Satin Sheets Romance
Series: The Enigma Saga - 3
BY NIMFA BECK
CHANSE
“May hagdan sa gilid pababa, gusto mo bang bumaba?”
Napalingon siya sa likod. Hindi niya napigil ang tuwang bigla niyang naramdaman. “Edward!”
Parang bigla itong sumimangot, pagkatapos ay ngumiti ulit. “Did you like your room?”
“I like my room pink but everything else is great.”
Series: The Enigma Saga - 3
BY NIMFA BECK
CHANSE
“May hagdan sa gilid pababa, gusto mo bang bumaba?”
Napalingon siya sa likod. Hindi niya napigil ang tuwang bigla niyang naramdaman. “Edward!”
Parang bigla itong sumimangot, pagkatapos ay ngumiti ulit. “Did you like your room?”
“I like my room pink but everything else is great.”
Na-conscious siya dahil sumandal ito sa nakasarang pinto ng verandah at tumingin sa kanya mula ulo hanggang paa. Then he looked at her face again. The man was breathtakingly handsome, he should go to jail for it.
His curly black hair was carelessly hanging in there. The cleft chin was very prominent. He was wearing a blue black polo shirt again and fitting jeans. But now with an expensive looking black moccasin. Naisip niya, how good would it be in this man’s arm? Bigla siyang nag-isip. She knew she blushed. Tinalikuran niya ang lalaki.
“Care to tell me the wild thoughts?”
Sunud-sunod ang iling niya habang nakapikit, she knew he was grinning.
Then she felt a hand on her chin, lifting it. Idinilat niya ang mga mata.
Brown eyes met green ones.
Edward.
Kumurap ito at saka siya binitiwan. Then he walked to the door.
“May dadating ba akong kliyente?” naisip niyang itanong.
Umiling ito nang hindi siya tinitingnan. Sumunod siya dito. Nataranta siya. Walang may gusto sa kanya. Paano na? “B-bakit?”
Hindi ito agad sumagot, pumunta lang sa kusina, sumunod pa rin siya. Noon niya lang nakita ang maliit na dining room sa bandang gilid. Natatakpan iyon ng decorated half wall at may flower pots sa ibabaw. It was a glass dining table for four.
Nagsalin ito ng kape mula sa coffee maker. Nakagawa na pala ito ng kape ng hindi niya namamalayan.
“Ayaw ba nila sa akin?”
Bigla itong tumingin sa kanya habang iniinom ang black coffee. “Why would you think that?”
“Bakit wala akong kliyente?”
“We didn’t put you in the offer, if you know what I mean. Isang gabi lang naman, like what I told you, kapag nagkasundo kayo ng isang lalaki. He might have you for as long as he wants and with that you cannot take another man. Kung isang gabi lang naman, it is not worth to put you in and offer you. The discretion of the process is too much for one night.”
“Ano ang ibig sabihin?”
“I have just one man for you.”
Nakahinga siya ng maluwang. “Makikilala ko ba siya ngayong gabi?”
“He is in front of you.” Tinungga nito ang kape.
Mahihimatay yata siya. “Y-you want me?”
“I want all women.”
“Oh.” Hindi niya agad naitago ang pagkadismaya. Gosh, ano ba ang inaasahan niya? Pantasya? Pinili niyang ngumiti. “I don’t get to choose?” she joked.
Sandali siyang tinitigan nito. “If you want more after me. Then saka natin pag-usapan ang pagpili mo.”
“How would I be paid?”
“You said you only need around thirty thousand?”
“And another thirty thousand in three weeks time. Plus the job,” she stopped. Tiningnan niya kung magbabago ang ekspresyon nito. “If it’s okay?”
“You can have the part time job,” he stated clearly. “Sa ibabaw ng dresser, I left your one night contract. The job offer as a waitress slash bar tender. And please sign the code and creed.”
Agad siyang naglakad pabalik sa silid. Mas maganda kung malayo siya sa lalaking ito. He was handsome, all right. But intimidating. Kanina lang ay ini-imagine niya kung papanong yakapin nito. Ngayon ay matutupad yata ang nasa imagination niya. Why was she excited?
My gosh!
Naupo siya sa harap ng dresser at binuklat ang folder. Then she read.
