Tuwang-tuwa na tinanggap ni Dei ang package na personal na hinatid ng guard sa penthouse. She said her thanks and quickly opened her package when he left. It was a free copy of the magazine with her interview in it.
Sinarado niya agad ang pinto at tuwang-tuwa na tumakbo sa dining. "Aldeeeen, tignan mo!!!"
Alden lowered the newspaper he was reading and saw the magazine she was waiving with joy. "Read it, I'll listen."
Umupo sa katabi nitong upuan si Dei at binasa ang laman ng interview habang tuluyan nang isinantabi ni Alden ang dyaryo para titigan ang profile ng mukha niya. Then a minute later, he settled his arm around her shoulders and rested his chin on it.
Natawa naman agad si Dei. "Lumayo ka nga, Alden. Nakakakiliti iyang mga munting balbas mo..."
"I thought you like it."
"Kahapon, oo. Pero mas gusto ko pa rin ang malinis na Mr. A in a power suit."
"Hmm..." He rubbed his chin on her skin and it immediately made Dei laugh out loud.
"Alden naman! Isturbo! LETSE!"
"Miss Dei..." umpisa nito na agad naman niyang kinontra.
"Kasi naman hindi pa ako tapos sa pagbabasa oh. First time kong malagay sa magazine tapos hindi mo ko binibigyan ng moment. Makinig ka nga kasi..." She shrugged his head away and stared at the picture bearing her interview segment. "Ang ganda ng pagkaka-photoshop nila sakin oh..."
He looked over her shoulder to check the picture she was admiring about. "They sharpen your nose and jaws a bit, smoothed your hair and added some glow on your skin. I think that's about it. You're still as beautiful in print and in real life."
Parang naging hugis puso ang mata ni Dei nang tignan niya si Alden. He smiled. "Buti hindi nila ginalaw ang mga mata mo, Dei. That's my favorite part of your face. I love how they are always full of life."
"Pa-kiss nga..." Hindi na niya napigilang ibulalas. So Alden leaned in and was about to gave her a sweet kiss when his phone rang.
"It's Leo..." he excused himself to answer his secretary's phone call.
"Buti talaga lalaki iyan si Leo..." reklamo niya sabay tinusok ng tinidor ang hotdog sa mesa.
He grinned and covered his phone to respond to her, "Same sentiments about your toothbrush. It made you come back to me here. Buti talaga gamit lang iyon."
Natawa si Dei sabay subo ng hotdog sa bibig nito. "Love you..."
"Me too..." Then he continued his talk to Leo.
*****
Bitbit ang puting folder, dire-diretsong naglakad sa hallway ng CEO's office si Dei. Wala ang kambal sa work station nito kaya dahan-dahan na binuksan ni Dei ang pinto ng CEO's office para sumilip kung busy ba si Alden.
To her surprise, she saw the twins doing something on his computer without his presence inside the room.
"What are you doing?" she asked as she swung the door wide. Nagulat agad ang kambal sa biglaang pagpasok niya.
"Good morning, Miss Dei..." bati agad ni Monica.
Sofia, the always composed one among the two answered her question. "We were asked to send a file to Mr. A but we couldn't access his desktop. Mukhang mali ata ang ibinigay na password ni Leo. Problem is, we couldn't contact Mr. A at the moment because he's in a meeting."
