My Sunflower World

Chapter 15

There was a bit of sunlight filtering from the window when Maya woke up again.  She slowly opened her eyes and realized that her head was pillowed on a wide and very comfortable chest. Richard’s! She can feel the steady beating of his heart, as her senses slowly remembers the events of last night and early that morning. Richard’s arms were around her. She lifted her head, looked, and her eyes met Richard’s smiling ones.

Richard was gazing at her, full of love, and with a big smile, his eyes almost disappearing into thin lines, happiness and contentment, evident on his face. Maya gave him a sweet smile in return and a husky, good morning, getting a bit self-conscious as this was the first time she woke up like that, a boyfriend in her bed! It felt so intimate, but wonderfully so.

“Good morning, Maya!” He touched her face, gently caressed it with his thumb. “I’m so sorry, sweetheart for just conking out on you like that. I don’t know what happened. My last thought was remembering you saying you love me back while on our way back to Manila and how happy it made me that we are now officially in a relationship.”

“I know you must have been tired, sweetheart. We had a very long, and eventful day. Not to mention our ordeal the other night. It was okay.I decided to let you sleep.” Maya replied, touching his arm affectionately. “Did you sleep well? How long have you been awake.”

“Just a couple of minutes ago. I did sleep very well, especially here, beside you. You mumbled in your sleep about wanting me to go back to sleep beside you, when I looked in on you earlier, and since I wanted to, too, here I am.” Richard said softly, grinning, then gazing at her intensely, seriously, he added, “I can really get use to this, waking up beside you every morning. It is the most wonderful feeling in the world. Iba talaga!”

Maya blushed, then as she can’t find the adequate words to say after that statement, said simply, “I’m very, very glad, Ricky.” She added softly, “It was also very nice to wake up with you beside me. Besides, I must have been calling you and wanting you beside me, even in my subconscious. I felt so happy and safe, with you lying beside me.”

The two of them shared another intense, heated gaze. Overwhelmed with the extreme happiness they were feeling, coupled with the ever-present strong physical reaction to each other’s mere presence, Richard lowered his lips to Maya’s and gave her a searing kiss. Maya responded and very soon, their lips and tongues were engaged in a very intense love dance, the heat between them just kept on building, and building, and building.

“Ricky….”

“Maya….”

They both whispered to each other in between gasping for breath from their intense kisses. Their hands also moved of their own volition, doing exploration of their own. Maya caressed Richard’s back, and Richard’s hand crept under Maya’s sleep shirt and started exploring which left her gasping and short of breath and with the heat he generated travelling to her very core. Whatever his hand touched, it left a trail of fire in Maya. The pleasure was so intense. It was the same for Richard.

Both of them felt at that moment that they will just combust and set each other on fire, so strong was their desire and passion for each other.  They were so helpless to stop the tide of their passion and the inevitable, and what they have been skirting around the past several days, or even since the first time they met, happened. Finally, they allowed themselves to be consumed by the fire they ignited in each other by a mere touch, a glance, the proximity they have been to the past several day, and all the love for each other that is bursting from their chest. They succumbed to the very strong passion they feel for each other. While the morning was unfolding, Richard and Maya made love and gave all to the feelings they have for each other. When they reached the heights together, it was beyond what their imagination can conjure. They were both humbled and awed by it.

“Maya, are you okay, sweetheart? Did I hurt you?” Richard cupped Maya’s face with both hands, caressing it lovingly, catching his breath, still trying to recover from his and Maya’s intense lovemaking. Making love with her was indescribable. He also realized that despite almost marrying years ago, he was Maya’s first and only lover. That he was the one she chose to give all of her!

Richard was awed with the gift Maya bestowed on him. It took him a while to find his wits and his ability to verbalize what was in his heart at that moment. His physical relationships and casual encounters in the past paled in comparison to his and Maya’s coming to together. It was akin to being transcendental. “I hope this is not too fast for you, sweetheart. I love you very much and I’m in awed and humbled with your gift, sweetheart. Thank you. I’m so overwhelmed and touched.”

