CHAPTER 24 “STUNNED"

Lara was already expecting Joaquin to reclaim her mouth.

That warm kiss gradually awoke to her seemingly sleeping being.

Joaquin was her first kiss. After what happened to them then, no one else had done this to her. Just this man again. She didn’t know why, but when it came to this young man she could tell she really had no defense.

That was really true so there was no reason for her to deny the matter even to herself.

For a few moments, their mouths remained locked.

Lara was so carried away by the man's warm and gentle caress on her mouth that she even moaned for a while. But that noise remains trapped amid their passionately kissing lips.

"You are a wonderful kisser, sweetheart," Joaquin said then stroked his lower lip after he released her.

Lara's face turned red from what she heard. But she didn’t let herself be carried away in the usual discomfort that she felt. Instead, she raised her face then touched Joaquin's lips with a simple kiss.

"I have to go," she said, moving to get out of the car. But she stopped what she was about to do when she felt the man's seemingly scorching hand on her arm.

"I'll pick you up later, okay?" he said to her.

Lara secretly felt excitement at what the young man said. Then she just nodded and then got out of the car.

*****

"GOOD MORNING!" Lara's warm greeting to her friend Cynthia who had just arrived.

It's past eleven o'clock. And since Cynthia is the one who will be on duty for the closing schedule. She needs to be time-in before noon for her not to be late.

"What happened to you and why do you seem happy?" Cynthia asked after lowering her shoulder bag to her working table.

Lara shrugged her shoulders and then glanced at her best friend with a smile. "I have a love life already!" her thrilling news to Cynthia.

Cynthia's eyes widened then covered her mouth with her own hands because of what she said. She then pulled out a chair and sat down next to her.

"What did you say?"

In the tone of Cynthia's speech and questioning her it was obvious she couldn't believe what she said. So, to make that moment even more intense, Lara decided to repeat what she mentioned earlier.

"I said, I already have a love life," she said with a smile looking at her friend's face for a moment, obviously shocked. She then returned her sight to the desktop computer monitor in front of her.

"Ramil?" Cynthia asked her.

Lara shook her head in succession. "Joaquin," she said, still smiling as she continued her work.

As if pleased with her answer, Cynthia hugged her tightly. She just let her do that, but she was so shocked when she saw the tears in her eyes when her friend let go of her hug.

"Hey, what are those tears for?" she asked her to laugh.

Cynthia sniffed and then wiped away the tears. “You did well. Because there is a chance that your family will be complete when it happens,” she told her.

Lara's heart was touched by what she saw in her friend's reaction. "That's also why I agreed when he asked me to be his girlfriend," she replied to Cynthia.

“What did he tell you and why did he go so fast? While Ramil has been courting with you for a long time but he failed to win your sweet ‘yes’, did he?” at this point Cynthia was thrilled and no longer crying.

That's when Lara gasped. And along with that question of her friend was the inexplicable speed of the throbbing of her chest.

“He said he is no longer a teenage boy to court. If he wants me, then he won't take it any longer,” she said while her cheeks were red.

Cynthia giggled afterward. Whether it was because of what she said or maybe because of the obvious redness on her face, Lara wasn't sure.

“Really? Is he that fast? But I don’t think that’s all he said. Come on, tell me more,” her friend insisted.

“I told him that it would be better if he would court me first, because, you know, and at least I will have a chance to know him more. But he told me that I would get to know him better if he became my boyfriend.”

“He has a point there. Because isn't it Ramil? He has been trying to win you for a long time but you don't like him, still. You don’t even feel the thrill of him, do you? But ---,” Cynthia's last words hung up.

"What?" her curious question.

“I think something else happened. And that's the reason why you're blushing now,” her friend teased her.

Lara immediately averted her eyes from her friend. She thought that by doing that she would be able to tone her down. But the young lady was wrong about that. Because Cynthia tempted her even more.

“Tell me now, admit it already. You know I won't judge you. The truth is, I am so happy for you because all I ever wanted is for your family to be complete. It's like there's magic, you know that? Do you get what I mean?”

Lara bit her lower lip because of that. Then she nodded first before opening her mouth to speak.

"H-He kissed me," she replied almost in a whisper.

Cynthia was stunned by what she said. After that with a huge smile on her face, she then stood up and pulled the chair back to her desk.

“I think this man is the right one for you. The attraction he has for you has always been really strong.”

"How did you say that, eh, you only met him once, didn't you?"

Cynthia's eyes rolled because of what she said. Then she spoke in a tone that seemed to say why she didn’t seem to trust her judgment.

“Seriously? It's like you were born yesterday. Don't you notice? The night something happened to you and him, did he have any idea how beautiful you were? Nothing isn't it? But you were able to awaken his protective instinct. After that, you recently met again. In what way did you meet again by the way? Didn't he save you once more? And this time, he didn't let you go. So, I believe me, whatever you and Joaquin have will bring you to a good ending,” said Cynthia.

In the tone of her friend's words, it was as if Lara wanted to believe. But because she didn't want to fall hard on Joaquin even though she knew he was going there already, she still held back.

She had to keep in mind that she was doing this for her daughter. Well, she'll even admit that she likes it. Because she likes Joaquin. But before all that, she had to talk to her father as well. Because it would surely surprise her the time, he find out she had a boyfriend in as fast as that. Especially since he has always been rooting for Ramil since the very beginning.