"Yes po."
"Okay," Elena replied before she turned to her assistants. "Paki-prepare 'yung next na outfit ng bride," she said ushering the women towards the butler's room leaving Joey and me by ourselves.
"Muntik na akong maligaw rito kanina. Nakakalula naman ang suite na 'to. Dito n'yo na ba balak tumira?" Joey cheerfully asked.
I gave her a wan smile.
"Ay, grabe, walang kalaban-laban 'yung Giorgio Armani Lip Magnet Liquid Lipstick ko kay Mr. Ynchausti. Pakitanong nga ang isa sa mga kamag-anak ng asawa mo kung gusto ba n'yang i-take-over 'yung sari-sari store ni Nanay dahil papayag ako ora mismo," she added laughing but noticed that I wasn't in the mood for merriment. "Sorry..." she murmured. "That was an insensitive remark."
Don't take your frustration out on other people, Aiyla...
"Okay lang, ano." I forced myself to sound cheerful. "Don't worry, I'll talk to Ayden's cousins and build your Nanay's store up. Isasama ko na rin sa offer 'yung manukan ninyo."
"Oo. Sabihin mong bibigyan ko s'ya ng inventory kung gusto n'ya. Timing na timing kakapangitlog lang n'ung Texas ni Tatay."
"Sige, babanggitin ko rin 'yan," I kidded as Joey burst out laughing.
Twenty minutes later, I was sitting at the presidential table with Ayden. Dad and I did not have a chance to talk but during the father-daughter dance, he was quick to reassure me that he was fine.
"Don't worry about me. Your husband and I had a brief chat earlier and he reassured me that he'll take great care of you..."
The whole reception was a haze to me as I smiled and murmured my thanks after each congratulatory speech. Soon, we were waving goodbye to the guests and I was already feeling ill with apprehension.
"Anong oras nga ba ang flight natin bukas?" I asked as we took the elevator to our room.
"Eleven in the morning. My family and yours will meet us at the airport tomorrow to send us off."
"Ang aga pala..."
"I said, eleven, Aiyla."
"Oo nga, eleven in the morning, right? And we have to be there two hours before our schedule. And taking into consideration the morning traffic, we have to probably wake up at five in the morning. Tara, tulog na tayo. Mauna na ako, ha. Goodnight! I prattled walking ahead of him.
I was about to congratulate myself on my triumphant exit when I realized that the keycard was in his possession.
Shit... I thought with chagrin while waiting for him in front of our suite's door.
"After you, my lady..." he announced with a flourish pushing the door open.
"Thank you..." I mumbled.
The room is huge with its private jet bar, a massage room, a butler's room, an entertainment room, a sauna, and a personal fitness gym. I could probably challenge him to a game of hide and seek and it would probably take him more than an hour to find me.
"Do you want to use the bathroom first or...?" he let the rest of the sentence hang in mid-air.
"I want to eat," I immediately said. "I'm hungry. Hindi kasi ako masyadong nakakain kanina."
"Ahh..." He smiled. "Good thing, I have the hotel's mobile app and I can order room service from here—"
"I should download the app on my phone."
"Or you can just use my phone instead."
"But, I don't want to impose—"
"I insist," he said handing me his phone.
"Thank you."
"You're welcome."
"Ano pala ang gusto mong kainin?"
"Ikaw..."
"Ha?"
"Ikaw nang bahala."
"Ahh..." I self-consciously laughed. "I'll order for both of us then. You're not allergic to anything, right?"
"Allergic ako sa paghihintay."
"Sasabihin ko sa kanilang bilisan."
"Hm..."
"Baka mainip ka rito, gusto mo bang mag-gym?"
"This late in the evening?" He sounded amused.
"It's only thirty-two minutes past eleven. You can still lift weights—"
"No, Sweetheart, I am not in the mood to pump iron tonight. Are you done ordering?"
"Ha? No, not yet. Gutom na gutom kasi talaga ako," I lied as I continued to add food items to my cart.
"Do you want me to ask them to bring a wagon for you?"
"Para saan?" I distractedly asked.
"Baka kasi sa sobrang dami ng kakainin mo ay hindi ka na makatayo," he said.
He stood sighing. "You don't have to force yourself to eat, Sweetheart, just to keep me at bay."
I looked doubtfully at him, his ominous words still haunting my mind.
"Eat if you are hungry, but, if you aren't and you are just looking for an excuse not to be with me, I give you my word that nothing's going to happen tonight," he said. "I'll go take a shower first..."
He started walking towards the bedroom.
"I just have one request though..." He turned to face me again. "Can we sleep on the same bed tonight? It's our honeymoon, I don't want to spend it alone."
"Um...sure..." I replied with a nod.
He smiled. "Thank you. Goodnight."
I gaped at the place he vacated feeling silly all of a sudden. I was embarrassed for being so obvious and felt guilty because I was thinking the worst of him.
You're reading too much into his words and actions, Aiyla, I thought to myself as I removed the pins from my hair.
More than an hour later, I found myself sliding under the covers beside him careful not to wake him up.
Hot showers are the best—
"What took you so long?" he said before throwing a leg over my hip.
I instantly stiffened.
"You were in the shower for nearly an hour."
"I...I love long baths—Ayden..."
"Yes, Aiyla...?" he nonchalantly asked as he rained kisses down my neck.
"What...are you doing?"
He lifted his face to look at me. "You're not familiar with foreplay, Sweetheart?"
"W...what?" I stammered as he moved on top of me. "Ayden, wait—"
"I want you..." he whispered. "I want you, Aiyla..."
"But, you said..."
He smiled indulgently at me before kissing the tip of my nose. "It's already 12:34 in the morning, Sweetheart. That promise has elapsed," he answered before untied the bow that was holding the bodice of my sleeping gown together.
Chapter 2: Deep
Start from the beginning
