Silver Lining in the Clouds (Erudite Series #2)

Kapitulo 15

River was quiet while we held hands and walked to my unit. I didn't know what was up. Hindi naman siya tumanggi sa alok ko. So, I figured, it was fine. Pero parang... napilitan yata?

"If you want to rest, you can just go home." Bulong ko sa kanya habang papalapit na kami sa condominiums namin.

"No, I want to stay with you." Agap niya.

"You look like napipilitan ka lang, be honest." We crossed the street before I let his hand go. Hinabol niya ang mga daliri ko at hinawakan muli.

"I don't feel forced, Anghel. My mind was just twirling around so much, it slowed down when you said we'd stay at your place."

"You are tired, see? You just said you're mind's full na and, obviously, it's not ready to absorb more things. Go home, I'll be fine."

He didn't let go of my hand. "Anghel, hindi nga ako napipilitan." Loudly, he sighed and began to speak again.

"I-iba kasi... 'yong tumakbo sa isip ko nung... sinabi mong pupunta tayo sa condo unit mo." My brows met.

And unlike the slow move of the cars on the streets, my mind instantly got what he meant.

"But, of course, I wouldn't do that if you didn't want to. And when you told me you needed to talk to me, I knew you weren't talking about that." Tumango ako at naglakad na muli.

We rode the elevator and were filled with an almost unbearable silence on the way to my place. It wasn't his first time coming here, pero bakit kaya iyon ang... naisip niya? Did it sound like I was inviting him? Was my voice... sensual? I don't think so.

"Anghel," he called once I opened the lights of my unit. "Hmm?"

"Do you... feel uncomfy?"

"No," I immediately responded. "I was just trying to think which part you thought I was... inviting you,"

"Sorry, wala ka namang... explicitly sinabing gusto mong... Basta, it was just me, it was all me. I read the lines wrong."

He looked awfully embarrassed still. To let him know I was fine, I closed the space between us. He hugged me back. I could feel his nose on my neck and his breath airing my shoulder.

"What do you want to talk about? Anything bothering you?"

"There is... but I want to embrace you first."

When I felt River slowly touching my back from the top to my waist repeatedly, I felt like I had slowed down. Like a stomach being caressed after a big meal, I felt satisfied.

Yakap pa lang, napanatag na ako.

This was what I need the most. Gosh. It felt really nice to hold him. Ang laki kasing tao, sakop na sakop ako. He felt like a protector, a barrier from harm.

I let him go and kissed him quickly on the lips. He blinked a few times before leaning down and tilting his head to taste me better. I held his jaw in place and let his tongue invade my mouth for a few minutes.

Tuwing hahalikan ko siya, palagi akong nanghihinayang na tumitigil kami. His lips were really good at doing its thing, it was a waste to stop.

As he let me breathe, I felt something familiar on my stomach. It was also there the first time we kissed. I wonder how he managed to suppress that when we talked for a bit even after our first kiss. I know it's painful for guys to hold it in, River must have amazing skills...

"Sorry, I made you... Again," he didn't comment on my remark and just sat on my couch.

"I can't watch your game on Friday," malungkot kong deklara nung tumabi ako sa kanya. "Something came up?"