We both reached our peaks at the same time. Liam pushed forward, sinking all the way into me again. Even though I thought it impossible, when he came the heat where we joined became more intense.

We both gasped, clutching the other, trying to hold on. It lasted forever and only a few moments, somehow.

He wrapped his arms around me and held me close for a while, my cheek pressed to his bared and heaving chest. I closed my eyes, listening to the rhythmic hammer of his heart, breathing in his scent. Just being present with him while we were still joined together into one.

When we parted, the soreness set in with a vengeance. But I didn't mind. I liked it, even. A memento of our desire.

My legs were like two strands of overcooked spaghetti when I tried to stand up, resulting in me sitting back down on the desk while Liam handed me my clothes.

Although even he had trouble. His legs trembled as well, and even in the dim light of that entry hall I could see the deep flush to his skin, like a fresh tan. I had to look similar, I knew.

"You know, we could have done this back at my flat," I said, rubbing the sweat off my forehead with the back of my hand.

Liam didn't put his shirt back on, for which I was thankful. Instead, he'd come out the bathroom with his khakis done back up. I could see the spots on his biceps where I'd pushed my nails into him.

I knew there were similar marks on that perfect ass of his, too. And that made me smile.

He saw that smile and returned it. "Maybe," he said, "But I really did want to show you the city. I'd still like to show you all the things we missed today."

For that, he deserved a kiss. Summoning what little strength remained, I stood up. My legs wobbled alarmingly, but held. He moved to catch me, but I waved him off.

Then I took his face in my hands and pulled it low, so that I could plant a good one on his forehead. I could taste the saltiness of his sweat, and couldn't help smiling at how that sweat had come to be there.

"What was that for?" he said, considering me with those deceptive baby blues again.

"For you. For being here, with me..."

"It's not exactly a chore, you know."

"I know. It's just... hard for me to explain. Just take my gratitude at face value, will you?"

"Yeah, okay," he said.

I looked for and found my one missing sock, rolled into a ball against one of the desk's feet. When I tried leaning over to grab it, my equilibrium left me, my lower back and thighs complaining, and only a sudden snatch at the lip of the desk kept me from planting my face into the expensive-looking hotel carpet.

"Just leave that stuff for now," Liam said. "There's something else I think you'll like."

For a second, I thought he meant he was already prepared for round two. "Let's hold off for a few minutes, can we?"

He frowned for only a moment before catching my drift. "No, not that. Not yet, anyway... Just come here."

Then he scooped me up in his arms and carried me through the suite, careful to step over the ceramic shards in the hallway.

He took me past the bedroom, with its huge bed and panoply of pillows, and past the kitchen and its ill-fated frittata.

We reached the bathroom and he set me down on the tile. I bit my lip, expecting it to be cold, But it wasn't. It was warm against the bare soles of my feet.

Liam chucked. "Heated floors. Incredible, isn't it?"

"Yeah, cool," I replied.

"I know just what you need," Liam continued, a grin spreading out on his lips.

"And what might that be?"

He nodded and I followed the gesture to the enormous jetted bathtub in the corner. It had an elegant, swan-necked spout and even the knobs were marble accented.

It looked like a little slice of heaven. The ache in my back intensified, the weakness in my legs spreading so that I almost crumpled into a heap on that lovely heated floor.

"You really are psychic," I said.

He went over and started drawing the bath, twisting first one knob and then the other while testing the water with his other hand to get the temperature just right.

Then he upended a bottle of vanilla-scented bath foam and squeezed out a generous amount, the liquid immediately exploding into white, soapy suds beneath the pressure of the faucet.

The tub was big enough that it looked like it belonged in a spa. And it had one step leading up to it. I stood on that step, and Liam held my hand when I stepped into the tub.

The heat of the water tingled against my skin, and immediately I felt the velvety smoothness of the foam.

I hissed and groaned as I settled down into the water, which sloshed against the smooth porcelain bulkheads of the tub.

Just the heat alone felt incredible on my overtaxed muscles, and soon I settled down into the reclined position the slope of the tub offered.

The heat and the smell relaxed me so much that I'd nearly fallen asleep when I felt Liam sit on the edge. He had a tall flute of white wine in one hand, which he placed on a small, flat table beside the tub apparently made for just such a service. "Are you ready?"

"There's more?" I said.

He thumbed a marble-accented button between the hot and cold knobs. A motor buried somewhere in the room hummed to life.

Then the jets started. There was one pointed at the small of my back. The sudden pressure made me groan again.

"Careful, sexy sounds like that will make me want you again," Liam said.

I replied with a moan. The jets whipped the suds into an even creamier, fine, and opaque foam. All I could smell was a light and refreshing vanilla scent.

"I've died and gone to heaven," I said, "That's the only explanation."

"The only explanation for what?" He dipped his hands into the water, swirling his fingers in the warmth. The man could have asked me anything at that moment and I'd have told him. He could have for anything at that moment and I'd have been unable to say anything but yes.

"For you. For this bath. For today."

"Well, the Vatican and the Pope are here in Rome. I suppose that's as close to heaven a person can actually get to here on Earth."

"I've always loved Rome," I said, sinking deeper into the water. It enveloped my shoulders with its warm embrace while the jets wrung every ounce of soreness from my muscles.

"It really is an amazing place. Tell me, Emma, if you could do anything, what would it be?"

In my relaxed state, the question easily slipped past all my guards. I smiled at a sudden recollection. "I'd open a little cafe near one of the museums and call it the Roamin' Roman."

Liam groaned at the awful pun, shaking his head. "That sounds like a nice place."

I couldn't help but giggle at his reaction. "Yeah, I know. My dad always laughed at that one, too."

The words had slipped out before I could stop them. All of a sudden, that levy I'd been doing my best to hold up burst, flooding my mind with all the memories from the last year.

They quickly sank down into my chest and stomach, squeezing around my heart and twisting my innards.

I wasn't ready for them. Not yet.

Just like that, I wanted to leave Rome again. Once more, I hated the place I used to love and dream about visiting.

I sat up fast and hard enough that water and suds sloshed up over the lip of the tub. Pressure pushed at the back of my eyes.

Already, a look of surprised concern fixed itself on Liam's face. No, he can't see me like this. Not like this, I thought. I tried to stand, tried to push him aside so that he couldn't see me when I cried.