Luke left his shirt unbuttoned, revealing the dark hair of his chest and the flatness of his stomach, as his fingers dealt deftly with the fastening of his trousers. "Let me. Ako na." Claire held her hand out in invitation. "I think its my turn na rin di ba?" "Hmp" "Come one, It’s my turn to undress you," bulong ni Claire, moving over on the sofa to make room for him to lie down beside her. Kung kahibangan nga ba ito. Yes. Wala na siyang masasabi kundi, Oo. No part of Luke found objection to that invitation but he loves to tease her—not the surge in his already hardened shaft, the increased beat of his heart, or the clamouring inside him to feel those delicate hands against his naked body. And God, those hands felt good as Claire pushed the sides of his shirt aside to lay them flat against his chest, light as butterfly wings as she moved up beside him, expression sultry, her bottom lip caught between tiny, even white teeth as she looked her fill of him and her hands touched and ca

"I’m sorry, you surprised me too…" saad ni Owen habang nakatitig pa rin sa mga mata ng babae. "Was it too much, Claire? I'm just—happy. I can't believe you gave me the yes already," nakangiting dagdag naman nito sa kanya. "Ah—nabigla lang ako," sagot niyang nagtataka kung bakit biglang nagsara ang VIP elevator ng wala naman lumabas. "I'm sorry…" Owen muttered a curse and turned away from Claire before he made another blunder and hauled her right back into his arms. She felt good—better than Owen remembered, and he had a damn good memory when it came to this woman. Owen smiled. Claire had been the one for him. He loves her; he loves how she was kind, real, and fun to be with. Thank God, he hadn't sent her away. The first time he saw her, he thought Claire was the same as all of the women he had dated. Akala niya katulad lang din ito ng mga babaeng pera lang ang gusto sa kanya. Pero kakaiba si Claire. Totoong tao itong kausap, at totoo ito sa sarili. He’d had no choice but to fall

"I think, um, practicing in the condo isn't a good idea, sir Luke," sabi ni Claire habang papalabas na sila ng elevator. "Why?" "It's too, um, intimate." "And?" Luke asked with a knitted brow. "Sir Luke, pwede naman somewhere a little less private di ba?" hinto niyang dagdag, "Bakit hindi na lang sa may beach house nyo sa Bulacan." "At least dun—um, comfortable ako." Luke smiled and said, "Bakit, hindi kaba comfortable na tayo lang dito sa condo ko? Tabi naman tayong natutulog ah, wala ka namang reklamo dun." "Iba yun, sir Luke," she groaned, "that was business." "And this is?" tanong ng kumag na nagpapainit ng tainga ni Claire. Ang kapal talaga ng apog nitong yawa na to. Reklamo ni Claire sa sarili. Napangiwi na lang siya, "This is business too, sir Luke. Pero... basta! Sa beach house na lang tayo." "Okay." "Okay? As in, okay lang sayo?" Luke smirked, "Sabi mo eh! Oo, but let's get some things first, baka mapag-isipan mong maligo dun." mahabang sagot ni Luke habang binubuks

Napadilat si Luke. What? Her words were impossible."Claire, are you, um, that drunk?" tanong nito sa kanya.Napataas kilay si Claire, habang parang baliw na kinakausap niya ang kanyang sarili.Ewan ko sayo, ang hina ng pick up! Kung mag a-ano... mag a-ano na! Huwag nang mag a-anohan pa! Ang ano namang taong ito! Hays! Ewan ko sayo!Luke frowned. They made no sense, no matter how loudly they echoed in his head.Luke thought perhaps he staggered back beneath the weight of all that impossibility, possibly even crumpled to the floor—but of course, he did no such thing. He was frozen into place as surely as if the stones beneath him had made him a statue, staring back at her.In horror. In confusion.Oh ano? Tutunga-nga, ka na lang dyan? Tanong ni Claire sa sarili habang yakap yakap pa rin ang among demonyong ang pula pula ng labi.There must be some mistake, a sliver of rationality deep inside him insisted."What did you say?" he managed to ask through a mouth that no longer felt like hi

"Are you insane?!" Sigaw na tanong ni Claire."Yes, I'm insanely in love with you.""No! Take that back!" She exclaimed. "Owen is a great guy. He is your friend, damn it, Luke." Pabulyaw niyang dagdag sabay punas sa luhang kanina pa niya pinipigilan. "Owen is kind; he is, oh God. Why are you doing this? He likes me; he loves me for who I am.""Enough, Claire!" Pabulong na tugon ni Luke, habang hawak hawak ang kamay niya, na panay suntok sa dibdib niya. "Enough, but please let me love you.""No, Luke. No! Owen is much more well-mannered than you. Alam mo yan! He is warmer, nicer, more considerate to me. He is honest. He is everything I want." Napapikit si Claire sabay diing, "Alam niya kung nasasaktan ako, alam niya kung nalulungkot ako. He knew how to make me smile. He doesn't pretend; he is sweet, he is—""I said stop!" Pabulong na wika ni Luke habang napapayuko ito sa di malamang dahilan. He thought he had never been hurt before, but ang mga mata ng babaeng mahal niya na puno ng gal