Dagger Series #7: Unbalanced

Chapter 12: Worship

My didus often says teasingly, "Protect me from temptation" whenever my babusya cooks his favorite food. He still eats them anyway. I'm saying it now too, even though I still can't stop myself from looking.

This is something that is new to me. I might have just one relationship, but that doesn't mean I haven't been around men. I've danced with different male ballerinas. I've seen them almost wear next to nothing. There are a few instances when I felt what I shouldn't, despite their dance belts.

But they didn't do anything for me. But with Domino, it's different. He could just stand on the opposite side of the room, and I... feel him. It's like I'm indifferent to the rest of the world, but with him, I'm hyper-aware.

I shook my head as if it would help me clear it, and I forced myself to go back to reading. It wasn't easy, but when I did, I found myself lost in Lucienne's world.

Natigil lang ako ulit sa pagbabasa nang makarinig ako ng ingay mula sa direksyon ni Domino. And again, I was lost in watching him hammer new planks of wood into the spaces where he removed pieces of wood that needed replacing.

"Maybe I'm ovulating," I whispered to myself. "Yep. That's the only reason. I have an egg that wants to be fertilized. It's science. It's biology. It's normal." My eyes widened when Domino bent to reach for something, making the denim snugly embrace his form. This is criminal. How can a man look that good in worn-out jeans? "No eggs are getting fertilized. I'm going to take a shower—no. I'm going to jump into the pool." Why do his eight-pack abs seem to be getting closer? Do I suddenly have the ability to zoom in my vision?

"You feel hot?"

Napalunok ako at nabitawan ko ang libro na hawak ko na kaagad nasalo ni Domino bago iyon bumagsak sa sahig. He also stopped the comfortable padded chair I'm sitting on from falling backwards, which I jolted when I suddenly moved, by putting a hand on the backrest.

"Doll?"

I blinked up at him. "Ha?" He's really close. Like really close. He's still holding the backrest, making my face just a few inches from his chest. "Eyes," I whispered. I need new eyes because the ones I have are burning.

"Do they hurt?"

"Yeah," I whispered. "They burn—"

Hindi ko nagawang tapusin ang sasabihin ko nang yumuko siya at umakto na para bang kakargahin ako. I leaned back in the chair and tried to stop him from doing what he was about to do. Only to do that, I need to place my hands on his chest to push him back. I'm not going to think about it. I'm not going to think about how hard his chest was. Nope. Nope. Nope.

"What are you doing?"

Kunot ang noo na nagbaba siya ng tingin sa mga paa ko. "You said you need ice for your feet because they're burning."

"Umm... no. They don't."

"But you just said—"

"Yes. Uhh no." Ipinilig ko ang ulo ko. Get a grip, Tiara. " I mean, I don't need ice for my feet. I need new eyes—" It took everything for me not to scream. Huminga ako ng malalim at pilit na nginitian ko siya. "My eyes are burning. I... I've been reading since breakfast, so I needed to stop, but I couldn't because, well, it's a great book. But... yeah. I need to stop and do something else."

He looked whiplashed by my rambling, but he ended up just nodding. Napapakamot sa likod ng ulo na tinapunan niya ng tingin ang ginagawa.

"Itutuloy ko na lang 'to bukas para makapunta ka na sa glass house."

I shook my head while waving my hands in front of me. "No. You can continue. I can dance later if I want to. Besides, bukas pa naman ang schedule ko kay Olena. I can just rest for today, I guess."