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The next hour· was a blur of names and faces Vito infuriated her The reserve she had endured all as blatantly cast aside He was showing her off like a trophy Mine, that firm hand on her shoulder said Look but don't touch, said his eyes Self-satisfaction emanated from him in waves Only one of his three sisters was present Giulia, proudly pregnant in a beautiful designer gown, greeted her like an old friend

'I'm so happy for you and Vito,' she said warht I wouldn't have '

'When did you get o' Giulia patted her stomach complacently 'And this will be our third child'

'Your third?' Ashley was quite stunned by the announcement

Giulia laughed 'I had twins the first ti up to do'

Ashleyhow easy it was for some women to reproduce and how horrendously difficult for others Bursting with health and vitality, Giulia actually ht painfully

'Giulia's crazy about kids,' Vito delivered with a gri his hard bone structure

Soo to hell!' she flared in a ferocious hiss, and walked off, fiercely keeping her anguish to herself She was daain He deserved to be left in ignorance but she did not deserve the snide remarks

'Ashley!' Apast closed a hand over her arm and looked at her with surp

rise and pleasure 'What on earth are you doing here?'

She blinked benised Josh's farinned 'I could ask you the same question'

'Oh, I've been on the guest list ever since I delivered Giulia's twins' His bright blue eyes twinkled 'She ca trip and went into labour in Harrods, of all places Instead of giving birth in the very exclusive clinic in Rome which she had selected, she ended up in a National Health hospital So what's your excuse? Care to share it while we dance?'

She allowed Josh to fold her into his arms Vito was so tall that she could see him across the crush Even at a distance she could feel the dark force of his appraisal Dear heaven, here she was actually fraternising at close quarters with a member of the forbidden species… a man! She wondered whether she would be shot at dawn and whether she would be allowed a last request

'I was a late arrival Have you seen her yet?' 'Seen who?' she asked

'Vito di Cavalieri's wife-to-be' 'You're dancing with her,' she sighed

'You're kidding me!' Josh held her back from him

Slowly he shook his head and hisHow the blazes did you meet him?'

'A long tio' She saw his pain and impulsively leant up and pressed a kiss to the corner of his tight raine that won't go away,' she whispered, belatedly realising that she had drunk just a little too ne since her arrival 'Why can we never love the people ant to love, Josh? Why do ays have to love the wrong ones?'

'Nature made it that way to keep us all on our toes' Josh skimmed a ard strand of Titian hair from one perfect cheekbone and withdrew his hand not quite steadily 'You're so beautiful, I can't think straight around you-'

'Then per for you, Mr Hennessy'' At the sound of Vito's smooth dark drawl, Ashley's head whipped round so sharply that it hurt 'Put your hands on her just one more time and I'll break every bone in your body!'