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THIS IS THE STORY OF MALCOLM "MACKY" ARENAS
Macky seems to have it all. Wealth, power, good looks and an irrisistible magnetism that easily landed him in the areana of high-stakes politics. As the incumbent mayor of Davao City, he rules his turf as a ruthless, uncompromising leader, respected by his peers, revered by his people and feared by his enemies. He protects his family with his life and crushes his adversaries without mercy. Everyone thinks he has no weakness.
Unknown to all, he has one. Her name is Bliss. The only person who could make him so defenseles inside. But nobody knows that.
But Bliss holds a well-kept secret, a dangerous weapon that his enemies could use against him.
And Macky doesn't know that.
JADEN "Jado" DURUELO
Another Stealth Unlimited Agent finds himdelf in a sticky situation.
Trouble is , this particular situation comes with a sexy body and kissable lips.
Undercover agent Jaden Duruelo is trying to catch a culprit at Sanvictores Group. Instead, he catches the gorgeous socialite Shayanne Sanvictores on the verge of murdering her philandering fiance.
Humiliated, Shay runs to him and he ends up comforting the distraught beauty with more than just a pat in the back.
One thing leads to another and the next thing he knows, he's playing Shay's temporary fiance.
Wearing a suit, drinking champagne and attending charity balls has never been his style but he finds himself unable to resist, especially when his 'style' teacher is such a marvel to be with. Hell, she does the shopping for him, cooks him fancy European and Oriental cuisine. She even does this womanly thing on him, but Ah damn, how heavenly her fingers are on his face! A facial massage for crying out loud! He would risk being the laughingstock of his buddies at SU if he'd have a steady supply of facials from Shayanne.
They both agree it is just business, nothing personal , but then pleasure starts messing things up...and Jado is in a tighter fix than he'd even been as an SU agent. Hard-core criminals, he can face squarely. But an innocent beauty, he feels weak at the knees! Shayanne is everythig he ever wanted in a woman but keeping her is a shot at the moon. She is a pampered heiress who lives in a palace, he is a soldier of fortune who roams the streets of the most dangerous places in the world. How can he ever blend in her secure world of glam and glitter, when all he has even known is danger, darkness and speeding bullets?
EXCERPT
HE SAW her the moment she rounded the corner of the corridor. He wouldn’t mistake her for anybody, even from such distance.
Trouble, Jado thought. Big trouble.
Shayanne Sanvictores. Shay…
Hindi niya mapigilang mapalunok. He wouldn’t mind having this kind of trouble though. He’d very much like to handle this five-foot-three inches of mouth watering, whistle bait curves, all of them in the right places. And some.
She walked like her feet weren’t touching the ground, her hips swaying gracefully, her deceivingly long legs encased in low-cut designer jeans and high heels. She was wearing a top that was probably designed to torture the male species. The front was ripped in the middle, showing of course, ample cleavage and this babe’s bumpers were definitely put together to drive a man crazy. Full, high, firm breasts that even now were swaying gently as she walked towards him. He wondered if she had gone under the knife for those beauties. Ah, he would never find out, said a small part of his brain. Why don’t you find out, said a bigger part.
Up close, she was a man’s wetdream.
Huminto ito sa kanyang tapat at tiningnan siya sa bahagyang nakataas na noo. Her superior air had irritated him from day one. Kung tingnan siya nito ay parang ultimong alipin. But what did he expect? He was indeed a lowly security guard for this assignment.
“Good evening, Miss Sanvictores,” magalang na bati niya. She was after all the boss’ sister.
“You look familiar. Saan ka nga dati naka-pwesto?” nakataas ang isang kilay na tanong nito. She stared at him haughtily, her lovely brown eyes assessing him from head to toe.
He fought the urge to squirm. Squirm! He never squirmed. He had experienced the most dangerous situations in his classified missions for Stealth Unlimited as a top operative and very, very few things or nothing at all could make him squirm. But this babe was making his insides all aflutter in a weird way.
Hindi siya mapalagay habang tinititigan nito. Baby, don’t look too hard or you’ll get an eyeful. He was just a man with normal testosterone level. And right now, his fly was rapidly filling up with something really hard. Mabuti na lang at medyo dim ang lighting sa pasilyong iyon.
“Dati ay nasa Engineering building ako, Ma’am. Inilipat ako ni Sir Brian dito sa Executive building,” tukoy niya kay Brian Jimenez, ang over-all head of Security and Control Department ng Sanvictores Group of Companies sa buong bansa at sa kontinenteng Asia na kung saan ay nagkalat ang mga negosyo ng bilyonaryong angkan ng mga Sanvictores. Si Shayanne ang bunsong kapatid ng CEO ng SGC na si Nico Sanvictores, ang kanyang immediate boss sa kasalukuyan. For appearances’ sake, he seemed under Brian’s supervision but in fact, he reported directly to Nico.
