Billie Bossa Nova

5.

Kai Rivera had this aura about him that made him seem years older than he actually was. He stared at her like an adult did an irresponsible, incompetent teenager. In the way a boss stared his young employee as if she were more a liability than an asset. The way he sat on the coach across from her made her feel like she'd just snuck out and was now confronting her father. It was discomforting.

"Adan employed you." He said it like a statement, so she said nothing for a moment. This was the first thing he said to her when she sat down across from him with one leg crossed over the other. His voice was that gentle rasp you'd enjoy hearing from any young attraction, but his tone was as bored as any forty year old who had outworked their life. "That should be correct if you're here."

"It is," she said it quicker than she intended. It was when she wiped her palms on her skirt that she realized that her palms were a little moist. Christ, the room was scorching. And the rock she was speaking to made it no less.

"I don't know why he would think somebody like you is a reliable candidate for this position." He stopped for a moment, either letting his words sink in or thinking of the next. She couldn't tell. Not when his face revealed nothing. "But you must have a worthy resume for him to choose you. Or perhaps he finds you worthy elsewhere. Honestly, with Adan, it's often hard to tell. So which is it?"

Billie crossed her eyebrows. Tried to comprehend what he was saying. Then, she gave a gentle nervous chuckle and said, "I don't think I follow, sir..."

"Then I'll explain slowly. Do you think that Adan hired you because you're a reliable asset or because he found your looks appeasing?" When she paused for too long, he continued, "You don't have to lie, I know how he is. And apart from the fact that I would know if you were lying, I don't expect to hear anything else."

She raised a single eyebrow. He had a quiet arrogance that one would need to be observant to notice. It wasn't of his looks or his qualities but of rather what came out of his mouth that he was confident of. He was quite unlucky, because when she first found out she would be working for him, she wanted to be the shy, compliant assistant that every boss loved. But clearly, he didn't deserve such an honor. He would see every rotting inch of her true self.

"What I think? Perhaps both. My resume is quite daunting and with regards to the latter, I do believe he has eyes, does he not?"

This made him sweep over her briefly but quite thoroughly, meeting her eyes again with his hazel ones. A chill stroke her spine. She'd never seen anything so alluring in her life. Never seen someone check her out so curtly and so dismissively, yet so painstakingly. Trying not to shift in her seat, she maintained eye contact as he pondered his next words. He seemed to take careful consideration before he said anything. It was odd, yet intimidating because she'd never seen it before and because she feared what she said might have been wrong.

"Hm." There was a cup of water on the coffee table. Not tea, not coffee; water. He took it, gave himself a good helping. She watched the enticing sight of Kai Rivera gulping a whole cup of water in one go. The man was effortless with the looks, that much was obvious. Confident in his actions, doubting nothing he did or said.

"You think so poorly of your own father," she thought aloud. Shifting her thoughts elsewhere. Perhaps she shouldn't have, but she couldn't stop herself from wondering why.

"Look around you." He raises a hand towards the doorway, making Billie turn in that direction at the same time a maid entered the living room. He pointed at the contents on the coffee table, making the maid rush there and gather the tray that included Billie's full cup of tea. The maid left, not before asking Billie if she was done with her tea. Billie simply nodded, immediately understanding Kai's point.