Laughing, she pulled off her hat with a flourish. “I feel like I won a Gold Medal in the decathlon.”

“You’ve created.” As Pierre boomed orders for plates, Carlo took both her hands. “We make a good team, Juliet Trent.”

She felt something creeping too close to the heart. It just didn’t seem possible to stop it. “Yes, we make a good team, Franconi.”

Chapter Eleven

By twelve the next day, there was absolutely nothing left to be done. Carlo’s remote control demonstration on the proper way to prepare linguini had gone far beyond Juliet’s hopes for success. She’d stayed glued to the television, listening to Carlo’s voice beside her and through the speakers. When her supervisor called personally to congratulate her, Juliet knew she had a winner. Relaxed and satisfied, she lay back on the bed.

“Wonderful.” She folded her arms, crossed her ankles and grinned. “Absolutely wonderful.”

“Did you ever doubt it?”

Still grinning, she shot a look at Carlo as he finished off the last of both shares of the late breakfast they’d ordered. “Let’s just say I’m glad it’s over.”

“You worry too much, mi amore.” But he hadn’t seen her dig for her little roll of pills in three days. It pleased him enormously to know that he relaxed her so that she didn’t need them. “When it comes to Franconi’s linguini, you have always a success.”

“After this I’ll never doubt it. Now we have five hours before flight time. Five full, completely unscheduled hours.”

Rising he sat on the end of the bed and ran his fingers along the arch of her foot. She looked so lovely when she smiled, so lovely when she let her mind rest. “Such a bonus,” he murmured.

“It’s like a vacation.” With a sigh, she let herself enjoy the little tingles of pleasure.

“What would you like to do with our vacation of five full, unscheduled hours?”

She lifted a brow at him. “You really want to know?”

Slowly, he kissed each one of her toes. “Of course. The day is yours.” He brushed his lips over her ankle. “I’m at your service.”

Springing up, she threw her arms around his neck and kissed him, hard. “Let’s go shopping.”

Fifteen minutes later, Juliet strolled with Carlo through the first tower of the enormous circular shopping center attached to the hotel. People huddled around the maps of the complex, but she breezed around the curve and bypassed one. No maps, no schedules, no routes. Today, it didn’t matter where they went.

“Do you know,” she began, “with all the department stores, malls and cities we’ve been through, I haven’t had a chance to shop?”

“You don’t give yourself time.”

“Same thing. Oh, look.” She stopped at a window display and studied a long evening dress covered with tiny silver bangles.

“Very dashing,” Carlo decided.