Grievous: Dhenmer Ramos

Chapter Five

"Wear this." Dhenmer threw me something, mabuti nalang ay nasalo ko ito agad. Tinignan ko ito at nakitang isang bestidang pantulog ito. "I borrowed that from Mama."

"I should really just sleep on the guestroom since guest nga lang naman ako rito." I said while studying the dress. It's a simple white empire night dress that ends just above my knees I think. Hindi naman siya ganoon kaikli.

"I want you to sleep here."

Bumuntong hininga ako, tinulak ko ang sarili paalis sa pagkakasandal sa nakasarang pinto ng kwarto niya.

"Why?" I scratched my head in irritation.

"Do I always need to have a reason?" He asked, looking annoyed.

"Plano mo bang manyakin ako?" Malakas ang loob kong magtanong pero tinignan niya lang ako gamit ang wala-akong-pakialam expression niya. "Ganon ka naman 'diba? Manyak? Bigla-bigla ka na lang nanghahalik. Hindi ka gentleman."

"Are you always this talkative? You're starting to annoy me. Be thankful that I'm letting you sleep on my bed alone." He laid down on his bed with his attention trained on me.

"So, I'm allowed to use your bathroom? I shower before I sleep, Mr. Ramos."

"Feel free," he motioned his hand towards the bathroom door. "Feel free to use my toiletries, too."

"I'm not using your toothbrush, Mr. Ramos." I folded my arms over my chest. "And I don't have any underwears to use."

"One second." Muli siyang bumangon, nagtungo siya sa malaki niyang closet at may kinuha sa loob, kapagkuwan ay hinagis niya ito sa akin. Hindi ko ito nasalo ngunit sumabit naman sa balikat ko.

Boxer?

"Seriously?" Hinawakan ko ito at tinaasan siya ng kilay.

"Just use that, and women don't wear bras when they sleep, right?"

"Are you serious right now?" I groaned while stomping my feet on the floor like a child. "Fine!" Nagapapadyak akong naglakad papunta sa banyo, I shut the door forcefully and let out a frustrated silent scream.

Ang hirap ng sitwasyon, sana pala ay hindi na lang ako pumayag sa kaniya una palang.

I roamed my eyes around his bathroom. It's big, halos malakihan na nito ang maliit na apartment na tinitirhan ko. Mabango ang amoy, amoy panlalaki, amoy ni Dhenmer. Ilang beses niya na rin akong nilapitan nang sobrang lapit with matching halik kaya normal lang na alam ko ang amoy nito. And he smells really good if I'm going to be honest.

I showered and cleansed my body with Dhenmer's soap, I used his shampoo and conditioner for men. Ang gaganda ng mga products niya sa panglinis sa katawan, but I bet they are all expensive.

Maybe sleeping in his room isn't bad at all, what's the worst thing that can happen?

After taking a shower, I dried my body and hair with his towel. I slipped into Tita Liz's night dress. The dress is not bad at all, it's spaghetti strapped but still managed to look appropriate. Even Dhenmer's boxer is comfortable beneath me.

When I exited the bathroom, Dhenmer was nowhere to be seen, I sighed in relief and made myself comfortable on his comfy bed. He said I'll be sleeping alone on his bed, ako pa na guest ang matutulog sa kama ng may-ari ng bahay.

Maybe Dhenmer's nice in his own way? He's just an annoying p*****t but I think he's nice? I still doubt it.

Bumukas ang pinto at niluwa nito si Dhenmer na nakapantalon na lang at walang kahit anong suot sa itaas. Naalerto ako at nag-iwas ng tingin habang namumula ang pisnge.

"You're done? Good." I felt him move, I lowered my head and bit my lower lip.

It's not the first time I seen a man's body, I've seen Hunter topless and even saw him fully naked already, but that was an accident! It didn't affect me that much anyways, but it was still terrifying. I'm still getting goosebumps everytime that moment crashes my mind.

"Miss Callanta?"

I hummed in response.

"Let's try calling each other by our first name, pwede?"

"Why? I don't even know you, we just met, you know." I played with my nails.

We just met and I'm sleeping in his room. Nice.

"We just met?"

