"LET'S GET INSIDE," Rome said and held her hand warmly.
Liliana stared at their entwined fingers and a smile crept past her thin lips. She raised her head and met Rome's eyes, he was staring at her with obvious admiration.
"Together?" she asked. Her eyes were twinkling with bliss.
"Together, my love."
Rome and Liliana entered their home with overflowing love in their hearts. This time, they will have their happy ever after. Just Rome and Liliana.
Isang malalim na buntung-hininga ang pinakawalan ni Mason nang matapos ang binabasa.
Napahagikhik si Niccola dahil alam niya kung gaano nito kaayaw na magbasa ng mga nobela ngunit wala itong magawa nang pilitin niya. A man like him, brooding and virile, reading romance fiction was entertaining to her and hilarious at the same time. She was having a good time while he was reading the book.
Sa nakaraang isang buwan ay ganoon ang kadalasan nilang ginagawa habang nasa loob ng condominium unit nito.
She was living with him since she got out from the hospital. Kampante naman ang kanyang mga magulang na hindi siya papabayaan ni Mason, lalo na't ngayon ay buntis siya, kaya walang pagtutol mula sa mga ito.
Mason was very patient with her and he was taking extra care of her. And she can see that he was doing his best to make her happy and make her pregnancy easier.
Kagaya ngayon, nakaupo ito sa ibabaw ng sofa habang siya ay nakahiga at ang mga binti ay nasa ibabaw ng hita nito. Inilapag nito ang hawak na libro sa ibabaw ng center table na pang-limang libro na natapos nitong basahin para sa kanya.
Nakagat niya ang pang-ibabang labi upang pigilan ang ngiti nang tumingin ito sa kanya habang magkasalubong ang makakapal na kilay. "What?"
Bumuntung-hininga muli si Mason, kapagkuwan ay napailing-iling habang nakatingin sa kanya. His hand tuck strands of her hair behind her ear and released his forehead from frowning. "You're enjoying this."
"Of course! You're too cute, a professional storyteller will pale in comparison," she said and couldn't contain her smile.
Hinawakan ni Mason ang kanyang mga binti at ipinarte ang mga iyon sa ibabaw ng sofa, pagkatapos ay kinubabawan siya.
Nawala ang ngiti sa kanyang mga labi nang makita ang emosyong nakapaskil sa mga mata nito. He was looking at her tenderly as if she was the most important person in his life. Her heart was thumping too hard that it was deafening her.
Wala pa man itong sinasabing salita ngunit sa pagkatitig pa lang sa mga mata nito ay alam na niya ang gusto nitong iparating. Nag-init ang mga sulok ng kanyang mga mata at nang sabihin nito ang tatlong salitang iyon ay tuluyang bumagsak ang kanyang mga luha.
"I love you," he muttered with too much tenderness and affection. This man was capable of being soft and she was delighted that he was showing this side of him to her.
"Y-You do?" aniya na hindi mapigilan ang pagluha dahil sa sobrang galak.
"You know that already."
"I don't."
"Now you know, my princess, now you know." He kept on staring into her eyes and she can see the sincerity in them. "I love you, Elize Niccola Villarama."
"Oh god!" sambit niya at pabiglang ipinalibot ang braso sa malapad nitong katawan at yumakap dito ng mahigpit.
"Why are you crying? Is something wrong?"
Hindi niya hinayaang makawala ito at isinubsob ang mukha sa leeg nito. Hindi ganoon kababaw ang luha niya ngunit ngayo'y buntis siya, it must be the hormones, making her emotional than she already was. "I'm okay," she muttered between sobbing.
Inalalayan siya nitong makaupo at hinayaan siyang umiyak dahil sa saya habang hagod-hagod nito ang kanyang likod at hinahalikan ang kanyang ulo.
"I love you," he murmured in her ear before drying the tears on her cheek using his lips.
Napapikit siya ng hawakan nito ang kanyang mga pisngi gamit ang malalaking kamay at tinuyo ang luha na umagos mula sa kanyang mga mata gamit ang mga daliri. Hanggang sa maramdaman niya ang pagdantay ng mga labi nito. Napakabanayad ng halik na kanyang tinugod sa kaparehong paraan.
Nang magkahiwalay ang kanilang mga labi ay pinagdikit nito ang kanilang mga noo.
"Can you be my queen?"
"H-Ha?" gulat niyang bulalas at bahagya itong naitulak upang matitigan sa mga mata.
"Like Rome and Liliana, I want to have a happy ever after with you. So, will you be my queen, Elize Niccola Villarama, and spend the rest of your life with me?" he said and asked with so much hope in his eyes.
Isang malalim na hininga ang kanyang pinakawalan upang kalmahin ang kanyang damdamin. "Are you proposing?" she asked when she gathered her wits back and a side of her lips twitched in a grin.
"Don't say no," he said sternly. Nagsalubong ang kilay ngunit nababasa niya ang kislap ng pag-aalala sa mga mata. "Will you going to say yes, you will not?"
Napakagat labi siya upang pigilan ang ngisi, kapagkuwan ay itinulak niya ito sa balikat kaya napasandal ito sa sandalan ng malambot na sofa. Sumampa siya sa ibabaw ng hita nito paharap dito habang awtomatikong pumalibot ang matitipuno nitong braso sa kanyang bewang.
"How about this for an answer?" she said and captured his lips in a passionate kiss. She nipped her lower lip and pushed her body closer to them that the air can't pass through them.
She groaned in disapproval when he held her face and distanced her from his body, breaking the kiss she was dying to have.
"Don't go sexy on me, Niko. I want a direct answer," he said, almost pleading.
"There's no direct way of answering you than this," she then grinded her body on top of him at the same time.
"You're one lethal woman, you're killing me... Fuck." Mason clenched his teeth to stop himself from moaning. He was already aroused to her satisfaction.
Hinawakan niya ang buhok nito, bahagyang hinila at inilapit ang mga labi sa tainga nito na may nakapaskil na misteryosong ngiti. "Do you want to know how sexy and lethal I am, my love?" she whispered raspily.
"Hell yeah!" he then grabbed her waist and captured her lips in a deep and passionate kiss.
Niccola was saving the I love yous for later. She wanted to surrender herself to this callous man who was gentle to her... He was hers, and she gave her heart to him.
WAKAS