‘There’s no need to overdo it,’ she murmured.

‘You don’t understand. I’m expected to overdo it.’

‘Ah, yes, just doing your duty. Otherwise, of course, nothing would make you dance with me.’

‘I wouldn’t go quite that far. A very large sum of money might persuade me.’

‘I’ll kick your shins in a minute.’

He was an excellent dancer and she fell easily into step with him.

‘You’re not playing your part,’ he said after a while. ‘You should be gazing adoringly into my eyes.’

Glancing up, she found his face closer than she’d expected and drew a sudden sharp breath.

‘That’s better,’ he murmured.

‘Watch it,’ she murmured back. ‘I’m in a dangerous mood.’

‘Wonderful! A woman is never so interesting as when she’s dangerous.’

Mandy knew a brief flare of alarm. For a moment-just for the tiniest possible moment-she’d actually wanted him to find her interesting. Time to bring him down a peg.

‘That’s a very good line,’ she said admiringly. ‘You must be proud of it.’

‘One of my best,’ he assured her.

‘Of course you need to practise your delivery.’

‘I thought I delivered it just right,’ he said, hurt.

‘No, you should try it with a woman who isn’t standing back and judging the performance.’

‘You’re not standing back,’ he said, tightening his arm about her waist, so that she could feel his body more closely against hers.

‘Inside I’m standing back, having a good laugh at you, actually daring to think I’d give you an easy time.’

‘If there’s one thought that never crossed my mind it’s that you’d give me an easy time,’ he said fervently.

‘Well, you should be able to cope with that,’ she teased. ‘You’re Italian, after all. Think Casanova! Think Romeo!’