Chapter 19

"This is really getting out of hand," I whispered to myself while staring down at the sleeping beauty snoring beside me. Femella in all her glory is splayed beneath the white sheets, her legs entangled on his thighs.

"Man, this is crazy," I softly speak to prevent her from waking up.

My heart was debating whether to analyze the strange feeling or just let it be.

This has been bugging me for the past days that we were together and was only cemented after our literal heated encounter last night.

I scooted over and brushed the sides of her hair.

"Femella Alcantara. Femella Alcantara."

The way her name rolls in my tongue seems so good to my ears. I stared at the woman who was still sound asleep in my bed.

"Why.. Why do I feel like I've met you before? Why does it feel like I've known you for years? Your touch, your smell, even your presence felt too familiar."

The woman moved and slowly opened her eyes. She seemed disoriented at first but when her eyes settled on mine, she relaxed and smiled.

"Hi.." she said in her sweet sultry bedroom voice. Her voice and smile brought a certain warmth to his being.

"Hi," I greeted her back and tucked the strands of her hair behind her ear. "Rise now sunshine. It'll be a long day ahead. I'll take you on a tour around the island."

Her eyes widened and excitement flashed across her face. She sank back to the bed and closed her eyes. I can't help myself but stare down at her.

"Sounds fun."

"You can rest for a couple of hours if you want to."

She shook her head and got up.

"No. We're only four days away from going back to the city so I might as well go sightseeing. I won't waste my stay here if I can't... I mean we can't go around the island. You told me you will show me around."

My face turned sour remembering our agreement. Right. That goddamn piece of contract is blocking my way.

Your way to what? An obnoxious part of me asked.

I watched her proceed to the bathroom and closed the door. I got up and found the cellphone on the side table that had been vibrating. I sat on the bed and answered my friend.

"Luther," I answered him.

"Damn, man! Where have you been all this time? I've been trying to call you for days now to make some arrangements but your sexy secretary won't even answer me. She always said it's confidential. Where are you now?" Luther's familiar annoying voice roared on the other line.

"I'll tell Christine to schedule our meeting next week," I said and went out of the room to cook breakfast.

"Next week? I need to talk about our business partnership this week. I already got myself a few willing investors."

"I can't, man. I'm in the middle of a very important mission this time. I'll talk to you personally next week when I come back."

I took the pasta out of the cupboard and boiled some water.

"Where are you now? I can go wherever you are right now. Are you on a vacation? Shoot! I badly needed to practice my skills in flying. Where are you? Egypt? Indonesia? Slovenia?"

I laughed at what he said.

"I was just in Europe last month. Slovenia was included in my itinerary. Indonesia is also great but I'm not in the mood for rainforest trekking. I can do that here in the country. Egypt? I remembered traveling there five years ago."

I opened the refrigerator and grabbed a bag of fresh shrimps.

"So you're here in the country. Let me guess, it's a woman. Maverick, you're still looking for her until now? Man, how many more women and countries you have to go to for you to accept that she doesn't exist?"

I grinned.

"Look who's talking. I'm not like you who can't even recall his lover's name in the morning. My life is in the line here, man."

My voice went serious.

"Okay, okay. I let you do your thing. Just be careful this time. You don't want to repeat what happened to you," he warned.

"Thank you, man. I'm so touched."

"Fuck off!"

He hung up on me.

Laughing, I resumed cooking. I heard the door of the room open and the fragrant scent of Femella filled the entire living room. I stopped chopping the garlic and looked back at her.

She's wearing my shirt again which I find to be appealing.

Water was still dripping from her long hair which she was rubbing with a towel. No make-up. No fancy clothes and yet Femella looks the classiest.

She came to me and peered at the pot, her rich caramel-like scent assaulted my nostrils.

"What are you cooking?"

She slung the towel over her shoulder.

"Fettuccine Alfredo with shrimp," I answered while putting butter on the pan to cook the shrimp.

"Looks good."

She went to the brewing machine and started making coffee.

"After this, you'll take me around right?" she added.

"Yeah, the island offers many water activities. We can try some of them since a day is not enough to cover them all. I'll teach you how to surf."

