Page 33 of Her Prince in Disguise
Chapter 22
“Don’t leave,habibi,” Laith mumbled, pulling her back against his chest. The room was still dark, but they knew morning was fast approaching.
Andi wiggled away. “I have to,” she whispered. “My teammates need to see me coming out of my own hotel room.”
“No, they don’t. Stay with me.”
Andi smiled, but knew he couldn’t see it in the darkness. “I have to go.”
Carefully, she dressed while Laith watched her with sleepy eyes. “You should just stay here with me,” he growled.
Andi shook her head. “No, I can’t do that. Sleeping with the boss is bad enough,” she told him as she grabbed her jacket. “But having everyoneknowI’m sleeping with the boss? That would be career suicide.”
She leaned over and kissed him lightly. “See you in a couple of hours.” And then she walked out, trailing her bags behind her.
Ten minutes later, Andi slipped into her own hotel room. It wasn’t the same kind of suite that her teammates enjoyed. It was just a bed with a private bathroom, which was fine, since Andi just needed sleep. It was two o’clock in the morning and she definitely looked like she’d had a wild night. In fact, her body was still vibrating with the aftermath of that lovemaking. But she was also feeling the effects of aninternational flight and a tense working day. She was exhausted and needed sleep.
In her own bed.
The room wasn’t just small, it was also right by the elevators. She didn’t care. It was a clean bed and she had time for just a couple more hours of sleep before she had to shower and get ready to head into the office again.
When she woke up three hours later, Andi felt slightly more revived, although not completely rested. If she’d known that her teammates were all located on a different floor, so they wouldn’t notice if she came from her hotel room or someone else’s, Andi might not have left Laith.
But as soon as that thought formed, she rejected it. It was better to not risk being seen coming out of the penthouse suite, she thought as she slung her computer bag over her shoulder and headed out.
Despite her fatigue, Andi was the first person to arrive. She started the coffee maker, then waited impatiently for the coffee to brew, contemplating the early morning silence and smiling secretly over last night with Laith. When the coffee was ready, she poured some into one of the ceramic mugs, then sipped her coffee while eating the breakfast sandwich she’d grabbed from a street vendor on her way in, surprised at how hungry she was. That’s when she remembered that they’d skipped dinner last night.
Several minutes later, Lawrence appeared in the kitchen doorway.
“We missed you last night.” He reached for a mug and poured himself a cup of coffee. “Another long night?”
Andi nodded, hoping that the blush staining her cheeks wasn’t too revealing. “Yeah. It was long and…” Laith walked into the office in that moment so Andi finished her statement with, “challenging.”
She heard someone snort but ignored it, heading towards the conference room, just as Jennifer and Tom stepped into the kitchen.
“Hey, you missed a great dinner last night,” Jennifer commented. She glanced over at Laith. “The parts are in for the problem we discussed yesterday, sir,” she continued, pouring herself a cup of coffee and adding cream. “The new production line should be faster and more efficient.”
And so it went. Andi walked out of the kitchen that morning, only half hearing the discussion about machine parts and contract challenges that Lawrence was working on. She couldn’t stop thinking about what she’d done with Laith last night.
“You look smug,” Tom teased, rushing to catch up with her in the hallway.
“I do?” she asked, trying to clear her expression.
“You missed a fun night last night. We played darts after dinner, but because you weren’t around, I had to team up with a nubile young lady who couldn’t throw a dart to save her naughty soul.”
Andi chuckled, shaking her head. “I bet you didn’t mind losing, did you?”
“Didn’t even notice,” he replied, grinning.
The next week was possibly the happiest she’d ever experienced. She worked hard during the day. And at night, she would escape with Laith. They talked and laughed, shared childhood experiences and enjoyed each other’s company. And when he took her into his arms, their lovemaking only intensified as they learned what the other liked.
Unfortunately, that happiness would come crashing down too soon!
Chapter 23
Andi was starting to hate unexpected packages.
Walking into the London office on their second week, Andi felt good, if a bit tired. The nights might be exciting, but she really needed more sleep.
