In Between Floors

By: Calliope Medina Erato

" Dito na ako." (I'll get off here.) Regina Santos said as the yellow and green R & E Taxi stopped in front of the Orient Square Building, one of the many skyscrapers littered along Ortigas Center.

Her tall and dark companion named Von Reyes nodded. " O sige, ingat ka na lang." He said. (Ok, just take care of yourself.)

Regina opened the taxi door. " Sige." She then smiled sheepishly at him. " Sori talaga, 'insan." (I'm really sorry, cousin)

Her cousin shrugged. " OK lang, ganun talaga eh." (It happens.)

She gave him a tiny wave before she got out of the taxi. She barely stepped into the sidewalk when Von called out to her. " Hoy, yung bag mo!" (Hey, your bag!) When she turned around, she saw that he was holding out a small, black shoulder bag. She took it and thanked him.

Regina watched the taxi speeding off, sighing. Despite their five-year gap, the cousins are very close like a brother and sister. She missed the good times between them. Von and Regina were always together, either bumming around in malls or partying the night away in trendy clubs. But now when they got their own jobs, Von as an Auditor in Global Bank in Makati City and Regina as a Contact Center Agent in Ortigas, most of their time is now spent on work. If they manage to meet together, it was brief.

Today was one of those days. They decided to meet up at 5 pm at Greenhills to have more than enough time to exchange stories and also at the same time look for a Jango Fett action figure. Regina knew how her cousin loves to collect action figures ranging from GI Joe to Star Wars. Though she's no fan of such childish hobbies, she respected his preferences and helped him out in looking for them, especially for the rare ones.

They managed to find the action figure and Von was very much happy about it. They celebrated their success in a restaurant where they spent the rest of the time chatting and reliving past memories.

It was here where Regina realized that she has to report to work in less than ten minutes time. She and Von hastily left the restaurant, which made them the center of attention from other customers since they almost forgot to pay for their bill. Von hailed a taxi and told the driver in a voice that brooked no argument to take them to Ortigas, pronto.

During the ride, they stared at each other and smiled ruefully. They knew it would be a long time before they meet again and that wasn't easy to cope given that they're practically inseparable ever since they were young.

A cool breeze blew, ruffling her hair. She tucked a stray strand behind her ear. Swinging her backpack over her shoulder, she walked towards the dark blue building with brisk and hurried steps.

Sendoh Akira was driving his cobalt blue S-Type Jaguar along the jam-packed EDSA when his mobile phone, a Nokia 6600, rang. He didn't like answering the phone while driving, but with the traffic that stretched for miles, it wouldn't be a problem.

" You're stuck somewhere in EDSA." Koshino Hiroaki's dry voice said instantly from the moment he answered the phone.

" Yes, but I'm on my way." He said, leaning back on the driver's seat, watching the cars moving like crawling bugs.

" Don't you ever take alternative routes?" Koshino replied at the other line. " It'll save you so much time."

Sendoh made a face. " No way, the last time I did that I ended up going around in circles." To be honest, he was still confused with most of the roads in Manila, where one drives into several streets before he finally gets to where he should be going and the street names kept on changing, which confused him even further. It didn't help that the traffic is so slow he could finish a book as thick as The Patriot Games.

" The key is to be alert. But I understand, it took me months to get used to the traffic here." Koshino said. " Where're you now?"

Sendoh looked from the car window. " Somewhere in Guadalupe." He answered. Then he heard several loud voices in the background. " Everyone's there already."

" Yeah, everyone, but you." Koshino said drolly.

" I know, I'll be several hours late at this rate." Sendoh said. They make the traffic in Tokyo look tolerable. He added silently as the cars had now come to a halt. " So, where're we going tonight?"

" Sibil and Basement." Koshino answered, referring to two of the hottest clubs in Eastwood, Libis.

" Let me guess who chose those places." Sendoh said rolling his eyes thinking instantly of Shohoku's former shooting guard now Calvin Klein underwear model, Mitsui Hisashi. It was his favorite place.

Koshino grunted, knowing who his friend would say. " Wrong, it's Fujima."

