#DS7Unbalanced #InoCent #SMCouple #DaggerSeries

CHAPTER SIXTEEN: SWEET

TIARA'S POV

"Anong mas gusto mo?"

Napapakamot sa ulo na tinignan ni Domino ang hawak ko na catalog para sa paint swatches. There is a mix of bewilderment and confusion in his eyes as his gaze goes back and forth from one color to another.

"So?" I prompted.

"Uhh... is there a difference?"

Magkasalubong ang kilay na pinakatitigan ko siya at sa kabila ng kalituhan ay napangisi siya. He looks like a teenage boy who has been chastised.

We're currently at Home Depot to buy more paint. The ones he has back at the castle are all shades of beige, from light to dark, gold, and some gray to black paint. But it's not like he can paint the whole house with just that. Mayroon siyang pinturang puti pero hindi iyon sapat para kulayan ang iba pang bahagi ng bahay niya. And it's too white.

He asked me if I wanted to go out, and I did. I've been holed up in his castle now for more than a week, which wasn't really a problem because I never find myself getting bored. But I wouldn't say no to the chance of being able to go out.

"Of course there's a difference. This one is ivory." Itinuro ko ang isa pa. "While this is alabaster."

Nilapit niya ng kaunti ang mukha niya sa hawak ko. "They're both white."

"No! They're—" I let out an exasperated breath. I recognized the twinkle in his eyes, and I know that my irritation is amusing him. "They're in the same family, but they are not white." I plastered a forced smile on my lips. The one that my babusya always gives my didus when he's trying her patience. I pointed to the first swatch of color. "Ito ang white."

"Now I'm looking at three kinds of white." Ibinaba ko ang hawak ko. I let my smile melt off, and I gave him a blank look. He coughed, trying to hide his laughter. "How about you choose for me?"

"Hindi pwedeng ako. It's your house."

He opened his mouth as if to say something, but he just pressed them together seconds later without saying anything.

Naiiling na inangat ko ang catalog. "White is just white, ivory has a slight yellow to it, and alabaster has a beige undertone."

"What do you like best?"

"Dom—"

"I luck out with the bedrooms because I found a picture online, showed it to the manufacturer, and then I ordered them. With white, it's different. I wouldn't know there's different kinds if we didn't go here." He tapped the visor of the black ball cap I'm wearing. "So help me, please, Millie Mouse."

I pursed my lips a little. Itinuro ko ang isang swatch. "Alabaster. Then ivory for the kitchen and hallways."

His lips tugged up, and he took the catalog from me. He scanned the rows of paint in front of us to look for one that would match the paint's code from the swatches. Usually, when you choose a color, the store will have them mixed for you. But the particular brand in front of us already has available colors to choose from.

Kumuha ng dalawang limang galon na alabaster si Domino at isang ivory. Inilagay niya iyon sa cart na dala namin.

Inabot niya ang kamay ko. Kanina kasi ay hawak niya iyon habang sa isa ay gamit niya pangtulak ng cart. "I'll follow you. You can hardly push the cart with one hand. Those paints have a total of fifteen gallons."

Imbis na sumagot ay nangingiting hinila niya lang ako palapit sa kaniya. He positioned me in front of the cart, and he put my hands on the handle bars. Humawak siya sa magkabilang gilid ng mga kamay ko at itinulak niya na iyon.

I looked up at him, my eyes narrowing into a slit. "I look like a child."

"You don't." Tinaasan niya ako ng kilay. "Unless gusto mong ilagay kita sa loob ng cart?"

I harrumphed, which just made him chuckle. We walk through the long hallway, barricaded by his arms. Sumilip ako sa likod namin at namataan ko si Warrick na nakasunod sa amin. Hindi lang siya ang kasama namin dahil sigurado akong nasa paligid lang din sina Pike at Nevan.

I gave Warrick a small wave, and he returned with a smile. Domino, who wasn't oblivious to the exchange, placed my hand back on the handle before he leaned down so that he could put his chin on my shoulder.

"Don't be too kind to anyone else. Baka magselos ako."

Nag-iinit ang mga pisngi na siniko ko siya na ikinatawa niya lang. "Stop being silly." I glance at him. "At pwede bang umayos ka ng tayo? You're going to break your back. If it isn't obvious to you, compared to you, you're a pine tree, and I'm a bonsai plant."

His laughter echoed around the place, and I couldn't help but smile. Domino's a happy person. He seems to be the kind who doesn't run out of reasons to be happy about. I've only seen him serious when he's being protective of me.

Imbis na sundin ang gusto ko ay lalo pa siyang sumiksik sa akin. "We look silly."

