Hindi na ako nagtaka pa nang magising sa ibang silid kinabukasan. I could barely remember everything that happened last night pero nasisiguro kong hindi ako ibinalik ni Icen sa aking silid. I groaned, sitting up slowly. My head throbbed. What the hell happened?

I shifted, realizing I was wearing only a soft hotel robe, the fabric loose around me. I rubbed my temples, trying to chase away the headache when, suddenly, he appeared—seemingly out of nowhere.

Nahagip ng aking mga mata si Icen na nakatayo sa kabilang bahagi ng silid. His blonde hair was slightly damp, droplets clinging to his skin. A white towel hung low on his hips, far too low, barely holding on, exposing the sharp cut of his hips and the hard planes of his abs. He looked freshly showered, steam still clinging to him like he had stepped out just moments ago. And, of course, he looked infuriatingly perfect.

"Morning," he drawled as if he wasn't standing half-naked in front of me.

I snapped my gaze away, heat rising to my cheeks. "Um... morning."

Damn him. Why did he have to look like that?

Bakla 'yan, Chanel. Bakla!

"How are you feeling?" he asked, his tone shifting to one of mild concern as he moved toward a walk-in closet nearby, disappearing for a moment to grab something.

Hindi ko masagot ang tanong na iyon dahil hindi ako sigurado kung ano bang nararamdaman ko o kung ano bang dapat kong maramdaman.

"I ordered room service," he called out. "Figured you'd need it."

I blinked, my mind still hazy as I glanced around the room, trying to get my bearings. The space was large and luxurious, the kind of suite only someone who owned the hotel would stay in. Of course. So this was his suite.

"I—uh... yeah, I'm okay," I mumbled, though the confusion still lingered in my mind. My gaze roamed the room, trying to piece things together. A small tray with coffee and water sat on a nearby table, and a cart with covered dishes was waiting in the corner.

Icen reappeared from the closet, holding a plain white shirt in his hand. He was still in the damn towel, the fabric low enough to make me question if it would slip off with just one wrong move.

"Oh," he added casually, "your clothes are in the bathroom. I had them washed and dry-cleaned."

I opened my mouth to say something—anything—but no words came out. My throat felt dry, and all I could do was sit there, staring at him like a deer in headlights.

He frowned slightly, noticing my silence.

"Are you okay?" he asked, walking toward me with the shirt still in hand. That towel didn't even budge.

Before I could protest, he knelt beside the bed, his fingers brushing against my forehead, then my neck, checking for any signs of fever. The touch was warm, soothing, and frustratingly intimate.

"Wait—" I whispered, but he was already there, his brows furrowed slightly with concentration as his palm lingered on my skin.

"No fever," he murmured softly, more to himself than to me. "Good."

His hand stayed on my neck a moment longer, his thumb brushing lightly, sending an unexpected shiver down my spine.

I swallowed hard, trying to steady my breath. Why the hell did this feel more dangerous than anything from last night?

"You sure you're okay?" he asked again, his voice low and gentle, his blue eyes watching me carefully.

"I... yeah. I'm fine," I managed, though the words came out shakier than I intended.

He smiled—a small, knowing smile—before standing back up and tossing the shirt onto the bed. Talagang mas ibinalandra niya pa ang katawan niya sa harapan ko, ah?

"Ano 'yan? Iyan ba ang room service?" Iritado kong puna.

Icen grinned, a slow, shameless smile spreading across his face. "Could be... if you wanted it to be."

I squinted my eyes at him, biting back a sarcastic retort. This man really had no shame. I grabbed the fabric of the robe, clutching it to my chest like a lifeline, and hurried toward the bathroom, desperate to get away from him.

But then a thought struck me like lightning. Wait.

Halfway to the bathroom, I stopped. My heart raced as the blurry events of last night swirled through my mind. I turned slowly to face him, clutching the robe tighter around me.

"Wait..."

I swallowed hard, struggling to find my words.

"We didn't—" I cleared my throat. "Did we?"

Icen's grin widened, his blue eyes raking slowly down my body in a way that made my skin tingle. Like he could see right through the robe. The longer he stared, the more self-conscious I felt, and I hugged the fabric tighter around me.

He tilted his head slightly, amused, and raised a brow. "No. We didn't."

I exhaled sharply in relief—until he added, teasingly.

"But we still could."

I shot him a glare, my cheeks heating. "Excuse me?"

He glanced pointedly toward the bed, his grin shamelessly playful.

"I mean... the bed's right there. You're already in my suite, half-naked." His voice was low, teasing. Too teasing. "All it takes is one word."