" He's here?" Sendoh exclaimed, surprised. " I thought the guy's buried in tons of work." The former Shoyo coach has now become one of the leading publishing figures in Japan and is enjoying their recent success, a fantasy manga mini-series drawn by acclaimed Japanese illustrator Yoshitaka Amano, the one responsible for the magnificent artwork in games like Final Fantasy to rich and lavish graphic novels like Sandman: The Dream Hunters. It kept Fujima really busy giving rare opportunities to contact him or vice versa.

But now he's in Manila? The guy hardly leaves his main office in Kyoto. Sendoh was even more surprised when Koshino answered him that Fujima was here for some reason aside from business. They all know that Fujima is the epitome of a workaholic man, where they joked that he's practically married with his work. " Why is he really here then?"

Koshino snorted. " He said something about taking a vacation from women."

To Sendoh's relief, the vehicles began to move at a much faster pace. The bus behind him began to overtake his car. " That coming from him is a shock."

" We're not like you Akira." Koshino said derisively. " Who loves women by the dozen but can't even decide to commit himself to one."

" Fine. I'll see you guys in a few minutes." He said. The way my life is going a commitment is not exactly in my list of priorities. He added silently.

Sendoh did arrive thirty minutes later, which was a surprise since it takes an hour or more to get to Ortigas especially on a Friday night. He passed by El Pueblo and saw several people dressed in their best and also there are some who were still dressed in their corporate attire. Obviously they're ready to party for the whole night, regardless of the outfit.

He got to the Orient Square Building and entered the basement parking area. He got out of the car and winced at the heat and noise coming from the place. After setting the car alarm, he went towards the elevators. At the same time one of them opened, and two very beautiful women stepped out of the elevator.

The women eyed him with unconcealed interest. One of them gave him a sweet and coy smile while her companion gave him a flirtatious stare and winked at him as they passed by.

" Hi." Sendoh said, returning their gestures with a smile of his own. It was a charming, boyish smile that leaves women weak-kneed and their hearts beating wildly. Even after ten years had passed, it never failed to generate reaction from the opposite sex.

As the elevator closes, Sendoh waved at them. He was holding two small slips of paper and looked at one of them. It was written in a smooth, rich and curvy black ink: Call me, 09192061036- Candy. " Yare, yare." He murmured, smiling wryly.

Shaking his head in disbelief, Sendoh pocketed the slips of paper.

Regina nearly slipped along the smooth marble floor of the building lobby, startling the two security guards and some of the employees leaving the building. She smiled sheepishly at them and slowed down. The last thing she wanted is to break her neck because she's almost late for work.

Dong-dong! The hollow high-pitched sound of the elevator echoed along the lobby and she broke into a run. She was relieved that one of the eight elevators opened and she rushed inside. She pushed the button for the elevator to close, but it opened once again and she saw a figure of a very tall man in a light blue blazer and coal gray slacks.

" Whoops. Sorry." She said softly.

The man entered the elevator followed by another woman who left at the last minute when she was called by one of her friends. So it was the two of them inside the elevator by the time it closed.

Regina almost automatically pushed the 5th floor button when she saw that there isn't one. " Shit." She cursed. She entered in one of the elevators that began on the 6th floor and ends on the 24th. Wonderful, now she has to do it the hard way. She pushed the 6th floor button and dreaded the idea of using the fire escape that will lead her towards the 5th floor. Of all the worst times to be careless. She thought.

" Putang ina." (Son of a bitch.) She cursed once again.

Regina didn't realize that she was cursing out loud when the man with her suddenly stared at her, with a frown on his face. She smiled (or rather grimaced) at him then she stared at the toes of her high-heeled boots. She hoped that the man didn't think that she was cursing at him. She wasn't in the mood for a fight.

As the elevator ascended, it suddenly lurched into a halt, throwing her off against the side of the elevator and crashed against the steel walls of the elevator. Regina felt the breath knocked out of her. " ARAY!" (OUCH!) Now what?! She thought, panicked. An earthquake?

" Are you alright?" The man asked as he went to her.

Regina stared at him, still stunned from her collision with the wall. The dull thudding pain on her side was the only thing she felt.

" Miss, are you alright?" The man asked again in a much louder and firmer voice.

