HIS kiss tastes like heaven. His kiss is bringing heaven down to her.

His hands are everywhere while his tongue explores her mouth and Maureen can't keep up—first to her hips, then to the line of her back, stroking it, and then down her throat to tilt her head further and through her hair, pulling it lightly.

"You taste so good," Kuya Inggo mumbles, biting her bottom lip, and she digs her nails onto his shoulders, catching her breath before he kisses her again. "Fucking addicting, been thinking of this for months."

Maureen lets him kiss her jaw, her neck, and the top of her breasts while he palms her hip in his big hands, grazing up and down her side and then cupping her ass.

Then just when Maureen throws all logic out the window, Kuya Inggo bites down on her shoulder with a suppressed groan and takes her face into his hands so gently, meeting her eyes, and then kisses her again.

It's slow now. Sweet and so soft, like the rabidness of his desire is melting and now he wants to savor her and take his time, like he wants her to know hanggang dito lang sila and he's not expecting or going to ask for more.

Maureen kisses him just the same, her own hands stroking his hair and face before moving down to his chest and stomach, her nails tracing lines across his abdomen.

"Okay," she whispers, pulling back, but Kuya Inggo chases her mouth.

"Okay," he whispers back, kissing her once, twice, thrice more, and then he wraps his arms around her and hugs her tightly, head hiding in her shoulder. "Let me...um..."

Maureen laughs because he can't finish his sentence. Kuya Inggo is breathing so hard, gripping her, like his head is screwed up and he needs time to remember what his name is.

She massages his scalp in her fingers and teases quietly, "You okay?"

He doesn't say anything.

Maureen laughs again.

She waits a little while for him to calm down, just stroking his hair. She can't stop smiling.

"Gan'to ba palagi?" Kuya Inggo whispers after ten minutes, shifting positions to lay his head on her stomach and bury his face there, arms wrapped around her. Hindi pa rin siya tinitingnan sa mata. "Para akong namamatay, putangina."

Maureen really can't stop laughing. Fuckboy Inggo de Paz is so flustered from a kiss. Just a kiss.

Ah. She knows why. The two other times they kissed led to sex. The one sa car lang yung hindi, pero allergic pa no'n si Kuya Inggo sa salitang 'relationship'. Nagka-skin rash siguro 'yon when Maureen kissed him and ran away, kaya he avoided her.

E ngayon na may halong feelings, nase-stress si Kuya Inggo.

He's so cute. So CUTE. Gusto umiyak ni Maureen.

"You can't kiss anyone else."

Maureen's eyebrows shoot up at the same time her heart gives a kick. He's finally looking at her. Teasingly, she challenges, "Why?"

"Nasa ASMPH ako at nasa Katip ka, pero make no fucking mistake, Rinn." Keeping his gaze locked with hers, Kuya Inggo's hand goes up to her face. His thumb brushes her bottom lip. "This is mine."

Maureen blinks at him, her cheeks heating up.

"This is also mine." She gasps when his hand travels down her chest, his finger tracing her cleavage. "And this."

Maureen's hand shoots up to grab his when his fingertips brush in between her legs. He's still staring at her, completely serious. "And this," he whispers, reaching around for her backside. He slaps it twice, biting his lip with a smile, before he kisses her forehead. "Clear?"

She manages one nod.

Pa'no...pa'no niya nagagawang maging cute one second tapos hot the next? Parang the turns have tabled sa pagiging speechless!

"Siyempre, pinaka-important sa lahat is this." He bends down and kisses the left side of her chest quickly. Then he winks at her. "Akin na 'to. Pero I'll prove it muna."

Tingnan mo. Sweet naman sa susunod na second.

Maureen is punching the air.

Kuya Inggo grabs his extra shirt from his bag and slides it on her. Then he lies down on his side and pulls Maureen closer, resting her head on his chest. "Sleep na," he whispers, kissing her temple.

Maureen closes her eyes, slings her arm over his torso, and mumbles against his shoulder, "Don't leave me here, ah."

It was supposed to be a joke, pero Kuya Inggo doesn't laugh. He tenses and his hand stops its caress on her back.

Maureen opens her eyes and panics at the distressed and guilty look on his face as he stares at her.

She opens her mouth to apologize and to say it was a joke, pero Kuya Inggo cuts her off.

"You haven't forgiven me for that," Kuya Inggo murmurs sadly, exhaling heavily. "I understand."

Maureen scoots closer to him and kisses his throat. "It's okay."

"Rinn, I wish I was there when you cried."

Maureen blinks up at him. "What?"

"It would be torture," Kuya Inggo mutters, caressing her cheeks. "And I would deserve it—seeing and hearing what I did to you. I'm sorry, baby."

She hugs him tight. "It's okay. Sabi mo nga you'll prove it, na you'll work hard para 'di na ako magdasal na you stay kasi I know you will."

Kuya Inggo nods, taking a deep breath. "Yeah."

Maureen mutters, "You said you panicked. I'm sorry for saying it after...you know."

"It's not your fault. Ah...okay, sasabihin ko na lang agad." He runs a hand over his face and smiles. "This isn't an excuse, I'm just telling you why kasi deserve mo malaman."

Maureen nods, biting her lip.

