rt

aps when your mom is at one of her never ending charity meetings," I thought as I watched some other guy hit on the woman in the white dres

more status, like a brain surgeon or whatever, if I wasn't going to join the family business like my brothers. My mom and dad promised me the warmth of family commitment, my own pediatric free clinic, and freedom in the city, not to acknowledge authority over my own charity, Friendship That Lasts Forever Foundation, which really is good enough to justify millions of dollars. It was a substantial priz

kin crawled just being here. I couldn't think he really wanted me to meet him here. Was he really expecting me to want to go where he met his bimbos? He was

lear, after I summoned a waitress to p

en she started talking to it, not into it, but at it, her face energetic and expressive, in contrast to the flawlessness of her outf

one of these charlatans. I stood up, drawn to her, and found myself starting to lean against the bar without tryin

about to become the latest in a long line of creepy rich dud

y brown with golden rays and full of surprise, vulnerability and a warmth th

htened her spine into an elegant line and turned to me. “Excuse me?” she said. He

those warm honey eyes sparkle once more. "I'm Mar

ng the length of her lashes and the seductive makeup, she looked so young, fresh, and fun - loving. She drew her shoulders back and pushed her chest out, but her eye

tion similar to the one I just had." So

uctive. But not by the dress or the cleavage. The mumbling, doubt, and those eyes all drew me in. The boobs she was flaunting were a test, not a seduction. She hadn't even attempted

ould not be occurring. I didn't mind. Her full lips remained parted as her eyes locked on mine. I really want to lick her glossy red lipstick off so I could suck on her pink lips and claim them for myself. She flinched, then starte

. The music energized me. I wanted to take her hand, but I wasn't ready yet.

oss. But could it be my loss? " T

narrowing her eyes at me. "Perha

rowed. "Are you sure? That is, marrie

this long if my husband had

I felt my smile widen and become more wild. "Therefore, no husband. Boyfriend? " I inquired, my bro

ook he

t to get ou

your private jet? Jewelry? If I agree to be your mistress, I'll get an apartment on a nice

. Protectiveness. I wanted to keep her safe from the men in this bar, men like my broth

ha

Did they believe you were...w

" Her brow arche

spatched them. I am a man of science. And this made absolutely no sense. With a cool shrug, I lifted one shoulder. "You didn't seem to really like it, but you ha

suppose I didn't have

hing everyone.

like to know what's going o

nd of things the men in this bar got up to. "I wouldn't

tin, not one

despite the differences in age and appearance. Authority. Money. Grooming. Even my suit – I'd actually dressed

's going to kiss, then lifted an ey

ly lik

ve a burger or something? There's a decent diner around the stree

certain that she was thinking of adding me to the list of creeps she'd rejected tonight, and I wa

oser to me, almost pressing up against by the length of my body. "But I don't want to go to a diner," she said, her lips close to my ear. Her voice was low a

of her waist, as if I needed to t

ke me home with you

ime pit bar with a hand on the small of her back. I

o my mouth, her lips hungry. I could feel her despair; she needed that kiss like a woman dying of thirs

ng red lipstick had already worn off. I was most likely wearing it. Her lips had turned pink. Pink and genuine. I then softened the kiss, gently caressing he

er all the way down to my toes. "Yeah," I s

ed her lips to a shivering spot under my ear. "T

ourage her to elaborate. I woul

a lot, and I d

ealousy surge told me. I didn't wish her to be with another man in that bar. She'd come to greet me. I was th

ceful woman who had fixed everybody in the bar with the cold stare. "I real

rough her hair. It felt like silk. Warm and eerie. Tendrils are wrapping themselves around me. I kissed her

lly want hurl her down on her back and take her right there and in the t

thoughtfully before snatching my hand a

lipstick a

my thumb over her entire bottom lip. "No, you didn't. "I only wanted to touc

aid as the elevator door shut and only

ngalow on the water in Quezon province, and that had been plenty of glamour for me. But here in Manila, I was back in the glittering life. The life I'd attempted to flee behind and still hadn't actually let go of. This cond

ought you tried to say you were not really one of those gu

mpting not to be one of them. People aren't up for

d, sceptical and dissatisf

let it fall. "I try to do the

e got

, that I really want her so bad that I couldn't keep my hands off of her. So I didn't try again. I reached out and

she apologize

her passionately. She moaned... That sound made me want to co

slid open. I raised my head. "We're here," I announced. I knew that w

mine and guided her

e in the sky," she said, coming to a halt in front of the painting that the interior designer had create

rstand ar

s in astonishment. I preferred her without the red lipstic

also inh

Skyline. Everything mentioned money. There was no way to conceal it. She didn't appear to be fascinated. She really shoul

at," I told her, a dark rage rising within

on't discuss abo

l of myself – and the frustration

lk me . Then she came to a halt, out of my grasp. “No. As I prev

hi

tractive and stylish bil

't." I knew quite a few o

self to. Only this once. "Because I want to," she swallowed, as if

e," I said. I already fel

or one

graceful queen from the bar. She'd sent out all those men with ease, but now there was only hunger and yearning and...sadness. I took a step closer to her. Feelings of emptiness. I wanted to make her fe