Page 52 of Thiago

“Oh!” His assistant looked surprised. “I didn’t know you were in a meeting.”

Brown-skinned, tall, and in his early thirties, Amir was brilliant and tough enough to handle Thiago’s personality. He also did a good job of protecting his time from interruptions, which was probably why he appeared so taken aback by India’s presence. She was not on the calendar, so she should not be in here taking up the boss’s time.

“What do you have for me?” Thiago asked in a gruff voice, talking over his shoulder.

He couldn’t risk facing Amir and having him see his erection. India turned away to keep from laughing.

“I printed out the reports you asked for and had them bound. I picked them up from downstairs a few minutes ago.” Amir pointedly lifted the stack of red folders in his hands.

“Put them on my desk,” Thiago said, pretending to be busy at the bar.

What is he doing?India barely contained her amusement.

“Yes, sir.”

Amir walked across the room and dropped the folders on Thiago’s desk. As he turned in the direction of the door, he cast a quick glance at India. Did he sense the tension in the room?

She smiled disarmingly at him, and he smiled back.

At the door, he paused. “Do you need me to do anything else?”

Thiago turned his head toward him. “No. You may leave for the evening.”

Amir nodded and left.

As soon as the door shut, India doubled over with laughter.

Thiago glared at her. “That was not funny,” he said.

She wiped the tears from her lashes. “It was a little funny. Come on,” she said.

“You need to keep your hands to yourself.”

“That’s new,” she said in a cocky voice.

“We have always been hands-off in the office.” Thiago strolled over to the door and turned the lock with a decisiveclick.

India’s breath caught. “What are you doing?” she asked.

Thiago shrugged out of his jacket as he walked toward her at a leisurely pace. “Before Amir came in, you were doing something.”

“A second ago you told me to keep my hands to myself,” India reminded him as she backed toward the desk.

“I did, but I didn’t say anything about keepingmyhands to myself.”

“Oh, I see. Rules for me but not for you.”

She tried to run, but he caught her from behind with one arm and lifted her off the floor. Breathless and laughing, she twisted around to face him, the back of her thighs hitting the edge of his desk.

“You understand perfectly.” Thiago tossed his jacket on the desk. Then he reached behind her and picked up the remote. With the press of a button, the window shades started lowering.

“Are you trying to take advantage of me, Mr. Santana?” India whispered.

He looked down at her with a heavy-lidded gaze. “Sometimes I think you are taking advantage of me.” He spoke in a grave voice, as if he wasn’t joking.

Did he really think she was somehow using him? “I would never…”

He caught her chin between his finger and thumb. “No, you would never. Nor would I use you. But you drive me crazy, you know that, don’t you? Crazy with need.” His eyes blazed down at her, reflecting the storm of emotions his lips had confessed to.