Maya blushed. But giving herself to Richard when their relationship is still so new felt so right to her. It was something she was not able to do with James no matter how much he tried to talk her into going to bed with him, especially after they have set the date of their wedding. It was one of the things he threw back at her when their relationship came to an end bitterly. She also had the notion that she would save herself for her husband on their wedding night. But she was wrong. She does not have any regrets bestowing that gift to Richard. It just felt so great and her heart was so full. Somehow, she knew that what happened is right and inevitable.

“Ricky, I’m great. It just feel so right, us doing this and the most intimate thing between a man and a woman. I love you very much.” Maya kissed Richard on the lips, assuring him that everything was great. “I don’t have any regrets.”

“I’m glad, sweetheart. I promise that I will treasure everything that is between us. I love you very, very much.” Richard promised solemnly, sealing it with a kiss. He also thought of asking Maya how come she had saved herself like this, when she almost marry before, but realized that he didn’t want another guy to enter their bliss. Besides, he was just very happy that he was the one she gave him the honor of loving her in the most intimate way.

That kiss turned into kisses and led to reigniting the fire they just doused minutes ago. They can’t just get enough of each other. Passion consumed them again and for the next moments their world revolved on giving each other pleasure and flying to the bliss they have discovered earlier, together.

Maya and Richard surfaced from that bliss around lunchtime. They were reluctant to move from each other’s arms so they stayed longer in bed, as close as two people can get, just a blanket covering their sated bodies. They fell asleep again.

It was Maya who woke up first this time. She gazed at Richard’s sleeping form. He had a smile on his sensuous lips. The blanket only covering his lower body and his sculpted upper body, bared to her admiration. Maya blushed remembering how she had caressed that body. How much his arms enveloped her and gave her pleasure and the havoc his lips caused on her senses. Hers and Richard’s coming together is beyond the physical. She was sure of that even if this was her first experience of grand passion. How she loves this guy. She didn’t have any regrets at all in giving all of her to him.

Maya disentangled herself from Richard’s embrace and slowly started getting out the bed. She was planning to go to the office at some point that day even if her aunt and cousin were not expecting here, and of course, there is that dinner with Emman. She did wish then that she can just spend the rest of the day with Richard. She only managed to put herself towards the edge of the bed when an arm encircled her waist and dragged her back to bed. When she was back where she was before, Richard kissed her and imprisoned her in his arms.

“Ricky….” Maya laughed huskily. “I need to get up, please. It is almost noon.”

“Hmmm, can it wait later, much, much later, please sweetheart.” Richard said, then his hand moved up her chest, and touched. Maya gasped. She seemed to be very extra sensitive that morning, Richard’s mere touch set her off.

“Ricky….” Maya protested weakly, barely able to think with the havoc that Richard is wrecking on her suddenly very sensitive body, again!

Maya angled her face for a kiss and it seemed like it was what Richard was waiting for. He lowered his lips to her, gave her a searing kiss and they tongues dulled and mated. Again, they succumbed to the intense passion between them, and the only sound inside the room were their groans and moans of pleasure as they reacted to each every touch.

“I love you very much, Maya.” Richard whispered to Maya, in between light kisses, when they can catch their breath again. Everything was simply amazing. “You have made me the happiest guy! The world is so much better with you in my life.”

“I love you very much too, Ricky.” Maya said lovingly. “You did the same to me, Ricky. You made everything perfect.”

They shared a beautiful smile and just cuddled, enjoying the quiet afternoon and each other’s company in the afterglow of the physical expression of their love for each other. All thoughts of going anywhere, forgotten! However, their bliss was interrupted by Maya’s growling tummy.

“I guess, we better move and have food. We haven’t had food since last night. I can heat the leftovers, let me just go to the bathroom first.” Maya said, smiling, but still not moving from Richard’s embrace.

“Go, do whatever you need to do, sweetheart. I can do that. I think I can find my way around your kitchen. I can even cook us omelette if you have bacon, cheese and eggs, of course.” Richard offered with an indulgent smile.

