Love begins with an image; lust with a sensation - Mason Cooley
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Martin's POV
God damn this woman.
Ano ba ang pumasok sa kukote nitong si Elodie at biglang-bigla ay naging wild sa harap ko? Ang tagal-tagal na naming magkasama sa training pero hindi siya umaakto ng ganito. Ngayon, alam kong talagang ibinabalandra niya ang katawan niya sa akin. Sinasadya niyang makita ko ang magandang katawan niya. Sinasadya niyang idikit sa akin.
Kung naiinis ako sa ginagawa niya, mas lalong naiinis ako sa sarili ko. Dahil hindi ko mapigil ang nagagalit sa pagitan ng hita ko.
Fuck.
Napalunok ako at pasimpleng tumingin sa umbok ng pantalon ko. Fucking shit. Kailangan kong lumayo sa babaeng ito. Hindi puwede. I already screwed up a job because of her. And right now, I am not going to screw this up again because she was trying to experiment with the opposite sex.
Hindi ko na pinansin si Elodie na nanatiling nakatayo sa tabi ko at nakapamewang pa. Inimis ko ang mga baril at bala na naroon at tinalikuran na siya para bumalik sa kuwarto ko.
"That's it? You're going to leave me here?" Narinig kong sabi niya.
"Have some rest. You're going to start training how to use a gun tomorrow," sagot ko sa kanya at tuloy-tuloy na naglalakad.
"But I said I wanted to learn today." Naramdaman ko pang humawak siya sa braso ko at parang pinapasong binawi ko ang braso kong hawak niya. Kita kong nagpipigil ng inis si Elodie sa akin. "What the hell is wrong with you?" Ngayon ay hindi na maialis ang inis sa mukha niya.
"Nothing. Ikaw? What the hell is wrong with you?" Balik ko sa kanya.
Tumaas ang kilay niya sa akin. "What's wrong with me? I am trying to be friendly."
"Friendly? By flirting with me?"
Napaawang ang labi ni Elodie sa narinig na sinabi ko. Tingin ko ay hindi niya akalain na masasabi ko ang salitang iyon. Dahil iyon ang ginagawa niya sa akin. Alam ko. She was flirting. And I fucking hated it because it really affects me. Big time.
"Flirting? Am I?" Ngumisi siya ng nakakaloko sa akin. "Bakit? Affected ka ba?"
Napahinga ako ng malalim. "Stop it. I am here for a job. If you have something in mind, a prank or whatever, huwag mo akong isali. I am fucking done with nonsense like that. Be ready at seven AM tomorrow. Make sure you finished your two-hour run before you see me."
Siniguro kong hindi na ako masusundan pa ni Elodie nang pumasok ako sa silid ko. Ilang beses akong napahinga ng malalim at pabagsak na humiga sa kama. Parang gusto ko ng mag-back out dito. Biglang-bigla na nagbago si Elodie. Inis akong napailing. Sigurado akong pinagti-tripan lang ako ng isang iyon. Silang dalawa ng pinsan niyang bakla.
Napatingin ako sa paligid nang may marinig akong nag-uusap sa labas ng silid ko. Tumayo ako at lumapit doon. Naalala kong malapit nga pala ang silid na ito sa swimming pool kaya binuksan ko ng konti ang bintana. Nakita kong pabalik na si Elodie doon at papunta sa lugar ng pinsan niya.
Fucking Christ. Ano ba ang suot ni Samantha? Siguradong kung narito si Cesar napilipit na nito ang leeg ng pamangkin.
"Anong nangyari?" Boses ni Samantha iyon.
"I don't know. He doesn't want to join us." Nilakihan ko ng konti ang bukas ng bintana para mas makita ko si Elodie na nakatayo na ngayon sa gilid ng pool. Yumuko at may ibinulong kay Samantha. Nakita kong bumungisngis ito at marahan pang tinapik ang puwet ng babae. Tatawa-tawa naman din si Elodie at isinuklay pa ang kamay sa maiksing buhok tapos ay lumakad patungo sa tubig.