My brows furrowed, I looked at him and found him staring intently at me. There's a towel hanging over his shoulder now, covering his chest. It was the towel that I used, but half of his body are still peeking nonetheless.

"My face is up here, Frances."

I instanty blushed, I rolled my eyes at him and avoided his gaze after.

"We just met. Yes. Our encoumter at the bar and at Hunter's company doesn't count." I muttered, pursing my lips a little bit.

"Why don't you try digging your memories? This is the first time we met, huh?" He sounded disappointed and annoyed. "Magshashower lang ako, you can go to sleep if you want."

My brows furrowed in confusion, nagtataka kung bakit bigla siyang naging malamig. Nilingon ko siya ngunit ang naabutan ko na lang ay ang pagbukas at sarado ng pinto ng banyo.

May dapat ba kong maalala? Bakit kaylangan kong halukayin ang utak ko?

Mapait akong napangiti, nagbaba ako ng tingin at tiwanan na lang ang mga sinabi niya.

That's too bad... hindi ko kayang hukayin ang utak ko. Iyon ang hinding-hindi ko gagawin, iyon ang hindi ko pwedeng gawin. Okay na ako, hindi ko na kaylangan pang lumingon sa nakaraan ko dahil masama na ako sa kasalukuyan ko.

Maayos akong humiga sa kama, halos lumubog ang ulo ko sa unan dahil sa sobrang lambot nito. I tucked myself inside the blanket. Gosh... Even his blanket smells like him. I guess this is not bad at all, ang lambot-lambot ng kama niya at napakakomportable. Patagilid akong humiga, humikab at pinikit ang mga mata sa antok.

I don't how long I fell asleep, but I woke up when I felt the space beside me sunk. Kinusot ko amg mga mata ko, lumingon sa gilid ko at nahuli si Dhenmer na nakahiga sa tabi ko at nakatitig sa kisame. Nakakalat ang basa niyang buhok sa noo niya, walang ibang suot kundi ang shorts niya lang.

"Hey, I-i thought you'll be sleeping on the couch?" I said, almost whispering. If I was fully awake, I would probably be alerted by now. But I'm half asleep and my mind wasn't processing properly. "I can sleep on the couch if you're not comfortable there."

Tumaas ang sulok ng labi niya, bumaling siya sa akin at tumitig lang. Matagal siyang tumitig sa mga mata ko, tila may hinahanap dito. Dahil inaantok ako ay napikit ko ang mga mata ko, ilang sandali pa ay may naramdaman akong humaplos sa buhok ko. Minulat ko ang mga mata ko at muling kinita ang magandang mga mata ni Dhenmer.

"I'm sure it's you, I can't be mistaken." He whispered, patting my head in a careful and sweet manner. "Go to sleep, I'll sleep on the couch."

Ngumiti ako sa kaniya, dahan-dahan akong humiga nang patagilid ngunit paharap na sa kaniya. Naramdaman ko siyang umalis sa kama pero nanatili ang kamay niyang humihimas at ulo ko.

"Good night, Frances."

...

I pulled myself up while rubbing my eyes with my fists. I looked around and tried processing everything that happened yesterday.

I ran my fingers through my hair, lumingon ako kung saan dapat nanduon si Dhenmer but the couch was empty.

Hindi ako makapaniwalang sinolo ko talaga ang kama nito. Nakakahiya sa kaniya, ako na nga itong guest, ako pang natulog sa kama ng may-ari ng bahay. Pinahintulutan niya naman ako and he insisted, but still, nakakahiya pa rin and it seem not right.

Bumangon na ako at inayos ang kama. Pagkatapos ay ginawa ang morning rituals ko. Nag-toothbrush ako't naghilamos. Sinuot ko nalang ang bra na gamit ko kahapon bago lumabas ng kwarto.

Bumaba ako sa unang palapag, walang mga tao rito kahit mga katulong man lang dahil medyo madaling araw pa. May narinig akong ingay sa kusina kaya duon ako nagtungo, inaakala na si Tita Liz iyon subalit hindi na rin nagulat nang si Dhenmer ang bumungad sa paninginn ko.

Nagluluto ito, base sa mga galaw niya ay mukhang alam niya kung anong ginagawa niya at eksperto siya.