On a normal situation, he could have played the game she was playing with him already. Her authoritative demeanor was challenging the primitive male in him to subjugate, to conquer. But he was careful of his cover. A lowly security guard could get sacked from coming on to the boss’ sister. And he didn’t want that to happen.
Tumango-tango ito. “Ah, gano’n ba. Si Brian?”
Napatikhim siya. “Uhm, nasa opisina niya, Ma’am.”
“Okay, salamat,” anito at lumayo na, umiindayog ang balakang na tinahak ang hallway patungo sa opisina ni Brian, ang boyfriend nito. Na sa mga oras na iyon ay may ginagawang milagro.
Shit!
“Ma’am?” hindi niya mapigilang tawagin ito.
Pumuhit si Shay. “Yes?” Her long hair rippled around her shoulders. The golden highlights of her long tresses were luminous under the bracket lamps lining up the hallway.
Hindi rin kaagad siya nakasagot. Ano ba ang sasabihin niya? Paano ba niya mapipigil ang mga susunod na pangyayari? Makikialam ba siya sa personal na buhay nito? She was about to get hurt. Her lout of a boyfriend was screwing his secretary inside his office and Miss Sanvictores was about to walk in on them.
Some perverse part of him wanted to witness the trouble that was about to transpire if he won’t interfere. The humiliation would serve Miss High and Mighty right. But he also balked at the idea of seeing her hurt so callously by catching her SOB bf with the lowly secretary. Sobrang insulto iyon kay Shay.
And so he played the Knight in a shining Armor bullshit. “Uhm, Ma’am, nakalimutan ko, umalis pala si Brian eh.”
Kumunot ang
Napakamot siya ng batok. “Hindi po nagsabi.”
Dinukot nito ang cellphone mula sa handbag nito at dumayal. Ilang segundo pa ay muli nitong ibinalik ang telepono sa bag nito. “Hindi ko siya ma-contact. I’ll just wait in his office. Thanks.” Muli siyang tinalikuran nito.
“Shit!” he muttered under his breath.
Bigla itong muling pumihit. “Excuse me?” mataray na tanong nito.
He coughed, “Wala po.”
She gave him a displeased look and turned away again. She had walked a few meters away already when he called her out again.
“Miss Sanvictores…”
Pumihit ito na halatang naasar na. “What?”
“Uh…” na-mental block siya. Which never happened since he had joined SU several years ago. Damn, what’s with this chick?
Look…Mr.?
“Jado.”
“Jay-do…” she uttered his name, rolling the syllables on her tongue as if familiarizing herself with it.
Napangiti siya. His name sure sounded really nice on her lips.
Hindi ito gumanti ng ngiti. “Look, Jado, I assure you that my boyfriend will be very happy to see me.”
I doubt it, princess. Napangiwi siya nang bahagya. “Uhm, naisip ko lang na baka wala kayong susi ng opisina ni Sir dahil meron ako. Okay Ma’am. Pasensiya na sa abala.”
She gave him a smile that could zap a hapless man into a trance for a full minute. But he was not a hapless man. Only half.
“No problem. I’ll see you around, guard.” pagdidismisa na nito sa kanya at lumakad palayo.
Bitch. A bitch who’s ego is about to be ripped to pieces.
What now? Ano ang gagawin niya? Makikisawsaw ba siya sa isang lover’s quarrel? Malamang na sa makikita ni Ms. High and Mighty sa loob ng opisina ng boyfriend nito ay magreresulta ng hindi basta lover’s quarrel, kundi giyera patani.
He decided to follow her just in case the Apocalypse happens right here at SGC compound.
ANTIPATIKONG gwardiya, naasar na isip ni Shay habang naglalakad patungo sa opisina ni Brian. Nilabanan niyang huwag lumingon. Alam niya, ramdam niyang nakatingin ito sa kanya habang naglalakad siya palayo dito.
Napaka-presko ng dating ng Jado na ‘yon sa kanya. Ek sekyu lang naman ito!
Gwapong sekyu. Correction, gorgeous na sekyu. Correction pa rin, drop dead gorgeous sekyu. For crying out loud! Bakit nagti-tiyaga itong mag-security guard when he could make money on his looks, wearing jeans or advertising beer on TV! He had this rugged, macho appeal that most male TV commercial models possessed today. Tall, with a lean and well-toned body and dark complexion. Jado. Nice name, too. Hindi lang bagay sa isang sekyu. Masyadong Hollywood.
