Nick's eyes narrowed. He just nodded at his secretary.
Dali-daling isinarado ulit ni Cherry ang pintuan. He is curious kung ano ang sasabihin ni Heather about Stacey.
Ibinaba nito ang cp sa lamesa to pick up the landline. Dadamputin na sana nito ang receiver but his cellphone started ringing.
He saw Stacey's number on the screen. Like a flash, he took the phone and accepted the call.
"Dammit honey! Where the fuck are you? Sino ang kasama mo?!” galit na tanong nito.
Ayaw sana nitong sumigaw but he is really pissed. He has been worried for hours and jealous as hell. Images of her with the fucking asshole with tattoo keep on playing inside his head.
"K-Kasama ko si Eve." came Stacey’s sweet but nervous voice.
She almost dropped her phone when she heard Nick's very angry voice. Pagbalik ni Blake kanina,she excused herself. Kailangan niyang tawagan si Nick bago siya maunahan ni Heather.
"SHIT!! I have been worried sick about you! Ano ba ang naisip mo at pinatay mo ang cellphone mo?! Fucking hell!!" mura na naman nito.
He is pacing the room while loosening his tie.
"S-Sorry.." mahinang sabi ni Stacey. "Nainis lang ako kasi binabaan mo ako ng telepono kanina." she admitted.
Nick combed his hair with his hand.
" Hindi kita binabaan! I said I will call you back, didn't I?" he asked in a clipped tone.
"I heard Tanya. Galing siya sa opisina mo." nakalabing sabi niya.
Nick sighed. Now it’s confirmed. He is right. Stacey is jealous of Tanya. Kung hindi lang ito galit na galit malamang natuwa pa itong malaman na nagseselos ang dalaga.
"That's not enough reason para i-off mo ang cp mo! We'll talk about Tanya later! Where are you?!" he asked tersely.
"S-Sa coffee shop. Pauwi na din .." hindi na niya natapos ang sasabihin because Nick interrupted her.
"Just tell me the exact location!!" he ordered.
"No need. I can.."
"Dammit!! Bakit ba ayaw mong sabihin? May kasama kang iba maliban kay Eve??!! he bawled.
If kasama ng dalaga si Eve, may chance na kasama din ng mga ito ang pinsan nito! He thought angrily. Nakapagmura na naman ito.
Stacey knows na iniisip nito na kasama nila si Blake. She put her hand on her chest. Ang lakas ng kabog ng dibdib niya. She heard his shallow breathing.
"I will just ask you one more time honey, where exactly are you?" tanong nito sa malamig na malamig na boses.
Binigay ni Stacey ang location ng lugar. Hindi naman ito malayo sa opisina nito. No use fueling his anger. She will explain everything to him later.
"Hintayin mo ako! I'll be there in 15 minutes." he said in a flat tone.
"Eve kailangan na nating umalis." she told her friend. Kay Eve na siya tumabi.
Mahirap na, baka may makakita na naman na magkatabi sila ni Blake.
"You haven't finished your dessert."sabi ni Blake. He looks relaxed while he drinks his beer na para bang walang nangyari kani-kanina lang.
"Oo nga naman girlfriend. Hindi ko pa din nauubos itong halo-halo ko." sagot ni Eve.
Stacey looked at her watch. Nick said 15 minutes. Pwedeng mas maagang dumating ito.
"Can you finish that in 5 minutes?" she asked her friend.
Inumpisahan na din niyang kainin ang buko pandan salad niya.
Nakakunot ang noong ibinaba ni Blake ang iniinom na beer. "You look edgy. What's the matter Miss Hotness?" tanong nito .
Lumingon si Eve kay Stacey.
Stacey sighed. Maganda sigurong sabihin na niya ang totoo. She's running out of time.
"Padating na si Nick. Susunduin ako. Sabi ko nasa coffee shop tayo." she said to Blake pero nakatingin siya kay Eve.
Napa- Ohhh si Eve while Blake's bluish-gray eyes look blank.
"Why didn't you tell him na andito tayo? Why lie to him?" he asked tonelessly.
Eve pretended to be busy with her dessert.
"Blake alam ni Nick kami lang dalawa ni Eve. Sorry. Pero pwede bang mauna na kami? Salamat sa lunch." she said bago hinawakan ang kamay ni Eve para tumayo na sila.