I took out the pasta using a strainer and put it in the pan and stirred.

"Sure."

Femella set down a mug of coffee next to me before making her own.

"Thank you."

I picked up the coffee and sipped. Perfect. The taste is really good. Makes me wanna ask how she easily caught the right blend of my coffee.

I looked at her while she was placing a plate on the table while drinking coffee with her other hand.

This feels too intimate. Me cooking while she is preparing the table.

I suppressed a grin. It's like one of those scenes I saw with my brother and my sister-in-law.

"Fem?" Her name slipped in my tongue before I could even stop myself.

"Yeah, what is it?" she asked without turning her back to me.

"If I ask you to be my girlfriend, will you say yes?"

The woman turned to me violently. Her eyes widened and her mouth fell open. Then her shoulders moved to the tune of her sarcastic laugh. She touched her stomach and looked at me tearfully.

"Seriously? Are you on some kind of drug now?"

She wiped the tears off her eyes and sat down at the end of the table.

I turned off the fire and faced her. "No, I'm fuckin serious. Will you be my girlfriend?"

She laughed again and then gave me a look like I was going crazy. Yeah, I know I'm crazy for asking such a question to her but hey, it's been years since I asked a woman to be my girlfriend.

"Am I that good in sex? I didn't do anything! I just laid there and let you do all the pounding and well I stood up when we did it under the shower. But is that enough reason for you to get crazy on me? Gosh, Fuentebella. You're asking a woman here a despicable question."

"It's Mav once again." I crossed my ankle over another, leaned on the counter, and sternly looked at her. "Do you think it's only about sex that's why I'm asking you to be my girlfriend?"

"Yes."

My mouth twisted into a grin. "You're right. So? Yes or no?"

She rolled her eyes. "You're a fuckin asshole, you know that right?"

My grin widened even more. I really love the way she flares up. When she is shy, blushing, angry, crying and moaning beneath me, I find her to be the most beautiful during those moments.

"I'm aware of that given how many people shouted it in my face but you know what happened after? They all agreed and said yes afterwards. The end."

"Of course! They were forced!"

I shook my head.

"Uh Uh. No, they did it on their own will. Never have to lift a finger and repeat my words. You know what I did? Negotiation. I gave them a deal they can't refuse."

She gave me an intrigued look. "What's the deal for me?"

I grinned once again. "Whatever you want. House? Money? Fame? All of them? I'll give you everything you want."

"Gosh! You talk like a sugar daddy!"

"I'm too cruel to be described as sugar though calling me a daddy will only spice up what's going on between us."

I got a plate to transfer the pasta.

"There's nothing going on between us except sex."

She went down from the table and poured more coffee into the mug.

Holding the plate of food, I went behind Femella and pulled her hair then kissed her nape. I can tell that she went uneasy for a moment by what I did but she recovered immediately and continued pouring the liquid.

"Yes, exactly the reason why I'm asking you to be my girlfriend."

My kiss went down her neck while my free hand was wrapped around her waist.

"No."

Her icy cold voice stopped me from what I'm doing.

She moved away from me to put a distance between us. She bent down to take a breath before raising her head at me. I was stunned to see the determination on her face.

"No, I will not be your girlfriend. After this one-week stint we have and after getting your payment for me, I'll leave the club. You see Mav, people don't just plunge into the mud without any reason. Everyone has ambitions. You do. I do. It's only a matter of how people will go to great lengths to achieve it or not. This is my way of getting mine. The money I'll be getting from you is enough for my future plans in life so it's a no. I won't accept your proposal."

She turned her back on me and returned to the table before I could even speak. I stood there holding the plate full of pasta and shrimps perplexed and left thinking about what she said.

Fine, I'll stop analyzing. I have to accept her refusal at a face value.

I followed her and laid the food on the table then occupied the opposite chair.

"You're right."

She looked up to me from her coffee, her brows slightly raised.

"About what?"

"About what you said that you did nothing. You just laid and stood there doing nothing."

Her lips parted and her eyes rolled.

"Asshole." She gave me a finger.

I just laughed at her burning face trying to wipe off the feeling of rejection that is slowly settling in my heart.