Love For Sale Book 1 (Self-published)

CH 18: The (Shipped) Gold Standard

Did Barry get a boner? I asked myself quietly, my face burning. But there was no mistaking that rigidity I felt earlier before he had pushed me away.

He cleared his throat. "Kumain ka na..."

He looked embarrassed, more embarrassed than I was.

"Ahh, okay...ikaw ba?" I asked trying to sound nonchalant.

Alam ko namang normal 'yun, alam ko ring baka naman sobrang tigang si Koya at bigla-bigla na lang s'yang nagpaparamdam. At lalong alam ko na pagkatapos ng eksenang ito, lahat magbabago.

"Mamaya na lang. Sige kain na. Ikaw na lang magligpit ng pinagkainan mo, ha..."

"Ha? Ah, oo naman..."

"Sige..." He turned to leave.

"Barry...?"

"Bakit?"

"Maliligo ka?" I asked failing to keep the laughter off my voice. "Shit...sorry..." I slapped a hand over my mouth.

"Ano ba, Claire, nantutsa naman..." he replied with a sigh.

I burst out laughing. "Sorry nga, hindi naman ako manhid. Naramdaman ko 'yun."

He turned to face me.

"Okay ka lang ba?" I asked.

He laughed softly. "I'll survive."

"Kasi kung hindi ka okay, pwede ka namang magbanyo and I will pretend not to know what you're about to do..."

"Claire..." His voice was full of warning but I couldn't stop laughing and he laughed along.

"Shit, here I am dying from embarrassment and there you are laughing."

"Sorry...natatawa lang talaga ako..."

"Why would a woman find a hard-on funny?"

"Because...halata ka kasing tigang...o, sige na, magbanyo ka na nga d'un. I read somewhere that that's painful..."

He was looking intently at me.

I arched a brow at him. "What?"

"You're not offended?"

"By something that's natural? Bakit naman? Hello, kapangalan ko lang 'yung character ni Jose Rizal pero hindi ko s'ya kaugali. I am far from being a Maria Clara. Besides, I am sure hindi mo sadya..."

"Hm..." He had an unreadable expression on his face.

"Come on, I'm twenty-two, alam ko naman na ang mga gan'yang bagay."

"How many boyfriends have you had?"

"None."

"Ahh..."

"At bakit mo naman naitanong? Judgmental ka."

"Wala lang. I'm just surprised that you're cool about the whole thing. Most women would react differently."

"How many women have you had?"

"Two..."

"Two doesn't make you a connoisseur."

"Sabagay..." He smiled. "But, sorry about earlier. I did not expect my body to react that way."

"Okay lang. Halata namang nagulat ka rin. Ikaw pa nga ang nagtulak sa akin palayo, eh."

"Sorry ulit..."

"Sorry rin..."

"Okay..."

"So, we're even?" I asked smiling. "Hindi ka na galit sa akin? Pasensya ka na, I was out of line kanina tungkol d'un sa bakla issue."