Free Reunited with Her Italian Ex by Lucy Gordon Page A

We’ve got to start right now, otherwise all our plans are in a mess. Come along, you two. Be professional.’
    â€˜He’s right,’ Mario growled. ‘We have no choice.’
    â€˜Go next door and get changed,’ Amadore said. ‘Natasha, a maid will come with you.’
    She looked around wildly. Surely there must be some other way. But there was no other way. Only this could save her plans for the success she simply had to have.
    The maid appeared and took her to the room assigned as Juliet’s dressing room. The dress fitted perfectly onto her slender, delicate figure. But her hair didn’t seem right, pulled tightly back.
    â€˜I think Juliet would wear it hung loose,’ she said.
    The maid nodded, and got skilfully to work. Natasha watched, only half believing, as the self she knew disappeared and naive, vulnerable Juliet took her place. The merest touch of make-up heightened the impression, and she was ready to go.
    As she entered the ballroom heads turned. Giorgio made a clapping movement and Amadore whistled.
    She noticed neither of them. Her attention had been seized by the man standing a little further off. Mario had transformed into Romeo, wearing a dark blue doublet and tights. It would need a fine figure to get away with such a revealing costume, but Mario was tall, splendidly built and handsome enough to steal the spotlight.
    Suddenly a memory came flooding back to her. Two years ago, during their precious short time together in Venice, they had spent a day on the beach. Her first sight of him, half naked in swimming trunks, had had a stunning effect on her, making her intensely aware that her own swimwear was a bikini, leaving much of her body uncovered.
    Oh, yes
, she’d thought as she enjoyed the sight of his long, strong legs as he raced across the beach.
Oh, yes!
    After that everything had changed. They spent the day chasing each other, bathing in the sea or stretched out on the sand, and with every moment she wanted him more. She’d feasted her eyes on his smooth, muscular body, seizing every chance to lean closer to him, cherishing the brief moments when her flesh brushed against his.
    It had been her first experience of fierce desire and it revealed her to herself in a new light. In the past she had flirted, laughed, teased, but never before had she wanted a man with such fervour. When their eyes met she believed she saw the same intensity in him, and promised herself that soon he would carry her to a new world.
    That night they’d parted with only a kiss. She had told herself he was biding his time, waiting for her to be ready to move on.
    Three days later they had parted for ever.
    Shaking off the memory, she began to walk towards Mario, tense for the moment when she would see his reaction to her. Would the past return to haunt him too? What would she see in his eyes?
    At last Mario looked up, saw her and nodded.
    â€˜Splendid,’ he said. ‘Giorgio chose Juliet well.’
    His tone was polite but nothing more, and his eyes were blank.
    â€˜And you look fine as well, Signor Ferrone,’ she said, striving to match him for blandness.
    â€˜Well, like Giorgio said, I’ll “just about get by”.’
    â€˜Everybody ready?’ Amadore called. ‘This way.’
    He indicated an archway at the far end of the ballroom. Mario offered Natasha his arm and she took it, saying, ‘Thank you,
signore
.’
    He leaned closer to her, murmuring, ‘Don’t call me
signore
. My name is Mario. If you address me formally people will think something is wrong between us.’
    â€˜And we mustn’t let them think that,’ she agreed. ‘Shall we go?’

CHAPTER FIVE
    T HERE WAS A cheer when they came into the ballroom. Lisa nodded, as though to say that Romeo’s looks met her high standards.
    The photographer studied them with approval and said he would start with portrait shots.
    â€˜First I’ll take you