Inawat niya ang sarili sa naging takbo ng utak niya. Correction, Presko at aroganteng abang sekyu, period! Not worth her time, least of all a part of her thoughts. Hindi naman siya snob but that guy could really get in her nerves! Ewan niya, hindi niya maintindihan ang nararamdaman. This was only the second time she had seen him at SGC compound and he had this same effect on her. Ilang araw niyang hindi makalimutan ang mukha ng lalaki. Napanaginipan pa nga niya ito ng dalawang beses! Weird! And her dreams even involved her and him being…lovers! They had been so vivid she woke up feeling hot and tingly in parts of her body not accustomed to those kinds of feelings! That made her hate the guy maski wala naman talaga itong ginagwang hindi maganda sa kanya. Sa tuwina ay magalang naman ito sa kanya. She just didn’t like the effect he had on her system. He made her feel confused and unsure…He evoked strange feelings in her which she didn’t like to feel or entertain since she already had a fiancé. Brian proposed to her sometime six months ago and they planned to marry at the end of the year. Don’t think of him! mariin niyang utos sa sarili.
Narating niya ang pintuan ng opsisna ni Brian. She took a deep breath and took out the key from her handbag.
She opened the door and went in.
“Honey…”
OH, FUCK!!!
Jado broke into a run the moment he heard the commotion. The eagle had definitely landed and it was a bad landing.
He reached Brian’s office in a few seconds. He went in without hesitation. Naririnig niya ang sigawan. Nangingibabaw ang boses ni Shay.
They were in Brian’s inner office.
“Oh God, Shay! Don’t! Hon, bitawan mo ‘yan! Please!”
Uh-huh. I hope it’s not what I’m thinkin’, princess.
He peeked into the room to assess the situation. He didn’t want to barge in there and surprise them which may lead into further disaster.
He swallowed at what he saw.
Shay was pointing a small, black gun at her SOB bf and his secretary. Both were naked and didn’t know how to cover themselves. The secretary tried to grab her clothes from the floor but Shay follwed her movement with her gun. “Don’t move, bitch!”
Nahintakutang nagkubli sa likod ni Brian ang babae. Si Brian ay tinatabingan ng dalawang kamay ang pagkalalaki.
“You good for nothing son of a bitch! How could you do this to me!!!” Shay screamed at her bf, her gun aiming at his face this time.
Napaatras si Brian. “Shay, honey, please…calm down…pag-usapan natin ito nang maayos, please, baby…put the gun down…” maamo pa sa tupang pagmamakaawa ni Brian.
“Talk? Ano pa ang pag-uusapan natin eh maliwanag pa sa araw ang kalokohang ginagawa mo! I can’t believe na ipinagpalit mo ako sa walang-hiyang babaeng ‘yan!”
“Baby, she’s nothing to me…please…I’m sorry! Tinukso lang niya ako. You know how much I love you, don’t you, Shay? Ikaw ang pakakasalan ko. This is nothing, baby…please believe me! I love you!”
“Shut up, damn you!!!” halos mag-hysterical na sigaw ni Shay. Biglang tumunog ang telepono niyo. Sobbing, she fumbled inside her bag while her hand holding the gun lowered a bit.
Iyon ang hinihintay na pagkakataon ni Jado. He suddenly appeared from from the door and grabbed Shay’s hand, deftly twisting it upwards and pressing her wrist on a point where she cried out in pain. Nakuha niya ang baril na hawak nito nang walang kahirap-hirap.
She looked at him, stunned.
“You!”
“Sorry, Ma’am. Trabaho lang.”
Agad na kumilos sina Brian at ang secretary nito. Nagkanya-kanyang dampot ng mga damit ang mga ito at nagkubli sa likod ng isang mesa.
“How dare you barge in here unannouced! Give me back my gun!” tili ni Shay sa kanya, nanlilisik ang mga mata.
“Hindi ko naman po kayo mapapayagang maging kriminal, Ma’am. Pasesniya na po,” sagot naman niya sa mahinahong boses. There was no way he’d give the gun back to her. Baka siya pa ang barilin nito!
“Pakialamero ka! Akina na ‘yan!” she lunged at him and tried to get the gun from his grasp. Itinaas lang niya ng kamay. He towered over her and even in her tallest heels, he’d still be taller than her. Tumingkayad ito pero hindi nito maabot ang baril na hawak niya.
Binayo nito ang kanyang dibdib sa frustration! “Damn you! You’re fired!”
Muling lumabas mula sa mesang pinagkukublihan si Brian, nakadamit na pero magulo ang pagkakasuot. Ang sekretarya nito ay nanatili sa likod ng mesa sa taot marahil na salakayin ni Shay. Shay Sanvictores looked like a very mad lioness at the moment.
