Continued from page 3

Can This Be Love?

Thursday May 05, 2005 12:00 PM EDT

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"She is bellissima!" Cruise shouted to the crowd at the Donatellos. Holmes wore Armani to the April 29 event, and her hairstylist Oscar Blandi was flown in to do the honors. Photo by: Lucia Gardin / Photomovie / Retna

And enjoy they do. "They're both smitten with each other," says a friend of Cruise's, who calls the notion that the romance is a sham "insulting." Holmes's friends roll their eyes at the idea that the actress is using Cruise to boost her career. "She doesn't want to be the biggest movie star in the world," says her rep Leslie Sloane. "She just wants to be proud of herself and her work."

And have a little fun along the way. After their tour of Rome, the couple once again flew in Cruise's jet to Las Vegas, where Cruise escorted her on April 30 to the new Cirque du Soleil show KA at the MGM Grand Hotel. After cuddling and kissing in their seats, the two went to meet the performers backstage. There, with a little help from the pros, Cruise did a couple of back flips.

"He's in great shape," says Soleil's rep Reggie Lyons. "He has lots of energy." Much of it directed toward the young lady whose hand he held. "They were definitely affectionate," says Lyons. "But nothing inappropriate. Nothing that would make your mother upset."