Adrian had no idea what he was doing in that charity ball with his cousin Bridgette but he knew he needed to mingle to keep his mind off the wicked witch who owned Venetian Blooms. A few weeks had already passed and he was still agitated by the mere thought of her.
“How do I look?” tanong sa kanya ng magandang pinsan. She was a mix of Iranian and Filipino blood.
Saglit niya itong tinapunan ng tingin bago ibinalik ang tingin sa kawalan. “You look great,” walang-enerhiyang sabi niya.
“You don’t look so bad yourself, cuz,” He was wearing an Armani suit that his mother sent him a few days ago along with her precious belongings.
Hindi na siya magtataka kung isa sa mga araw na ito ay walang pasabi itong uuwi sa Pilipinas. Stubborness sure did run in the family.
“Who’s that girl?” pagkuwa’y sabi ni Bridgette na biglang umasim ang mukha sa nakita.
“Who?” wala sa loob na sabi niya. His mind was floating somewhere in between Kristine Monterroyo’s lovely legs.
“That woman in vintage Valentino. She’s beautiful and she’s in Derek Lombardi’s arms. I hate her.”
His heart literally skipped a beat when he recognized the woman Bridgette was talking about. My, my, the wicked witch is here. Hindi siguro nakatiis kaya siya ngayon itong naghahabol. Makikita niya!
“Let’s go,” sabi habang inaakay ang pinsan patungo sa kabilang bahagi ng dance floor.
“W-where?”
“Kanina mo pa gustong magpapansin sa lalakeng iyon, hindi ba? Derek is it?”
Bridgette beamed and kissed him on the cheek. “Now this is the reason why you’re my favorite cousin!”
Kristine wanted to leave the party the moment she spotted Adrian. Of all parties, dito pa sila magkikita! At ang malas nga naman, Derek was guiding her towards Adrian and his date she had no choice but to face the man who had been causing her sleepless nights the whole week!
But tried as she might, she could not help feeling a sharp pang of jealousy when the statuesque beauty kissed Adrian on the cheek, just above his lips. Kanina pa siya panakaw-nakaw ng tingin sa dalawa at kanina pa niya gustong sabunutan ang babaeng tila sawa kung makalingkis sa ama ng anak niya.
“Mr. DeLuca, I would like you to meet Ms. Kristine Monterroyo, an old friend of the family. She supplied all the flowers for the charity ball. Isn’t she lovely?”
Hinapit siya ni Derek sa baywang at nakita iyon ni Adrian. A glint of hostility crossed his eyes.
Pormal na tumango si Adrian habang diretsong nakatingin sa kanya. “This is Bridgette Soriano. My girlfriend,” he said giving emphasis to the last word.
Matamis na ngumiti si Bridgette. “Hello.”
“I thought you were cousins,” kunot-noong sabi ni Derek.
“She’s adopted,” diretsong sabi ni Adrian na lihim namang ikinahagikhik ni Bridgette.
Kristine knew she had to get out of that awkward scene fast. Hanggang ngayon ay hindi pa rin niya alam kung paano haharapin si Adrian pagkatapos ng nangyari sa kanila. And there was the matter of their child na hanggang ngayon ay hindi pa niya napapagdesisyunan kung ano ang gagawin. And now only to find out that he had a girlfriend! God, what a mess!
She inhaled before speaking. “Bridgette, Mr. DeLuca... it’s been a pleasure meeting you. It’s a pity I can’t stay longer because I have an early engagement tomorrow. Excuse me—.”
“May I have your last dance then, Ms. Monterroyo?” sabi ni Adrian na ikinawindang niya. “DeLuca Industries is going to celebrate it’s 30th anniversary next month. I need flowers for the occassion. Let’s talk about it on the dance floor.”
“Derek, be a sweetheart and dance with me.” Agad namang yaya ni Bridgette kay Derek.
Derek Lombardi smiled. “My pleasure.”
Kristine wanted to protest and hold on to Derek but her date had already steered Bridgette to the dancefloor.
Naiwan siya sa presensiya ni Adrian. The brewing tension between them escalated in no time.
