Chapter 21
Andi stepped back into the conference room, a stupid grin on her face.
There were empty lunch cartons in the garbage with one left untouched still sitting on the conference room table.
Andi rolled her eyes and tossed the broccoli infested food into the trash with the others, wondering what she’d done to Jonas to make him hate her so much.
Was it just because he suspected she was having a fling with Laith? She hadn’t done anything else to the man. Good grief, other than discussing travel arrangements and meeting times, Andi hadn’t had any other contact with Jonas!
Still, she didn’t want to concern herself with the shorter man. Especially not after such a lovely lunch with Laith. They’d argued, laughed, and debated about the stupidest stuff and she felt…happy.
For the rest of the afternoon, Andi blissfully worked on the financial reports in the conference room. Lawrence was often with her, but Tom spent all of his time with the creative people in the London office while Jennifer was out at the factory sites.
Several people came into the conference room to speak with Lawrence.
He wasn’t respectful about the conversations, which was odd.
When they’d worked in Singapore, everyone had been very considerate of the other people working in the small room.
If someone needed to have a conversation, the team member would take the discussion to another area of the office, outside of the team room, where they wouldn’t disturb the others.
Of course, Andi acknowledged that the problem wasn’t the continuous comings and goings of various people in the conference room.
She was able to block out most of the voices.
The real problem was the moments when Laith came in.
He would softly speak with Lawrence or herself, which, on the surface, was fine.
He kept all conversations completely business oriented.
But when he’d stop her in the hallways, his hand would brush her back, his fingers casually touching her, gliding across the bare skin of her upper arms or her overly sensitive lower back.
When she gasped or trembled, he would suggest, in a very low, business-like tone, that they should meet for dinner at his hotel suite.
“Can’t do that,” she whispered.
But then, he’d touch her again. It was the soft, gentle touches, nothing out of the ordinary, that were driving her insane. He even touched Lawrence’s arm, just as casually, so Andi couldn’t even argue that he was singling her out for special attention.
But Lawrance didn’t seem to lose his concentration at the casual touches from their boss.
When Laith brushed against her in the hallways, when he stopped her for a question, shifting ever so slightly to block out the rest of the world, Andi would have to grit her teeth and fight her body’s need to move even closer.
Several times, Andi had to rush into the bathroom and close her eyes in order to catch her breath and get her body back under control.
It was made even worse when Andi realized that, whenever Laith was nearby, she’d stop working and just stare at him, admiring his broad shoulders or strong back.
She’d watch how he used his hands while speaking, remembering the way he’d touched her with those fingers, thinking back to the frantic touches and demanding kisses, the way he made love to her with his whole body and mind.
It was driving her crazy!
So, by the time everyone packed up for the night, Andi was literally shaking with anticipation.
Especially when Laith walked into the conference room, carrying a pile of reports.
“Andi, can you explain why the indirect contribution for June is off by five points?” he asked as he placed the report next to her.
Lawrence and Jennifer paused. “Want us to wait?” Jennifer asked. They’d all agreed to meet up at a restaurant a few blocks over for dinner.
“Go ahead without me,” Andi told the others. “I’ll catch up.”
They filed out of the conference room, leaving Andi alone with Laith.
“This…the, uh, five percent difference is caused by…!” She stopped, tilting her head back to look into his eyes. His dark eyes stared right back, his gaze heated, as if he might be thinking about something completely separate from the indirect contribution rates.
When she realized that they were just staring into each other’s eyes, the tension and awareness throbbing between them, Andi tried to form words, but they wouldn’t come.
And when she saw the mirroring heat, the need and yearning, in his eyes, Andi couldn’t help but react.
She grabbed his tie and pulled him down, kissing him.
He allowed it for a moment, and then took charge, pulling her into his arms and kicking the conference room door closed.
He ripped off his tie and gathered her hands together. He pressed her hands against his chest.
They stayed like that for a long moment, both feeling their need pulsating between them. Then he shook his head, mumbling something that she didn’t catch. A moment later, Laith’s eyes turned dark. With determined movements, Laith grabbed her wrists, winding the tie around them.
