A Vow to Forget

Chapter 1

Later that evening Elizar Zade leant against the rail of the neighbouring yacht and studied the woman who had just appeared on deck. If anything the last two years had increased her beauty.

Tatlong taon na ang lumipas simula nang huling nakita ni Elizar ang dalaga sa mismong kompaniya ng ama nito, ni wala pa itong kaide-ideya na noong isang araw lamang ay ipinagkasundo na sila para sa isang kasal.

Napangisi si Elizar sa naisip pero ang kaisipang anak ito ng taong kinamumuhian niya ay bigla na lamang umigting ang kaniyang panga at muli ay bumalik sa kaniya ang galit na naipon mula sa kaniyang dibdib.

She's a forbidden fruit, Elizar thought dispassionately. Her long chestnut hair fell in casual waves over her shoulders and her silken skin was lightly tanned to a soft golden glow. Her perfectly arched eyebrows framed dark thick-lashed blue eyes, her nose was small and straight, and the top lip of her luscious mouth formed a natural cupid’s bow. She was wearing a white wraparound dress in a fine fabric that revealed the soft swell of her firm, obviously braless br*asts. It emphasised her tiny waist and ended a few inches above her knees to reveal long legs. On her feet she wore jewelled flip-flops.

He felt an instant stirring in his groin and his mind was made up. It was over two weeks since he had finished with business trip in Hong Kong and returned to Italy. He had spent a few days at the family home his father left him, in Naples para lamang sa isang importanteng okasyon, because he needs to attend his younger brother friend’s wedding, and then left to take delivery of his new yacht in Monaco.

Two days ago he had sailed from France with the representative from the yachtmakers’ and his new crew to put the yacht through its paces. Satisfied everything was in order, he had sailed on at a leisurely pace this morning for the island of Ibiza.

He had been enjoying the peace and relaxation he thought he needed, which the yacht provided, but now he realised he needed a woman a whole lot more. One particular woman. And Dio, she certainly owed him, he thought, a bitter smile twisting his firm lips.

Malaki ang utang nito sapagkat hindi pa rin nito pinapatahimik ang kaniyang sistema. Hanggang ngayon ay ginagambala pa rin siya ng mga imahe at mga ala-ala na laman no'n ay ang dalaga na ngayon ay pinapalandakan ang ganda nito at ang mga pagbabagong meron rito.

Napadila siya sa kaniyang ibabang labi at patuloy na pinagmamasdan ang dalaga mula sa malayo at patuloy niyang ninanamnam ang epekto nito sa kaniyang katawan.

Eliyah stepped out onto the deck and grimaced at the crowd milling around in the limited space. As usual Vic had managed to swell the eight guests from England who had chartered the yacht to thirty or so. Why was she surprised? Vic had done the same at every port they had visited, intent on making the charter a success, hoping for a return booking from the group. It was good fun, Eliyah supposed, but truth to tell she was glad the cruise was almost over. They were sailing back tomorrow morning, and Eliyah was flying back home tomorrow night. This hectic lifestyle was not really her…seven days of sailing and partying was more than enough.

Isa pa kailangan na raw niya umuwi, iyon ang sabi ng kaniyang ama. May importante raw kasi itong sasabihin kaya wala rin siyang choice kundi ang sumunod. Alam niya kasi kung paano mag-isip ang ama niya at kung paano iyon magalit kaya hindi niya babalaking sumuway para mangyari iyon.

Much as she loved cooking, after feeding fifteen people for a week, with only a cabin boy to help, she was all cooked out. Ubos na ubos na ang kaniyang lakas at siguro nga panahon na rin upang magpahinga naman siya kahit papaano.

Still, she had no right to complain. In between ports and preparing meals she had caught up on her reading and enjoyed the company of the guests. In fact the change had done her good. She was feeling more relaxed than she had in years. Perhaps Vic was right… All work and no play was not good for anybody. And maybe it was time she found herself a man.

Pero iyon lang baka kasi ang lakaking nahanap niya ay makakadagdag lang sa kaniyang problema. She just wanted something that can make her feel the comfort. 'Yun bang may makakausap lamang siya. At hindi niya kailangan ng kung ano man.

"Eliyah, you look fabulous as usual. Dance with me?"

"Hipton." She grinned at the tall blond man smiling down at her. He was employed by a top hedge fund in the City of London, as were all the guests, and he was viewed as something of a whiz-kid by the others. Kid being the operative word. He was only twenty-four, but had apparently already made a million in bonuses, and was in line for a lot more. He worked hard and played hard…

Pero bakit ganoon? Wala man lang siyang makapang kiliti para sa lalaki? ‘yung bang tinatawag na spark. Siguro nga masyado lang siyang madaming iniisip o baka nga tama ang kaniyang kaibigan na masyado niya lang tinataas ang standard niya para sa lalaking pwede niyang makasama.

