Chapter 31 More Kisses

How did my womanizer friend with high standards for women notice my maid?

Furthermore, while we were eating, he didn't take his eyes off Tali, whom I found irritating. Has his taste in women changed?

"Rozz, can I borrow your maid for three days? Looks like I want—"

What the fck? That shocked my being but I didn't show it. I acted the same.

"No."

"Even for a day, bud? I'll just cook at home—"

"I said no, Maki. Why are you so persistent today?" I asked, irritated. He really pushed my patience. Did he notice something?

"I need Tali here in my house."

Maki smiled at me.

"So her name is Tali," I gave him a sharp look, "Tali, if Rozzean fires you, tell me immediately, okay? I'm willing to take in a maid even if I'm not looking. I wanted a cute maid who can cook delicious food. A maid like you—"

"Maki," I warned.

I don't care if we're friends. I know him; he's a womanizer, he plays with women. He better not try to take what's mine because I'm not afraid to lose a friend.

"Ohh... Rozz, isn't it that your maids usually last only a week, and then you're looking for new ones again? You're lucky if one lasts a month because you kick them all out. In case you decide to kick Tali out—"

"I will never fire her, Maki," I cut him off.

Maki leaned back in his chair, crossing his arms.

"You have one rule, Rozz. What if Tali breaks that rule?"

I will never fire Tali, even if she confesses that she likes me. Actually, I'd be happy if that happens. Don't test me, Maki.

"Don't be annoying, Maki Lincoln."

Unable to tolerate what Maki was doing, I quickly finished my meal. I invited him to the rooftop to talk. I stood up and walked ahead, but when I felt that he wasn't following, I looked back.

I clenched my hands when I saw him talking to Tali again. I suddenly wanted to punch Maki straight in the face.

"Why are you so mad, Rozz? Is it a crime to talk to your maid?"

"You are so close to her," I said to him.

I gave him a dirty look, but he just laughed at me.

"Tell her to bring us beer, Rozz. I want to drink."

Her—he was talking about Tali. But there's no way I'm asking Tali to come up here.

I took out my phone and opened it. I checked the CCTV on my phone. Tali was in the kitchen, with Manang Selya.

I dialed Manang Selya's number.

"Manang, send five beers to the rooftop."

"Five beers in a can, sir?"

"Yes."

"No problem, sir. Anything else—Okay, sir, just the five beers, Tali will be the one to bring them."

When I heard what Manang said, I glanced at Maki, who was grinning. Damn it. I won't let him see her.

"You bring it, Manang. Thanks."

"Ah... should I be the one to bring it, sir? Okay, sir."

I ended the call, opened my phone, and checked the CCTV in the kitchen. I saw Tali's face. Her expression suddenly changed because of what Manang said. Is she expecting me to let her?

I am just watching her on the CCTV on my cell phone. She looks... sad.

"Why didn't you bring Tali, Rozz? I want to see her—"

I gave Maki a dirty look.

"What are you saying, Maki? Are you attracted to my maid?" I asked, irritated.

He shrugged.

"She has the body; her face is not good but not that bad also. And, damn, I noticed her lips—"

"Maki."

I warned him again. I won't let such words slide, even if he's my friend.

He raised his hands in surrender.

"Woah, calm down. You made me want to think that you are the one who's interested in your maid, Rozz."

I looked away and didn't respond to his comment.

"Ohh, so, I am right?" he asked.

"Just mind your own business, Maki Lincoln. Don't talk about my maid like that. Don't even look at her. You know my temper."

He nodded with a smile.

"I didn't expect that my long-time single friend would actually like a maid—"

"What's wrong with liking a maid if she's a good person and knows how to take care of me, Maki?"

He smiled.

"So that's why you didn't respond when I mentioned her liking you. It's in your favor if she does."

I didn't say anything. We just continued drinking. When he decided to leave, we went downstairs following Manang. I immediately saw Tali waiting below.

"Thanks for this day, bud. I'll come back when you're not busy. Also, join us again when Revo invites us. I miss our drinking sessions as friends," Maki said to me.

"I'll try. I'm only free now; you know I'm often busy with work."

I glanced at Tali, quickly looking away when our eyes met.

Maki knows that I like her—my maid.

"But if you want to have a drink again, call me, maybe in your house?" I turned to Maki.

