The Wedding Dress Read Online Free PDF

twisted yet again at the clear disappointment—and hurt—on Anne’s face as she stood. He wished he could confess that he’d been drawn to her from the moment he first saw her. And that he wanted her more than he’d ever wanted any other woman.
    Only, actually saying either one of those things would be completely unprofessional.
    And totally against the rules.
    Helping her navigate the legal case as cleanly as possible was all he could do.
    “Gareth, did I do something wrong?”
    “No, of course you didn’t,” he said softly. “Please promise me that I’ll see you at the mediation tomorrow.”
    Anne stared at him for a long moment before finally nodding. “All right. Are you sure you won’t stay, though? For tea, or…?”
    It would have been so easy to say yes. So easy, and, with Anne, so perfect. But he couldn’t break the rules like that.
    Not even for her.
    “I have to get back to the office.”
    It was hard, keeping things flat and professional, heading for her front door like nothing was wrong. He managed to walk all the way out to his car without looking back, but he risked a glance in the rearview mirror, and saw Anne wave good-bye. Like it had been a friendly visit from some old acquaintance.
    Of course, they’d almost become a lot more than that.
    He couldn’t stop thinking of what it might have been like to close that distance between them and taste the sweet softness of her lips rather than pulling away.
    “Stop it,” he told himself aloud. “It’s not going to happen. It can’t happen.”
    Gareth put his Jaguar in gear and got out of there, because every moment he spent looking at her was another one he had to fight not to go back into the house and finish what they’d nearly started on the sofa.
     
    * * *
     
    “Did you do it?” Margaret asked when he walked back into his office.
    Gareth nodded, even as his gut twisted at the memory of Anne’s tears.
    “I’m proud of you,” she said, and then, “There’s a visitor waiting in your office, but I need to talk to you about that first, because—”
    Gareth wasn’t in the mood to wait. Dealing with a new client was exactly what he needed, the only way he’d manage to get thoughts of Anne out of his head.
    He pushed his office door open and stepped inside. “I’m sorry to have kept you waiting, Ms.…Kyra, what are you doing here?”
    Brian’s girlfriend stood up and smiled at him. “Gareth, it’s good to see you again.” Her voice was soft and warm, despite all that had happened six months ago. “Brian said you wouldn’t want to see me, and that you would be angry with me.”
    “It’s not you I’m angry with.”
    “Your secretary was very protective. She didn’t want to let me wait for you.” Kyra shook her head. “All this anger. Can’t we get past it? You and Brian used to be inseparable.”
    “That was before he broke the rules,” Gareth said.
    “Yes,” she admitted, “he broke a few rules. But he loves me and my son, and he only wants what’s best for us. In my experience, as long as no one gets hurt, doesn’t love matter the most?”
    “Rules matter,” Gareth insisted. “If they don’t, there’s chaos, and everything breaks down.”
    Brian’s girlfriend stepped back from him. “I’m not here to argue with you. I’m here to give you an invitation.”
    Gareth was instantly wary. “What kind of invitation?”
    “Brian and I are getting married. We’re having an engagement party later this week, and we want you to be there. Brian hasn’t said it, but I know it’s what he wants. And that he’s hoping the two of you will be able to put the past behind you. Please say you’ll at least think about it.”
    She put the invitation on his desk and walked out of his office. Gareth stared at the thick cream paper, wondering how Kyra could possibly think that he’d want to go to their engagement party or that he’d be okay with spending time with Brian again when his friend couldn’t be trusted to tell