Dangerous Solace

CHAPTER 3

HINDI ALAM NI LUCIEN kung ano ang sumapi sa kaniya. Basta namalayan na lamang niya ang sarili na nasa harapan ng reception desk, and requesting a room change. And that decision had been impulsive. A rare thing for Lucien Hale Verdan.

The receptionist smiled politely.

“Is there a problem with your current suite, Mr. Verdan?”

Umiling si Lucien. “No.”

“Then may I ask why you’d like to move?”

Napatigil si Lucien. Because saying I want the room next to a woman who has somehow become the center of my thoughts sounded ridiculous.

Even to him.

“It was closer to the conference floor.”

Of course, the lie came so smoothly that even he could not believe that he could actually do that.

Tumango ang receptionist.

A few minutes later, the room assignment was changed. Room 1708, directly beside Room 1707—Neriah’s room.

Kapagkuwan, nagsisi si Lucien sa kaniyang desisyon. Not because it was wrong, but because it was wrong.

He was the type of man who spent years avoiding attachments… distractions… and anything capable of influencing his judgment.

And yet lately, everything seemed to lead back to Neriah—her unrestrained laughter.

At sa tuwing titingin ito sa kaniya, he felt like she could see things nobody else noticed.

That evening, after a long day of meetings with some businessmen, Lucien returned to his room. Sa mga oras na ‘yun, tahimik na ang hallway at wala ng mga naglalakad.

As he approached his door, he noticed Neriah’s room. The light beneath her room was still on. Gising pa ito kahit malalim na ang gabi. She was probably editing photographs or planning tomorrow’s adventure.

Napangiti na lamang si Lucien saka pumasok sa sariling kwarto.

Hours later, as Lucien was lying and sleeping on his bed, he dreamed.

The dream began so simply. It was a sunny afternoon and a quiet street. Magkatabi silang naglalakad ni Neriah. May nakasabit na DSLR camera sa leeg nito. Her smile was brighter than the sunlight itself.

The scene felt so real. Naririnig niya ang pagtawa ni Neriah at ang boses nito. He could even see how the wind played with her hair.

“Neriah,” tawag niya sa dalaga.

Humarap naman sa kaniya si Neriah. “What?” she asked as she gave him a warm smile.

The kind of smile that made him want things he had no business wanting.

Suddenly, the dream shifted. They were standing beside the Thames. The same place they had visited days ago.

Pero sa pagkatataon na ‘yun, walang tao sa lugar; napakatahimik at tanging silang dalawa lamang.

“Neriah…” he whispered as Neriah walked close to him. Close enough for his heartbeat to become unsteady. A sensation that never happened and only happened every time she was near.

Hindi inaasahan ni Lucien ang gagawin ni Neriah. She reached up, placing her hand against his cheek. Then he kissed him.

For a moment, Lucien forgot how to breathe.

“Touch me…” Neriah spoke as she pulled away, but after saying those words, she kissed him again.

At sa pagkakataon na ‘yun, tumugon si Lucien sa halik ni Neriah. Humawak din siya sa baywang nito at hinapit ito papalapit sa kaniya.

Lucien didn’t see it coming, and it happened so fast.

Bigla na lamang silang nasa loob ng kwarto at mapusok na naghahalikan.

His eyes snapped open, and darkness greeted him. The ceiling of his hotel room came into focus.

Malakas ang pagkabog ng kaniyang dibdib.

For several seconds, he stared upward and processed what he had just dreamed. At nang mahimasmasan siya, napatakip na lamang siya ng mukha.

“What the hell…”

Isang panaginip pero parang totoo.

And it felt disturbingly real.

Bumangon at umupo si Lucie sa kama. Tiningnan niya ang digital clock sa bedside table. It was only 2:17 a.m.

He looked at his crotch and didn’t expect to have this kind of reaction because of that dream.

Inaasahan ni Lucien na makakalimutan niya agad ang kaniyang panaginip dahil ganoon naman talaga pero hindi ‘yun nangyari. Malinaw ang panaginip niya. He could even remember Neriah’s face in his dream.

“Damn…” he cussed as he climbed off the bed to enter the bathroom and had a cold shower.

And he calmed down.

As Lucien and Neriah met the next morning for breakfast, Neriah noticed something on Lucien.

“Okay ka lang?” tanong ni Neriah. “Hindi ba naging maayos ang tulog mo?”

Pilit na ngumiti ni Lucien. At sino sa tingin mo ang may kasalanan?

Pero kahit baliktarin ang mundo, walang kasalanan si Neriah sa hindi naging maayos ang tulog niya. It was his dream.

Hindi namalayan ni Lucien na bumaba ang tingin niya sa labi ni Neriah. Alam niyang maganda ito, pero hindi mo aakalain na mas lalo itong gumaganda habang tinititigan mo ito ng matagal.

Lucien gulped.

In his dream, they were kissing intensely. And even from his dream to waking up, his shaft made a reaction. A very disturbing reaction. At talagang hindi ito humupa hangga’t hindi siya nag-shower ng malamig na tubig.

Seeing Neriah, that wild dream came back. Napalunok siya saka mabilis na nag-iwas ng tingin dahil sa mga oras na ‘yun, may gusto siyang gawin. Isang bagay na alam niyang ikakagalit ni Neriah at ikasisira ng nabuo nilang pagkakaibigan.

Lusting over a genuine friend is not a good thing.

But unbeknownst to Lucien, the genuine friend, Neriah, he was talking about was also desiring something from him—his body.

“Lucien?” Kumaway si Neriah sa harapan ng mukha ni Lucien.

Napakurap naman si Lucien. He came back to his reverie. “A-ano ‘yun?”

Bahagyang kumunot ang noo ni Neriah. “Okay ka lang ba talaga?”

Tumango si Lucien. “I’m fine.”

Hindi naniniwala si Neriah. Magtatanong pa sana siya, pero dumating na ang order nilang dalawa.

Habang kumakain silang dalawa, panay ang tingin ni Neriah kay Lucien. Halatang hindi naging maayos ang tulog nito.

“Lucien.”

Lucien automatically looked up.

Ngumiti si Neriah saka umiling. “Wala. I just find you handsome.”

Natawa ng mahina si Lucien. “Ang ganda mo rin.”

Neriah laughed. “Are we just going to praise our own?”

Lucien shrugged. “Wala namang masama. Totoo naman ang mga sinasabi natin.”

Pareho silang natawa.

Akala ni Lucien, dahil panaginip lamang ‘yun, mawawala rin ito. It was just a normal reaction. But he didn’t expect that dream would have been followed by another wild dream.

Hindi alam ni Lucien kung dapat ba siyang matuwa o ano dahil sa tuwing nakikita niya si Neriah, something stirred inside him.

And in his mind, that was not a good thing.