I stared at him, speechless, trying not to combust on the spot. The way he said it—like it was the most natural thing in the world—made my heart race and my pulse thrum in my ears.

"You're unbelievable," I muttered, more to myself than to him, pulling the robe even tighter around me, as if it could somehow protect me from whatever the hell this man was doing to me.

"Relax," he said, that grin still playing at the corner of his lips. "Walang nangyari sa atin kung iyon ang ikinababahala mo. I'd never fuck a girl out of her wits."

I shot him a skeptical look. "How noble of you."

He shrugged, still grinning, his gaze dropping briefly to the bed before meeting my eyes again. "Just saying... the offer's there now. If you're interested."

I rolled my eyes so hard I almost gave myself a headache. "Not in this lifetime."

"Suit yourself," he headed toward the cart of room service with a lazy stride. "But you'll miss out."

I turned sharply, heading toward the bathroom, muttering under my breath, "I can't stand you."

From behind me, Icen's amused voice followed: "You say that now."

Mabilis akong naligo at tulad nga ng sinabi niya ay nakita ko roon ang damit na suot ko kagabi. They were neatly folded on the bathroom counter, dry-cleaned and spotless.

I slipped into them quickly, wrapping my damp hair in a towel, and opened the door, only to be greeted by a sight that made my heart skip a beat.

Icen.

This time, he was no longer in a towel, but in a pair of washed-out jeans that hung dangerously low on his hips—almost illegal, if you asked me. The waistband rode just low enough to give a teasing glimpse of the V-lines at his hips, the fabric clinging in all the right places. And, of course, he still wasn't wearing a shirt. His perfectly tanned torso gleamed slightly under the soft morning light, each muscle carved in such a way that it looked like he'd stepped out of a fitness magazine.

He was seated on the couch near the window, legs spread lazily, holding a cup of coffee in one hand. His other arm draped casually over the backrest, relaxed, like he had all the time in the world. He looked annoyingly comfortable.

He glanced up from his coffee, his eyes twinkling with that familiar teasing glint.

"Coffee?" he offered, lifting the cup toward me.

I hesitated at the door, every sensible part of me screaming to walk away. I should go back to my suite, get away from him and the confusing way he made me feel. But the rich, inviting scent of freshly brewed coffee wafted through the air, making my resolve falter.

Maybe just a cup. What could it hurt?

I crossed my arms, trying to play it cool. "Just coffee?"

"Scout's honor."

I snorted softly, stepping inside despite myself. "You? A scout? Doubt it."

He chuckled, setting his coffee down on the small table beside him. "Come on. I don't bite. Unless you ask nicely."

Hindi ko na pinatulan pa ang panunukso niya dahil nasisiguro kong hahaba lang iyon kung gagawin ko. I moved toward the table where the coffee pot rested, grabbing a cup. Just one cup, I told myself, pouring the steaming liquid. Then I'll leave.

"You didn't have to clean my clothes," I said quietly, taking a seat across from him, the warm cup nestled in my hands.

Icen shrugged, a lazy grin on his face. "Figured you'd appreciate not walking back to your suite half-naked."

I sipped the coffee, trying not to choke on the heat rising to my cheeks. "Considerate."

He lifted his cup again, his gaze never leaving mine. "I try."

I took another sip of the coffee, trying to ground myself. Everything about this morning felt surreal, and sitting here with Icen felt strangely... normal. Icen gestured toward the cart of food with a nod.

"You want to eat?" Pagkuwa'y tanong niya na mabilis kong tinanggihan.

"No, I'm good. Just coffee."

He took a slow sip of his drink, his eyes still on me, before he asked, "So, what's the plan for today?"

I shrugged, not really sure myself. "Nothing, really. I didn't come here with much of an itinerary."

Icen nodded, as if filing that information away. Then, his gaze turned a little more serious, his brow furrowing slightly.

"Funny," he started, his voice calm but pointed, "last night, you told me you weren't here to socialize... and yet I found you at the bar with some random guy."

Napakunot ang aking noo. Bakit ba parang inaakusahan niya ako sa paraan ng pagkakasabi niya? At inaakusahan ng ano?

"The guy from last night. Kai, or whatever the hell his name was. He slipped something into your drink when you weren't looking."

What? Bigla akong natigilan sa sinabi niyang iyon. I felt my stomach drop, a cold chill running through me despite the warmth of the coffee in my hands. "He... what? No, that can't be right."

"Oh, it's right. I saw him do it."

My mouth went dry as the reality of what he was saying hit me. That was why. That was why everything had felt so hazy, why I was burning up and couldn't control myself. I set my cup down carefully, my hands trembling slightly.