"No we don't."

"We do."

"We don't, and I'll prove it to you." Bago ko pa matanong kung anong ibig niyang sabihin ay pinigilan niya ang cart sa pag-andar. Hindi kalayuan sa amin ay may dalawang babae na may tulak din na cart na pasalubong sa amin mula sa kanan. "Excuse me."

"Domino!" I hissed under my breath.

Ignoring me, he waved to the women. "Sorry for the bother. May tanong lang sana ako."

"Ano po 'yon?" tanong ng babae na kulot ang buhok.

"Nagtatalo kasi kami ng—" Nagbaba ng tingin sa akin ang lalaki. We don't have any labels. I don't even know what we are. Well, I can think of what to call us even though we haven't... you know, but I don't think it's appropriate to mention it to two complete strangers. "—asawa ko."

I felt like my eyes would fall from their sockets. He decided to go for that? Pwede namang girlfriend na lang.

Domino flashed them his winning smile. "Do we look weird, or do we look romantic?"

Nagtatakang nagpalipat-lipat ang tingin sa amin ng dalawa. The woman with the straight hair answered his question. "Romantic po. Ang sweet niyo pong tignan."

"Oo nga po. Sa sobrang sweet parang gusto kong isumpa lahat na pinagpalit kaming mga freshly made sauce para sa sawsawan na nalawayan na ng lahat." Namula sa galit ang mukha ng kulot na babae. "Hayop na lumpiang toge na 'yon. Mabuti pa ang fishball at least 'yon may balls!" Itinuro niya si Domino. "Bakit hindi na lang lahat ng lalaki pwedeng maging tokwa? Ang daming recipes na pwedeng gawin. Pwede pa sa taho at pwedeng vegan alternative. Bakit karamihan ng lalaki puro mungo?!"

Napanganga kami ni Domino habang parehas na nakatulala sa kaniya.

"Kasalanan mo 'yan," bulong ko kay Domino. "Ang kulit mo kasi."

Nakangiwing tinapik ng babaeng tuwid ang buhok ang kasama niya sa likod na parang inaalo. "Pasensya na po kayo kay Dette. Broken lang po—"

"Nakakainis lang kasi, ate Jannah. Naalala ko na naman ang mungo na 'yon." Tinuro niya si Domino. "Tignan mo si kuyang pogi oh. Patunay na may lalaking gwapo na nga sweet pa. Mukha pang mayaman at maraming pangarap sa buhay." Sandaling natigilan ang babae. "Tama ba ako, Kuya?"

"Ha?"

"Mayaman ka po di ba?" The woman called Dette raised her fist as if she's an activist fighting for something. "Okay lang naman kahit hindi basta masipag."

Napapakamot sa ulo na sumagot ang lalaki, "Tama lang."

I tried not to scoff at that. He has a house that looks like a castle, he co-owns a company, and he's driving a luxury car. I doubt "tama lang" is the right answer.

"Marami ka bang pangarap?"

"Dati, oo." I felt his chin settle on the top of my head, his arms tightening around me. "Pero ngayon isa na lang."

My heart thudded in response to his words. The butterflies inside me soon followed, making their presence known, and they felt like they multiplied.

The two strangers made an "aww" sound, which made the heat I'm feeling on my cheeks intensify until they seemed to be burning.

Domino chuckled, and he put a hand on my shoulder. As if feeling my discomfort, he glanced at the curly-haired woman. "Don't waste your time on people who don't see your worth. If one betrays your trust and leaves you for someone who doesn't have enough conscience to not get involved with a man who is already committed, then they deserve each other. That man will spend day after day thinking about you that he lost, and the person he has now by his side won't ever make him forget that because the woman he's with will live in constant paranoia that he's doing the same to her."

Tumango ang babaeng pangalan ay Jannah. "At least ngayon nabawasan ng dalawang problema ang mundo dahil magkasama na ang dalawang hayop na 'yon."

Domino talked to them some more before the women said their goodbyes. I gave them a smile, which they returned with a wave.

"Sertse vchytsya na boli," I whispered as I watched them go.

"Hmm?"

I glance up at Domino. "The heart learns from pain," I explained, and I tipped my head in the direction the two went. "That woman now has a stronger heart. The next man that comes into her life will need to work hard to get her love. Because this time she has a reminder of what is worth it, what she deserves, and what she will no longer tolerate."

Domino stayed silent. He didn't say anything until we reached the aisle where the painting tools were located. Umalis siya sa likuran ko at lumapit siya sa mga nasa estante. "Mabuti na lang masipag ako."

"Ha?"

