The Bad Girl's Gentleman

= Code 5 =

The Bad Girl's Gentleman

= Code 5 =

IN REALITY, WHEN YOU'RE ALONE WITH A HOT GUY IT IS SCARY. I've been with a lot of hot guys. Sa club nga lang. Sa The Vibe. Pero alone? I don't think so. Hindi ako natatakot noong naiwan kami ni Baz sa isang storage room sa isang bundok dahil alam kong any time pwedeng may dumating or what.

But this is different.

This is his house I'm going to. My boyfriends'.

"You alright?" he asks me like my discomfort is something pleasurable for him. "It's just a house, baby."

Baby.

May time pa ba 'yung tiyan ko para kiligin muna? Pero mukhang busy pa siyang kabahan eh. What if lagyan pala ni Baz ng lason 'yung pagkain ko? Tiba-tiba na ko niyan. Pero hindi naman niya gagawin 'yun di ba?

Stupida ka kasi, Gwen. Dapat kasi talaga kinikilala mo muna bago ka nakikipag-jowa.

First timer naman kasi ako 'no! sagot ko sa konsensiya ko.

Edi better luck next time na lang, girl! Laki ng problema mo. (Kung may next time pa nga ba mwahahaha)

Fuck you, go away.

Binuksan na ni Baz ang pintuan. His house consists of the whole floor. You can perfectly see everything once you come in. Magkakatabi lang ang dining room, living room, at bedroom. Pero sobrang perperkto nang pagkakasingit sa kanila na hindi mo maiisip na ang sikip ng lugar. May mga tamang divider lang na nakalagay. Malalaki ang mga bintana sa kabilang dingding pero wala ka na masyadong makitang city lights dahil nakapatay na.

"Sit down. I'll be with you in a sec."

I'll be with you, I repeat in my head. Bakit ba siya ganyan magsalita? Natatakot ako na ewan. Paano na lang kung may mangyaring masama sa'kin? For sure may betsin si Baz dito imposibleng wala.

Paano na lang kung ma-r**e ako?

Hindi ka na talo, 'te, bulong na naman ng utak ko. Sa gwapo ba naman ni Basil... baka nga siya pa lugi sa'yo.

Aba, punyemas ka talaga—

"Water?"

"Thanks," pagkuha ko sa baso habang naupo si Baz sa tabi ko.

"It's a Friday. I'm surprised you're not drunk."

"I'm not drunk every Friday."

He just raises his thick manly eyebrows at me.

"Okay. Most Fridays I'm drunk. But I'm not drunk now."

What are you talking about? Shut up, Gwen.

Baz looks like he's having a hard time containing his laughter I can't help but ask, "What?"

"Nothing," he answers with his eyes twinkling with little tears. "You're just really cute."

And with that, mabilis na umakyat ang dugo sa mga pisngi ko. I can feel my face heating up. Alam ko na sobrang pula na ng mukha ko kaya napaiwas ako ng tingin. It just makes Baz laugh harder. Na-tempt akong tumingin kasi gusto kong makita 'yung dimple niya pero nahihiya talaga ako.

"You haven't taken your shoes off," he changes the topic.

"Ah, hindi ba pwede?" I immediately bend down to remove the straps. Where are your manners, Gwen?

Nawawala kapag kasama ko si Baz, sagot sa'kin ng utak ko.

Shut up!!!!

"I don't mind," sabi niya. "But I'm worried about your feet. Kanina mo pa yata suot 'yan. Here, let me."

"No!" mabilis kong iniwas ang mga paa ko sa kamay niyang nangaabot. He looks at me, surprised by my sudden outburst. He has gotten closer by the time he bends down for my feet. "My feet are ugly."

He chuckles lightly. "I don't mind," he says and tugs on the strap of my left heel. He is so careful with his fingers he doesn't even let his fingertips graze my skin. It drives me crazy. I want him to touch me. I almost scream at the back of his head to touch me.

But before I can something dings! and Baz stands up, leaving my straps undone. "The carpet is clean, you can walk on it. It gets vacuumed twice a week."

