In The Name of Lust

CHAPTER 12

MAG-IINAT dapat si Arion pero may nabunggo ang kamay niya. Nagulat siya. There is someone lying beside him. That’s new. Nitong nagdaang mga buwan ay naging habit na niya na huwag makasama overnight ang sino mang babaeng naka-partner niya sa s*x. His instinctive reaction is to jump out of bed, take a shower and dress up. That’s his way of putting distance between himself and the woman who shared his bed. Para paggising nito ay puwede na siyang umalis o kaya ay paaalisin na niya ito.

Hindi niya naituloy ang balak nang makita ang mukha ng babaeng natutulog sa tabi niya. Sa paggalaw niya ay naalis ang kumot na nakatakip dito. Her half-exposed breasts briefly caught his attention. Sandali lang siyang napatingin sa nakakatakam na tanawin bago lumipat ang mga mata niya sa mukha ng katabi niya.

Janna is sleeping peacefully. Kapag pala ganoon na payapa itong natutulog ay nagmumukha itong mas inosente. Naalala niya ang sinabi nito kagabi. She just wants to belong to someone. To be wanted. In a way, they are on the same boat. Almost all his life he never felt he was wanted just for himself but because of his s****l prowess or because of his status in life. The women he was with wanted him because he can give them great s*x or because he is considered a great catch. At ni isa sa mga ito ang nakuha ang interes niya. Wala ni isa sa mga ito ang mayroong kung ano sa pagkatao na gusto niyang hukayin pa, alamin, kilalanin.

Except for this woman lying beside him. Tumagilid siya para mas mapagmasdan si Janna. Bahagyang nakabuka ang bibig nito at may naririnig siyang mahinang hilik na lumalabas doon. Napangiti siya. He finds it adorable.

Natigilan siya. Adorable? First time yata na nagamit niya ang description na iyon sa isang babae. He usually uses the words hot, sexy and sometimes gorgeous or beautiful. Ngayon din lang siya nakaramdam ng pagkaaliw habang pinagmamasdan niya ang kasama niya. And definitely the first time he is not about to rush out to get away from her. She is here, the woman he had been fantasizing about.

He just kept on gazing at her sleeping face. With her defenses down, there is a vulnerability about her that triggers something inside him. Nadiskubre na lang niya na hinahagod niya ang mukha nito saka banayad na hinawi ang buhok na tumabing doon. Hindi niya maintindihan kung bakit ganoon ang nararamdaman niya. Tenderness is something he never felt for any of the women he took to his bed. He just needed them for s*x.

Naalala niya kung paano naging laman ng pantasya niya si Janna. Pero iyong s*x video na naging daan para gawin niyang misyon na matikman ito ay hindi ay mukhang isa pang naging dahilan para magkaroon sila ng mas malalim na kuneksiyon nito. Knowing the story behind the video made him see the woman behind the slutty image he has of her. Akala niya ay wild lang ito kaya nagkaroon ng ganoong video. Ang tutoo pala ay may nag-take advantage dito.

A scarred woman. That’s what Janna is. Pero isa rin itong babaeng may pinaninindigan. At may tibay ng damdamin para ipaglaban iyon. In short, she is a complex person that does not fit into the mold of women who had passed through his bed. Being complex, that’s probably what makes her fascinating. Enough for him to want...

Noon parang napasong hinila ni Arion palayo ang kamay niya sa pisngi ng dalaga. Mabuti na rin pala dahil nagising na ito. The way she looks as she woke up, her eyes still heavy-lidded with sleep, is firing up the flames of desire inside him. She just looks so damn sexy he is sorely tempted to start the day with mind-searing s*x.

Parang nagulat ito nang makita siya. Napaupo ito. Luminga-linga. Pagkatapos ay napangiti ito.

“It seems we’ve spent the night together, huh?” anito.

“Looks like it.”

Nag-inat ito. Sa pag-angat ng mga kamay nito sa hangin ay tumaas ang mayamang dibdib nito. The sight made his mouth water. But even if he could feel his erection poking the sheets, he is not inclined to have s*x. Not just yet. Instead, he is more tempted to cuddle her.

“Come here.” Ibinuka niya ang mga braso.

Sandali lang nag-hesitate si Janna bago ito nag-dive palapit sa kanya.

“Take it easy.” Umubo-ubo pa kunwari siya nang dambahin siya nito.

“Oh, sorry, sorry.” Umakma itong aalis pero hinigpitan niya ang mga brasong nakapikot dito.

She cuddled up to him like a kitten. And he likes the feeling. Something warm and tender seem to settle in his heart as she snuggled against him. Ready for action na ang alaga niya pero hindi pa rin siya handang pagbigyan iyon. Mas gusto niya na yakapin lang muna si Janna.

“Tell me about yourself,” narinig na lang niya na sinasabi niya.

Bahagyang lumayo sa kanya ang dalaga, mukhang nagulat. “Ano ‘to, job interview?”

Napatawa siya. “Curious lang ako.”

“And curiosity...”

“I am not a cat and no, I don’t think anything I discover about you will kill me.”

“Nasabi ko naman na iyong dapat mong malaman,” anito.

“I want to know more.” Kahit iyon ay bago kay Arion. He never wanted to know much about the women he was with. He didn’t care to know more.

Mabilis itong nagsalita, parang nagmamadali para hindi nito masyadong maramdaman ang sinasabi. She told him about being an adopted child and how the people around her can’t seem to forget that fact. Ipinagdidiinan pa nga kung minsan ang pagiging ampon nito, ginagamit na dahilan para saktan ang damdamin nito.

“Gusto mong malaman kung ilang lalaki na ang nakasama ko?” tanong nito nang matapos sa pagkukuwento sa family life nito. “Let me see. Hmmm...hindi ko na matandaan.”

“Why?” tanong niya. “Why all those men?”

“Why all those women?” balik ni Janna sa kanya, naghahamon ang tono nito.

“I have an itch.”

“Same answer.”

“I have an itch and it is not something that can be scratched,” hayag niya. “Because it is an itch that is deep inside me.”

Tumingin ito sa mga mata niya, parang may inaaninag doon. Gustong umiwas ng tingin ni Arion. Bakit ba kung ano-ano ang pinagsasasabi niya? TMI, o too much information, ang turing niya roon. At hindi lang sa kausap niya siya nasosobrahan ng pagbabahagi ng info kung hindi pati sa sarili niya. He is discovering things about himself that surprises him. Things that he thinks are better left undiscovered.

Lumambot ang ekspresyon ni Janna. And then, she leaned towards him and gave him a sweet, tender kiss.

“Akala mo lang wala kang puso. But you know better,” sabi nito pagkatapos. “Mas delikado iyon. Kung hindi mo alam na may puso ka ay hindi mo iyong mapo-protektahan. It would be easier for you to lose it. Ako nga, naglagay na ako ng sangkatutak na harang, naalpasan pa rin ako. Now, should we do something about this?” Dumako ang palad nito sa sandata niyang matikas na nakatayo.

Pero bago pa siya makasagot ay may narinig silang komosyon sa labas. Sabay silang napatakbo sa bintana. Sa pagmamadaling makasilip ni Janna ay nakalimutan na yata nito na nakahubad ito. Hinarangan na lang ito ni Arion ng katawan para hindi makita sa labas na wala itong damit.

“Oh no!” Halatang nanghilakbot ito pagkakita sa apoy na nanggagaling sa isang bahagi ng center.