Lorcnzo frowned. "It occurs to me, regrettably late, Jessamy, that I have told you many things I have confided to no one. Yet I have asked nothing about the work you do. Forgive me, cara. Are you a teacher, like Leonie?"

Jess pulled a face. "No, not my scene at all. I'm a hooker in a model agency."

"A hooker?" he said, puzzled. "What is this?"

"I book the models for a London agency. I work with the chief scout, help with new faces, deal with their anxious parents and so on. But actually I prefer my work with the older models, who tend to be more relaxed than the young ones."

Lorenzo looked surprised. "But I thought models must always be very young, also very thin."

"They are, mostly. But modelling isn't just catwalks and glossy magazines. It involves a lot of advertising and catalogue work, which is where the more mature ladies come into their own."

"Have you done modelling yourself, Jessamy?"

She laughed. "No way. Not my sort of thing. Besides, I've never had the right shape for the catwalk, and I'm not old enough yet to promote any wrinkle cream."

"Your skin is flawless, and I think your shape is perfect," he whispered, and leaned closer. "I would like very much to kiss you right now, carissima, but I think you would not like that."

"Oh, yes, I would," she said in his ear. "But I'd rather be kissed in private."

"I will remind you of that later!"

She suppressed a shiver at the mere thought of it, and changed the subject. "You haven't told me how you managed to get a flight so easily."

"I told Roberto to transfer his reservation to you. He will stay on with his friend the awocato until he can reserve another."

"Goodness," said Jess, impressed. "Does Roberto always jump when you tell him to?"

"Always," Lorenzo assured her.

"But what about your ticket?"

He smiled smugly. "I already had one."

"Oh. I see." She smiled, enlightened. "You were all prepared to fly home with Roberto if I'd been a disappointment!"

"You are wrong, tesoro. I knew in my heart that you would be all I had ever hoped for." He shrugged. "However, it was possible that you might not have liked me."

"I find that hard to imagine," she said involuntarily, and caught her breath as she saw his eyes dilate.

"If you do not wish me to kiss you here and now," he said through his teeth, "it is best you do not say such things."

"It's the truth, Lorenzo."

He raised her hand to his lips and pressed a kiss into the palm. "I begin to suffer from this unreality of yours. When I think of my past loneliness-" He breathed in deeply, and smiled with such tenderness Jess felt her throat thicken. "You know that when I first saw your face in the photograph I vowed I would do everything in my power to meet you. But I did not recognise you then."

She eyed him questioningly. "You knew who I was."

"True. " He frowned in concentration. "How I wish you spoke my language, Jessamy, so that I could make my meaning clear. What I try to say is now I have met you at last, I know what you are."

"What I am?" repeated Jess, eyes narrowed.

He nodded triumphantly. "You are my reward!"

Chapter six.

When Jess arrived in the hotel room her heart contracted at the first glimpse of her friend. The brown glossy hair Emily took such care of hung lank around her face, and streaks of hectic colour along her cheekbones contrasted alarmingly with her pallor.

"Jess! Oh, Jess-you came!" Emily's sunken grey eyes lit up with pure relief, then brimmed over with tears when her friend gave her a careful hug.

"My word, Em," Jess teased, sitting on the edge of the bed. "If you're improving I dread to think what you looked like before!"

Emily accepted the wad of tissues a motherly little nurse handed her, and mopped herself up. "Think Bride of Frankenstein," she said hoarsely, and sniffed hard, doing her best to smile. "I should have rung my mother, not you. Jess, I know, but I hated the thought of scaring her silly until I knew what was wrong with me. Sorry to be such a nuisance."

"Rubbish," said Jess fiercely, needing to sniff a little herself. "Due to Lorenzo I was the best one to contact, anyway." She stood up and held out her hand to the hovering nurse. "Hello. I'm Jess Dysart. Thank you so much for looking after my friend."

"Piacere," said the woman, smiling cheerfully. "I am glad to be of service."

"Sorry!" said Emily in remorse. "I'm forgetting my manners. Jess, this is Anna, my angel of mercy. She's been so kind."

"I can see you're in good hands." Jess smiled warmly at the nurse. "Signer Forii would like a word with you, Nurse. He's waiting in the lobby."

"And while you're away please take a break, Anna," said Emily quickly. "Have some coffee and a rest. You deserve it"

Anna nodded, smiling. "Va bene. Now your friend is here I shall leave you together for half an hour."

"Lorenzo obviously wants to ask her if you need anything," said Jess, when they were alone.

"Who on earth is this Lorenzo?" said Emily, struggling to sit up.

"Hang on, I'll prop your pillows up."

"Never mind my pillows! This morning that arrived." Emily waved a hand at the vast basket of fruit on the dressing table. "And after you rang last night masses of mineral water and fruit juice arrived for me. Then Dr Tosti came, with Anna. He's very nice, and speaks English, thank heavens. He gave me an examination, assured me I wasn't dying, and prescribed some antibiotics. Then he left Anna behind to take care of me. So tell.

Who is this Lorenzo?"

"Oddly enough," said Jess casually, "you've already spoken to him."

"I have?"

"That night at the flat. He's the one with the sexy voice you fancied so much."

Emily stared in astonishment. "But I thought that was Roberto!"

"No." Jess stretched luxuriously. "It was Lorenzo Forii, Roberto's older brother, chairman of the group that owns this hotel.'' She paused, then gave her friend a wry, crooked little smile. "But much more important than that, he's the man I'm truly, madly, deeply in love with."

Emily flopped back against the pillows, pole-axed. "You're serious!" she accused, heaved in a deep breath and began to cough painfully.

Alarmed, Jess handed her a glass of water. "Hey-steady on, love."