Where the Heart Simmered

CHAPTER 12

INSIDE the cottage, everything felt softer—blankets like clouds, walls that didn’t listen. Binuhat ni Zadyen papasok sa loob ng cottage at muntikan pa silang mabangga sa pinto dahil patuloy ang mainit nilang halikan. The blanket was slipping from Luna’s shoulder as Zayden kissed the place behind her ear that made her melt.

Ipinikit ni Luna ang kaniyang mata at walang nagsasalita sa kanilang dalawa ni Zayden. Patuloy ang kanilang halikan.

Zayden laid Luna down with reverence on the soft bed, brushing her hair from her face like she was something precious.

Luna smiled and traced the line of his spine, kissed his collarbone, and finally went back to Zayden’s lips.

Mabagal lamang ang kanilang pagkilos na para bang nasa kanilang lahat ang oras. No rush. No noise. Just the two of them with their each playfully touching each other’s bodies.

Zayden slowly removed Luna’s clothes while kissing her skin, from her jaw, her neck, her shoulder, her chest, and everything about her. Luna’s moan was just like music to his ears.

“Luna…”

“Zayden…”

They moaned each other’s names softly.

Nang tuluyang mahubad ni Zayden ang lahat ng kasuotan ni Luna at basta na lamang niya ito itinapon kung saan, napatakip si Luna ng pribadong parte ng kaniyang katawan. He hovered over her and kissed her cheek.

“Don’t. You’re beautiful,” Zayden whispered.

Luna blushed and looked at Zayden. “This is unfair,” he said.

Zayden chuckled sexily. “Anong unfair?”

“I was naked and you're not.”

Ngumiti si Zayden saka inangat ang katawan. Bumaba siya sa kama saka hinubad ang lahat ng kasuotan.

Bahagyang lumaki ang mata ni Luna nang makita ang kabuuan ni Zayden. Alam niyang maganda ang katawan ng binata pero hindi niya alam na ganito kaganda. Ito ‘yong tipo ng katawan na pinapangarap ng lahat ng kabaihan. Muscular body, broad shoulders, abdominal muscles and the best thing of all… down there… it was big ang long.

“K-kakasya ba ‘yan?”

“Subukan natin.” Saad ni Zayden saka muling pumatong kay Luna.

They kissed.

And the heat ignited once again between them.

“Baby…” Zayden moaned as he slowly entered Luna.

Napahigpit naman ang pagkakahawak ni Luna sa balikat ni Zayden. Halos bumaon na ang kuko niya sa balat nito dahil sa pagpasok ng binata sa kaniyang loob.

“It hurts…” A tear slid down her cheek.

“Do you want me to stop?” Maalumanay na tanong ni Zayden habang nakatingin sa nakapikit na dalaga. But he was praying that Luna wouldn’t say no. At ganun na lamang ang kaniyang tuwa ng umiling si Luna.

“Don’t stop…”

Tumango si Zayden saka hinalik-halikan ang mukha ng dalaga habang dahan-dahan niyang ipinapasok ang kahabaan sa loob nito. Naramdaman pa niya ang napunit sa loob nito kasabay ng pagsigaw ni Luna pero hindi naman ganun kalakas ang sigaw nito.

“Zayden…”

Zayden comforted Luna by planting small kisses on her face. He waited until Luna adjusted to his size.

Their bodies became one.

The fire had faded outside, but inside the room, something warmer burned.

Alam nila sa kanilang sarili. This is not about lust, but a feeling that Luna wanted to conceal from himself and Zayden.

As they finally came together, it wasn’t about heat—it was about home.

A home that Luna was longing for—the happiness she wanted to feel before her freedom ended.

KINABUKASAN. Nagising si Luna dahil sa mainit na tumatama sa kaniyang mukha. She could hear the soft hush of wind through the cottage windows and the golden spill of sunlight onto white linen.

Luna opened her eyes, with her hair tangled from last night. Napakurap siya dahil nasilaw siya sa liwanag. When her eyes adjusted, she smiled and looked beside her.

Tinignan niya ang binata na nakahiga sa kaniyang tabi. Relaxed ang mukha ni Zayden at ang ganda nitong pagmasdan. One hand curled loosely against the pillow, and the other, still resting near her hip as if even in dreams, he didn’t want to let go of her.

Luna didn’t move away.

Nakatingin lamang siya kay Zayden. She let herself memorize this moment—the faint rise and fall of his chest, his messy hair, which was caused by her, and the way he touched her with so much gentleness last night. She wanted to engrave it in her mind.

Ito ang mga pagkakataon na ayaw ni Luna na mawala. Ayaw na niyang matapos ang sandaling ito. Gusto niyang ganito na lang sana.

Umangat ang kamay ni Luna. Her fingertips trailed Zayden’s face.

“Zayden, I wish this moment would never end.”

