Kinabukasan, nagising si Claire ng maaga-aga at higit sa kalahating oras na maaga kaysa nakasanayan niya, kaya dumaan muna siya sa isang donut shop at bumili ng sapat na sugar snack para sa buong VIP personnel. Nasa likod na ng mesa niya si Alena, busy na ito kaka-type nang lumabas siya sa elevator. Inalok niya ito ng donut, ngunit tinitigan lang siya nito sa kanyang mga mata na para bang inalok niya ito ng hindi rehistradong baril ngunit kumuha naman ito ng donut at ngumiti na sa kanya. "Thanks, Claire. Anong balita kay Luci? Red flag ba tayo ngayon or green na?" Tanong nitong kinagat na ang sugar glaze na donut. Then she nodded her head between moans of pleasure. Nginitian niya naman ito bago nagsalita. "Ewan ko, wala pa akong balita. Sana nga nasa mood na yun." Sagot naman niya habang inalok din ng donut ang iba pang kasamahan. "Sana nga nasa mood, but I doubt it. I’m sure naka-red flag tayo this week." "The whole week? Dios ko po, nakakastress, madagdagan ang pimples ko na naman
"So, you’re here early, Miss Garcia?" Luke announced as he went to the center of the room near a massive projector, just a few steps away from her chair. Umupo naman si Owen sa tabing upuan ni Luke na nakaharap kay Claire habang umupo na ang iba nilang kasamahan. Ngumiti naman ito sa kanya at sinuklian niya rin ng maliit na ngiti ang lalaki. Tumikhim naman si Luke. "Ah, sorry! Good morning, po, S-sir Luke…um, Mr. R-robinson, sir, hi po." Utal na sagot ni Claire habang nakatitig ang dalawang pares ng mga matang alam niyang sinabayan pa ng taas na malabaklang kilay ng mga ito. Sure na sure siyang may mahabang interogation na mangyayari sa kanya mamaya sa canteen, dahil hindi siya titigilan ng dalawang baklang kaibigan. "Is everything ready for the meeting?" Tanong naman ni Luke habang nagsiupuan na ang mga VP at ang mga empleyadong kasama sa monthly meeting. Ilang saglit pa, Luke introduced Owen as their head researcher. According to him, kailangan ng bagong exposure sa documentary s
Teka, teka! Paused. What the hell was he into now? "Miss Garcia." He tsked with pity, like she was adorable and exasperating at the same time—a puppy pissing on his two-grand loafers. "What are you thinking?" he smirked. "I’m not thinking about anything po, sir Luke.." "Oh, really? So you aren't thinking about me naked in your bed or about that sinful kiss? You know what? It’ll be a long time before you stop thinking about my naked body every time you masturbate at the end of a long workday under your sheets." Ano raw? Gago! I was going to kill him. I knew it right there and then. Maybe not today, and perhaps not tomorrow either, but it was going to happen. How dare he? Mapapakulam niya ito sa lola Malda niya ng wala sa oras eh! Ang kapal ng apog. Anong tingin niya sa sarili niya? Hari ng mga kwagong gwapo!?Ang kapal! Ang bastos ng bibig!Wait!Ang pink ng lips!Napahinto siya sa mental breakdown niya. But two could play this game... Alam niyang naiinis lang ito sa kanya, but
At three o'clock in the afternoon, halos maluha-luha na si Claire sa harap ng computer nito, at nakailang request na rin ng kape ang among hanggang ngayon ay wala pa rin sa mood. Kaninang lunch break, sumabay pa ito sa kanila ni Owen na kumain sa paboritong restaurant nito, kaya halos hindi rin sila nakapag-usap ni Owen ng sarilinan. Yes, she was disappointed, pero wala namang magagawa si Claire, dahil halos ang dalawang magkaibigan lang naman ang nag-uusap, at siya nakatingin lang dito habang kumakain. Obviously, she was out of their league, kahit sinasali naman siya ni Owen sa usapan at inignora naman siya ni Luke. At ngayon nga, sa dami dami ng ginagawa niya halos di na siya nakatayo sa desk to get herself something to eat. Hinawakan niya ang maliit na pulang flag at napabuntong hininga. Tatayo sana siya ngunit panay ring ang teleponong nasa kaliwa niya. For now, she had to make sure she kept this 45k-a-month job. It wasn’t only a great way to get her foot in the door; it could al
