Chapter 7 #2
Panic washed over her with his words as well as the determined look in his eyes. She stepped forward, mind racing with memories of the last diorama. It had been terrifying and confusing. She didn’t want him to see whatever new horror was in that box.
“Laith, leave it alone.” She glanced at the box, then looked away. “In fact, just throw it away.”
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, a tantalizing 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 before she 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 want to 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 was romantically interested 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.”
Andi glanced at him, but quickly pulled her eyes back to her notes. There was concern in his eyes and she hadn’t seen that kind of empathy in a long time.
No, that wasn’t true. Carys was like a sister to Andi. They cared deeply for each other. When things were tough, Andi knew that she could turn to Carys and she’d be there, and vice versa. Usually with a bottle of wine in one hand and a box of chocolate or pint of ice cream in the other.
Still, Andi really didn’t want him to see the contents of that damn box!
“The box is personal, Laith,” she finally replied, clearing her throat. “I’ll check on it once I’ve finished with this report. You asked me to get you a final analysis before dinner.”
“So be it,” he sighed and stood up. “But we’ll discuss the results of your analysis over dinner tonight.” And then he was gone.
Andi wondered if she’d hurt his feelings by not letting him peek into the box. Then she remembered that women were always concerned about men’s feelings to the detriment of their own and she straightened her shoulders and sat down.
It took her another fifteen minutes to lose herself in the numbers, but eventually, she was able to find her rhythm again.
She was just printing out the final report when Jonas, Laith’s personal assistant, stepped into the conference room, his ever-present tablet in hand.
Andi didn’t like him. He came across as overly impressed with himself and extremely territorial where Laith was concerned.
He couldn’t argue when Laith came into the conference room to speak to one of the team members, but Jonas never allowed a team member to disturb Laith when he was in his office.
Also, Jonas never joined the team for social events.
While the rest of the team members often joined up for dinner or drinks after work, Jonas never bothered to fraternize.
That might be because he was always running around, trying to keep up with Laith’s demands.
Or it could be because he was a self-righteous jerk.
Either way, she didn’t like to linger when Jonas spoke to her. She preferred to just get on with the issues so that he could return to his tiny desk outside of Laith’s office.
Still, she tried to be polite. He wielded a great deal of power as Laith’s assistant. “What’s up, Jonas?” she asked, clicking the documents and spreadsheets closed on her laptop.
The man pursed his mouth in obvious disapproval, lifting his tablet higher. “Laith asked me to find out what kind of meal you’d prefer for dinner tonight.”
Andi sighed heavily. She’d almost forgotten that Laith had asked for…more like demanded …a briefing over dinner. “What do the others prefer?” she asked, distracted as she tried to lock down her laptop.
Jonas shook his head, disapproval in the compression of his lips. “Tonight will be just the two of you.” He looked up, still looking sour. “Have you finished the analysis?”
Why did the guy always have a hopeful “gotcha” look about him?
She collected the papers from the printer. “Right here,” she said, shoving them into a file folder, then stuffing that into her tote bag. Then Jonas’ words registered and she did a double take. “It’s just me and Laith tonight? Why?”
Jonas shrugged, still tapping on the tablet. “I don’t question our boss’s orders, Andi. I just organize things for him and get things done.” He looked pointedly at her, as if silently adding, “You should do the same.”
“Right,” Andi whispered under her breath, slinging her laptop bag and her tote bag over her shoulder.
The box was sitting off to one side. She didn’t want to pick it up, but Andi knew she couldn’t just leave it here.
Someone would throw it away or, worse, open it.
She didn’t want anyone else seeing what was inside.
Of course, it could be benign. Maybe this time, the creator had sent her a happy diorama! Maybe it was just a picnic scene with puppies and kids playing soccer!
She nearly snorted out loud. Andi reached out and scooped up the package, wishing she didn’t have to touch it.
“I’ll take your laptop and that box and have them delivered to your hotel room,” Jonas announced, grabbing the box.
Andi started to protest, but the jerk was already halfway out the door.
So, she stepped out of the conference room where she’d been working since before dawn and looked around.
Sure enough, Laith was walking down the hallway, his long legs eating up the distance.
Andi couldn’t help the indrawn breath as she watched him, fascinated by the confidence in his walk and the strength in his shoulders. He truly was magnificent!