“Then let’s stay here forever.” Nagmulat ng mata si Zayden.

Umiling si Luna. “Alam mo naman na hindi pwede?”

Kumuyom ang kamay ni Zayden saka pumatong kay Luna. “Luna, I can take you away.”

Luna looked into Zayden’s eyes. She smiled and kissed Zayden on his lips. “Even if you can, we can’t run away forever. My parents were resourceful. At ayaw ko namang tumakbo na lang. Hindi ko pwedeng gawin ‘yon.”

Zayden sighed. Iniba na lamang niya ang usapan kaysa ang mainis siya sa magulang ni Luna. Umalis siya sa ibabaw ng dalaga. His fingers laced with hers under the cover. “Are you okay?” he asked with a gentle voice.

Tumango naman si Luna kahit masakit ang kaniyang katawan lalo na ang kaniyang p********e. But she couldn’t blame Zayden. Siya ang umakit rito. Kapagkuwan natawa saka napailing. “Masarap pala. Now I know why Ella was pushing to go on a blind date before or experience sex.”

Biglang nagdilim ang mukha ni Zayden. “Did you go?”

“No. Bakit naman ako pupunta? Hindi nga pumapayag ang mommy ko, hindi ba?”

Nawala ang pagdidilim ng mukha ni Zayden. He buried his face in Luna’s neck. “I love your smell. It’s sweet.”

The breeze fluttered through the window, stirring the curtains. At mula sa labas, naririnig nila ang paghuni ng mga ibon. The scent of last night’s fire still clung faintly to their clothes, thrown on the floor. But inside, the world was warm, quiet, and entirely theirs.

“Den, thank you for last night.”

Napa-angat ng tingin si Zayden. “Hindi ba dapat ako ang magsabi niyan. You gave me your virginity."

"Aren’t you a virgin too? Patas na tayo.” Sabi ni Luna habang natatawa.

Natawa na rin si Zayden saka hinalikan ang pisngi ni Luna. “We could stay like this forever. Well, at least the coffee runs out at the café down the hill.”

Luna hummed, eyes drifting closed again. “I like that plan.”

“Yeah.”

They were wrapped in a blanket and each other, tangled limbs, and they slept again.

NGUNIT nang magising si Luna, wala na si Zayden sa kaniyang tabi. Pero naamoy niya ang amoy ng mabango ng nilulutong pagkain. Gumuhit ang ngiti sa kaniyang labi. Natakam na tuloy siyang kumain. At isa pa, ramdam na niya ang kaniyang gutom.

Kahit masakit ang pagitan ng kaniyang hita, pinilit niyang bumangon saka pinulot ang polo ni Zayden na nakasampay sa may upuan at isinuot.

Lumabas ng kwarto si Luna saka nagtungo sa kusina.

Gumuhit ang ngiti sa kaniyang labi nang makita si Zayden na gumagawa ng waffles. Naalala na naman niya ang nangyari kagabi. It was the best moment of her life. She was very happy. Lumapit siya kay Zayden saka niyakap ito mula sa likuran.

“Ang bango.”

Zayden faced Luna and carried her. She made her sit on the table, and his eyes darted towards Luna’s thigh.

“Are you seducing me?” he asked.

Luna looked at her thigh. “Blame your polo.”

Natawa naman si Zayden saka kinuha ang tuwalya na nakasampay sa kaniyang balikat saka itinakip sa hita ni Luna. "Itago mo 'yan baka iba ang pumasok sa isipan ko at angkinin kita dito sa kusina.”

Namula si Luna saka nag-iwas ng tingin. She knew the feeling of pleasure, but not now. Masakit ang p********e niya. And she knew it would take days before it would heal. Iginawi na lamang niya ang kaniyang tingin sa waffles na nasa lamesa. Kumuha siya, she took a bite of the waffle, and chewed slowly. “Ang sarap.”

Ngumiti si Zayden saka hinalikan bigla si Luna sa labi.

Nagulat naman si Luna saka napahawak sa sariling bibig.

“Let’s stay here for a few days. I’ll buy you some medicine later.”

“A few days?”

Tumango si Zayden saka humawak sa magkabilang gilid ng lamesa kung saan nakaupo si Luna kaya parang nakakulong ang dalaga sa kaniyang bisig. “Yeah.”

Tumango naman si Luna. “Ang ganda dito. Gusto ko ring mag-stay pa rito ng ilang araw. Pero wala tayong damit.”

“Don’t worry, I will take some of our clothes from the apartment. Ubusin na natin ang araw natin dito.”

Luna took a bite of a waffle. “Sige.” She leaned her head on Zayden’s shoulder.

Nanatili sila sa ganoong posisyon. And later, they eat the waffles made by Zayden. They shared and fed each other.

Luna wished that time would stop and stay with Zayden forever in this place. Pero alam niyang kahit kailan ay hindi ‘yon mangyayari.