The Spanish Aristocrat's Woman Read Online Free PDF

sister.”
    Kara flinched and knew that Gui felt it, because he glanced down at her. She smiled, but it was forced. She hated comments like that one. Comments that inevitably made her compare herself to Rina and come up lacking.
    How could she do anything but?
    “I’m out here because of another beautiful woman. Sheri is looking for us—it is time for you and me to toast our best friend and his bride. So we are all needed inside.”
    “Of course. I better go find my friends. I’ll talk to you later, Gui.”
    “I’ll escort you,” he said, refusing to let her leave his side.
    As soon as they were alone she was going to talk to him about that. She had the impression that he liked to always be in control of everyone around him.
    “Why thank you, I’m not sure I could walk all the way back to the reception on my own,” she muttered under her breath.
    Christos chuckled and shook his head as he walked away. He called back to Gui. “I’ll meet you at the bridal party table.”
    Gui cupped her elbow and started walking back to the ballroom where the reception was being held. “Gentlemanly behavior shouldn’t elicit sarcasm.”
    “Bossy behavior is a different story.”
    “I’m hardly bossy.”
    “You’re hardly ever not bossy. Ever since we met you’ve been telling me what to do and what to think.”
    “Never what to think, Kara. You are too smart to let a man do that.”
    She smiled up at him. “Yes, I am.”
    He shook his head. “You’re very stubborn.”
    “So are you. And you’re arrogant to boot. Don’t think I haven’t noticed.”
    His finger rubbed against her inner arm where he held her. “I’d be disappointed if you didn’t notice.”
    “Maybe that’s why you had to resort to what you did to get a woman to be your—” She stopped talking and glanced around to make sure that there was no one close by. Just to be safe she stood on tiptoe, bracing her hands against his broad shoulders and spoke it in his ear.
    “—fiancée.”
    He wrapped his arm around her waist and pulled her off balance so that she was supported by his body.
    “I didn’t resort to anything devious to get you.”
    Before she could think of a response, he kissed her, and even though she knew she should stop letting him end conversations by embracing her, she couldn’t. No man kissed the way Gui did. Or at least no man had kissed her the way he did. And he made her feel the opposite of what Christos had earlier. He made her feel like she truly was a beautiful woman.

    As soon as Kara reentered the ballroom, Courtney grabbed her hand. And she’d never been so glad to see her friend as she was in that moment.
    “Pardon me, Count de Cuaron, but I need a word with Kara.”
    Gui gave Kara a kiss and then let his hand drop away. But she wasn’t sure he was going to walk away until he said, “I will see you shortly.”
    He bowed to Courtney before turning on his heel and striding away from them, disappearing into the well-shod crowd celebrating Tristan and Sheri’s wedding.
    As soon as he was out of earshot Courtney said, “What is that all about? I didn’t think you even knew him.”
    “Of course I know him. I said I did,” Kara said, regretting it more than ever.
    “Yes, but you also said that you knew David Beckham.”
    “Well, Rina does know him, and I met him once.”
    “You’re not Rina.”
    “No, I’m not,” she said, aware that she was letting the conversation go into that crazy land where she’d not have to talk about Gui.
    Her lips still tingled and she didn’t want to dwell too much on the fact that, when he’d held her the last time, she hadn’t wanted him to let go.
    “So what’s up with you and the Count? Emily heard someone talking in the bathroom about an engagement.”
    “Oh my God.” She was going to be utterly humiliated if everyone was talking. There wasn’t going to be a graceful way for her to back out of the “engagement.” And no matter what the truth was, if the engagement