaon sa leeg niya. “Thank you for proving I was right to.”

He looked at her—really looked. Sa mata. Sa labi. Sa bawat galaw ng katawan niya habang nakayakap sa kanya.

Then he kissed her.

Hindi marahas. Hindi libog agad. Malambot. Mabagal. Parang sinisipsip ang puso niya mula sa labi nito.

Pero unti-unti, tumitindi ang apoy.

She moaned softly against his mouth as their lips moved in perfect sync. His tongue traced the inside of her lower lip before slipping in, dancing with hers. One hand cradled her face, the other slid down—over her bare back, down to her waist, then to her thigh.

He tugged her leg up, wrapping it around his hip.

Tumigas na siya, and she felt it—pressing against her center, hot and hard.

“Alaric…” she whispered as he began kissing down her neck, to her collarbone, hanggang sa dibdib niya.

He took her n****e into his mouth, swirling his tongue around it before sucking gently.

She gasped, arching her back, pushing more of her breast into his mouth.

“You're mine, baby…” he murmured. “And I’ll show you just how much.”

His kisses traveled down to her stomach, then lower, until he was between her thighs. She was already wet—glistening from arousal.

He looked up at her with a sinful smirk.

“Ang sarap mong kainin.”

He licked her slowly at first, teasing her clit with the flat of his tongue.

Stine gasped. “s**t—Alaric—”

“Relax, baby. Let me taste you.”

He locked his arms around her thighs and buried his face between her legs, tongue working skillfully—suck, flick, swirl.

He moaned against her, the vibration making her tremble.

She reached down, gripping his hair, hips bucking.

He slid one finger inside her. Then another. Curling and stroking her walls while his tongue flicked her clit in quick, precise circles.

Her legs started shaking.

“I’m gonna—Alaric—I’m—”

“Do it, baby. Let go.”

And she did—crying out his name as waves of pleasure rocked through her body, thighs clenching around his head.

But he didn’t stop.

He kept licking, slower this time, gentle, soothing—drawing out the aftershocks.

Then he kissed his way back up her body.

She pulled him down for a desperate kiss, tasting herself on his lips.

Then she flipped him over.

“My turn,” she whispered, crawling down his body.

He groaned as her tongue traced down his chest, abs, until she reached his c**k—hard, thick, aching.

She took him into her mouth slowly, swirling her tongue over the head before bobbing deeper, one hand stroking the base while the other gently massaged his balls.

“f**k, baby…” he groaned, fisting the blanket beneath him. “That mouth…”

She sucked harder, faster, eyes on him. His hips lifted slightly, f*****g her mouth gently.

He pulled her up before he lost control.

“Condom?” she asked breathlessly.

“Drawer,” he panted.

She reached over, tore the packet open, and rolled it on him.

He pulled her down onto his lap.

“Ride me, baby. I want to see your face when you cum.”

She straddled him, guided his c**k to her entrance, and sank down slowly—inch by inch.

They both moaned.

“So tight… f**k,” he breathed.

She began to move, slow at first, grinding her hips in circles. His hands gripped her waist, helping her bounce as she picked up speed.

The wet slap of skin filled the room along with their gasps and moans.

“Alaric—feels so good—”

He grabbed one breast, took her n****e into his mouth as she rode him faster.

She came again—legs shaking, head thrown back.

Before she could catch her breath, he flipped her onto her back and drove into her hard.

He pounded her deep, fast, groaning into her ear.

“This p***y’s mine, baby. You understand?”

She nodded, moaning. “Yes—yours—only yours!”

He kissed her as he slammed into her, hips snapping, balls slapping against her.

Then he slowed.

Turned her sideways.

Entered from behind, spooning her as he f****d her slow and deep, kissing her shoulder.

She reached back to grip his thigh, moaning at the angle.

He rubbed her clit again as he moved.

“You gonna c*m one more time for me?”

“Yes—please—”

And she did, body trembling violently.

He followed seconds after, groaning her name as he emptied inside her, holding her tight.