Lucy Gordon: Reunited with Her Italian Ex

‘Oh, yes,’ Natasha mused. ‘True if we want it to be—until one day we have to face the fact that it isn’t true, however much we want it.’

‘But that’s show business,’ Giorgio said. ‘Creating a fantasy that makes people happy.’

‘And what more could we want than that?’ Mario asked.

He raised his glass and drank from it, seemingly oblivious to her. But the next moment he said, ‘Tell us something about yourself, signorina .’

She turned her head, meeting his eyes directly. ‘What did you say?’

‘I said I’d like to know about you. I’m sure there is much you could tell us. What are your family obligations? Are you free to live in Verona for several weeks, or is there someone at home who will be missing you?’

‘I suppose there must be,’ Giorgio said. He assumed a chivalrous air. ‘This is a lovely lady. She must have crowds of men following her.’

‘That doesn’t mean that I let them catch up,’ Natasha teased.

‘Some women are very good at keeping out of sight,’ Mario said.

‘Of course,’ Giorgio agreed. ‘That’s the secret. Let them chase after you, but don’t let any of them get close enough to know what you’re thinking and feeling.’ He kissed her hand gallantly. ‘ Signorina , I can see you’re an expert in keeping your admirers wondering.’

‘But just what are they wondering?’ Mario asked. ‘Will any of them arrive here to assert his “rights”?’

‘What rights?’ Giorgio demanded. ‘She’s not married.’

‘That’s irrelevant,’ Mario observed. ‘You have only to study Romeo and Juliet to see that men and women make that decision within a few moments of meeting. And nobody dares get in their way.’

‘When people fear betrayal they can get violent,’ Giorgio agreed.

Natasha nodded. ‘And if they know for sure that they’ve been betrayed, there’s no knowing how far they’ll go to make someone sorry,’ she mused, letting her glance rest on Mario.

She was glad to see that he understood the silent message. Before her eyes he flinched and averted his gaze. When he spoke again it was in a voice so defiantly businesslike that it told its own story.

‘So we can expect a jealous lover to follow you out here?’ he said curtly.

She faced him, reading the chilly hostility in his eyes, answering it with her own.

‘On the contrary. You can be certain that nothing will make me leave before my work is finished,’ she said calmly. ‘Unlike some people, I’m honest about my intentions. I don’t make promises and break them.’

‘That’s not exactly what I asked.’

No , she thought. You asked whether I’d had the nerve to replace you with another man.

She gave him her most confident smile, as though his questions merely amused her.

‘Let me assure you that I am free,’ she said. ‘No man tells me what to do, and if anyone tried—’ she leaned closer to him ‘—I would make him regret that he ever knew me.’ She added significantly, ‘I’m good at that.’

‘I believe you,’ he said.

Giorgio glanced at them curiously. ‘Hey, do you two already know each other?’

‘No,’ Natasha said quickly, before Mario could speak.

‘Really? I feel like I’m watching a fencing match.’

‘It’s more fun that way,’ she said lightly. ‘Go on telling me about Verona. Unless, of course, Signor Ferrone has decided he doesn’t wish to employ me. In which case I’ll just pack up and go. Shall I?’

She made as if to rise but Mario’s hand detained her.

‘No need for that,’ he said harshly. ‘Let’s get on with the job.’

‘Yes, that’s the only thing that matters,’ she said, falling back into the chair.

For a moment he kept his hand on her arm. ‘So we are agreed? You will stay?’

‘I will stay.’

CHAPTER TWO Contents Cover Introduction Natasha found herself facing Mario. ‘You’ve danced with everyone else,’ he observed. ‘Will it ever be my turn?’ ‘Not until you ask me.’ ‘No,’ he said. ‘I’m not going to ask you.’ But as he spoke his arm went around her waist in a grip too firm for her to resist, even if she had wanted to. Once before they had danced together. One night in Venice, when they had been having supper at an outdoor café in St Mark’s Square, a band had started to play and before she’d known it she’d been waltzing in his arms. ‘Is this all right?’ he’d whispered. ‘I’ll let you know later,’ she had teased. It had lasted only a few minutes, and she had promised herself that one day she would dance with him again. But the next day they had broken up and it had never happened again. Until now. It was unnerving to feel his arms about her, his hand on her waist, holding her close. Her heart was beating softly but fervently. She glanced at him, trying to know if he felt the same. Would he invite her to dance with him again? Title Page Reunited with Her Italian Ex Lucy Gordon www.millsandboon.co.uk About the Author LUCY GORDON cut her writing teeth on magazine journalism, interviewing many of the world’s most interesting men. She’s had many unusual experiences, which have often provided the background for her books. Once, while staying in Venice, she met a Venetian who proposed in two days and they’ve been married ever since. Naturally this has affected her writing, in which romantic Italian men tend to feature strongly. Two of her books have won a Romance Writers of America RITA ® Award. You can visit her website at lucy-gordon.com . PROLOGUE CHAPTER ONE CHAPTER TWO CHAPTER THREE CHAPTER FOUR CHAPTER FIVE CHAPTER SIX CHAPTER SEVEN CHAPTER EIGHT CHAPTER NINE CHAPTER TEN CHAPTER ELEVEN CHAPTER TWELVE Extract Copyright

MARIO RELEASED HER. ‘As long as we understand each other.’

Natasha drew a tense breath as the bitter irony of those words swept over her. They had never understood each other. Nor could they ever, except on the lines of mutual defensiveness and mistrust.

She turned to Giorgio, assuming her most businesslike tone.

‘So it’s time I consulted with the Publicity Manager. Tell me, what are my instructions?’

‘We must go on a trip around Verona,’ he said, ‘studying all the significant places. Especially the balcony. These days you can even get married in Juliet’s house. And afterwards the bride and groom always come out onto the balcony for the photographs.’

‘Useful,’ she said, taking out her notebook and beginning to write. ‘The balcony scene is the most famous part of the story.’

‘Yes, people love to imagine Juliet standing there, yearning for her lover, saying, “Romeo, Romeo, where art thou Romeo?”’

‘She doesn’t say “where”,’ Natasha objected. ‘She says “Wherefore”. It means “Why?” She’s saying “Why did you have to be Romeo, a Montague, and my enemy?” In Shakespeare’s time, if you wanted to know why someone had behaved in a certain way, you’d say—’ she assumed a dramatic attitude ‘“—Wherefore did thou do this, varlet?”’

‘Varlet?’ Giorgio queried.

‘It means rascal. You’d say it to someone who’d behaved disgustingly.’

Giorgio gave a crack of laughter. ‘I must remember that. Rascal— briccone .’

‘Or traditore ,’ Natasha observed lightly.

‘Aha! So you know some Italian words?’ Giorgio said eagerly.

‘One or two,’ she said with a fair assumption of indifference.

‘I’d give a lot to know how you learned that particular one,’ he said cheekily.

‘You’ll just have to wonder,’ she chuckled.

Mario wasn’t looking at her. He seemed completely occupied with his wine.

A man appeared in the doorway, signalling to Giorgio.