UNDER HIS RULES

There was one side of Anne that Eland didn’t expect. She liked direct physical contact, especially touches. Like now. When Eland carefully placed the bowl in front of Anne, she casually kissed his cheek. Whether she was aware of it or not, it was clear that she was now enjoying the noodles in front of her.

Shaking his head softly was all that Eland could do now. Anne’s side was truly testing him. Eland had promised himself not to go beyond the limits, no matter how difficult it was to resist.

They enjoyed the meal voraciously, well, Anne enjoyed it voraciously. In between bites, she said, “Turns out, your cooking is really delicious. I love it. Will you make it for me again later?”

“Finish your food first. Don’t forget to eat the vegetables,” Eland reminded her.

Although grumbling, Anne still ate what Eland asked. Eland noticed that Anne’s portion of noodles quickly disappeared behind her slightly reddened lips. Perhaps Anne had added more chili slices to her bowl of noodles. Beads of sweat started to appear on Anne’s forehead.

“Still not enough?” Eland wiped away the sweat that was making Anne’s hair damp. Anne’s clear eyes seemed to convey something as she glanced curiously at Eland’s bowl. “Finish it if that’s the case.” He slid his bowl slightly closer.

“Really?” Anne asked eagerly, but then the joy in her eyes dimmed. “But won’t you still be hungry?”

“No,” Eland tried to hold back his laughter. He took a bite of noodles to encourage Anne to finish her portion. “Come on.”

Anne looked hesitant, but seeing Eland’s tempting bowl, she moved closer. She accepted a bite of noodles from Eland. “Delicious,” she said between bites.

“Eat first, then talk.” Eland cleaned up the sauce smudges on Anne’s lip. She responded with an enthusiastic nod. Eland proceeded to feed her a second bite. Sometimes he truly felt like Anne had transformed into a messy child. Her eating manners were all over the place.

On the third bite, Eland couldn’t resist anymore. The way Anne enjoyed the noodles was so tempting that his gaze became fixated on one spot. Her lips. So he quickly grabbed the end of the noodle, leaving the rest in Anne’s mouth.

Anne’s eyes widened, especially since Eland’s face was now very close. Until the last bite of the noodle was chewed by him, leaving only a small piece, their lips met in the brief moment. “Chew, An.”

Eland’s words somewhat paralyzed Anne’s thought process. There were many moments of closeness between them where Anne suddenly didn’t know what to do. Although upon reconsideration, she realized that she often provoked those situations, even though it wasn’t her intention. Somehow Anne always liked the way Eland treated her. She enjoyed leaning on his shoulder for a long time. Occasionally, she would bite his hand even when they were having serious conversations. Or play with Eland’s fingers when their hands were intertwined.

The most frequent thing Anne did was hug Eland without permission. Sometimes, she clung tightly to him like a koala seeking protection, and fortunately, Eland never complained. Although there was still a lingering fear and worry because Eland’s attitude was like the direction of the wind. Easily changing. But upon reflection, that cold demeanor disappeared only when he was with Anne.

Anne managed to swallow the remaining noodles in her mouth, even though their lips were still locked together, feeling the remnants of the instant noodles moistening their lips. And at some point, Anne’s chair moved closer to Eland. The bowl that should have been consumed by Anne also moved a bit further. Especially when Eland’s hand held Anne’s neck to prevent excessive movement.

“The orange flavor mixed with the noodles,” Eland said between their kisses. This also made Anne annoyed. “Eland, come on.” She pushed him gently, but unfortunately, Eland was more responsive. He easily lifted Anne to sit on his lap, comfortably leaning back in the dining chair with her legs slightly apart so that Anne could sit comfortably on top.

Eland gently moved away the hair that touched her cheek. He did it slowly, tenderly, with feelings, and his gaze never left Anne’s. With his other hand, Eland deliberately held Anne to prevent her from feeling afraid of falling from his lap.

Meanwhile, Anne never expected Eland to close the gap so closely. Suddenly she felt her skin tingling as she received the gentle touch on her back. Unfortunately, this time Anne had chosen to wear a short-sleeved violet chiffon blouse paired with loose comfortable trousers. The touch was so noticeable that it reached the ends of her nerves.

She wanted to move Eland’s hand away to prevent him from going any further, but what Anne did instead was to wrap her hand around Eland’s neck. She closed her eyes for a moment, thinking it would alleviate the tingling sensation, but it only made her moan softly.

“Eland,” she looked up, causing Eland to lose control. Without wasting any time, Eland attacked that slender neck, complete with gentle nibbles. It created an unstoppable rush throughout Anne’s bloodstream.

The licks transformed over time into gentle kisses. Sometimes, small bites that made Anne squirm. She tightened her grip on Eland’s shoulder, afraid that she would collapse from the sensation. Eland’s lips not only moistened the area around Anne’s neck but also explored its deepest crevices. Satisfied with the sight of the red marks, Eland leaned down to plant more kisses.