“Shay…honey…”
“Don’t!” babala nito sa bf nito. Don’t ever come near me you two-timing bastard! Magsama kayo ng sekretarya mo!”
“Shay, please…” lumapit si Brian dito, akmang hahawakan.
Jado felt the urge to smash the man’s face in. Putang-ina! Sa ganda ng syota nito papatos pa ng iba?
He was surprised when Shay held on to his arm. “Don’t let him near me! Kill him! Shoot him!”
“Ma’am?”
“Inagaw mo ang baril sa akin, puwes iganti mo ako! Shoot him in the balls!”
Namutla si Brian. “Shay, for God’s sake!”
If she had not been crying, Jado would have laughed out loud at the absurdity of her request. Though truth to tell, he was sorely tempted to do her bidding. Shoot his bf in the balls, huh? Damn, but he wouldn’t wanna be the recipient of this woman’s wrath!
“I hate you, Brian! God, I hate you!!!”
Pagkasabi niyon ay tumakbo ito palabas ng silid.
Brian attempted to run after her but he stopped the man. “Sir, mas makabubuting hayaan na muna ninyo siya. Baka magkasakitan kayo.”
Marahas na napabuntong-hininga si Brian. “Bakit hindi mo siya pinigilang makapasok dito?!”
He clenched his jaw. Namputsa, siya na ang may kasalanan ngayon? “Sir, I tried, sinabi kong lumabas kayo pero may sariling susi si Ma’am. Sinabi niyang maghihintay na lang siya dito sa inyo.”
“Shit! What the fuck am I gonna do now? We’re engaged, damnit!”
Fuckhead, you should have thought of that before you banged your secretary.
“Excuse me, Sir. Babalik na po ako sa pwesto ko. Ako na po ang magus-surrender ng baril ni Ma’am Shay sa security division.”
Hindi na niya hinintay na makasagot si Brian. He went out the room and shot out like a bullet into the hallway. He ran fast towards the parking lot. Alam niya kung saan usually nagpa-park si Shay.
Nakahinga siya nang maluwag nang matanaw niya ang kotse nito na nakaparada pa roon. Hindi pa ito nakakaalis.
He rounded two cars and reached her late model Yellow Porsche. Pero wala sa loob ng sasayan si Shay.
Luminga-linga siya. Tahimik ang parteng iyon ng SGC compound dahil gabi na. Maya-maya’y nakarinig siya ng babaing umiiyak.
Aw, Hell.
He ran towards the bushes lining up the side of the parking lot.
Nakita niya si Shay na nakalupasay sa damuhan, ngumunguyngoy.
Something so powerful tugged at his insides at the sight of her. Kung kanina ay napaka-arogante nito, ngayon ay daig pa nito ang pinagsakluban ng langit at lupa. He ached for her. But at the same time, he felt a pang of resentment that she was crying like there was no tomorrow over that stupid bf of hers!
“Ma’am…” mahinang tawag niya dito.
Napatili ito, gulilat na napatingala sa kanya. “Ikaw na naman! Leave me alone!” singhal nito sa kanya, sabay pahid ng mgakakahalong luhat at sipon sa mukha nito.
She still looked so beautiful kahit ngumangawa, naisip niya.
“Maraming insekto diyan, Ma’am. Gusto ninyong ihatid ko po kayo pauwi?”
“Ayokong umuwi! Bakit ba nakikialam ka diyan? Bumalik ka na sa trabaho mo! Pabayaan mo ako! Alis!”
“Baka may ahas po diyan.”
Dumampot ito ng isang bato at binato siya. Nakailag siya.
“Pare, ano’ng nangyayari diyan?” Sumulpot ang isang security guard, naglalakd palapit sa kinatatayuan niya.
Napakislot si Shay. “Sino ‘yon? Don’t let anybody see me like this!” she franctically whispered to him. Nagkubli itong lalo sa likod ng mga tanim.
Hinarap niya si Gener and isang pang nightshift guard sa parteng iyon ng compound.
“May narinig kami kaninang medyo maingay sa opisina ni Sir Brian. Na-check na namin siya. Okay naman siya.”
“Ah ganun ba? Wala, niroronda ko lang ang parking lot. Okay lang dito, bro. All clear.”
“Okay, sige pare,balik na ako sa post ko.”
Lumakad na palayo si Gener.
“Nakaalis na?” pabulong na tanong ni Shay.
“Wala na po siya. Halina na kayo, Ma’am.”
Ilang saglit itong nag-isip. Pagkuwa’y tumayo mula sa damuhan. Inalalayan niya itong makatawid sa bushes pabalik sa konkretong pavement ng parking lot. Nangunyapit ito sa braso niya. He held her upper arms to support her weight. Her skin was so smooth and soft and firm. He inhaled a whiff of her expensive feminine scent, subtle but fresh and sweet. Jeeez, ang bango! Gago ba si Brian at lumalanghap pa ng iba?
