Page 10 of Embriagado

He glanced up to meet my stare.

“Yeah.”

“Latino?”

“Argentinian.”

“How unique.”

Feeling heat creeping up my spine, I raised my hand to ruffle my hair when I remembered I had it pulled in a half bun and quickly brought it back to my lap.

“I assume Claris has told you a bit about our unique hotel?”

“She called it an experience.”

Crossing one leg over the other, his trousers lifted up just a bit to show off his ankles, and I stole a quick glance. Just like the rest of him, they were elegant, and I had a strong urge to have him step over me with those sleek loafers he wore.

“Well, she wasn’t wrong, as here at the Kallos, our first priority is to provide our guests with the most extraordinary experience while they stay with us. After all, staying at the Kallos is truly a once-in-a-lifetime kind of visit.”

The more he talked, the more he reminded me of a cat. Not a street cat, but a fancy one. Like the rich type, with perfect white fur and a diamond collar. The type of cat that ended up inheriting its owner’s money.

It was awfully specific, I know, but I couldn’t help it. Those eyes and that hair, the posh way he spoke… Fuck. I wanted to bite him.

“You see, every one of my employees is carefully chosen,” he said, when I realized something.

“Yours?”

“Oh.” He chuckled. “I haven’t introduced myself, how rude… I’m Ariyan. I’m the manager of this hotel,” he said, his lips curling into that sweet smile of his.

Fuck me, even the way he said his name, breaking it into distinct parts, Ari-Yan, made me hot all over. How the hell could a man saying his own name be this sexy? But hold on––

“You’re the manager?” My brows rose. “Aren’t you too young?”

He huffed, covering his mouth with his hand. “Aren’t you straightforward?”

I pressed my lips shut, cursing myself for being a complete idiot.

Ariyan then placed his hand down on the armchair. “I’m twenty-seven, and I see you’re twenty… four?”

“I am.”

His eyes went back to the tablet. “It says here that you’ve finished high school and have a background in boxing and that you have briefly worked in a fast-food restaurant.”

I nodded. “Yeah. Cooked burgers and stuff.”

“How lovely.”

My stare slipped to his fingers, which tapped on the armchair until he spoke again. “I do see the last three years in your resume are blank. Is there a reason for that?”

There it was. The question I was asked in every interview, and the answer to which killed any chances of my getting the job. Only now, it was much worse than that because I didn’t want such a beautiful man to know what a piece of trash I actually was. Disappointed, I looked down at my palms, mouth set in a hard line.

“Mr. Rivas?”

“I did three years for aggravated assault.” I took a deep breath and glanced up. “I’m not proud of it, but I was a hotheaded kid without a brain back then, and I swear to God I learned my lesson.” Brushing a hand over my jaw, I thought back on those awful days in the slammer. “I got out on parole only a month ago. I know I don’t fit in here, but I promise to do my best if you hire me. I’ll work harder than anyone else here, I swear. Give me a chance, and you’ll see.”

The whole time I spoke, Ariyan looked at me silently, no expression visible on his porcelain face. It was impossible to know what he was thinking, but I assumed it was no different from the others.

“Thank you for being honest,” he finally said.