"Hoy, mag-ingat ka. Baka malunod ka diyan," narinig kong paalala ni Samantha.
"So? Nandiyan ka naman para sagipin ako." Nakangiting sagot ni Elodie at tumungo na sa tubig.
I need to look away when I heard the splash of the water. I needed to divert my attention to other things. Pero talagang may kung anong demonyo ang bumubulong sa tainga ko at sinasabing sumilip ako sa bintana. Putangina. Inis akong muling sumilip doon at nagsisi ako sa ginawa ko.
Dahil ngayon ay umaahon na sa pool si Elodie at basang basa ang katawan. God damn that swimsuit. Kung sino ang nag-tahi ng swimsuit na iyon ay pipilipitin ko talaga ang leeg. Dahil kapit na kapit iyon sa katawan ni Elodie. Nakabakat pa ang tindig na tindig na nipples sa bikini top na suot.
Napalunok ako. Pakiramdam ko ay uhaw na uhaw na ako. I could still remember when I was working with JD in Circuit. Don't drink while on a mission or any job. That's one of his motto. Bilib ako kay JD sa tindi ng self-control ng isang iyon. Never ko siyang nakita na uminom kapag magkasama kami sa mission. Dahil ayaw niyang ma-compromise ang trabaho niya.
At nagaya ko iyon sa kanya. I never drink alcohol every time I have a job. Pero ngayon, dahil sa nakikita ko, malamang kahit ilang bote ng alak ang ipainom sa akin ay mauubos ko dahil tuyot na tuyot ang lalamunan ko.
Just looking at Elodie's wet body was already a sin. She's a sexy sin with big boobs, curvy body, smooth skin while wearing that tiny cloth on her body. She went into the water again. She dived this time then swam up to other side of the pool. Then she climbed out again walking at the edge of the pool. And damn, the bikini was wedging between her ass. I automatically held my cock. Fuck it. It was god damn hard.
You need to look away, Ted. Move away from the window. She's a sin. She's going to ruin everything that you worked hard for.
But I didn't take off my gaze at her. She was smiling while standing there and her eyes met mine. She saw me peeking from the window.
Agad akong lumayo doon at humihingal na napaupo sa kama. She saw me looking at her. Shit.
Pero mukhang wala namang ginawa si Elodie. Mukhang wala naman sa kanya na nakita niya akong nakatingin sa kanya. I heard another splash from the water. I stood up ang peeked on the window again. Si Samantha pa rin ang nakaupo sa gilid ng pool at siguradong si Elodie ang nasa tubig.
Maya-maya ay nakita kong tumayo si Samantha at sumisilip sa tubig tapos ay nanlalaki ang mga mata.
"Evie!" Narinig kong sigaw nito.
Kumunot ang noo ko. May nangyari ba kay Elodie?
"Ay! Diyos ko! Evie! Ano ba? Hindi ako marunong lumangoy!" Natataranta ang hitsura ni Samantha na hindi malaman kung tatakbo o tatalon sa tubig.
Doon na ako lumabas at mabilis na lumapit sa akin si Samantha na takot na takot ang hitsura.
"Si Evie. Nasa ilalim ng tubig tapos hindi na gumagalaw." Naiiyak na sabi nito.
"What?" Mabilis akong tumingin sa tubig at nakita kong naroon nga ang babae at nasa ilalim lang. Walang kagalaw-galaw. My adrenalin kicked in. Mabilis kong inalis ang baril na nasa likuran ko at hinubad ang sapatos tapos ay tumalon ako sa tubig.
Mabilis ko siyang kinuha mula sa ilalim ng tubig agad na iniangat. Lumangoy ako patungo sa gilid ng pool habang hawak siya ng mahigpit at ingat na ingat akong lumubog ang mukha niya sa tubig.