She raised her face and their eyes locked.
He held his breath, his heart slammed in erratic beats inside his chest. Godalmighty, those lips are just unbelievable. She had fleshy, pouty lips, and even in the soft glow of the lights emanating from the lampposts, they looked rosy red and made for kissing. The hot and dirty kind and the slow and sweet kind, too. How could a man think of someone else if he had this woman for a girlfriend? Shay Sanvictores was a man’s dream girl!
“Let go of me na,” she said in a catchy voice.
He released her gently.
She walked towards her car. She fumbled inside her bag for her car keys. She looked really agitated as she rummaged inside her handbag. “Where the hell are you, damn you!”
Nilapitan niya ito. “Let me,”
She looked at him and her shoulders sagged. Walang imik na iniabot nito ang bag nito sa kanya. Sumandal ito sa hood ng Porsche at muling humikbi.
He found her car keys in one of the small pockets of her bag. Iniabot niya ito dito.
She wiped her face with her hand. “Thanks,” she muttered and took the keys. She immediately opened her car door and got into the driver’s seat.
He bent and peeked in the car window on her side. “Kaya n’yo bang mag-drive, Ma’am?” malumanay na tanong niya.
“Hindi,” she sobbed.
“You want me to drive you some place?”
“
Napa-ubo siya. Damn!
“Sandali lang, ma’am. Magpapaalalm lang ako sa mga kasamahan kong gwardiya.”
“Okay.”
He pulled out the radio strapped to his back pocket. Tinimbrehan niya ang mga kasama.
Ilang sandali pa’y binuksan niya ang driver’s door ng Porsche. Nakalipat na sa passenger seat si Shay, humihikbi. He settled beside her.
“Ma’am.”
Parang wala itong narinig.
He leaned forward. Nagulat pa ito nang magkadikit ang mga braso nila. “Seatbelt,” he simply said.
Sumandal ito sa passenger’s seat. She let him strap the seatbelt around her torso.
“Saan po tayo?”
“Sa condo ko, sa Rockwell.”
GET A LOAD OF FANTASY LOVE TO THE MAX!
Every teenager has an all-time celebrity crush, the man she fantasizes about to be her everything. Of course, most girls know when fantasy ends. They outgrow their celeb crushes and move on to real boys, the attainable, accessible ones.
But not Celine Antoinette Lavega, the only daughter of media mogul Theodore Lavega.
Her celebrity crush is Hollywood superstar Daryll Montgomery or Dare to his millions of fans.
Dare has been Celine's all-time crush. For more than a decade, since she was thirteen years old, he has been her dream man. She knows everything about him, all she could collect about Dare, tabloid clippings, magazine writeups, pictures, movies, memorabillias, TV interviews, she has them all. She writes to Dare religiously and she gets postcards from his international fan club in return, no doubt signed by some people in-charge of taking care of his public image. That pisses her no end. She wonders if Dare has read any of her letters at all.
Many would say she is obsessed with Dare Montgomery. She has her own website of Dare, her own contibution in further promoting his already excessive popularity. She does everything for the actor save being the president of his local fan club. His snobbish aristocratic parents emphatically forbid their only daughter representing a 'baduy" fan club, even if it's Hollywood, which she finds so hypocritcal since her family owns the biggest television network in the country. But even then, she would risk being disinherited if she could only meet Dare in person.
That's her one and only wish. To meet her fantasy man. And marry him! Tall order, you might say, but never discount Celine's determination.
But how can a pampered, idealistic twenty-five year find her way towards Dare's jaded world? Dare who's had two ex-wives, five publicly awknowledged live-in lovers and a constant string of women at his disposal? Dare who doesn't believe in love and marriage and happy endings?
Dare who doesn't even know she exists?
.
When Drew Meets Des...
Desiree rues the day when Drew Arroyo occupied 75% of the 20th floor, considered the penthouse of The Courtyard, the old condominium building which has been her sanctuary for the past five years. The millionaire former car racing champion/hot product endorser and the blacksheep of the Arroyo clan started buying out the unit owners of her floor for really hefty amounts. The other two unit owners both succumbed to the call of big bucks, except her. She couldn't part with the unit as it was the very first investment she made as an interior designer and she loved staying at The Courtyard.
Now, her former tranquil paradise in the clouds is blaring with rock music, smelling of all kinds of chemical excesses, not to mention swarming with barely clothed bimbos! Oh how she hates that insolent, over-confident, mouth-wateringly gorgeous...errrr murder-inducing specimen of all things sinful! But how can she get rid of Drew when he owns more than half of the penthouse floor area?
