Delectable Men 2: Brentford Montgomery

Chapter 6

Brent wanted to look anywhere but at Charmel, yet her dancing held him captive. Her sexy figure, moving perfectly to the beat, looked even more amazing than it had at the bar. In casual clothes, with her face relaxed, she looked completely at ease with the world.

Unable to deal with the lust flooding his veins, tinungga niya tuloy ang isang botelya ng beer. Tinamaan agad siya sa bisa ng alcohol dahil isang buwan na yatang hindi na siya nakainom ng anumang klaseng alak. But he needed to dull the edges of his feelings - dull the roaring awareness of her. Sana lang mawala agad ang nararamdaman niyang pagnanasa sa dalaga pag hindi niya na ulit ito makita pa.

When they'd first stepped onto the ship Charmel had hesitated, almost as if she wasn't sure she should be there. Pero sinalubong sila ni Thompson at iginiya nito ang dalaga papunta sa iba pang mga kaibigan nila.

Mayamaya lang ay mukhang naging kumportable rin ito at nakikipag-mingle na ulit ito sa mga kaibigan nila. Every so often Brent caught her eye: a quick glance here or there that neither of them acknowledged.

"You should get out there and dance with her." Lumapit sa kanya si Thompson na may hawak ng beer.

Napabaling siya sa kaibigan. Nabuhay na naman kasi ang guilt niya noon nang magustohan niya si Charmel habang nobya pa ito ni Thompson.

"Come on, man. You know there's no hard feelings." Tinapik ni Thompson ang balikat niya. "Naayos na natin kung anuman ang alitan natin dati."

"Hindi naman ang nararamdaman mo ang ipinag-alala ko."

"Since when do you worry about anything, Brent?"

Napakunot-noo si Brent. People often took his breezy attitude like he didn't care about things. Batid niyang tinutudyo lang naman siya ni Thompson, but still...

"Some things are meant to be left in the past."

"Para ka na tuloy babae kung makapagsalita ka, Brent." Napatawa sa kanya si Thompson. "Wag ka ngang humuhugot diyan na parang isang babae."

Inignora na lamang niya ang sinabi ni Thompson at pinuntahan na niya 'yong mga girls. Loud music pumped from the ship's premium speakers and the girls cheered when he joined their little circle. Nagkasalubong naman sila ng mga titig ni Charmel ngunit ito ang unang umiwas nang tingin at napabaling ulit ito kay Emmy.

Linagok niya ang hawak na beer hanggang sa maubos niya iyon. Moving closer to Charmel, he brushed his hand gently over her hip as he danced. Napalingon ang dalaga sa kanya, saka mabini itong napangiti. Brown eyes seemed to glow amidst the smudgy black make-up...Her tanned limbs were moving subtly and effortlessly to the beat.

"Gusto mo ng refill?" tanong niya rito nang makita niyang wala ng laman ang champagne glass nito.

Mukhang nag-atubili ito, napatingin muna ito sa baso at sa kanya.

"Why not?" Napangiti ito at sinundan siya papunta sa cabin. The music seemed to throb and pulsate around them, even at a distance from the speakers.

"Nakakalungkot naman isipin na wala sa katiting nitong cabin mo ang tinitirahan ko." She held out her champagne flute.

Brent reached for a fresh bottle of champagne and wrapped his hand around the cork, easing it out with a satisfying pop. He topped up her glass, the fizzing liquid bubbling and racing towards the top too quickly.

She bent her head and caught the bubbles before they spilled. "You're a terrible pourer."

"I'm normally too busy with my ships to be in charge of drinks. But I'll make an exception for you."

"Ang bait naman." She smirked and leant against the white leather sofa. "Nasa barko ka lang ba palagi?"

"No, kailangan ko ring patakbuhin ang negosyo ko, which keeps me from being out on the water as much as I'd like. May sarili na rin akong beach resort, but staying there is a bit of a tourist trap. Minsan umuuwi naman ako sa bahay namin, and then other times I stay here on the ship."

"What a life." Malumanay na wika nito. "You float along and stop where you feel like it."

"Yeah, ganon na nga."

"Iyan...iyan nga ang Brent na nakilala ko."

"Kumusta na pala ngayon ang buhay mo?" Interesado talaga siya na malaman iyon kahit pa nakita niya ang pagsasayaw nito sa bar ngayong gabi.

Nakuha nitong mapangiti sa kanya ng tipid. "Like any creative industry, ang pagsasayaw ay meron ding up and down."

A perfectly generic response. Perhaps her situation was worse than he'd thought. Nanatili lang siyang tahimik, at naghintay lang siya na magpatuloy ito sa pagsasalita. For a moment she only nodded, as if that would be enough of an answer. But he wanted more.

"Naghihintay kasi ako ngayon na matawagan sa isang malaking kumpanya," pagpatuloy nito.

Suspetsa niya na hindi totoo ang sinasabi nito, or that she'd coloured the truth.

"Tonight was one of those fill-the-gap things. I'm sure hindi ito ang inaasahan mo."

Napayuko ito ng ilang saglit. Then she gathered herself and looked up.

"Hindi rin ito ang inaasahan ko," sabi ni Brent, at mataman niyang tinitigan ang dalaga. "Pero hindi ibig sabihin na hindi ko na enjoy ang pagsasayaw mo ngayong gabi."

Totoo namang na entertained talaga siya sa pagsasayaw nito. Watching her performed that stage as if she owned the place had unsettled him to his core. At hindi na iyon mawawala pa sa kanyang isipan kailanman. Isipin pa lang niya ito ngayon ay tila nag-aapoy na ang katawan niya.

"Pwede mo naman gawin 'yon sa'kin na hindi na kailangang marami pang lalaki ang nakatingin sa'yo."

Napabuka ang mga labi nito. "Sinasabi mo ba sa'kin ngayon na may claim ka na sa'kin."

Brent stepped forward, indulging himself in the sight of her widening eyes and parted lips. She didn't step back. At sa halip ay tila napako ito sa kinatayuan nito. She tilted her head up, looking him directly in the eye.

Brent leant forward. "I did see you first.

"It doesn't work like that." Her voice was a mere whisper, and she said it as though convincing herself. "It's not finders keepers."

"What is it, then?"

"Wala."

Hinagip niya ang kamay nito upang pilitin ito na magsalita. "Alam kong may ibig kang sabihin sa sinasabi mo."

Pumipiksi ito sa pagkakahawak niya. "It's nothing. It's just the champagne."

"Sinungaling."

Pilya itong napangiti sa kanya habang ibinaba nito sa mesa ang hawak na champagne flute. A stray droplet escaped the corner of her mouth and she caught it with her tongue.

Damn it, he wanted to kiss her.

"It's the champagne."

"Well, kung ganyan ka kapag makainom..."

"I might get myself into trouble?" seryoso ang mukha nito, saka mamula-mula na rin ang mukha nito sa tama ng alcohol.

Charmel had always been the serious type - studious and sensible until she'd had a drink or two. Magiging pilya lang naman ito pag makainom ito.

"You always seem to treat trouble like it's a bad idea."

"Isn't that the definition of trouble?" Her hands hovered at his chest, barely touching him.

He shouldn't be pulling her strings the way he usually did when he wanted a girl. He liked to wind them up first. Tease them..at patatawanin muna ito. At tila iyan nga ang ginagawa niya kay Charmel ngayon. As if he wanted to sleep with her.

"Bad ideas are the most fun."

She stepped backwards, cheeks flushed, lips pursed. "Come on, we're missing all the action out there. Gusto ko ng sumayaw."

*****