Chapter 06

The rest of the ride was quiet—although not totally since may music naman in between us. Ang naguusap naman kami and I was actually good at small talks because of my work, so there's that.

"We're near," sabi niya. "Where are we going exactly?" he asked when we were thirty minutes away.

"There's a hotel somewhat near. We can check-in to rest since later pa naman 'yung ceremony," sabi ko sa kanya. "If you want a separate room, it's fine. I'll pay."

He threw me a quick glance like he was finding the conversation amusing.

"What?" tanong ko.

"I'm fine with one room."

I nodded. "Okay. I'll book na," sabi ko tapos ay kinuha ko iyong cellphone ko at pupunta na sana ako para i-search iyong site nung hotel when Pablo called my attention. "What?"

"Here," sabi niya sabay kuha nung wallet niya. He got something and then I realized that he was handing me his credit card.

"Why are you giving me this?" I asked, a bit confused.

"You said you're booking the room."

"I know. And I invited you here, so I'll pay."

"I'll pay," sabi niya.

"No, it's fine."

His eyes were still on the road, but for some reason, I still felt like his eyes were on me—that his attention was on me. It was probably his voice. His voice just gives you that... authoritative feeling. Na para bang kung anuman ang sabihin niya ay mapapa-oo ka na lang.

"I know you can pay for yourself. You don't have to prove that to me," sabi niya habang nasa daan pa rin ang mga mata. "I would like to pay for the room, though. Is that fine with you?"

If there's a short course in flirting and he's teaching it? Sign me up. I felt like this guy knows what to say and how to say it perfectly.

I quietly gathered myself and shrugged. "Yeah, sure," kalmadong sabi ko kahit sa totoo lang, ramdam na ramdam ko iyong bilis ng tibok ng puso ko dahil lang sa simpleng sinabi niya. It's not even about him paying for the room... but more about how he said it? Grabe.

"Here," sabi niya nang iabot ulit sa akin iyong credit card niya.

"Aren't you scared, though? Giving your credit card to me?"

"Why not? You're my girlfriend."

I felt myself blushing. "Yeah. For today."

He shrugged. "Still," sabi niya tapos ay tinapunan ako ng mabilis na tingin at bahagyang ngumiti. He probably also mastered that half-smile—iyon bang nakangiti siya but not really? Hindi ko ma-explain. But he looked really good whenever he does that.

"You're too trusting," sabi niya.

"I'm a good judge of character," sagot niya. "You're too trusting, too. You're basically in a stranger's car."

I shrugged. "I'm in my boyfriend's car."

He grinned. "Precisely."

"I'm gonna try hard not to memorize your details," sabi ko habang nag-bubook na ng room.

"So, you're good with memorization," he commented.

I shrugged. "Pretty much," sabi ko. "Need it for my job," I added. As a creative director, of course I have to be very particular with details. Kailangan tanda ko lahat. I have a list, but I still make sure that I know them by memory para kapag may nakita ako na kulang, I could easily ask for it or if I can do it myself, I'd fix it. Maybe it really is a high-pressure job... I just didn't really feel the pressure all that much because I like what I was doing.

"Creative director at Premiere, right?"

I nodded. "If they ask you about that, just tell them I boss people around."

Natawa siyang muli. "Yeah, I'll tell them that. But what if they ask me if you boss me around, too?"

Tumingin ako sa kanya at bahagyang inarko ang kilay ko. "Do I boss you around?"

He looked at me as he said the words, "You can try."

Fuck.

Why... was that so hot?

Quickly, I averted my gaze. If hindi lang weird, I would fan myself because that was so... unbelievably hot. Kahit three words lang naman iyong sinabi niya sa akin, it had some kind of effect on me. Shit na lalaki 'to. Mukhang ako pa yata ang delikado sa mga plano ko, ah. I only planned to find a wedding date—hindi ko alam na sakit sa ulo ata ang nahanap ko.

"Do you like being bossed around?"

Instead of answering, he just gave me a quick glance and half-smile. It's weird how I felt like he's an open book but at the same time, there were still a lot of unread pages.

Damn. He's really mastered it. Alam mo 'yun? 'Yung he's giving you enough to reel you in, and also you feel like there's still a lot to uncover—enough to make you want to stay.

He should really be teaching a masterclass at this point.

* * *

Pagdating namin sa hotel, Pablo was the one who checked-in. I was just watching his every movement. Normally, I didn't like it if a guy takes charge because that feels like an insult for me. But for some reason, I really liked it when Pablo takes the lead. Siguro kasi alam ko na responsible siya? I mean, he's running a pretty successful business. That speaks a lot. So maybe I just feel more at ease with him? That at the very least, I knew he wouldn't screw things up.

And... I was overthinking and overanalyzing things again.

"Do you want your keycard or do I hold on to both?" tanong niya after matapos iyong checkin process.

"I'll take mine," sabi ko. "I don't want to risk being locked out of the room."

"Why will you get locked out?" tanong niya habang naglalakad kami papunta sa may elevator. He was carrying both our bags. Ganito pala iyong feeling na may nagaalaga sa 'yo, noh? Kahit for a day lang. Usually ako lang talaga nagbubuhat ng gamit ko, e. Or iyong boyfriend ni Jana. Alam niya kasi na kapag nakasabit ako sa kanilang dalawa, it's more of a Jana and me trip at siya iyong totoong third wheel.

