Dagger Series #7: Unbalanced

Chapter 16: Sweet

I pursed my lips a little. Itinuro ko ang isang swatch. "Alabaster. Then ivory for the kitchen and hallways."

His lips tugged up, and he took the catalog from me. He scanned the rows of paint in front of us to look for one that would match the paint's code from the swatches. Usually, when you choose a color, the store will have them mixed for you. But the particular brand in front of us already has available colors to choose from.

Kumuha ng dalawang limang galon na alabaster si Domino at isang ivory. Inilagay niya iyon sa cart na dala namin.

Inabot niya ang kamay ko. Kanina kasi ay hawak niya iyon habang sa isa ay gamit niya pangtulak ng cart. "I'll follow you. You can hardly push the cart with one hand. Those paints have a total of fifteen gallons."

Imbis na sumagot ay nangingiting hinila niya lang ako palapit sa kaniya. He positioned me in front of the car, and he put my hands on the handle bars. Humawak siya sa magkabilang gilid ng mga kamay ko at itinulak niya na iyon.

I looked up at him, my eyes narrowing into a slit. "I look like a child."

"You don't." Tinaasan niya ako ng kilay. "Unless gusto mong ilagay kita sa loob ng cart?"

I harrumphed, which just made him chuckle. We walk through the long hallway, barricaded by his arms. Sumilip ako sa likod namin at namataan ko si Warrick na nakasunod sa amin. Hindi lang siya ang kasama namin dahil sigurado akong nasa paligid lang din sina Pike at Nevan.

I gave Warrick a small wave, and he returned with a smile. Domino, who wasn't oblivious to the exchange, placed my hand back on the handle before he leaned down so that he could put his chin on my shoulder.

"Don't be too kind to anyone else. Baka magselos ako."

Nag-iinit ang mga pisngi na siniko ko siya na ikinatawa niya lang. "Stop being silly." I glance at him. "At pwede bang umayos ka ng tayo? You're going to break your back. If it isn't obvious to you, compared to you, you're a pine tree, and I'm a bonsai plant."

His laughter echoed around the place, and I couldn't help but smile. Domino's a happy person. He seems to be the kind who doesn't run out of reasons to be happy about. I've only seen him serious when he's being protective of me.

Imbis na sundin ang gusto ko ay lalo pa siyang sumiksik sa akin. "We look silly."

"No we don't."

"We do."

"We don't, and I'll prove it to you." Bago ko pa matanong kung anong ibig niyang sabihin ay pinigilan niya ang cart sa pag-andar. Hindi kalayuan sa amin ay may dalawang babae na may tulak din na cart na pasalubong sa amin mula sa kanan. "Excuse me."

"Domino!" I hissed under my breath.

Ignoring me, he waved to the women. "Sorry for the bother. May tanong lang sana ako."

"Ano po 'yon?" tanong ng babae na kulot ang buhok.

"Nagtatalo kasi kami ng—" Nagbaba ng tingin sa akin ang lalaki. We don't have any labels. I don't even know what we are. Well, I can think of what to call us even though we haven't... you know, but I don't think it's appropriate to mention it to two complete strangers. "—asawa ko."

I felt like my eyes would fall from their sockets. He decided to go for that? Pwede namang girlfriend na lang.

Domino flashed them his winning smile. "Do we look weird, or do we look romantic?"

Nagtatakang nagpalipat-lipat ang tingin sa amin ng dalawa. The woman with the straight hair answered his question. "Romantic po. Ang sweet niyo pong tignan."