Mike m. luster

The next morning, as her shift ended, I was already waiting at the ground floor of her office. I couldn’t help it; the pull to see her was becoming a daily necessity.

“Hi, Lani!”

She looked surprised as she stepped away from her group of coworkers. “Hi! You’re here again?”

“I’m here. Let’s grab breakfast,” I suggested.

“I can’t today, Mike. We have a team breakfast planned.”

“Oh? Is your boyfriend picking you up later, then?”

“He’s still asleep,” she said with a sigh. “He can be quite lazy.”

Before we could continue, a loud voice with a heavy accent cut through the air. “Lani, let’s go! You’re the only one we’re waiting for!”

I looked over at the man. He was trying hard to sound authoritative. “Who’s that?” I asked, my voice tightening.

Lani laughed. “That’s our trainer. He’s always like that.”

“Is he… making a move on you?” I asked, unable to hide the edge in my voice.

“Maybe,” she teased. “Does that make you upset, Mike?”

“Do I look upset?”

“It’s all over your face! You’re definitely jealous,” she giggled.

The trainer walked over, and as he reached out to grasp her shoulder to lead her away, something in me snapped. “Hey, man,” I said, my tone cold. “Can’t you see we’re still talking?”

The trainer stared at me, his eyes filled with arrogance. “And who are you?”

Sensing the conflict rising, Lani stepped between us. “Sir, this is Mike, a friend. I’ll catch up with you guys in a minute.”

As he walked away with a conceited look, I felt my blood pressure spiking. I rubbed my temples, trying to stay calm. Lani gently touched my arm, her warm palm pressing against my skin. That simple touch was like a wave of cool water; my anger vanished instantly. I couldn’t explain the connection, but in that moment, it felt like we were much more than just friends.

I looked around, suddenly conscious of the crowds. In our city, gossip spreads like wildfire, and the last thing I wanted was for word of me being seen with a beautiful young woman to reach my wife.

“Why so quiet, Mike?” she asked playfully. “Nervous someone is going to catch you?”

I smiled, reaching out to slide my hand through her long hair, ignoring the world for a second. We stood close—so close I could almost feel her breath. The air between us was electric.

“Will you give me a massage so this headache goes away?” I joked, trying to break the tension.

“Don’t be crazy!” she laughed, playfully slapping my shoulder. We laughed together like high schoolers, the weight of our complicated lives momentarily lifted.

After she left to join her team, I watched her go. I felt a strange protectiveness over her, wondering why I was acting this way. Was I really falling in love?

My head was still throbbing, so I decided to find a place to rest. I found a nearby spa with a clean, artistic ambiance and soft piano music. It was exactly the relaxation I needed.

I quickly fell into a deep sleep on the massage table. In my dreams, Lani was there. We were back in that quiet, private space, and the connection we felt at the office building was amplified. It was a vivid, beautiful dream where she was caring for me, her presence filling the room with a warmth I hadn’t felt in years. Just as the dream reached its peak, I felt a hand on my shoulder.

“Sir, we’re done. What would you like? Water or tea?” the therapist asked.

I woke up disoriented, the memory of the dream still clinging to me like a fog. I took a long, deep breath, trying to shake the feeling of her being right there.

“Water, please,” I muttered, realizing that Lani wasn’t just a passing interest anymore—she had officially taken over my heart and my dreams.

I continued to meet Lani during her lunch breaks. It was always my treat, and I found myself naturally cutting back on my own luxuries just to make sure I could support her. Interestingly, my desire to visit spas or flirt with others had vanished. Since our paths crossed, my focus had narrowed down to her alone.

I’ll be honest: at first, I thought she was like anyone else. I thought bringing her to the motel was a sign she was ready to move on from her unfaithful boyfriend. I thought I had found her at her most vulnerable moment, ready to be swayed. But as she shared the heartbreaking details of her life, my perspective began to change. The “mission” I had been on for years started to feel small. I realized, with a sense of both surprise and fear, that I was truly falling for her.

This wasn’t your typical “boy meets girl” story. I’m a married man, and I love my wife. I’ve never had plans to leave my family. Yet, here was Lani—someone who seemed to deserve both emotional and financial support.

I asked myself: Is she telling the truth? I believed she was. If she were just playing a game, she would have accepted my help in exchange for her time and affection long ago. She wouldn’t be working grueling night shifts at a call center if she just wanted an easy way out. She was different, and she proved it when I tried to offer her some extra cash for her daily expenses.

“Lani, please take this 1,000 pesos,” I said.

“What is this for, Mike?” she asked, her voice cautious.

“Remember, we’re practicing English!” I teased, trying to lighten the mood.

“Fine,” she smiled. “What is this for?”

“For your daily allowance. Your first payday is still a while away.”

“I still have a little left,” she insisted. “Why are you so good to me? What am I to you? I have a boyfriend, and you have a family. I don’t want to be the reason your world falls apart.”

“Don’t worry about me, Lani,” I replied softly. “I just want to help. I know I’m not the ‘right’ person for you, but I care.”

“Is there a catch?” she asked directly.

“I have to confess… I like you a lot. If I weren’t married, I’d be courting you properly. But I don’t want my situation to be a hindrance to being in your life.”

Lani looked at me with a pensive expression. “The reason I keep meeting you is because you’re a good person. But I don’t want to feel like I owe you something in return. I don’t like that kind of arrangement. But… I have to be honest with you, too.”

“Go ahead,” I said.

“I like you too,” she whispered, looking away. “If I didn’t, I wouldn’t have agreed to keep seeing you. I’ve just been holding myself back because of how complicated this is.”

I was deeply touched. The physical attraction was still there, of course, but it was being overtaken by a feeling that was progressing into something much deeper. When it was time for her to head back to work, I walked her to the entrance and, without making a scene, tucked the 1,000 pesos into her pocket before we parted ways.