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‘You didn’t have to…’ she started but he cut her off, naming the hotel where he was staying.

‘We can talk there after you finish work.’

Oh, God.

* * *

Stella put on lipstick in the taxi and then wondered if she should rub it off. Actually, she felt a bit unsure as she turned up at the hotel, wondering if Gabe would expect a thank you in a sexual way. She felt all knotted up, wondering if he thought that their time together had been her means of getting him to agree.

She was just about to give her name to the concierge when she heard it being called.

‘Stella…’

She turned and there he was, standing in the foyer, both beautiful and inscrutable. She could not tell from his expression if his mood was serious—if he was reluctantly here—or if his heart lurched as her own did.

Stella’s instinct was to run, towards him this time. If he lifted his arms even a fraction or beckoned her then she might, but he just stood there, watching, as she walked towards him.

‘Thank you for coming.’ He gave her a slight nod, and no, he did not greet her with a kiss, not even the cheek-to-cheek sort. ‘I’ve reserved a quiet table in the lounge where we can talk privately, or we can go to the restaurant if you prefer.’

‘The lounge sounds lovely,’ she said, and she should be pleased he was keeping things so formal.

Shouldn’t she be?

The lounge had its own greeter. There were just a few other guests there and they were led to a table with two wing-back chairs and offered refreshments. ‘Perhaps champagne?’

‘Not for me,’ Gabe said, ‘just water.’

‘Madam?’

Stella chose tea and had never felt more awkward with him, not even at their Capri lunch. ‘What time is your flight?’ she asked.

‘Not till the morning. I just said it was tonight as I really didn’t want to spend the evening with Sir Charles.’

‘Gabe…’ she swallowed ‘… I wasn’t trying to persuade either you or your grandfather.’

‘I know that.’

‘So why are you doing this?’

He didn’t answer, though, perhaps because their drinks were being served, but when the waiter had gone she elaborated.

‘We agreed there would be no strings.’

‘We did.’

‘And now I’m suddenly lead consultant. Is that dependent on whether I sleep with you tonight?’

He smiled, not at all put off by her tone; in fact, he found her anger rather pleasing. The offence taken. That she thought her feminine wiles might have persuaded him and was clearly appalled at the thought.

Gabe thought it sweet, in fact, watching as she poured her tea.

‘Because if you think…’ she carried on.

‘Stella, I did not bring you here for sex.’

‘Good,’ she said, perhaps a little too decisively, because as soon as the word was out her shoulders slumped just a touch. ‘Oh.’

He smiled his first real smile since their time together. ‘And I certainly didn’t agree to the palazzo being used as a location because of what took place between us.’