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‘So they’ve got you wrapped around their tiny fingers’ She grinned ‘I like that’

‘It’s a special occasion’ Mattia grinned back

How to get Mattia wrapped around her finger? He was slowly—okay, not so slowly—getting under her skin, and it would be hard to fly away at the end of her stay Did she have to go? As in not return? That seemed less likely by the day Mattia had soSorrento, while she could work anywhere But what about her family? That was a question for another time

When Elene glanced across the table, Sofia was s at her and Mattia with satisfaction No, Sofia, we are not lovers, and chances are remote Her stomach dived Unfortunately Just because he could kiss like the devil didn’t h, and there was more to a relationship than hot kisses that led to even hotter moveetting the bedroo up her cheeks Sitting at a table, surrounded by Mattia’s fa about sex with him

A slug of wine did nothing to cal way and she had to suffer the indignity of having Mattia gently slapping her back for the second ti, warm—make that hot—hand Oh, boy She was in trouble And it see her and Mattia was any indication

She took the glass of water he passed her and tried not to gulp it down

Mattia came to her rescue ‘Eat, everybody’

Grateful for the laden dishes passing up and down the table, Elene spooned stea food onto her plate, then when everyone was ready to eat hid behind enjoying the meal With each mouthful she enjoyed it more and ave up protesting and accepted every ratefully

Mattia’s father leaned forward to get her attention ‘You speak Italian like a native Were you born here?’

Here we go Question nu Sofia’s atte it out there so no one could say she’d tried to hide her true feelings of home ‘My mother was born in Panzano, outside of Florence, and her family moved to New Zealand when she o She cahteen, but returned home within a few months She’s never been back’ My dad adopted me when he ht up to speak both languages, and cook Italian and Kiwi food, and to spendand everything’

‘So your father’s a New Zealander?’

Her real father, not her biological one ‘Dad’s great-great-grandfather came out to New Zealand from Britain, which is a colish, Welsh—we’re all

‘I’d like to be fluent in e,’ Sofia said around a mouthful of tortellini ‘Maybe I should take lessons in Japanese’

Everyone laughed ‘You?’

Mattia explained to Elene, ‘Sofia’s a chef at one of Napoli’s top Italian cuisine restaurants, but that’s where her cooking talents stay’

Maybe, but she had diverted everyone’s attention Elene smiled across to her Somehoithout any input on her behalf, she’d made a friend

‘I was a chef Now I’m a mum with another bambino on the way’ She nodded across to Elene as she rubbed her tummy

‘Thank you,’ Elene ot up to help clear away the plates now that everyone had finished the main course

‘You don’t have to do that You’re a guest,’ Mattia’s mother said

Exactly, and she didn’t like the role when she was trying to fit in ‘At home we all knuckle down to help’

‘Then you can put those dishes in the dishwasher’ Maria had got the h Elene could see she wasn’t quite happy with it Not yet, at any rate