by Leslie North
Sara was finally done with her delicious lunch. Food made her happy. As they were leaving, she made sure not to make eye contact with Tariq. It was not the case for Keira and Kaleena. They both stared at Tariq as they walked past. Tariq chewed slowly and watched them, watching him.
“Please stop staring at him,” Sara said feeling awkward.
“He's so handsome,” Keira said.
* * * * * *
There was a lot of work that needed to be done to get the new field up and running. Sara's workload tripled faster than she anticipated. Amir told her that they had to pull some long nights. Sara walked into his office to brief him on a report she had been working on. To her surprise, Tariq and Amir were both sitting on the sofa discussing the appropriate barrels to use. They both looked up when she walked in. It was the first time she had seen him since that Saturday at the mall. She bowed to them. Only Amir responded.
“Barrels for gasoline or crude oil?” Sara asked. They both looked at her and she realised that she had jumped into their conversation.
“Both,” Amir replied.
She pointed at one of the pictures and said, “Those carry more oil.” Amir turned his attention to the picture and picked it up. Tariq was still wondering why she had included herself in the conversation.
“Is that so?” Amir asked her. Sara smiled and nodded.
“Oh, I actually came in to brief you on this report,” she said as she handed him a file. She made eye contact with Tariq. He wore an expressionless look as always, which annoyed her. She could never guess what he was thinking. She looked away first, as she was getting uncomfortable in his presence.
“An estimation of 400 gallons of crude oil can be produced in the El-Sultari region,” Sara said.
“That is not a lot of oil,” Amir said. Tariq leaned back in his chair. He was wondering where Sara was taking this. Did she have a point or was she rambling again?
“True, but it's worth looking into. You never know.”
“Actually, we do know. We have been doing this for years,” Tariq interrupted.
“I meant that it's worth learning more about this field. It might prove to be a good investment.”
“Or it might be a fruitless endeavour and we would have wasted a lot of time and resources,” shot back Tariq.
Amir lifted his head from the file and looked at the both of them. They were both making good points but there was nothing friendly about their conversation. He knew that his brother and his assistant would never get along. He simply hoped it wouldn’t get much worse.
“Sara, if you can find more information about the field, then we'll go from there,” Amir told her.
“Do not give her false hope,” Tariq said. Sara bit the inside of her lip. She wanted to hurl curse words at him but she would not do that. Why did he find it so difficult to be nice to her?
“Sheik Amir, that is fair, thank you.” Sara bowed to him and left the room. Tariq narrowed his gaze. She deliberately thanked Amir so she could make it obvious that she was ignoring him, just as she had done at the mall when Fiddah was there. He watched her walk out of the office. His eyes could not help but rest on her bottom as he contemplated what she looked like without her clothes on. He looked away before Amir caught him. He wouldn't know how to explain it. He started talking about his lunch with Fiddah. Amir laughed. He knew his brother's views on love. The world had failed to convince him otherwise.
Adiva walked in with a tray of refreshments. She placed it on the table and asked if they needed anything else. Amir told her that he did not want anything. Tariq did not offer a response. He simply grunted instead.
Sara returned to her office and started researching El-Sultari. She wanted to prove Tariq wrong. There was potential and it was worth checking it out. Tariq probably shut down the idea because it came from her. She really wanted to prove him wrong. She wanted to visit the field but she knew she could not do that herself. Amir would authorise it but would not let her go alone. She smiled at the thought of Malik. He was the perfect person to go with her. After all, he was in charge of the oil fields.
Chapter 8
It was finally Friday. The last day of the workweek and the last late work night! Sara was happy. She was not used to working such late nights and it was exhausting. She could not wait to get the work over and done with so that she could start her weekend, kick back and relax.
She had worked with Amir every night and he laughed at how tired she got. He kept saying that she was too cute. Sara never understood how she was cute but it didn't bother her. That Friday, Amir had a mysterious appointment he needed to go to. Sara manned his appointments and she was unaware of this one.
“Sir, you're being too secretive,” Sara said to Amir. He laughed and ruffled her hair.
“I am not,” he said.
“Then why do I not know about this appointment? And why aren't I coming along?”
“You're working late,” Amir replied as he kept inching towards the door. Sara placed her hands on her hips and stared at him.
“A date?” Sara asked him.
“I shall see you on Monday,” Amir smiled mischievously. Sara laughed and bid him farewell. She knew that he was going on a date. He seemed to be quite the ladies man. She was going to grill him about him it on Monday. She took the files she needed from his desk and locked his door before she headed back to her office.
After what seemed like hours and hours of work, Sara decided to walk around the building. She needed to stretch and relax for a bit. The place was deserted. The only people who were there were the security guards. Even Adiva was not working late. Sara frowned. She wished that she were home or out with the twins.
