Open Door

“Miss Guzman?”

“Ay bukol!” gulat na wika ni Violet nang marinig niya ang boses ni Mason, tila napaatras pa palayo upang bigyan ang sarili ng distansya mula rito. Nang mapagtanto ang kanyang ginawa ay agad na sinapo niya ang likod ng kanyang ulo. “Este may bukol po ako sa ulo. Nauntog po kasi ako kahapon.”

“Oh, is that so? Are you all right now?” he asked with concern.

Agad na natigilan si Violet at sinuri ang ekspresyon ni Mason habang naghihuntay sa kanyang tugon. Hindi pa rin siya makapaniwala na nakakadala talaga ang pag-arte nito. Gayumpaman, tumango siya sa kabila nang paghihinala. “Opo, ayos lang. Ayos na po ako ngayon.”

Dali-dali niyang pinulot ang mga dala at nang akma na tinulungan siya ni Mason ay agad na lumayo siya rito. Mabuti na lang ay nahawakan niya na ang mga dala bago pa ito yumukod dahil baka mahimatay siya sa sobrang kaba.

Ewan niya ba at kapag malapit ito ay bumibilis na lamang ang tibok ng puso niya at bigla-bigla na lamang siya kinakabahan nang walang malinaw na dahilan. She wasn’t sure if it was because of being wary of his existence or there’s another reason.

Gulat na napatingin si Mason sa kanya sapagkat nagbago rin naman ang reaksyon nito. Inihudyat nito ang kamay papasok habang kumuha nang malinis na tuwalya na nakasabit sa sunbed na kanilang nalagpasan papasok sa bahay.

Mason led her inside and her mouth dropped when his house was huge and spotless. Given the fact that he’s a man and it’s not in their nature to be clean, his house was well-organized.

Magmula sa mga furniture nito na naka-arranged nang maayos at pantay ang layo sa isa’tsa, sa mga wall decorations nito katulad nang painting at wood carving na nakasabit sa dingding, at maging sa ayos ng kusina nito. Everything looks clean and in the right spot. May kalakihan ang bahay nito at nakakakalma kung tingnan.

She was so exhausted, she just wants to flop on his sofa and sleep. That’s what she always does whenever she's coming home. But now that she’s a secretary, she was required to cook him dinner. Good thing she knows how to cook. Natutunan niyang pagsilbihan ang sarili nang magpasya siyang mamuhay nang mag-isa.

Punas-punas ang basang buhok, dumire-diretso si Mason patungo sa second floor at itinuro ang daan ng kanyang magiging kwarto. He opened one of the doors and motioned his hands inside.

“So, this is going to be your room and that...” Itinuro nito ang isang kuwarto na tatlong pinto ang pagitan mula sa kanyang kuwarto. “...is my room. Whatever you need, you can always knock and ask me. I’ll just change into my homewear and let you settle your things first. Forget cooking dinner because I’m ordering food outside.”

“But—”

“Please, I know it’s tiring when moving things, Miss Guzman. And this is so sudden for you, I know. I don't wish to pressure you anymore by cooking for tonight. You can cook tomorrow for breakfast and dinner,” aniya sabay tinapik ang kanyang balikat na agad na lumikha nang kuryente na dumaloy sa kanyang buong katawan at nagpapugto ng kanyang hininga. “Welcome to my humble abode, Miss Guzman, and do feel at home. I shall call you once the food arrived.”

Hindi man lang nito hinintay ang kanyang sagot nang tumalikod na ito. Hindi niya alam kung anong pumasok sa isip niya nang sinundan niya ito nang tingin at agad na lumapag ang kanyang mga mata sa pang-upo nito. Sexy. That, she will give him with an approved whistle. Bumaba ang tingin ni Violet pababa sa hita nito at paa hanggang sa nakapasok na ito sa sariling kuwarto.

Nang mawala na ito sa paningin ay agad na naisip niya si Amber. Now she knows why she adored Mason so much. That man was a walking demi-god with a ripped and swoon worthy body. Agaw pansin talaga ang angkin nitong ganda at malakas na presensya. Kahit na siya na hindi mabilis na mahumaling sa katawan ng isang lalaki ay napansin niya agad ang maskuladong katawan ni Mason. For a man who was in her thirty, Mason was really in his prime and his great built.

Habang isip-isip ang kanyang nakita kanina, sa mga oras na iyon ay halos masampal ni Violet ang sarili. Bakit ba iyon ang iniisip niya? She came her to take revenge and not to swoon over his body. She can’t lose against her attraction for Mason. She has to revenge for Amber no matter what.

