Pipilitin Ko Na Ang Puso Mo'y Mahulog Sa Akin (KANAWAY Book 1)

XXI

LUMAWAK ang ngiti ni Ciara ng mapagbuksan ng pinto si Lucas. He looked sharp and crisp in his black tux. His face has dark bristles. The look she liked more. She suddenly had the urge to run her fingers on his neatly brushed up hair–and messed it–down to the perfect face and to his taut shoulders and even lower. She wanted to feel the wide expanse of his chest. She knew for a fact that his body was hard and firm. Naramdaman niya iyon kahapon ng magsayaw sila.

Kung sayaw nga bang matatawag iyon. Somewhere in the middle ay tumigil sila. They just stood there at the balcony hugging each other. His hands at the small of her back and her head while her hands were on his back.

His words were echoing in her mind. He said she deserved better. He stopped that night not because he really don't want her. And that's enough para baguhin ang masamang damdamin na hated sa kanya ng pagkaala-ala mga nangyari sa gabing iyon.

Tumigil sa pagtibok ang puso niya. At ng muli iyong pumintig ay tila ayaw ng tumigil sa mabilis na pagpintig. Hindi pa siya handang i-assess kung ano ang nararamdaman para kay Lucas. Not now at least. Ang gusto lamang niya'y i-enjoy ang bawat sandaling kasama niya ito sa France.

"You look beautiful," wika nito habang humahagod ang tingin sa kabuuan niya.

"You don't look bad yourself," tugon niya habang pinipigil na muli na namang mapangiti.

He grinned, showing his pearly white teeth. She grinned back.

She realized something. Not just now but yesterday. She has fallen in love with him. Hindi niya alam kung kahapon lang ba nangyari. Maybe because he danced with her after saying na hindi ito sumasayaw. I meant so much to her. Or maybe bago pa man sila pumunta ng France. Whatever it is, alam niyang worth kung susugal siya. Sasabihin niya kay Lucas kung ano ang kanyang nadarama para rito. She didn't planned about his. Sa totoo lamang ay may inilagay na siya sa luggage ni Lucas na inaasam niya na makita ng binata sa pagbalik nila sa Pilipinas. But she changed her mind. She wanted to tell him how she feels.

So she'll tell him tonight.

Kung noon niya naramdaman ito ay sigurado siya na hinding hindi susugal. For he was a snob, a rake and a lecher. But the man he had become was deserving of her trust. She'll take a risk. He deserved to be loved. Maybe not then, but he deserved it now. At sigurado siya na hindi niya naramdaman ito dahil lang sa mga nalaman niya kay Ching. For even before she knows about his past, she was willing to trust him and go with him as far as here.

At isa pa, gusto niyang paniwalaan na may ibig sabihin rin kay Lucas ang lahat ng mga nangyayari sa pagitan nila. Ambisyosa na kung ambisyosa, but she could feel it with he way he looks at her. If he didn't love her, too, then at least he may like her.

"Shall we go, madame?" inilahad ni Lucas ang palad sa harap ni Ciara. Nakayukod pa ito ng bahagya. His eyes were glinting teasingly.

"Of course," inilapat niya ang kamay sa naghihintay nitong palad.

And she know, tonight would be the night her life would change forever.

PAGPASOK nila sa Chateau ay sinalubong sila ng butler upang kunin ang mga coat nila at purse ni Ciara.

Hindi na makapaghintay si Lucas na makita ang reaksiyon ni Ciara sa sandaling tingnan na nito ang menu para sa wine tasting ngayong gabi.

Weeks ago ay nagpadala siya ng sample ng red wine na gawa ni Ciara sa kaibigan niyang si Reynard Le Roux. Nagustuhan nito ang lasa niyon at humingi ng pahintulot na ilalagay nito sa menu ang wine na iyon. He agreed. Hindi niya ipinaalam sa dalaga dahil gusto niya itong sorpresahin.