Escape to Love Chapter 21

SUMMARY: Gabriella Montez finds her unexpectedly single self traveling alone to Italy, a country known for its love and romance possibilities. Troy Bolton finds himself bamboozled by his mother and reluctantly leading one of her lengthy vacation tours. Neither is expecting to encounter any attractions not listed on the tour itinerary. M for adult situations/subject matter and sexual references/depictions.

DISCLAIMER: I do not own these wonderful characters...I just love them like the rest of you. I don't own anything Disney or otherwise...except a good bit of HSM memorabilia. ;-)

TOUR INFO: Days 15 & 16 - Saturday & Sunday

AUTHOR'S NOTE: Gah, these two are so fun to write! :-D Thanks all for the awesome feedback on the last chapter! Few little notes: 1) Because it cracked me up and I have to share...my husband went and got us frozen yogurt from a place near us last week and came back and said that he had gotten me the new pomegranate flavor and he hoped that was okay. I'm pretty sure I snorted...and then pointed out that he should read my chapter. Lol! 2) Yes, these two are kind of "marathoning"...heh...wouldn't you? ;-) 3) Yes, I am leaving some things to your imagination as we go along. :-) 4) Yes, we will learn about Michael and Gabriella's relationship a bit more in upcoming chapters. 5) For a good cause, to help out Japan, visit the link on my profile if you'd like to bid to have me (or another writer) write a fic of your choosing. See info at the link for more details...and though I forgot to specify it there, the winner could choose a deleted scene or continuation of an already existing story if they wanted that more than a new one. Thanks, as always, all...enjoy!

"So, you don't mind that this tub isn't filled with chocolate? Because I'm sure the fine folks at the Hassler would be happy to arrange for that for us," Troy said in a jovial voice from behind her. Having rested for a while in the sitting room, they were now reclining in the large jacuzzi bathtub in their suite's beautiful marble bathroom. Gabriella was sitting with her back against Troy's chest, her head reclining against his shoulder.

"No, I don't mind. Besides, haven't you tasted enough sweetness on me tonight?" she teased.

Troy bent his head and sucked her earlobe briefly into his mouth, sending a shiver through her. "You know me and dessert," he murmured.

She did. And now, she really did. She turned her head to kiss him for a long minute and she felt him wrap his arms more snugly around her. When her tingling lips separated from his, she looked up into the eyes that were so close to hers and smiled. She was happy...so unexpectedly happy.

"I have told you you're beautiful, right?" Troy asked huskily.

"Even with my wild woman hair?"

"Especially with your wild woman hair."

"Well, thank you," she said, grinning at him before turning back around again. Troy placed a kiss on top of her head and rubbed his hands lightly up and down her arms. "I'm glad you like it because it's going to be hell to run a brush through," she joked.

"I'm sorry," he said, not sounding the least bit sorry. "It was worth it though, wasn't it?"

"Mmmhmm."

They sat in peaceful silence for several minutes. "They really did think of everything, didn't they?" Gabriella remarked, staring up at the ceiling, where dozens of Swarovsky crystals had been embedded into a midnight blue section above them to resemble a night sky filled with stars. They had dimmed the lighting in the room, so it almost did feel like they could be sitting under a canopy of sky.

"That they did," Troy agreed, his arms slipping around her middle.

"And this jacuzzi feels so good. You're making my muscles ache, Bolton."

"Been getting a workout or somethin'?" he shot back, tickling her side briefly and making her laugh.

"Somethin'..."

After several more moments of happy silence, during which the two mentally relived their weekend so far, Troy spoke again. "So, am I figuring things out pretty well so far?" he purred into the delicate skin of her neck, placing light kisses there.

"I'd say so...yes," Gabriella answered in a low voice.

"Good," he said, bringing his hands up to massage her shoulders.

"Mmm...that feels nice."

Troy smiled behind her. "Nicer than my foot massage the other day?"

"That's not a fair question. I refuse to choose one over the other because I want you to continue both."

Troy chuckled. "Fair enough." Hearing her sigh contentedly, he asked another question. "So, what do you normally prefer: a bath or a shower?"

"Normally, a shower I guess, predominantly because it takes less time and also the shower jets can feel very soothing or invigorating or both. But a bath every now and again is a luxury I'm happy to experience too."