"Is there enough room?" she queried, eyeing the few square metres of crowded deck, and then added, "Yes, why not?" as she moved smoothly into his arms. Ngayon lang naman kaya pagbibigyan niya muna ito. Isa pa may gusto lang din siyang patunayan. Gusto niyang malaman kung hanggang saan ba itong kabaliwan na meron siya.

"It’s our last night, so you can’t possibly get up to any more tricks here," she scolded him with a reminiscent smile as they moved easily to the music.

So far he had made her miss the tender back to the yacht when they were anchored off Corsica, snatched the top of her bikini from under her when she was innocently lying on her stomach reading a book on a beach in Sardinia and tried to get her drunk countless times. And yesterday he had thrown her overboard off the island, then made a drama of rescuing her—despite the fact that, as a strong swimmer, she had not needed rescuing.

Mas gugustuhin niyang makita siya bilang isang matatag na babae kaysa ang maging isang prinsesa na mahina at kinakailangan pa ng proteksyon galing sa isang binata o prinsepe. Tama na siguro ang pag-aktong mahina dahil natutonna siya sa mga nangyari noon.

At ayaw na niyang maulit pa ang mga bagay na iyon, ngayon.

"Oh, I don’t know…" His arm tightened around her waist, and before she knew what he intended a large hand grasped the base of her neck and his laughing mouth covered hers. She was so astounded she did not try to resist, and a moment later she acknowledged he was no kid when it came to kissing! Magaling itong manghalik pero andoon pa rin ang pakiramdam na may kulang. Na tila ba may hinahanap siyang pakiramdam na hindi nito naibibigay. At iyon ang nakakainis. Sobrang nakakatanga lang dahil hindi niya dapat maramdaman iyon.

Hindi iyon normal.

Lifting his blond head, he grinned, his blue eyes sparkling with merriment and something else.

"I was determined to kiss you before the end of the cruise to let you know what you are missing," he declared outrageously. Tumaas ang isang kilay ng dalaga habang kinokontrol ang inis para sa taong nasa harap niya.

Ito lang kasi ang problema sa binata masyado itong self-proclaim na hahabul-habulin niya ito. Kung tutuusin ay mabuti itong lalaki kaya lang may mga oras na napakayabang nito at umaaktong lahat ng babae ay may gusto rito.

Her own lips curved in a rueful grin. The kiss had surprised her, and it had been very pleasurable—stirring her blood a little for the first time in years. And, yes—Hipton was right—it had reminded her of what she had been missing. But it was the something else that bothered her. Held close to his muscular torso, she could not help but be aware of his aroused state and, planting her hands firmly on his broad chest, she pushed out of his arms. Oo kahit naaapektuhan siya sa mga pinaparamdam nito ay andoon pa rin ang pagkailang dahil hindi niya ito tipo. Hindi niya maramdaman ang thrill na nagsasabing ilapit niya pa ang sarili niya rito. May kulang talaga sa nararamdaman niya kung kaya't mas pinili na lamang niyang bumutong hininga.

"The kiss, it was even better than I imagined." Sambit nito bago ngumisi sa dalaga na siyang ikinangisi niya lamang kahiy kailan ay talagang mapaglaro ito.

"Well, in future stick to your imagination," she said dryly.

"Because I am not looking for a toy boy." They had become good friends over the last week, and she did not want to offend him, but she was not sure she wanted to encourage him on the strength of one pleasurable kiss. Though, far from disgusting her, she found his instant arousal rather flattering. Maybe after years of celibacy her body was trying to tell her something, and it might not be such a bad idea?

Gusto niyang isipin na baka nga sa tagal lang ng panahon na hindi siya nagkaroon ng binata sa buhay niya kaya siya nagkakaganito. Pero ewan niya ba. Basta iba talaga ang kaniyang nararamdaman ngayon. Dagdag pa ang pakiramdam na tila ba may nakatingin sa kaniya kanina pa.

"Ah—you cut me to the quick!" he exclaimed, with a hand on his heart.

Eliyah chuckled. Hipton really was irrepressible…Handsome, with boundless confidence, he had girls falling at his feet and he knew it. Had she ever been that young and carefree? she asked herself, before quickly dismissing the thought. Tonight she was going to enjoy herself. The yacht was strung with fairy lights, the chatter of the crowd was friendly and the music and laughter created a near perfect ambience.

