Chapter 8 – Lovers

• Skyler quietly caressed the woman’s back. He finds it’s weird when he felt his heart ached. If he were late by a minute or two, who knows what might happen next. And he wouldn’t forgive himself.
• He didn’t know what was happening to him. Ever since he saw her in the elevator, he didn’t understand himself.
• He knew what happened that day. The woman was very easy to read. Just by her eyes, he knew what emotions she harbored. And he wanted to erase it. He wanted to erase the sadness in her eyes. It felt like a knife stabbing on his chest.
• After a few days of contemplation, he decided to visit her at the flower shop. He found out it was hers based on the flyer given to him by her assistant when he bought flowers there.
• Her name is Mhia Lucerio, twenty-four years old and the owner of Mhia’s Garden. She had one assistant, who was with her the last time he visited.
• She had no other routine but home and work. Her life was simple, and she lived alone in a townhouse.
• He wasn’t accustomed to investigating, but because she caught his attention so deeply, he indeed hired a private investigator to find out more about her. She was from the province, living with her grandmother and two aunts. She had no other friends except one.
• Her boyfriend? Well, he was on hold for now. They weren’t finished. They would settle things later on because of what he did to Mhia.
• “I’m sorry.” She let go of him. She grabbed a tissue from her desk, but instead of wiping her cheeks, her hand landed on his chest. That’s where she wiped it.
• He secretly smiled. There was something about her that stirred various emotions in him. She was like a new breath of fresh air for him. Something he never expected to happen.
• “It’s alright.” He stopped her hand. There was an electrifying sensation that ran from her hand to his. The woman immediately pulled her hand.
• He raised an eyebrow, while she looked away. She grabbed another tissue. This time, without saying a word, she blew her nose right in front of him.
• He bit his lower lip hard to suppress a loud laugh. He also restrained the movement of his shoulders.
• Tsk! This one is really different, he thought to himself.
• “Are you okay now?” he asked her.
• She nodded. “Thank you. Thank you for saving me a while ago,” she replied and blew her nose again.
• He found it cute.
• The way she unclogged her nose. The way she pouted her lips. The way she blinked her eyes. The way she wiped her tears... everything was cute. Even her small movements were cute. He might be going crazy because he didn’t know what was happening to him.
• “Did you break up with him?” he cautiously asked. He didn’t want to seem nosy. She might think of something else.
• She nodded. Then, she slowly sat on the empty chair in front of her desk and stared into space.
• “I thought he would change. But it was just in my mind. I realized his habits couldn’t be changed anymore. So instead of getting hurt repeatedly, I ended our relationship for good,” she narrated without hesitation. It was as if he was not a stranger anymore. It was as if she had known him for a long time for her to say such a thing to him.
• “You did the right thing if that’s the case. If I were in your position, I might have broken up with him a long time ago,” he couldn’t help but comment. He wasn’t usually talkative, but in an instant, she managed to change that. Something that had only happened to him a second time. The first time was with Ad—
• He quickly shook his head. He took a deep breath. Why did he always remember his dead wife whenever he was with another woman? They were worlds apart. And no matter how you looked at it, his wife will never come back.
• “Thank you again,” she said after a few moments of silence. She stood up but sat back down again.
• He shook his head. “Take my hand.” He offered his hand to her. The woman looked at it for a long time before accepting it. “Are you waiting for something?” he asked as she stood up with his help.
• She nodded. “I am waiting for the delivery. The flowers I ordered will be delivered by the supplier soon,” she replied.
• He noticed that with every step she took, she winced. “Are you in pain?” His anger suddenly surged within him.
• She hesitated to sit down. “No. I’m fine.” She smiled, but it was clearly forced.
• He sighed. Without saying a word, he lifted her and then placed her on the chair by the counter.
• “Oh, my eggplant!” she exclaimed in surprise. She immediately gripped his shoulders with both hands.
