Romancing Josh

1st Chapter

I:
The Offer

BAS' POINT OF VIEW

UN-FUCKING-BELIEVABLE

Who would have thought that a man this sinfully gorgeous actually exists? And not just that, he was standing in front of me, looking like a Greek God sent to Earth to be ogled by mere mortals like me. He was wearing a black business suit pero halatang-halata pa rin kung gaano kaganda ang katawan niya. His lean shoulders and biceps proved it all. And damn, he was a few inches taller than me kaya kailangan ko pa siyang tingalain so I could cleary see his handsome face.

He was wearing a dark shades pero sigurado pa rin akong makalaglag-panty ang kagwapuhan niya. Ang tangos ng ilong, mamasa-masa ang mapupula niyang labi na parang ang sarap sunggaban ng halik, and damn, who could resist that prominent jawline!

He was definitely a sex symbol...an epitome of male hotness. Pati ang pagtaas-baba ng Adam's apple niya, sobrang hot tingnan.

Parang nanunuyo ang lalamunan ko. Nauuhaw ako sa presence niya. Pocha.

"So what do you think?" tanong niya habang nakataas ang isang kilay.

"H-huh?" Shet! I was totally spacing out.

"I'm sorry, Mr. Ramirez, were you even listening?"

"H-huh? A-ano..." Ang tanga-tanga ko talaga kahit kailan. Kasalanan naman kasi niya kung bakit hindi ako makapag-focus, eh. He was too handsome and too intimidating. He was larger than life, alam n'yo 'yon? I couldn't wrap the idea inside my head na nasa loob siya ng simpleng restobar namin ng hapong iyon.

"Importanteng bagay ang pinag-uusapan natin ngayon and you're spacing out?"

Hindi ko naman pwedeng sabihin sa kanya na I was too busy checking him out to bother listening to him.

"Pasensya na, my mind is just too pre-occupied. You see, we're opening the restobar in two hours kaya medyo magulo ang isip ko."

Nasa loob kami ng maliit na opisina ko. The space was too little for the two of us kaya I was left with no choice but to pay attention to every details of his physical appearance. Hindi rin nakatulong na nanatili siyang nakatayo lang habang ako naman ay nakaupo. Para bang binibigyan niya ako ng pagkakataong pagnasaan siya.

Pocha! Kailan pa ako naging manyak?

"As I was saying, I am Josh Heraldez, younger brother of Rafael Heraldez na boyfriend ng ate mo—"

"Yes, yes. I got that part."

"Good." Naupo siya at tinignan ako ng mataman. He removed his dark glasses and I got drowned by his intense stares. "I am here to protect my niece."

"W-what?"

"Edeline."

Pumintig ng malakas ang puso ko. Ibang usapan na 'pag damay ang pamangkin ko. Mag-isa kong pinalaki si Edeline mula no'ng namatay si Ate Carissa sa panganganak. Nag-stop ako sa pag-aaral sa college at maagang nagtrabaho at nakipagsosyo ng negosyo sa mga kaibigan ng ate para buhayin ang pamangkin ko. I dedicated my life to raising her at hindi ako papayag na pakialaman ito ng walang kwentang pamilya nila.