“Laith?” she whispered, watching without resisting. In fact, he felt her awareness intensify as she watched him knot the silk tie.
“I’ve been watching you walk around the office, looking so gorgeous and sexy,” he tightened the silk tie around her wrists firmly.
“You kissed me at lunch,” he shifted her skirt until it was bunched around her waist, then lifted her onto the conference table and spread her legs wide, stepping between them.
“You had the audacity to torment me with a kiss, then leave me without anything more to sustain me for hours.” He ripped her panties off, ignoring her gasp of protest as he stuffed them into his pocket. “Now, you’re going to pay the price.”
Laith leaned her back, examining her carefully. “Maybe this should wait until we get back to my place,” he muttered, obviously talking to himself.
Andi wiggled, but didn’t tug at the restraints. “Do I get a say in this?”
“No,” he replied, slowly unbuttoning her silk blouse, exposing her lace-covered breasts to his view.
He trailed a finger down the slope of her breast, caressing her nipple, and then slid her bra strap down over her shoulder.
He did the same to the other. He lifted her breasts out of her bra, pushing the material down beneath them, causing her breasts to plump up more beautifully.
“I haven’t paid enough attention to these beauties in the past,” he continued. “I’ll have to make up for that omission now.”
Andi pulled at her wrists, but the knot held, so she couldn’t get away, which only heightened her excitement. What was it about being restrained that was so…hot?
Andi leaned back, supported only by his strong arm. This made her feel even more vulnerable and she could barely contain her excitement now.
“Laith, could we just…forget about the foreplay for the moment?” she asked, wrapping her legs around his waist and pulling him closer.
His erection pressed against her core and she could feel how it throbbed.
He’d stolen her panties, tied her hands, and exposed her breasts.
She was more vulnerable and more turned on than she’d thought possible!
“No, we’re not going to do a mad dash to the finale this time, Andi,” he warned, his thumb circling her nipple, making the tip harden. “I’m going to take my time.” He kissed her nipple. “Then I’m going to take you back to my hotel suite and we’ll do it all over again.”
“Promise?” she whispered, her body aching now. Throbbing!
“Absolutely.” Then he took her nipple into his mouth.
She was shocked that this was the first time he’d done this and it was hotter, more intense, than she was ready for.
Andi cried out, but he didn’t relent. He sucked and licked, nibbled and teased first one nipple then the other.
White-hot pleasure connected a line from her breasts to her groin.
As he kissed his way down her body, she moaned and writhed against him.
When his mouth reached her core, pushing her black skirt higher around her waist, she couldn’t stop a gasp.
Andi was completely exposed while he was still fully clothed. Other than his tie, that is.
When his fingers slid over that sensitive nub, Andi wasn’t prepared.
Her head fell back as he pulled his hands away.
When she gasped at the loss of his touch, he brought his fingers back, sliding one finger delicately over that throbbing bundle of nerves.
A whimper caused Laith to smile triumphantly.
“Does this feel good?” he asked, sliding his fingers through her slick folds.
Andi held her breath, needing him to touch her more.
“Talk to me, Andi,” he whispered, kissing her nipple, then sucking it into his mouth. “I need to hear your words.”
She groaned, then nodded. “Yes. Yes, I like it!” she moaned and was rewarded with his fingers caressing her again.
He barely touched that throbbing nub, brushing against it, then sliding away.
When he pressed one finger into her heat, Andi thought she might just explode from the need scorching her now.
Over and over, he thrust a finger into her body, then slid a thumb over that nub.
Every time his thumb touched her, his mouth sucked at her nipple.
But then his fingers moved away. The brushes were too soft, too tentative for her.
Finally, out of frustration, Andi tightened her legs around his waist, angry now. “Damn it, Laith! I can’t…!”
His thumb pressed more firmly against that nub, silencing her protest. A moment later, he circled her, driving her mad. She rolled her hips, trying to get more pressure, but he held back. Then he sucked on her nipple again, making her keen with a mixture of desire and desperation.