She nodded as she now began to recover from her senses. " Anong nangyari?" (What happened?) She asked.

The man stared at her uncomprehendingly. She's going to ask him for the second time when he cut her off.

" I don't understand any Filipino." The man said, his r's and l's interchanging and there was a hint of East Asian accent in his voice.

I should've noticed that sooner. Regina thought, feeling silly. The man is taller than most Philippine men and blue eyes is not that common for anyone who's born in this country unless of course, he/she is a half-blood or a foreigner. He must be one of the foreign employees working at one of the top multi-national companies in the country. Foreigners are not that rare in Manila especially in areas like Ayala and Ortigas.

" I mean," Regina amended in rapid English. " What happened?"

" Except for the fact that the elevator stopped, I have no idea." He said. Then he pushed a button that has a drawing of a phone handle. " What happened?" He now asked through the intercom.

A woman answered from the intercom. " I'm sorry sir, but there seems to be a problem with one of the controls here. It may take sometime for it to be fixed. Please bear with us."

" How long?" Regina asked stopping beside the man.

" Maybe thirty minutes to an hour."

She began to get angry. " What do you mean..!" She began, but the man gave her a warning look and she kept quiet.

" That's fine." He said quietly and turned to her. " We're stuck it seems."

Regina sighed, seeing that it was no use to get angry. " Obviously." She said putting a hand on her forehead. " Of all the worst times to be trapped. I'm almost late for work how could that be..?" She blinked when she saw her watch.

The hour hand was between 9 and 10, while the minute hand was on 4 and the second hand was on 6. And it just stayed there. Unmoving. She winced. How many times did she tell herself that she is going to get a new battery for her watch? And how many times did she keep on putting it off? This is what happens to her when she delays things. She glared at her useless watch and stuffed it inside the bag.

She glanced at the man who was still standing in front of her. " What time is it, if you don't mind me asking?"

The man looked at his watch, a Tag Heuer, which she noticed instantly. Nice. Classy guy. She thought. " 8:05." He answered in a strong bass voice that sent her shivers along her spine.

" Ok. Thanks." Regina squeaked. She's more than two hours early! Oh boy, what would Von say once he finds out that she wasted their time panicking over nothing? He would probably be baffled by now. Sorry, cuz. She thought sending a mental apology to her cousin.

" You're welcome." The man said, smiling at her in a way that made her feel good about herself and swoon. She just nodded, trying her best not to be affected by it. He probably uses that smile of his whenever a woman asks him for the time.

" I just thought I was late for work." She added when the man never left her gaze.

" Where do you work?" He asked politely.

" New GenTech Corporation." She answered.

" As what?" The man asked again.

" CCA, a.k.a. telephone sales representatives." She said. " We bug people for a living."

The man's rich laughter was a pleasant sound to her ears.

Funny woman. Sendoh thought. Earlier, she was ready to pick up a fight with the woman from the intercom but now she is making fun of her job. Few people would find their job as a source of amusement, but this woman not only makes it sound funny, but also light. He saw that she is taller and bigger in body structure unlike most of the short and delicately built Filipinas. Her black hair was hanging loose in smooth straight waves like that of a Pantene commercial.

He found her face pretty even if it's lightly covered with makeup. He didn't like too heavily made up women, where they end up messing most of his clothes and pillows. Her eyes were brown and her nose is small and flat, like most of her countrymen. Her lips were the ones that caught his attention they were nice and inviting even if it's covered with a light lipstick. Was it possible that she's never been kissed before?

If ever, I'd like to be the first man to kiss her. Sendoh thought his eyes never leaving her lips. There are among other things he'd like to do to her aside from kissing. He didn't know why, but he always has an inclination towards largely built women. Maybe because he can have more chances to touch her? He laughed silently at the thought.

He stopped laughing and saw that she was looking at him closely. For the first time in his life, Sendoh felt embarrassed by her stare. He thought that the feeling was gone when he began to realize that women like being looked at openly, but with the way she was looking or to be more accurate glaring at him he felt like a grade school student again being caught staring by his crush and didn't like it that much.

" So, what floor is your office located?" He asked very politely.