Sara dragged her feet as she walked around the building. She didn't even care what she looked like, nobody was there to see her. She was wearing a black knee-length, pencil skirt and a white camisole that was not tucked in. Her hair was not tied up and her long curly hair rested on her back. She had taken her heels off. She turned a corner and saw the light on in the conference room. She growled silently. Who had not bothered to switch the light off? She dragged her feet and headed towards the conference room to switch the light off. She walked into the room and towards the light switch. She was in her own world looking at the ground.
“Can I help you with something?” A deep voice sounded from behind her. It startled her as she squealed and turned around quickly.
“Oh gosh,” she sighed with relief. It was Tariq leaning on the table reading some paperwork. He was wearing grey pants and a white shirt. A couple of buttons were unbuttoned, revealing the top of his chest. “You scared me,” she scolded.
“Do you need something?” Tariq asked her. Sara shrugged. She didn't really expect him to be polite to her.
“I saw the light on and I came to switch it off because I thought no one was in here,” Sara replied. Tariq was analysing her. She looked untidy and she was barefoot!
“Why are you barefoot?” He could not help himself. He had to ask her.
“I was wearing heels all day. My feet hurt,” Sara's tone was not friendly. She was trying her best not to snap at him. He did not respond to her. He studied her silently. “Working late?” Sara asked. She caught his gaze and felt uncomfortable. She slowly inched for the door. He didn't respond to her as he felt like she was asking an obvious question. Sara placed her hands on her hips.
“Why is it you can never answer me or even act polite towards me?” Sara asked him. She couldn't ignore it anymore. He always felt the need to be that way towards her and she had not done anything to him. On top of that, she was tired and had enough of his attitude towards her.
Tariq raised his eyebrows as he regarded her. He was not expecting her to question him nor did she have the right to. “I am not obligated to do either,” he said. His voice was now deeper.
“I never did anything to offend you.”
She has full lips, Tariq thought to himself. He had never noticed them before. It did not matter anyway he thought. “
Your persona is offensive,” he said to her.
“Excuse me?”
“Who walks around barefoot?”
Sara frowned. You're the one with an ugly persona, she told herself. She looked away. She was in the middle of arguing with him and his chest was distracting her. From the little glimpse she got, she could tell that he was very toned. The bulk of his muscles were always showing in the clothes he wore. And how was it he had time to work out when he was always working?
“You do not act like a lady should,” Tariq added.
“I am good at my job and that's all you should be concerned about,” Sara shot back.
“For England, perhaps. But this is Saudi Arabia and you work for the Botros.”
“Because you're so freaking special,” Sara mumbled under her breath as she headed for the door. If she stayed in there any longer, she would say things that she would regret. She liked Amir and respected him enough not to disrespect his brother. She got the shock of her life when Tariq grabbed her arm and pulled her back.
“What did you say?” he demanded. He had pulled her close to him and she was now standing inches from him. She was shocked at how he pulled her so easily as if she weighed nothing.
“Being a little bit more polite and less judgemental to others will not harm you,” Sara said. She was not going to let him intimidate her. She was going to stand her ground. His gaze had grown darker and more intense. He stared at her and she stared back. She was not going to look away first.
“You think you can speak to me any way you wish to?”
“Unhand me.”
“If I don't?”
Exactly, what will I do if he does not let go off me?
“Try it and find out.” An empty threat. There was nothing she could do. He called her bluff. He did not let go. Instead, he pulled her even closer to him. Sara landed between his legs and her hands landed on his chest. His face was now inches away from his. Wow, he smells good. Why is it she hadn’t noticed his cologne before? It was intoxicating on him.
“Time to make good on your threat,” he said to her.
“Please let go,” she whispered. She knew that she needed to get out of there. Something unexpected was happening and she wasn’t prepared.
Tariq let go of her arm but Sara didn’t move. She felt paralysed. She so badly wanted to flee from the room but her legs failed her. Tariq wrapped one arm around her waist and pulled her closer to him. Her whole body was now flush against his. Both her palms rested on his rock hard chest. He planted a kiss on her lips. It took her by surprise.
He gently kissed her and she did not stop him. Her mind went blank. She could not think about anything. As she gasped, he gently pushed his tongue into her mouth and deepened the kiss. Sara wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him back. His hands stroked her back. He broke the kiss. Sara was breathing hard and still had her eyes closed.
“What are you doing?” she whispered.
“What are you?” he asked the question back.
He pressed a feather-light kiss on her neck, which sent ripples of sensation all over her body. She let out a soft moan as she shuddered against him. He continued to kiss her neck as Sara rubbed his back and dug her nails into his flesh. Before she knew it, her skirt was on the floor and Tariq was caressing and squeezing her bottom. She did not like this man but her senses had left her. She should put a stop to it, but he was doing things to her insides that she’d only ever read about.
