‘He’s just having fun. You’re the reality of his life, Liv. You’re the anchor. But that doesn’t mean he can’t have fun while it’s on offer.’ Anna touched her shoulder. ‘And you should do the same. Just enjoy it while it’s there. Life is a cold, hard thing as you well know. If there’s any warmth available, then take it and make the most of it.’
‘That’s what I’m doing.’ Liv thought of her new clothes and Stefano’s incredible apartment. ‘He has this balcony that wraps itself around the whole apartment. It’s fabulous. And it’s so, so peaceful.’ She took a deep breath. ‘And it feels safe. In the flat I always slept with one eye open in case someone tried to break in and there were often fights on the streets outside. Living in Knightsbridge is like moving to a different country.’
‘All right, I’ve heard enough.’ Laughing, Anna covered her ears with her hands. ‘Any moment now I’m going to thump you. Just don’t tell me that you’ve seen Stefano naked. That will really ruin my day.’
‘One of the advantages of an extremely large apartment is that it’s perfectly possible for two people not to see that much of each other.’
And that was a good thing, she told herself firmly. He’d been so generous that she was starting to imagine things she shouldn’t imagine.
Yes, he’d said that he wanted to have sex with her, but he was a man, wasn’t he? And she had no doubt at all that if Stefano ever caught a glimpse of her without the clothes he’d bought, he’d change his mind about finding her attractive.
Anna peered at her closely. ‘Is something going on I should know about?’
Liv felt her heart bump. ‘Nothing.’ She wasn’t going to mention that one incredible kiss in his office because since then he hadn’t laid a finger on her so obviously he’d changed his mind about finding her attractive.
‘Well you’ve been living with him for over a week so if there’s nothing going on then you’re a disgrace to the female race. You’re living with the sexiest man alive. If you haven’t used the opportunity to seduce him, you should be ashamed of yourself.’
Liv picked up another set of notes and went to call the patient. ‘Seduction usually involves undressing. And I don’t do undressing unless I’m by myself or I’m in the dark.’
* * *
Anna slid into Stefano’s office. ‘This is never going to work. You’re never going to get her into a balldress and you’re never going to persuade her to relax enough to dance with you.’
‘That is my problem.’ Stefano put his pen down. ‘Is everything else arranged?’
‘Yes, yes.’ Anna paced nervously across the room. ‘But she has no confidence, you know that, don’t you?’
Yes, he knew that.
Accustomed to women who were tediously preoccupied with their own appearance, he was finding Liv a revelation. ‘Stop worrying.’
Anna shot him a look. ‘The suspense is killing me.’ She folded her arms. ‘I don’t think I’ve actually ever kept a secret before. And how on earth has Max managed not to let it all spill out? Sam is the same age and he can’t keep a secret if you pay him.’
‘It helps to own a Ferrari,’ Stefano said dryly and Anna laughed.
‘You’re bribing him with your car? You Italians have no sense of decency.’
‘Max wants her to go to the ball. You’re sure you haven’t changed your mind?’
‘About giving you the tickets? Of course not. But I’m not convinced this whole thing is going to work. Thanks to her delightful ex-husband, Liv doesn’t think she’s beautiful and no amount of Cinderella treatment is going to change that. Why are you smiling?’
‘Because by the time I have finished,’ Stefano murmured, ‘Liv will know she’s beautiful.’ It was going to give him enormous pleasure to take care of that. Personally.
‘Oh for heaven’s sake.’ Anna fanned herself and sank into the nearest chair. ‘Just don’t break her heart, Stefano, or I’ll chop you into pieces. Do you need any advice? Her favourite colour? Best shoes to make a woman gasp? What to say to turn a woman to mush? No.’ She chuckled and shook her head. ‘You don’t need any advice on women at all, do you, you sexy beast.’
‘I think I can struggle through.’ Amused, Stefano checked his watch. ‘You won’t forget to pick Max up from school?’
‘Of course not.’ Anna stood up again and paced the floor. ‘Will you phone me with an interim report?’
‘No. I intend to be fully occupied.’
Anna’s own smile faded. ‘Why are you doing this? Is it just about sex?’
‘Would it matter if it was?’ Stefano watched her closely. She was Liv’s best friend. She knew her better than anyone. ‘Incredibly good sex can make a woman feel beautiful, too.’
‘Just as long as she isn’t dumped immediately afterwards,’ Anna muttered. ‘I suppose I just feel responsible. I agreed to go along with all this because it sounds pretty romantic to me, but if it’s all going to end in—’
‘Anna,’ Stefano interrupted her gently. ‘It’s half past three.’