The woman made a face. " 5th floor. But I got in the wrong elevator so here I am. I wonder how long are we going to be stuck here?" She said. " Just hope it won't be too long."

" I hope not." He agreed.

She smiled. " How about you? You're here for work?" She asked just as politely.

" Nope. I came to meet up some of my friends on the 24th floor." He answered. He thought of his friends and they must be wondering what happened to him thinking that he got lost along the way or was still stuck in EDSA.

" Oh." She said. " It's Friday night, how could I forget?" She added, her voice sounding wistful to his ears. She leaned against the wall of the elevator. " So, where are you guys going?" When he answered she let out a whistle. " Nice choice." The woman said approvingly. " They got all the chic clubs, beautiful people and outrageously expensive drinks."

" I agree with you about the part on outrageously expensive drinks." He said.

She smiled as she leaned against the wall. " I hope the blasted thing moves." She said. " I may be early, but that doesn't mean I should take advantage of it."

" Look at it this way, that's much better than being late for an hour." He said flippantly.

The woman smiled. " Good point." She said as she fished out her mobile phone from her bag and began to call someone. " Pare, nasaan ka?" (Friend, where are you?) She asked, now resuming to her own language.

Too bad. Sendoh thought as he also brought out his mobile phone. Just when I was beginning to feel comfortable with her.

" Ano, na-stuck ka sa elevator?!" A female voice screeched at the other line. (What, you're stuck in the elevator?)

Regina rolled her eyes. " Hindi, Cecille, tumatambay ako rito." (No Cecille, I'm just hanging around here) She said sarcastically.

" Matatagalan ka niyan ah." Cecille said who seemed to ignore her sarcasm. (You're gonna be there for a long time.)

" Ganun na nga." (That's right.) Regina said sighing dejectedly.

Cecille made a sympathetic sound. " 'Wawa ka naman. So, sasabihin ko kay boss amo na male-late ka?" (Poor you. So, I'll tell the boss that you're going to be late?)

" Kung may balak pang pumasok 'yung tao na 'yun." Regina said, thinking of her hot-tempered and rarely present team leader. (If he still plans to go to work.)

Cecille laughed at the other line. " Oo nga ano. Bakit ganun 'yun ang dalas

niyang mag-absent? Lalalayas na ba ng NGTC?" (Right. Why is he frequently absent these days? Does he plan to leave NGTC?)

" Subukan niya at papatayin ko siya." (Let him try and I'll kill him.) Regina said dryly.

" Fine, fine. Oo nga pala, may kasama ka ba diyan sa elevator?" (By the way, do you have someone there with you?)

" Meron bakit?" Regina sneaked a brief glance at the man who was looking at his mobile phone. (Yes I do, why?)

Cecille laughed once again. " At least di ka mababagot diyan lalo na kung lalaki at guwapo 'yung kasama mo." (At least you won't be bored there especially if it's a handsome man that's there with you.)

" Sira." (You're crazy.) Regina snapped, but she glanced at the man's direction once again. She can't believe her luck that she's trapped in this elevator with such a handsome and sexy man.

He must be more than six feet tall, she assumed. His features are strong and very manly, but not too pronounced, making it hard. His dark hair was cut neatly, his bangs almost reaching his deep blue eyes that took her breath away. His eyebrows are thick, which speaks of strength, a long straight nose and sensuous lips that indicated he has kissed a lot of women and enjoys it enormously.

She saw that he has a large and powerful build. The broadness of his shoulders was evident under his poloshirt, so was his wide and muscular chest. He has a good pair of swimmer's arms, thin but strong and his abdominal area is flat, indicating that there is no extra flesh there. Going down, she saw the trim and narrow hips and the long and sturdy legs underneath the slacks.

An athlete. She surmised. Or at least he used to and manages to maintain that build for a long time. What a rare find.

Anyway, this man is a total hunk. She's sure that if Cecille and the rest of the female and gay officemates see him, they'll be all over him faster than she can say Pitney Bowes. And yes, there's the usual evaluation of a man as a lover. I bet he's real good, no, real great. She thought. His bedroom skills could make women forget their own names.