And how can she fight him when he looks at her like that, smoulderingly sexy, teasing her...and all thought of getting rid of him drops 20 floors down?
Problem, Des. Big problem.
EXCERPT
DESIREE covered her ears but the blaring sound of the sophisticated stereo system seeped through her ears like a dull but powerful beating of a drum. She put a pillow over her head but she was out of breath in 15 seconds.
Inis na bumalikwas siya sa kanyang kama. She rued the day when Drew Arroyo III moved in across the hall from her condo unit weeks ago. Since then, her life had never been the same. Gone was the peace and tranquility that she so treasured in this building when she moved in four years ago. In place was a constant racket of yuppie parties, supermodels, actresses and socialites parading their skinny, fashionable bodies that made her green with envy and think of a much needed trip to a beauty salon and a frequent bout of hormonal urge that had something to do with lean muscles, to-die for lips and to squeeze for, delicious butt which reminded her that it had been years since she had been kissed by a man, much less pawed over.
Nagsuot siya ng roba, hinagilap ang kanyang reading glasses at lumabas ng pinto, dire-diretso sa hallway hanggang nasa tapat na siya ng pinto ng kaharian ng demonyo. Sa malapitan, parang lumilindol ang paligid sa lakas ng ugong ng stereo. She was sure she would be greeted by blazing fire when the door opened. She pressed on the doorbell non-stop.
A silicone babe appeared on the doorstep thirty seconds later. No blazing fire accompanying her but the racket emanating from the room behind her sounded like the demons were having a blast.
“Yes, Des?” The silicone babe inquired. It was Tweety, a tenant of the building two stories below. The print ad model gave her a once over that plainly said, “you badly need a makeover”. Well, she didn’t need to hear what this celluloid dummy had to say. She wanted to talk to the host of the party! She saw two women clad only in their undies walk by the door…
She changed her mind. This was no party! It was an orgy!
She gave Tweety bird her most no-nonsense expression. “I wanna talk to Drew.”
The model smirked at her. “Drew, honey, someone’s looking for you!” she shouted over her shoulder.
Desiree gritted her teeth. Surely this was enough reason for her amoral neighbor to get ejected from the building! Bukas na bukas din ay pupunta siya sa opisina ng management at magko-complain. Hindi palalagpasin ni Ms. Yambao ang mga kalaswaang nangyayari dito. Ang dating respektabilidad ng kanilang address ay nasasalaula na nang husto! People at The Courtyard used to enjoy clean living and incomparable peace and quiet, but now, all they had were noisy, disturbing, perverted…!
“Yes, Tweety? Who is it?”
Desiree tried very hard not to swallow. But her mouth had suddenly gone so dry, something that had become a frequent phenomenon every time she was subjected to this particular sight. Standing on the doorway beside Tweety Bird was the most amoral and sinfully gorgeous man that ever walked in her orbit. His white, long-sleeved polo shirt was open to the last button, giving her a tantalizing view of those fabulous abs that had been figuring in her fantasies (Oh hush!) and most probably other women’s fantasies as well.
“Aha, if it’s not my favorite neighbor. Heya, Des. Wanna join in the fun?” He grinned, flashing two dimples and perfect teeth. God was certainly perverse when he gave Lucifer a face like this. It was simply illegal.
She gave him a frosty glare. “It’s already 2 AM, Drew. Could you at least turn down the stereo? Other people in this building are trying to sleep, you know?”
He looked at Tweety bird. “I thought you invited everyone, sweety?”
Tweety shrugged. “I did. Except her, they’re all having a good time. I knocked on her door earlier but she didn’t open.”
“There you go, Des. Everyone’s having a great time. It’s the official Shotgun Party of the building. Tequila’s on me till 4 AM tomorrow.”
Desiree tried to act calm despite the aggravating situation. “Look, I think you need to respect other tenants in this building who like peace and quiet while they sleep. Not everyone is nocturnal like you.”
“You’re the only tenant who is not present in this party, Des.”
Nandilat ang mga mata niya. “What do you mean? You’re just saying that to get away with this…this…”
His eyebrows rose. “This…?”
“Indecent behavior! Isusumbong na kita kay Miss Yambao! Sumosobra ka na! Malamang na hindi niya alam ang nangyayari dito sa tenth floor kaya nakakalusot ka!”
He crossed his arms over his powerful chest. “Tweet, go back to our guests, honey. I’ll be there shortly.”
“Don’t be long. You haven’t finished with my…belly button,” tweety said dulcetly.
Tweety gave Drew a playful bite on his shoulder before leaving the doorway.
Desiree gritted her teeth again, averting her eyes from the lusty display. How vulgar!
