Chapter 15 - Loved

Gail

It has been two days since Dinah left and days after the party, but I still feel attached, or should it be affected, to that... dancer. Ano ba meron sa kanya that has me hooked on him?

As I stared onto the screen of the computer in my office, I felt the strain on thinking of a fresh campaign for the new company ccount we have. An energy drink. Gosh. This is hard... Di nga ako umiinom ng ganun... all that sugar!

"This is a bit stressful!" sigaw ko as I turned my chair to face the glass that was the wall of my office at tumingin sa kalsada sa ibaba.

"Knock, knock. You seemed over worked Gail..." Sir Tuyor spoke by my open door.

"Oh sorry, Sir!" I stood upright ng nakaharap sa kanya from the other side of the office room feeling a bit awkward.

"Walang problema... you are way advance on things... maybe you should take it easy... why not... get off work early and go... what you call it... 'shopping'?" Sir Tuyor said nakangiti.

After a few minutes of discussion, some explanation of cost cutting figures and analysis... and how he doens't want his department head burning out on him, Sir Tuyor finally convinced me to leave work for the day... sa loob lang ng isang oras! This is not me, well, excited naman ako to go shopping. And with all the overtime, that turned into almost-overnighters in the office, under my belt and the belts of the staff, this was new to me.

Anyway, i had my bag with me as I sashayed my way to the lobby. I looked at myself on the shiny surface of the elevator panel as I went down to the basement parking. One has to look good when going out to the world.

"Gosh! Ang init!" I said as i brought my shades to my eyes, from my bag on the front passenger seat, as my car drove up the ramp to the streets.

Good thing the streets were partially deserted till later. Driving to the Shang  mall was quick, which was something different. Friday ngayon by the way and galing akong Makati business district.

"This is what I call 'therapy-shopping'!" I whispered in my mind as I went to the boutique that I usually frequent, Jimmy Choo.

I was signing the credit card receipt of my latest shoe purchase when I turned from the counter and saw... him...

"Nicolo?"

I saw him, or was it really him, on the opposite pathway of the boutique I was in. Looking so buff and enticing in that faded jeans and bicep-hugging shift, he was catching some of the girls and pa-girls attention as he stood there. Nag isa siya. Looks like he's browsing the window display of  Aeropostale. And causing some small commotions with his mere presence in the area.

"Another chanced encounter, is it?" I thought as I walked out the door of the boutique.

"Hey there..." I said as I walked just behind him.

"Uyyy!" he said turning, taking his shades off and looking at me with a smile.

"Wow!"

Nicolo

"Wow!"

Nandito din siya. Pagkakataon nga naman. Pumunta lang naman ako para magpalamig at bumili ng bagong T-shirt. Tapos makikita ko itong dalagang ito... si... si Ms. Mataray... si...

"Gail... ah... Ma'am... ano ginagawa niyo dito?" tanong ko habang binubulsa ang salamin ko.

"Just... just call me Gail... well... just relaxing and a bit of shopping... you?" sabi niya ng tingnan ko ang mga dala niyang paper bag.

"Ah... may... may bibilhin lang na shirt... madaming magaganda sa store na ito... mahal nga lang... a-akin na... tulungan na kita..." sabi ko ng abutin ko ang mga paper bag na hawak niya.

At... nagtama ang mga kamay namin.

Naramamdaman ko na naman ang malambot na kamay na humawak sa akin ilang araw na ang nakakalipas. Naramdaman ko ang init sa kalamnan ko ng naalala ko ulit ang mga nangyari. Nagkatinginan ng ilang segundo at alam ko naalala niya ulit ang mga nangyari ng gabing yun.

"Thanks... can you wait for me here... i just need to buy something from this store... I'll just take a few minutes..." sabi niya sa akin na nagpagulo ng konti sa isip ko.

"O-ok..." sagot ko na halos pabulong na.

Halos buong hapon kami naglibot ni Gail sa mall. Buong araw siyang nakahawak sa braso ko. Nilalaro ang mga daliri niya sa balat ng braso ko. Kinikilabutan ako at nag init lalo ang pakiramdam ko. Lalaki lang ako at minsan mahina din.

"So... sabay ka na... I'll bring you home later..." sabi ni Gail ng palabas na kami ng mall papuntang basement parking.

"H-hindi... wag na... nakakahiya naman at malayo ang inuuwian ko..." sabi ko habang nilalagay ang mga paper bag ng binili niya sa baggage compartment ng kotse niya.

"Its ok... its not like... you're a total stranger, di ba?" sabi niya ng mabagal siyang lumapit sa akin.

