C15 15

He shook her hand and put his face a breath away from her. “It’s a deal.”

Her breath hitched. His face was so near hers she could almost taste him. Her heart stopped beating. Would he kiss her to seal the deal?

Callea panicked. She had never been kissed before. At least one where she was willing or with someone she liked. Is she ready for Deive’s kiss?

“W-Wait! You are invading my personal space.”

He took her chin and lifted her face. Their lips almost touched. She could see the speckles of gold in his iris as the light from the chandelier reflected on it. He was like a vampire. He was hypnotizing her and there was nothing she could do but desire him.

“Get used to the proximity, Callea. We will spend more time together from now on. There are times that we have to act like a real couple.” His hand let go of her chin Then his finger traced her neck until it reached the pulse. “You have plenty of time to get used to me. Let’s call it a night for now. I will go back to my old room and unpack. I also need to shower because I smell like garlic.”

Callea giggled when she thought of the garlic belt on his waist a while. “Did you return he garlic to the kitchen? Marina needs it to cook garlic rice tomorrow,” she teased.

“Yes. She told me not that I can’t leave the house unless I surrender it to her.” Then he suddenly brushed her lips over hers. “Goodnight, my bride. See me in your dreams.”

She was stunned and he left her standing there. Deive kissed me… on the lips.

She could feel tingling on her nerve endings. It was short and sweet. And he had no idea how he rocked her world with a simple brush of their lips.

Her knees fold and she slumped on the antique chair. He said that she must get used to being close to him. How could she get used to it when a simple kiss could make her weak?

She was thinking if the marriage idea was the right thing to do.

“GOOD morning, Luna! Good morning, Napoleon! Good morning, Marie Antoinette!”

Callea greeted the moment she opened her eyes. She closed it again to lessen the heady feeling then turned to her stomach. She had a good night’s sleep even if she slept late because she had to fix her room. She woke up at ten in the morning. A bit late to Marina’s standards because he loved reminding her that morning sunshine is good for her health.

It was such a good day. Finally, Deive knew the real Callea and the reason why she had to marry him. Now, they will help each other to attain their goals in life. She didn’t have to stop herself from playing piano at night or worry if the dress she was wearing was not up to his standards or if she might scare him with her latest cosplay. He understood now why she must look like a lost soul one day and a witch on the next day.

She could be perfect the way her mood allows. She was free.

She could rest her mind now. She won’t lose Villa Celesta. She didn’t have to worry about her grandfather as well. He would think that she was in good hands.

After he morning ritual of cleaning up her face, brushing and combing her hair, she went out of her room. She was wearing her grandmother’s old blouse made of sinamay made of abaca fiber and the old skirt that reached her ankle.

Deive who was on her way up the stair was surprised when he saw her. “Huh!” He nearly his balance and held to the hand rail. “God! Callea, give some warning, will you? I thought your grandmother stepped out of the painting. You nearly gave me a heart attack. Sheesh!”

She laughed and tapped his shoulder. “Get used to it. This is what I normally wear everyday. This is my favorite skirt and blouse of Grandma.” She noticed that he was dressed up in jeans and polo. He was even wearing his rubber shoes. “Are you leaving? Where are you going?”

“I had just arrived. I bought some supplies. I will just change into house clothes. I was about to wake you up so you can have breakfast together.”

“Won’t you join me for breakfast?”

“I already had mine with Mang Lito. But I reheated your breakfast. I have to go. I still need to attend to something.”

She was wondering about his abrupt action as she descended the stairs. He looked too busy. Maybe it was about his business venture in Manila.

On her way to the kitchen, she saw Mang Lito and his teenager son from the window. They were cleaning up the tiles of the swimming pool.

She went to the pool area. “Mang Lito, why are you cleaning up the pool?”

“Good morning, Señorita. Señorito Deive told us to clean it up. He was scared that mosquitos would thrive here. You might get dengue fever.”

“It has chlorine, Mang Lito.” And it was cleaned regularly. They had just replaced the water the day before Deive came to the mansion.

“Maybe Señorito will use it. He bought the cleaning equipment himself.”

She remembered that he fell down the pool on his first night at the mansion. Maybe he wanted to repeat the experience. Maybe he was scared that the pool was not clean enough and he might get allergies or catch disease. She seldom used the pool. It was up to Deive what he wanted to do with the pool. After all, he was the one who took the initiative to clean it up.

She was having breakfast when Marina put down a several small bottles infront of her. “Drink these after breakfast. These are vitamins and food supplements that Sir Deive bought for you.”

“What for?” she asked.

“You always sleep late. He said that your immune system might weaken. Your future husband is caring and handsome. He also gave me vitamins and Mang Lito, too, so we could take care of you better.”

Callea continued eating with a smile. She never thought about strengthening her body or how her work schedule could affect her well-being. “Looks like I have a nanny. Then he wants to the pool cleaned.”

“There will be changes because of him,” Marina muttered.

Whatever the chages are, Callea hoped it would benefit everyone.

After breakfast, she checked out the pool area. Her heart nearly dropped when she saw Deive wearing only shorts and was not wearing a shirt at all. He was brushing the tiles of the pool, helping out the caretaker.

Callea hid behind of the posts and got a glimpse of his wonderful physique. She could feel mouth watering. The sun was touching his bronze body drenched with sweat. His muscles bunched in every move. She had drank some cold juice for breakfast but her mouth was parched once more. And if she was a vampire, she might have drank a litre of blood… Deive’s blood.

“What are you looking at?” Marina asked out of nowhere.

Callea jumped and clutched her chest. “Marina, you shouldn’t surprise me like that. Are you trying to give me a heart attack?”

“You were too busy staring. Are you looking at Señorito Deive?”

