(Blakes’s POV)
Samantha pushes the glass door. She was laughing at me as I tried to do my necktie. “Come here, handsome guy, let me strangle you,” she says. We stop just by the door while she fixes the knot of my necktie.
“You know I hate wearing this. Remind me again, why do I have to wear this today, Sam?”
Before she could answer, we jerked to the voice we heard.
“S-sam?”
My forehead furrowed. I turn my head to the familiar sound, the voice that I have been longing to hear since I woke up this morning. My mouth half-opens when I see Tara standing in front of us, her pale face tells me she has finally learned the truth that I am not Sam. Usually, I could think of millions of excuses, but not today.
“Tara?” Samantha recovers quickly from that shocking moment. She flickers her eyes to me, and seeing my face, she assumes she is right. She taps my necktie and walks to her. &
(Blakes’s POV)I shake my head and take a deep breath. Did I just dream of holding and kissing Tara? My heart is thumping hard inside my chest as I walk closer to her. She is like a child trying to get cookies in a jar, but the mom placed it at the top of the cabinet.She gasped when I leaned closer to her. I can’t believe it was the same potent feeling as I had imagined. The moment I smell her sweet strawberry scent, the desire in me awakens, but as I put my hand on her hips and reach for the jar, she froze.I release her and move to the table to place the jar. We are standing facing each other with a table in between us.“Thanks,” She says, her face red. “Sorry about that. I could not decide what to eat, but Stella and I like Caramel bar so much,”I smile, opening the jar and pushing it gently to her.She takes one bar, but she does not leave her eyes on me as she bites on the bread. I g
(Blakes’s POV)The weather has been friendly to me today. As soon as Tara decided to go home, a localized storm brought heavy rain with lightning and thunder. I thanked heaven for her small bag and for forgetting her umbrella at home. More so, I thanked Samantha for bringing Sean today despite our busy schedule. I was able to hold her longer today than the last time.Even my teleconference meeting today was shorter than I expected. I had to take it, though, to the conference room instead of my office. As soon as I stepped out of the elevator, it was still raining, and I felt relief when I saw Tara and Sean playing in the lounge.She glances at me, but that is just it. I walk past them and step outside the patio. I had to shower and change clothes. If not for Tara, I would want to go to Bali to relax. A day or two at Liberty Wreck would be fine.When I come back, Sean is now laying his back on the L-shape sofa, his head on Tara&rsquo
(Tara’s POV)Stella is freaking out, but my heart is about to burst out because of my stupidity. This morning when his lips touch mine, I can not deny the longing of tasting his kiss. If Samantha did not show up, I would drown in him, and who knew what would happen next. That breathless few seconds brought fever to every part of my body.Just a while ago, I did another stupid thing. I only meant to tease him, but I felt like I fell into the right place when I fell into his lap, in his arms. I was lost when he wrapped his arms around me. Heat crept through me, making me ached for him and yearning for another kiss. When our eyes met, I wished to ask him many questions, but I was afraid to hear the answers. I don’t want to be one of the many on his list. I don’t even know him. I shouldn’t even be here in the first place.Damn that smile! When he smiled, showing me those p
(Tara’s POV)I called Gianna, and she explained everything in between her cries. I was sitting on the sofa, still shocked and unable to move, trying to think where to get money for the hospital bills. No one will shoulder the cost since it was a hit-and-run case. Although Stella assured me she would do something, I felt helpless and powerless about our present situation.Stella is facing her computer now, probably checking her account. We need quite an enormous amount of money for Ivana’s operations, and it has to be done soon in a big hospital.When I stand up, Stella raises her head and gives me a hopeful smile. “Don’t worry, Tara, I’ll do everything I can to get the amount we need by tomorrow. Just give me time to pool the resources,”“I...” I have no one to go to. This is one of the times when I wish John and I are still together. We did not experience t
(Tara’s POV) Did we just solve our problem? Stella squealed and hugged me. I remained standing, blinking, thinking of Blake. If I didn’t see the car leaving, I would go outside and run to him. “OMG, Tara!” She said, leaning on the sofa. “The heaven must have heard your prayers.” Then she glances at me. “What did you do at the convenience store, by the way? Why did it take you long to come back?” Her nose crinkles, then sniff. I got conscious that I had to move back. “What?” My eyelashes flutter as I tilt my head to smell my shoulder. “Did you buy a new perfume?” She eyed me, then shook her head. “Never mind.” She looked on her side, groping her phone that fell on the sofa. I bite my lips. Being too close with Blake, the addicting scent of his perfume must have stuck on my shirt... and hair. Wow! I should ask him next time what perfume he uses. It did really stick in my shirt and hair, probably even in
(Tara’s POV)“Tara, you’re...you’re early,” He stammers, his face turning pale like he stops breathing for a few seconds.I was sure my face was red. I could feel the heat creeping through my skin as I saw Blake wearing nothing except the lightweight towel hugging his hips. Like him, I stopped breathing. His hair is still dripping wet, looking like a model of expensive male perfume. I swallowed hard as my eyes feasted on his well-developed physique. How could heaven give this man a perfect body? This is one of those moments that I would want to open Google to look for a better word to describe him at this moment. Hunk? Sexy? A very sexually attractive man.“Hi!” I said, staring at the ceiling and pressing my lips. If I look down, my eyes would again wander from his face down to his hips, and I would imagine thousands of things that I shouldn’t be thinking.&
(Tara’s POV)The big analog wall clock in the hospital lobby shows it was 2:45 in the afternoon already. Stella and I went on separate ways. She looked for someone to talk to in the information area to ask about Ivana’s condition while I went to the hospital ward where my sisters were. There were about fifteen patients in there, and with some curtains closed, it was hard to see them.“Tara!” Gianna cried, running towards me.I turned in her direction and hugged my sister.“I’m so glad you’re here,” She said in between her sobs.I moved back to look at her. I placed my palms on her cheeks. “Yes, I’m here. Where’s Ivana?” I asked, taking a glimpse at the direction where she came from.“Uhm...” She swallowed. Instead of answering, she held my right hand, wiping her tears, while we walked towards the closed
(Tara’s POV)“Aunt Tara!” Sean ran to me, hugging me. I felt relief that I put down the coffee cup. “I miss you, Aunt Tara!” He said, jumping for me to carry him.My face flushed red, smiling at the little boy in front of me. “Me too, I miss you,” I said, pinching his cheeks lightly. I carried him and had him in my lap as I turned my face on my ‘cute Hector’ playing and singing Un Poco Loco.He was laughing as well when he finished singing. “Whew! That’s kinda embarrassing,” He said sheepishly. Perhaps without the makeup, I would see him flushing red.I could not hide my emotions at this moment. I was giggling, wiping my tears that kept on rolling my cheeks because of this overwhelming unidentified feeling.“I thought you’re in Bali,” I said, standing up, still carrying Sean in my arms.He took Sean in