Chapter Five

NAPATIGIL siya sa akmang pagpasok sa loob ng kanyang work area slash office nang makita ang lalaking prenteng nakaupo sa kanyang mahabang sofa. Tahimik nitong binubuklat ang sa tingin niya'y sketchbook niya.

Nakatagilid ito mula sa direksiyon ng pinto kaya malaya niyang natititigan ang lalaki. There's no doubt that the man was attractive, from his chiseled face to his ripped built. His jaw was squared and scruff, a couple of days stubble was intentionally left out, and that made him masculine and sexy at the same time. He had a perfectly straight nose that she bet had narrow nostrils. Did he get a nose job?

His eyes were as dark as the ravens paired with dark lashes and bushy eyebrows.

Marahas niyang ipinilig ang ulo dahil parang namagneto na ang kanyang mga mata rito. She filled her lungs with air silently and readied her straight face before going inside.

Vodka walked towards him and snatched her sketchbook from him. Dinala niya ang sketchbook na siyang pinagguguhitan niya ng kanyang mga designs sa kanyang drawer at pinasok doon.

She stood next to her desk and put her arms around her chest. She was looking at him callously while he was still sitting and leaning on the sofa, his arm was on top of the seat while his legs were spread apart. He wore a grin, it should make her annoyed at him but it did not, she admitted this time the man was really sexy.

"Will you stay here the whole day? Don't you have anything to do?" she asked sarcastically. She was trying to make her voice sound more annoyed.

Tanghali na ngunit naroon pa rin ito sa opisina ni Vodka. Ito ang may-ari ng kulay asul na Lexus na bumangga sa salaming dingding ng kanyang shop. Ang sabi nito ay nawalan ng preno ang sasakyan nito. He shouldered all the damages and even called for someone to fix the shop's broken glass wall.

Because of what happened, she needed to close the shop for a while. Her staff and his people clean the mess downstairs.

Lihim na nahigit ni Vodka ang kanyang hininga nang umangat ang sulok ng mga labi nito sabay tayo mula sa kinauupuan at lumakad patungo sa kanya. She closed her palm to stop herself from taking a step backward when he kept on walking to her until he was centimeters away. He stopped in front of her and offered his hand for a handshake.

"We were not formally introduced. I am Eugene Lorenzo, Gin for you. Nice to meet you, Vodka." Napasulyap si Vodka sa kamay nitong nakaunat, iniisip niya kung tatanggapin ba iyon o hindi. Kanina, nang magpakilala ito ay hindi niya tinaggap ang pakikipagkamay ng lalaki dahil sa inis nang makita ang nangyari sa kanyang shop.

Muli siyang napatingin sa mukha ni Eugene. Pinigilan niya ang sariling mapalunok nang maapektuhan sa ngiting nakapaskil sa mga labi nito. It was broad daylight and she can see him clearly, unlike that night in the nightclub when she first met him.

Kailangan pa niyang ipaalala sa sarili ang sirkumstansiya kung bakit ito naroon sa kanyang opisina at ang ginawa nito kay Martini, upang mabura ang paghangang nagsisimulang mamukadkad sa kanyang dibdib para sa lalaking kaharap. This is not her! She was not the type that easily get attracted to a man.

With one eyebrow raised, she accepted his hand for a handshake. Then she realized that it was a wrong move when his rough hand enveloped hers. He was holding her firmly, but not enough to hurt her.

Eugene stepped closer to her until they're inches apart and gave a full smile. Showing his pearl teeth that shimmer as the light from the glass wall hit them. Vodka bit her lip to stop her mouth from gasping, he looked even younger when he smiles and sexy and handsome.

"You have very beautiful hair..." Vodka was taken aback when his finger grazed her neck before it touched the strands of her hair. She went rigid, her grip on his hand tightened when he leaned closer to the side of her neck. He sniffed as if he was smelling her, of her hair? "...and it smell good... hmm..."

