Chapter Seven

She braced herself when she saw his hand moved. Vodka almost sighed in relief when it landed on the seatbelt and he fastened it to her body. But to her horror, before he went back to his seat, she felt his knuckles grazed the side of her breast, making her pair peaks tingled painfully. She immediately placed her arms over her chest to hide her embarrassment. Thankfully, Eugene was now busy maneuvering the car.

After telling him where they were headed, she remained silent while they were on the road. He tried to make a conversation earlier but she deliberately ignored him, she just heard him sighed and went silent the next moment. Good.

She still can't move on with her body's reaction to his touch.

With trembling hands, Vodka went through her handbag and took her matte lipstick. She opened the car visor mirror in front of her, applied light make-up and combed her hair with her fingers. Her hair was jet black and it had big natural curls.

Natigilan si Vodka nang muling maalala ang ginawang pag-amoy ni Eugene sa kanyang buhok kanina. He said it was beautiful and it smelled good.

Marahas na naipiling niya ang ulo upang ipagpag ang ala-ala nang ginawa at sinabi ng binata sa kanya.

"Are you okay?" tanong ni Eugene na nakita ang ginawa ng dalaga.

"Yes! Why wouldn't I be?!" Vodka jeered to hide his effect on her.

Si Eugene na mukhang nasanay na sa dalaga, na palaging nakasinghal at galit sa kanya, ay hindi man lang naapektuhan sa tono ng pananalita nito. Nanahimik nalang siya at itinuon ang buong pansin sa pagmamaneho.

Ipinagpasalamat ni Vodka nang makarating sila sa kanilang destinasyon. "Thank you," she muttered to him in a low voice. She was about to open the car's door when he stopped her by grabbing her arm.

Isang nagtatakang tingin ang iginawad ni Vodka kay Eugene na pumigil sa kanya. Bago pa niya mahulaan ang gusto nitong mangyari ay nakalabas na ito ng sasakyan at malalaki ang hakbang na umikot sa kabilang bahagi, sa kanyang direksiyon.

Like a true gentleman, he opened the door and offered his hand to her. Vodka was reluctant to accept his hand because of his effect on her, but she still accepted it nonetheless. Para siyang nakikiliti dahil sa magkadaiti nilang balat kaya agad niyang binitawan ang kamay nito nang makababa siya.

She did not mind courtesy and walked past him, she wanted him out of her sight. But to her dismay, she felt him following her towards the hotel's entrance.

She stopped on her track and turned her back to face him. Eugene stopped inches away from her.

"What are you doing? Why the joder are you following me, idiota?!" Vodka prevented herself from stumping her feet.

"I'll be your driver and bodyguard this evening, Hermosa."

"What?!"

"Just for the night, think of it as compensation."

"You're so frustrating, I hope you know that!" Sa halip na ma-offend sa sinabi ni Vodka ay ngumisi lang ito at umiling-iling. Muli siyang tumalikod dito at naglakad papasok sa hotel. Hinanap niya ang function hall kung saan gaganapin ang fashion show ni Joey—ang kanyang mentor.

Kagaya ng kanyang Mamá ay mayroon din siyang mentor. Naging isa rin siyang mananahi ni Joey noon nang tumuntong siya sa bansang Pilipinas. Mayroon naman siyang perang pantutos sa sarili habang nag-aaral sa bansa at regular siyang pinapadalhan ni Felix ng pera, sadyang wala lang siyang magawa sa buhay niya, bukod sa pag-aaral, kaya naghanap siya ng trabaho.

She took a course in education when she was in college but she dropped out when she realized that it was not for her. She realized that she loves sewing and designing. She then took a course in fashion designing and marketing instead.

Tumuloy siya sa backstage kung nasaan ang mga modelo ni Joey, nakita niya ito na nagkukumahog sa pagbibigay ng instructions sa mga staffs. Nang makita siya ay malalim itong napabuntung-hininga na para bang nabunutan ng malaking tinik.

Sinalubong ni Joey si Vodka. "You're here, thank god!" Natigil sa pagsasalita ang fashion designer at napatingin sa lalaking kasunod ng dalaga. "Who is he?" nakataas ang kilay na tanong nito.

"He's... my driver and bodyguard," Vodka answered drily. "Anyways, how's the preparation going?" Sabay sulyap sa kanyang relo, malapit ng magsimula ang show nito.

Agad namang nakalimutan ni Joey ang lalaking kasama ni Vodka at bumalik ang panic sa mga mata nang maalala ang kanyang show. "I need you, Vod. One of the models get sick and I can't find a replacement for her. Be my model, dear."

