Maya groaned and shoved her face into the pillow. She surfaced from the hazy world of sleep and noticed a few details. She clung to the side of her bed when she normally slept right in the middle. A heavy scent hung in the air, deliciously musky and sinful. And why did her thighs and legs feel like they were on fire? She ached deep in her muscles, especially between her legs. Fragments of memory shifted past her.
Maya jerked up, eyes bugging out of her head.
Oh. My. God.
She’d slept with Richard Lim.
Maya squeezed her eyes shut as images of last night hit her full force. Begging him to do bad things to her. His mouth between her legs while she called him counselor. His wicked growl when he told her to give it up. All of it.
And she had.
“Wanna go for round fifteen?”
Her eyes flew open. She gazed open-mouthed at the vision before her. Jeans riding low on hips. Bare-chested and revealing an endless expanse of fair and smooth skin. His dark spiky hair seductively bed tousled, dark stubble darkening his upper lips. He had a hint of a mischievous smile on his charming chinito eyes and on those lush, full lips that were made for sin and teased endless orgasms from her throughout the night.
Oh, God, was that an erection? His jeans clearly showed a massive shape pushing out from the fabric. Maya gulped. Why wasn’t she experienced with this stuff? She wished she were cool like Sabel. No way was she walking around without clothes either, especially in the harsh morning light. That mole on her ass was definitely not her strong suit. She pushed back her hair, wondered how bad she looked, and tried to gather some composure. “Umm, I d-d-don’t think so. I need t-t-to walk Bobby.”
“Tapos na.”
She frowned. “What do you mean? He never goes out with anyone but me and Liza and Megan.”
Those broad shoulders lifted. “Went with me. I watched you work the cart before, so I figured it out quick. He peed and pooped. I found the kibble in the cupboard and gave him fresh water.”
Irritation buzzed through her. What was he doing taking over her routine? This was her house. Her life. Feeling ridiculous and grumpy, she held the sheet tight to her breasts. “Oh. Well, thank you. I need to make the coffee.”
“It’s brewing now.”
She stuck out her chin. “My coffeemaker is quite old and barely works. I better help.”
His lip quirked. “Haven’t met a coffeemaker I couldn’t tame in this country. Mag-relax ka lang diyan at dadalhan kita ng kape.”
He strode from the doorway and disappeared.
Why was she so angry? Maybe it was the casual expertise and good humor he revealed in the morning after. How many had he experienced? Dozens? Hundreds?
The scurry of paws on the floor broke her depressing thoughts. Bobby raced into her room and paused beside her. Maya grinned. “Bedtime?”
Two barks.
She reached down and lifted him onto the bed. Bobby loved snuggle time after his morning walk. He smelled fresh and doggy at the same time, and she pressed her forehead against his and enjoyed the comfort of his love, no questions asked, no fear, and no holding back.
God, she loved him.
She lay back on the pillows and stroked his belly. What did she do now? Wait for coffee and then have the “talk”? At least she would get her touch back. She had satisfied every dark desire and given him everything. If that didn’t do it, she’d face the knowledge her gift was gone forever.
The idea of acknowledging a perfect night and watching him go on other dates she set up made her belly lurch. Could she continue trying to match him? She still hadn’t proven her talent and confirmed his sister was safe. But there was only one thought that kept echoing in her head.
He was hers.
Crazy, yes. But she didn’t want to be cool and pretend she didn’t have deeper feelings than she did. Maybe she’d break her cardinal rule and take him off the Kinnect list so he could be hers? After all, he’d mentioned before that it was silly to keep fighting their attraction. If she opened herself up, they had the potential of having a real relationship. Exploring each other to see if they fit in other ways than in bed.
Her phone vibrated from the nightstand. She checked the text that had streamed in. From Vina.
Hi Maya! Really enjoyed my date with Richard. I think he’s the one! Hasn’t called back yet though. Have you heard any feedback from our meeting? Hate being stalker type so I thought I’d better check with my favorite matchmaker first. Thanks, as always for everything.
Oh crap.
Maya stared at the smiley face at the end of Vina’s text and got sicker. Somehow, she had stolen Vina’s man. In a twisted way, of course. Not on purpose, of course. Emma’s text had streamed in the other day, gleefully informing her they had a great date and she was waiting for his call. While her clients waited, she was in bed with him.
Bad karma.
