Ginagap niya ang kamay nito. She didn’t know what got her. Naging sunud-sunuran siya nito nang dalhin siya sa dance floor at hapitin ang baywang niya.
She gasped when press his lips against her hair. “You look better when you are not scowling. Sana naman minsan makita kitang ngumiti.”
Iningusan niya ito. “If you think you can flirt your way into absolving you from the case, forget it!”
Hinapit pa siya nito nang mas mahigpit. “Easy! Once we go back to the mainland and this whole incident blows over, you won’t have a chance to deal with me anymore. And you’ll regret it.”
“Are you trying to scare me?”
Wala naman siyang makitang bahid ng galit o pagkairita sa mukha nito. He looked calm and cool. “I am just trying to make a point. Once the case is filed, it’s already a head to head bout. You can’t turn it back anymore. Pareho lang tayong makakaladkad sa kahihiyan. That’s not a good sight.”
“Bakit? Isa ka bang santo para sa marami at walang maniniwala sa akin?”
“Baby, I am definitely not a saint. But I am not a maniac either. Many will testify against you. They would volunteer their self. At sasabihin nila na naghahabol ka sa akin dahil di kita pinansin. Or we had a relationship and it went sour. They will call you names. Your reputation would be in dire jeopardy.”
“Maraming makakatulong sa akin na women’s group…”
He caressed her face. “You are just trying to blow this out of proportion. What if your case is trashed? What would you do? Sayang lang ang pagod at oras mo.”
Hindi niya alam kung saan siya mas dapat na kabahan. Sa worst case scenario na ipinakikita nito o sa paghaplos nito sa balat nito. Saka niya naalala na dapat pala ay lumalayo na siya dito. He was trying to charm her. She knew it. Like a mix of fear and ardor. Pwede siya nitong takutin o akitin. Or it could be both.
“How about me? This is injustice!” she whispered. “Dahil ba mayaman ka at may impluwensiya, makakalusot ka na lang basta-basta.”
He pulled her closer. Lalo tuloy siyang nahirapang huminga. “Think about what you want or how much. Sabihin mo lang kung ano ang gusto mo.”
“Go ahead. Buy me out.” Mabuti na lang at nag-iisip pa siya nang tuwid. “I feel so cheap when you asked me to name my price.”
He groaned. “I didn’t mean to be so crude. I just want to keep things quiet. If you think I did some injustice, think of a way so I can make it up with you.”
Paano naman ito makakabawi sa kanya? He saw her body. Well, almost. Nakita nito ang bahagi ng katawan niya na asawa lang niya ang dapat makakakita.
“Marry me, Nikolos Theron.”
“What?” bulalas nito at bigla siyang binitiwan.
Pinigil niyang matawa nang makita ang shock sa mukha nito. “See? You can’t do it. Akala ko ba gagawin mo ang lahat. Bakit ngayon nangangatog ka?”
Naglakad siya pabalik sa table nila at inubos ang chardonnay. She was just bluffing. Pero ang di nito alam ay kinakabahan din siya sa bluff niya.
Sumunod ito sa kanya. “You don’t really want to marry me, do you?”
“Iyon lang ang naiisip kong paraan para mabawi ko ang kahihiyan ko. You saw something that only my future husband should see.”
“I what?” Napatingin ito sa dibdib niya. Mabilis siyang humalukipkip at pinanlakihan ito ng mata. Itinakip nito ang kamay sa mata at tumingala. “Oh, damn virgins!” bulalas nito. “Anong mapapala mo kung magpapakasal ka sa akin? We barely know each other. We don’t love each other! Magiging miserable lang tayo sa isa’t isa. And annulment or divorce is not an option in my family. Both my Greek and Filipino family is ultra-conservative. I don’t want you to go through a marriage where your heart would bleed. I won’t wish any woman in that situation.”
May kadramahan din pala ang kumag. “Anong gusto mong gawin ko?”
“Think of another one. I can’t get through a loveless marriage,” anitong sapo ang noo. As if marrying her was really a great dilemma.
Tinawag niya ang waiter. “Double shot of brandy please.” Nang dumating ang order niya ay inabot niya iyon kay Nikolos. “Have some. You look pale. Di ko alam na mahilig ka pala sa mga telenovela. Kahit bigtiin mo ako, di kita pakakasalan, no?”
Humigpit ang hawak nito sa brandy. “What?”
“I will reconsider filing the case. Let me think about it tonight.”
“Really?” Tumayo ito at niyakap siya. Nang di masiyahan ay binuhat pa siya nito at inikot-ikot. “Thank you! Thank you!”
“Put me down!” utos niya. Pinagtitinginan na kasi sila ng mga guests.
“I proposed and she accepted it,” paliwanag nito sa mga guests at nagpalakpakan ang lahat. Ibinaba nga siya nito pero niyakap naman siya.
“Kiss! Kiss! Kiss!” Everybody chanted.
Tinitigan siya ni Nikolos. His eyes on her lips. Tumahip nang malakas ang dibdib niya. Would he really kiss her in front of everyone? What would his kiss taste like? Naipilig niya ang ulo. “Don’t you even dare!” babala niya.
Tumawa ito. “She’s a bit shy! Good night everyone. I think what we need right now is a private celebration.”
Ibig-ibig niya itong hampasin ng pouch nang naglalakad sila pabalik sa suite niya. “You shouldn’t have told them that. Akala nila boyfriend kita.”
“This is a romantic place. Dapat naman maging in ka kahit paano. See? At least you made them happy. I am sure sunud-sunod na ang magpo-propose oras na malaman nila ang tungkol dito.”
“Just keep your hands off me. Or it would be real harassment that time.”
Nag-flying kiss na lang ito sa kanya. “Goodnight. I’ll meet you at the Sea Breeze deck for breakfast. I hope you already made up your mind by then.” Belize City, Belize ang una nilang stop over.
The flying kiss was cute. Ngingiti-ngiti siyang pumasok sa suite niya. Pasimple niyang sinilip si Nikolos habang papalayo. Sayang ka. Kung di mo lang sana ako pinagnasaan, baka magpaka-romantic din ako sa barkong ito kasama ka.