The Sharing Essentials

A Blast From the Past

Jessie does not clearly understand herself. Why she came up with this plan was beyond her! Imagine, she is going to propose something to a guy she barely knows?

How do you think a random stranger would feel if you ask him bluntly, "By the way, would you like to live with me?"

Nope. Live with me? Sounds like they are engaging in something illicit. Okay, maybe, "Would you like to co-habitate with me?" would sound much better. It somehow implies that things could be somewhat business like; that this arrangement was purely for financial reasons.

Jessie was nervous. She was about to ask this random guy to share a pad. Technically, she knew him, a little bit. He and his sisters used to torment her when they were kids. Their parents are close friends, as well. He is not quite the stranger. Nonetheless, she does not know him from Adam. She had never seen him since they last met in Iloilo. Back then, he was a gangly-armed boy with a penchant for pulling her braids and she was this buck-toothed girl that cries at the slightest provocation.

Deep inside her, Jessie was curious to see how this guy turned out. He could very well be the grown-up version of the little runt that he was back then, nonetheless it's true what they say that, desperate times indeed call for desperate measures. She was determined to make this guy her new roommate. If grovelling will be involved, she will have to do her best to pamper him along the way. In fact, Jessie believes that she is now more emotionally mature enough to handle a bully, in case he turned out to be just that. Remember, this is just a financial arrangement. No other strings attached.

The hotel lobby of Soleil Hotel could not be more apropos for this fateful meeting. The air conditioner was at its full blast, a fact that Jessie was really thankful for. She was nervous, she could almost feel her pits start to sweat up.

"Jessie?"

When she turned around, she got the biggest shock of her life. In a matter of days, Jessie was once again gobsmacked.

In front of her was no little gangly-armed brute. Brian Lee looked like what every girl's dream man should look like. He was tall and had the most searing hazel eyes. He wore a crisp white shirt and a trimmed blue blazer that did little to hide the lean and fit body underneath. He was dark and brooding. His hair was nicely gelled and brushed back neatly, giving him a close resemblance to Cristiano Ronaldo.

All Jessie could do was nod. She was in the business of communication, yet words failed her this very moment. When he flashed her his smile, every pore in her body started to activate. It's true what they say about your salivary glands becomes overly active at the sight of food. If he was a piece of meat, Jessie would have pounced him and rip him apart.

Hold that thought, Jessie told herself. She held out her hand, "Hello Brian, nice to see you again."

Instead of reaching out for her hand, he gently pulled her to him and gave her a hug that seemed to have squeezed the living bejeezus out of Jessie. His very tight embrace made it possible for Jessie to smell his neck. He smelled glorious. Armani Black it was, her favourite male scent ever. How could he have known?