The CEO's Woman

Chapter 1

She was still on her corporate attire when she entered the first bar she saw while driving kaya't hindi na nakapagtatakang lumingon sakanya ang ibang tao. Who wouldn't? Kung halos lahat ng tao roon ay nakadamit ng naaayon sa lugar but she didn't care she just need a drink or two to release her frustration at work.

She just finished her second shot of tequila and was fishing for her wallet so she can already go when someone placed a drink in front of her. She rolled her eyes, ilang beses na bang may nagtangkang mag offer ng drinks sakanya na tinanggihan at tinarayan niya?

And so with a knotted brows, she looked up and was welcomed by a man with a clear brown eyes.

He grinned and held his hands up as if in surrender. "It means I'm not here to hit on you."

Lalong kumunot ang noo niya.

He chuckled and sat on the high chair next to her.

"I just assumed na ikaw ang pinakaharmless na tao sa lugar na'to."

"Complement ba yun?"

"Neither. Anyway, gusto ko lang ng kausap na hindi mag iisip na kaya gusto kong makipag-usap ay dahil gusto kong makipag one night stand sakanya."

"Hindi ka rin naman mahangin ano?"

He just shrugged his shoulders.

They just sat there in silence for a while when he broke their ambiance.

"Andrew Salcedo"

Nilingon niya ito. "Huh?"

"I said I'm Andrew Salcedo"

"Andrew Philippe Salcedo?"

"You know me?"

"Uhm. We're batchmates in UP, batch 2010, business management."

"Really? So that's why you looked familiar when I saw you."

She smiled. "No need to be discreet, I was a geek until 4 years ago kaya alam kong hindi mo ako kilala anyways, who wouldn't know you in college?"

He looks at her, amused. "A genius then? So you are?"

"Gabrielle De la Paz"

Bahagyang nanlaki ang mga mata nito na parang may naalala. Kaya nagkaron din siya ng pagkakataon na mapag-aralan ang itsura nito. Makakapal na kilay, mahabang pilik mata, matangos na ilong, and damn him for having a kissable pair of reddish lips and damn she's a sucker for a man with chiselled jawline complete with stubbles.

Nagising siya sa pagsuri rito nang umiling ito at nang muli siyang tinignan ay normal na uli ang tingin except for his eyes that has this spark as if he's hiding something pero ipinagwalang bahala nalang niya.

"My Gabby" bulong nito

"Ano?"

"Ha? Wala, sabi ko siguro hindi tayo naging magkaklase."

"We actually did, fourth year, law class of Mr. Galang."

"Oh, I see."

Another moment of silence passed.
"So why are you here?"

"Just releasing my frustrations sa boss ko." She can't help but to roll her eyes upon remembering why she's here. "E ikaw?"

"Releasing stress from work too."

"Nakaka-stress nga namang maging CEO ng isang multi-billion worth of company?"

He smiled shyly at napapakamot pa sa batok na tumingin sakanya na para bang nahihiya itong alam niya ang trabaho nito na hindi lang basta trabaho.

"You have no idea. So bakit ka naiinis sa boss mo?"

"He gave me a forced leave!" bulalas niya

"And?" he gave me a confused look.
"A month!"

"I still don't get it."

"The point is, ayoko." She sighed.

"I'd trade anything to have that vacation."

"Well, I'd give it to you without something in return if I could."

"Bakit nga naman ayaw mo ng bakasyon?"

"Hindi ko kailangan, I'd rather work than do nothing."

"Typical workaholic eh?"

"Touché." At sabay pa silang napatawa.

Hours passed and they're still sitting there drinking and talking about anything they could talk about not minding their surrounding.

"I can't believe, we didn't became friends in college!" he said while laughing about her joke.

"E baka naman magulat lahat ng eatudyante pag naging magkaibigan ang isang Campus heartthrob at Miss Nobody!" bulalas niya at muling tumawa ngunit napansin niyang natahimik ito, nang kanyang lungunin ay mataman itong nakatitig sakanya.

"Then I shouldn't have mind being friends with you then." Anito sa seryosong boses habang matiim paring nakatitig sakanya.

Para namang nagka-bikig ang kanyang lalamunan at tila nawalan siya ng kakayahan umapuhap ng salita para sagutin ito. There's just something in his stare she can't reckon.

Napaigtad pa siya nang bigla nitong hinawakan ang kanyang pisngi gamit ang hinlalaki nito. Nakaramdam siya ng kuryente na dumaloy sa bawat himaymay ng katawan niya. Saglit na humaplos doon bago muling gumalaw para hawiin ang buhok na naligaw sa kanyang pisngi at iniipit sa likod ng kanyang tainga. Her cheeks heat up followed by the sudden skip of her heart and then it started beating fast. She can't remember feeling different feelings at once since right now. She thought maybe it's the alcohol taking over her. Right, the alcohol she think she had one too many.

Tunog ng mga boteng nabasag ang nagpagising sa kanila mula sa pagtititigan. Inilayo niya ang mukha mula sa kamay nito.

"I think, I-I have to go."

Tila naman natauhan ito.
"I'll take you home."

"Ahm no. I'll just take a cab."

"I insist. Malalim na ang gabi beaides it's my fault kung bagit inabot ka ng ganitong oras."

"Well I guess the CEO won't take no for an answer." She chuckled trying to ease the building awkwardness.

Tumayo na ito at inalalayan siyang tumayo at saka iginiya patungo sa exit. She wants to give herself a tap in the shoulder for not losing balance in spite of feeling dizzy.

They walked side by side going to the parking lot. He took his car keys from his pocket and pressed the alarm and moments later, she's already settled in the passenger seat of his Aston Martin.

"We're headed to?"

"Ortigas, I'll just tell you the direction when we enter Ortigas."

"Aye aye!" anito at sumaludo pa.

She don't know if it's the quietness or the mixed smell of leather and his male perfume in the car or the security she feels with hum around that made her relax and eventually drift off to sleep with a smile.

Note: Sorry sa pag publish then unpublish then publish then unpublish again. Nagkakagulo kasi sa mga parts and arrangement tapos mobile pa ang gamiy ko. Bear with me please.