Page 11 of Forbidden Bastard
His full mouth thinned as he said, “That’s interesting but vague.”
His ex, Sheena, and her husband walked toward them.
Her heart raced. Should she leave Charles alone with his ex? The woman’s husband was coming too. She’d never felt this hollow for someone else as she said, “Fair. But since you asked and it will drive you back into the arms of the women I brought here, I’ll tell you-”
He bowed, interrupting her as he said, “In one minute. Sheena. Matteo.”
She shifted uncomfortably. So much for blabbing the truth where she told him how she just wasn’t wasting her time with playboys because she had her own dreams.
Sheena's pretty face was pinched as she released her husband’s arm. “Charles," she said. "I didn’t know you’d be here. Who's this?”
Not his date. No one. Sandi coughed to clear her throat and spoke first. “My name is Sandi Smith.”
“You’retheSandi Smith,” Sheena’s husband said.
Huh? Her eyes widened as she glanced up at the extra tall man and asked, “How am I a ‘the'?”
Sheena patted her husband’s arm and shook her head. “It’s a pleasure to meet you. If you’re ever in Avce, please call upon me. I’d love to talk to you more.”
Her husband then led her farther into the room full of well-dressed men in tuxes and women in formal dresses, and right toward the prince and princess.
Charles quickly said to their backs, “Good to see you, Sheena. Matteo.”
Sheena was cute and adorable and clearly physically close to her husband.
Sandi wasn’t sure she'd been that close to anyone, ever. Once they were gone, she made sure that her rose necklace was still facing forward and said, “That seemed awkward. Are you two still in love or something?”
Charles’s shoulders drooped and she guessed he was with Sheena. “She loves her husband. And you were going to tell me something that would scare me away from you?”
The love life of European nobility was not something that intrigued her. She straightened and said, “I’m a total failure in business and the worst person you might marry to help establish La Belle Epoque on the US markets.”
He brushed his cheeks with his fingers. “How does that push me toward other women?”
Because she’d not be safe from a playboy. No time for frivolousness, in any form. She picked up a second flute of champagne as the waiter walked past. “I’m way too busy for you and for focused men.”
“That doesn’t add up, but I’m good at puzzles.” He took a flute as well. “So you want to marry a doctor and escape business deals all together?”
Even her parents hadn’t believed she’d help them out of the messes she’d continually created for their business when her grandfather skipped over her father leaving the business to her, she’d been entrusted her with ensuring their survival, and now they just decided to find a husband for her. “I don’t want to marry at all.”
Charles clinked glasses with her. “You surprise me Sandi, but in a good way.”
Being alone with him was a bad idea. She’d never do this again, even if they were in the middle of a crowd. She motioned toward the bar where the other four women, who were all nice and well-dressed, had stayed this whole time to wait their turn to speak with Charles. “So you’ll go talk to the women now?”
“Only if afterward I get to talk to you again.”
Bad idea. Entirely. Sandi stepped forward, and Charles stayed at her side. “You’re confusing to me.” Was his broken heart in the way of his finding his own wife?
Alone with Charles wasn’t going to happen for Sandi. She’d be smarter and stop her physical reactions to his good looks. Electrons and protons and physical likes and dislikes were all preprogrammed. What was real was chemistry and biology and how cells combined. And hers would never combine with Charles’s.
Even if her parents expected her to finally fix the disasters she’d done to their business and marry this sexy man at her side.
Chapter 4
Charles talked to a woman in an emerald green dress that Sandi brought to meet him about her family of twelve--she had a Texas twang and a sense of humor that made it seem like her life was a comedy. He didn't see it. As funny as she was, he wasn't interested though how Sandi had found two Americans on such short notice was commendable and showed that Sandi had listened.
He glanced over his shoulder at Sandi, in her black dress. Long red hair, green eyes, and pale skin that tended to show her emotions. Allthathad been hiding under her bunny costume.
Sandi was the type of woman he'd never wanted but for a different reason.