Tumayo na ko at naglakad. Malambot at nakakakiliti sa paa ang texture nito. Para itong malaki at makapal na tuwalya na bumalot sa buong sahig ni Baz. "I thought you cooked."

"Microwaving and cooking is the same thing," sagot niya habang inililipat ang lasagna sa dalawang malaking plato.

"No, it's not."

"Alright, no it's not," he answers with a nod. "But it is for me."

Umiling na lang ako sa kaniya. "Where did you get that food?"

"A couple of our housemaids back in the ranch go here—in the Middle twice a week to clean and stock the fridge with food."

"This house?"

"As well as my other cousins'."

"Your cousins'?"

"They go to universities here. They live in their own condos and apartments. Come, we're eating."

Funny, but Baz pulls a seat for me.

Finally, umalis na si Baz at nanumbalik na ang hangin sa dibdib ko. I swear that guy will kill me. He takes my breath away. Inaagaw niya ang hangin ko. Chos!

"How is it?" tanong niya habang tinutuhog ang sarili niyang lasagna.

"Masarap. Did you cook this?"

He shakes his head. "We have a chef and he packs us food to be brought here by the maids when they come to clean."

"You really live a well-off life, don't you?"

"You could say that," he says and smiles at me like he doesn't want to take about it anymore.

Shocks. May nagsabi sa'kin na mayaman si Baz pero hindi ko naman akalain na ganito. Ganitong apartment tapos sa hacienda nakatira? How?! At hindi lang siya ang ganoon ang buhay. Pati na rin ang mga pinsan niya.

Palibhasa, tía nga naman niya ang may ari ng Noble & Rico Enterprise. No doubt na naliligo sila sa pera. Baka nga pati sabon ni Baz may ginto. Kaya siguro ang kinis at ang pogi ni Baz.

"You've gone quiet," he says.

"I'm just enjoying my meal," I say to him. Wala namang point kung sasabihin ko na napapansin ko kung gaano kami magkaiba ni Baz. I get that my family is also rich. Pero kung itatabi mo kay Baz parang kayang-kaya niya kaming bilhin lahat pati mga magiging anak ko—well, anak namin. Hahahaha chos.

"So tell me, besides getting drunk, what are your other hobbies?"

Sinipa ko siya sa ilalim ng lamesa. "Ang harsh mo," sabi ko sa kaniya nang natatawa. "Hindi naman nga ako laging lasing."

"Alright, then, besides getting drunk, your hobbies will include... curing hangovers?"

"I have other hobbies that don't involve alcohol, thank you."

He chuckles and I smile at him. So para na pala kaming nasa date ngayon. Kung sabagay, never naman talaga kaming nag-date. "Let's hear it," he says.

"For one, I like to read—"

"Read?" he asks with his eyebrows shut upwards. "Like books?"

"Thick books. I know, I know—it looks like it doesn't suit me. But just because I go out almost every Friday doesn't mean I can't like books, right?"

"I'm just surprised. I'm sorry if I offended you."

Natawa naman ako. Hindi ko maintindihan word choices ni Baz kung twenty-two nga lang ba itong kausap ko. Para akong may kausap na gurang eh. "It's fine. You were not the only one who questioned that hobby."

"Reading. What else?"

"Music, movies, piano, a little singing—I guess, more little writing, and more books."

"Those are really good ones."

"Really? They are what boring people do."

"Trust me, for a guy like me, it's cool."

I smile at him because why not? He really sounds sincere when he talks. Hindi ko alam kung dahil ba iyon sa tono ng boses niya o sa paraan kung paano ka niya tignan. He makes me feel at ease in a place I don't even know existed in my life.

"What about you? What are your hobbies?"

"What do you want to know?"

"What you are willing to tell me."

He looks down at his plate. Tapos na pala siyang kumain. He pushes his plate to the side and leans to the table. "Ask away."

"What do you do when you're not working?"

"Can you guess?"

I laugh at this. I lick my lips to remove the tomato sauce off it. I'm done eating. I shift in my seat excitedly and hit Baz's feet on the floor. "Oops, sorry."

