Billie Bossa Nova

47.

His absence was impeding. So much so that Billie could not bring herself to actually fall asleep. Kai was gone for hours. She checked the time every few minutes on her phone. Watched a sappy Indian romance movie on Netflix that went on for three hours and forty two minutes. After that, she put her phone back on the dresser having noted that the time was close to two AM. She went to grab a glass of water. Came back. Used the bathroom. Did her hair into two French braids. That's when the front door clicked open.

Billie checked the time on her phone. It was just a minute before four AM. She laid back on her pillow, closing her eyes exactly when Kai walked in.

There was a good few minutes where he didn't move. He was watching her. It was justifiably flattering. Billie wondered what he saw as he stood there, looking down at her sleeping body. What he thought. What he felt.

Did he miss her like she did him?

Did he think of her while he was away?

Kai moved again. To the bathroom. Ran the shower. It was odd, for him to shower at four in the morning. Although, it was justified, Billie thought, because he did bring in a rather smokey scent when he walked in. Where had he been? A barbecue? Some sort of bonfire? Billie couldn't imagine Kai among his peers, drinking and interacting around a fire.

Speculations ran across her head as fast as a cheetah ran for prey. Stopped when he returned. When she peeked, Billie saw him in his baige sweatpants and black T-shirt, brushing a towel through his hair aggressively to get it dry.

Then he went to the bed. Behind her, he slipped under the covers and wrapped his arms around her, tighter than usual. Odd, but it appeased her. His lips pressed her neck, then her jaw before returning to her neck where he buried his face right there.

It was then that Billie realized how gravely she had doomed them both, because her body started to feel the weight of sleep tire her down. All this time, she'd been wide awake and ready to run a marathon. All Kai Rivera did was wrap his arms around her, as if he was some premium version of melatonin and she was gone. Drained. More than ready to sleep.

She did exactly that for a good thirty minutes before an alarm rang. Kai's. He rose with a short grunt, got changed and then left again for his morning four-thirty AM jog.

When she awoke again, it was to his icy scent and the sound of his voice as he spoke on the phone. He was fully dressed for work. Navy blue suit, black monk straps and the same colored tie. Billie rubbed her eyes, yawning and stretching out. Kai glanced over at her, making her grin a good morning his way. He walked over, kissing her temple, making her shut her eyes at the feel of his warm, soft lips against her.

"Was that work?" Billie asked when he dropped the phone.

Kai shook his head. "Don't worry about it." Billie frowned at this, taking in his calm exterior. Was there havoc hidden beneath it? "Go back to sleep, preciosa. You don't have to be up this early."

"No, I do. Lula and I have to meet someone, a PI to help find her sister." That "PI" being Finneas, whom she also needed to give a crucial update regarding the mission to.

His posture faltered. For the first time since she's met him, Kai Rivera tensed quite visibly. "Meet where?"

"A café..." Billie discontinued when his frown deepened. "Is that a problem?"

After a moment of brooding, he shook his head. "It's alright." He pulled his phone out and started typing something. "I'll just call Taz up and let him know to come get you."

"Taz?"

"One of your new bodyguards."

Billie gaped incredulously. She sat up on the bed, uneasy and restless. "One of my bodyguards? Kai, I'm not a child. I don't need to be followed everywhere I go." Especially if she was about to give Finneas a great load of classified information.