“I’m serious, Drew! I will complain na talaga kay Miss Yambao!”
He grinned and his eyes traveled down her body, lingering on her chest. She had the urge to cross her arms in front of her but it would show how self-conscious she was so she stood still, enduring his masculine appraisal that was making her shiver now, not with cold but with clammy heat. When his eyes met hers again, it had an unholy glint. “You know what you need, Des?”
She raised one brow. “What?”
“You need to get laid really badly.”
Namula siya. Pakiramdam niya’y umaapoy ang kanyang mukha sa sobrang embarrassment. The gall! The nerve of this jerk! She opened her mouth to tell him what she thought of him but he put his finger across her lips. That immobilized her.
It was the very first time that she came in contact, skin to skin with Drew Arroyo III, the rebel scion of the very wealthy and influential Arroyo clan who owned one of the biggest real estate development companies in the country.
Drew’s exploits were legendary in their notoriety. But he surprised the whole country recently by starring in a milk slash Elixir Oil commercial. It was an attempt of the giant petroleum company to put a health-conscious image to divert several controversial issues raised by environmental activists against its drilling activities in Mindanao and the Luzon areas.
In the Elixir TV commercial, Drew emerged from a roaring red Ferrari Murcielago, removed his aviator glasses and said: “Only Elixir for my baby…” He caressed the gleaming hood of his sportscar as a sexy babe pumped Elixir fuel into the sportscar. The next frame focused on Drew's handsome face as he sexily said: “And for me…” He accepted a glass of milk from a sexy lady mechanic with an eye-popping cleavage which the cameras had zeroed in before focusing on Drew’s sensual lips as he uttered, “Only milk.” He drank from the glass of milk and smiled for the cam with his milk mustache.
Even she had sighed deeply when she first saw the commercial. The man was simply, sinfully adorable in the ad. That cute, boyish smile totally belied his infamous reputation.
The entire female population of the country was probably having an overdose of Drew the past months. His giant grinning billboard on Edsa with his cute ‘milk beard’ and a mischievous glint in his whiskey-colored eyes had skyrocketed the sales of the milk he was endorsing, easily making it the number one brand in the market today. Elixir remained controversial and rapidly eclipsing fellow giants Shell, Caltex and Petron in sales.
“You need to loosen up a bit, sweety. Look at you. You’re…”
Naningkit ang mga mata niya. Naku, h’wag kang magkakamali, hudas ka! “I’m what?!”
“You’re…so…uptight. Aren’t you bored?”
Napahumindig siya. Uptight! What right did he have to say that! She was not uptight! And she was not bored, either! She was a decent woman living a decent life and all she wanted was peace and quiet so she could go to sleep…preferably with a hunky lover which she didn’t have of course but that didn’t mean she was uptight or bored!
“Let me tell you what I think, Mr. Arroyo! Just because I do not indulge in your perverted activities doesn’t mean that I am not enjoying my life as it is! I am quite happy with my sex life, thank you very much!”
“Oh yeah? Who’s your boyfriend? How come I never see him come a-knockin’on your door? Or does he enter through the fire escape?” he grinned at her like a rascal.
She had the urge to swipe that maddening grin off his handsome mug with a right swing. “How do you know he doesn’t come a-knockin’? Nakabantay ka ba sa pintuan ko 24-7? Maybe he does enter through the fire escape. I find that exciting!”
His eyebrows quirked. “Really?”
Oh God, bakit ba napunta na doon ang usapan? Bakit ba siya nakikipag-usap pa sa lalaking ito?
“I’m warning you, Drew. Isusumbong kita kay Miss Yambao kapag hindi ka nag-behave from now on!”
Again, that bedimpled smile. He leaned on the door jamb and slipped his hands in his pockets in an oh-so-relaxed stance. “Ah, define behave, please.”
“Behave! No more blaring music in the middle of the night, no more bimbos screaming at the top of their lungs while you’re…you’re…” she couldn’t mention the word.
His grin was diabolically wicked this time. “Are they that loud?”
Ooooh God, masasapak ko na ito! “Yes! Like screaming hyennas! And no more orgies and drinking sprees either! You have turned this respectable building into a place of ill-repute! Enough of that, okay?!”
He scratched his jaw. “Am I that bad?”
“Badder!” Namaywang siyang parang si Hitler at tinitigan ito nang nakakamatay. “Nagkakaintidihan ba tayo, Drew?”
He stared at her intently, then an innocent smile broke on his lips. He saluted her like a boy scout. “Yes, Ma’am.”
“Good!” She turned around and marched back to her unit.
“So long as you promise to wear your hair down from now on.”
Napalingon siya dito. “What?”
