The Way To His Heart (The Starving Squad #3)

Chapter 12: To Flirt or Not To Flirt

Usually, kapag wala siyang masyadong tulog nang nakaraang gabi, nakasimangot si Mona pagpasok kinabukasan. Usually.

But last night wasn't a usual night. She spent very little time sleeping, but she would never complain. She wouldn't change anything about last night.

Isa siya sa ilan sa masiswerteng taong natipuhan din ng crush niya. Some don't even get to talk to their crush. She had more than a conversation with hers.

Hindi siya sigurado kung 'yong pagkakaroon niya ng crush kay Felix ang nagbigay ng kakaibang kulay sa nakaraang gabi. But the deed was different with him. It was delicate and yet rough at the same time. They both sated each other's needs, but she didn't feel offended or shamed.

It was just sex, it was not making love. Malinaw naman sa kanya 'yon. Making love requires love between two people, not just flesh against flesh, but soul against soul.

What they did last night has no love, only carnal need. And yet... it didn't feel like it was just that.

She was so insecure with her body at the beginning, but he made sure to make her feel comfortable and at ease. Hindi nito ipinilit nang hindi pa siya handa. He waited until she's mentally, physically, and emotionally prepared. At hindi kalaunan, nakalimutan na niya ang lahat ng takot.

As loud and obnoxious he may seem to some, he was gentle and considerate.

If only he didn't have Andrea...

Bumuntong-hininga siya. He made it perfectly clear that it was just an act with both their consents. Hindi naman siya nito pinilit. Gusto rin naman niya. And yet, deep inside her heart, she wants it to mean something else for him too.

He quickly became her almost, on the brink of something beautiful, but wasn't quite there yet, and may never go there, if the circumstances don't go according to their favor.

Napatigil siya sa madramang pag-iisip nang biglang may kumatok sa bintana ng kotse niya. It was Ralph, smiling.

Kapaparada pa lamang niya ng sasakyan sa tabi ng shop. Kumaway ito.

She lowered the window.

"Morning, Boss!" nakangiti nitong bati.

"Morning."

"Parang ang ganda ng gising mo, Boss. Blooming ka."

Pinaningkitan niya ito. Ralph wasn't usually easy on compliments.

"Mangungutang ka ba?"

Tumawa ito. "Grabe, Boss. Utang agad? Hindi ba pwedeng magpapaalam lang para mag-early out mamaya?"

Lalong naningkit ang mga mata niya. Kinuha niya ang bag saka lumabas ng sasakyan.

"Bakit? Saan ka na naman pupunta?"

Napahimas ito sa batok. "E, Boss kasi... birthday ng girlfriend ko..."

"May girlfriend ka pala?" taas-kilay nyang tanong. "Kelan pa?"

"Last week lang."

"Last week pa pala tapos hindi mo man lang kami in-inform?" tanong niya.

Ralph opened the back door first before answering, "E, kasi wala ka pang love life last week. Nakakahiya naman kung ipangalandakan kong meron na 'ko tapos ikaw, wala."

"Ay wow! Salamat sa consideration ha!"

Natawa ito. "Meron naman na ngayon so I figured na okay nang sabihin."

"Under negotiation pa naman 'yong sa 'kin."

Hindi niya alam kung may patutunguhan sila ni Felix. Masarap mangarap pero mahirap umasa. What they did was just for one night. And who knows? Maybe after what happened, hindi na rin ito magpakita sa kanya. He already got what he wanted, anyway.