"I'm not afraid of working hard." With his lips tipped up in the corners and his eyes brighter than the lights above us, he turned to look at me. "All great dreams need hard work and effort before you can achieve them. And what greater dream could there be than the love of a woman you get to spend the rest of your life with?"

NAPATIGIL AKO sa ginagawa ko nang marinig ko ang papalapit na yabag ni Domino. Dala ang tray na nagiging pamilyar na sa akin, dahil lagi niya iyong bitbit kapag gusto niya akong pakainin, na naglakad siya sa kinaroroonan ko.

Ibinaba niya ang tray sa ibabaw ng nakasaradong takip ng pintura. He gestured the tray with his hand. "Homemade granola bars and mixed berry smoothie."

"Homemade?" kunot ang noo na tanong ko. "You made this?"

"Nope. Warrick brought them over. Pinadala ni Lia." He walked closer to me, and he reached for my hand. I thought he was going to take off my gloves, but instead he just took the brush and lowered it to the floor that was covered with newspaper. "Come. You've been helping me for hours."

He took a seat on the floor, and before he could move, I lowered myself on his lap. Nang mag-angat ako ng tingin sa kaniya ay nakita kong nakatitig siya sa akin. "What?"

His lips quirked, but he just shook his head. "Nothing."

He pulled me closer, and then he pulled the tray toward us. He held out a granola bar to me, and I only hesitated for a moment before taking a bite.

I widened my eyes at him as I chewed, and he grinned. "Good, right?"

"At this point, I doubt Lia can make anything that doesn't taste good," I told him honestly. "Why didn't she open a restaurant?"

"Sinabihan na namin siya noon. But she prefers cooking for the family and not for other people. Hindi niya na raw kami mapagluluto masyado kung abala siya sa restaurant."

"Pero hindi ba siya napapagod na ang dami niya laging niluluto?"

"Not really. Kahit para sa kanila lang ni Kuya Gun sobrang dami talaga niyang magluto. Mas mahihirapan siya kapag pinagawa mo siya ng kaunti."

Making small talk and talking about his family, we finished the food and drinks in no time. There were four granola bars, and I ate one and a half. Domino ate the rest, and he didn't seem put off by me. He actually looked pleased when I took a bite when he offered the second bar, as if me eating more was his greatest achievement.

Nang dalin niya sa kusina ang pinagkainan namin ay muli akong bumalik sa ginagawa ko kanina. We're currently in the huge room where he wants his gym to be. Nasa second coat na kami ng pintura at malapit na rin namin iyon na matapos.

It's rare for me to do anything other than ballet. I don't have a hobby. I read books and watch some shows, but it sometimes takes weeks before I finish them because I find it hard to stay still for a long time. But doing this? Helping Domino with his house? For some reason, I find it really fun.

"You're good at that," Domino said when he returned. "Hindi na rin nakakapagtaka. You're artistic."

I snickered. "I doubt painting with one color could be considered artistic."

"You have an eye for color. Did we or did we not just spend almost half an hour choosing the perfect white color?"

"It's not white. It's alabaster and ivory—" Pinaikot ko ang mga mata ko nang makita kong nakangisi siya sa akin. He's making his point made. "Whatever."

He tipped his head in the direction of my hands as he put on his own gloves. "And you have steady hands."

We both immersed ourselves in painting again, with him sometimes playfully bumping into me. It didn't take long before we were done.

Domino stepped back a few steps and eyed our work. "I don't know what I should feel."

Nagtatakang nag-angat ako ng tingin sa kaniya. "What do you mean?"

"You're easy to teach, and you could have done this without my help." Tinuro niya ang pader na nasa harapan namin. "It's perfect." He let out an exaggerated sigh. "You're too perfect. I feel useless, and my heart is breaking."

Pinaningkitan ko siya ng mga mata. "You're being silly again."

Sighing again, like he had broken his heart, he walked closer to me. "I want revenge."

"What—" Hindi ko nagawang tapusin ang sasabihin ko at napatili ako nang bigla na lang niyang ipinunas ang kamay niya sa braso ko. He's wearing gloves, but just like mine, they're stained with paint. "Domino!"

I pushed him away, and we both froze when my hand left a print on his black shirt. "You started it," I told him as I took a step backwards.

His eyes glinted, and the serpent showed itself once again. Humakbang siya palapit sa akin. "Ahuh."

"Domino, no," I said to him with a warning in my tone, but he just grinned.

I let out a shriek when he lunged, and I turned my back on him and sprinted into a run. But his legs are longer and his strides are stronger, so he immediately caught up to me.

I found myself erupting into giggles when he hooked an arm around my waist. I struggled with his hold and shoved his face, and he gasped when he felt the wetness from my hand.

