Page 46 of Her Forbidden Bargain

Chapter Twelve

Sheri left early and arrived at the office before Tristan. He called from the limo and asked her to join him going to the airport to pick up his family. She made an excuse about being too busy, and he let it go.

She knew she would have to see him again tomorrow night at their engagement gala, but until then she was hiding out. She had never had a broken heart before. She wished she could fall out of love with Tristan, but it simply wasn’t that easy.

He’d been the embodiment of every romantic fantasy she’d ever had. The lover she’d always wanted. He’d made her feel as if she was the sexiest woman alive, and the pleasure he’d evoked in her body was beyond even her wildest fantasies. And the way he’d taken care of her…The way she’d felt when she was with him…

Working and living with Tristan had made her believe she’d found the other half of her soul. That she’d brought things to his life that had been lacking, and he’d done the same for her.

She put her head on her desk and realized that she wasn’t going to be able to stay on here at the Sabina Group. There was no way she could sit in this office every day and pretend that she wasn’t still in love with Tristan.

It was well after six and she was still working. She was scheduled to meet Tristan and his family and friends at Del Posto for dinner at eight-thirty. After calling Tristan a coward, she couldn’t stand him up.

Her phone rang.

“Sabina Group, this is Sheri.”

“Sheri, this is Palmer at the security desk. There is a Count Guillermo de Cuaron y Bautista de la Cruz here to see you.”

“To see me?”

“Yes.”

Why was Gui here? “Please send him up.”

“I will.”

She hung up the phone and pulled her mirror out of the bottom drawer of her desk, thinking she should fix her makeup, then realized she hadn’t put any on this morning. She’d reverted to the old Sheri. She needed the comfort of her big comfy clothes and her plain appearance. There was a lot to be said for not being noticed.

“Ms. Donnelly, I’d like a word with you.” Gui strode into her office like he owned it. But he stopped in his path and put his hands on his hips, cursing succinctly under his breath. She caught about every other word, since his Spanish accent was fairly heavy. “What the hell is going on with you and Tristan?”

“I think you should ask him that question. I’m taking care of some last-minute things here at the office. I think we’re all meeting at the restaurant for dinner.”

He shook his head. “I already talked to him, at the airport. And I came over here to find out what has happened between the two of you.”

“Ask him again.”

“I thought the problem was you.”

She glanced up at Gui and realized there was a bit of truth in what he’d said. “The problem is me.”

Gui shook his head. “How is it you?”

“I want things from him that he can’t give me.”

“Love?”

“How’d you know?”

“Because I know Tristan, and that’s the one thing he thinks he cannot offer you.”

There was something about Gui that made her want to pour out her soul. Something so understanding in those hazel eyes of his. “I think it might be me. I’m not the kind of woman who inspires that in any man.”

“Don’t say that, Sheri. Tristan wasn’t always the man you see before you today.”

“He wasn’t?”

“He was badly hurt when Cecile died. He used to be the most gregarious of all of us. So filled with a big joy for loving. And then when Cecile was diagnosed with cancer…he thought they’d beat it at first. He put his entire life on hold to stay by her side.”