Page 18 of Her Prince in Disguise
Then she remembered his comment and shook her head. “I will figure this out on my own.”
“Really?” he hissed, then remembered where they were. The diner had emptied of most of the customers, but there were still a couple people lingering over their food. “This isn’t the place to discuss those boxes.” He turned, frustration evident on his handsome features. “We will discuss this in private.” He shoved their trash into the bin, then turned back to her, gently touching her arm as they left the restaurant.
Andi thought about pulling away, but the other patrons were watching them curiously and she didn’t want to cause a scene.
Instead, she climbed into the waiting SUV, then slid as far over as she could, not wanting to touch him even a little.
“We’re not done discussing this,” Laith snapped, nodding to the driver, who immediately pulled away from the curb. “Plus, I suspect the company security department will have questions too.”
Andi fumed, crossing her arms over her chest. She couldn’t remember ever being this furious before. But as thevehicle headed towards their hotel, she wasn’t sure if she was angry that her privacy had been violated, or if she was embarrassed by the contents of the box. She wasn’t sure about the particulars in this second box, but she was pretty sure she wasn’t going to like it any more than the first.
Okay, she knew that she was being irrational. She didn’t like the fact that Laith, with all of his urbane sophistication, had seen the unwelcome scene that had been sent to her. She didn’t know if it was a threat or if the sender had meant the diorama as an invitation. Either way, she definitely wasn’t into pain. The S&M scene was fine for those who enjoyed it, but Andi didn’t want Laith to think that she was one of them.
Hell, she wasn’t particularly into sex at all! Sex was fine and good…for men. But the few times she’d had sex it hadn’t been anything exciting.
Plus, Andi knew that she wasn’t the only woman who thought like that. Most women that she knew, including most of her friends, thought that sex was only okay. She and Carys had discussed their sexual “adventures” over the years and they agreed that men got to enjoy sex far more than women.
Which didn’t explain why she got so hot and bothered whenever Laith touched her. And it definitely didn’t explain why she was so angry about the boxes, other than her embarrassment that Laith knew that someone was sending such things to her.
“I want to see the box,” she blurted out.
He blinked at her. “Why?”
She considered her words carefully, then explained, “Because I don’t know if it’s a threat or an invitation. Or some third option.”
“Are you into S&M?”
Andi shook her head, not even trying to hide her horror at his question. “Absolutely not. I’m not a fan of pain.” She nervously rubbed her hands over her thighs. “It was another diorama, wasn’t it?”
He nodded slowly. “Yes. Ball gag and bondage. The male doll was standing over the female doll with a whip in the air.”
Andi shuddered with revulsion. “No, that’s definitely not something that interests me.”
“So, let my security team handle it.”
Her fingers tightened into fists. “I will not be treated like some idiot who can’t take care of herself!”
The SUV pulled up to the hotel. Andi was so angry, she didn’t wait for his answer. Instead, she jumped out of the SUV and hurried into the hotel. She made a bee line to the bank of elevators, determined to get away from Laith. She needed to be alone, to figure out what was going on in her head. She was confused and so turned on by Laith’s small touches throughout the evening.
“We’re not finished discussing this,” he snapped, then pulled her over to a separate elevator that was partially screened by a wall. Andi didn’t try to pull her arm away because they were already making a scene. Other hotel guests were turning to stare at them, so she sighed and followed.
They rode the elevator in silence, accompanied by the two men that had followed her and Laith in from the car. Andi’s mind whirled with fury. Laith was being a bully! Or was she just embarrassed? Was she making more of this than she should?
When the elevator opened on the top floor of the hotel, Andi tried to escape. But Laith anticipated her retreat and grabbed her arm, pulling her through the only door on the floor, and slamming it behind them.
“Okay, we’re alone now. Explain!” he demanded.
Andi glared at him, crossing her arms over her chest. “You may be my boss, but you arenotin charge of me,” she hissed. “My personal mail isn’t your concern.” Her head spun. One moment, she was fighting back the need to…do something with this man, something sexual. And the next moment, she was angry because he was delving into something Andi considered private. She couldn’t seem to separate one issue from the other!
Andi watched with a mixture of anger and a warped sense of satisfaction as Laith paced back and forth, obviously trying to organize his thoughts. She felt a touch of glee when she realized that he was just as confused as she was.
However, before she could make sense of her rioting thoughts, Laith spun around, fisting his hands on his hips. “I am in charge of this company. So, when someone uses my company to send threatening packages through the mail, then yes, that’s my concern.”
Andi wanted to hit him. He was right, but also wrong. Unfortunately, he pulled off his jacket in that moment and her mind, already in a whirlwind, went blank at the sight of his shoulders in only a thin dress shirt.
Her mouth went dry at the sight of all those muscles. He was…awesome! She could see the biceps rippling when he tossed his jacket over the sofa. Then his shoulder muscles shifted when he turned to glare at her.
Then there was a long silence. Both of them stared at each other, breathing heavily.
