He speeds off as soon as my hands wrap around his torso. I can feel the definition of his abs through the wet button-down shirt and fight the temptation to follow those lines lower. Not the safest option while driving in the rain. He flies through the streets with the confidence of a local, swerving around tourists milling about and turning corners at top speed despite the rain-slicked streets.
The world passes us in a blur as I try to get my bearings. I know the city well, but I’m lost between the rain pelting my visor and the speed of the Vespa.
I finally catch sight of something I recognize. Largo di Torre Argentina shoots up out of the busy intersection, the ancient pillars helping me get my bearings. I spent a lot of time at the cat sanctuary there when I went through my preteen kitten-obsessed phase, and it holds a special place in my heart. Only in the absurdity of Rome would they turn the site of Julius Caesar’s assassination into a feral cat sanctuary.
Colton takes a hard right as it flies by us, shooting down a glorified alley. My heart stills as I realize where we’re going. How did I not realize as soon as I saw the rain?
He comes to a hard stop next to the mammoth of brick and concrete. Even the rough rear facade of the building, worn down from millennia of exposure to the elements, speaks to me like no other building ever has. Colton pulls as close as we can get before the barrier blocks off traffic.
“You didn’t,” I say as I pull the helmet off as quickly as I can.
“Didn’t what?” he answers with a brilliant smile. He pushesthe kickstand down with his foot as I throw my helmet onto the seat. “Fake an emergency to get us both out of class when I saw it was raining outside?”
“You’re unbelievable.”
“I know, but if we stand around talking about how wonderful I am, we’ll miss it.”
He grabs my hand, both of us sprinting down along the side of the building. Summer rain in Rome never lasts long, and this is probably our last chance. We skid to a halt, both of us slipping on the wet pavers as we reach the front of the Pantheon.
As always, the building takes my breath away. The size and majesty. The history this building has seen over the last two thousand years. Cement pillars the size of a redwood tree dwarf the tourists crowding under the awning to escape the rain, using one of the oldest buildings in the world as an umbrella.
This structure has seen the rise and fall of empires. And here I am. A part of it, if only in the most inconsequential of ways.
Colton’s smile grows as our eyes lock before we take off again, dodging around tourists to get into the building.
I marvel at the circular interior. At the elaborate marble floors and altar. The intricate tombs of famous artists and leaders encircling the church like the gods who once held their place, reminding us of the grandeur of Rome and the littleness of our own lives.
But none of that majesty compares to the center of the building, my favorite site in the world. Rain pours through the oculus in the roof, a gaping hole the width of two cars. It pounds the floor, driving most tourists to the edges of the building to avoid the splash zone.
The effect is magical. A 150-foot waterfall pouring into an ancient temple-turned-church. It’s a breathtaking combination of the power of nature and what humans can achieve when motivated. It makes me feel small in the most beautiful way. My heart swells, awed that I’m lucky enough to experience this.
“Are we doing this?” Colton whispers from next to me.
Unable to speak, I nod.
He grabs my hand again. The two of us hop the velvet rope, and he pulls me with him under the stream of water. The tourists watch us like we’ve lost our minds as he spins me around in the rain, our laughs echoing through the massive chamber. He dips me, bringing our lips together before lifting me upright.
“I can’t believe you did this,” I say again.
“I know you don’t have windows in your classroom.” He shrugs, turning almost sheepish under my praise. “We only have a week left. I didn’t want you to miss it. But for appearances’ sake, let’s make sure the students don’t know we blew off class to dance in the rain in an ancient temple.”
Our eyes meet, and feelings rush through me faster than the rain through the oculus, washing away the doubts that have plagued me.
This is my best friend. Someone who has seen me at my worst and still wants me. The man who seems to know me in a way no one else does. My person, who makes me laugh and stands up for me when he doesn’t have to. Who canceled his class at the first sign of rain to give me the thing I love most. Or, at least, the thing Ihadloved most.
“I love you,” I say, my mouth speaking before my mind can even finish processing thatthat’swhat I’m feeling.
But I’m suddenly so certain of what this is, and certain that we’re strong enough to take on whatever challenges in life may come our way. Colton and I are partners. We always have been. And I don’t want to spend another day forcing my feelings down out of fear.
His eyes widen. It isn’t even close to the first time I’ve said those words to him, but we both know this is different. I wait for what’s probably a second but feels like days. My heart hammers in my chest and I will him with my eyes to tell me what he’s thinking.
“Signor e signora,” a sharp voice comes from behind me, breaking the moment. A priest makes his way to us with a deep frown on his face. “I must ask you to leave. This is a church. Your behavior is unacceptable.”
“Mi dispiace,” we say in unison, fighting to appear apologetic as we join hands again and speed walk out of the church. Our laughter breaks free again the minute we exit the building.
Colton tugs me through the crowd under the awning, leading me around to the side of the building. He backs me up against the rough concrete, rain still pouring over our bodies as he places a hand on either side of my neck.
“Did you mean it?” he asks, his voice low and husky.
