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Hell, Sergio, you don’t s easy for yourself, do you?

Still, he’d already won over her body Now all he had to do in over her heart

Easier said than done

‘So in your bachelor world, Sergio,’ Bella rehtfully as she dressed, ‘does a friend with benefits have to share?’

Sergio wasn’t sure what she was getting at Till the penny dropped

‘I suppose you’re referring to the Countess,’ he said

‘Call me old-fashioned—or unusual, if you prefer—but I wouldn’t like you to go froht’

Sergio liked her being jealous, or possessive Or whatever you would call it It wasn’t the saood start

‘I would never go from Claudia’s bed to yours, sweet Bella,’ he said, and leant over to kiss her lightly on the mouth

When his head lifted he noted a wealth of doubt still in her eyes Sergio supposed he had no one to bla bachelor and was now living with the consequences He iined that Bella wasn’t about to fall for him—let alone marry him—till he showed he was a man of his hom she could trust

‘I have never slept with the Countess,’ he told her ‘She is a friend and neighbour, nothing ht? I can easily ring Claudia and explain I have a guest’

She frowned, then shook her head ‘No, no, please don’t I really don’t want to have to wear that silly wig and be introduced as someone else’

‘Then co better than to entertain a celebrity in her home’

‘But I thought you wanted to keep my identity a secret!’

‘That was before I realise now that I was being paranoid about the paparazzi Besides, Claudia won’t tell anyone if I ask her not to On top of that, what kind of holiday is it if you can’t relax and just be yourself?’

Her frown dissolved into the loveliest of smiles ‘You really are a very nicewicked,’ she added before he could take her compliment to heart

‘I’hed