Liz Fielding - Mistletoe Brides

Stefano watched her eat the first mouthful and felt an explosion of heat through his loins. ‘You must have Italian genes.’

‘No, I have a son who loves spaghetti. It’s Max’s second favourite gourmet treat.’

‘His first being?’

‘Pizza. He’d eat it every night if I let him. We make it together, from scratch. There’s nothing quite like kneading dough to let off steam after a hard day.’ Gradually she relaxed with him and he kept the conversation flowing, deriving immense satisfaction from the fact that she seemed to have lost her earlier awkwardness.

Soon she was telling him all the details of her life. They talked about work, about living in London and she mentioned Max a lot, recounting several anecdotes that made him laugh.

‘It must be pretty tiring, working a full day and then going home and being a mum.’ The amount she did in a day stunned him. ‘I don’t suppose you have much time to yourself.’

‘I don’t really want that,’ she said simply. ‘I love being with him. He’s fun. We have a nice time together. And once he’s asleep I have time to myself.’

And then she read books on coaching football.

‘So you basically work all day and spend time with your seven-year-old.’ Was that why Anna had been offering to buy her hot sex for Christmas? Stefano reached for some more bread. ‘Do you ever go out?’

‘Oh yes, we often go to one of the museums at the weekend and sometimes we’ll go to the cinema for a treat. He loves it and so do I.’

That wasn’t what he’d meant, but he didn’t push her.

Clearly her life was her work and her child and Stefano finished his spaghetti and lounged in his chair, listening as she talked about her hectic life and her hopes for Max. He was intrigued by how happy she seemed. ‘So is Max looking forward to Christmas?’

‘Yes. Not that we do much. Turkey, presents, trip to the park…’ She shrugged and added, ‘Last year we went on a trip to the seaside and played on the beach. Freezing but fun. I try and do a special trip, to make up for the fact it’s just the two of us.’

‘You don’t have family?’

‘No.’ She concentrated on her plate. ‘I only have one aunt and she lives in Scotland so I never get to see her. What about you? Will you be spending Christmas with your family?’

‘Yes. I have an interfering younger sister, an even more interfering father and at least eight first cousins.’

‘Lucky you.’ Her tone was wistful. ‘I imagine there’s nothing better than a noisy, chaotic Christmas when everyone is driving everyone else mad.’

‘You think that’s lucky?’

Liv reached for her water. ‘I suppose that the fact they interfere at least means they care. And it’s lovely to have someone who cares. The world can be a lonely, scary place.’

Did she find it scary? Was she lonely?

Sensing that to delve deeper into that comment might send her back into her shell, Stefano shifted the conversation. ‘My sister has twin boys the same age as Max.’

‘Really?’ Her face brightened. ‘That must be a handful. I can’t imagine two.’

‘She has a nanny. My sister works in the family business.’

Liv studied him across the table, her green eyes reflecting the flickering candlelight. ‘And you disapprove of that?’

‘The children need her. And she doesn’t need to work.’

‘I presume you mean financially. But maybe she needs to work for other reasons.’

‘Let me ask you a question.’ He wondered how he could ever have thought she wasn’t beautiful. Her face had a pure, innocent quality but her mouth had been designed for seduction. ‘If you had all the money you needed, would you still work?’

‘I have no idea. I’ve never thought about it and I wouldn’t allow myself to because it isn’t an option for me. Happiness is being realistic, Stefano.’

Noticing that she was trying not to yawn, he caught the eye of the waiter. ‘Time to get you home.’

‘Sorry. It was a bit of an early start this morning.’ Her attention was on a different part of the restaurant and when he followed her gaze he saw that a table of women were all watching him and laughing. They were obviously enjoying a girls’ night out and one of them lifted her glass and sent a flirtatious look in his direction.

Stefano didn’t react, but Liv’s friendly, open chatter suddenly ceased and she returned to looking awkward and uncomfortable, her eyes on the view instead of him.

Why was she so self-conscious?

She’d retreated back into her shell and he knew that her reaction had something to do with the noisy group of women who were partying at the nearby table.

He was unable to retrieve the situation because the waiter arrived with the bill and stood hovering while Stefano produced his credit card.

‘Tell me how much my half is,’ Liv said huskily. ‘I’ll pay you back tomorrow. I’m so sorry I don’t have enough money with me now.’

Amused, he glanced at her. ‘When I buy a woman dinner, I don’t expect her to pay.’

‘Maybe not, but that’s when you’re on a date and this wasn’t a date. This was just two colleagues sharing food. I’ll pay you back tomorrow.’

The money was obviously an enormous issue for her and he wondered how, if she was really so short of cash, she was ever going to get her car fixed. ‘I don’t want you to pay me back. I was hungry and there’s nothing more grim than eating alone. You did me a favour.’

‘Hardly. I talked far too much about really boring subjects.’ Clearly in a hurry to leave, she rose to her feet and didn’t speak again until they reached the car. ‘Thank you, Stefano.’

‘Give me directions to your flat.’ He steered the conversation away from money. ‘Have you worked in the emergency department for long?’

‘The last few years. Before that I was on Paediatrics and sometimes when they’re short staffed I still go and help there. What about you? Where did you work last?’

‘In a trauma unit up in Scotland and before that Milan.’

‘Milan.’ She repeated the word with the same emphasis he’d used. ‘That sounds exotic.’

Stefano laughed. ‘If you think that, you have clearly never been to Milan.’

‘I’ve never been anywhere. Take a left at the lights. And then it’s straight on all the way to my flat. Just keep going. So what’s Milan like?’

‘It’s a wonderful city, but I wouldn’t describe it as exotic.’

‘Why did you choose to come to frozen England?’

‘I needed a change.’ And this was certainly a change, he thought grimly, scanning the streets. As she directed him, the area he was driving through grew more and more rundown. There was litter on the streets, graffiti on the walls and gangs of teenagers wearing hoodies lurked on street corners.

‘You were escaping from your interfering family?’

‘Something like that.’ His family and a clingy ex-girlfriend.

A police car raced past them, light flashing, horn blaring, and Stefano felt the tension in his shoulders mount. He wouldn’t want any of his family living in a place like this.

‘We’re here,’ she said a few minutes later. ‘If you pull in just past that lamppost, that’s my flat. Thanks very much.’ As the car drew to a halt, she reached for her bag. ‘I really am grateful. The meal was delicious and you’ve been very kind. See you tomorrow.’

One glance at the area told him that she shouldn’t be coming back here late at night on her own. ‘Wait.’ His hand on her arm prevented her leaving the car. ‘I’ll see you to your door.’

‘There’s really no need. I know it looks grim but I’m used to it.’ Not looking at him, Liv produced her keys. ‘I’ll be fine.’