I shrugged. "I don't know."

"We'll be together the whole day, so you won't get locked out," casual na sabi niya.

"Still. Who knows, right?"

Nakapasok na kami sa elevator. Luckily for me, kita iyong reflection namin sa elevator door. I saw him looking at my face.

"Do you expect me to bring someone else to our room?" he asked. Our room. Umayos ka nga, Cerise. He was being literal kasi kwarto niyo naman talaga both.

I looked at him and shrugged. "Not saying you will, but if you do... I mean, that's your life to live."

He stared at my face for quite a while before I saw him slightly shaking his head. Hindi ko lang mabasa iyong expression sa mukha niya. Was he annoyed? Amused? Ano ba ang nasa isip ng lalaking 'to?

"Sure," sabi niya na lang nung bumukas iyong pinto at pumasok kami roon. Diretso siyang naglakad. I didn't know why, but I was just walking behind him.

"Are you pissed?" I asked.

"No," he replied as he was placing the keycard to unlock the room.

"Okay," sagot ko. I didn't want to ask twice.

Bumukas iyong pinto. Tumingin siya sa akin bago buksan iyon. "I told you—I like things simple. If you want something, just ask for it. I don't like playing games," he said before he got in and honestly, left me kind of speechless outside the room.

Fuck.

Ayan nga at napagsaraduhan na ako ng pinto!

I knocked. He opened the door. I frowned.

"See? I was locked out," I said, trying to look cute or whatever kasi feel ko naasar siya nang slight talaga sa akin kanina. Pero para saan ba? Because I insinuated that he'd bring someone back to the room? Because it's a possibility! Iyang itsura na 'yan? Pretty sure someone at the wedding would be doing some weird shit to get his attention.

He handed me both cards.

"I'm with you for the whole day—I won't be looking at anyone but you today," he said.

My lips parted a little. Bahagya akong tumango. "Got that," sabi ko. "Also, to clear the air, I wasn't implying that you'll be cheating or whatever. I mean, since you're my boyfriend for the day, of course."

He just nodded. Why did I feel like he's still like 10% annoyed at me? But he said he like things simple. Should I ask him again? Kaso baka makulitan na siya sa akin.

He walked back in and sumunod ako sa kanya. I saw na pinatong niya sa may chair iyong gamit namin. Good. I hated putting anything dirty sa kama since d'yan ako matutulog.

"Do you want to eat lunch?" I asked since it was already past 12.

"Do you know any good restaurant?" he asked. "Room service is fine with me, too."

"Room service na lang," I said since syempre pagod din siya sa pagda-drive.

He nodded. "If you don't mind, I'll just strip down to my boxers."

Napatingin ako agad sa gawi niya. Suddenly, my throat felt dry. Nagawa ko pa rin namang tumango. But alam mo 'yon? My insides were on freaking fire! I mean, we're in a hotel room and he's only in his boxers? I wasn't made of stone!

Nakaupo ako sa may mini couch while waiting for the reception to pick-up the call. But my eyes? My eyes were on Pablo as he was removing his shirt first. Fuck. Does he swim, too? Because that shoulder's to die for!

"Hello, Ma'am?"

Fuck. May kausap nga pala ako sa phone!

I cleared my throat. Napatingin sa gawi ko si Pablo. There was no expression on his face, but maybe that was just him giving me my chance to save face dahil obvious naman na pinapanood ko siya.

"Hi," I replied. "Do you have room service?" I asked. "Great. Can we have the menu?"

Nang matapos iyong paguusap namin, thankfully ay tapos na rin siyang maghubad. I felt like my self-control wasn't that strong para panoorin siya na mag-strip.

But then, he got a white shirt and wore it.

"What?" he asked nang mapansin niya na nakatingin ako sa kanya.

Umiling ako. "Nothing," I replied. "You just said that you'll be in boxers, but you're wearing a shirt."

There was the amused look on his face once again. "Yeah," he said. "Thought I might help you out and wear a shirt."

I felt like my face was on fire. "Excuse me?"

But instead of answering, he just smiled at me again. Oh, fuck this guy. He really knew what he was doing and he's doing a lot with just a little!

"The church ceremony's at 2PM, right?"

I nodded. "Yes. Then reception after, but we can skip that."

"Really? Why?"

I shrugged. "Told you—not a big fan of the family."

"I know, but since you brought me here and everything, why not attend the reception?" he asked as he sat down on the bed. Nakatingin lang siya sa akin habang nakaupo sa kama. It was the ultimate test of patience.

Huminga ako nang malalim. "Just... not a big fan of the people I'll see there."

"Okay," he said. "Do you have anyone you want to avoid talking?"

"Just my titas," sabi ko sa kanya.

"All of them?"

"Most of them," sabi ko. "I think they'll interrogate you."

Natawa siya. "It's fine. Used to answering questions."

"Part of the job?"

"Yes, but also, I like talking to strangers."

"Why?"

"Sometimes, they end up being very interesting," sabi niya habang diretsong nakatingin sa mga mata ko. I felt my ears were turning red hindi lang dahil sa mga sinabi niya, pero dahil na rin sa pagtingin niya sa akin. He still wasn't breaking the eye contact!

Thankfully, the staring competition ended when we heard someone knocking from outside.

"I'll get it. That's probably the menu for the room service," I said as I walked away like I was on fire and I thought I heard him laughing at my reaction. My god, this guy!

**
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