After the Twilight (Iska Series #1)

13

Late na nang nakarating kami sa condo ko. Bigla kasing umulan on the way from the airport kaya naman natagalan kami sa traffic. As usual, hinahatid ako ni Enzo sa unit ko, siya kasi laging nagbibitbit ng mga libro ko para sa akin. Habang nakasakay kami sa elevator, napapansin kong panay hikab na siya. I guess it's been a long day for him too. 

Compared to him who had to drive, I had the luxury to fall asleep in the passenger's seat as we threaded through the traffic. 

"Do you want something before you go?" I ask him as soon as we enter my unit. Dumiretso ako sa kusina habang siya naman ay tumungo sa sala kung saan niya nilapag ang mga libro ko sa coffee table. 

"Coffee would be great," he says with a yawn kaya agad ko namang pina-andar ang coffee maker. While waiting, I watch him as he strides across the room to the window, hinahawi ang kurtina to look out. 

I guess he's checking if it's still pouring outside. 

"Malakas pa rin ba ang ulan?" I ask him. 

He turns to me and nods, hands inside his pockets as he makes his way to me. "It's going to be one hell of a drive home," he chuckles. 

I jolt when I suddenly feel his arms snake around my waist from the back, but I immediately sink into his embrace at the feel of his warmth radiating off of him. He buries his chin on the crook of my neck, leaning his head against mine. 

I can hear his steady breaths---calm and relaxed as he slightly sways the both of us from side to side. 

"What if," I say softly, getting entranced by the magic of the moment. 

"Hmm?" he responds lowly.

"What if. . . you just stay the night?" 

Napahinto siya, kaya naman hindi ko napigilang kagatin ang pang-ibabang labi. I don't know where I got the courage to say that, but I find myself anxious of what he thinks. Unti-unti akong lumingon sa kanya at nagtama ang mga mata namin. 

His eyes are masked with a concoction of confusion and surprise as he stares right through me. His chin is still on top of my shoulder, so the proximity between us is quite intoxicating. Nawawala na naman ako sa mga mata niya na parang taglay ang buong kalawakan. 

I swallow a lump and clear my throat.

"Uhm, you know," I  try to reason out, "to sleep. . .lang. To sleep lang. It's late and it's raining. D-Delikado na." I break eye contact, naasiwa na sa intensidad ng mga titig niya, "I mean, only if you want to."

"I want to." 

Nabalik ang tingin ko sa kanya, pursing my lips as I nod slowly. 

"Okay," I say. 

"Okay," he says back. 

We stare at each other for a few more seconds, parang binabasa ang kung ano ang laman ng isipan ng isa't isa. It was only until the sound of the coffee maker resonates over the silence of the room that we both got snapped out of our trance. 

Agad akong umiwas ng tingin, grabbing the mug on the counter. 

"Coffee's ready," I say as I quickly unplug the cord from the socket. 

I pass him the cup of coffee as he slides his arms off of me. I then snake my way around the counter, pinning my hair behind my ears as I back away. 

"Bihis lang muna ako," I say, nabangga pa sa sofa ng patakbo kong tinungo ang kwarto ko. 

I did my evening routine as fast as I can. Nang makalabas ako sa kwarto ay nakapalit na ako ng pantulog---a white tank top and a pair of gray pajamas.