“Mr. DeLuca, I...” She didn’t know what to say or do. As usual.
“Shut up and dance with me,” mariing sabi nito sabay hawak sa beywang niya. He guided her to the dancefloor.
There was that overwhelming sensation again everytime her skin would touch his. It made her want to make love to him day in and day out. Great. Just great.
“Sino ang Derek na iyon sa buhay mo?” he asked in controlled anger. “Why was he holding you like you’re one of his prized possessions?”
“That’s basically what you’re doing to me right now, Mr. DeLuca,” she bit out sarcastically.
“Damn right I am!” anito sa kontroladong tinig. “You’re mine, Kristine. All mine. Every grain of your body belongs to me.”
She gave an exaggerated look of surprise. “Whatever gave you that idea?”
Adrian grabbed her waist harder and pulled her in closer. “You feel that honey?” he said of his bulging arousal. “I wouldn’t be surprised if yours is dripping wet right now, too.”
She must be blushing scarlet! Pumiksi siya ngunit pinigilan siya nito. His arms were like bended steel bars around her. She barely even had the space to move. “Bastos!”
“Am I? You haven’t seen nothing yet, baby. I can be a primeval beast when provoked. Remember that.”
Katahimikan. They were in each other’s arms in the middle of the dance floor but they were barely even dancing.
“Did you…miss me?” pagkuwa’y tanong nito. She almost smiled at the uncertainty in his voice. Hindi iyon nababagay sa binata.
“No. I haven’t even thought of you since,” agad na sagot niya. “Kalimutan na natin ang nangyari, Adrian.”
“Alin sa mga ginawa natin ang gusto mong kalimutan. Be specific,” he teased. Tila nakabawi na ito sa sandaling pag-aalinlangan.
Muli siyang pumiksi. “Let go of me! Uuwi na ako.”
“Ako na ang maghahatid sa iyo pauwi.” Hinawakan nito ang kamay niya at inakay siya palabas ng ballroom. “Pero bago iyon ay dadaan muna tayo sa langit!”
She breathed heavily. There was always this thin line between anticipation and Mr. Adrian DeLuca…and she was constantly treading on it like a clueless tightrope walker.
“How do I look?” tanong sa kanya ng magandang pinsan. She was a mix of Iranian and Filipino blood.
Saglit niya itong tinapunan ng tingin bago ibinalik ang tingin sa kawalan. “You look great,” walang-enerhiyang sabi niya.
“You don’t look so bad yourself, cuz,” He was wearing an Armani suit that his mother sent him a few days ago along with her precious belongings.
Hindi na siya magtataka kung isa sa mga araw na ito ay walang pasabi itong uuwi sa Pilipinas. Stubborness sure did run in the family.
“Who’s that girl?” pagkuwa’y sabi ni Bridgette na biglang umasim ang mukha sa nakita.
“Who?” wala sa loob na sabi niya. His mind was floating somewhere in between Kristine Monterroyo’s lovely legs.
“That woman in vintage Valentino. She’s beautiful and she’s in Derek Lombardi’s arms. I hate her.”
His heart literally skipped a beat when he recognized the woman Bridgette was talking about. My, my, the wicked witch is here. Hindi siguro nakatiis kaya siya ngayon itong naghahabol. Makikita niya!
“Let’s go,” sabi habang inaakay ang pinsan patungo sa kabilang bahagi ng dance floor.
“W-where?”
“Kanina mo pa gustong magpapansin sa lalakeng iyon, hindi ba? Derek is it?”
Bridgette beamed and kissed him on the cheek. “Now this is the reason why you’re my favorite cousin!”
Kristine wanted to leave the party the moment she spotted Adrian. Of all parties, dito pa sila magkikita! At ang malas nga naman, Derek was guiding her towards Adrian and his date she had no choice but to face the man who had been causing her sleepless nights the whole week!
But tried as she might, she could not help feeling a sharp pang of jealousy when the statuesque beauty kissed Adrian on the cheek, just above his lips. Kanina pa siya panakaw-nakaw ng tingin sa dalawa at kanina pa niya gustong sabunutan ang babaeng tila sawa kung makalingkis sa ama ng anak niya.
