Swiping Right

Chapter 2

A tiny moan escaped her lips.

She felt him pull back.

The idiot was smirking at her.

"What?" She asked.

"What." He replied.

They stared at each other for what seemed like an eternity when she finally worked up the courage to say no.

"I-" she was interrupted.

"Let's-" he stopped and let her speak.

"I gotta go. Early day tomorrow." She excused herself as she pried his hands off her and avoided his gaze.

"Stay over. Sheung Wan's so much closer than Tsim Sha Tsui, and it's late." He held both her shoulders and rested his forehead in hers.

"Why're you doing this?"

"Because I want you. I miss you. I want you so bad." He spoke it all whilst breathing heavily. Like he's taking her all in.

She could feel the desperation in his voice.

"Our deal..." She tried to stir him.

"Is a non-deal." He said and crashed his lips into hers once more.

Fuck this shit. She said to herself.

Nadine, now fully awake recalling last night, wondered why she couldn't, scartch that, didn't say no. She used to be able to resist him which riled him up and he would give her a lecture about time being wasted. He was pushing into her, and she could feel that he wanted something, another go, but she just wants to go, get up and leave, only for her to realize that they were at her place instead of his.

How did they get to her place? She tried to recall. A mixture of over fatigue, stress, lust, in-like clouded much if her mind last night.

She raced for a taxi quickly, blurted out TST when he dove for the seat beside her. That's what happened. And as soon as they got into the elevator he started kissing her again and she was intoxicated. Intoxicated with his scent, his kisses, his hugs... Intoxicated in him. Drowning in all that is him.

Bakit mo nanaman 'to ginawa Nadine, bakit. She asked herself.

Maybe she could take a walk outside, by the harbour. Re-evaluate.

**********

"Hoy, Nadine, gumising ka nga. Ano ba talaga kayo ni James?" Her friend asked.

"Business partners nga Mar. Why is that so hard to believe?" She ruffled through some paperwork.

"Kasi it didn't start naman that way diba? You guys were... you know? And ikaw since nakilala mo yang si James have you been in a serious relationship?"

"I have. Remember Andrew? The New Yorker." Nadine gave her friend a pointed look.

"U-huh. Yung New Yorker na tinabla ni James when he came to see you in NY last year? Yon ba yang Andrew na yan? Si Andrew na pagasa naming lahat, hoping that mabuntis ka niya and you'll have beautiful bi-racial babies that resemble Scarlet Snow Belo. " Mar swooned.

"He wasn't there to see me. He was on vacation back home to visit his family." She began.

"Sige babe, keep telling yourself that--" Mar was interrupted by the ringing of Nadine's phone.

It was James. Nadine put her phone on silent and turned it over, faced down on the table.

"Oh bat ayaw mong sagutin?"

"Bahala siya. He needs to fucking cool his head. I don't need a lecture from him at this point."

Nadine continued checking forms that needed her approval for her booming online business. It's as if it were just yesterday that she swiped right on a photo of James. And now, here they were 3 years after, working side by side in fashion e-commerce.

"Hoooooy, Nadz! Ano ka ba, are you even listening?!" Mar nudged her.

"Sorry, what were you saying?" Nadine shifted her attention to her friend.

"Sabi ko, walang mangyayari sayo kung hindi ka pa mag momove dito sa Hong Kong. Why don't you just live here? You're always here and know the city like the back of your hand. You can manage the family business easily from wherever and your brothers are there in Manila to help you. Eto, baby mo 'to dapat focus ka muna."

"Hindi nga pwede Mar. My life is in Manila, and it's so easy to fly to Hong Kong. Plus, James is here overseeing everything. Baby din niya 'to."

"Lakas niyo maka baby ah. Overseeing everything, pati ba yang puso mo?"

"Ano?" Nadine was taken aback.

"Your heart, teh. Kilala na kita. Tigilan mo na yang charades mo. Katangahan na 'to. Tanungin mo na si James kung ano ba talaga kayo para matapos na ang storya at maka move na tayo lahat. When was the last time? Bakit ganyan ka parang nakakapit nanaman eh mas mabilis naman bumitaw?" Mar replied a matter of fact.

"Mar, what are you getting at?" It was evident in Nadine's tone that she' getting a bit defensive.

"What happened recently? You were doing perfectly fine. Bakit ka nag kakaganyan? Concerned lang ako sayo babe. You're not getting any younger!"

Nadine looked down and busied herself, went back to her paperwork. She decided she had more matters to attend to than to listen to her friend give her advice or is it a lecture (?) on her own life. A lot of things happened in 3 years, and she can't quite decide if it's been a good or bad thing for her.

Well maybe good. Careerwise, good. Love life, bad?

There was a knock on her office door.

"Hai?" Nadine asked.

"James is here." Her assistant informed.

Nadine could see him through the glass door. He had a small bag from 7's with him. He was smiling sheepishly as he jiggled the bag at her. She drew a deep breath and got up.

It's now or never.