One Night With The Boss

Chapter 20

"I think so." Kate pulls herself out of the pool, flicking her wet hair off her face as she grabs her towel. "Are you trying to scare me with all the talk about the forest beast, Elgort? Because you're wasting your time."

Elgort. Kate has walked through the woods, fallen in the river and walked past a spider the size of her hand, all without complaining.

"You have to stay alert in the rain forest. There's a lot of danger."

"It's like working in the commercial world, then," joked Kate rubbing a towel against her limbs. "When you're not alert for a moment, something is waiting to eat you in one swallow."

Elgort watched Kate's every move, her arms flowing as smooth and graceful as the dancers.The red swimsuit was formed on every curve and the bright color seemed almost a part of her, it was as if he was a forest creature as exotic as the one surrounding him. Elgort probably thought Kate was relaxed and carefree if she didn't see the shadow in Kate's eyes and the tension in her narrow shoulders.

Not so relaxing.

"Have you called?"

"Yes." Yeah." Kate kept her bright smile as she swung the towel over her shoulder, hiding both of her tall and toned objects from Elgort's sight.

"It seems like no one answered the call when the topic of conversation was a scam. At least being in the woods should have given me a crash course in the face of predators. Obviously, I need it."

Kate spoke in a self-deprecating tone, which Elgort did not understand. So he got caught? What's problem? Tired of the girl's actions, Elgort hopes Kate admits to her mistakes so they can discuss the important things in life, Elgort grits his teeth.

"Who do you expect to talk to?"

“Almost everyone, really.” Kate was wearing her shoes. '"My father, the dealer who sold us coffee. But everyone easily disappeared. I suppose I could say that the rats left the sinking ship." Kate gazes into the forest and Elgort thinks she caught a glint of tears in the girl's eyes, but then Kate turns to look at her and her bright smile. "It's my fault for believing so much."

Elgort looked at the desperate Kate, wondering if Kate really thought she believed one of the reasons for the girl. Not even for a moment did Elgort think Kate was trying to call anyone.

Why did he do it, when he was the answer?

"They could have gone out."

Kate nodded, seemingly not catching the innuendo in Elgort's voice. "I think so." His eyes were tired and his tone was formal, designed to keep a distance with Elgort.

For some reason that Elgort could not identify, that distance annoyed him.

Suddenly Elgort doesn't care if Kate's innocent or guilty. He just wanted the girl in his bed. As far as he knew, the rest was irrelevant.

She is greedy and selfish — which woman is not like that?

"How about we just change the subject?" elgort's suggestion, he felt nothing but relief when Kate nodded.

Eventually, they got somewhere. "Forget your business" Elgort's voice buzzed. "Continue living. Do something else."

"Oh, no—I can't possibly do that. That's not true. There are too many people who depend on me and if I just give up, they are affected too." Kate tilted her head to one side and wiggled her slightly, leaving her hair to be draped over her shoulders. Then he twisted it into a thick rope, squeezing water with his hands. "So I won't give up. I will find out who is at fault and try to recover the money. After that I will apply for another loan, repay Gilbert and Hayek and continue my business."

Elgort is frustrated that Kate is still trying to shift the blame onto others and is completely bored with all the talk about cafes and coffee when all she really wants to do is drag the girl towards him and tasting his mouth again, Elgort decided that there was only one way to advance the conversation to satisfaction. "I'll extend the loan," he said smoothly. "That way you can keep playing the cafe as long as you want."

Kate stopped but then shook her head. "No, but thank you. That's a very generous offer."

Not generous, thought Elgort gritting his teeth. Selfish. He wanted his mind to move on from the unfortunate kate business and move on to something more valuable. His eyes were fixed on the girl's mouth and he struggled to concentrate. "That money is mine. Giving it away is my choice."

"And refusing is mine." Kate's voice is soft. "I don't want your money. In that situation it doesn't feel right."

As far as Elgort was concerned, there was only one thing that would feel right at that moment and that involved both of them sitting on silk sheets. The reason for the girl's presence here, the deception, the deception, everything no longer mattered to her.

"Then, let's agree to leave the entire topic," Elgort said, glancing upwards with a frown. “About ten minutes it will be dark. We have to go back. You need time to change clothes for dinner."

"Oh, no!" With an anxious cry Kate leaned over and picked up the dress she had placed on the rock. "It's muddy. I must have splashed it while swimming."

Elgort looked at Kate not understanding, "Keep?"

"So that's all I have to wear!" Kate shook the dress a little and complained. "The pants were wet and muddy, this one was also wet and muddy... "

"Telanjank it, then," suggested Elgort with a slow accent.

Elgort noticed the color blooming on Kate's cheek. "I have to wear my suit ..."

Struggling against the temptation to show that clothes are largely irrelevant because Elgort has no intention of Kate to stay dressed for long.

Elgort grabs Kate's arm and pushes her down the path. "Camila will find you a dress. Now move, or you might find that you're gonna be dinner."

Kate sat on the edge of her bed, trying to stop worrying about dinner clothes.

Was it wrong to refuse his offer of financial assistance?

It was very good to have high standards, but what if no one else was willing to lend him the money he needed? That standard would make people lose their jobs.