"Damn it! Elodie!" Agad kong hinawakan ang mukha niya nang pareho kaming makaahon sa tubig at inihiga ko siya sa gilid ng pool. Wala siyang malay. Shit. Marami kaya siyang nainom na tubig?
"Elodie!" Tinampal-tampal ko ang mukha niya. Kinapa ko ang bawat pulso at mayroon naman. Sa totoo lang nanginginig ako. Natataranta. This was the second time that her life would be at the edge of death. And I am not going to let her die. Not on my watch. Not in my hands.
I pressed my hands on her chest trying to give her a bit of CPR. Ingat din akong idiin iyon masyado dahil sa laki ng kamay ko baka magkaroon pa ng disgrasya sa katawan niya.
"Elodie, damn it. Fucking breathe," muli ay marahan kong diniinan ang dibdib niya.
She was still not moving. Samantha was crying. I tilt her head, pressed her nose and I gave her a blow on her mouth. One. Two. Then slammed my hand to her chest again.
"God damn it! You're not going to die today!" Naiinis na ako. Naiinis at natataranta dahil bakit parang walang nangyayari sa kanya? I am trained to do this shit. Ilang beses na akong naka-sagip ng mga taong nalulunod.
Again, I gave her a mouth-to-mouth resuscitation then a hard blow on her chest.
I heard her cough. Choking and she immediately went to her side and curled her body. Like she was gasping for air.
"Elodie," nanginginig pa ang buong katawan ko habang nakatingin sa kanya na patuloy na umuubo-ubo. "Are you okay?" Nakatitig ako sa mukha niya at nakita kong tumingin siya sa akin. Nakatitig sa tamang salita.
Kita ko ang kalituhan sa mukha ni Elodie habang nanatiling nakatingin sa akin. Saglit na lumikot ang mata niya tapos ay muling tumingin sa mukha ko.
"T-this happened before," mahinang sabi niya na parang nagugulahan. Pero maya-maya ay biglang nag-iba ang hitsura ng mukha nito. Biglang napangiti habang nakatingin sa akin. "Martin, you're my hero." Kumagat labi pa siya at narinig ko si Samantha na natatawa na sa likuran ko.
Kumunot ang noo ko at mabilis na lumayo sa babae. Tingin ko naman ay okay na okay siya. Mukhang hindi naman nalunod. Mabilis siyang tumayo at impit siyang tumatawa. Tumabi na si Samantha sa babae at dalawa na silang tumatawa.
Sinamaan ko ng tingin si Elodie. Now I knew what this was.
"You think this is a joke?" Seryosong sabi ko.
Hindi pa rin sila makapagsalitang dalawa. Parang sumasakit pa ang mga tiyan sa paghalakhak.
"If you could see your face," sabi ni Elodie sa pagitan ng mga tawa.
Pero hindi ako sumasabay sa pagtawa nila. Nagngangalit lang ang bagang ko habang pinapanood silang dalawa ng pinsan niya na tuwang-tuwa sa ginawa niya.
"It's a fucking prank. I pranked you," nakatawa pang sabi ni Elodie.
Napakuyom ang kamay ko. "Prank. It was a fucking prank." I said that in between my teeth.
"Yes. Successful 'di ba?" Nakakaasar ang mukha ni Elodie.
"You think it's funny? Faking that you're drowning? Faking that your dead?" Nanginginig ang boses ko sa galit. "You're laughing with that kind of joke?"
Unti-unting nawawala ang pagtawa ng dalawa. Si Samantha ang nakita kong biglang sumeryoso at parang nahihiyang hindi makatingin sa akin.
"I thought it was funny. You're supposed to laugh," umirap pa sa akin si Elodie.
"And I should laugh that you're dead? You want that? You want to die?" Sagot ko sa kanya.