She must probably be reading for ten minutes when she felt a stare behind her. Inikot niya ang upuan. Nakatayo lang si Edward sa pintong pinasukan nito papunta sa kuwarto at nakatingin sa kanya.
“Bakit?” nagtatakang tanong niya dito. Parang ang dami nitong iniisip habang nakatingin sa kanya.
“Because I am offering to help you and you should just grab it and walk away. Bakit kailangang gawin mo pa ito.”
“Why are you doing that? Negosyo ninyo ito, dapat okay lang na pakinabangan ninyo ako.”
“Hindi sa ganitong paraan.”
“I thought this is respectful. Akala ko mababait naman ang mga lalaki dito.”
“Kahit anong sabihin, ganun pa rin ang labas nun. You sold yourself.”
“I need the money.”
“And I will help.”
“Did you offer to help the others?”
“They want this job.”
“I want this job, too.”
“You do? Really?” parang tumigas ang tinig nito. “Do you crave for a man’s touch at hindi mo na mapigilan and you think that you need someone to scratch your itch?”
“Ganoon ba sila?”
“Mostly, sekondarya na lang ang pera. Dahil kung hindi, matagal nang wala ang iba sa kanila. Makakaipon ka dito in a few months time na kung gusto mo talagang magbagong buhay ay lalabas ka.”
“You have a bond. Magbabayad ang mag-re-resign ng wala sa oras at hindi mag-re-render.”
“Three months,” simpleng sagot nito.
Silence. Hiningal siya sa palitan nila ng salita. Ano ba talaga ang problema? “Ayaw mo ba sa akin? Napipilitan ka lang? Puwede namang iba.”
“Hell no!” Humakbang ito papunta sa pinto at umiling. “I don’t think I can change your mind. Go downstairs for your x-ray. Aalalayan ka nila. Then they will bring you to your car. Anyway, I saw it, is it even reliable?”
“Nag-o-over heat, kapag matagal na. Kailangan ko ihinto at tubigan sandali.”
“You can’t stop in the middle of the road at night para magtubig ng radiator!”
“Wala akong planong magdala ng sasakyan kapag nagtatrabaho na ako. Malulugi ako sa gasolina at tollgate.”
“Hindi ka puwedeng mag-commute ng ganoong oras ng gabi!” medyo lumakas ang tinig nito na ikinagulat niya.
Hindi siya makapagsalita agad. Nagtitigan sila. Then she asked him in a whisper. “Do you really check on your employee this way?”
Nakita niya kung paano nahalinhan ng inis ang galit sa ekspresyon nito. “Tama ka. Hindi! I’ll see you tomorrow.” Then he walked out of her room.
His curly black hair was carelessly hanging in there. The cleft chin was very prominent. He was wearing a blue black polo shirt again and fitting jeans. But now with an expensive looking black moccasin. Naisip niya, how good would it be in this man’s arm? Bigla siyang nag-isip. She knew she blushed. Tinalikuran niya ang lalaki.
“Care to tell me the wild thoughts?”
Sunud-sunod ang iling niya habang nakapikit, she knew he was grinning.
Then she felt a hand on her chin, lifting it. Idinilat niya ang mga mata.
Brown eyes met green ones.
Edward.
Kumurap ito at saka siya binitiwan. Then he walked to the door.
“May dadating ba akong kliyente?” naisip niyang itanong.
Umiling ito nang hindi siya tinitingnan. Sumunod siya dito. Nataranta siya. Walang may gusto sa kanya. Paano na? “B-bakit?”
Hindi ito agad sumagot, pumunta lang sa kusina, sumunod pa rin siya. Noon niya lang nakita ang maliit na dining room sa bandang gilid. Natatakpan iyon ng decorated half wall at may flower pots sa ibabaw. It was a glass dining table for four.
Nagsalin ito ng kape mula sa coffee maker. Nakagawa na pala ito ng kape ng hindi niya namamalayan.
“Ayaw ba nila sa akin?”
Bigla itong tumingin sa kanya habang iniinom ang black coffee. “Why would you think that?”
“Bakit wala akong kliyente?”
