Diamond would never hire a team of Italian Chippendales but neither quite trusted me. Oh, I was enjoying myself!
I leaned forward, sharing confidences with my sister. ‘I’ve told Luigi, nothing too raw, you know? I stressed that we were all ladies of refined palates. He should make the display hot, but not too hot.’
‘Oh my!’ Diamond flapped at her cheeks with her napkin.
Xav was now studying me with suspicion. I may have pushed the cooking metaphor a touch too far. He nudged my foot under the table.
‘What?’ I mouthed as Trace and Diamond went into one of their little romantic whisper routines. In consideration of me, they didn’t use telepathy when I was around.
‘Hot but not too hot? Cupcake, that doesn’t suit you.’
‘I’m thinking of my sister,’ I said primly.
‘Good, because I’ve kissed you and I can say that you are the female equivalent of red chilli.’
I blushed. ‘Sssh!’
‘Why? It’s all there on film for the world to see.’ His gaze dropped to my mouth.
‘Stop it!’ I was worried that Diamond might notice. Fooling about with her brother-in-law was not the most sensible thing I could do for the future harmony of family relations.
He shrugged. ‘Can’t seem to help myself. Maybe I should give Lola a ring to adjust our plans for Friday. Looks like I’ll be needing a distraction if I’m not to succumb to temptation.’
Succumb! My rebellious mind shouted, even though it knew it would drop me in so much trouble. I concentrated on feeling aggrieved that he could even consider exotic water ski instructors a distraction.
‘Fine, phone Lola.’ I gave him a smile that was all teeth and no humour. ‘But just bear in mind, cupcake: your party may be mildly diverting; mine is going to be unforgettable.’
On Wednesday, Diamond was called to Rome on an emergency reconciliation job with two feuding members of the same Savant family. Writs had been exchanged and tempers running dangerously high. Trace and Xav went with her for the ride. That was just as well because Lily turned up in the shop with a proposition I knew none of them would approve.
‘Crystal, will you do me an enormous favour?’ Lily asked as she breezed into the shop. Dressed in a vibrant red jumper and skirt, accessorized with lightning bolt silver earrings, she seemed to run a thousand volts through my quiet afternoon of sewing.
‘I’m not sure—depends what it is.’ I threw my work to one side. ‘I always read the small print before I sign up to stuff.’
‘Wise girl.’ Lily leaned on the counter. ‘But you are going to love this. In fact, I’m the one doing you the favour really.’ She picked up my discarded dress—blue, hand-embroidered silk—which I had been hemming. ‘Nice.’
‘For my sister’s hen party on Friday.’
‘Hmm. It’ll look fabulous. But first things first: what are you doing tonight?’
I wasn’t expecting the others back until late. ‘No plans. Signora Carriera will keep me busy I imagine.’
‘Then I will ask her to release you early. I have a mission for you.’
‘That sounds promising.’
‘Steve Hughes—remember him: jaw-droppingly good-looking actor with a bank balance the size of Monaco?’
I grinned. ‘I might just have noticed him.’
‘Well, he’s coming out with James and me to the opening of an art exhibition this evening. His agent thinks it looks good on his profile to be pictured doing high culture. He needs a story to counter some bad press about a broken relationship.’
‘James and you?’
She waved that away. ‘We’re friends—just friends. Or don’t you know about his boyfriend back in LA?’
‘Oh, sorry.’
‘Back to Steve. Girlfriend du jour was given the old heave-ho last week over some kiss-and-tell story she sold to the tabloids.’
‘Love rat.’
‘Exactly. Now Steve needs some pretty young thing on his arm tonight to show that he’s so over her and has moved on—someone he can trust.’
Was this leading
I leaned forward, sharing confidences with my sister. ‘I’ve told Luigi, nothing too raw, you know? I stressed that we were all ladies of refined palates. He should make the display hot, but not too hot.’
‘Oh my!’ Diamond flapped at her cheeks with her napkin.
Xav was now studying me with suspicion. I may have pushed the cooking metaphor a touch too far. He nudged my foot under the table.
‘What?’ I mouthed as Trace and Diamond went into one of their little romantic whisper routines. In consideration of me, they didn’t use telepathy when I was around.
‘Hot but not too hot? Cupcake, that doesn’t suit you.’
‘I’m thinking of my sister,’ I said primly.
‘Good, because I’ve kissed you and I can say that you are the female equivalent of red chilli.’
I blushed. ‘Sssh!’
‘Why? It’s all there on film for the world to see.’ His gaze dropped to my mouth.
‘Stop it!’ I was worried that Diamond might notice. Fooling about with her brother-in-law was not the most sensible thing I could do for the future harmony of family relations.
He shrugged. ‘Can’t seem to help myself. Maybe I should give Lola a ring to adjust our plans for Friday. Looks like I’ll be needing a distraction if I’m not to succumb to temptation.’
Succumb! My rebellious mind shouted, even though it knew it would drop me in so much trouble. I concentrated on feeling aggrieved that he could even consider exotic water ski instructors a distraction.
‘Fine, phone Lola.’ I gave him a smile that was all teeth and no humour. ‘But just bear in mind, cupcake: your party may be mildly diverting; mine is going to be unforgettable.’
On Wednesday, Diamond was called to Rome on an emergency reconciliation job with two feuding members of the same Savant family. Writs had been exchanged and tempers running dangerously high. Trace and Xav went with her for the ride. That was just as well because Lily turned up in the shop with a proposition I knew none of them would approve.
‘Crystal, will you do me an enormous favour?’ Lily asked as she breezed into the shop. Dressed in a vibrant red jumper and skirt, accessorized with lightning bolt silver earrings, she seemed to run a thousand volts through my quiet afternoon of sewing.
‘I’m not sure—depends what it is.’ I threw my work to one side. ‘I always read the small print before I sign up to stuff.’
‘Wise girl.’ Lily leaned on the counter. ‘But you are going to love this. In fact, I’m the one doing you the favour really.’ She picked up my discarded dress—blue, hand-embroidered silk—which I had been hemming. ‘Nice.’
‘For my sister’s hen party on Friday.’
‘Hmm. It’ll look fabulous. But first things first: what are you doing tonight?’
I wasn’t expecting the others back until late. ‘No plans. Signora Carriera will keep me busy I imagine.’
‘Then I will ask her to release you early. I have a mission for you.’
‘That sounds promising.’
‘Steve Hughes—remember him: jaw-droppingly good-looking actor with a bank balance the size of Monaco?’
I grinned. ‘I might just have noticed him.’
‘Well, he’s coming out with James and me to the opening of an art exhibition this evening. His agent thinks it looks good on his profile to be pictured doing high culture. He needs a story to counter some bad press about a broken relationship.’
‘James and you?’
She waved that away. ‘We’re friends—just friends. Or don’t you know about his boyfriend back in LA?’
‘Oh, sorry.’
‘Back to Steve. Girlfriend du jour was given the old heave-ho last week over some kiss-and-tell story she sold to the tabloids.’
‘Love rat.’
‘Exactly. Now Steve needs some pretty young thing on his arm tonight to show that he’s so over her and has moved on—someone he can trust.’
Was this leading
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