Page 41 of Winter With You

‘How would a delivery guy know your room number?’

‘OK, true.’

‘Gabriella, I’m your stylist. No one argues with a stylist.’ He smiled. ‘Here you go.’ He offered the bag out. ‘And I will leave you to eat in peace, if you tell me how your wound is.’

‘It’s fine. Looks a bit like when someone at school stabbed me with a compass. It will be healed up in a week or so.’

‘I don’t know which part of that I should answer.’

‘Well, neither part needs one. But you… you look like you need something.’

‘I’m good.’

‘Your face is saying something different.’ She opened the door a bit wider. ‘Come in.’

‘I don’t want to disturb you.’

‘You’re my stylist. I’m the only one allowed to argue with you. Come in, before this door-stead conversation wakes up the teenager.’

He stepped inside and she watched him survey the luxury suite before she led the way into the living room area. ‘And you won’t need that coat on. I’ve put the heating right up. Drink? I have almost every drink known to bartenders.’ She pulled at a door and it opened to reveal bottles and glasses of all sizes and colours.

‘Coffee?’ Luca suggested.

‘Are you crazy? At this time of night? You’ll never sleep.’

He didn’t answer and she turned to look at him. A knowing expression lay on his face.

‘Ah OK, you don’t want to sleep. Now I’m intrigued.’

‘It’s not that I don’t want to sleep. Who doesn’t want to? I just⁠—’

‘Can’t shake those Cher lyrics from your head?’

He nodded. ‘Yeah, something like that.’

‘OK, I’m not making coffee so it will have to be a Black Russian. Vodka and Kahlúa.’

‘I know what a Black Russian is.’

‘Хороший! Good.’

‘You speak Russian?’

‘Don’t tell anyone. It’s my secret weapon. What’s yours?’

‘I would say “fashion” but it’s no secret and I fear that fashion severely let me down tonight.’

‘Then tell me your next best. Everyone has to have a back-up plan.’

‘I deliver on my promises. Always.’

Why had an involuntary shiver slid down her spine at that comment? This was because of Phoebe and her talk on the open-top bus about guys. She eyed the burger bag then picked it up, giving it a small shake. ‘Not such a secret weapon either. I have evidence.’

‘Don’t tell anyone,’ he answered.

She smiled and rapidly prepared the Black Russians with much more vodka than coffee liqueur. Then she brought them over.

‘Please, sit down, you’re making the suite look like a Forbes millionaire came for cocktails.’ She handed him a glass.