Free Reunited with Her Italian Ex by Lucy Gordon Page B

separately, then together. Juliet, you first.’
    â€˜Juliet? I’m Natasha,’ she said lightly.
    â€˜No, today you are Juliet.’
    â€˜He’s right,’ Giorgio said. ‘You don’t pretend to be Juliet. You
are
Juliet. You can go back to being Natasha tomorrow.’
    â€˜If I want to,’ she said, entering into the spirit. ‘Natasha might be too boring.’
    â€˜That’s the spirit,’ Giorgio said with a grin.
    She turned this way and that, smiled, looked sad, smiled again.
    â€˜Now throw your arms out,’ Giorgio said. ‘Imagine you’re looking at someone who’s the great happiness of your life.’
    She did so, reaching towards the camera with a yearning look.
    Mario, watching from the sidelines, turned his head to avoid seeing that expression on her face. He remembered it too well from the past, and couldn’t bear to be reminded of it now that the past was over.
    Then he too had to pose for portrait shots.
    â€˜This way, that way,’ the photographer called. ‘Turn your head a little. Good. Now the two of you together.’
    The first shot was a formal pose, with Juliet standing just in front of Romeo, his hands on her shoulders.
    â€˜Now turn and look into each other’s eyes. Keep hold of each other but lean back a little so that I can see both of your faces.’
    They obeyed, studying each other seriously, then smiling according to instructions.
    â€˜I think Romeo should frown a little,’ Lisa called. ‘And he should try to look sexy so that we know why Juliet fell for him.’
    Mario scowled, annoyed at the comment and even more exasperated by the fact that Natasha collapsed with laughter.
    â€˜Don’t worry,’ she called. ‘I can pretend if I have to.’
    â€˜And perhaps Juliet had to,’ Giorgio said cheerfully. ‘Maybe she didn’t really fancy Romeo at all. She was pursuing her own agenda.
That’s it!
Romeo, that grim look is perfect. Keep it up.’
    â€˜Yes, keep it up,’ she chuckled. ‘Just think how I’m going to thump you later.’
    â€˜Juliet, that smile is wonderful,’ the photographer called. ‘It says a lot about the kind of marriage they would have had if they’d lived. One where he got worked up and she laughed at him. I’m beginning to think nobody ever really understands this pair.’
    â€˜No,’ she murmured so that only Mario could hear. ‘Nobody really understands.’
    â€˜He’s talking nonsense,’ Mario growled.
    â€˜He’s grandstanding to make us play our parts,’ she said. ‘It’s his job. So we have to do ours.’
    â€˜Juliet,’ Giorgio called, ‘reach up and brush his hair forward a little, around his face.’ She did so, hearing the camera click madly.
    â€˜That’s it—now again—and again—gently—Juliet’s longing to caress his face, and this is her chance.’
    Natasha told herself that she was merely obeying orders, but she couldn’t hide the truth from herself. She wanted to do this—wanted to touch his face, his body, his heart. Even through the lightness of her caress she felt the tremor that went through Mario, despite his attempt to suppress it. She could sense his reaction because it mirrored her own.
    But could he suspect the feelings that were going through her at being so close to him? Suddenly, his face had softened. The grim look she saw on it so often faded, leaving a faint echo of the young, gentle man she had loved. His eyes were fixed on her intently but that might be no more than playing his part. If only she could tell.
    â€˜Right, that’s it,’ came Giorgio’s voice. ‘Now for the balcony scene. Come this way.’
    The balcony at the back of the Splendido was decorated much like the one at Juliet’s house, and had the advantage of being several feet lower so that Romeo and Juliet