A LOVE THAT IS FOREIGN

Work for Me

That small interaction between Asia and Rufus were the last. It was not followed by another since she headed straight to his kitchen to do her stuffs. While Hussain, he went back to shower. After finishing his shower, he suit himself in a soft cotton gray shirt and sweatpants. He towel dry his hair and just left it uncombed. To distract himself, Hussain decided to focus in his soft copy of undone paperworks. His eyes fixed onto the LED screen of his laptop, insisting his own brain to take all in the details being flashed. However, the thought that he's not alone, that the woman who's been the reason of his sleepless nights is currently few meters away, she's just there, on his very own kitchen, that thought distracts him more than what he expected.

How he wish he could just corner Asia in his arms, pull her for a deep, torrid, hot kiss. Touch her underneath those simple pair of clothes. His palm against her skin, tracing and feeling all sensitive parts of her body. God knew that he is more than capable of doing that but he also knew that by doing so, it can be the reason for Asia to slip away. She's different. Not the usual easy-to-get woman. Someone might contradict to that assumption of Hussain because he claimed Asia as easy as breathing, but that happened only once. Winning a woman wasn't his style but guess he could use some of his charm. And if charm did not work, he have multiple ways.

Asia intently made the duration of her work lasted for two hours. $1,000 for just two hours is such a huge amount and if taking advantage will make her a bad person, she'll accept the label gladly for as long as she can save her baby sister. After the finishing touch to her dish, she starts washing the equipments; the saucers, pans, spatula, knife, chopping board and such. Putting the last piece of saucer into the rack, all of a sudden, her phone rang loudly inside her pouch. Asia rinsed her hand thoroughly and then wipe it against her apron.

She turn around but soon falter. Mr. Hussain stood before he; tall, graceful, classy and charming. His messy semi-wet looking hair added to his lusciousness. How come she don't heard a thing? That he's approaching? Was she that preoccupied she forgotten to use her senses?

Her phone stopped ringing.

Now what?

What reason can she use to excuse herself if not her ringing phone?

"M-Mr. Hussain," She spent a whole minute gazing through his eyes before withdrawing it low. Asia move a little farther until her bum reached the edge of the concrete sink. She gripped on it while mentally praying for her phone to ring once again.

"I'd been waiting for two hours so I come to check on you. Glad to know you're done."

Asia don't know the expression of his face while saying all those because she's looking at the ground.

"Y-yes... I'm sorry it took me two hours preparing your dinner. I-I boiled the beef and used the broth for the soup..." Asia explained although she wasn't been asked.

"Do I make you feel uncomfortable?"

She panicked.

Yes?

No?

What's the perfect answer to his question?

Hussain move closer, alarming her than she already were.

His fingers traced the outline of her jaw. Caressing her softly. However despite his gentleness, Asia couldn't stop herself from flinching. Hussain stroke her cheeks causing her face to turn all red.

"Never knew that watching a woman blush is as pleasing as it made me right now." He whispered on her ear.

Oh God. Oh God. This is not what I signed for. She thought.

Her eyes still focused on the floor as Hussain bend closer, his face inch apart from hers. Using his thumb and forefinger, he lead her face to welcome him. Their eyes met for a single second before Asia shut hers close and hard.

"Lovely," he mumbled just above her lips.

They're almost kissing. He almost succeed in claiming her intriguing lips but the sound of her ringing phone made him waver. Asia open her eyes then slipped away from him in a swift move.

"I... I-I got a call..." Her voice stumbled.

Even without his permission, Asia grabbed her phone from the pouch then walk away immediately.

Rufus watched her left and as soon as she made her exit, his lips curved into deep smile. His head swinging in side-to-side pattern.

In the doorway, Asia stop, she look at her phone and found out it was her mom. Before picking it up, she breath in and out heavily to condition her voice.

"Mom?" She greets.

"Honey..."

"Is there something wrong, mom? How was Elisa? What did the hospital said about her operation?"

"Her surgery is scheduled on Saturday. The doctor said they cannot perform the surgery under her weak heart-condition. S-she had two convulsions since yesterday." Alma's voice wobbled.

Oh God...

Asia's hand flew to her lips. Covering them to prevent herself from making any disturbing sound. She may succeed restraining her sob but not that teardrop which escaped from her eyes.

"I-I don't want to make you worry, honey... but I... I just thought you ought to know."

Asia stabilized her voice. "I get it mom. Don't worry about me. A-and about the money. I'll send them first thing in the morning." She paused to take a deep breath before continuing. "I'm at work, mom. I love you. Kiss me to Elisa."

"I love you, honey. I sure will."

Before losing control, she already pressed the end call. That's when she started crying silently. As if what just happened between her and Hussain few minutes ago never happened, never matter. With the help of her palm, she's able to wipe her tears away and squeezed the water out of her eyes. Asia remove the apron, fix her clothes then she headed back to the kitchen.

At the island table, next to her pouch, there's a stock of US dollars. That was the first thing she noticed followed by Mr. Hussain now leaning on dinning table with arms crossed.

Asia collected the money, stuff it into her pouch with her phone then faces him. "I'm leaving... Sir." She find the last word too hard to mutter.

She's about to walk away but stops when Hussain speaks. "Hold it right there."

"Need something else, sir?" She asked not facing him.

"A hundred dollars."

It was her point to turn around.

"I beg your pardon?"

"Elisa Yba***, 15 years old, deaf, mute and she needed an immediate resective surgery."

Asia's hand clenched while into fist. Eyes were shaking involuntarily because of range. "How dare you to look up my personal life."

"I dare because I am more than capable of doing so."

"But why?! What do you even want from me?"

"What I want from you?" He stand up straight and walk closer. "I don't want anything from you, sweetie. You alone, is what I want." Hussain is looking down on her while she do the exact opposite. Eyes bore to each other, staring intently and no one want to back away. "A hundred dollars will be transfered into your account right away in my condition,"

Charm basically did not work for him so here he is, trying an alternative way to keep her near.

For the second time, Hussain stroked her cheeks. Pick up her hair strand and tuck them behind her ear. He lean close only to whisper the words, "work for me. Until I said you're free to go."