"Nagseselos siya sa akin?" Blake asked all of a sudden.
Eve gave Stacey a knowing look.
She sighed bago tumingin kay Blake. He has a bleak expression.
"Just be sure that you are making the right decision Miss Hotness. Appearances can be deceiving, always remember that." he said,. His face is impassive.
Sakto pa lang silang nakakaupo sa katabing coffee shop ng kinainan nila, ng matanaw niya na padating na si Nick. His handsome face is stony. His strides are wide. Halatang nagmamadali.
Mabilis na kinawayan ni Eve ang waiter to get their order.
Pagkabukas ng gwardiya sa pintuan to let him in, he spotted them immediately. His eyes never left hers as he walks towards them.
Stacey can't take her eyes off him too as he moves papunta sa kanila. Wala ng pagmamadali sa mga hakbang nito .Every step he makes, napapalingon ang mga babae na nasa loob ng coffee shop.
Nagmumura talaga sa sex appeal ang lalaking ito. She thought.
And what's amazing is, he doesn't even care because he got used to it.
Bigla niyang naalala ang sinabi ni Eve..."But handa ka ba sa sakit ng ulo? Pihadong madaming babae ang umaaligid sa boss slash dyowa mo."
Ngayon nga lang gustong-gusto na niyang tumayo para salubungin si Nick to show all the women in the cafe that he is hers.
"Girlfriend! Anong order mo?" pukaw ni Eve sa naiisip niya.
Napilitan siyang alisin ang mga mata kay Nick and looked at the waiter. She was about to give her order when she heard Nick greeted Eve.
"Hi Nick." nakangiting sagot ni Eve.
"Black coffee." Stacey told the waiter with a smile.
Umupo si Nick sa tabi niya. She felt electricity ran through her body as his shoulder touched hers.
"Honey." bati nito sa kanya.
Parang tanga na nakatingin lang sa kanila si Eve with her eyes wide. Wala pang isang minuto na magkasama ang kaibigan niya at ang yummy nitong boss slash future dyowa parang masisilaw na siya sa spark between them.
Who wouldn't look at them? They look perfect together. And the way Nick stares at Stacey will make any woman die of envy.
Lumingon si Eve sa paligid. As she anticipated ,all the young women inside the cafe are checking him out. Saksakan naman talaga ang lakas ng dating nito.
Stacey just acknowledged his presence with a nod. She doesn't want Eve and especially him to notice how nervous and at the same time excited she is to be near him. Kunwari busy siyang tumitingin sa menu.
Without looking at him, she asked."What do you want?"
"You know what I want honey." he said in his bedroom voice.
She blushed because she knows na iba ang ibig sabihin nito. She was talking about coffee for Pete's sake!
She felt her nipples harden with what he said.
Eve cleared her throat before saying. “Nick, try their cappuccino. It's good."
"Okay, I'll have that." sabi nito sa waiter then binaligtad ang hawak na menu ni Stacey.
"It's upside down honey." he whispered in her right ear. Amusement is evident in his voice.
Namula ulit ang pisngi niya dahil naman sa kahihiyan ngayon. Gusto na niyang lamunin na siya ng lupa .
Ang tanga-tanga ko! Nakakahiya! Kastigo niya sa sarili.
He touched her hand na nasa lamesa as if to re-aasure her na okay lang. Bigla na namang nainis si Stacey.
Oo nga naman. Sanay na ito sa mga babaing nawawala sa sarili because of his presence. Parang siya.
"Ano pa ang gusto niyo?" he asked them.
"We're good. Thanks." sabi ni Eve.
He squeezed her hand, " How about you honey?"
He leaned forward on the table and turned to his left to look at her face. Hindi pa din kasi makatingin ng diretso si Stacey dito.
"O-Okay na yun." she replied.
"Okay, yun na lang muna." he told the waiter.
"Sige po." tango ng waiter bago umalis.
"So saan kayo nanggaling?" he casually asked Eve.
Mabilis naman na sumagot si Eve. "Sa Supermarket. Nag-grocery shopping."
Tumango-tango si Nick. Nilingon nito si Stacey.
"Did you buy anything honey?" he asked her.
This time kailangan na niya itong tignan. Muntik na siyang mapalunok nung makita na naman niya ang makalaglag panty na kaguwapuhan nito .He is looking at her intently habang hawak pa din ang kamay niya.