"Oh no!" I laughed. "Sorry!"

"You don't sound sorry, doll." Ako naman ang napasinghap nang idampi niya ang kamay niya sa leeg ko. "Oops."

"You!"

I went in for the attack. Which I know were futile because he's far bigger than me. We wrestled, spreading more paint on each other. If anyone could see us now, they'd probably think we're both crazy. But for a moment, I didn't care.

I felt light. The lightest I have ever been. I don't remember ever smiling and laughing this much in my life. It's so easy when I'm with him. Like I have always been this person, even though the Tiara that I'm with him is someone that I haven't even met.

"My poor, Millie Mouse." He made a clicking sound with his tongue as he looked me over. "You look a little dirty."

Pinanlakihan ko siya ng mga mata. "And who's fault is that?"

He nodded somberly. "Right. It's my fault. I should do something about it."

I opened my mouth to ask him what he meant, but in the next second, I found myself gathered in his arms.

"Put me down!" I told him through my giggles.

"Okay."

I looked up at him, and I found him grinning down at me. That's when I realized where we were and what he was planning to do.

The water that engulfed us when he abruptly jumped into the pool swallowed up any objections I might have had at the time. I wasn't submerged long when I felt him tugging me up with him.

"You didn't," I gasped out.

He chuckled. "Oh, I did, doll."

The water is at chest level, but I'm pretty sure that I would sink the moment that I let go of him. Good thing I know how to swim.

Tinangka kong lumayo sa kaniya pero hinapit niya lang ako palapit. Tinaasan ko siya ng kilay. "I know how to swim."

"I know. I saw your file, and there's one that says that you enrolled in swimming lessons when you were five." Inabot niya ang kamay ko at siya na ang nagpatong no'n sa balikat niya. "I just want you close."

When Domino's around, a few inches from each other feels like miles for him. I already got used to him holding my hand, him sitting close, and even me sitting on his lap. But right now, with the water making our clothes stick to us like second skin, it felt different—a territory we hadn't stepped foot on before.

From my lowered gaze, I felt my lashes touch the skin above my cheeks. I slowly raise them, meeting the eyes that are waiting for me. The atmosphere was instantly charged with tension and electricity. I can feel it around me, as if they are ripping through the water to get to where we are.

In that suspended moment, the world feels like it has faded away. I couldn't find it in me to care. Because all I could think about was what's about to happen. Anticipation hung in the air, but I didn't need to wait long.

His face inched closer until he finally leaned down and brushed his lips with mine. My eyes fluttered open for a second, and I saw him watching me as if waiting for my consent. Because he might be playful, he might tease me, but when it comes to important things such as this, I know he will never take what wasn't given.

I tightened my hands on his shoulders, and this time it was me that crossed the distance. He met me in the middle, claiming my lips in a kiss that could set the whole world ablaze. It started slow but was consuming, and then it grew into devouring.

Naramdaman kong kumilos si Domino at hindi natagal ay dumikit ang likod ko sa malamig na haligi ng pool habang hindi niya inaalis ang pagkakahugpong ng mga labi naman. I felt his fingers at the back of my head, tangling into my hair. It didn't take long before I felt my long, wet tresses fall around me.

Domino pulled on the back of my head a little so that I could tip my face up as he deepened the kiss. He explored my mouth in a way that I haven't experienced. His tongue clashed with mine, eliciting a sound from the back of my throat. It sounded so obscene... what we're doing feels obscene, and yet it feels so good.

We were both out of breath when he let go of my lips. I slowly opened my eyes, and I was met by the raging fire in his. Despite that, I could see that he's trying to tame them down, as if he were afraid of what it could do to me.

He moved me a little so that I could be on the side of his hips, but not before I felt something hard brush past me.

"Domino," I whispered.

He touched his thumb on my lower lip. "My sweet doll tastes so sweet," he murmured.

"Why did you..." I flushed. "Why?"

"Why did I stop?" Nang tumango ako ay may maliit na ngiti sa mga labi na isinandal niya ang noo niya sa akin. "Because I want more."

"I..."

"I want to touch you. I want to feel you slick on my fingers. I want to hear those small sounds you make, and I want them louder once I bury my face between your legs. I want you to break. I want you to come apart under me."

Bahagya siyang lumayo at sandaling pinakatitigan niya ako. As if he couldn't help himself, he leaned down to touch his lips with mine.

"But I want all of that when you say yes," he murmured against my thoroughly-kissed mouth. "I don't just want to feel your answer. I want to hear you say it. So I'll know that it won't be something you'll come to regret."