An Affair in London

Chapter Twelve

She smiled. Napailing ito na tila may kung anong naisip habang marahang nagsu-sway ang  magkahawak nilang mga kamay.

"What?" marahang hinila niya ito.
Macy looked at him, really looked at him. And in that clear, cool afternoonm he was once again struck by how stunning she is. Ang suot nitong itim na light jacket ay lalong nagpatingkad sa pagka-light brown ng mga mata nito, at sa subtle red highlights ng maikling buhok.

He maybe committed to another woman but he is definitely not immune to this woman's charms. And to hell with her preference. Macy may seem tough and boyish, but still feminine. Tall and  athletically chiseled but had curves in the right places.

And even if she was never a snob and smiles a lot, she still manages to be so intense she looks  fierce. Hindi man sinasadya ay nai-intimidate ang ibang mga tao dito, mula sa mga kaopisina nila, sa production staff at maging sa mga artista kahit pa ba may mga pangalan na ang mga iyon.

Ngunit nawawala din naman iyon nang makilala na ng mga ito ng lubusan ang dalaga.

Still, kahit siya ay naiilang din kay Macy sa umpisa. At hindi pa naman siya iyong tipo na madaling naapektuhan ng presensya ng kahit sino, kahit pa siguro miyembro ng royal family.

"Right now, Quillan, I think you're someone I can  really be myself with. Yung hindi na ako gaanong  mahihiya o maiilang." sa wakas ay sabi ni Macy.

Siya naman ang napataas ang kilay. "Oh, really?"

"Well, ano sa tingin mo itong ginagawa ko? I can always make up an excuse to not go with you. I  can just go check out some people at the set."

"Any specific person you're checking out?"

Namula ito. Does it mean may natitipuhan ito sa  mga nakakatrabaho nila? Bakit parang hindi yata  niya iyon nagugustuhan?

"Come on, spill."pangungulit niya.
Tinaasan lang siya nito ng kilay, bago bahagyang nangunot ang noo. "What's that?" turo nito sa mataas na pader na nababalutan ng ivy.

Hindi siya sumagot, sa halip ay marahang itinulak niya ito palapit sa pader na nang lubusan nitong mapagmasdan ay may nakabukas na wrought iron gate pala.

Her eyes widened. "Wow." bago napatingin sa kanya. "Puwedeng pumasok?"

Tumango siya. Excited na nauna na ang babae sa loob kung saan para itong batang kapapasok lang  sa amusement park habang panay ang gala ng  tingin sa kapaligiran.

It was the newly restored Old English Garden that had hundreds of floral species, herbs and trees inside a vast, walled space. May stone  benches sa ilalim ng mga puno, cobbled path, pergolas at fountain din.

"Uy, Secret Garden." nakangiting sabi ni Macy habang hila-hila na siya. May ilang mga tao din doon na kung hindi nagbabasa sa ilalim ng  puno ay nakatambay naman sa fountain.
But as he looked into Macy's twinkling eyes it felt as if no one else was around. This enclosed, beautiful sanctuary was theirs, and he allowed himself to be led.

"Bakit parang kakaunti lang ang pumupunta  dito?" Macy wondered as she bent to inspect a row of potted herbs. Hindi pa rin nito binibitawan ang kamay niya. "It's so quiet here, so calm..."  she said as she straightened up, and looked around her. Nang magtama ang mga mata nila ay napangiti ito. "What?"

"Secret nga ito eh, kakaunti pa lang ang may  alam." he grinned. Macy rolled her eyes. ipinaliwanag niya na until a few years ago, ay halos abandonado na ang hardin, na na-restore lamang  ito sa tulong ng Jo Malone, na isang fragrance company, isang garden designer at ilang concerned na organisasyon upang ibalik sa dati ang Old English Garden ng Battersea Park.

"And they did a good job." tumatangong sabi ni  Macy na nagpatuloy sa paglalakad hila siya. Panay ang linga nito sa paligid at parang hinahanap ang maliliit na plakeng inilagay ng Jo Malone kung saan nakasulat ang maiikling description sa halaman at kung saang partikular na fragrance  variant iyon matatagpuan hanggang sa marating  nila ang makitid na cobbled footpath na may pergola.

"I think this is prettier than the Kew gardens."  tukoy nito sa isang malaking botanical garden sa West London habang tinitingala ang mga vines sa ibabaw ng pergolas. "Aaww, those cute guys..."

It was the squirrels playing on a nearby oak tree that caught her attention this times. Alam ni  Quillan na may mga gusto pa siyang itanong, may mga nais pa siyang malaman ngunit parang nalimutan na niya ang mga iyon habang nakamasid kay Macy.

He stood beside her, so close it was impossible not to notice the heady mix of mint and citrus and something else that drew him near.

So near that Quillan just found himself kissing that fragrant hair, as another hand held her by the arm, as if keeping her in place.

"Quillan..." she called softly. As if the way she spoke his name was her own reaction to what he was doing.

What was he doing? He was slowly, trailing kisses from her hair to her temple, to the side of her face, her ear. At walang anumang ginagawa si Macy pang pigilan siya. Hinahayaan lang siya  nito, habang nakapako ang atensyon sa tanawin sa harap nito.

"You can ask me to stop, Macy." bulong niya habang marahang umaakyat ang kamay sa balikat nito.

Noon siya nilingon ni Macy. Alam niyang segundo lamang ang itinagal ng pagbaling nito mula sa  minamasdan patungo sa kanya, ngunit pakiramdam niya ay ilang minuto ang inabot  niyon. He was very aware of the gentle shift, her hair making contact with his nose and mouth, her breath mingling with his as she turned.

He saw the awareness in her eyes, saw the fire  that mirrored his. The desire tensed the air between them and caused a delicious fluttering in his stomach.

His face bent lower, as she closed her eyes.

He met her lips, warm and smooth against his.