Pleasure BOOK #1 : A M B E R✔️

Chapter 14

AMBER'S POV

"How does a nice horseback ride sound today?" Onel asked.

Tila pumalakpak ang tenga ko pagpasok ni Onel sa library. "Today?" tanong ko.

"Of course, today. I've been itching to break in a new horse that got shipped in a couple of weeks ago. Fancy a ride?"

"That would be wonderful. Simoun?"

Nilingon ko ang lalaking naka cross ang binti na nakaupo malapit sa bintana ng library. Nakatuon lang ang mga mata nya sa librong hawak nya. Para bang nasa ibang mundo. Mukhang hindi nga nya yata alam na nandito ako at si Onel. Nagpunta ako dito kanina para tignan kung gaano kaganda ang library. Una ko itong napansin noong unang dating namin dito sa bahay pero si Simoun, mukhang inangkin agad ang kwarto para lang maiwasan ako. Para makalayo sya sa akin. At ayoko nun. Pero tinatawag ako ng mga libro, na para bang ibinabalik ako sa pagkabata.

Hindi pa din ako sigurado kung napansin na ba ako ni Simoun na pumasok. Nakaupo lang sya, ang daliri nya ay panay himas sa itaas ng labi nya, ngayon lang ako nakakita ng lalaking nagbabasa na sobrang gwapo. Nakita kong natatabunan ng buhok nya ang kanang mata nya pero hahawiin nya iyon ng simple. He jiggled his foot to the pacing of his reading as his lips moved in time with his beats. I was mesmerized by the way he read, the way he lost himself in another world, ignoring the others around him.

I almost hated to pull him from that trance. "Simoun, Hon?"

Lumingon ang ulo nya sa gawi ko, at nahuli ko ang mga mata nya sa unang pagkakataon. Pagkatapos ng katahimikan, ng almusal at apat na kapeng literal na ininom nya kanina. Siguro ay gabing gabi na sya pumasok sa kwarto kagabi. Sinubukan kong hindi matulog kagabi, hinihintay sya para makapag usap kami. Halata naman na malaking pagkakamali ang ginawa ko kagabi, at ayokong magalit sya, kahit na ang mga sinabi nya sa akin kagabi ay masasakit din. I may have been his employee-nothing but a call girl to him-but he had no right to address me the way he had.

"Yes?" Simoun asked.

"Onel wants to take us horseback riding. How does that sound?" I asked.

Sabihin mong payag ka! Sabihin mong payag ka! Sabihin mong payag ka!

"I suppose we could take a pause and go see about his stables," Simoun said.

"Wonderful!" Onel exclaimed. "Then follow me. We'll get the two of you set up on horses with saddles, and I'll lead us through my favorite trail on my entire estate."

I practically bolted to the stables. The second they came into view, I picked up the pace so I could get there quicker. And all of the horses were beautiful-black stallions with white manes and tails and red-haired mares with brown and black tails. One thoroughbred horse was all white, the purest color I'd ever seen on a horse before. I walked up and down the stables as the horses poked their heads out, nuzzling me as I kissed and petted every single one of them.

"Well, hello there. How are you doing?" I asked as one nuzzled my cheek. "Looks like this one likes you," Onel said.

"What's her name?"

"And you know it's a mare."

"I have a sixth sense for horses."

"Then as a champion rider, I'm impressed," he said with a smile.

"What's her name?" I asked again.

"This is Picky. She's a bit of a brat, and I love her all the more for it. She's the one I usually ride, but for her to be taken with someone else, I can't help but relinquish her for the day. She usually isn't this friendly with others. Bites more than anything."