GOSH! He smells so good! She thought. Pinigilan niyang ipahalata na gustong-gusto na niya itong singhutin. She shook her head.
Nag-ring bigla ang phone ni Eve.
"Sandali lang ha? Fiance ko." sabi nito bago tumayo.
Tumango lang sila ni Nick. Now that they are alone, lalong ninenerbiyos si Stacey.
She's thankful na hindi nito pinahalata kay Eve na he's fuming inside.
"You know that later we have to really talk .Right honey?" his icy tone is back.
Tumango na lang siya.
"We talked more than 20 minutes ago. You said nasa coffee shop kayo di ba?" he asked.
"O-Oo." mahinang sagot niya.
"I am just wondering na if kanina pa kayo dito bakit ngayon lang kayo umoorder?" may himig ng pagdududa ang boses nito.
Napalunok si Stacey.
"Why can't you look at me honey? Is there something that I should know?" he asked icily.
Dahan-dahan niyang inangat ang ulo to look at him.
"A-Ano ..kasi..." she began.
"Sorry! May tinanong lang si Lance. O heto na pala ang kape natin." Eve said pagka-upo.
Saved by the bell siya. But she knows sooner or later mag-uusap sila ni Nick. Wala naman siyang balak na itago na kasama nila si Blake. Pero siyempre hindi na niya sasabihin na pinaghimay pa siya nito ng seafood.
"So anong kinain niyo for lunch?" he asked them.
Sinalo na naman ni Eve ang tanong. "Seafood."
Tumango-tango ito. He leaned on his chair. Ipinatong nito ang braso sa likod ng upuan ni Stacey.
"So you like seafood honey?" tanong nito as he sips his coffee.
"Okay lang." tipid na sagot niya.
Nakatingin lang sa kanila si Eve habang hinahalo ang kape nito.
"Nick, I hope you don't mind. Can I ask you something?" biglang tanong nito.
" I don’t mind. Ano yun?” He asked. He sounds more relaxed.
"Nakailang girlfriend ka na?" Eve asked sa kaswal na boses.
"Wala pa." mabilis na sagot nito.
Stacey felt his fingers touched her left shoulder.
Eve's eyes widened. " No way....." gulat na sabi nito.
He chuckled. "I have never been in a serious relationship. Kung meron man mga babae na na-involve sa akin, wala yun. Nag-usap na kami ng kaibigan mo about that. You can ask her." he suggested. He is now kneading her shoulder which Stacey finds arousing.
Napasandal si Eve sa upuan.
"Whoaaaa!" naiiling na sabi nito." Bagay pala talaga kayo. Hindi pa din nagkaka-bf si Stacey." sabi nito.
"I know." nakangiting sabi ni Nick as he looks at Stacey.
Tinignan din ito ni Stacey then she rolled her eyes at him. He just grinned at her. Lumapad din ang ngiti ni Eve.
"Sandali. I will go to the restroom." Stacey stood up.
Tumayo din si Nick.
"Samahan na kita honey." he offered.
"Ako na lang, N-...." ang pangalan sana nito ang sasabihin niya but he raised his left brow para ipaalala sa kanya ang usapan nila.
"Ako na lang honey." she instead said.
Nasamid si Eve sa narinig.
Nick nodded with satisfaction habang tinapunan naman ni Stacey ng masamang tingin ang kaibigan.
"Samahan mo na ako Eve!" sabi niya dito.
OA na tumayo ito na nakataas pa ang dalawang kamay.
"Okay, okay! Daan din tayo sa barista. Mukhang sumobra sa asukal ang mga kape natin! Grabe ang TAMIS!" she joked.
Nick sat again pag-alis ng mag-kaibigan. Although galit pa din ito, medyo nabasawan na ng konti. His threat about kissing her if she calls him by his name instead of honey is very effective.
Napansin din nito na she is physically affected by his presence.
Good! At least the feeling is now mutual. He told himself.
He can't wait for them to be alone later. Nangiti ito. He took a sip of his coffee. Napalingon ito sa kanan. Something caught his eye. Naningkit ang mga mata nito. Hindi ito pwedeng magkamali.
Kahit medyo malayo, makikilala niya ang asshole with tattoo na pinsan ni Eve. Pasakay ito sa kotse.
He put his cup down with a thud . "Fucking hell!" he cursed bago galit na galit na tumayo.