Kinagat ko ang ibaba kong labi, dahan-dahan akong naglakad papunta sa kaniya. Naramdaman niya yata ang paggalaw ko sa likod niya dahil lumingon ito, tumaas ang kilay niya pagkatapos niya akong makita.

"You woke up early?" His eyes scanned my whole body. "Parang sanay kang gumigising nang maaga."

"Oh, maaga akong nagigising kasi may trabaho ako." I explained, I stopped just a meter away from him. "W-what are you cooking?

"Pancakes," hee answered and shrugged. "Good morning."

This is beyond awkward.

"Good morning," I cleared my throat, "sila Tita Liz?"

"My parents are still asleep." He answered and continued to do what he's doing. Hindi ko alam kung anong espirito ang pumasok sa katawan ko nang lapitan ko ito at huminto sa tabi niya.

Pinanood ko kung paano siya magluto. Mukhang wala namang problema sa kaniya sa cooking deparyment, nakakaaaliw pa nga siyang panuorin at parang gusto ring matutunang magluto ng pancakes. I'm sure madali lang naman iyon lutuin.

Gusto kong matutunan ang lahat, gusto ko ay kaya ko ang lahat at maraming nalalaman. Dati kasi ay napakainosente ko, halos wala akong alam sa lahat ng bagay dahil pinagkait lahat-lahat sa akin ng uncle ko.

Don't go there, Frances... Don't.

I clenched my fists and closed my eyes tightly. Inalala ang mga masasayang moments ng buhay ko, iyong mga sandaling masaya ako kasama ang mga kaibigan ko, kung gaano ako kasaya sa trabaho ko at inalala na rin pati ang kabaliwan ng boss ko.

"Frances."

I opened my eyes, natagpuan ko ang sarili kong nakaupo sa upuan at wala na sa harap ng stove. Si Dhenmer naman ay nakaluhod sa harap ko at hindi na nagluluto, nakahawak siya sa magkabilang balikat ko.

"Are you alright?" He looked worried while asking.

"I-i... ahm, may naisip lang ako."

"Wala ka sa sarili mo for so long. Are you really okay, Frances?"

"C-can you call Hunter, please?" I took long deep breaths to calm myself. "I wanna calm down, please. I don't wanna go back there, I need to talk to him. I-i need him to bring me back to my senses."

Hunter's the only one who can calm me down, he's the only person I trust the most. Ang turin ko sa kaniya ay kuya ko, kahit hindi kami magkadugo ay pamilya ko ito. He taught me a lot of things, he's the only guy I trusted with my life. Whenever I'm like this, he can talk some sense to me. I didn't even need a therapist because he's more than enough.

"Can you look at me in the eyes, baby?" He touched my cheek and I actually flinched from his touch like it burnt me.

"Please, just call Hunter." I'm surprise that I still managed to hold back my tears.

"Baby?"

Why the heck is he even calling me by that endearment?

I looked at him, our eyes met and my heart raced for unknown reason. He tucked my hair behind my ear, his palced his hand on my head and gently stroked my hair. For some reason, I couldn't take my eyes off his green ones. They're so beautiful, so calming like the nature.

He combed my hair with his fingers, he combed my hair all the way down to the tip. I pulled my eyes off his eyes and followed the movement of his hand. Pinaglaruan nito ang dulo ng buhok ko, iniikot-ikot angilang hibla ng buhok ko sa daliri niya.

"Are you calm now? Did I bring you back to your senses?"

"How wouldn't you? Y-you... did that to me. What you did distracted me." I rambled, my cheeks reddening in embarrassment.

"Good." He rubbed my chin with his thumb, he stood up and put some distance between us. He stared at me for a moment before going back to the stove

I was frozed like a fish in the freezer. He actually managed to calm me down!

He prepared the pancakes on the table and then removed the apron off his body only to realize that he's in his business attire this whole time.

"I'll be off to work, have your breakfast and don't think too much while I'm gone. Don't daze off again." He instructed like he's my father and I'm his child.

He grabbed his attache case that's been sitting on the chair beside me this whole time, too.

"I'm hoping to see you when I get back, mi amor." He whispered to my ear. My body shivered of how close his lips to my ear and how his breath fanned against my flesh.

He turned his back on me and walked away in a very sexy way.

God, he has a sexy ass.