Nakita kong nagbago ang reaksyon ng mukha ni Elodie. I knew I hit the spot. But she was asking for it. Talagang nanginginig ako sa galit ngayon. Hindi niya alam ang pag-aalala ko na may nangyaring masama sa kanya. I screwed up my life just to save her, and now she was going to prank me about her death? I am fucking pissed.
"Fuck that fucking prank. Your fucking boob is out," iyon na lang ang nasabi ko at painis kong dinampot ang baril ko at sapatos tapos ay walang lingon-likod na bumalik sa silid ko. Malakas kong isinara iyon at ibinalibag sa kama ang mga dala kong gamit.
It was a fucking prank? Bullshit. Hindi magandang prank ang ginawa niya. 'Tangina. She was dying when I found her, and I did everything to save her. And now, she's going to prank me like that? Napakagago.
I need a fucking drink.
Inis akong lumabas at tinungo ang kusina. Wala akong pakialam kahit basang-basa ang suot kong damit at nagkalat ako ng basa doon. Kinuha ko ang nakita kong bote ng scotch na nakapatong sa cupboard at tinungga iyon. Sumilip ako sa labas ng bahay at nakita kong seryosong nag-uusap si Elodie at si Samantha. Napailing na lang ako at muling bumalik sa kuwarto ko. I think I had enough for this day.
Dumiretso ako sa banyo at inis na hinubad ang basa kong damit. Tumapat ako sa shower para pakalmahin ang sarili ko.
Nakapikit ako habang nakatapat sa shower at sinasabon ang katawan ko. Images of Elodie lifeless on the floor was flooding in my head. I was still shaken because of what happened.
Sa totoo lang kasi, hindi lang naman din iyon ang nagpapataranta sa akin.
The feeling of her soft body on my hand was one thing. And the feeling of her mouth against mine was the one bugging me.
It wasn't a kiss. I corrected myself. I was saving her. Giving her air. Walang halong malisya.
But still, I touched her lips. Tasted it. And God knows how her mouth feels perfect on to mine.
I've kissed countless of women before. No one made me rattled like this. Not even my wife.
But Elodie's lips was too soft. Too perfect to touch. Even if I hated to admit it, it was causing my cock to twitch between my thighs.
I looked at it and I could see that it was hard. I wanted to punch myself. Pagkatapos ng isang nakakatarantang pangyayari ganito pa ang mararamdaman ko? Tinitigasan pa ako? 'Tangina talaga. Ano ba naman itong nangyayari sa akin?
And one of her boobs was peeking from her tiny bikini top while she was telling me it was a prank. I saw her naked before. When I was trying to save her. But it was different this time. She was okay. She was perfectly fine, and her boob was peaking and like saying hello to me.
My cock tremble when my hand touched it. All I wanted to do was to calm it down. But it was another feeling that I felt. Touching my dick felt good in my hands. Maybe I was just deprived of sex. It's been months after I had sex and after all the things that happened, I think I needed a good sex or even a release.
I groaned when I started to stroke it. It hardens in my hands. It was throbbing. Getting fatter every time I was stroking it. My mind was telling me stop, but my hand kept on rubbing it. My mind was filled with the thoughts of Elodie's mouth against mine. And while I was fondling my cock, I was thinking it was her tongue licking it. It was her mouth sucking it.
Shit. It felt good. I let out a moan with the pure pleasure that I felt. Water from the shower kept on pouring on my body. My dirty mind kept on playing that Elodie's mouth was sliding up and down on my cock. My hand moved faster. Faster and faster until I felt that I was on the edge. I couldn't stop it anymore. I couldn't stop her mouth sucking my cock.
"Damn. Fast. Come on. Do it faster," I was whispering that to myself thinking I was telling it to Elodie while my hand was moving rapidly against my cock.
I am close. I am coming.
I let out a groan when I spurt my own cum on the wall of the bathroom. That was fucking good.
Until I heard a gasp.
I immediately looked at the door of the bathroom and saw Elodie standing there. Shock was written on her face while she was looking at my hand still holding my dick.