She needed a top.
Opening another bag, she found a luxuriously soft cashmere jumper in a shade of green that she loved, together with a scarf, a hat and an adorable pair of gloves.
Feeling like someone completely different, she strolled out into the living room.
‘What is this? Make-over time?’
‘No, those are the basics.’ Stefano was reaching up to place a bauble at the top of the tree. ‘A make-over is something entirely different. Do they fit? It was a bit of a rushed selection. Max and I didn’t have much time.’ He turned to look at her and his eyes swept over her in blatant masculine appraisal.
‘These jeans are amazing.’ Disconcerted by the look in his eyes, she looked down at herself. ‘It’s like having plastic surgery.’
‘You don’t need plastic surgery.’ His tone exasperated, he strolled towards her and took her face in his hands. ‘You’re gorgeous, Liv.’
Her eyes slid towards Max and Stefano exhaled slowly and let his hands drop to his sides. ‘I’m glad everything fits.’
‘I don’t even want to know how you knew my size,’ she muttered and he gave a knowing smile.
‘Guesswork.’ The way he was looking at her made her feel dizzy and breathless and the clothes made her feel—well, they made her feel incredible.
‘Thank you.’
‘It’s a pleasure.’ His gaze lingered on hers for a moment and then he turned his attention back to the tree.
But there was a tension in his broad shoulders that hadn’t been there before and Liv felt a sudden rush of exhilaration because she knew that there was chemistry between them. She didn’t understand it, but it was definitely there.
The question was, would she dare to do anything about it?
* * *
By the middle of December the whole hospital was buzzing with excitement at the prospect of the Snowflake Ball. Those without tickets were hoping desperately for a sudden flurry of returns and those with tickets spent the day of the ball discussing how to look glamorous and stay warm at the same time.
‘Everyone has gone mad,’ Liv grumbled as she handed Anna a pile of notes. ‘It’s just a dance. With all the same people they work with every day.’
‘In case you hadn’t noticed, a dinner jacket is so much more attractive than a scrub suit.’
‘But once you’ve seen them in a scrub suit, there’s no going back.’ Liv said dryly. ‘I’m glad I gave my tickets
to you. What are you wearing?’
‘Oh!’ Anna avoided her gaze. ‘I haven’t decided yet.’
Liv looked at her in amazement. ‘But it’s tonight.’
‘I know. But we finish at four. That gives me four hours to decide what to wear. That should just about be enough.’
‘You should have let me have Sam for the night.’
‘You don’t think that two little boys in Stefano’s flashy apartment would have been pushing things?’ Anna smiled. ‘Anyway, there’s no need. Dave’s mother has turned up for her annual Christmas take-over, so she might as well make herself useful. How’s Max doing? Is he sleeping in his own bed yet?’
‘Yes. He only slept with me for the first couple of nights. He seems to be fine, actually. And that’s because of Stefano. Max is so cocooned in this wonderful masculine world of football and Ferraris that I think he’s forgotten that his own home no longer exists.’
‘Sam told me all about Stefano turning up at school in the Ferrari to collect Max.’
‘Yes. That was probably the highlight of Max’s life so far.’
Anna looked at her closely. ‘And you’re not happy about that?’
Liv bit her lip. ‘I’m happy that he’s happy, of course I am. But I’m also worried about what is going to happen in the new year. At the moment Max is living in style. He’s made friends with the whole of the security team in Stefano’s apartment block and they play spy games with him all the time. He goes for rides in Stefano’s Ferrari. How is he going to adapt to returning to his own life?’