Nahinto ako at tumayo sa harap ni Gail ng bigla niya akong hinalikan. Isang mainit na halik. Nailang ako kasi baka may makakita sa amin ng sinabit niya ang mga kamay niya sa leeg ko. Doon lalo uminit ang pakiramdam ko at hinawakan siya sa bewang.

"Here you go..." sabi ni Gail ng humiwalay siya sa halik namin sabay abot ng isa sa mga paper bag na nasa kotse.

"For you... its your size... I even asked help from the saleslady in the store" kwento niya habang binubuksan ko ng paperbag at inilabas ang tatlong T-shift na nasa loob.

"Wow! Salamat... Pero..." banggit ko ng ibinabalik sa kanya ang bag.

"Nope... I won't take 'NO' for an answer" sabi nito sabay lakad papunta sa pinto ng kotse.

"C'mon..." sabi niya ng sinara ko ang likuran ng kotse.

Sumakay ako sa tabi ni Gail habang nasa may manibela siya. Tahimik kami ng mga dalawang minuto bago siya lumapit sa akin at muling humalik go pinaandar ang makina.

"Let's go..." sabi niya nang umaandar na ang kotse.

Kahit napakalamig ng aircon ng kotse niya, pinagpapawisan ako ng sobra. Nag iinit. Sa mga palad ko. Sa aking kalamnan. Di ko maipaliwanag.

Mabilis lang ang drive. Malapit lang kasi ang tirahan niya sa mall. Pinarada niya ang kotse sa basement parking ng isang magarang condo unit sa may Eastwood.

"Can you be a dear and help me bring up my things first then I can bring you home?" sabi niya ng binuksan niya ang pinto niya.

"Ha? Sorry... Mabilis masyado... di ako sobrang galing sa English... I talk little English only..." sabi ko ng mapakamot ako sa batok ko.

"Ang sabi ko, tulungan mo naman ako iakyat ang mga binili... tapos hatid na kita sa inyo..." yaya niya habang nakatingin sa akin at tumatawa sa pag E-English ko.

"Medyo marami rin pala ang mga pinamili niya" bulong ko sa sarili ko habang nasa elevator kami paakyat sa condo niya.

Magara ang building. Marmol ang lapag. Malinis. Pati ang mga daanan ay may aircon. Mukhang para talaga sa mga may kaya. Mga taong di ko kauri.

Binuksan niya ang pinto ng unit niya at ang ilaw bago ako pumasok. Maganda ang loob nito. Mukhang mahal din ang mga gamit dito. Amoy mayaman din ang loob.

"Upo ka muna... while I take this to the other room" sabi niya dala ang mga paper bag.

Ang lambot ng sofa niya. Nahiya akong umupo at baka madumihan. Maganda ang lapag. Malinis ang carpet. Pati ang kurtina.

Pagbalik ni Gail sa sala, nakatapis na lang siya na kinagulat ko.

"May gusto kang inumin?" banggit niya habang papalapit sa akin.

Napaatras ako sa kinauupan ko ng malapit siya sa akin. Kabado. Parang nung nagperform kami sa party nila.

"Ah... O-ok lang ako..." sagot ko.

"Nervous?"

Gail

"Nervous?" bulong ko as I approached him some more.

"Ah... di naman..." he answered though I can see sweat forming on his forehead.

"So you wouldn't mind me doing this? " I said as i took off his shirt.

"Or this?" unbuttoning his jeans.

"Or how about... this?" as i was unzipping his pants.

I don't know what came over me. I was possessed... by lust... and seeing Nicolo partially naked in front of me pushed me over the edge... edge of reason... edge of logic... edge of being the nice girl, Gail.

"Take me, Nicolo..." I commanded as I took off the towel covering my nakedness.

Then he took me in his arms. He kissed me hard on the lips... like... like there was no tomorrow.

"Gail..." he moaned as he slowly moved his kisses from my lips down my neck... down my chest... where he breathed deeply.

"Nicolo..." I moaned as I bent my back though he hugged me tighter, closer to his lips.

And with his hands moving lower to my bottom, I hugged onto his head as i felt the warmth of the skin on his scalp. And with that, he carried me on his strong arms and brought me to the bedroom. Laying me softly on the bed, there was a certain fantasy-like romance on it. As he bent down with his chest on mine, I said it...

"I... I love you... Nicolo..."

He just stared at me with his eyes a bit surprised, or was it shocked, before I kissed him and embraced him tight with my legs on his hips. With a kiss, the lust continued into the night. Hot... steamy... lustful...

Nicolo

"...love?" bulong ko sa isip ko habang nagpapatuloy ang paghahalikan namin...

Habang isang dalaga ang iniisip ko.