HOMBRE HERMOSO SERIES 1: THE BILLIONAIRE'S HEIR (MATEO DELA CRUZ)

Chapter 28 - The Canopy Bed

"Uhmmm... Actually, it did hurt me when you told me to stop calling your name when I was getting used to it. When you told me to go back to formalities, I felt like you created a wall between us."

"I'm sorry..." He whispered. He sounded genuinely regretful and lowered his head.

Mia smiled and lowered her head as well to take a peek at his face.

"But it was all in the past now." She tells him.

"Then will you stop calling me Mateo now?" He asked like a kid pleading for something.

"I still won't."

"Why?" He whined in complaint.

She groaned. Maybe it's better to tell him the reason. She raised her head before bursting it out to him while shutting her eyes to lessen the embarrassment that she knows she is going to feel after saying it. "Fine, I'll you." She inhaled. "It's because it has become my endearment to you okay? There, I finally said it." She exclaims, her heart pounding so hard inside her chest because of the embarrassment.

When Mateo didn't say anything, she slowly opened her left eye a little to see his reaction. And there he was, with a face completely confused.

He was just there, his mouth hanging slightly open and she had no idea what is going on in his mind after saying all of that.

"An endearment?... Really?" He asked like he couldn't believe it. There was a sly smile painted on his lips.

She sighed and encircled her arms on his shoulders and hides her face in his neck to conceal her embarrassment. Yes, calling him Sir Mateo has become an endearment. 'Gosh this is so embarrassing.'

She knows that they are not in a relationship and she has no right in calling him with any sort of endearment, but she wants to try to at least have one for him even if he doesn't know it. And she started to like calling him Sir Mateo since it feels like it has a connection to his as being his secretary. 'Sir Mateo' has become her secret endearment to him. And she already got used to it.

He chuckled and she felt the vibration of his voice travel to her body making her toes tingle.

She raised her head to face him. "What's so funny?" Is her endearment to him funny?

"Why 'Sir Mateo'? There are lots of other endearments that you could've used to call me. Why stick with formalities?"

"Well...it's because it sort of had a sentimental feeling to it. It makes me remember the times when I was still your secretary and how much you needed me. Also because I got really used to calling you Sir Mateo that it turned into a habit that is hard for me to change."

"Hmmm..." Mateo thought for a while. "Since you put it that way, my perception of your so called 'endearment' is changing. I've been despising it for the last few months. Is there something wrong with me if I start liking it now?"

"No, I guess?"

"Then I'll guess I have to get used to it."

"Yeah, because I don't think I can change this habit anytime soon." Mia said.

Mateo smiled and suddenly gave her a peck on her lips which surprised her. She blinked a few times out of shock.

"What was that for?"

"Thank you."

"For what?"

"For holding on to the love you had for me." He said as he intently stared into her eyes. "I still can't thank you enough for that."

Mia smiled. "I didn't hold onto it Sir, I just can't bring myself to let go of it." She said as she stared back to his mesmerizing blue eyes. Those eyes that would always make her fall head over heels for him. "You have no idea how many times I tried to forget all the feelings that I have for you and how many times I told myself to stop loving you. Because I thought that I will never be a part of your life. After many months of trying, I thought that I have successfully forgotten all about my long, long time love for you. But when you came, standing on the door that night, looking completely wet and helpless, all my efforts were wasted because I instantly felt my heart betraying me as it started to pound really hard inside my chest. And that's when I concluded that it is really impossible for me to unlove you, Sir Mateo."