She groaned. Get it together. Richard hadn’t connected with Vina or Emma, and there was nothing to do about it. She’d call them as soon as she got into the office and break it to them gently. Maya had been the bad news breaker many times. In this business, breakups and non-connections were job hazards but part of the journey. She always hated when one client liked another more, but had nailed that speech down like a pro.
She just needed to make sure they didn’t know the real truth.
Richard came in with two steaming mugs. Maya cleared her throat. “My mouth’s watering.”
He handed her a mug and arched a brow. “Para sa akin o sa kape?”
She gurgled a laugh. He was so damn arrogant and sexy. “Sa kape, siyempre.”
“Damn!.”
She sipped the hot brew, then looked up. “How’d you know I like it black?”
“No cream or semi-skimmed milk in the fridge. Sugar bowl is hidden. I took a chance.”
“Very nice, counselor.”
His dark slanted eyes blazed with stinging heat. “I don’t think I’ll ever hear that term and not think about your face when I made you come.”
Her cheeks pinkened and she buried her nose in her coffee. Bobby gave a doggy moan and sank into the fluffy goose down comforter. Richard’s low laugh drifted across the room. “God, you’re sexy when you blush. All fire and brimstone one moment, all shy virgin the next.”
Boy. If he only knew.
At least his words caught her sense of challenge. She kept her voice measured. “Have you been using that famous charm to manipulate others your whole life? Just remember you didn’t make me do anything I didn’t want.”
His intimate gaze dropped to the sheet she held tight against her chest. Her nipples poked through the satin in an effort to come out and play. “That’s what made it sweeter,” he growled. “Knowing you liked begging.”
Wetness leaked from her thighs. Maya realized she was already too far gone. She’d never get enough of him. She ached for him to take her again, even though she was still sore. His cock responded to the unspoken need of her body and sprang to life. Her mouth watered to taste him, feel his hot, full length stretching her lips wide and controlling his pleasure. Richard muttered a curse, put his mug down on the table, and walked toward her. With gentle motions, he lifted Bobby from the bed and placed him back on the floor. Transfixed, she allowed him to take her own cup and rip back the sheet.
A thrill coursed through her at his open, hot stare, taking in every inch of her nakedness, scenting her arousal. He pressed one knee down on the bed and her eyes half closed, waiting for him to take her on another wild ride.
“God, Maya, nasaktan ba kita?”
His sudden question ripped through the pulsating silence. Her eyes flew open and followed his gaze. Blood smeared the sheets and stained her inner thighs. Richard sucked in his breath as the evidence of her virginity flashed in vivid neon.
Crap. It hardly hurt, so she didn’t expect any blood. Maya sat up and pulled the covers tight against her chest. “N-n-no, of course you didn’t hurt me.”
His fingers twisted in the sheets and he yanked them back. Seconds ticked by. His erection withered away and when he finally looked up, her lover was gone. The man who replaced him was steeped in ice, his lips turned downward in a half sneer. Maya shivered. She prayed for strength to hide her vulnerability and her rapidly plummeting confidence.
“You were a virgin.”
The hard words assaulted her ears. She sprang from the bed and grabbed her terry robe, belting it firmly around her and escaping his accusing gaze. “So? It’s no big deal.”
“Holy shit. I don’t believe this.” His jaw clenched and fury emanated from his pores. Bobby lifted his head and gave him a wary look. “Bakit di mo sinabi sa akin?”
She shrugged and ignored the ball of ice in her gut. “Because it means nothing and I wanted to escape an unpleasant scene such as this. Nothing to worry about.”
“I was your first lover. You waited this long for a reason. Bakit ako?”
She prayed for the floor to swallow her up whole but knew she was stuck. Hmm, was this the time to tell him she had a special touch and never felt a connection with another man? Or should she confess her witch-like gene’s disappearance and her plan to sleep with him to gain it back? Somehow, neither option seemed viable, so she cocked her head and lied again. “I’ve been busy. Never got around to it.”
He emitted a vicious curse. “Nasaktan kita. Kung alam ko lang, I would’ve been gentler, more considerate. I would’ve seduced you and made sure you were ready. Did I bruise you, too?”
Maya let out a laugh. “You gave me multiple orgasms and never hurt me. Honestly, this whole martyr routine is embarrassing. Can we drop the subject, please? I’ll make us some breakfast.”
She tried to move past him, but his arm snaked out and gripped her upper arm. Tingles immediately crackled to life, and he stared at their joined flesh as if just figuring something out. “Have you ever felt this electricity before, Maya? To another man other than me?”