"No!" she answered immediately. Nakangiwing tiningnan niya ang mga damit na dinisenyo mismo ni Joey na nakasabit sa isang tabi. He designs swimwear and negligee, though she was confident with her body, she doesn't want to flaunt it in front of many people.

"It's just one walk, Vod. I really need you, you can't say no to me." Joey was persistent, before Vodka say a word of refusal, he already dragged her towards one of the dressing rooms and had his assistant assist her with wearing the piece of cloth.

Pagkalipas ng ilang sandali ay pumasok si Joey at tiningnan siya mula ulo hanggang paa. "Perfect." Nagniningning ang mga mata nito sa katuwaan at paghanga. "Your breasts and thighs would drive any man mad, dear," he then winked at her.

Umikot ang mga mata ni Vodka kasabay ng pagngiwi nang muling tingnan ang sarili sa salamin. Isang itim na negligee ang ipinasuot sa kanya ni Joey. The texture of the cloth was silky and it flowed on her skin smoothly. But it was revealing, it reached inches below her ass, it had a v-shaped plunging neckline and the hollow of her breast was taking a glimpse. And she had to remove her bra! For goodness' sake, how can she go out with only that piece of cloth and had the men in the show feast on her body?

"Joey, I can't."

"Yes, you can. Prepare yourself, we're about to start in exactly..." he trailed off and glanced at his designer's watch. "...ten minutes."

Sa tulong ng staffs ni Joey ay nalaman ni Vodka kung ano ang gagawin at saan lalakad. Ilang beses narin siyang nakadalo sa mga fashion shows kaya may ideya na rin siya.

Kinabahan siyang lalo nang magsimula ang show. Narinig niya ang boses ni Joey sa may stage, at ang palakpakan ng mga tao, ngunit hindi niya iyon pinansin. She focused on her breathing and trying to calm herself down.

Hindi na niya namalayan ang nangyayari sa kanyang paligid hanggang sa maramdaman niyang inu-udyukan siya ng staff ni Joey na lumakad na sa make-shift runway.

Isang malalim na buntung-hininga ang pinakawalan ni Vodka bago lumabas sa backstage. Muntik na siyang mapasinghap nang makita ang mga taong nasa loob ng function hall, puno iyon ng mga taong gustong manood ng show ng sikat na fashion designer.

She did not bother to smile and walked fiercely and at a moderate pace. She should look sexy and alluring for that it was her cloth suggest. She thinks her audiences were convinced because they were looking at her with admiration. Men had lust written all over their faces.

Vodka stopped on the end of the runway and take a pose, that's when she saw Eugene who was intently looking at her. Ngayon lang niya naalala ang lalaki na iniwan niya kanina nang higitin siya ni Joey papasok sa dressing room. Akala niya ay umalis na ito.

Their eyes met for a moment. She was sure that she saw lust in his eyes as he stared at her, just like the other men. Then Eugene's eyes moved down to her breasts and down to her thighs, then up to her breasts again. She can hardly contain the tingling in her spine and the tickling of her breasts. Her nipple hardened and she knew it'll be visible with that piece of cloth she's wearing.

Vodka turned her back immediately. Despite the tension inside her, she managed to finish walking the runway with grace.

Nang makarating sa backstage ay agad niyang kinuha ang robe na ibinigay ng staff ni Joey at isinuot. Kapagkuwan ay pumasok siya sa loob ng isa sa mga dressing rooms at hinubad ang damit upang magbihis. Siya lang ang naroon kaya malaya niyang natingnan ang katawan sa malaking salamin. Her peaks were hard and she can still feel that tingling sensation in her body.

Nang marinig ang katok sa pinto ay mabilis siyang nagbihis at binuksan ang pinto. The moment she met Eugene's eyes, she lost her ability to speak and breathe. He still wore his lust in his ravens.

Napaatras si Vodka nang bigla itong pumasok sa loob ng dressing room at isinara ang pintuan. Magkahinang pa rin ang kanilang mga mata habang patuloy ito sa paghakbang at siya naman ay umaatras.

Napasinghap siya nang tumama ang kanyang puwet sa concrete bureau, naitukod niya ang magkabilay kamay roon at nai-atras ang ibabaw na katawan nang hindi tumigil sa paglapit si Eugene.

Bago pa makahuma si Vodka ay pumulupot na ang isang braso ni Eugene sa kanyang beywang at hinila siya papalapit sa katawan nito. Kasabay nang pag-angkin sa kanyang mga labi.

She closed her eyes and open her mouth to welcome his hot lips. The moment Eugene appeared behind the door, she already knew what he wanted to do with her. His eyes were full of lust, sending her a secret message that he wanted to devour her.

Vodka, who had lost her strength, let him.