I don't want him to come back to my house.

"Huh? This is a first! You really hate leaving your house when you're on leave. But sure, because this rarely happens, next time, let's have drinks at my place."

Maki said his goodbyes. I thought he was leaving, but he stopped in front of Tali. My lips parted in surprise. I took a step forward but didn't get closer.

"I'm leaving, Tali. Thank you for the delicious meal. I ate a lot. Next time, I hope I can enjoy your cooking again," he said with a smile.

Hell no. I won't invite him again!

"S-Sure, Sir Maki."

Maki looked at me, "Alright, bud, I'm leaving."

I was about to say something when Maki whispered in Tali's ear. I fckng didn't expect that.

What the hell. I warned him already!

In irritation, I turned away.

"Manang Selya, bring me three cans of beer in my room now."

I grabbed my cellphone and messaged Maki.

"F*ck you. Don't come back here to my house."

After sending that, I quickly received a reply from him.

"Hahaha bud, don't get mad, I was just being friendly."

"Friendly my ass!"

I slammed the door of my room and sat on the sofa. There's no way Tali will like Maki. He's a good-looking guy, but I am more handsome. I'll make sure that Tali won't see Maki again. I will ban him in this village.

When the beers arrived, I drank them immediately. I have work tomorrow, but I don't care. Maki really tested my patience.

"I can't believe I was f*cking jealous because of my friend."

After finishing the three beers, I lay down on the sofa. Even Maki couldn't believe it.

I fell for a maid.

I fell for Tali because of how she takes care of me. Honestly, there are other reasons, but I can't explain them.

I always wanted to see her—what she's doing, what expression she has. When I'm at home, I always watch her on CCTV. She's laughing with Manang, sometimes without noticing, I'm smiling too.

And now, while thinking about her, I touched my lips. I am f*cking smiling.

I got up and checked the time on my cellphone. It's already 11:00 pm. Feeling hungry, I went downstairs to look for food in the fridge.

"Sir, what are you looking for?"

I was surprised; I couldn't speak immediately. She's still awake?

"Sir, are you looking for something—"

"Where's the seafood you cooked? I want to eat," I asked without looking at her.

"I'll get it, sir," she said.

I stepped back a bit to let her approach the fridge. I was standing beside her. I noticed that she had just taken a shower.

"Wait a moment, sir, I'll just reheat it," she said to me.

I nodded and sat on the island counter. I watched her every move. I remembered what Maki said earlier.

"You like her because she takes care of you? Bud, she's a maid; it's normal for her to do those things."

I know that. But her actions are different from other maids—how she moves, talks, and interacts with Manang and the guards. She does everything with a smile on her face. Her smiles are contagious. The way she looks at me while waiting for my command. "And?" I asked Maki.

He shook his head, as if he couldn't believe it. "Okay, I believe you now. You really like her."

After remembering that short conversation, I looked at Tali.

"Sir, should I turn on the lights?"

I shook my head; I like how she looks with dim light.

"No need. The light under the cabinet is okay."

"Why did you come down?" I asked.

She didn't look at me. She was busy heating the food, and she already warmed the rice.

"Are you hungry, sir? I haven't eaten since noon and this evening. I thought I wouldn't get hungry anymore."

I raised an eyebrow at what she said. I stood up and approached the table, sat down, and waited for the food.

"Why didn't you eat earlier?"

"U-Uh... I wasn't hungry earlier, sir."

She placed the plate on the table. I watched her as she put rice on my plate. She's the type of person who knows what to do without being told. Sometimes, it surprises you.

She really knows how to take care of someone. For me, I just like being pampered like this.

We ate together. When I remembered Maki, I talked to her.

"What did Maki say to you earlier?"

She seemed surprised by my question and stopped for a moment.

"Nothing, sir—"

"Did he say that if he treats you well here, he'll take you? Is that it?"

"Or that he's asking you to move to his house and resign from working here?"

As if I will let that happen.

"Not really, sir," she answered with a smile, "but for me, if I were to be kicked out of your house, I have a backup plan with Sir Maki's offer. I already have a job--"

What?

I stood up at her words. Does this mean she plans to move? Or maybe she's thinking of leaving my house even if I'm not asking her to?

"I already told you that I won't kick you out."

"Sir, maybe you forget one of your rules here in the house, which is why your maids often get dismissed. It's forbidden..." she approached me.

