Chapter Four

Gabby spent her night thinking of Tan. There were things she wanted to forget about, but the moment she saw Tan, everything came flooding back. Every memory from when her face lit up whenever she saw him, her skin against his skin...it was all coming back.

Tan was past tense and he had to remain that way to keep her sane. Getting involved with him would be Trouble. She didn't feel like she would have to see him again.

"Even doing business with his family company does not mean she would see him, they would use a representative" she thought to herself.

"Thanks, Larry" Gabby said to her driver as he alighted from the gleaming black Audi car.

Shivering a little, she shut the door before he could. "I should be finished by six tonight but if I'm leaving earlier I'll call you "

"Yes ma’am," Larry drawled, touching the brim of the black cap he was wearing.

Gabby shook her head chuckling because today was going to be a good day. As the day before hadn't been.

"Good morning, Ms Lot" Andrew greeted her

"Good morning, Andrew" Gabby paused in front of Andrew. "How's your health? I hope you are doing alright"

The young man beamed, his joy evident in his wide smile.

"I am doing fine, thank you for asking Ms Lot"

"Good. Congratulations" Gabby nodded. Then continued towards the elevators with Andrew. "You have a meeting in the conference room, with the representative from Lee Fashion". Gabby nodded in affirmation to what Andrew said.

She jabbed the call button on the elevator little harder than necessary, willing to hurry up, in an effort not to keep the representatives waiting.

As she walked to the conference room, she had voices echoing from the room.

"...been a long time, Laila".

Gabby froze as the husky voice reached her from the door of the room. The door to the room opened and eventually closed without her moving towards it.

She knew that voice damn well. She heard it yesterday when she went for lunch. It wasn't possible. She was probably having an aural hallucination...

Slowly she pivoted her gaze towards the man sitting  on one of the conference chairs. He crossed his muscular arms and relaxed into the chair. Even seated he still appeared intimidating from the hair to the wardrobe, everything about Tan spoke money and power.

Trying to pretend she didn't see him, she traced her steps to her chair. Before she reached her destination he turned, a smile curving his lips. Then he lifted his gaze and met hers. And his smile disappeared.

She felt a certain type of vibration all over her body, the echo of it growing louder until only white noise filled her ears.

Tan In her office could this day get any worse. "Tan Lee, twice in a week, to what do I owe this pleasure"

Tan clenched his teeth, locking the sarcastic words down.

"I didn't know, you worked at GALA, but I figured since Laila worked here she might have employed you. I mean what are friends for" he said reclaiming his composure.

"That's the Tan I know, the condescending man, well if you must know I am the Co CEO of GALA. If you'd done your research you would have known" Gabby fired back.

"Enough with the back and forth, we are here for business and not a reunion, so let's do that" Laila interrupted their little get together, noticing the tensed situation in the room.

"I am sorry if my words hurt you, I would understand if you don't want to continue the business with us" Tan said realizing his words might have hurt Gabby.

"That's our personal life and this is work" Gabby replied. Laila satisfied with their agreement decided to continue with their discussion before Gabby came in.

The meeting ended and Laila left, leaving Gabby alone with Tan.

Yes, she had seen Tan yesterday, but those hours hadn't inoculated against the force of his presence. Anyone would guess four years was enough to forget about him, but that was only wishful thinking.

Silently, she stood up to leave and his gaze didn't shift from her face. Which was only fair she thought , since she couldn't stop staring at him too.

Someone who led the dissolute lifestyle of a player should wear the cologne of it on his skin. Like a stalker she had always googled about him and every time he was seen with different women.

But no. He smelt exotic as ever. The wide carnal curves of his mouth still promised sex and sin. Those gaze of his were incisive as she could recall.

She couldn't forget him.

Couldn't forgive him.

"If you would excuse me, I have other things to do" Gabby said angrily. "You are standing in my way, time is of the essence." She emphasized her point by looking at the slender watch on her wrist.

"I know we've had a bumpy past but let's not allow our past relationship to interfere with our business relationship"

Damn "bumpy past" such a dumb description of the heart wrenching past she shared with him. Even standing there with him, frustrated her, she couldn't deny the third emotion swirling in her body. Lust. For his broad chest which she hugged. For the love making that had clutched her like a lovers embrace.

“Please let's try to be friends, if not friends at least business partners”.

"Easy for you to say, you weren't the one left with a broken heart" Gabby snapped.

"You think I wasn't hurt when we broke up" Tan snapped back. The business man inside him snarled at the same time.

"I could care less, if you were hurt Tan, I wasn't the one that called off the engagement so stop throwing a pity party, but since this is a business and I promised myself I would not let my personal life get in the way of my work life I would agree to the terms about being business partners." Her words flowed endlessly penetrating into his heart like a dagger.

Gabby didn't want to be friends with Tan, not because she hated Tan. No. She hated the way she was, whenever they were in each other's presence.

"I am fine with that" Tan said trying to convince himself that was the only thing he wanted from Gabrielle.