The Fall of Alexander the Great (Monteverde Series 3)

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    "Do you promise?"

    Umabot ang ngiti ko sa mga mata ko nang itaas ko rin ang hinliliit ko para ikawit sa hinliit niya. A fleeting smile appeared on his face when I said the words "I promise."

He rewarded me with a long sweet kiss before lying beside me.

    "I can now have a peaceful good night's sleep." He chuckled.

    I sat bolt upright and he watched me cross the room and take my towel. I showered quickly and slipped into comfortable sleepwear. I'm not really the lingerie type of woman. Nang lumabas ako ng banyo ay sinalubong ako ng yakap ni Alexander. Hinampas ko siya sa balikat.

    "You haven't showered!"

    "I can't help it!" Sigaw niya bago pumasok siya sa banyo. "You smell good!"

    When he went out of my bathroom, he was already wearing the purple Barney boxers I bought to annoy him. I broke into fits of giggles as he sauntered closer. Imagine a hot muscular man in a barney undergarment.

    "Bagay sa'yo." I cocked an eyebrow. "That was a worthy purchase."
    "Really?" He smiled deviously. "Minsan hindi ko talaga alam kung anong tumatakbo sa utak mo, but that's okay. I'll humor you. Ako rin naman ang nakikinabang kapag nasa magandang mood ka. Speaking of that..." He winked. "Are you in a good mood tonight?"
    "I'm sleepy!" I dried my hair in front of the vanity as he watched. When I was done, I went back to bed and hugged one of my pillows to my chest. I closed my eyes and tried to ignore the fact that both of us are freshly showered and he smelled heavenly.

    "Love..." He placed a hand inside my top.

    "What?" I feigned nonchalance. "We have to sleep early."

    "We have time to spare." He dropped a kiss on my shoulder.

    "Alexander, you have a meeting at 9 am." I turned and looked at him, glaring. He blinked, pouted, and lowered his head on my neck to kiss my skin.

    "Blythe Oenone, you're not seriously planning to ignore me, are you?"

    "You called me by my names." I beamed. "I like the sound of them on your lips."

    "I'm sure you will like my lips elsewhere." He winked. His finger was tracing patterns on my stomach. I held his hand and removed it, laughing, telling him it tickled.

    "Where would your lips rather be?" I inquired, my tone teasing.

    He clicks his tongue and showed me exactly where.

    I shivered.

    ***

    The next morning, I got up late. I didn't expect to find Alexander in the same Barney boxers he was in last night while sitting on the study table, facing his laptop and wearing his anti-radiation glasses.    

    "Good morning." I picked up a scrunchie on the floor and pulled my short hair into a low pony.  He turned his head in my direction.

    "Morning, beautiful."

    "I thought you have a meeting at 9." I motioned to the laptop. "Why are you still here?"

    "It got cancelled. The investor had to reschedule because his wife was rushed to the hospital early in the morning. Here I am."

    I walked over and sat on his lap. "You busy?"
    "Now that you're here, I guess not anymore."

    "Sweet mo naman." Pinisil ko ang pisngi niya. "What do you want for breakfast?"
    "Depends." He shrugged. "You cooking or nah?"

    "I was actually thinking pizza?"

    "Okay." He patted my waist and I stood up. He took his phone and ordered a large box of the classic pepperoni pizza from our favorite pizza parlor. He also ordered some delicious chicken pesto because he was craving for it. When the delivery came, he volunteered to get the food items downstairs.

    "I've missed this!" Nakangiti akong kumuha ng isang slice at kumagat dito. Binuksan ko ang TV at inilagay ito sa Netflix. Alexander said his all-time favorite is Sherlock, so we put that one on. Dahil kaunti lang ang kinain kong dinner last night ay naparami ang breakfast ko ngayon. Natatawang inasar pa ako ni Alexander na matakaw dahil nakaubos ako ng tatlo.

    "Benedict Cumberbatch is a great actor, 'no?"
    "Mas magaling ka sa kanya," pakli niya. "Isipin mo, umakto kang hindi mo ako mahal noon kahit ang totoo ay patay na patay ka pala sa akin. That's some skill!"
    "Hambog ka pa rin hanggang ngayon."
    "Now puwede mo na bang sagutan ang application form? For formality's sake."

    Kinurot ko siya. "Mukha mo!"

    "Guwapo."

    Sasagot pa sana ako when the unthinkable happened. Namilog ang mga mata ko at nagdasal na sana'y hindi niya mapansin, pero...

    "What is that smell?" Tumingin siya sa akin. "You farted!" He laughed out loud.

    "Ano naman?" Namumula ang mga pisngi ko. I can smell it and it smelled horrible. "So, dahil mabaho ang utot ko, hindi mo na ako mahal? Gano'n ba 'yun? At saka, lahat naman ng tao umuutot, a. Normal lang naman na hindi kaaya-aya ang amoy!"

    He was shaking his head, controlling his laughter, but his efforts were useless.

"Don't worry, love." Sumimangot ako dahil hindi pa rin siya tumitigil sa kakatawa. Pinihit niya ako paharap at pinisil ang baba ko. "Not even a million loud and smelly farts can make me stop loving you."