The Ties That Bind by Jayne Ann Krentz Page B

filled with both curiosity and resentment. Underneath both of those emotions was a vague fear she didn't want to put into words. Shannon sat thinking about her options for a long time before she began to gather her courage and make her plans.
    She knew intuitively that if her relationship with Garth was ever to get beyond the weekend-affair stage, she was going to have to see and understand the business side of his life. He had to be convinced to share it with her. She could not let him isolate her from it forever.
    Somehow she had to gently force him to share his world with her, Shannon made her decision. She would find a way to attend that party in San Jose with Garth, even if it meant taking him by surprise.

-5-
    THE PARKING LOT of the Sherilectronics building was absorbing the summer heat and sending it back into the atmosphere in muggy waves. Shannon had spent the last hundred miles of the drive from the Mendocino coast wishing she'd had air-conditioning in the Fiat. She was nervous enough about the coming confrontation; she hadn't needed the added perspiration problems caused by the heat.
    The lot was nearly empty, but in addition to Garth's Porsche parked near the main entrance, there was a handful of other cars. Shannon grabbed her tote bag and climbed out of the Fiat feeling damp and rumpled. The long, peach-colored cotton skirt and matching loose-fitting blouse were both badly wrinkled. When she had pulled them out of the back of her closet this morning, she had thought they looked just right for a warm summer's day, very breezy and carefree. Disgustedly she paused to try smoothing the fabric a bit before heading toward the glass wall of doors. Then she bent to check her hair in the side mirror. At least it didn't look as if it had just come out of a steam room.
    Straightening, Shannon examined the angled-glass-and-steel structure in front of her. The name Sherilectronics on the front was done in a hard-edged script that was reminiscent of a computer printout. The building was three stories high and seemed to be entirely occupied by Garth's company. There were other structures nearby, done in the same cold, modem industrial style and they all had signs declaring that they, too, were part of the computer revolution. Together they formed what was called an industrial park. Shannon couldn't see anything parklike about the acres of high-tech industry that surrounded her, unless she counted the few trees planted along the sidewalks.
    Her first impression of Garth's world confirmed her worst fears. It looked very alien.
    When she discovered a uniformed guard at the entrance of Sherilectronics , Shannon knew she was definitely in another world. He was very polite but very firm. The name Bailey Security Services was embroidered over his left pocket.
    "Can I help you, ma'am?"
    "I'm here to see Mr. Sheridan," Shannon admitted self-consciously.
    "Is he expecting you?"
    "Well, no, but I don't think he'll mind." Much.
    "I'll call up to the office for you," the guard said pleasantly. "This is Saturday, so the receptionist isn't on duty. Have a seat." He gestured toward a lobby chair.
    This wasn't quite the way Shannon had planned it. "Couldn't I just go on up and surprise him?"
    The guard looked at her with a wry expression and shook his head. "Afraid not. Mr. Sheridan doesn't like surprises. That's why he hires people from my firm to stand here at the front door. May I have your name?"
    "Shannon Raine ." She hitched her tote bag onto her shoulder and decided to wait standing up. Sitting down would just add a few more wrinkles to the cotton skirt. Tensely she listened while the guard contacted Garth's office.
    "Bonnie, there's a Miss Raine here to see Mr. Sheridan. Shall I send her up?" There was a pause while the guard politely scrutinized his guest. "Okay, fine." He hung up the phone. "Third elevator, top floor. Sheridan's secretary said you're to go straight up."
    Shannon nodded and started for the elevator. Even now the