“Your hair. I didn’t realize it’s quite long. Why you tie it all the time is beyond me. You have beautiful hair, Des.”
Natulala siya. Did he just compliment her?
Then a figure appeared beside him. He flashed his most charming smile. “Heya, Miss Janet. You havin’ fun?”
“Oh yes, Drew! I haven’t played Tequila body shot since my highschool days!”
Nalaglag ang baba ni Desiree. She nearly didn’t recognize Miss Yambao, the fifty-year old spinster administrator of the building. She was clad in a retro outfit that showed her legs and cleavage!
“Wanna play body shot with me, boy?”
Drew grinned like a hedonist. “Who could resist such a tempting offer from a lovely woman?”
Desiree was stupefied as she watched the usually stern Miss Yambao giggle like a teenager. Namataan siya ng building administrator.
“Oh, ikaw pala ‘yan, Des. Halika, sumali ka sa party! Ang saya-saya!” excited na yaya ni Miss Yambao sa kanya.
She cleared her throat and tried to smile at the older lady. “Ahm, next time na lang po, Miss. Maaga pa ho ang pasok ko bukas.”
“Ikaw rin, marami kang mami-miss.”
“Uhm, thank you na lang ho.”
Grinning smugly, Drew gave her a wink. “If you change your mind, I’ll leave the door open for ya.”
Hindi niya pinansin ang lalaki. Mumbling a low ‘goodnight’ for Miss Yambao, she stomped away from his unit.
Drew shook his head as he watched Desiree march like a military drill officer back to her apartment unit. Her loose pajama bottoms didn’t quite hide her shapely backside as it swayed enticingly despite her manly gait.
“Drew, come on!” sigaw ni Tweety.
“I’m coming!” ganting sigaw niya pero hindi siya umalis ng pinto hangga’t hindi niya nakitang pumasok na sa pinto ng unit nito si Des. Man, that woman never ceased to intrigue him. Napakataray. Ito lang yata ang babaing hindi niya kayang paamuin sa pamamagitan ng matamis niyang ngiti at mas matamis na dila.
Natigilan siya sa iniisip. Bakit naman nagkakainteres siyang paaumin si Des? Natawa siyang napailing at saka isinara ang pinto. Women like Des were not his type. Masyadong straight. And he had always been crookedly adventurous in everything he did in life. Masyado rin itong matapang. He liked his women soft, gentle, biddable and knew how to please him in every way. He was THE man and a woman must act like the woman around him. And that was non-negotiable. Desiree Cruz was so devoid of charm, sweetness and softness. He’d bet his ass she wore starched white cotton panties.
He groaned inwardly at the direction of his thoughts. Paanong napunta sa undies ni Des ang utak niya?
She was definitely not his type. For fun, he liked slightly dumb party girls better. They were less complicated than the likes of Miss Prissy Desiree. He had an internet friend to go seriously emotional with anytime, anyway. Glorious Victory was enough solace for his soul at the moment. She nurtured his spirit and he can tell her everything. She was his confidante and he was happy with their set-up. That was the way he wanted it at the moment. An emotional online relationship with an anonymous woman without strings and casual sexual adventures with fast women—perfect. Both his emotional and physical needs were met separately. That was easier to deal with than getting into a relationship with just one woman which always got complicated. All his past girlfriends wanted to change him. They all wanted to own him body and soul. But he loved his freedom above all else. He was too much of a free-spirit to be contained in a box called 'committed relationship'.
Napailing siya. Bakit naman siya napapaisip ng seryoso ng dahil lang kay Des? That woman always made him do some sudden self-introspection. Her self-righteous air seemed to always force him to question his lifestyle and personal beliefs. Wala pang taong nagkaroon ng ganoong epekto sa kanya, ang kwestyunin ang mga prinsipyo niya, ang suriin ang kanyang nakasanayang klase ng pamumuhay. He absolutely knew who he was inside and out. And nobody can ever change him.
Tsk, Desiree. Whatever her mother was thinkin’ when she named her prickly daughter thus? A woman named Desiree should be sexy, bubbly, flirty! Not like that stuck-up, prickly prude across the hall.
“Dre-woooooo!!!” tawag ni Tweety sa nakakairitang tinig.
That was the only drawback to dummy babes. He didn’t like their voices outta bed. So fuckin’ irritating! He went back to his party with half his mind on Miss Prissy Des’ starched cotton panties AND with a hard-on no babe in that room tonight had managed to rouse.
Damn. It was so fuckin’ ironic! That stuck up babe could make him so horny just by seeing her shiny, long black hair. She had really beautiful hair that a man could burrow his face in or she could let it glide on his face and neck and chest as she rode him…
He sighed. Tweety would definitely come in handy tonight.
