Loveless, yes; Lonely, no

That sexy White Castle billboard showing Roxanne Guinoo in a bikini is creating waves faster than you can exclaim "Wow, what a body!".

Consider: next month, the ABS-CBN Star Magic talent will grace the cover of Maxim Magazine and follow in the footsteps of sweet young things Angelica Panganiban and Jennylyn Mercado.

The recent birthday girl (she turned 21 last Feb. 14) will start a movie for Regal and Star Cinema. Aside from the lifestyle show At Home Ka Dito, Roxanne hopes to be part of an upcoming teleserye.

That’s why Roxanne can easily share her blessings these days. She spent her last birthday, not just enjoying herself, but sharing her overflowing blessings with others. Roxanne started her day with food for the soul. She cheered up young cancer patients gathered around her with a story or two.

Then, as if it was just any ordinary day, Roxanne hied off to work.

Work keeps her mind off problems and intrigues.

One of them involves Bernard Palanca’s reported offer to date Roxanne through text.

"He was just offering friendship," Roxanne quashes reports that Bernard had other things on his mind. And even then, she knew right away that she’ll be treading on shaky ground if she entertained Bernard’s offer. So she wisely ignored the text. (Bernard himself denies romantic thoughts were on top of his mind when he sent the text. Roxanne, he explains, is too young for him.)

The pregnant Meryl, however, reportedly didn’t take this sitting down. She is said to be have confronted Bernard about the text. And it was one of the reasons why she packed her bags, left Bernard in a huff and returned to her mother’s loving arms (Bernard himself admits it was his financial stability that dealt the final blow to the marriage).

But a lovelife is the last thing, Roxanne says, she needs and wants at the moment, especially now that she has finally gotten over former boyfriend Joross Gamboa. More projects are.

That’s why she’s watching her diet closely and sticking to crackers and water for now. And no rice, please! She also does sit-ups every chance she gets at home.

Roxanne wants to look her best for a coming TV commercial showing her in a bikini and astride a white steed.

"I’ll start horseback riding lessons for the White Castle commercial," she relates.

That image of a sexy young ‘un astride a galloping horse has been so powerful the liquor brand has been reviving it on TV, billboards and calendars over and over these past years. Before Roxanne came Lorna Tolentino, Carmi Martin, Cristina Gonzalez and Glydel Mercado. So Roxanne is in good company.

Going sexy was an agonizing decision, recalls Roxanne. It took her almost two weeks to say yes to the sexy pictorial. And when it came, Roxanne felt so ill at ease.

"I came straight from work so I was tense and awkward," she recalls. Like any first-timer in the game, she felt nervous striking a pose in her string bikini.

Johnny "Mr. M" Manahan allayed her fears. She is, after all, of age, and has passed the liquor company’s rigid auditions for a new image model. Roxanne was the last person on the audition list. And opportunity knocked. So why close your doors?

Now, Roxanne is poised to do a yet-to-be-released calendar as part of her contract with the company.

The next logical question is, will she agree to do a bold movie the next time around?

"No way," the soft-spoken SCQ (Star Circle Quest) runner-up protests.

What about playing Dyesebel in the classic movie of the same title which saw Vilma Santos, Alice Dixson and Charlene Gonzalez playing the beautiful mermaid who fell in love with a human being?

Roxanne turns pensive. Her body language shows she just might consider it.

"It depends on what kind of sexy role it is," she finally relents.

There’s no boyfriend to stop her — to tell her what to do and what not to do.

Her steps may be tentative, her doubts persistent. But make no mistake about it. Roxanne Guinoo is finally embracing adulthood with the poise and the chin-up stance of a full-blown woman.