Excerpt from Her Forbidden Prince – Rafi & Carys’ Story!
Carys crossed her arms over her chest and pressed her back against the wall when two people turned to look at her, pity in their gazes. She swallowed, that sick feeling in her stomach intensifying. Did they know something? Had they heard that her name was on the chopping block?
Thankfully, someone walked into the conference room from the opposite end of the room, pulling everyone’s attention in that direction.
Carys still shrank back again, wondering if she should slip out and head back to her desk to pack up her personal belongings.
It would be more dignified if she could just leave without everyone witnessing her “walk of shame”.
“I’d like to thank everyone for coming on such short notice,” a deep, sexy male voice announced. Carys couldn’t see the man because she was shorter than the people in front of her, but that was okay. It was nice to be invisible.
“I’ve called this meeting to talk to all of you. We have some excellent products in this company. However, it doesn’t matter how good something is, if we can’t announce to the world that our product is better than the others out there on the market. Right?”
There was a murmuring of agreement and several of the people in front of her shifted on their feet. Had the energy in the room just intensified? Carys noticed that her coworkers seemed to stand up a bit taller too.
“Since we’re all in agreement, I’m announcing that we need to halt all of the marketing campaigns that we’re currently running.
They are terrible.” There were a few gasps of shock, but Carys pursed her lips, trying to stifle the “Yep!” that wanted to burst out of her.
“The current campaigns aren’t selling the company’s products.
We need to shift to a more dynamic approach.
” Through the gaps in the bodies in front of her, Carys could see a part of the man’s face, but not all of him.
That’s when she noticed his arm and an impressive shoulder.
Suddenly, that arm lifted a notebook in the air and, through the gaps in the people’s shoulders in front of her, Carys recognized her sketch book.
She gasped and someone in front of her turned, looking at her.
“Sorry!” she whispered, then tried to shrink back even more. But the wall behind her was solid and, so far, she hadn’t been able to figure out how to melt through walls.
“I’m looking for Carys?” the deep, sexy voice called out
Carys froze, not sure what to do. Should she speak up?
“Carys Remington?” The sexy-voice person called out. “She’s the owner of this sketchbook.”
Before Carys had a chance to brace herself, the people in front of her shifted, revealing her hiding place to the man with the deep voice.
And then she couldn’t move as her eyes locked with the man from the park.
He was even more amazing here in the office where he towered over the others.
The tallest person in the marketing department was Greg, the director, who was only about five feet, nine inches tall.
The man standing there staring at her was nearly a head taller than Greg.
But Carys’s mind fizzled as she stared into the dark depths of the gorgeous man she remembered from the park.
But instead of the soft, fascinating smile he’d given her earlier today, the man’s expression was tight and determined. Triumphant almost.
Why triumphant? Was he about to fire her? Here? In front of everyone?
Carys straightened up, refusing to show any shame. If she was going to be fired, then so be it! She’d leave with her head high!
“These drawings,” he started to say, then pulled his eyes away from her.
Carys felt as if she’d been released from some sort of connection.
She was like a life raft floating in the roiling ocean, adrift and vulnerable, the waves of uncertainty crashing around her.
Exposed and bereft, she felt the sudden cold of disconnection.
His eyes lifted, locking onto hers once again, and it was as if a lighthouse had pierced through the storm.
The turbulent sea calmed, and Carys felt anchored and secure once again.
The warmth and intensity in his gaze made her feel safe, like she was no longer alone in the vast, chaotic ocean.
He was a lifeline, pulling her from the depths of uncertainty back to solid ground, leaving her breathless with the sheer relief of it.
No, relief wasn’t the right word. Because this man was dangerous. Not malicious, she thought, but…definitely dangerous.
“Your ideas are brilliant,” he announced. “We’re going to implement your ideas for the next campaign.”