"I have never understood exactly what the quick is." She grinned up at Hipton.

"And you, sir, are a drama king."

Talagang nakakatawa ito. Pero hindi makita ni Eliyah ang sarili na nahuhulog sa lalaki.

"You know me so well, dear heart."

"God—you are so over the top I’m amazed any girl ever falls for it."

They laughed in mutual accord. Oo kung sana katulad lang siya ng ibang babae ay mas mapapanatag siya pero hindi e'.

Hindi ganoon kadali gawin iyon.

"Come on." He flung a friendly arm around her shoulder. "I’ll get you a drink."

She cast him a sidelong sardonic glance.

"And, no, I am not going to try and get you drunk. But you do look hot—really hot…"

He smiled lasciviously. Na siyang ginantihan niya na lamang ng ngiti rin na siyang naging rason para iiwas nito ang tingin nito.

"No I won't buy that," she said glibly, ignoring his innuendo.

Elizar’s lips curled in distaste as the fair-haired guy took Eliyah in his arms. Why was he surprised? He had done some checking after Eliyah's friend Victoria had boldly boarded his yacht and introduced herself before inviting him to the party.

Victoria and Jacob Smith owned the yacht. Smith captained the vessel, and apparently—with the help of his wife and four crew—he ran it as a business. They took groups of people on private cruises. The present guests were all employees of a highly successful hedge fund run by a business acquaintance of Elizar’s—Blaze Gomez.

Apparently the fair-haired man was Hipton, the golden boy. At naiinis si Elizar sa kung paano hawakan ng lalaki ang pag-aari niya.

Kung makaakto si Hipton ay para bang sa kaniya lang si Eliyah pero ang totoo niyan si Eliyah Flish ay nakatadhanang maging isang Zade. Sisiguraduhin niyang sa kaniya babagsak ang dalaga. 'Yun ang nasa isip ni Elizar habang pinagmamasdan ang bawat galaw ng kaniyang mapapangasawa.

She was not employed by Gomez. Pero bakit andito ito?

Watching her dancing with the young man, Elizar had a pretty good idea why she was on board. Ngayon nag-iinit na ang kaniyang ulo. How can she smile and dance with a man other than him?

He straightened from the rail and stepped forward, his lithe body stiffening in outrage as the couple holding his attention kissed. His dark eyes flared with rage, and it took every atom of control he possessed not to push through the dancers and rip the woman from the guy’s arms.

Elizar was shocked rigid by his own reaction. He hadn’t thought of this woman in years. A host of other women had kept him quite satisfied in the s****l department, and if he had thought of Eliyah at all it was with contempt, para kay Elizar si Eliyah ay kagaya lang ng ama nito. Oras na naiisip niya si Eliyah ay bumabalik kay Elizar ang ginawa ng ama nito.

He watched the laughing, friendly banter between the couple, and when the boy flung his arm around her shoulder and led her towards the bar he drew in a harsh breath. Eliyah—his soon to be fiancee—ang babaeng gumagambala sa isip niya—was not even aware of his presence…

It was a new experience for Elizar. He was not conceited, but he knew he was usually the object of every female’s eyes wherever he went. Yet Eliyah had not noticed him…Or had she?

Over the last decade Elizar had seen every trick in the female arsenal used to capture his attention. Maybe she was playing games? Dio! She was an expert at it, as he knew to his cost…

But not this time. Straightening his shoulders, and with the lithe grace of a panther stalking his prey, he moved swiftly through the crowd to where the bar had been set up and stopped a foot behind her.

"Eliyah." He drawled her name and placed a hand on her bare shoulder. "It is you, Eliyah?" he queried in mock surprise.

"I know you," the young man blurted over Eliyah's head.

"You’re Elizardous Zade, the legendary transport tycoon and wizard financier." Holding out his hand, he added, "Hipton Bazon…great to meet you."

Elizar took the offered hand when really he would have liked to knock the younger man flat on his back. This guy was obviously a good friend of Eliyah’s. He even had the audacity to kiss his fiancee in public, and heaven knew how much more. Yet he appeared to regard him with the respect due a superior. Legendary, for hell’s sake!

"The pleasure is all mine," Elizar responded briefly, and let his dark gaze drop to the woman who was staring up at him as if she had seen a ghost. "But it is Eliyah I wanted to speak to. We are old friends. Aren’t we, Eliyah?" he demanded silkily. He is now using his dominant side and he is daring her to say no.