The Italian's Blushing Gardener by Christina Hollis Page B

void in her life. She had spent so little time with him, and yet over those long, lonely days she had missed him so much. Kira felt every moment she didn’t spend gazing into his eyes must be wasted.
    A rising tide of emotion stirred her restlessly in her chair. Fine dining was nothing to the thought of Stefano making love to her. Suddenly she wanted him as urgently as she had desired him that day in her house. The colour of his eyes mirrored her needs. Beneath the long, flowing tablecloth she felt the slight movement of his foot as it slipped between hers. It happened as easily as his bare limbs might caress and possess her own.
    ‘The moment you agree to work for me and sign that contract, I shall take you to Silver Island and show you my new paradise. Sun, sand and warm blue waters. It is everything you deserve, cara mia …’ he whispered. His voice slipped over the words like a lazy tide lapping over land. Kira felt the last vestiges of her commonsense slipping away. It was the powerful seduction in his eyes…
    She passed the tip of her tongue over her parched lips.
    ‘Stefano…I…’
    The yapping of a pocket dog at the reception desk broke the spell. Kira blinked as though waking from a dream. As she came to her senses she saw an unmistakable look pass across Stefano’s face. He might be a master at hiding his feelings, but he wasn’t quite quick enough to conceal them from her. He was anticipating something. She looked across the busy restaurant. An impossibly tall, thin blonde was handing over her designer shoulder bag. The head of a noisy chihuahua poked out of it like a ripe russet apple. Relieved of the sum total of her responsibilities, the blonde turned around and surveyed the restaurant as though she was at the end of a catwalk. After jiggling a hand at several acquaintances, her eyes fastened on the table where Kira and Stefano were sitting.
    In a cacophony of sleek designer fabric and sixinch heels she sashayed towards them. Kira tensed. Unconsciously her fingers went to her hair, then her smart but simple jacket, smoothing down its creases and fiddling with the buttons.
    ‘Ah, Chantal!’ Stefano turned as the woman got nearer.
    Kira couldn’t see his face, but heard his smile and could imagine the rest.
    ‘Darling Stefano!’
    With a winning smile especially for her, Stefano abandoned his plate and stood up. Greeting the blonde as though he was used to interruptions like this, he showedmore style than Kira’s one and only lover had ever done. She wondered how many times a seasoned philanderer had to run through this routine before it became second nature. Stefano had obviously put in the hours. He had turned it into an art form. Grasping his friend Chantal by the elbows, he air-kissed her with great pleasure.
    ‘It’s been a while, Stefano!’ The blonde returned his gesture, running cool blue eyes over Kira’s clothes and hair in a way that didn’t simply give Kira a hint, it dug her savagely in the ribs.
    Stefano was totally unfazed. Taking Chantal’s hand, he pulled her fingers towards his lips for a real kiss. ‘How was Biarritz?’
    Chantal sighed theatrically. ‘Nothing without you, darling, of course! Aren’t you going to introduce me to your new friend? I haven’t seen you about before, have I?’ she said, giving Kira a bright, shiny look.
    ‘Kira is a business associate,’ Stefano said with barely a flicker.
    ‘Pleased to meet you.’ Chantal sent her a vague smile which failed to reach her eyes, before turning her attention back to Stefano.
    Kira wasn’t fooled for a moment. There was sympathy in that look. It told her—loud and clear—that Chantal didn’t see her as any sort of threat. That made her feel more alone than she had ever done in her life. Chantal and Stefano, two of the beautiful people, chatted easily about friends she knew only as employers. Several times, Stefano tried to include Kira in their conversation, but she was simply too self-conscious and had