Page 23 of In Italy for Love

Berengario’s comment caught him in the ribs.

‘Let’s go tell her the good news!’

‘Wait a moment,’ Alex said, grasping Berengario’s arm to stop him. ‘You can’t just tell her she can stay here. I should offer – as though it were my idea.’ He stifled a grimace.

‘Don’t worry. I have more tact than you do.’

Berengario’s idea of tact wasn’t always the same as everyone else’s, so it was clear what Alex needed to do. ‘I’ll talk to her. How about you come back in half an hour to take her out to the farm?’

‘I knew this would all work out,’ the old man said, the disturbing twinkle back in his eye.

When Arco whined to go back inside to his mistress, Alex headed into the house, arranging a smile on his face. The scent of coffee reached him and when he opened the door to the kitchen, Julia looked up from where she had been studying the moka pot.

‘I never got the hang of these things,’ she said with a grimace.

‘I thoughtthat, surely, would be on the citizenship test,’ he said lightly, earning a scowl. She reached to take it off the heat but he shook his head and caught her forearm to stop her. ‘Not yet.’ They watched the moka pot together in awkward silence until it made the first gurgle. ‘Now it’s ready.’

She took the pot gingerly off the stove. ‘Sorry that I rummaged for the coffee without asking.’

‘Don’t worry about it. I hope there’s some for me in there?’ The pair of lime green ceramic espresso cups on the table answered his question. The domesticity of the moment threatened to choke him in memories, but he pushed them away.

Julia had made coffee for him – something any of his friends would do without a second thought. It didn’t mean anything.

‘Right,’ she said with a sigh, after taking her first sip of scalding coffee as she studied her laptop screen. ‘I’ve found a farm not too far from here, in Veneto, but I’ll have to contact them to ask if they have a space.’

‘I have a suggestion,’ he said. ‘Maddalena needs you. I have space here. Why don’t you just stay?’

She went still, her gaze wary and her mouth hanging slightly open. She had such strong features – in the way that strength and beauty were somehow on the same spectrum.

‘Are you inviting me to stayhere?’

He gave half a nod. His eyebrows wanted to betray his conflicted feelings about the invitation but he hoped he kept them still.

‘Did Berengario force you into this? I saw him outside.’

‘No!’

She crossed her arms and gave him an assessing look. ‘Did he guilt you into it, then? You don’t even need to answer that. I can see the truth in your face.’

That was concerning.

‘It’s all right,’ she continued. ‘I’m not your responsibility and I don’t want to be a burden. I’ll go back to Maria Grazia’s place until I can find another farm?—’

‘Your accommodationwasMaddalena’s responsibility and I am happy to help.’

‘You sound reallyhappy, Alex.’

Her tone made him uncomfortable, but after everything they’d shared, it was difficult to hide the truth. ‘I have a lot of space. Just stay here. Nothing else makes sense.’

‘I assume you’re suggesting the same sleeping arrangements as last night.’

‘Of course,’ he answered immediately. ‘We’re not… You said it too.’

Her shoulders rose and fell on an enormous sigh. ‘We nearly screwed that up last night.’

He gave a cough to clear his tight throat. It was so damn flattering to think that she’d kissed him even though she hadn’t meant to. That some stranger found him irresistible was both incredibly gratifying and utterly preposterous.

Oh, God, he should have made sure she stayed a stranger.

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