“Violet, umayos ka...” paalala ni Violet sa sarili at nag-ayos na ng gamit.

Since he mentioned all his secretaries have been males, it was only understandable that the design of the room was suited to a man's taste. Not that it was a problem to her, what was bugging her was the fact that his past secretaries are all males. For a man who always dumped women like throwing garbage, does Mason even saying the truth?

No. She doubt it. There was no way Mason's previous secretaries are all male. Baka pa nga may naka-relasyon pa ito sa mga ito noon. Ang pinsan na si Amber at sapat na sa kanyang pruweba na hindi ito dapat pagkatiwalaan. She needs to be careful now that he’s becoming a threat to her. Dapat ito ang mahulog sa kanya para magawa niya nang maayos ang paghihiganti.

Pagkatapos mag-ayos ni Violet nang gamit ay tinuyo niya ang pawis at nagpasya na magpalit ng pambahay. Maya-maya ay narinig niya na ang pagtawag ni Mason mula sa baba kaya dali-dali na siyang tumungo sa kusina. Doon ay naabutan niya ang namumulang si Mason at tila hindi makatingin sa kanyang gawi.

Napakunot ang noo niya rito at napatanong sa sarili. Ano naman kaya ang problema nito?

---

TININGNAN ni Mason ang sarili nang matapos siyang makapag-palit ng pambahay. He stepped out of his bedroom and he smile at the thought of his new secretary just three doors away from his room. Having Lila was different than having a male secretary, and her presence was striking that he couldn’t stop thinking about her gaze earlier in the office.

Lila Guzman, his new secretary, seemed to be mysterious and dangerous or some sort... but in a good way he couldn't explain. It’s like when one gazes at her would be easily engulfed and interested. Just like the first time his eyes locked with hers. And he has no clue as to what was the reason but he liked it. He liked how striking and mysterious she was, especially the threat screaming in her eyes.

She was like a fire and he was the pathetic moth completely mesmerized by her beauty, he couldn’t keep himself away from her. And that’s the problem, because he definitely knew he should be.

Nakangiti na tinungo ni Mason ang kusina at naghanda ng mga plano na kanilang gagamitin. Since he ordered pizza and spaghetti pasta from an authentic Italian restaurant, he prepared two plates and two pairs of utensil; a fork and a knife. Husto ang pagdating ng kanyang order kaya hinanda niya iyon sa lamesa.

When everything's ready, he went upstairs and head towards Lila's room to call her for dinner. Sapagkat agad siyang napako sa kinatatayuan nang makitang bahagyang bukas ang pinto ng kuwarto ng dalaga. At dahil nasa gilid nito ang salamin ay kitang-kita niya kung paano ito tumayo sa gilid ng salamin habang hubad ang katawan. Magmula sa napakakinis nitong hita pataas sa makurba nitong pang-upo hanggang sa maganda nitong mukha na ngayon ay walang kaaalam-alam na napagmamasdan niya na ang hubad nitong katawan.

He knew he should leave because he have seen enough and staying would be inappropriate, but his eyes, surprisingly, has a mind on their own when they focused on one of the peaks of her breasts for the longest time, and because of such a tempting scene, his hands involuntarily flinched and his throat turned dry all of a sudden. Not only that but he also felt his shaft jolt and throb under his pants. Lila had the fairest and most flawless of skin and not to mention the most delectable pinkish buds he have ever seen.

Fuck! Paulit-ulit na minura ni Mason ang sarili bago siya tumalikod at natatarantang lumakad palayo. Dahan-dahan siyang bumaba galing sa ikalawang palapag at agad na tumungo sa kusina. Uminom siya nang isang basong tubig nang matagpuan ang sarili na nauhaw na lamang bigla at natuyuan ng lalamunan. Hinihingal na sinalat ni Mason ang lalamunan bago siya napatingin sa pang-ibabang katawan, sa mismong parte kung saan nakatago ang kanyang ari sa ilalim ng suot na saplot.

Napamura siyang muli nang maramdaman ang paninigas ng kanyang ari at alam niya na agad ang dahilan niyon. Iyon ay dahil sa kanyang sekretarya. Ang kanyang bagong sekretarya na hindi niya sinasadyang makita ang hubad nitong katawan at ngayon ay hindi na maalis-alis sa kanyang isipan.