Page 5 of Her Prince in Disguise
“Saving the company,” he replied immediately. That got her attention! He shifted slightly, watching her carefully as he continued. “The company has been veering off course for the past several years and the financials show it. I’m here to steer it back on course. I’m forming a team with several other experts in their fields. Each team member will be responsible for finding problems and offering solutions within their spheres.”He paused and took another sip of his scotch. “Think you can work your financial magic to find issues, so you can help me save the company?”
She hesitated, biting her lip thoughtfully as she considered. When she looked up at him, he was startled by the intensity in those blue eyes. “Are you going to lay people off?”
Laith didn’t want to lie to her. “If necessary, yes. But the only reason we’ll lay off workers is if it is necessary to save the other thousands of jobs. Think you can do that? Think you are smart enough to analyze various parts of the company and find the issues in the numbers?”
Andi-Andrea loved the idea. Laith could see it in her luminous blue eyes. She was challenged and ready to dive right in. But she was also cautious, which was a good sign.
She was still for a long moment, but slowly, she nodded. Still silent, she sipped her wine and he could see the wheels turning in her head. More nodding, the excitement was clearly building, evident in the renewed tension in her shoulders and the way she held her wine glass. “Yes,” she replied, tightening her grip around the glass stem. “Yeah, I’m smart enough.” But he could see the anger there. Those blue eyes were snapping sapphire fire at him. Unfortunately, this lovely woman had no idea how much that turned him on!
“When does this new job start?”
Laith shifted slightly, trying to hide the rush of triumph he felt at her agreement. “We’ll fly to Singapore Monday morning.” He stood up and extended his hand.
Chapter 4
Andi couldn’t believe what this man was offering her—a dream job! A chance to step out of the shadows and prove herself. Could she do it? Could she actually dive into complex financial reports and uncover the hidden idiosyncrasies that revealed deeper problems? Could she leave her cramped apartment in downtown Philadelphia and finally venture into the wider world?
Hell yes!
When he abruptly rose from his chair, Andi scrambled to her feet, nearly sloshing the wine as she hastily set the glass on the coffee table. With her other hand, she clutched her notes, praying they wouldn’t scatter across the floor. Somehow—miraculously—she avoided total humiliation. A small, shaky victory.
Laith moved toward her, slow and purposeful. He stopped just a few feet away, his commanding presence making the space between them feel far smaller than it was.
"So," he said, his voice low and even, "are you ready to accept the offer?"
Andi's heart thundered against her ribs. She swallowed, lifting her chin, forcing her voice to steady.
"Yes," she said, a fierce glint lighting her eyes. "I’ll take the job."
Something almost imperceptible shifted in Laith’s expression, like satisfaction flashing behind his eyes. He nodded once.
"Good," he said simply, the word carrying more weight than she expected. Then he extended his hand.
As soon as her hand brushed his, Andi realized she hadn’t won anything at all. A jolt of heat—startling and electric—shot through her. She stiffened instinctively, but he caught the subtle recoil, his gaze sharpening. Before she could pull away, his fingers closed more firmly around hers.
The effect was devastating.
A low, thrilling buzz spread through her veins, making her breath hitch, her knees weaken. She stared up at him, utterly trapped by the dark, magnetic pull of his eyes. Time became meaningless. Seconds. Minutes. Years. She no longer knew the difference.
All she knew was that she couldn’t look away—and, far worse, she didn’t want to.
She should step back. She should run. But another part of her, the reckless part she usually kept buried, urged her to move closer, to reach out—to touch his chest, his arm, anything to satisfy the aching curiosity igniting inside her.
Thankfully, mercifully, he let go first.
Andi sucked in a shaky breath as a thrill raced over her skin, a sharp contrast to the warmth that had enveloped her moments before. She instinctively wanted to close the distance between them again, to reach for the heat she'd just lost—and the realization horrified her.
Get a grip!she mentally shouted at herself.This man is going to be your boss!
Snapping herself back to reality, Andi turned on her heel, desperate to flee the luxurious office and the overpowering effect he had on her senses. She had almost reached the door when his voice stopped her cold.
"You’ll need a new wardrobe, by the way."
She froze, confusion knitting her brow. Slowly, she glanced down at her outfit—serviceable black slacks and a white dress shirt. Practical. Neat. Professional. What was wrong with her outfit?
Spinning back around, she lifted her chin. "What’s wrong with my clothes?" she asked, her voice tight with wounded pride.
She felt it—the deliberate, measured sweep of his gaze as it traveled from the top of her head to the tips of her practical black heels. His eyes were thorough, lingering, as if he were weighing every inch of her.