“Really, sweetheart!” Maya asked, unable to help her surprise, thinking that being a Lim, he does not have to. Besides, he had this laid back bachelor reputation before. “I can’t imagine you cooking. As in, you know to cook?”

“Of course, sweetheart. While I was studying in the States, I learned to fend for myself. I kind of, like it, actually. Then here naman, I live alone. I haven’t live with anyone despite my relationships. Someone just comes everyday to clean my place.”

“Oh…” Maya digested that fact. So, that meant that he and Lucy didn’t live together prior to their marriage, and no other woman shared his place.

Richard can see the questions in Maya’s eyes. He had a pretty good idea what it is all about. He wants to reassure Maya that their relationship is for keeps so if she would like to know some things from him, is very much willing to tell her. They have not really gotten around to having to talking completely about their respective past, especially the ‘exes’ that influenced how they have dealt with succeeding relationships. While the past is the past and it was better left there, Richard knows that Maya and him have to be completely behind it for them to take their beautiful relationship forward.

“I know you have things you want to know, sweetheart. Ask away, please. My life is an open book to you. I want you to know everything there is to know about me. I love you very much. I don’t want you to have even a small doubt about that. Maybe, we can just stay here the rest of the day? Do you need to be someplace else today?” Richard suggested, really wishing that Maya will say yes as he does not want to be away from her yet.

“Hmmm, I was supposed to go to the office today to touch base with Tita Margarita and Emman, but they are not really expecting me to report today. I had made a loose arrangement with Emman that I will meet him for dinner. He called last night while I was making coffee. But, I can just call him after I have been to bath and reschedule our dinner. I’m sure it will be okay with him.” Maya said, liking his idea as well. “By the way, Emman knows about us. You know my cousin, makulit and he is good at catching me unawares. I told him last night.”

“Great, sweetheart that we can stay in. I don’t have to be anywhere today also! And it is okay about Emman knowing. In fact I owe your cousin a lot. If he didn’t tell me where you were, then probably, we are not like this yet.”

“Yet, sweetheart!” Maya said smiling. “So you mean to say, we would still end up as boyfriend and girlfriend, even you didn’t follow me in Camiguin?”

“Of course, sweetheart. It is inevitable. If I didn’t follow you, the soonest you arrived back in Manila, I will be all over you, asking you for dates and courting you earnestly. I was smitten, and so much more, as you know already.” He said grinning. Then giving Maya a quick kiss, he added, “Off you go sweetheart. I’ll get up also and go to your kitchen and make us some food.”

Maya suddenly realized that she would have to go the bathroom naked, as she can’t find her clothes from the tangled sheet and anywhere near her. She started gathering the blanket to herself. Richard saw what she was doing, and smiled. She should have not been shy as they have shared the most intimate thing between a man and a woman. But still, she suddenly felt self-conscious.

“Sweetheart, you are beautiful inside out. You don’t have to hide your body to me.” Richard said gently, but still he turned around so that his back was to Maya, then he said smiling, “I will not look, as much as I want to. Promise, cross my heart. Go now, sweetheart.”

Maya was touched by Richard’s gentlemanly gesture. “Thanks, sweetheart. There is a bathroom in the other room you can use as well. There are spare towels and toiletries in the cabinet above the sink.”

“Thanks a lot, sweetheart. I’ll do that also before I cook. And take your time.”

Richard waited until he heard the bathroom door closed before he moved out of the bed, looked for his boxers and found it tangled with Maya’s clothes on the floor, his side of the bed. It seemed they just removed their clothes with abandon hours ago, not caring where they landed. He padded to the guest room and took a quick shower. He had no other choice except to put back his boxers again.

Richard went to the kitchen and rummaged through Maya’s cabinets and refrigerator. He found a carton of eggs, several packs of some Italian-sounding cheese brand, and several small packs of bacon in the freezer. He worked quietly and happily. On the side, he also started brewing coffee. He was whistling happily as he prepared the food for the love of his life, looking forward to spending the rest of the afternoon and hopefully, another evening with her.