ARE YOU MAN ENOUGH?

Chapter Sixty

LILY STOOD IN FRONT OF THE DRESSER TABLE'S MIRROR. Tutok ang kanyang mga mata sa sariling repleksyon, pinapanood ang pagsuklay ng buhok sa parteng natututukan ng blowdyer. Her eyes swayed from her reflection when she saw someone else's moving from the background.

Hindi nakaligtas sa kanyang paningin si Jared, ang hubad nitong katawan na bagong punas ng tuwalya. The sly beast gave her a sneak peek of his butt only to quickly hide them with a towel. Huminto ang lalaki sa tapat ng pinto ng banyo pagkalabas mula roon. Yumuko para itali sa bewang ang tuwalyang gamit na galing sa hotel na tinutuluyan nila. Droplets of water still clung on the tips of his shiny, tousled hair and randomly fall on his bare shoulders... on his hard chest...

Kanina pa pala siya nakapihit mula sa pagkakatayo sa tapat ng dresser, buka ang mga labing hinahangaan siyang tinititigan.

Jared glanced her way, caught her eyes. His eyes lit with satisfaction from the quick bump and grind they just had minutes ago, yet his lips remained firm, shut tight. He resumed his strides, stopped beside the night table.

"I'm sorry if it had been too quick, Jared baby," baba niya sa blowdryer na nagbubuga pa rin ng mainit na hangin. "Alam mo namang..." her eyes already flipped from his head down to his bare feet. She just couldn't resist this need to enjoy viewing his hot body with nothing but a towel wrapped around his waists...

"Kailangan ko nang makabalik agad sa Variant," sipat nito sa relong dinampot mula sa night table. "Ilang minuto na lang at one o'clock na."

Lily smirked in a fashion that did not reach her eyes. Nasa salamin na ulit ang kanyang tingin, walang pagmamadali sa pagsuklay sa buhok habang bino-blowdryer iyon. She stood there wearing her razzmatazz pink high-waist straight pants and white tube crop top. Nakasampay sa sandalan ng upuan ng dresser ang razzmatazz pink niyang blazer.

In her peripheral vision, she watched Jared get dressed up. He moved gracefully. Hindi halatang nagmamadali ang lalaki sa sobrang solido ng mabilis nitong pagkilos. He put on his pants in one swift pull-up, fluttered his black button-down shirt in the air before clinging against his back as he put on each sleeve and folded them to reach half of his forearms. Tinapos ni Lily ang pag-aayos sa buhok. Nilapitan niya si Jared na nakayuko, nagbubutones ng damit nito.

She just could not help herself. Yumakap siya sa likuran nito, nilapat ang pisngi sa isa sa mga pakpak nito. Naramdaman niya ang pagtigil saglit ng lalaki, humilig sa kaliwa ang ulo para lingunin siya pero hindi tumuloy nang hindi maabot ng paningin nito. He resumed buttoning his shirt, not minding her arms that wrapped on his waists.

"Kanina," malumanay niyang kwento sa lalaki, "I did that breathing technique you taught me. It's not working at all. Kakalma lang ako saglit. Tapos maya-maya, kakabahan na naman ako."

Naghintay siya. Hindi basta-basta binasag ni Jared ang katahimikan sa silid.

Malulungkot na sana si Lily. But just in time, she felt Jared's hand securely laid on top of one of her hands while she still hugged his waists.

He stroked the back of her hand tenderly, gazing at the way his fingers massaged while gently sliding his fingers between the gaps of hers.

"Ano ang mga inaalala mo tungkol sa meeting?"

Sasabihin ba niyang isa sa mga iyon si Jared? Na natatakot siyang mahalata ng mga ito mamaya na nasasaktan siya kapag mas pinili ng binata na umakto nang naaayon sa propesyon nito kaysa sa nararamdaman nito para sa kanya?

Lily had been preparing herself for that ever since she stayed in this hotel room bathed in tangerine-cream colored walls and furnitures. And yet...

Her heart still ached at the very thought, what more when that happens in the meeting?

"You are just going to speak your truth there," he said soothingly, slowly unchaining her arms to have room for turning around to face her. Napatingala siya sa lalaki kaya nagtama ang kanilang mga mata. Na kay Jared ang mapang-unawang tingin. Nasa kanya naman iyong takot na umaasa pa rin. He placed a cool palm against her cheek, and Lily found herself leaning her cheek against his palm, letting him cradle her with that touch.