• Amused, he raised both eyebrows. “Is that what you had for lunch?” he teased her with a different meaning.
• She blushed. “It just came out of nowhere. And, you startled me. Can you please put me down now? It’s embarrassing. I’m heavy,” she protested.
• He shook his head. “You are not. A sack of rice is heavier than you.”
• She didn’t say anything until he lowered her onto the chair at the counter.
• “What time are they coming?” he asked her because she seemed to have no plans to speak anymore.
• She looked at the clock on her wrist. “They should be here soon.” She glanced at him. “You can leave me here now,” she didn’t directly shoo him away.
• “After I help you?” He smirked. “No way. What if your jerk boyfriend comes back? And this time, he succeeds?”
• She just inhaled, then exhaled. “Look, I know that I owe you big this time, but we are still strangers to each other. I don’t know you, and you don’t know me. That’s it,” she emphasized the words.
• “How sure are you?”
• Her eyebrows furrowed. “What do you mean?”
• He leaned sideways towards the counter table, crossing his arms on his chest. He knew that even without a mirror, he looked stunningly captivating. Anyone would be drawn to him. including the woman in front of him. His charisma didn’t change even though his hair was long, including his mustache and beard. It even added to his allure.
• He secretly smiled when he noticed she slightly gulp. He wasn’t wrong. He could affect her somehow.
• “Let’s get to know each other,” he declared.
• She seemed to snap out of it and shook her head. “Pardon?”
• He looked at her with amusement. “Let’s get to know each other. And besides, we’re not strangers to each other anymore. Remember what happened between us before?” he teased.
• She blushed. “You don’t mean it!” Her eyes widened in shock. She was clearly scandalized by his remark.
• “I mean it, Miss Lucerio. Or... should I call you Mhia? It can’t be denied that we both enjoyed that night,” he teased mischievously.
• She stood up abruptly. “Stop it!” She slammed her hand on the counter. She was really irritated now.
• “Well, is that how you treat someone who’s been kind to you?”
• She gave him a deadly look. “Look, Mr. Whoever you are, I don’t want to play your games. If you want to play— not on me. I’m not what you think I am,” she retorted.
• He chuckled. “And what do you know about what I think?” He leaned closer to her. She stepped back, but she had nowhere to go because his arms were around her. “I don’t want to play games with you because I want you. That’s two different words,” he whispered into her ear. He deliberately brought his lips close to it.
• She gasped audibly. He could also feel the tension in her body.
• “I know you feel the same,” he said and slowly faced her. He stared into her eyes. There was a glow in her eyes that he couldn’t quite define. Whether it was desire, excitement, or anger— he didn’t know. But it only intensified his feelings for her even more.
• “You have the nerve to say that to me. Who are you?” she said firmly. It was clear that her lips were trembling from the effect of what he did earlier.
• “Who am I? I’m Skyler dela Merced, your knight and soon... your lover.” He winked at her.
• She tried to slapped him, but it didn’t reach his face. “Oh, common, Mhia. Let’s not deceive ourselves here, because you won’t win over me. Do you want proof?” He didn’t wait for her to answer. He savagely claimed her lips. The kind of kiss that will take their breath away.
• He even grabbed her b*tt to pull her closer. There was no space between their bodies. He also felt her n**ples hardened, which made him smirked. That made him even hotter
• As he released her lips, they both gasped for breath. He never broke eye contact with her. He just stared at her for a long while before raising a hand to caress her cheek, trailing down to her lips, following his gaze.
• “I missed this...” he murmured to himself before looking back at her. “I am giving you two options: be my girl or be my lover.”
• She swallowed as if something caught in her throat. “H-how can those be an option if they mean the same thing?” she asked looking innocently.
• He shrugged. “That’s all I could offer. And believe me, you won’t regret it.” He claimed her lips again. The woman didn’t protest, but instead, she responded.
• He smiled. That only meant one thing... she agreed to what he wanted.