She stuck up her chin and hit him with her best shot. Screw this. Truth would be better and knock him back on his ass. “No. Kaya siguro pumayag na rin akong mangyari ang nangyari kagabi. I have no regrets about what happened last night. Do you?”
He jerked back and nausea hit. Dear God, he regretted it. In the harsh morning light, knowing she was a virgin, he actually felt guilty. What was he so afraid of? Expectations of their relationship? Knowing he would always be her first? Or that he might actually feel something a lot deeper for her? Panic lit his eyes, and he suddenly looked at her not as a lover, but more as a woman spinning her web to trap him.
Maya fought the impulse to laugh in his face. Who would’ve thought an innocent virgin could scare the big bad wolf?
He finally found his voice. “No. But we didn’t talk about what last night was about. I don’t know if—if you have ideas about us. What do you want?”
The joy from last night drained out of her. Maya stared at the man she’d given everything to, who now resembled a stranger, hopping from foot to foot in an effort not to shoot out the door. “Huwag kang mag-alala. I want nothing,” she said woodenly. “Last night I wanted sex. With you. This morning, I want to get back to our original agreement and business relationship.”
“Forget we slept together? You give me your virginity and now want to pretend it never happened?”
Maya forced herself to shrug. “It wasn’t a gift, Richard, it just was. We’ve already agreed that a long-term relationship won’t work for us. We got it out of our system, so let’s move on.”
Maya saw relief register on his face and her heart shattered into tiny pieces. It hurt even just to breathe but damned if she’d let him see an ounce of her pain. Richard Lim didn’t believe in anything she needed and pretending they could be something more than one night would only prolong the torture. She reached deep for calm, knowing it was the only way to end this now.
“Ayokong saktan ka,” he gritted out. His hands trembled as he pushed fingers through his hair, looking like he’d rather be anywhere else. “I’m not built for forever. At least, not with someone who thinks love is a fairy tale and we’ll live happily ever after. You haven’t seen the things I have, the truth of what so-called love does to people. There is no forever!”
The hurt rose up in waves and drowned her. Maya dug her nails in her palms and took it all. How stupid. He’d stated his openness toward love, but he was only playing a game. Thinking he could find a woman who believed in companionship, a woman with no expectations or silly ideas. A woman who would never be her.
“Nagkakamali ka, counselor,” she said softly. “I’m not looking for forever. But I am looking for someday. I think I deserve that.”
He flinched. “I’m sorry. I’m—”
“There’s no need for you to feel sorry. I understand you perfectly pero sa ngayon, I think mas makabubuting umalis ka na. At huwag kang mag-alala. If I believe there was anything more than great sex, I’ll remember the advice a very smart man once told me.” Her eyes burned bright and hard. “It’s just the oxytocin. Nothing more. Nothing less.”
This time when she passed, he let her go. She busied herself in the kitchen and ignored him when he stopped at the counter. Maya concentrated on whipping eggs and preparing French toast, praying he wouldn’t test her or touch her. After a few moments, the door closed behind her without a word.
She surrendered the spoon, slumped against the granite island, and allowed herself to mourn something she never had in the first place.
*******
Maya looked at the mansion in front of her as Liza drove up the winding driveway. She almost canceled the outing, but guilt over missing out on Liza’s family party drove her to try to be social. Besides, she barely saw her best friend anymore and was looking forward to an afternoon of fun.
“Hindi ko akalaing made-depress ako ng ganito pagkatapos ng sex.”
Liza cut the engine and shook her head. “Hindi bale. Let’s just look on the bright side. You had plenty of orgasms, and you found out his true character before you can get more involved. And you probably got your touch back, which is a boon for business.”
Maya laughed. “Leave it to you to look on the bright side. Pero tama ka. I’m giving him over to Sabel for future dates so I won’t have to really see him anymore. I’ll get over it.”
“You know what Sabel says. The fastest way over a man is under a new one.”
Maya rolled her eyes and opened the door. “Huwag na. I think my remote and Bobby are enough for me for a while.”
They made their way up to the sprawling villa, a mass of brick and stone rising three stories in the air. When Maya met Liza at college, she’d immediately been welcomed into the family fold—a close-knit Kapampangan group who hosted Friday and Sunday dinners and fed their guests heartily while they were on a shoestring budget.
Maya laughed as Liza’s niece caught sight of them, squealed, and tore down the gleaming parquet floors and into her aunt’s arms.
“Ang ganda naman ng pamangkin ko! Where’s your sister?”
“Nikki is following Nicolo and Luke around. I think she wants to marry Nicolo.”
