Page 14 of Her Prince in Disguise
He continued to watch her. “Except, I suspect that whatever is inside is a threat to you. Which means that it’s my responsibility to protect you against that threat.”
Andi moved closer, reaching out to grab the box. But Laith pulled it out of her reach, making Andi over balance and topple forward. She landed awkwardly against him and her breath caught in her throat. She tried to pull away, but his strong hands wrapped around her upper arms, steadying her.
“What’s in the box, Andi?” he asked again, his voice soft, but firm.
Her heart pounded in her chest. The man felt incredibly good against her. His chest was firm and inviting, and she fought the sudden, irrational urge to rub her cheek against the scruff of his jaw.
Laith’s grip tightened slightly, and Andi’s breath hitched. The heat from his body seeped into hers, creating a mix of tension and desire. She could smell his aftershave, atantalizing blend of spice and musk that made her head spin. The room seemed to shrink around them, the air thick with unspoken tension.
“Nothing,” she whispered.
He was so close, she could see his eyes shift, his long lashes flutter at her lie. “I think that there is something significant happening here,” he replied back, his voice deeper than before.
Were they still talking about the box? Andi wasn’t sure.
Quickly, she pulled out of his arms and stepped back. With trembling fingers, Andi straightened her silk blouse. She’d taken off the jacket, leaving it draped over the back of a chair. But now, feeling her breasts tingling at such close proximity, Andi wished that she had the jacket as protection right now. She was fairly sure that her nipples were visible against the thin, silk material.
He glanced at her breasts, then quickly away.
He reached out and pulled the box closer, leaving his index finger on the top as if holding it down. “Open the box. I’ll be here for you, Andi,” he encouraged.
Andi hesitated. His voice was so calm and so soothing, it made her feel as if she could face anything, as long as he was with her.
But he couldn’t be with her always. He had too many other responsibilities. She saw how he was always on the phone or answering questions. The man started working long beforeshe showed up and was still at it when Andi left in the evening. Laith didn’t need to shoulder her personal issues as well.
Licking her lips, Andi glanced down at the box, then stepped back a bit further. “I’ll open it later,” she told him, suddenly feeling stronger. Or at least she felt as if she could fake strength until she was alone tonight in her hotel room.
“Open it now,” he urged, leaning a lean hip against the conference room table. He seemed casual, but there was a challenge sparkling in his eyes.
Andi angled her head. “Are you ‘reading’ me somehow?”
The corners of his lips quirked up slightly. “What do you mean?”
She grinned, enjoying his sudden accent, which only came out when he wasn’t concentrating. It felt like a small victory whenever she heard it. His words shifted from short and succinct to lilting and smooth. Unfortunately, it also made him sound sexier, which wasn’t particularly helpful just now.
“You’re manipulating me,” she replied, both amused and impressed. She crossed her arms over her chest, mocking him. “You’re using my stubbornness against me.”
“Is that a crime?” he asked, amusement glimmering in his eyes.
She sniffed, glaring up at him and trying to hide her amusement at his tactics. “It may not be illegal, but it’s not very nice.”
He shrugged, leaning back against the conference table now. “You’re the one who won’t open the box. Now, I just wantto know simply because you won’t show me.” He leaned forward slightly. “Did someone send you something naughty?”
At those words, her smile faded. She didn’t know exactly what was in the box, but Andi was quite certain she wouldn’t like it.
“No,” she replied quickly. Too quickly she realized, when his eyes narrowed. Thinking quickly, she made up what she considered to be a good lie. “It’s probably just fudge from my mom.”
He stared at her for a moment and Andi squirmed under his direct gaze. Then he shook his head. “Your mother passed away during your senior year of college,” he pointed out.
For a moment, she simply stared at him. “How do you know that?” she demanded, annoyed and, unexpectedly, soothed by his knowledge of her.
He shrugged, his lips compressing for a brief moment. “I’m interested in you,” he replied.
There was a long silence after that as Andi stared up at him, her mouth hanging open slightly. What did that mean? Surely, he didn’t mean he wasromanticallyinterested in her. No, that was ridiculous!
“Right,” she sighed and pulled her eyes away, looking down at her notes. “Well, I should just…I have–”
“You need to open that box,habibi,” he interrupted softly. Gently. “If there’s something inside that box that frightens you, then I want to know about it.”
