"Move in with me."

Caught off guard by Vince's sudden question, I couldn't help but blink in surprise. Move in with him? The words echoed in my mind, tama ba ang narinig ko?

Umangat ako upang sana'y umalis sa ibabaw niya dahil hindi ko naman gustong pag-usapan ito sa ganitong ayos namin. But before I could make another move, Vince's hands were on me, pulling me closer until I was straddling his torso, my naked lower half pressed against the fabric of his dress shirt. I could feel the dampness between my thighs, evidence of what we just did, staining the cloth beneath me, but Vince didn't seem to mind. In fact, if anything, his grin only widened as he looked up at me, his eyes alight with mischief and desire.

From my vantage point, I couldn't help but admire the raw masculinity that radiated from Vince. His dark hair was tousled, strands falling across his forehead in a disheveled yet undeniably sexy manner. His jawline was strong and defined, shadowed by the faintest hint of stubble that only added to his rugged appeal. But it was his eyes that held me captivated, tawny dark pools of desire that seemed to smolder with intensity as they met mine.

Vince's lips curved into a devilish grin, revealing a set of perfectly white teeth that seemed to gleam in the soft light of the room.

"Enjoying the view, are we?" he teased, his voice low and husky as he reached up to trail his fingers along the curve of my hip. "Can't say I blame you. After all, who wouldn't want a front-row seat to this?"

I couldn't help but laugh at his audacity, a flush of heat rising to my cheeks. Diyos talaga ang tingin ng isang 'to sa kaniyang sarili. Pero masisisi ko ba siya? God did take his time in creating Vince, halos perpekto ang kinalabasan, eh.

I leaned down to capture his lips in a hungry kiss. Hindi ko ba alam kung bakit gustong gusto ko lang halikan si Vince, siguro dahil tuwing gagawin ko'y napapatunayan kong mas masidhi ang pagkagusto niya roon.

"So, what do you say?" he murmured against my lips, his hands wandering lower to trace lazy patterns along the curve of my waist. "Ready to take the plunge and move in with me?"

I sighed softly, breaking away from our heated kiss to meet Vince's gaze with a mixture of uncertainty and contemplation. Muling bumalik sa akin ang tanong niya kanina, moving in together was a big step, one that required careful consideration and thought.

"Vince, I... I don't know." My words were hesitant, uncertain, as I struggled to articulate the swirling doubts and fears that danced through my mind.

Hindi ko alam kung paano ko sasabihin sa kaniya ang gumugulo sa aking isipan nang hindi ako nagmumukhang tanga, naghahabol o umaasa. Kaya halos matagalan na ako ng husto nang dugtungan ko ang aking sinabi.

"It's not that I don't want to be with you," I hastened to add, reaching out to gently caress his cheek. Kung alam lang sana niyang unti-unti nang nagiging mahirap na pagsubok para sa akin ang ilayo ang sarili ko sa kaniya sa bawat pagkakataon na nagkakalapit kami. "It's just... this is a big decision, and I'm not sure if I'm ready to take that leap just yet."

"I understand, Nicole," he murmured, his voice gentle as he brushed his thumb along the curve of my jaw. "I didn't mean to pressure you. I just... I want to be with you, in every way possible."

Bigla ay parang gusto kong manghina sa kaniyang sinabi, may pagsusumamo sa tinig ni Vince na tila humahaplos sa aking dibdib. It was as though he didn't just want me, he needs me.

"But what are we, Vince?" I asked softly as I searched his gaze for answers. Hindi ko alam kung saan ako kumuha ng tapang na itanong iyon o kung handa ba akong marinig ang anumang magiging sagot niya. "I mean, sure, what we have is... fun, exhilarating, new. But is that enough?"

There, I had said it. Ang matagal nang gumugulo sa aking isipan. I couldn't deny the attraction that sparked between us, the way my heart raced at the mere thought of him. But was it enough to sustain us, to carry us through it all? Hindi ko alam dahil wala naman akong experience sa ganito. The only relationship I had was with Vicente, at hindi iyon kasing kumplikado ng sitwasyon namin ni Vince ngayon. With Vicente, we took our time, letting our feelings grow. Itong kay Vince, lahat ginagawa namin ay napakabilis, ni hindi ko rin magawang rendahan dahil gusto ko. I had never felt this strongly toward someone that I turned reckless and uninhibited.

"I don't have all the answers, Nicole," he admitted quietly. Bigla akong kinabahan dahil kahit paano'y inaasahan kong siya ang sasagot ng mga tanong na iyon na gumugulo sa aking pirmi. "But what I do know is that I care about you. More than I've cared about anyone in a long time."

His words washed over me, stirring something deep within my heart. Despite my reservations, despite the uncertainty that clouded my mind, parang nilukob ng kakaibang init ang aking dibdib dahil sa kaniyang sinabi.

Humiwalay ako sa kaniya at tuluyan nang bumangon. I reached down to pick up my discarded panties, a futile attempt to distract myself from the torrent of emotions crashing over me. As I slipped them on, I felt a pang of unease, a sense of disquiet that lingered at the edges of my consciousness.

I stood there, my back turned to Vince. Despite my efforts to maintain a semblance of composure, I could feel the heat rising in my cheeks, the flutter of uncertainty stirring in the pit of my stomach.

Vince rose to his feet, his movements slow and deliberate. His disheveled appearance only served to accentuate the raw intensity of his emotions, leaving me feeling utterly defenseless in his presence.

"You have no idea, Nicole," pagkuwa'y sabi niya. Ayan na naman ang tinig niyang nagsusumamo na animo'y nakikiusap sa akin na pakinggan ko siyang maigi sa lahat ng kaniyang sasabihin. "You've... you've cast a spell on me, one that I can't seem to break no matter how hard I try."

Kung sana'y alam niya lang na ganoon rin ang epekto niya sa akin. Mas malala pa nga kung tutuusin. I turned to face him. "What do you mean?"

He took a step closer, his gaze never wavering from mine as he struggled to put his feelings into words. "I mean... I can't stop thinking about you," he confessed, his voice filled with a raw honesty that sent shivers down my spine. "Every minute of every day, you're all I can think about. It's like... like you've taken root in my mind and I can't shake you loose."

His words struck a chord deep within me, resonating with a truth that I couldn't deny. Despite my reservations, despite the uncertainty that clouded my mind, I couldn't deny the pull that existed between us, the undeniable chemistry that crackled in the air whenever we were together.

"I'm... I'm addicted to you, Nicole," Vince continued. "I can't get enough of you, of the way you make me feel. It's like... like I'm drowning in a sea of wanting you, and you're the only lifeline keeping me afloat."

Napatitig ako kay Vince, sinubukan kong magsalita ngunit wala ni isang salita ang lumabas sa aking bibig. Wala akong maisatinig, basta ang alam ko lang ay sobrang bilis ng tibok ng aking puso. Hindi ako mapalagay, totoo ba ang lahat ng naririnig ko? Hindi ba ako dinadaya ng sarili kong damdamin?

"I don't know what this is, Nicole," Vince admitted, his voice barely above a whisper as he reached out to take my hand in his. "But I know that I want to find out. With you."

Oh, Vince.