Tariq’s hands slid slowly around to her hips and up to her waist. As his fingers brushed the bottom of her camisole, he drew it up and over her head. He groaned at the sight of her chest. Her firm breasts sat high in her blue, lace bra. She stood there in front of him in her bra and underwear. He studied her as he unbuttoned his shirt. Sara looked at the ground. She was not confident enough to stand in front of him, half-naked and hold his gaze.
“Your lingerie does not even match,” he said to her as he threw his shirt on the ground.
“Why does that matter? It’s not like anyone, but me will see it.”
“You have poor dress sense.”
Sara looked up and frowned at him as she started to side step away from him. His rudeness was turning into a cold shower and making it much easier for her to think clearly. Before she got more than a step, he wrapped one arm around her waist and the other came up to unhook her bra. He lifted her onto the conference table as he followed her down. Leaning over her, he supported himself as he towered over her. He rained light kisses across her face as he worked his way down. Reaching for her bra straps, he tugged the bra off her as he smiled appreciatively at her breasts. They were perfect. Sliding one hand up her side, he gently cupped one breast as he leaned down to lick her nipple. At the feel of his tongue on her, Sara gasped as she arched her back towards him. All thoughts of leaving were forgotten as Sara stroked the back of his neck and closed her eyes. He groaned at her touch as he continued to lave her nipple. Burying his face between her breasts, he kissed both before he lavished attention on her other nipple.
Tariq licked and kissed his way down her stomach pausing at her pantyline. Sara watched him with eyes heavy with arousal. Being kissed by a boy wasn’t new to her and she’d even been felt up by a couple of boyfriends, but they didn’t make her feel like Tariq did, which is why it always ended so quickly. The way Tariq looked at her had her insides doing somersaults. As Sara squirmed under his gaze, his hands slid under her waistband and pulled her panties over her hips and down her legs. As he pulled them off her, he paused to rub her calves. Lifting her legs, he kissed each instep before lifting her legs over his shoulders. Kissing his way down the inside of her legs, Tariq paused as he reached her mound, frowning at her pubic hair.
Tugging on her hair, “Most women shave,” he commented. As Sara jumped at the sudden pain, her arousal reached Tariq as he inhaled. “You smell like strawberries,” he groaned as he dipped his head to take a taste. At the feel of his mouth on her most private part, Sara moaned as she grabbed the back of his head encouraging him to continue. Tariq chuckled at her eagerness. The vibration from his voice created a buzzing along her clit, which made her gasp. He continued to tease her as Sara squirmed. Pressure was building inside her and Sara was growing desperate for release.
“Tariq, please,” she moaned. “Quit playing around already.” As Tariq continued to lick and nibble along her slit, her clit popped out as it began to throb in time to the sensations inside her. “Tariq,” she moaned again. “Please.”
She faintly heard the sound of a zipper as Tariq stood up. Sliding his hands around her hips, he gave one last kiss on her stomach before he scooped her up into a sitting position and pulled her to the edge of the table. Sliding her legs around his waist, she wrapped her arms around his neck. Kissing her deeply, he impaled himself upon her as he pulled her hard against him. She was so tight, he felt as if his cock was encased in velvet. Finding an easy rhythm, he began to thrust slowly in and out. Soon Sara was matching each thrust with one of her own encouraging him to go deeper. Moaning into his mouth, Tariq groaned as he held her tighter, thrusting harder. Breaking the kiss, he nuzzled her neck as she moaned his name. He was growing to like the way she said it.
As his orgasm grew close, he reached between them to find her clit. It was so hard. Rubbing it with his thumb, he began to push against it as he felt her clench against him. As he pinched her clit, Sara cried out as she arched against him. Two more quick thrusts and he was coming inside her. He held her against him as her orgasm milked him dry. As they separated, Sara regarded him with sleepy eyes. Unsure what to do next.
As Tariq backed up, he pulled up his pants. “You should get home. It’s late.” As he reached for his shirt, he couldn’t resist adding, “And don’t forget what I said about shaving your pubic hair. It isn’t appropriate…” As he turned back around, Sara was already gone. When he looked down at the table, he saw blood. Realizing that Sara was a virgin, he swore under his breath and went to go find her, but she had already left t
he building.
As Sara ran from the room, she hastily put her top and skirt on. When she reached her office, she grabbed her bag and threw the rest of her clothes in there before turning out the light and rushing for the exit. Even after all of that, he found reason to criticise her. He could be such a jerk Sara fumed to herself. Well, she’d show him. She could be as callous as he could and she would simply pretend that he didn’t exist. Except for when they had to work together. Sara, you are an idiot, she scolded herself.