He takes another breath. Meeting her eyes, he says, "Mom didn't want kids. Uh...'di niya ako mahawakan until I was six years old. And the first time she said she loved me, she didn't mean it kasi I begged her to say it back. That's it."

Maureen stares at him.

He smiles at her, massaging her shoulder. "Nobody else knows. Not even Migo. It's in the past, kasi hindi na gano'n si Mom...she's affectionate now. She shows me she loves me."

Maureen presses a hand to her eyes.

"'Wag kang iiyak," Kuya Inggo says, laughing, hugging her tight. "Rinn, okay lang ako. I'm fine, we're fine, it was so long ago."

What the hell. Why...how...his own mother—

"Don't get mad either," he says, still laughing and stroking her back reassuringly. "Alam ko na iniisip mo. I am fine, I promise. I mean, naging fuckboy ako dahil do'n, joke lang, pero—"

"Inggo," Maureen says. "I don't...I don't understand how she—" could not love you— "when you—" are the most beautiful heart I know and I can't not love you—

He cups her face. He's still smiling. "Rinn, baby, alam mo bang ikaw ang first girl to cry over me and for me? Nakaka-flatter talaga."

"Stop joking, it's not funny," she mumbles, sniffling.

Kuya Inggo wipes her tears gently. "I know it's not, I'm just saying don't let it bother you. Look at me—hindi ko rin maintindihan kung paanong nagawang mag-walk away ni Michael sa 'yo—sa inyo—when it would feel like I'm walking on crushed glass every step away. Hindi ko kayang isipin, I can't take the thought of shattering your heart to pieces like that. Pero I try not to let it bother me kasi I know you have people who love you the way he didn't." He presses his forehead against hers and whispers, "And I have people who love me the way she didn't."

Maureen stares at him.

I love you, I love you, I love you, I am so honored to love you, I love you—

Kuya Inggo kisses her. Silences the words trapped in her throat.

"I know," he whispers, smiling. "I know, Rinn."

She falls asleep to his heartbeat in her ear.

Maureen will wait for the moment that one of those beats will be for her.

*

"Rinn."

"I do," Maureen whispers in her sleep.

In the distance, she hears him laugh quietly. "Advance talaga kayong magkapatid mag-isip." Then she feels his fingers on her cheek. "Rinn, wake up. Nandito na tayo sa bahay n'yo, you have to get in bed."

"Sama ka."

He's laughing again. "'Wag mo 'kong hinahamon."

Dazedly, her eyes squint open from the insistent touch on her shoulder and face.

"Hi, baby," Kuya Inggo whispers, his lips stretched to a grin.

He looks tired from driving for so long, but so happy.

"Hi," she rasps, sitting up and rubbing her face with her hand.

"Come on, you have to go inside before we get caught."

Maureen nods slowly, still rubbing her eyes. The sun is out and they're parked at the back of her house.

Her heart sinks. Nandito na sila ulit, magtatago na naman sila.

Maureen doesn't notice she's still wearing his shirt until Kuya Inggo reaches around the backseat for her hoodie. "Here, baka magka-heart attack sa 'yo si Migo 'pag nakita niya 'yan."

She blinks at him, taking the hoodie.

He stares back at her. "What?"

"Talikod ka, I'm gonna change."

Kuya Inggo pushes his tongue against his cheek, smiling. "May magagawa pa ba pagtalikod ko? I get hard either way."

"Kuya Inggo." She hides her face in her hoodie and turns around. "Shut up, you're so...vulgar."

"It's the truth. Wala ring nagagawa 'yang pagtalikod mo."

"Cover your eyes, then!"

He's grinning. "Sisilip lang din ako."

Maureen cannot believe she's still smiling. Her cheeks hurt.

She takes off his shirt without another word. While she's struggling with finding the hoodie's sleeves, sitting there in her bra with her back to him, Kuya Inggo's fingers find her spine. "You're so pretty, Rinn," he whispers, stroking her back. "I wanna look at you all the damn time."

"Look lang?" she mutters under her breath.

Pagkalabas n'on, she winces. Para siyang sinapian ng devil niya!

"Matakot ka sa 'kin 'pag tayo na, I'm gonna rail you all the damn time."

Maureen feels so hot. She puts on her hoodie and turns to him.

He's biting his lip, leaning against the seat with his legs spread, eyes on hers.

She clears her throat. "I want your shirt. I'm keeping it."

His eyebrows raise. "Desisyon ka?" Kuya Inggo teases.

"Oo." She grins and leans over the center console to kiss his ear. "Thank you for the best birthday," she whispers, kissing his cheek. Maureen turns around to jump down the car.

Kuya Inggo's big hand swats her ass as she does.

When Maureen glares at him, closing the door, he only winks and mouths, "Mine."

Maureen's stomach churns. She waves at him before going inside very, very quietly.

She tiptoes all the way to the stairs, hearing her mom eat breakfast in the kitchen, and sighs in relief once she enters her room and locks the door.

Maureen jumps in the air and squeals in the bunched-up shirt in her hands.

Collapses in bed with the stupidest, widest smile on her face.

Just before she falls asleep (yes, still smiling), her phone buzzes.

Kuya Inggo: thank you for the best date, rinn. papayagan kitang panaginipan ako.