Regina had no idea that she was openly staring at him until she saw his playful smile as if asking her: " What do you think?" She turned away abruptly, her face hot as a stovetop. To be caught staring at him! How mortifying. It would be much worse if he had just guessed what she was thinking about him when he's at the bedroom.

" Hoy, andyan ka pa?" Cecille asked. (Hey, are you still there?)

Regina blinked. She didn't realize that she was still talking to her friend. " Uh, yeah." She added hurriedly. " Later na lang, pare." (Later friend) Then she turned off the celphone in the midst of her friend's protests.

She may not like being stared at but she sure likes to look at me. Sendoh thought. Being stared at by women was a familiar thing to him since he has his own share of disrobing gazes and racy thoughts from women, but he doesn't want to settle on just looking or thinking, he prefers to put them in action.

For the first few days of his stay in the Philippines, the first thing he experienced was not the tropical country's beautiful sights, but their women. Unlike the Japanese women, the Philippine women have an aggressiveness that can be equated with the Americans. When he and his friends went to a club named Nuvo, women practically flocked all over him, with some even competing for his attention. In the end, he found one particular woman he liked enough to take to bed. He had to admit, that woman he met was really good and she kept him interested for almost a week.

But beyond the sex, they had nothing in common. They broke off but parted in good terms. He met another woman in a café, a third one at Wasabi and a fourth one at The Power Plant, where he was just exploring around. Koshino was teasing him that he's only here in the Philippines for such a short time and yet he's already taking women by storm to the extent that Cosmopolitan Philippines is considering featuring him as one of the most eligible bachelors of the year (along with Maki, Mitsui and Koshino).

He looked at the woman who is now engaged in a game with her mobile phone. One moment she's ogling at him and then the next thing he knew is she's playing Snake 2. The elevator is not exactly a nice place to have a flirting game, but with the way she was watching him? Now here she is absorbed in her game and somehow that disturbed him. No woman, regardless of race and nationality would ever ignore him. But this one did and that was something he never gets everyday.

Actually there are so many things that troubled him from the moment the elevator stopped. When it comes to women, he never makes it a point to be too comfortable with them. It's not part of the game to be pals with the woman you're pursuing. And there are times he felt like prey instead of the predator that he is and that requires him to be way ahead of them to avoid being eaten alive.

But this woman in her black blouse, straight cut jeans and black high-heeled boots, despite of the open way she stared at him, was approachable and amiable without being too flirty or blatant. They way she easily talked to him like he's one of her officemates is refreshing because very few women see him as a human being instead of the sex god that they think he is. He didn't know he needed that kind of treatment from a woman.

But looking at her ample curves, he wasn't sure if he'll be able to do the same thing to her. She is voluptuous despite her large frame and he likes that in a woman very much.

It wasn't helping that his mind is becoming racy to the point of indecency and perversion. In truth, her body is made for touching and loving despite her ordinary clothes. He wants to be the one to put fire in her brown eyes. He wondered how would she look in black underwear? Or on how she would feel under him, her legs wrapped around his waist as she dug her fingernails on his back, moaning and shouting for him to go faster and harder.

" Aah!" She said, glaring at her mobile phone and she looked like she wanted to throw it aside. She smiled sheepishly. " I lost." She said in a tiny voice, waving her Nokia 3350.

Sendoh just nodded, not sure if he should be relieved or not that his fantasy was curtailed.

Regina felt like a total idiot. Here she is stuck in an elevator with a very sexy man and she ended up blowing it by shouting like a 10 year-old kid. She had been playing Splinter Cell and ended up losing five times in a row. Or was it ten? She wasn't sure. She's usually an ace when it comes to playing games on her mobile phone, but it seems she was losing her touch.

She wished that the damn elevator would move already because she's going to end up late for her work and that would result to another spat with Aaron (if the guy decided to appear after two consecutive weeks of being absent). They are close friends inside and outside the company, but there are times that they end up killing each other with their verbal fights. Their other teammates are either amused or terrified with their fights.

Or was that the real reason? She discreetly looked at the man once again and she began to feel hot all of a sudden. So she's got the hots for him big deal. This is pretty normal for a woman who just saw a very sexually appealing man. But she knows when to put a tight hold on her lustful feelings after all she's a 25 year-old adult woman not a 16 year-old girl with a severe case of excessive hormones.