“Mr. DeLuca, I would like you to meet Ms. Kristine Monterroyo, an old friend of the family. She supplied all the flowers for the charity ball. Isn’t she lovely?”
Hinapit siya ni Derek sa baywang at nakita iyon ni Adrian. A glint of hostility crossed his eyes.
Pormal na tumango si Adrian habang diretsong nakatingin sa kanya. “This is Bridgette Soriano. My girlfriend,” he said giving emphasis to the last word.
Matamis na ngumiti si Bridgette. “Hello.”
“I thought you were cousins,” kunot-noong sabi ni Derek.
“She’s adopted,” diretsong sabi ni Adrian na lihim namang ikinahagikhik ni Bridgette.
Kristine knew she had to get out of that awkward scene fast. Hanggang ngayon ay hindi pa rin niya alam kung paano haharapin si Adrian pagkatapos ng nangyari sa kanila. And there was the matter of their child na hanggang ngayon ay hindi pa niya napapagdesisyunan kung ano ang gagawin. And now only to find out that he had a girlfriend! God, what a mess!
She inhaled before speaking. “Bridgette, Mr. DeLuca... it’s been a pleasure meeting you. It’s a pity I can’t stay longer because I have an early engagement tomorrow. Excuse me—.”
“May I have your last dance then, Ms. Monterroyo?” sabi ni Adrian na ikinawindang niya. “DeLuca Industries is going to celebrate it’s 30th anniversary next month. I need flowers for the occassion. Let’s talk about it on the dance floor.”
“Derek, be a sweetheart and dance with me.” Agad namang yaya ni Bridgette kay Derek.
Derek Lombardi smiled. “My pleasure.”
Kristine wanted to protest and hold on to Derek but her date had already steered Bridgette to the dancefloor.
Naiwan siya sa presensiya ni Adrian. The brewing tension between them escalated in no time.
“Mr. DeLuca, I...” She didn’t know what to say or do. As usual.
“Shut up and dance with me,” mariing sabi nito sabay hawak sa beywang niya. He guided her to the dancefloor.
There was that overwhelming sensation again everytime her skin would touch his. It made her want to make love to him day in and day out. Great. Just great.
“Sino ang Derek na iyon sa buhay mo?” he asked in controlled anger. “Why was he holding you like you’re one of his prized possessions?”
“That’s basically what you’re doing to me right now, Mr. DeLuca,” she bit out sarcastically.
“Damn right I am!” anito sa kontroladong tinig. “You’re mine, Kristine. All mine. Every grain of your body belongs to me.”
She gave an exaggerated look of surprise. “Whatever gave you that idea?”
Adrian grabbed her waist harder and pulled her in closer. “You feel that honey?” he said of his bulging arousal. “I wouldn’t be surprised if yours is dripping wet right now, too.”
She must be blushing scarlet! Pumiksi siya ngunit pinigilan siya nito. His arms were like bended steel bars around her. She barely even had the space to move. “Bastos!”
“Am I? You haven’t seen nothing yet, baby. I can be a primeval beast when provoked. Remember that.”
Katahimikan. They were in each other’s arms in the middle of the dance floor but they were barely even dancing.
“Did you…miss me?” pagkuwa’y tanong nito. She almost smiled at the uncertainty in his voice. Hindi iyon nababagay sa binata.
“No. I haven’t even thought of you since,” agad na sagot niya. “Kalimutan na natin ang nangyari, Adrian.”
“Alin sa mga ginawa natin ang gusto mong kalimutan. Be specific,” he teased. Tila nakabawi na ito sa sandaling pag-aalinlangan.
Muli siyang pumiksi. “Let go of me! Uuwi na ako.”
“Ako na ang maghahatid sa iyo pauwi.” Hinawakan nito ang kamay niya at inakay siya palabas ng ballroom. “Pero bago iyon ay dadaan muna tayo sa langit!”
She breathed heavily. There was always this thin line between anticipation and Mr. Adrian DeLuca…and she was constantly treading on it like a clueless tightrope walker.
