Indecent Transaction (Isla del Amor Series)

Chapter 2

Nagising si Mike na may marahang tumatapik ng mukha niya. He just tossed to face the other side and stubbornly refused to open his eyes. Malamang ay guniguni niya lang iyon. He did not remember retiring to his suite with someone else. No. He was too tired and too drunk to even find a woman to spend the night with even if he wanted to.

Odd because he does vividly remember being in the presence of an angel that night. Tama, alam niya na totoo iyong babaeeng kumakanta at may boses na ubod nang tamis. He remembered waking up in the middle of the night to face that intruder. Muntik na niyang akalain na namatay siya sa sobrang stress at noon ay nagising sa awit ng anghel. He unknowingly smiled as he forced himself to relive that short encounter in his dreams.

"SI-SINO KA? Paano ka nakapasok dito?" Sunod-sunod niyang tanong at tinaas ang feather duster na para bang isa itong sandata.

Agad namang napatawa ang lalaki at muling napahiga. "I'm Mikhail Laxamana, darling. And who might you be?"

“Laxamana... teka—” Mabilis naman itong napatakip ng bibig nang mapagtanto kung sino ang kausap nito.

Kung hindi lang ito maganda malamang ay inirapan na ito ni Mike. He was just so f*****g over the fact that people suddenly change their demeanor after knowing who he is.

“M-mr. Laxamna, p-pasensya na ho. Pasensya na ho,”taranta nitong dipensa. “Hindi ko sinasadya na gisingin kayo. A-akala ko ho kasi wala pang tao rito at bukas pa po kayo darating.”

He wanted to be mad. He has the right to. Inistorbo lang naman siya ng babaeng iyon habang mula sa mahimbing nitong tulog. Pero alam din ng binata na wala naman itong masamang hangarin.

“Hey, it’s all right. I just got here and yes I was supposed to arrive tomorrow. Just dim the lights. I don’t really mind the singing. You have a nice voice,” he said as a matter-of-factly. He saw the faint tint of a blush creeping through her fair cheeks. At wala sa isip na napangiti naman ang binata.

He has eyes. He can clearly see even in his tipsy and tired state, she was gorgeous. Makinis ang maputing kutis nito, matangkad at balingkinitan ang katawan, at kahit na nakapusod sa mahispit na bun ang buhok nito ay tila bumagay pa rin sa maamo at inosenteng mukha ng dalaga. She had the most expressive eyes, her lips were perfectly shaped as if carved like a Roman goddess, and her body. Hindi mapigilan ni Mike na pasadahan ng tingin ang katawan ng babae na hapit sa puti nitong uniform. Just how the fabric hugged and strained against her curves made his boxers feel a little tight.

Shit! He really needed to get laid. Mukhang matagal na rin simula nang huli siyang may kasiping at kahit ang inosenteng housekeeper ay napagdiskitahan ng alaga niya. He reminded himself that he needs to take care of that problem.

She obeyed his request and kept her head low as she resumed her work. Nanatili naman itong tahimik at hindi na muling kumanta pa, much to Mike’s disappointment.

Bago pa man makaalis ang bagong housekeeper muling nagsalita si Mike.“You didn’t answer my question.”

“P-po?” naguguluhang tanong ng dalaga.

“You’re new here I presume. I asked you earlier. Who might you be?”

“A-ariadna po.” Marahan siyang lumapit upang makipagkamay sa binata.

“Ariadna.” Her name rolled off his tongue so naturally.

Nang nagkadaop ang mga palad nila ay hindi pa rin iniwas ni Mike ang mga mata mula kay Ariadna. He almost jumped to her warm and soft touch. She smiled sweetly at him and little did he know that her smile was now burned deeply into his memory.

“EY! EARTH TO MIKHAIL!”

If there was one way to perfectly describe a rude awakening, his cousin Niklaus would be it.

“Go away!” protesta ni Mike sa pinsan na walang imbetasyong sinugod siya sa kanyang suite upang istorbohin lamang ang pahinga niya.

“Tatang, come on. You never even told me you got here last night. Get up!”

He knew that nothing on earth could stop Niklaus from pestering him early in the morning so he figured he might as well get up. Mabilis siyang bumangon at dumiretso sa banyo. Paglabas ni Mike ay nanatili pa ring masama ang tingin sa pinsan at binato pa niya ng tuwalya ang mapang-asar na tingin nito.

Humalakhak na lamang si Niklaus at patuloy na inalaska ang nakakatandang si Mike. “What? Did I interrupt whatever wet dream you were having?”

“Shut up, Nik. Why are you even here? Shouldn’t you be working?”

“Alas-siete pa lng. May isang oras pa ako para tumambay dito.”

“Really? Alas-siete? You woke me up at seven for nothing?” Hinilot naman ni Mike ang pagitan ng mga mata niya. He can clearly feel his hangover catching up. Hindi naman siya ang tipo na mahilig uminom ng pasobra but he did remember having quite more than he would usually have. Lalo na’t hindi naman siya nakakain ng maayos sa pabinyag ng kapatid niya. He also had some late-hour phone calls regarding work before he got on his private plane and went back to Isla Del Amor.

Kumunot naman ang noo ni Mike nang makita ang ilang tableta ng aspirin at painkillers sa bedside table niya. He did not remember asking for those last night. Baka naman si Ariadna ang nagdala.

“You were smiling weirdly in your sleep. Kung hindi lang kita kilala baka akalain ko na in love ka eh. It was trippy I swear. Kaya ginising kita kasi baka bangungutin ka bigla.”