"I had it taken care of..."

"What do you mean it's been taken care of?" I asked, my voice barely above a whisper.

Icen leaned back in his chair, inilapag muna ang tasang hawak bago sinagot ang aking tanong. "It means he's been deported. Banned from the country for life. He's probably facing charges, too."

My heart raced, my mind struggling to catch up. "Deported? What—how?"

Alam kong kayang-kaya niya iyong gawin. He was a fucking De Salvo, and in this country, that meant so much to so many. Pero kailangan niya pa ba talaga iyong gawin? Ayos naman ako, ah? Wala naman nangyaring masama sa akin. Tila ba nababasa ni Icen ang mga katanungan na tumatakbo sa aking isipan dahil biglang naningkit ang kaniyang mga mata.

"The guy's a danger to women. If I hadn't seen it, who knows how many more women could have been hurt." His voice was calm, but there was a steel edge to it like this wasn't just about me. It was about stopping someone dangerous.

I shook my head, still processing.

Sure, you were okay in the end because I was there, but if I hadn't been..." He let the thought hang in the air, letting the weight of it settle.

I swallowed hard, suddenly feeling vulnerable in a way I hadn't before. "I... I didn't know."

"You wouldn't have," he said, softer now. "That's the point. These types of guys are slick."

I couldn't believe it. Icen had saved me without me even knowing it. And the worst part was, he was right. If he hadn't been there, if things had gone differently...

"I guess... I owe you a thank you," I mumbled, my voice small.

"What if..." Nakangisi pa rin siya na sadyang binibitin ang sasabihin. "you don't owe me anything?"

I raised a brow, already suspicious. "Okay...?"

Muli niyang inabot ang kape at doon sumimsim. "And instead, you go diving with me."

"Ngayon?"

Hindi siya umimik, nanatili lamang na nakatingin sa akin.

I couldn't help it—I chuckled. "Seriously? You're not doing anything else today? You know, with you being the general manager and all?"

Nasisiguro kong abala ito lalo ngayon na siya rin ang sumasalo ng mga gawain ni Oxygen habang nasa bakasyon ito. And I could only imagine the load he carries.

Icen leaned back, resting his arm lazily along the backrest of the couch, looking way too comfortable for a man with so many responsibilities.

"It's Sunday," he said with a shrug as if that explained everything. "Only day I get off."

"Wow. I'm even surprised you have a day off. I didn't think men like you ever took a break."

"Men like me?" he echoed with an amused smirk. "What exactly are men like me, Chanel?"

"You know. Workaholics. Control freaks."

Tumaas ang kilay niya sa sinabi ko. Hindi siya mukhang galit, pero mukhang nabigla rin nang malaman na iyon ang iniisip ko sa kaniya. Well, I could be wrong. Pero sa iilang pagkakataon na nakasalamuha ko siya ay iyon ang dating niya sa akin.

"How exactly do I strike you as a control freak?"

"Oh, come on," pumalatak ako. Kailangan niya pa talagang tanungin iyon, huh? "You swooped in last night, decided to haul me out of the bar like a sack of potatoes. Tell me that's not the behavior of a control freak."

Umakto siyang tila gustong depensahan ang sarili pero hindi rin naman maiwasang mapangisi. "First of all, naghuhubad sa beach. Ni hindi ko alam kung hanggang ano ang kaya mong tanggalin dahil init na init ka. Tanungin man kita para hayaan kang magdesisyon ay wala ka na rin sa sarili mo. I saved you from making a fool of yourself. You're welcome, by the way."

"Sure, let's call it 'saving.'"

"And second,"

Ah, hindi pa pala siya tapos. May kasunod pa talaga, ah?

"I always let you decide. Kung nasa matinong pag-iisip ka naman ay bakit hindi kita hahayaan, 'di ba?"

Ipinagkibit balikat ko na lamang iyon. Hindi na gustong makipagtalo pa sa kaniya.

"So, are we doing this or not?" he asked, tilting his head toward the clock on the wall. "One dive. No strings."

I took another sip of my coffee, knowing I should say no but feeling a strange pull toward yes. "I can't believe I'm doing this."

Icen's grin widened. "You'll thank me later."

I rolled my eyes again, setting my cup down. "You keep saying that."

"Because I know it's true." He stood, stretching lazily, giving me another glimpse of that ridiculously toned torso. "Get ready. We're leaving in thirty."

"Bossy," I muttered under my breath, unable to help myself.

He shot me a wink. "I prefer persuasive."

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