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An ebony brow shot up ‘Are you joking? Marzia didn’t return her engage and even if she had I hope I would’ve had more class than to ask you to wear it’

‘You never loved her?’ Holly was challenged to credit that fact because it ran contrary to everything she had assuement

‘When I met Marzia, I had never been in love into persuadeto fall in love, convinced someone special would eventually appear But it didn’t happen and I was convinced it never would I decided I was probably too practical to fall in love That’s why I got engaged to Marzia the week after my thirtieth birthday At the ti faround’

‘My word…that sounds al the best offer at the supermarket’

‘If it’s any consolation I’m pretty sure Marzia settled for me because I’m extremely wealthy’

Vito yanked loose his tie and shed his jacket Holly’s dress slid down her shoulders and for an instant she stopped its doard progress and then she let it go and shimmied out of it In many ways she was still in shock from Vito’s honesty He had never fallen in love? Not even with the gorgeous Marzia, who by all accounts had irritated hiround and fa not to wonder how much she irritated him

‘You’re definitely not joining hened undertone as he took in the coffee-coloured silk lingerie she sported below the dress that had tumbled round her feet ‘You can’t deprivethose off’

His shirt fell on the floor and she lifted it and the trousers that were abandoned just as untidily to drape the a bedrooanised as Vito had made her clean up her bad habits Vito had paused to rifle through his jacket and he strode back to her to stuff a jewellery case uncereht you’d like it’

‘Oh…’ Holly flipped open the case on a diamond-studded bracelet with a delicate little Christmas tree charm attached ‘Oh, that’s very pretty’

‘It’s very you, isn’t it?’ Vito rely

‘Why didn’t you give it toto attach it to her wrist until he stepped forward to clasp it for her

‘I forgot about it You swanning down to greet ht out of my mind’

‘And then you just virtually threw it ata gift’

‘You hed as he strode into the en-suite bathroo his shower ‘Shouldn’t the thought behind the gift count more?’

Holly thought about that and then walked to the bathrooht I’htful present and I love it Thank you’