He inched even closer and she can feel his breath on her neck. Vodka was pulled back to reality when she felt the hairs on her nape raised. She pulled her hand back with force from his grip and push him. She can feel the hardness of his chest when her palm touched it.

"That's not a very polite introduction, Mr. Lorenzo!" nilangkapan niya ng inis ang boses at sinamaan ito ng tingin.

Eugene raised his hands in the air and beam wickedly. "I'm not really polite, Mi Hermosa."

Vodka wanted to facepalm or slap his face to erase his annoying grin. No, not really annoying, what annoyed her was the fact that she finds him... alluring.

"Just get out of my office, will you? You are not welcome here," Vodka uttered bluntly.

Vodka rolled her eyes when Eugene clasp his chest dramatically. She can't believe that he was this type of a man. He was very masculine to act cute, seeing him acting like this should be cringe but he was unbelievably attractive.

What's wrong with you, Vodka Rodríguez! Vodka screamed to herself silently. She was about to open her mouth and try to make him go away when they heard a knocked from the open door. Vodka was greeted by a deliveryman with a wary smile on his lips.

"Great!" bulalas ni Eugene nang makita ang delivery man. Muli itong tumingin kay Vodka na magkasalubong ang kilay. "Join me for lunch..." he muttered before paying for the food he ordered earlier.

Eugene sat on the sofa when the delivery man left and the foods were on top of the center table. Vodka was still dumbfounded as she looked at him getting comfortable around her. As if her place was no stranger to him. Hindi malaman ni Vodka kung ano ang iisipin, madali ba itong makapag-adjust o sadyang makapal lang talaga ang mukha?

Eugene was about to eat when he saw her standing in front of him. "Come here. Eat lunch with me..." It was past twelve in the afternoon and he was sure she was hungry.

"I'm not hungry. And please, eat quickly and get the hell out of her after." She still had her courtesy with her even though the man doesn't deserve it after all the trouble he caused her.

Tinalikuran ni Vodka si Eugene at akmang hahakbang patungo sa kanyang work area kung saan siya nagtatahi ng mga damit. Iisa lang ang kanyang opisina—kung saan siya tumatanggap ng mga kliyenteng magpapagawa o magpapadisenyo ng mga damit—at ang kanyang work area—kung saan siya nagtatahi ng mga damit. May ibang work area ang iba niyang mananahi na katabi lang ng kanyang opisina.

Naramdaman ni Vodka ang pagpigil ni Eugene sa kanyang braso kaya napatigil siya sa paghakbang. She looked back and gave him a distant look.

"I'll leave after the walls are fixed. Now eat with me... Consider it as a payment to all the trouble that I caused you," Eugene said seriously. The smile on his face was gone, the glint in his eyes was telling her to oblige and challenging her to resist at the same time.

Walang nagawa si Vodka nang bigla siya nitong hawakan sa beywang at igiya patungo sa direksiyon ng sofa. Umupo nalang siya kaysa sa makipag-argumento sa lalaki. Hindi naman niya ito makakaladkad palabas, baka siya pa nga ang itapon nito palabas ng kanyang opisina.

Ipinagpasalamat ni Vodka na nanahimik ang binatang kaharap niya habang kumakain sila. Gutom na gutom siya dahil hindi siya nakakain kaninang umaga bago umalis patungo sa shop, pero nunkang sabihin niya iyon sa binata.

Nang matapos sila sa pagkain ay hinayaan na niya si Eugene na ligpitan ang kanilang pinagkainan. Hinarap ni Vodka ang kanyang sewing machine at nagsimulang magtahi. May tatahiin pa siyang wedding gown na personal niya mismong dinisenyo.

Pagkalipas ng ilang sandali ay ramdam ni Vodka na may mga matang nakatitig sa kanya, alam niya kung sino ang may-ari ng mga matang iyon. Isinawalang-bahala niya iyon kahit tila sinusunog ng mga tingin nito ang kanyang likuran.