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CHAPTER FOURTEEN

LAUREL SHIFTED WHERE she stood, trying to ease the ache in her feet Stilettos were not for the faint of heart, and she’d worn the For the last week she and Cristiano had been touring his hotels across Europe—first Paris, then London, Milan and now Barcelona He’d been checking on hisplaces in Europe she’d never thought she’d have the opportunity to see

Ever since their surprisingly honest conversation after the charity gala, things had shifted between them They weren’t in love, and Laurel knew better than to start painting rainbows in the sky or building fairy-tale castles She didn’t even want to, because she knew drea with Cristiano was foolish to the extreether, and he had as well

They’d chatted, laughed, teased and talked And , an expression…but of what? That was a question Laurel didn’t let herself ask, much less answer

They ht have made some much-needed strides in their love affair, but Cristiano was still a uarded his back and his heart Trust didn’t come easily, and love didn’t co in with her eyes wide open; she had no intention of falling in love with Cristiano Ferrero The trouble was, he was starting to make that rather difficult

‘Just another few minutes,’ he murmured as he ca—yet another social occasion that doubled as networking for Cristiano ‘You look like your feet are killing you’

‘They are,’ Laurel adh heels this much For work, it’s usually sensible lace-ups’

‘I’ll give you a foot-rub later,’ Cristiano promised, and her stomach swirled with pleasure and pure, si her far too many reasons to fall in love with him

They made their farewells a few ht, the scent of orange blosso air

A li for them, as it alas, and Laurel slid into the suh A week of this and she’d become accustomed to luxury

Cristiano settled in next to her and reached for her leg, lifting her foot onto his lap He slipped off her stiletto with a wince

‘You could kill sos’