Second Hand Waitress

Kira tried to clear her mind and focus on the breathtaking view from the floor-to-ceiling windows of the room allocated to her in The Royal Crest of her boss's hotel, Tesah Clover’s renowned hotel in Medina. She had just retired to the staff's room only for the hotel manager to tell her, her room was allocated next to the Boss's suite, she had no other choice to refuse less she got the manager into trouble, she had to sleep in the allocated room.

From her fortieth-floor vantage point, the city lights sparkled like the ornaments of a grand Christmas tree. Yet, even at this late hour, the bustling activity of the city refused to slow, its unyielding energy a reflection of her own restless thoughts. She knew she should go to sleep,

Tesah Clover would undoubtedly be up and impeccably composed by seven the next morning from what she'd heard from her manager Geo, he was a man who dated his work more than anything, but the vivid memories of the night before kept her on edge.

Reluctantly, she climbed into the oversized king bed positioned perfectly to offer a panoramic view of the skyline. She curled on her side, watching the blinking lights below, before slipping into a fitful sleep.

Tesah woke as he always did, sharply aware of his surroundings. The lack of sleep and travel fatigue never seemed to touch him, but today, that clarity only intensified the sharp sting of regret from the previous night. He groaned softly under his breath. He’d made a monumental misstep, one he couldn’t easily ignore.

With a brusque shake of his head, he shoved the memory aside. He couldn’t afford to dwell on it. The previous night’s steam with Kira Samia, a junior employee, he'd requested to work with on customers interest regarding his hotel was an error on every level. Worse still, she wasn’t just an employee; she was also the daughter of one of his mother's closest associates back then when the Clover's had started their businesses. Tesah rarely blurred the lines between his personal and professional lives, but last night had been the exception, it was a complication he now resented.

Tesah grimaced. Despite Kira’s apparent indifference toward him until now, he was certain it had been a facade. Women, in his experience, often masked their intentions with games. The ease with which she’d ended up in his bed only confirmed his suspicions. Whatever her intentions, he didn’t have time for emotional entanglements. He had enough on his plate without adding Kira to his list of problems.

As Tesah strode into the bathroom for a quick shower, he resolved to compartmentalize the incident. It had been just one night of a another beautiful distraction from his work to him. Nothing more. By the time he dressed and entered his private living room, his focus was on the pressing matters of the day.

When Kira entered the room that morning, Tesah barely acknowledged her presence, his eyes were solely fixed on his laptop. Without looking up, he instructed her to email her manager Geo immediately, requesting the original blueprints for Phase One of his new hotel.

Kira hesitated, the remnants of last night clouding her judgment. "Sir," she said cautiously, "it's the middle of the night in Median. He might not check his emails until morning."

Tesah’s cold gaze finally met hers, his voice sharp as a blade. "Then call him. Be proactive for once, instead of waiting for instructions."

Kira bit back a sarcastic retort and instead forced herself to nod. She picked up her phone and began dialing, all while silently berating herself for her lapse in judgment. It wasn’t just regret weighing on her, it was the physical reminder of his touch. Her skin still tingled where his rough stubble had grazed her, leaving faint burns along her inner thighs and back. She suppressed a shiver at the thought of how his mouth had trailed over every inch of her body the night before.

Tesah's curt voice broke through her reverie. "Kira, the call?"

Jolted back to the present, she flushed with embarrassment and hastily returned to her task. As she'd predicted, the manager had already retired for the night, and the sultry tone of a woman Kira knew way too well in the background suggested he wasn’t alone.

Kira relayed the situation as succinctly as possible, but before she could finish, Tesah quickly snatched the phone from her hand. His commanding presence made even the simplest act seem like a power play. Kira stepped back, folding her arms as she listened to him take control of the conversation, her earlier irritation now mingled with frustration.

As Tesah concluded the call, Kira straightened her posture. The tension between them was palpable, but she vowed to keep her emotions in check. Whatever last night had been, she wouldn’t allow it to affect her work, or her pride.@@novelbin@@