Ilang linggo pa ang nakalipas, nakailang date na rin sila ni Owen at ngayong gabi nga, may dadaluhan silang masquerade party at balak niya na itong sagutin. Aniyang panahon na para suklian niya ng matamis na oo ang matyagang panliligaw ni Owen sa kanya. Few minutes later, and though Claire was feeling hot and bothered by the time she arrived very late—to Watson's anniversary’s masquerade party. Dapat kanina pa siyang six o'clock dadalo ngunit, may problema ang isa nilang kliyente at the last moment, delaying her in getting ready. Nang dumating ang taxi para ihatid siya sa mansion, napagtanto niyang may isa pa siyang problema. Napakainit ng gabi, at ang kanyang gown ay gawa sa malambot na telang kulay ginto, and very heavy velvet, and the hoops beneath the skirts kept springing up and almost hitting her in the face. Bakit ba kasi ito pa ang napili niyang gown na susuotin, nagmukha tuloy siyang statwang mamahalin from the 17th century. How on earth, Claire wondered wrathfully, had w
Maganda kayang idea na sagutin niya na si Owen? Ano kayang maging reaksyon nito kung malalaman nitong sa maliit na apartment niya natutulog si Luke tuwing gabi? Hays! Don't get her started; it was something no one knew aside from her friend, Amanda. It was insanity to the fullest. Well, it was unexpected, pero ilang gabi na rin itong natutulog sa apartment niya. Paano bang naging komplikado ang sleeping arrangement nila ng amo? First, it happened so fast. In fact, she never anticipated it or dreamed about having Luke in her apartment, invading her personal space. Ngunit may mga bagay talagang hindi niya inaasahan at hindi maiiwasan.Nangyari ito pagkatapos nung kasal nung childhood sweetheart ni Luke, naglasing ito at sa apartment niya nakatulog, in fact, sa kama niya pa nga at siya naman nasa sala. At kinabukasan nagising ito at nagulat kung bakit sa kama ni Claire ito nakatulog. Ilang minuto din niyang pinaliwanag sa amo na lasing na lasing ito, at dahil nga mas malapit ang a
Still, it was a masquerade party, where no names were exchanged and there would be no expectations after tonight. Sir Greg was right; it could be fun for Claire to just anonymously enjoy herself for one evening, right? Baka nga naman makalimutan niya ang problema niya sa bahay. Hindi sa nagrereklamo siya sa tulong na ginawa ni Luke sa mama niya, pero kung ganitong pati personal space at privacy niya ang pinag-uusapan, nakakainis na masyado. Kung noon, sa bahay, —sanay siyang maglakad-lakad ng naka-panty at bra lang, at minsan hubad pa nga, —sanay siyang mag-iingay sa gabi at manuod ng mga K-drama, —makiiyak at makitawa sa pinapanood, ngayon, hindi niya na ito nagagawa dahil ayaw ni Luke ng ingay. Anyare ba? Bakit palaging kapakanan ng amo niya ang inuuna niya? Hindi ba pwedeng humindi? Hindi ba pwedeng unahin naman niya ang sarili niya? Hindi Claire, sagot ng utak niya. Mahirap ka! You need money! Swallow your pride, kasi magugutom ka kung pride ang paiiralin mo. Tandaan mo yan!
Luke lifted her in strong arms and laid her over the piano, putting out pressure with one hand until she relented to his implicit desire and lay back, giving him full access to her body. He kissed his way up her calves, then her inner thighs, before draping her legs over his broad shoulders. Claire looked so gorgeous lying there, thoroughly open and exposed to him, with no worry, only trust on her face, only need in her eyes.He glowed at her with a fierce smile filled with the promise of delight and lowered his head to trail a series of bites inside her upper thighs. Claire’s breath exploded from her lungs. Luke’s tongue rasped a long, velvety caress over the stinging little nips.Deep inside, her temperature shot straight to a raging inferno. He fondled his fingers over her folds, and she shuddered. He smiled at her, another wicked smirk that sent her heart ascending into her throat. She couldn’t take her eyes off his face. The passion was engraved there; the love was blazing in his