Buqo Links:
***For readers 18 and
up***
BOYFRIEND-STEALING
BITCH
BY HALINA CABRERA
Jess Rodriguez always gets what she wants. That's why no one
in her office has difficulty believing she tried to steal the gorgeous Martin
de Guzman from his perfect girlfriend, Eliza. Now, the label
"boyfriend-stealing bitch" has been slapped on her. Plus, Martin has
to leave for the U.S. and Jess is left all alone to pick up the pieces.
Two years later, Martin shows up in the most unlikely of
places: at Jess’s weekend getaway with her boyfriend, Joey. Will it be his turn
to steal her away on a hot summer night? Is she finally going to claim the
title she was so unfairly given back then?
EXCERPT
The week goes by really
fast. And the next thing I know, we’re having a despedida party for Martin at a bar in Makati. Everyone’s there,
and group pictures are being taken left and right. Martin, however, looks
distant. He smiles and acts normally, but I know something’s wrong because he
has that look on his face. Drinks in
hand, I lead him away from the fray toward a balcony cocktail table far from
the bar.
“Are you okay?” I ask
him.
“I feel like shit.
Eliza’s not talking to me.” I should have known.
“Maybe you should go
patch up things with her.”
“I don’t know. Maybe I
should,” he says, but he stays where he is. He’s quiet and, I suspect, a little
tipsy, if not drunk.
“You could always go
home.”
“Yeah.”
“Look, you’re in no
condition to drive. Let me just call you a cab.” I start to head back toward
the bar, but he puts his hand on my arm.
“Not yet, Jess,” he says.
There’s a plea in his voice. His hand is warm on my skin. I’m not a very
touchy-feely kind of person. And I’m sure we must have grazed elbows or arms at
some point in the past, but this feels funny. Well, at least, the feel of his
hand on my arm is making me feel funny. I know I should walk away, but I don’t.
“Just stay with me for a
while.” I don’t say anything.
His hand is still on my
arm.
“I’m going to miss you,”
he says.
“I’ll miss you too.”
“Say it like you mean
it.”
I look at his face. What
is going on with him? Is it the alcohol talking?
“Look, Martin, I think
you’ve had too much to drink—”
His hand has traveled up
to my shoulder, and before I know it, he’s gently stroking my cheek and
jaw. My heart is hammering in my chest.
I know I should pull away, but stupid me, I feel frozen in place. I’m still
waiting for something to make sense. Or I’m enjoying the way he’s touching me.
I don’t know. Or maybe I’m realizing that he looks even better when his skin is
slightly flushed.
“Jessica,” he says. He’s
never said my whole name like that, like a half whisper. And then he’s kissing
me. Slowly, at first, then hungrily. I can smell the vodka on his breath mixing
with the scent of his cologne. I don’t know how it happened, but his arms are
around me, and I’m leaning into his body. What
am I doing? is the last thing on my mind before we hear a gasp behind us.
“Oh my God, Jess
Rodriguez, you are a boyfriend-stealing BITCH!”
And there’s Eliza, tears streaming down her
face. I think the whole floor has heard her.
Don't Forget To Join the Giveaway!
No comments:
Post a Comment