With this tall man though, she might end up breaking her hormones take over and the rest be damned. He was the type who didn't have to exert much effort to project his sexuality. He can turn her on even if he's just standing across her. How much more if it's unleashed? She wasn't sure if she wanted to find that out.

She bit her bottom lip. The man is very attractive and she's very much fascinated with him. With her eyes were still glued to him, she can see in her mind's eye his clothes flying off one by one until he was totally naked. The thought of him in the buff and on top of her sent shivers down her spine and her body feeling hotter than ever.

She would love to have a long and uninhibited sex with this man and she didn't care where. Hmm, the elevator sounds appealing. Wasn't there an article in Cosmopolitan Philippines that said to try making out with a guy inside the elevator? Saying that it's kinky and spicy? She can already feel of the cool and hard surface of the wall on her bare back, his lips touching every nook and cranny of her body, her hands on his thick hair telling him to go on and on and on…

Cecille was right I do need a vacation. She thought. I've been working too hard lately. Being an ordinary CCA is bad enough, but being a senior CCA is even worse. She's like an assistant team leader and takes Aaron's place whenever he's away, which is already more frequent than she liked. Then there's the endless paperwork, managing the veteran agents that are acting like children and the new ones who think they have the right to boss other people around. It was a dirty and frustrating job, but someone has to do it.

Regina sent a mental apology to the man for thinking of him as some kind of a sexual relief. Like that would help her relax.

Good thing that he can't read minds or she's doomed.

Connection failed. The message on the screen of Sendoh's mobile phone blinked several times at him. I know. He thought, annoyed. Surfing the Internet with his phone sounded good, thinking that it would kill time and keep him busy. But either there's something wrong with the network or with the server itself. He decided to check his inbox of SMS and MMS messages instead. Most of these were pictures from his friends back in Tokyo or in Kanagawa. He smiled wryly at the photo of the Sakuragi family, with Hanamichi, his wife Haruko and a 2-year-old boy who had the same red hair and features like him resting on his shoulders laughing out loud. The little boy was Sakuragi Yuhi, Hanamichi's son and Sendoh's godson.

He was surprised and flattered when the redhead asked him to be one of Yuhi's godfathers since he expected that position would be for his best friend Mito Yohei and the rest of his Gundan. He didn't know that Sakuragi considers him as a friend as well. Besides, he would like the child to be influenced by someone who has a broad and positive outlook in life.

" But not your playboy nature." Sakuragi had said. " I don't like warding off overeager admirers by the time Yuhi turns 16."

" C'mon, I'm not like that." Sendoh had protested.

" Sure you're not." The redhead said dryly.

The second picture was of Rukawa Kaede, which was another surprise because he thought that the former Shohoku ace has forgotten him and their days where they used to play one-on-one at the open court along the outskirts of the city. Currently he's an NBA player for the Sacramento Kings and the dark-complexioned, auburn-haired woman he was holding close is his fiancée, Matsui who is one of Haruko's friends. The two looked very much in-love especially Rukawa, which was something no one had ever seen in the usually cold man. What a lucky guy. Sendoh thought.

The third picture was the entire Ryonan team during a high school reunion, a week before he left for the Philippines. Everyone was much older, but what shocked him was on seeing how really old Taoka-sensei looked. But despite of his age, he was still tough and strict with the Ryonan players. Sendoh had to admit that he learned a few things from the coach even if most of time he gets yelled at for being late in practice or in a game. It made him prepared to face life's tough challenges.

Looking at these pictures made him feel homesick. He welcomed the promotion from team leader to operations manager of Cisco Systems but he didn't expect that it also included a transfer to Manila. Although moving from one country to another is nothing new to him, it wasn't as permanent as this one.

But on the bright side, Manila offers a different life for him. It's much smaller than Tokyo, but it's more alive. People here are friendly (if he knows where to go) and he knows he's being redundant, but the women in this country are more than he expected.

Which reminded him…Sendoh sneaked a glance at the woman who had now stopped playing with her mobile phone and began eating some kind of a pastry. The way she ate it made his blood rush at a certain part of his anatomy that is concealed inside his slacks.