At the point where the buttons of Anne’s blouse were still fastened, Eland paused for a moment. He could feel Anne’s racing heartbeat and her uneven breath as their eyes met, revealing the haze of passion that was starting to take over. It seeped into the depths of Anne, who had never crossed her boundaries before. Eland wanted to stop, but the soft, enchanting voice that escaped his lips left him speechless.

“Why did you stop?”

Eland had never considered the consequences of his actions before. In every situation that had happened in his life, Eland had always relied on instinct, conquering territories and marking them as his own, regardless of the consequences he might face, as long as his ego was satisfied. But when it came to Anne, he couldn’t act that way.

The hand that had been ready to undress her, to savor every curve of Anne’s body without any barriers, and to take her to his bed, had to halt its intentions. The temptation to explore every flawless detail of her fair skin had been playing in his mind. In his imagination, Eland could already see them lying together in the aftermath of their shared pleasure.

But…

“If I continue, everything can fall into chaos.” Eland smiled faintly, choosing to hold Anne tightly in his arms. “Let’s just stay like this.” He kissed the side of Anne’s head affectionately.

Anne blinked in disbelief, then, after a moment of realizing the weight of his words, she wanted to hit her head repeatedly. She tightened her embrace as a form of gratitude. Why did she act like a seductive woman who couldn’t control herself? Especially when she had asked Eland not to treat her like the woman from his past.

Why did she herself break that request?

“Thank you,” Anne whispered softly.

“I can still be patient until the right time. But after that, don’t expect me to hold back if you tease like earlier.”

Anne laughed while lightly hitting Eland’s chest.

“I’m serious.” Eland tightened his embrace. They stayed in this position for a while, the most intimate they had ever been throughout their romantic relationship.

“Um… An,” Eland called out as he slowly released his embrace. “Can you not move?”

“Yes?” Anne was confused. “I want to get down, so I need to move.”

“Your movement makes me get up, just so you know.”

Clearly, Anne’s eyes widened in disbelief. “Eland!” She quickly got off his lap. “I have to stay away from you. It’s dangerous!”

Eland laughed heartily, letting the girl half-run back to her room. After grabbing the bag she had brought earlier, she left behind the swollen noodles in her bowl. There was nothing Eland could do except clean up their leftovers. He glanced briefly at what he had said earlier, and it was true. Who could resist when the girl he liked was near him?

“Ah… There’s no Tequila here. What a fate,” Eland grimaced but then decided to move on quickly. Maybe a cup of hot coffee could calm the desires that had already taken hold. At least he held firm to his promise not to touch Anne until they were united by God through a more sacred bond. Yet it would have been easy for Eland to yield to Anne.

It was not just empty talk.

But one thing made him hesitant. Anne was different. Perhaps it was a feeling in his heart, wanting to treat something precious that had suddenly appeared by his side. Eland had never experienced this before. Abandoned by his parents since he was young, he knew the ending of their lives when he grew up as a teenager. They were lying stiff in an unattended grave, with news that they died as a couple of top-class ecstasy dealers hunted by the police in the Northern Region.

He had no siblings to lean on. He wandered freely like the wind that wanted to conquer many places, but he knew he had limitations. Then he met Sam, who made him feel that he was worthy of acceptance. So loyalty was the price he gave.

It had been quite a while since he had been enjoying his coffee along with the cigarette, leaving behind the remaining ashes. Realizing that Anne hadn’t come out of her room yet, he wondered what she was doing now. Curious, Eland quickly put out the rest of his cigarette and followed Anne’s whereabouts. When his steps reached her room, he smiled mischievously.

The girl had intervened in his bed. Although he was certain that the moment her body fell and she fell asleep, the room must have received Anne’s touch in terms of tidying up. One corner of his room was filled with a pile of dirty clothes that Anne had collected in one place. Some items had returned to their original positions, although Eland knew that some were misplaced.Belonging © NôvelDram/a.Org.

“Tired, huh?” Eland approached, touching Anne’s forehead while gently caressing her head with affection. “You don’t have to tidy up, An.” He stared at her peaceful sleeping face for a while. The soft snoring and the rhythm of her breathing going up and down convinced Eland that Anne was truly deep in her slumber.

“If we sleep together, you won’t be angry, right?” Eland chuckled softly. He pulled the blanket that covered Anne’s body. He climbed onto the bed and lay right beside her. He nudged her slightly to adjust her sleeping position so that she would be in his embrace.

“I love you, An.” Eland tightened his hold. He chose to turn off the bedroom light and pulled the blanket. “Hopefully, this time I can still restrain myself.” Stealing a kiss on Anne’s lips was enjoyable but also exhilarating. “No funny business, J. This time, we’re just sleeping,” he whispered halfheartedly, hoping that a kind-hearted God would calm his restless heart.