Astonishing Us

VIII

Ang lakas at bilis ng tibok ng puso ko habang naghihintay pa sa susunod n'yang sasabihin. Pero wala na iyong kadugtong pa, hindi ko narinig ang bagay na gusto kong marinig.

What did I expect? For him to tell me he likes me? It was just a week since we met and tonight was just the second time we meet personally again. Shocks, me and my Attachment issue.

Although on what he said my brain and heart was like telling me to read between the lines that maybe he does like me but he was somehow thinking the same way I do. It's too fast.

I removed his hands from cupping my face as I gave him a soft smile, "Mag-dinner na nga tayo. Gutom na 'ko e saka uuwi pako sa 'min."

Napatitig s'ya sa 'kin habang iniistart muli ang makina, "Can't you stay with me for tonight?" he asked.

I know I'm still alone at home if I go home tonight, it's not like mom will go home sooner with dad permanently left us. I bite my lower lip and looked outside the window, "Okay. I'll stay for tonight."

"Okay..." was it just me or he do really sound like he is happy?

I THOUGHT HE WOULD BRING ME to some luxury restaurant for our dinner but I was shocked when he parked his car in front a 24hrs convenience store. I have a deep frown on my forehead when he went out and opened my door.

"Bakit andito tayo? Sabi ko dinner..." sinimangutan ko s'ya, gutom na kasi ako kung saan-saan pa s'ya dumadaan.

"When we got to my condo can you wait at-least 30-40 minutes? I'll cook. Home cooked dinner is still the best," he said as he holds my hand and pulled me inside the convenience store.

"Hindi ka ba pagod?" Tanong ko sa kaniya mukha kasi s'yang galing sa opisina bago pumunta ng runway show kanina, saka naalala ko sabi n'ya busy s'yang tao.

"No. I didn't do anything the whole day, I just waited for the event to start, it's so boring until you walked in," he said that made me stilled. Is he aware of the meaning of his words?

Napatitig ako sa likuran n'ya habang nauna s'yang naglalakad sa 'kin hawak ang pulsuhan ko. This guy...

"I thought you're always busy..." I stated.

"I'm the boss, Aether. I decide if I'll be busy or not," he said as he gets something inside the freezer.

He made me hold something cold that made me flinched, pinukol ko s'ya ng masamang tingin ng makitang nakaplastic na pork ribs iyon.

"I forgot to grocery. So yeah, we'll buy our dinner's ingredients here," sabi n'ya bago kami pumunta sa condiments stool at kumuha s'ya ng kung ano-ano. "Do you know how to cook?" He randomly asked.

Inirapan ko s'ya kahit 'di naman s'ya nakatingin sa 'kin, "Hindi. I do bake, but I don't know how to cook."

He looked at me "bake something for me, " Utos n'ya na para bang trabahador n'ya ko.

Gutom na talaga ko, kahit anong gwapo n'ya 'di ko na mapigilan ang pagpukol ko ng masamang tingin sa kaniya, "Don't you know the word please?"

"Please?" sagot naman n'ya agad sa 'kin ng 'di kumukurap na kinabuga ko ng marahas na hininga.

"Sometime, when I'm free."

He smiled and pulled me to the counter inalagay n'ya sa counter ang mga pinamili namin saka inilahad ang palad sa 'kin, "Pay up. You said the dinners on you."

I rolled my eyes again, saka binayaran ang pinamili namin nang makalabas naman kami ng convenience store ay naramdaman ko s'yang yumukod at bumulong sa tenga ko mula sa 'king likuran.

"You paid for the ingredients but my cooking fee is different, we can settle the payment when we're alone," he whispered to my ear that sent shiver down my spine and made me feel butterflies in my stomach.

I WOKE UP ON A LONG SOFA in a familiar luxury living room. I remembered I was fighting with my sleepiness while Ridge is driving towards his condo. I scratched my eyes with the back of my hand as I stretched like a cat. Bumangon ako mula sa pagkakahiga sa sofa saka nagsimulang maglakad patungo sa kusina.

I walked towards it as I unconsciously remembered what happened inside Ridge's room here that night. I was drunk but my memory is very intact, I can remember every second of that hot and steamy night with him. He was my first, and that first time didn't disappoint me.

I blushed with my thoughts, nagsisimula na naman akong maging mahalay. I shook my head and stilled when I found Ridge half naked with his gray apron on as he prepared the food over the dining table.

Binalingan n'ya ko agad ng maramdaman n'ya ang presensiya ko pero saglit lang s'yang bumaling sa 'kin dahil tila s'ya napapasong naglayo ng tingin at muling ibalik ang focus n'ya sa ginagawa.

"Good thing you're awake, the food is ready," he announced the obvious. Pinaghatak n'ya ko ng upuan bago hinubad ang apron na suot n'ya at tumabi sa 'kin.

I put rice on our plates as I open my mouth to ask, "Mahaba ba ang tulog ko?"

He nodded his chin, "An hour and half. You should sleep again after you eat. Leave the dishes to me. You need to rest I know how tiring this day is for you."

That warmed my heart and put a soft smile on my lips, "For a man who looks like someone who grew up with golden spoon in his mouth, you seem to know a lot of things in chores."

He chuckled, "I leave alone since I was thirteen, I never liked our home, my biological father cheated on mom and left us for his second family and I feel like I'm an outcast to my mom's new family when she got remarried to Ahuro Montegara, although Dad— Ahuro loved me and cares for me like I'm his, I was just you know I'm shy with those real Montegaras. Dad even made me inherit some of his companies here in Philippines, reason why I am always busy because I'm handling both of his and my companies."

I stared at him as he told me some things in his personal life. Him telling me those made me feel like he is actually comfortable around me, I smiled.

"You're so strong you managed to live alone at that age. You're amazing, Ridge."

He stared at me like what I said made him feel something inside his chest.

"Really?" He asked and put Spare ribs on my plate and to his.

"Yeahhh..." Sagot ko naman na kinangiti n'ya.

"Okay," nakangiti n'yang sabi sa 'kin bago ang ngiting iyon ay naging ngisi, "The cooking fee, where's the payment?"

Napairap ako sa hangin saka hinampas ang matipunong braso n'ya ng maintindihan kung anong bayad ang gusto n'yang mangyari.

"Akala ko ba matutulog na ako pagkatapos ko kumain?" Nakairap kong tanong na kinatawa n'ya.

"Bakit ano bang payment nasa utak mo para maisip mo 'di kita papatulugin? Kiss lang naman e," sagot ni Ridge sa 'kin na kinapula ng magkabilang pisngi ko sa hiya.

Tinaasan ko s'ya ng kilay kahit nakakaramdam pa din ako ng hiya feeling ko ang halay ko, akala ko kasi... umiling ako saka inabot s'ya na kinatulos n'ya sa kaniyang kinauupuan. Ridge stilled and stared at me.

"Kiss lang pala e," I said as I placed my lips over his, but the smack I was planning got sabotage when Ridge held me on my nape and slid his tongue inside my parted lips.

"Hmmmm..."

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THENAUGHTYGRAY