"It's alright. You can put yours on top."

I hesitantly put my feet above his and I am showered with heat coming from my chest. Kailan pa naging intimate ang mga paa?

"Your feet are really warm," I say to him as I slide my foot on the smooth skin.

"No, yours are just too cold."

"Really?"

"We should move," he says.

Nagligpit na si Baz at pinabalik ako ng sala. Before he sits down, he gets a blanket from his bedroom and wraps it around me.

"Why are you wearing too short of a dress?"

"I thought it would help me to convince you to be with me," I admit and I earn another laugh from him. I just realize, all this time akala ko masungit si Baz. It's weird hearing and seeing smile and laugh often. "On the other hand, I planned to seduce you too."

"Let's talk about that topic some other time," he says with a chuckle.

"I will guess what you do on your free time, right?" pagbabalik ko sa tama naming topic.

"Yeah."

"Let's see..." sabi ko at humarap sa kaniya. He turns to me too. "Uhm, hobbies mo? Maging mayaman, maging charming, maging gentleman, at maging gwapo. Did I get it right?"

Tawa siya nang tawa. He looks so cute na sinaluhan ko siya sa pagtawa niya. Nasaktuhan namang nakatapat sa'kin itong dimple niya. Gustong-gusto ko na talagang sundutin pero nahihiya ako.

"Seriously now, though. I do think you read a lot of books."

"I do," he says with a slight flutter of his eyes.

Why are his eyes fluttering? Sinadya niya ba 'yun para ma-charm na naman ako sa kaniya? Nagpapa-cute ba siya sa'kin? Pero, s**t, si Baz 'yan parang hindi naman siya 'yung tipo ng tao na nagpapa-cute. Ako dapat ang nagpapa-cute sa kaniya.

He slouches against the sofa cushions and closes his eyes. "I do a lot of Math and crazy experiments with my cousins. I like movies, too. Strangely, I also like musicals."

I keep quiet. His tone went deeper than normal and I swear I can listen to his voice for the rest of my life. Parang may something na natunaw sa loob-loob ko. Hindi pala siya nagpapa-cute. Sadyang inaantok at pagod pala talaga siya. Now I feel bad. Kung hindi ko siya pinuntahan sa opisina edi sana nagpapahinga na siya ngayon.

Being the daredevil that I am, I reach for his tie. Paano ba 'to niluluwagan? Hinahatak lang 'to di ba? I pull it to both sides and surprised that it actually came loose. I am pulling the top button of his shirt when his hand grabs mine. Napatingin tuloy ako sa mga mata niya.

His eyes are half-closed when he looks up at me. Gusto ko sanang umiwas ng tingin pero mayroong something sa pagtingin niya na napako lang ako sa posisyon ko. I don't feel awkward na nahuli niya kong ganito. Pero biglaang nagkaroon ng kaba 'yung tiyan ko.

Baz pulls my hand and put his fingers in between mine. Napatingin ako sa magkasama naming kamay. I am fascinated at how perfect they fit. Napapisil ako para lang i-testing kung sakto nga. He squeezes back harder as proof.

I smile and look at him, quite proud of this little proof. Tama nga ako na dapat maging kami.

"Hey," he says.

I feel that warmth on my chest again. Parang doon kanina sa lamesa. It feels really nice. "Hey," I say back.

We stare at each other for a few seconds. Okay, maybe it isn't for a few seconds. I lost track of just how long (or short) we look into each other's eyes. His eyes are mocha brown in this light. I am just sinking into them when a switch triggers inside of him.

"I was serious about what I said earlier," he says with the same a-tone-deeper voice.

"Which one?"

"The one when I said you wouldn't want to be my girl."

Iba ang sitwasyon kanina sa opisina niya at iba rin ang sitwasyon ngayon. He looks so much more serious right now. "Why?"

"You'll know soon enough."

Napatungo ako. Ano na naman ba 'tong trip niya? Nambibitin pa 'di na lang sabihin ngayon.

He cups my cheek with his free hand and makes me look at him. "You should know that it's not too late for you to change your mind about this relationship."