She looked back at Deive. “I am just checking if he is brushing it right. What if he is not good at it and he doesn’t clean it well. He is from a rich family. He might not be used to doing menial works. What if this is his first time to hold a cleaning brush?”

“That’s what I told him a while ago. But he said that he is willing to learn and he is not a snowflake when it comes to household chores. He said you will get married soon and you care so much about this mansion so he must do his part. It looks like he cares for you a lot.” She gave her a light tap on her arm and gave her a teasing smile.

Callea just raised her eyebrow. She was not used to being teased even to her future husband. How easy for Marina to be playful now and to tease her. Before, they didn’t care to talk about men as if they were the bane of their existence. They didn’t care about relationships or love before. It was a taboo subject. But now, she looked ready to shove her to Deive anytime.

“I will just go to the attic and read. I need a new idea for my story.”

She turned her back and walked away. She formed her hand into a fist while forcing herself not to look in Deive’s direction and oggle his hot body. Why torture herself with his hot physique when he would never be hers in a physical sense. They would never consummate their marriage. She won’t fall in love with him.

Marriage for convenience. She would only marry him for Villa Celesta. It would be a waste of time to desire him.

“HOW’S the groom that I had chosen for you, hija? Are you closer to Deive now? Do you get along?”

Callea just smiled when he heard her Grandpa Tomasino’s inquiries. She was in her room and sketching whatever she fancied. She was not in the mood to work on her creepy and bloody story so she was just playing with other ideas. Her grandfather knew that she was awake during midnight.

“We are getting along just fine. He is so nice and a gentleman. He is caring, too.”

“Yes. Jorje mentioned that he is having fun stayinga the mansion. Deive told nothing but good things about you. He is raining you with praises. That you are beautiful and you are a good cook. He said that you cured his wound when he had a little accident and you are good at playing the piano.”

“Really, grandpa? He said those things about me?” she asked and cupped her own cheek.

Her face become hot even if she was not sure if Deive was sincere with his praises. She felt like she shorcharged him with praises after everything they went though. He groomed the garden and the pool area. She could view him at the attic while he was cleaning up the garden. There were times that he would state up to the direction of the little as if he knew that she was watching. But during dinner, he didn’t mention it. He only asked her on how he could in improving the mansion.

“He looks smitten on you, Callea,” her grandfather said in a pleased tone. “We thought you won’t get along with Deive since he is a city boy and very outgoing. I was told that he likes very vocal and social women. But he likes you even if you are homebody. He said that you are beautiful like a night fairy. Good thing that you didn’t put our family in a bad light, hija. I feared that Deive would be scared on his first night there. That you will don a vampire or witch costume…”

“I followed what you wanted, Grandpa. I didn’t face Deive while wearing my costumes. knows that I create graphic novels. At least he appreciates my talent.”

She heard her grandfather take a deep breath on the other line. He didn’t approve her love for night and creepy creatures at first. He didn’t like that she preferred to stay inside her room to sketch gory creatures instead of meeting people.

“Callea, I know you are mad at me for forcing you to marry a man you don’t know well. But this is the only way I could think of so you could live a normal life. I want you to go back to the Callea who was outgoing and a ray of sunshine. Someone who likes to befriend people and doesn’t hide in the dark…”

“Thank you, Grandpa!” she cut him off right away so he won’t dissect the old Callea that he knew. That Callea was already dead. She was different now.

Sure, she would marry the man he had chosen for her, but that’s it. She won’t change a thing about her self. She didn’t want to change. She was happy in her own dark world.

“We will meet when I return to the Philippines, hija.” He was in United States and visiting some of their relatives.

“See you soon, Grandpa. Take care of your self.”

She went back to sketching when her grandfather cut off the call. She was free with Deive now. There were no eyes to judge them or guard their every move. They won’t be forced to pretend as the smitted couple yet.

She was satisfied when she finished sketching Deive’s image. He was wearing a cotton pants and not wearing any shirt. It was the image of the Deive she was at the garden the first night they met. That image of him always made her want to smile. He was so adorable. She remembered how he tried to charm her even if he didn’t know who she really was and how he tried to protect her from the ghosts at the mansion. That kind of character was something that can’t be faked.

She didn’t know what prompted her to sketch him. She stopped sketching the faces of the people she knew a long time ago. She preferred to sketch images from her imagination. But there was a force that commanded her to create a sketch of him. It was not something scary but something fond of her heart. She loved it.

She jolted when there’s a knock on the door. “Callea, this is Deive. Open the door. I brought you some milk.”

She opened the door right away. She thought was asleep. She drank at the sight of him. He was wearing a white sando and jogging pants. “Thanks. I hope it is not a bother.”

“Not at all,” he said while holding the tray that has milk and wheat crackers. “They said that milk is good even for grown ups. You need this since you have an unusual work schedule. And I can’t sleep yet. Can we chat for a minute?”

She widened the door’s opening. “Come in…” She hesitated a bit when she surveyed her room. “That is if it is okay for you to enter my haunted room.”

He smiled softly then looked inside, as if he was hesitating to step in. “I am fine. I already saw it last night and I am not scared anymore. Well, except for man-hater cat. She might have issues with strange men giving you milk.”

“She’s sleeping with Marina tonight.”

“Good,” he commented then went inside. “Are you not busy?”

She cleared half of her desk that has books on it so he could put on the tray. “I had just finished talkig to Grandpa Tomas. I told him that we are getting along. He is happy about it.”

“I also mentioned that to my Grandpa Jorje. I think my grandfather nearly made a sommersault when I told him that I find you beautiful.”

“If he only knew,” Callea muttered while shaking her head.

She gave him a heated gaze. “Why, Callea? You are really beautiful.”