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In the taxi, Phoebe had also lent her words of wisdom 'Don't say you're a student It sounds too brainy Say you're a secretary or soe Teenies aren't in great demand'

It had been a private party in a Mayfair hotel and twentyPhoebe had met up with the male she had come to ulfed by eager young ne later she had been reaping a vicarious thrill frohts out during her first term at university Her father had kept her so short of money that she had had to work every free hour she could steal from her studies as a waitress to make ends meet

When the tiger lily was delivered, she had been catching her breath at a table 'That can't be for me,' she had said

'For the lady at table twenty-two,' the waiter had insisted

A ne had arrived next Heron?' he had bleated 'Is this some sort of send-up?'

'Soered the opulent little box containing the tiger lily, dis perilously close to e that the flaifts could not possibly be for her

'What the hell do you want now?' her co waiter reappeared a third time He had deposited a business card in front of her with a theatrical flourish

'The gentleman would like you to join him, madam' 'Is he in a wheelchair?'

'No, madam He's seated at table three,' he had replied, deadpan

She had glanced at the nahting the pull of her own fascination It was her companion who had rescued the card and turned a sort of puce shade 'Vito di Cavalieri?'

Ashley had screened a yawn 'I've never heard of him'

'I've never come across anyone who hasn't heard of Vito di Cavalieri' He had looked at her as though he suspected she was a gatecrasher

'I bet he's his own best publicist'

His jaw had thrust out 'He has a very bad reputation omen'

'But what does he look like?' Little quivers of exciteh her veins at the style Vito had employed to introduce himself

'Somebody else can damned well play Cupid!' he had snapped, and stormed off

Curiosity had been eating her alive She had sauntered up the steps fro only to steal a covert glance on her way to the cloakroolance had becoht and strolled forward to greet her, his raking appraisal every bit as intense as her own

'Why didn't you just ask me to dance?' she had mumbled, all of an adolescent quiver

'I don't coolden eyes had enveloped her like hot, liquid honey The high voltage charge of sexual awareness had been so powerful that she had felt dizzy, disorientated and utterly detached froumentative and unromantic self

'And if I hadn't come up here-?'