“We didn’t put you in the offer, if you know what I mean. Isang gabi lang naman, like what I told you, kapag nagkasundo kayo ng isang lalaki. He might have you for as long as he wants and with that you cannot take another man. Kung isang gabi lang naman, it is not worth to put you in and offer you. The discretion of the process is too much for one night.”
“Ano ang ibig sabihin?”
“I have just one man for you.”
Nakahinga siya ng maluwang. “Makikilala ko ba siya ngayong gabi?”
“He is in front of you.” Tinungga nito ang kape.
Mahihimatay yata siya. “Y-you want me?”
“I want all women.”
“Oh.” Hindi niya agad naitago ang pagkadismaya. Gosh, ano ba ang inaasahan niya? Pantasya? Pinili niyang ngumiti. “I don’t get to choose?” she joked.
Sandali siyang tinitigan nito. “If you want more after me. Then saka natin pag-usapan ang pagpili mo.”
“How would I be paid?”
“You said you only need around thirty thousand?”
“And another thirty thousand in three weeks time. Plus the job,” she stopped. Tiningnan niya kung magbabago ang ekspresyon nito. “If it’s okay?”
“You can have the part time job,” he stated clearly. “Sa ibabaw ng dresser, I left your one night contract. The job offer as a waitress slash bar tender. And please sign the code and creed.”
Agad siyang naglakad pabalik sa silid. Mas maganda kung malayo siya sa lalaking ito. He was handsome, all right. But intimidating. Kanina lang ay ini-imagine niya kung papanong yakapin nito. Ngayon ay matutupad yata ang nasa imagination niya. Why was she excited?
My gosh!
Naupo siya sa harap ng dresser at binuklat ang folder. Then she read.
She must probably be reading for ten minutes when she felt a stare behind her. Inikot niya ang upuan. Nakatayo lang si Edward sa pintong pinasukan nito papunta sa kuwarto at nakatingin sa kanya.
“Bakit?” nagtatakang tanong niya dito. Parang ang dami nitong iniisip habang nakatingin sa kanya.
“Because I am offering to help you and you should just grab it and walk away. Bakit kailangang gawin mo pa ito.”
“Why are you doing that? Negosyo ninyo ito, dapat okay lang na pakinabangan ninyo ako.”
“Hindi sa ganitong paraan.”
“I thought this is respectful. Akala ko mababait naman ang mga lalaki dito.”
“Kahit anong sabihin, ganun pa rin ang labas nun. You sold yourself.”
“I need the money.”
“And I will help.”
“Did you offer to help the others?”
“They want this job.”
“I want this job, too.”
“You do? Really?” parang tumigas ang tinig nito. “Do you crave for a man’s touch at hindi mo na mapigilan and you think that you need someone to scratch your itch?”
“Ganoon ba sila?”
“Mostly, sekondarya na lang ang pera. Dahil kung hindi, matagal nang wala ang iba sa kanila. Makakaipon ka dito in a few months time na kung gusto mo talagang magbagong buhay ay lalabas ka.”
“You have a bond. Magbabayad ang mag-re-resign ng wala sa oras at hindi mag-re-render.”
“Three months,” simpleng sagot nito.
Silence. Hiningal siya sa palitan nila ng salita. Ano ba talaga ang problema? “Ayaw mo ba sa akin? Napipilitan ka lang? Puwede namang iba.”
“Hell no!” Humakbang ito papunta sa pinto at umiling. “I don’t think I can change your mind. Go downstairs for your x-ray. Aalalayan ka nila. Then they will bring you to your car. Anyway, I saw it, is it even reliable?”
“Nag-o-over heat, kapag matagal na. Kailangan ko ihinto at tubigan sandali.”
“You can’t stop in the middle of the road at night para magtubig ng radiator!”
“Wala akong planong magdala ng sasakyan kapag nagtatrabaho na ako. Malulugi ako sa gasolina at tollgate.”
“Hindi ka puwedeng mag-commute ng ganoong oras ng gabi!” medyo lumakas ang tinig nito na ikinagulat niya.
Hindi siya makapagsalita agad. Nagtitigan sila. Then she asked him in a whisper. “Do you really check on your employee this way?”
Nakita niya kung paano nahalinhan ng inis ang galit sa ekspresyon nito. “Tama ka. Hindi! I’ll see you tomorrow.” Then he walked out of her room.