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‘I—’ Her throat rose around another s ‘If you’re apologising then I owe you one too That shouldn’t have happened It certainly won’t again I can’t believe I nearly let you kiss me’ She paused, drew a breath ‘I can only put it down to wanting to get as far away from the last two hours as possible’
The toreement not to look at each other’s h the door, keen to get away and put this behind hih’ Like how? ‘Believe it or not, I don’t want to hurt Danielle any more than you do’
Her head dipped ‘So we’ll go back to being thoroughly professional around each other and no one will be any the wiser’
He couldn’t tell if that was relief or disappoint around to find out They had to work together for anothertheir usual aloof, so in his sto to do Because it was a façade On his part anyway He wanted to know Elene—intimately
But that’s the last thing you’re going to do, man
CHAPTER ONE
‘WHAT DO YOU MEAN? Double-booked my room?’ Only the twelve- to a heap on the garish red carpet Landing in a tangle of arive the receptionist reason to be happy she had missed out on a room Missed out? Elene slapped the printout of her confir on the counter ‘Booked and paid for Six weeks ago I a anywhere else’ If only her voice held the conviction required to back that statey ‘I need this room’
‘I understand, signora’ A quick glance at Elene’s ring finger had the receptionist changing tack ‘Signorina, I’m sorry, sometimes mistakes are made The other people who booked and paid for the rooned in We cannot ask them to leave now’
‘Yet you can ask htened around her cherished bundle All she wanted was to get Aimee settled so they both could fall asleep for hours ‘What am I supposed to do?’
Ai overdue She’d woken when they’d disembarked at Naples International Airport, and instantly fell asleep again once in the taxi that brought them down to Sorrento, an expense orth thefroton
The receptionist seeernails as she muttered, ‘There are no hotel roo here looking for accommodation’
Full of good neasn’t she? ‘I have to find soest sohter’ She still tripped over that word ‘She’s tired after a long journey and I need to settle her’
‘Sì, I understand, signorina I will try the hostels, though you irl was already picking up the phone
Hostels? As in backpackers’ accommodation? With a toddler? Oh, that would be absolutely wonderful for everyone Then again, what choice did she have? Sleeping outside the train station wouldn’t be a good look; it’d probably scar Aiative addition to the pros and cons list a certain doctor would no doubt drahen he learned why they were here
A high-pitched shriek reverberated in Elene’s ear Little legs kicked and hands puh
‘Shh’ Elene kissed her forehead ‘Shh, we’re nearly there, sweetheart’ Lying to her girl was not good, but soht positive results Lifting the writhing body above her head, she stared up and found a ssong voice was off-key
Another shriek bounced off the walls Tears dripped down Aimee’s red, scrunched-up face
‘Oh, baby, I know’ It was hard not to join in the crying Digging into the backpack lying at her feet, she found the bottle of milk and tried to placate Ai the noise level to extreirl Elene’s heart swelled for this trusting little soul None of this was her fault
The
receptionist had turned her back on the a bed in a hostel wasn’t sounding pro either
A bitter gust of breath crossed Elene’s botto to have to front up early, unprepared, and on the back foot right from the start Face it—she would never be prepared, didn’t possess the elegance and sophistication required to look Mattia Ricco squarely in the eye as an equal, but she did have right on her side And the backing of a loving, caring family in New Zealand If only they were here Except she had herself to bla turned down every offer from both sisters and hertrip
She tapped the counter ‘Mi scusi—taxi?’
No, be strong
‘Please call me a taxi’ This time her voice wasn’t a whisper
The receptionist turned to point outside the front entrance ‘Dietro l’angolo’
‘Grazie’ If only she had the energy to get around the corner
‘Ma-ed Elene’s shoulder and the bottle went flying, spraying a stream of white droplets over Elene’s crumpled shirt and down to the carpet
‘Yes, baby girl, you’re right I need to get a grip’ She looked across to the receptionist with an apology ‘Excuse ht? Back in New Zealand, it had seeet to Sorrento and settle in, catch up on sleep before tracking down her adversary They hadn’t stopped any longer in the places they’d landed on this endless journey than it took to catch the next flight because, back in the co to the end and holing up until fit and ready for the upcoo
The receptionist came around the desk and picked up the bottle ‘Coo?’