"To develop feelings..." she moved closer, "for you."

I gulped. Her scent...her body... fck.

"What if I develop feelings for you, sir, huh? I won't get kicked out of your house. It's not far-fetched to happen if I stay here longer. Of course, you're handsome, wealthy, smart at work, and single."

"Well, sir, you're the fantasy of people like me. And then, Manang said our neighbor, who's beautiful, sexy, and intelligent, has a crush on you. What about someone like me?"

She said a lot, but what I didn't like was when she told me that she would never like me. For a man who's interested in her, it felt like a slap in the face after all the compliments she just gave me.

If that's how she sees it, why is there no hope for her to like me?

I was mad and jealous, thinking about Maki. What if Tali finds my friend attractive, and now she's saying this because she likes Maki?

I approached her; I couldn't stop myself from being this close to her. I hugged her by the waist, and my grip on her was tight. Her round eyes were looking at me.

Yes. Those eyes should only look at me, Tali. You can call me selfish because it's true. I want your eyes, and everything about you, for myself only.

"S-Sir..."

She has soft skin, and damn... her smell. I haven't gotten her as close to me as I want, but her scent remains in my nose.

Fck. I am fcking turned on again while holding her.

I couldn't stop myself. My face went to her neck, and I sniffed her. Daman. She really smell good.

"Tali..." I whispered.

I didn't get drunk on beer. It's her smell. It's so addicting to me.

When she tried to push me away, I tightened my grip on her even more.

"S-Sir, your rule, okay?! I don't want to get kicked out of this house. And you're getting too close to me! No wonder your maids develop feelings for you because you're enticing them!"

My hands on her waist moved up to her back.

"I've never been this close to any woman."

"Damn, you smell good."

But that night, instead of expressing my true feelings for her, I ended up saying that I did that to test her.

I remembered what Maki told me on the phone. It was an advise as he said.

"Let her take her time first and observe her. Don't rush things. She's in your house, after all."

But it didn't help because I noticed that Tali distanced herself from me. I observed that she wasn't looking at me anymore. She also stopped serving when I asked Manang to bring things to my room.

She became different in the past few days. I felt bad, remembering what happened that night. I couldn't focus on work; she was constantly on my mind.

F*ck you, Maki! Why did I listen to you?!

Then came the night when I thought I lost Tali.

"S-Sir, Tali hasn't come home yet. I-I called her cellphone, but a man answered. When I called again, it said 'cannot be reached.'"

I suddenly felt nervous. I tried calling Tali's cellphone, but Manang was right; it couldn't be reached.

"Manang, call me if she comes back home. I'm going to the market."

I called the police for help. When I arrived at the market, there were hardly any people. Some of the stalls were already closing.

"Where is she?"

I went back home. The police were already there and told me they hadn't found any missing woman. They asked a few questions, but no one had seen anything. I looked at the clock, and it was 9:19.

F*ck. Where is she?

While talking to the police, I noticed someone running. When I saw who it was, I walked towards her. Damn, my baby is here.

Tali...

"S-Sir, are they here to arrest me--"

I hugged her tight. Fck it. My heart was pounding fast from fear and worry. I thought I lost her.

I thought I would never see her again.

I'm glad she's safe and okay.

Now going back where we stopped... I am so sure of what I feel about her. The jealousy I felt because of Maki, the anger when Vidar insulted her, and the fear when she suddenly disappeared. All those emotions had one common reason.

Tali is still on top of me while I continue to kiss her. And damn I was right about her lips. It was so soft and sweet.

"S-Sir..."

I smiled when she kissed me back. I chased her lips to kiss her again. I couldn't stop kissing her.

"Uhm..."

I hugged her tightly and kissed her while she was on top of me. When I stopped and pulled away, I saw her blushing face.

I got up, and she was sitting on my lap.

"W-What, s-sir," she glanced at the vacuum cleaner.

"I-It's the vacuum's fault that I fell on top of you. I d-didn't mean to--"

Ahh, she's so cute. I can't help it. I gave her a quick kiss. She pressed her lips together because of what I did.

"S-Sir, you've kissed me a lot, huh? w-why are you stealing kisses from me?" she asked.

"Stealing? Is it stealing when you respond to my kisses?"

She gasped at what I said.