"Tsk, stop it, Baz."

"I'm just saying—"

I've had enough of his talking. I don't care kung first kiss ko pa siya. I'm his girlfriend, anyway. I can kiss him when I want, right?

I lean my head down to his face. Nag-worry pa ko na baka hindi ko pa siya sa labi mahalikan. That will be so embarrassing. But there it is, in between my lips as I kiss it. It is heaven. His lower lip is so soft I honestly just KENNAT!!

So that is how a kiss is, huh? You pucker your lips together on the lips of the one you're kissing.

I pull away slightly, just enough to say, "You talk too much."

I lean down again and press three separate kisses to his lips. I am going to get off him as soon as I finish but on the third kiss, Baz's arm goes around and pulls me. The hand on my cheek stays and holds my head in place while he presses back on my lips.

My head is flying. Ilang beses na kong uminom at naging high sa alak. Pero ito kakaiba. Kung heaven kanina nang halikan ko siya, ngayong ibinalik niya parang lumagpas na ko ng langit. May double-heaven ba?

I almost faint when Baz's lips starts to move. My bones are melting. I need to hold on to him. (Lol kahit damoves lang). Baz seems to notice because he pulls me close to him... close enough... closer... too close.

I am sitting on his lap with my legs on each side of him. His arm is wrapped around my small waist. My hands on his broad shoulders. His hand on my cheek. Chest to chest. Nose to nose. Lips to lips.

It is driving me crazy.

Anong nangyari sa fireworks na sinasabi nila sa mga libro? Pakiramdam ko kinidlatan ako sa nararamdaman ko. The kiss is slow. Parang dahan-dahang pinaparamdam sa'kin ang bawat daloy ng kuryente sa katawan ko ang mga halik ni Baz.

He is only kissing my lips but I can feel him all the way to my toes.

I am breathless when I pull away. I want more pero baka tuluyan na nga akong mahimatay dahil wala ng hangin ang utak ko. Magkadikit pa ang mga noo namin. Baz doesn't seem out of breath as I am. In fact he is very fine when he uses his nose to tilt my face to kiss me softly.

"You should sleep," I say to him when he kissed me.

"I still have to take you home."

I slowly open my eyes. "I can just take a taxi."

"Do you think I'd let you go home alone?" he asks on my ear before trailing a kisses from there to my cheek.

"I'll be fine."

I pull my arms away from him and put my hands on his chest. Noong nakaraan nakahiga lang ako dito. Iba pala 'yung feeling na makahawak ng matipunong dibdib. I may not see it, but I want to sink my thumbs in the space between his chest.

He pushes my hair out of my face and I look back to his handsome face. I can't believe I just made out with him. "Can't you stay for the night?"

"What?" I laugh. "No, I can't. It's our first date and I'm sleeping in your house? What kind of girl that makes me?"

"Mine," he answers and leans forward to kiss my nose. "Aren't you?"

"I am," I answer with a shiver. "But I have to go home."

As if on cue nag-ring ang cellphone ko. Malapit lang ang bag ko at madali ko itong kinuha. It is my mom calling. Baz waits patiently as I answer the call with his hands on my waist. It is not really helping. "I'm alive. I'm on my way home! Bye!"

Binaba ko na agad ang tawag dahil alam kong sesermonan na naman ako no'n.

"Let's go na, please?"

Baz nods at me. I slip off him and fumble around to strap my shoes. Bago kami lumabas, pinasuot sa'kin ni Baz ang bitbit niyang coat kanina. It smells like him and it is really warm.

I really don't want to go home yet. I want to stay with Baz. Kaya lang baka kung anong milagro ang mangyari. I can't give away everything in just one night. Baz has his arm around my shoulders and mine around his waist in the elevator.

Nagkataon na pagtingin ko sa kaniya nakatingin din siya. We laugh and he kisses me again. I smile against his lips.

"What?" he asks.

"Baz likes kisses."

He smiles back at me. "To hell, yes, I do."

We exit the elevator.

"Let's get you home," says he with a kiss on the side of my head.

I could get used to this.