he couldn't be drunk after half a glass of Mojito? Even if she was not a heavy drinker, there was not enough alcohol in her system to

advances she'd been getting that night. Would have smiled, flirted back, maybe even

was

finally – and imme

settled mind. Once she'd acknowledged the fact that he was inevitable, an inescapable presence, she inexorabl

covery. Besides, it might even prove to induce some fun into her pathetic life, a sense of adventure which had been clearly l

s company cause apart from helping

ous flirtat

eed to get de

d to let it mea

she could do casua

uld have, she tried a casual glance towards the place where the

nd the spa

her made a mockery of

wrong w

in her life. Then why was the prospect of not speaking to a stranger aga

riority, and she'd never been in any serious relationship. It had simp

al to the opposite sex had caug

ranger was unhealthy, albeit the fact that the man was s

erself firmly, there was no nee

ant n

to mean

out of her system.

the exploration of Milan would divert her thoughts. Maybe a dozen

ering her purse and her dignity with a dee

mised herself, wo

ums, in art galleries, in the

green eyes that had seared

day did bring a

d itself like a livi

eless charm – had captured her attention and wrapped her in a cocoon of wonder. The monum

along ancient stone walls, getting lost in narrow a

g image had faded into the backgro

ed to her hotel, the illusion of forg

nded on him the moment sh

as t

bar counter, tal

gaze hitting her like a physical blow, sta

porated in a jiffy, as if th

ce – longing, excitement, trepidation, raw anti

the bar counter, her heart hammerin

tress perhaps, poured her some

n bother to as

ging slightly at the acrid taste that b

ty, she needed all the c

should act on the folly building inside h

n. She could feel his gaze still on her, unwavering,

onversation, the clink of glassware, the low music playing overhead

a simpl

ever know what

aybe, find something worth remem

fists at her sides, nail

een cautious. Ca

e to be somethin

s time to b

ster slowly turned toward the green-eyed stranger, her

time in her life