He had seen countless women seducing him with how they eat or toy with an eating utensil, be it licking a spoon after eating a sherbet or sucking on a lollipop. It was a good way to start things rolling, but it can be tiring if it's done too often.

The woman is sticking out the tip of her tongue at the center of the pastry where she flicked off the gooey filling at the middle. He shivered. Imagine how would her tongue feel on his…

Ok, we don't wanna go there! Sendoh reprimanded himself. This isn't the time to think of sex! What she's doing is not related to sex!

But then again isn't everything always got to do with sex? He learned that when he was first introduced to the carnal arts at the age where exploration is further taken to new heights.

" You want?" The woman said, holding out a pack of Whammo's Chocolate to him.

" What?" Sendoh blinked. Is she serious?

" Food." She said.

He shook his head, relieved and embarrassed. " Not hungry." Not in the way you mean. He added silently.

The woman shrugged.

Was it a good thing that he said no? Regina thought as she continued eating her Whammo's. She was just simply offering food to him, nothing else. Is there malice to what she did? Of course there wasn't.

Then why did she feel that what she had just said was the closest thing to a sexual innuendo?

Regina took a big bite of her food, annoyed at herself for being so paranoid. Taking her mind off the man across her, she began to outline the tasks she's sure to do once she gets to the office. Get the agents to log in, monitor calls, oh and check attendance as well keeping an eye on Ara whose tardiness is becoming too frequent already. Act as the supervisor in case there's an irate client, that's always, and get the team stats, paperwork…the list is endless. I hope Aaron comes back. She was saying to herself.

Thinking about her work made her feel exhausted. She might as well take Cecille's advice and take a vacation. Two weeks of relaxation at Baguio City sounded appealing all of a sudden. Or would Puerto Galera sound even better?

" Puerto Galera? Hmm…." She muttered to herself.

" Excuse me?" The man turned to her.

Great, she was muttering out loud once again. " Uh, nothing." She said. " I'm thinking of where to go for a vacation. I just thought maybe Puerto Galera sounded good."

" Where's that?" He asked.

" Mindoro Occidental. It's one of my favorite places." She said, remembering the times she went to Puerto Galera with a smile. " With their beautiful beaches, high mountains and refreshing creeks and streams."

He nodded. " Is it very far from here?"

" Sort of. You have to travel three hours by bus to Batangas and ride on a ferry towards the island for an hour and half."

" I see. Thanks for giving me an idea where to go if I need a break." He said then gave her a playful smile. " Maybe you can go with me and show me around."

Regina blinked. Good grief, he's flirting with her! Then she brushed the thought aside, he was just asking her because she's the one who's a native in this country and he needed a tourist guide. Right. Keep on making excuses, Reg. She thought to herself.

" How long have you been here in the country anyway?" She asked, pushing the question aside.

" About a month or so."

Not too long. She thought. But he looked like he was already living here for such a long time. How could he adapt so well?

Luckily, this launched a discussion on where to go and not to go in the Philippines and the relaxed atmosphere between them returned and Regina felt very distracted, but not because of their conversation about the stone cottages of Batanes.

The man had already taken off his blazer, which was hanging casually over his shoulder and the first two buttons of his black poloshirt were already unbuttoned exposing a healthy amount of chest and skin.

Regina never liked men with chest hairs, seeing at as unhygienic. So upon seeing the hairless and smooth muscular chest of his sent her shivers. The feel of that skin on her hands…it would be wonderful she's certain of that. She can already imagine herself running a hand or her lips on his broad expanse of his torso and the way it would feel when crushed against her…!

" Are you sure it's that dangerous?"

His voice jolted her out from her fantasy. " Where?" She asked. Was he referring to her thoughts?

" Mindanao. You said there's a never-ending crisis there." He answered.

Of course, what else silly?! " That would depend on which part you plan to go." She said crisply, feeling mortified with the way her thoughts are going. Darn that chest of his!

" Have you been there?" He asked.

Stop equating it to sex! She reprimanded herself. " Nope." She said. " It's such a beautiful place with a very troubled history. But I'd love to go there one day."

She's even prettier as she talks. Sendoh thought as he watched as the woman began to talk about Philippine foods. He liked the way her hands move as she speaks or the way she throws her head up whenever she laughs heartily. If she's this beautiful when she laughs he'd bet that she's even lovelier when she toss her head with her hair flying and her eyes closed in bliss as she move so sensuously against him.

So he wanted her. It was nothing new since he had always wanted so many women, what was so different about this one? Maybe it was because she was already within his reach and he was hesitating.

For that matter, why is he making a point to restrain himself when it's obvious that this woman wanted him as well? Their eyes met briefly but she instantly broke the visual contact with him, her cheeks flushed deep red. She wanted him, but was trying to cover it. Sorry sweetheart, you don't hide it too well. He thought.

Based on experience, he defined sexual tension as a tension between two people who are so hot for each other, but something seems to stop them from getting right down on it. Usually, it's used to add zing to the chase where in the end it's going to be one big explosion between them.

But with this woman, the sexual tension between them is real. And the shocking part, he was totally helpless and unsure on what to do.

Wow the great player, Sendoh Akira was uncertain. Not that was a laugh.

He leaned against the wall, wishing that the elevator would begin to move already. The longer he stays in here the harder for him to restrain himself from the woman across him.

Regina felt like an animal trapped in a small cage. Her insides were churning like crazy, making her feel restless. She wanted to move or do something, but her legs felt too stiff and she didn't want to attract the man's attention by pacing back and forth along the elevator. That was the last thing she wanted to do.

She wished she were anywhere except inside this elevator stuck with a very hot-looking man who she's been lusting at for the past twenty-five minutes (she looked at the clock in her mobile phone it read 08:30 p.m.). How long would she be inside this blasted thing?!

Regina felt scared for the first time in her life, not because of the situation she's in, she's had worse experiences than this, but because she felt that she's beginning to lose her control of her emotions. And it's all because of that damn man across her. She's not the type of woman who jumps into bed because of a good-looking face or a marvelous physique. She must be crazy if she does that.

She has heard so many horror stories about relationships gone wrong where the woman is always at the losing end. This is why she is so strict about men trying to make a move on her. Cecille told her that she's being too picky and if she keeps on doing that she would end up having no man at all. But she didn't care. Her heart and sanity is still intact, that's what matters.

But she wasn't sure how long would that be. For the last time she sneaked a glance at the man who is now leaning against the wall and his eyes were closed. Was he asleep? She thought, looking closer.

Good Lord! She always envied men with thick and long eyelashes and this man tops it all. Even with his eyes closed he still looked good and sensual. It would be nice to trail kisses along his face beginning with his eyes until she reaches his lips. If she kissed him now would he respond?

NO! She shouted to herself. This isn't the time to be immersed in lurid thoughts! She's in a serious crisis for goodness' sake! She has to think of ways to kill time while the elevator is being repaired. Maybe she can bring out her mobile phone again and play her heart out until she gets bored or the battery dies out.

She raked her eyes on the man liking what she was seeing. But this sure beats playing Splinter Cell and much more fun. She thought, shivering at the thought of this man holding her close to him and kissing her breathless.

The man opened his eyes and turned his cerulean gaze on her. She wanted to turn away, but she was too stunned to do so. She ended up meeting his stare head on and without flinching.

Bad move girl.

It was impossible to break the visual contact between then. If the entire building crashes down on them, they couldn't and wouldn't care any less. Their eyes would still be locked with each other.

The silence between them was positively charged and crackling with sensual electricity that can only come from two people desiring each other. Lust is rarely one-sided. It always, always takes two.

She stood there stiff as stone as the man approached her slowly. By the time he stopped, he was only inches from her their foreheads are almost touching. " I think we have a problem." He said huskily.

" We do." She whispered as her arm fell limply to her side, dropping the bag that was hooked on her elbow with a loud thump.

Author's note: This is the revised version of my old fic before I went to work. I changed it because of the inconsistencies in some of the events in the story and there are some errors to be corrected.

Disclaimer: Slam Dunk is not mine but by Takehiko-sama and Shonen Jump.