“f**k you,” natatawang balik niya sa pinsan. He quickly took the aspirin and the ibuprofen tablet and called downstairs to bring them some breakfast.

Hindi na bago sa kanya ang mga banat na iyon ng pinsan. If he was being honest, he was pretty much aware that his love life, or rather the lack thereof has been the butt of his friends’ jokes every now and then. Kibit-balkat lamang si Mike sa mga birong iyon. Anong magagawa niya? Eh, hindi niya naman ugaling makipag-date o s*x kung kani-kanino. And he sure was not the one to broadcast all his casual and meaningless hook-ups.

Kahit noon pa man ay likas na pribado at masyadong seryoso sa buhay si Mike. He knew that the time and resources needed to pursue just a short-lived romance was not worth it. Sure he got laid every now and then but he didn’t feel the need to put it on blast or do it as often as his friends do. Siguro ay dala na rin iyon sa edad niya bilang pinakamatanda sa grupo.

“So you didn’t meet anyone at your brother’s party?” usisa ng pinsan niya.

“It was a christening.”

“Ano ngayon? Kahit isa man lang Mikhail wala kang natipuhan do’n? Surely your sister-in-law had some pretty and single friends. Seryoso sabihin mo na lang kasi kung may plano kang maging monghe. We won’t judge you.”

“May board meeting tayo mamaya hindi ba?” pag-iwas niya sa usapan? “Anything of value that might come up?”

“I know you already read through the reports I sent the other day. Sa pagka-workaholic mo na yan, I doubt if anything will phase you later. ”

His cousin knew him so well. Kahit naman isa siya sa mga hands off shareholders sa resort ay naroon pa rin ang interes ni Mike sa pagpapalgo ng negosyo na inumpisahan ng pamilya nila ilang taon na ang nakalipas. His cousin Niklaus has taken the reigns to be the General Manager of the resort these past few years and he was doing a fine job at it. Halos dumoble pa ang influx ng mga turista sa isla at patok lagi ang mga events na pinasisimunuan nito. Niklaus even got the deal to host a major production company and use their resort as the location for an international movie.

Mike could understand that Niklaus had a lot to live up to. His uncle Nicholas Calderon the founder of the hotel was a tough man to please. As they were talking more about the recent events in the hotel, their breakfast arrived.

Hindi maipunto ni Mike kung bakit tila natuwa siya nang malaman na si Ariadna ang naghatid ng room service nila. She’s pretty, Mike don’t sweat too much! Kastigo niya sa sarili. Sa edad niya na trenta y siete napakaraming magagandang babae na ang nakita niya. Pero tila iba ang dating sa kanya ni Ariadna. She was like reeling him in without even knowing it. It has been a long time since anyone has made him feel that way.

“Good morning, sir,” magalang niyang bati sa sa dalwang binata na nakaupo sa magkabilang panig ng dining table.

“Hello, Ariadna.”

Bahagya lamang tumaas ang kilay ni Niklaus at tahimik na inobserbahan ang nakatatandang pinsan.

Maingat naman nitong inilagay ang pagkain sa mesa at pinagsalin pa ang dalawa ng kape. Kumunot ang noo ni Mike at hindi napigilan ang mapatanong.

“You’re still here. Tell me exactly, gaano kahaba ang shifts niyo?” Binalingan rin niya ang pinsan na tila naguguluhan sa biglaang tanong niya.

Bago pa man nakaimik si Niklaus ay agad na sumagot si Ari. “Patapos na rin ho ang shift ko, sir, pagkatapos ho nito.”

Mike hummed in agreement. “Iyong gamot sa bedside ko, brought it up here last night?”

“Opo, sir. Nabanggit niyo ho kasi na masakit ang ulo mo. Sana ho nakatulong.”

“It did. Thank you.” He smiled at her softly. Dumukot naman siya ilang piraso ng isang libong papel mula sa wallet at pasimpleng nilapag sa cart ni Ariadna. “Since your shift is ending, here. Treat yourself with something nice.”

“You’re new here right?” biglang singit ni Niklaus.

“Yes, sir.”

“Hmmm, And your name is Ariadna?” He threw a sly smirk to Mike. “That’s a very lovely name. Bagay sa’yo.”

“Thank you po, sir.” Nahihiyang yumuko naman ang dalaga dahil sa papuri nito.

“Say Ariadna, what do you like to do in your free time?” Niklaus did not waste that opportunity to flash his signature cheeky smile that Mike knew too well. It meant trouble.

“Leave her alone, Nik.” He fought the urged to swat his cousin’s head in front of her. Bumaling muli si Mike kay Ari. “Don’t mind him. Salamat ulit. We can take it from here.”

Nang nakalabas naman ang dalaga at muling naiwan ang dalawang lalaki sa suite ay panaka-naka namang tumatawa si Niklaus. It irritated Mike to the core that he wanted to tear that lopsided grin off his cousin’s face.

“What so funny?”

“Wala naman.” Sumimsim ito ng kape. “Binakuran mo na agad eh ‘di mo man lang hiningan ng number.”

“I don’t know what you mean.”

“I’m just saying you better move fast. If you don’t ask her out someone will,” biro nito.

Hindi pa tapos kumain si Mike pero tumayo na Niklaus upang iwan siya mag-isa sa suite. Before he left, he was quick to remind Mike, “Also now that Thiago is back, he’s been throwing parties left and right. Pero mamayang hapon, we have a game of strip golf with him. You have to be there!”