Before and After You

Chapter 6: If I Built a House

Three Years Ago

She is breathless as she rolls off him. She is catching her breath as her bare back touches the bed. She tilts her head and sees him not faring much better. He too is huffing but the wide satiated look on his face speaks for itself. He turns to face her too and grins.

"That was amazing," he murmurs in between pants.

She giggles and turns on her side to push him back down the mattress so she could sprawl herself over his chest. His hand snakes its way to the back of her neck and he pulls her in for a kiss which would've lasted longer if they weren't still recovering. She looks at him and couldn't help the surge of satisfaction that fills her when she sees his swollen lips and glazed eyes that seem to still be swimming from their pleasurable tryst.

She manoeuvres herself so her face could be level with his and she plants a featherlight kiss on the tip of his nose. "Happy Birthday, langga," she whispers in a hoarse, sultry tone that sends him groaning.

His skin still tingling from the remnants of afterglow, he flips them both so he hovers above her, immediately drowning her surprised shriek as he captures her lips in another hungry kiss. Her hands found their way to his hair, carding through and playing with them as he continued to ravage her lips like she's water in an oasis for a man lost in a desert.

He breaks the kiss if only to gasp for air and nuzzles his face against the crook of her neck, breathing her in.

"Do you really have to go to work today, ga?" he hears her ask. Lifting his head, he steals another kiss before settling on the bed, with her in his arm.

"Yes pero half-day lang naman, ga. Uwi rin ako pagkatapos ng meeting ko with Mr Santos and then labas tayo ng mga bata. May reservation ako sa favourite mong restaurant," he tells her.

"My favourite restaurant?" Her face scrunches. "But it's your birthday! Bakit sa favourite restaurant ko?" she protests.

He pulls her closer to him and tucks a strand of her hair behind her ear. "Araw-araw akong gumigising na ikaw ang katabi ko. I have everything I need beside me."

She bites her lip, unsure what to say. She's always known that he is a sap but she could never anticipate the times it would be used against her and every time, it sends her knees shaking. She loves him, and wouldn't have married him if she didn't. She expected the flame and the passion but she didn't expect that ten years into their marriage, it would feel just the same, if not deeper. She playfully pinches him on the side to compensate for her lack of words. "Alam mo? Apaka bolero mo talaga! What do you want? Spill. Birthday mo naman, pagbibigyan naman kita. Do you want to grab some drinks with your barkada?"

She's been trying to ask him what he wants for weeks but he's been adamant that he didn't want to throw a party. Whenever she broaches the topic, all he'd say was, I want to have dinner with you and the kids.

She would look at him expectantly, as though waiting for more and he doesn't say anything else.

"Why would I want to go out? Sabi ko naman sa'yo gusto ko lang na makasama kayo ng mga bata. Ang bilis kasi nilang lumaki. Kita mo si Clara, nasa big school na. Tapos si Charles, nasa kindgerten na. Mamaya, highschool na mga 'yan at ayaw nang magpapigil lumabas. Kaya I just want to spend as much time as I can with you guys," he confesses and she couldn't help but smile at the tender way he would always talk about their children.

"Okay," she acquiesces and decides to not put up any more argument. "So..."

"Dito nalang kayo sa bahay this morning, I'll pick you guys up for lunch," Eric suggests, to which Sam agrees.