“Cousins don’t marry, honey, but that’s okay for now. Let her torture him a bit. Nicolo needs a bit of his own medicine.”
“Ah, nandito na pala ang mga paborito kong mga dalaga! Surgeon in training and matchmaker extraordinaire.” Maya grinned. Nick, Alexa’s husband, stood behind the bar and seemed pretty happy to be out of the backyard where all the action was occurring.
“Right now I think we’re dying for a mojito,” Liza said. “Kaya mo bang gawin iyon bayaw?”
“Siyempre, ako pa. I’ve had bartender training, you know?”
Liza laughed. “Okay, okay, if you say so. Is everyone outside?”
“Yeah, it’s a jungle out there. Literally. Nasaan si James?”
“Susunod na lang daw siya.”
“Good.” He winked at Maya. “How about you? Where’s Bobby? Dinala mo sana siya dito.”
“Dadalhin siya ni Megan sa dog park ngayong hapon. I figured I’d be footloose and fancy-free.”
“Ooo, sounds dangerous.” He handed her a clear drink with mint and stuck in a yellow umbrella. “There you go, honey. Enjoy. Wala pa si Allie pero baka dumating din siya mamaya.”
Liza’s twin sister, Allie, seemed to be going through a hard time. Liza used to be close to her, but lately Allie’s edgy temper and almost cruel sarcasm put a wedge between them. She knew it bothered Liza a lot, and she hoped things will get better between them and they’ll be okay again.
“Ay, mabuti’t nandito na pala kayo!”
Alexa enveloped them in a warm hug. Liza’s older sister was beautiful, with her black thick curls, black eyes, and curvy figure. Her kindness and humor radiated in waves, and Maya loved being around her.
“Liza, darating ba ngayon yung macho mong doktor?”
“He’s popping in later, naka-duty pa siya sa hospital.”
“Maya, darling, where’s Bobby?”
Maya wondered how her date always became her dog, but it was too sad to analyze. Especially after her night with Richard. “Dog park.”
Alexa lifted a brow. “Dateless, huh? May kakilala akong guwapong guwapo at machong male model na gusto kong ipakilala sa iyo. Malay mo, mag-click kayo.”
Maya laughed. “Don’t know if I’m the model type, Alexa.”
“Nonsense, they’re everyone’s type.”
Liza nodded approvingly. “Nasaan na pala yung may birthday?”
Alexa blew out a long breath. “Ay naku, Nicolo’s in time-out again. Si Luke naman, masyado na namang hyper kaya alam kong pumuslit na naman siya ng chocolale cake. Napagbintangan ko nga noong una si Nick kasi alam kong paborito niya din yun.”
Liza grinned. “Picking your son over your hubby, sister?”
“Darlin’, I’m just trying to keep him on his toes.”
As if his ears were burning, Nick paused behind her, his finger over his lips to keep them quiet. Liza pressed her lips together to keep from giving him away. “Interesting. So, what’s the best way to keep your man in line, Alexa?”
She cocked a hip and winked. “Sex, of course. I’d say sex and food, but since I can’t accomplish the latter, I excel at the former.”
Liza rolled her eyes. “Oh, please. I’ve seen who wears the so-called pants in your family, and it’s definitely not you, dear sister. Isang kalabit nga lang sa iyo ng mister mo, laglag na agad ang panty mo.”
Her eyes snapped with annoyance. “Oy, hindi ano. Sa totoo lang, all I have to do is snap my fingers and my man obeys.”
The words escaped her mouth the moment her husband’s arms grabbed her waist. Alexa gave a small screech and jerked around, but Nick held her against him with ease, refusing to let her move. “Mouthing off again, sweetheart?” he drawled, his hands familiarly stroking her into instant submission. Maya watched in fascination as Alexa relaxed against him, her eyes sparking with a heat that hadn’t dimmed in almost eight years of marriage. Raw need clawed at her throat. God, how she wanted to feel like that. Completely possessed and entranced by a man. An image of Richard rocketed past her vision. Poised at her entrance, his dark slanted eyes burning with hunger, fingers intertwined while he pushed deep inside and claimed her, body . . . soul . . . heart.
Tears pricked her lids. Damn, she must be hormonal. One lousy night and she had surrendered not only her virginity but her emotions. But she’s vowed to quash it and move on. From now on, Richard Lim is nothing but a Kinnect client she wouldn’t even have to deal with. She’ll turn him over to Sabel and Doris completely and would avoid seeing him ever again.
To be continued
Advertisements Share this:
