"Guess who finally decided to grace us with their presence?" Melissa shouted as she opened the door, Smiling at Maya.
"Good evening, Brother."
She looked really beautiful in her champagne-colored strapless gown and her hair was stretched and made to fall flat underneath her chin.
Chuckling, she came close to Xavier and whispering into his ear, she left.
"Never pegged you as a guy who will want to own a house. Thought you will be more of an apartment type of guy you know." She said trying to start up a conversation as the sound of their footwear against the tile floor was the only sound around them.
"Why?"
"Don't owning a house scare you? Like scream commitment and marriage? You don't look like a man ready to accommodate such frivolities, you Know the whole fairytale package so why make room for a possible family?"
"Firstly stop gawking...." He stated, starring straight ahead.
"You can't blame me, you live in a fucking mansion..."
"It will be suspicious if any of my relatives find you gawking at a house everyone assumes you have had countless sleepovers at." He added.
They turned a corner and continued walking.
"Don't you get lonely?" She asked staring at him.
He stopped and met her gaze.
"I am so busy. I don't even notice how big the house is." He stated.
"And now?" She asked.
"You talk way too much and you are making the journey endless with your chatter so yes, I notice how long the corridors are and how ridiculously big it is for a single man with no intention of settling down to live in. Happy?" He asked amused.
She smirked.
"Not really. Just at your service. Making you see things you are blind to."
He chuckled, the dimples on his face making her swoon.
He turned to look at her and the smile on her face faltered as she noticed the desires in his. He held her by the waist, tracing her lips with his finger.
"What are you doing?" She asked breathlessly.
"Giving my mom and sister who will be here any minute from now a show." He whispered into her ear.
"I don't see anybody." She said looking at the empty endless corridor.
"I have wanted to do this ever since I saw you tonight, looking so beautiful in your black dress." He whispered touching her hair.
She stared at him in confusion.
"Fuck it.." he whispered Hoarsely and then closing the distance between their lips, he held her in his arms. Moving his lips tenderly against hers slowly, savoring every gasp, every moan, everything.
She moaned, wrapping her arms around his neck after getting over her initial shock.
Ever since he had seen her, he had longed for this moment. To feel her lips against his. An opportunity to have her soft body against his, to have her in his arms period!
"Maya..."
She stiffened against his embrace and Xavier released her almost groaning as he lost contact with her body heat.
She turned a bright shade of red as she turned, facing a grinning Mrs. Salvador behind her.
"Good evening, ma'am." She looked anywhere but at Mrs. Salvador, her face still flushed and her breath still uneven as a result of the kiss.
Mrs. Salvador walked towards her gracefully with Melissa behind her and immediately embraced her, taking her completely off guard.
Maya was flustered by the sudden show of affection and starred at Xavier silently asking him for help.
"Please don't ever call me ma'am, Just call me Sophia." She requested yet again.
"Mom you would frighten her if you keep holding her so tightly and she will dump my poor ass." Xavier idly stated.
"I am so sorry if that made you uncomfortable." She immediately released her still smiling.
"Mom is such a hugger. You don't know how long she has been dying to do that!" Melissa chirped in amused at how touchy Maya was.
It reminded her of Xavier who was also touchy when it comes to intimate gestures like a hug or a kiss on the cheeks.
He would hold his breath whenever their mom gave him one of those and then frowning he will just stand there unaffected and stiff.
It was a pure surprise to see him reciprocating and hugging back in the charity ball.
"I am just so happy that today is happening. That we are experiencing this moment in Xavier's life. In my son's life all because of you." She sniffed and Maya could feel the weight of guilt right at her guts.
Dominic Salvador watched the exchange between the two bored, he knew something was not right. He starred at Maya's empty finger and smirked. There was nothing on it. So much for being engaged he thought.
The thought that they couldn't collaborate their fiasco with a ring amused him.
Leaving the door where he has been watching them, he advanced towards them, a sly smile on his face which Xavier immediately recognized.
~ His father was up to no good.
"Good evening, Maya." He grinned noticing how uncomfortable she was to see him.
He made to hold her hand, but she took a step backward immediately.
Xavier glared at him. Noticing the look, Mr. Dominic chuckled raising his arms, an exaggerated comical show of surrender.
"I just wanted to check if maybe my eyes were deceiving me."
Mrs. Salvador stared at him in fright, wondering what he was up to.
Xavier was back after a long time and she was scared that he just might make him withdraw and become absent, ghosting Everyone completely. She wanted to yell at him and make him stop but she couldn't.
"What do you mean?" Asked Melissa who had been watching the exchange confused at what her father was driving at.
"You are engaged to Xavier, my son ain't you?" He asked Maya.
"Don't consider you a father, more like a sperm donor." Xavier taunted.
Mr. Dominic chuckled.
"Still having daddy issues?" He retorted.
Xavier rolled his eyes, bored at his father's antic.
"What the hell are you trying to drive at mother fucker?" Melissa frowned, not liking the exchange of words that was beginning to get out of hand. Despite some snide remarks and sarcastic comments, her dad and Xavier have been getting along quite well for the first time in years.
She knew they were tolerating the presence of each other and honestly she should have known better than trust the calm before the storm. She should have known they both couldn't stand the sight of each other and soon, it will all result in a full-blown argument, hurtful words being hurled at each other, her mom crying and Xavier leaving.
She shivered at the thought of that happening all over again while she watched. A confused spectator wondering why her family was so dysfunctional.
Mr. Dominic smiled.
"What I am trying to say is how can you be engaged to a woman without an engagement ring?" He asked.
Maya wished the ground will open and suck her inside as she couldn't believe it had skipped her mind that a fiancée is supposed to wear one. Like that was the first thing that even makes you engaged.
Melissa eyed her fingers, not believing that she had not noticed initially. She was caught up in the euphoria of knowing her brother had the capability of loving something else or rather someone, other than his work.
"Even though we don't owe any of you explanations..." Xavier started, eying his father. A discreet way of saying especially you.
"I proposed to her without a ring. It happened in the spur of the moment. We were seeing a movie and she had laughed so much at a funny line. And when I turned to look at her, I knew. At that moment, I knew she was the woman I wanted to spend the rest of my life with." Maya looked up to meet his gaze and he smiled.
"Awww..." Melissa whispered, her eyes already teary.
"Honestly I was so nervous I doubted she will say yes but she did and since she didn't want to make this a public affair, she insisted I didn't have to buy an actual ring because she already knows who she belongs to. But... I also want her wearing my ring, wanting everyone to know she is off the market. She is my girl, my fiancée, and one day my wife." He stated and then going down on one knee he brought out a box from his breast pocket.