"I can't say as I take too many baths myself, but taking one with you is certainly a luxury I'm happy to experience," Troy responded, his fingers alternately plying the back of her neck and soothing the muscles there.

"What? You don't come home and slip into a bubble bath every night to keep your skin baby soft?" Gabriella teased.

"Nooo," he responded in a drawn out low tone and she felt his breath blow across the back of her ear as he did so.

"What is home like?" she asked. "Is your apartment big or small, sparsely or fully furnished, surrounded by a bunch of other apartments or kind of set off on its own?"

"It's on the third floor of an older building and it's one of two apartments on that floor. The building only has the three floors with built-in garages below them. It's average sized, I guess...two bedrooms, two bathrooms, kitchen, dining room, living room, and a small terrace. It's furnished with the basics. I don't eat off of the floor or anything," he said, earning a laugh from Gabriella. He thought about his place and the mix of feelings he had there. Katherine had definitely taken all physical remnants of herself when she'd left though, in addition to some of his stuff, which could have left his apartment sparse if he hadn't refurnished a little to replace what she'd taken. It was his place to sleep and eat, but it wasn't home. It had never been meant to be his ongoing home.

"Do you have good neighbors?"

"Yeah, they're decent. Married couple lives in the other apartment on my floor and there are a few grad students living in some of the other apartments. Everyone's nice enough."

"That's good. I have pretty good neighbors right now but in my last apartment, I had some really crappy ones...no concept of respect for other tenants. Noisy, not friendly, just crappy."

"That stinks. I'm glad it's better now though."

"Yeah, that was in a larger complex. Now, my place isn't too dissimilar from yours it sounds like. It's in a nice, quiet neighborhood. I live on the third floor too. After the last place, I didn't want to deal with any inconsiderate folks above me."

"Do you know what you want your house to be like someday?"

"Somewhat. I don't want it to be ultra modern. I mean, I want my modern conveniences, of course, but I'd like the house to have some character. Some land would be nice, though perhaps unrealistic...at least a good sized back and front yard.

"For the dog...and the kids," Troy added with good humor.

"Yes. And I want at least one tree. A porch, maybe with a swing. The rockers could come later or with a different house," she said with a short laugh. "A window seat somewhere and built in bookshelves maybe. Or a library-office combo. Hardwood or tile floors somewhere but maybe carpet for upstairs or something."

"So this would be a multi-story home then?"

"Probably...I'm not opposed to a one story if it's otherwise great though. That kind of goes for all of it really. I have these ideas but if...if I were to be sharing this house, I'd, of course, figure it all out with that person and take into account what he wanted.

Troy smiled behind her. "Of course."

"I don't know. Just some place homey and cheerful and relaxing. Not somewhere where you're not sure if you should sit down."

"That's always nice."

"And photos...lots of photos...of loved ones and great places..." Gabriella blushed slightly. The mention of photos was certainly not an uncommon notion. But given the photographer at her back...and the possibilities of him taking those photos... "Well, anyway, I'm just babbling on and on here."

Gabriella thought about whether or not she should really be talking about a house and kids and a dog and rocking chairs so early on in a relationship, but then, she reasoned, this wasn't your average relationship. He might as well know things like this up front because they would have to decide soon enough if they had enough of the same dreams to want to figure out if there was a future for them. But soon enough would come too soon. She took a deep breath, stared up at their beautiful fake sky, and pushed aside that unpleasant thought.

"I like your babbling," Troy said, reassuring her further that they were perhaps on the same page. Troy thought about Gabriella's description. He suspected she would have liked the house in Montalcino. He suspected he wouldn't mind building her some bookshelves, helping her fill her walls with photos, or chasing a dog and some kids around a yard with her. He gently ceased his massage and brought his hands back down, sliding them around her small middle once more.

Gabriella leaned back into him again, finding comfort in just being in his arms. "Is this weekend going the way you had hoped?" she asked softly.

She felt Troy's breath on her ear again as he answered her in a husky tone. "That, Montez, is a silly question."

Gabriella smiled. "I'm silly sometimes."

Troy rested his chin on her shoulder and held her a little tighter for several moments. "It's going even better than I had hoped. It's..." He paused for a moment, pulling his thoughts together. "I wanted you, Gabriella, upon first seeing you. Not because you were just another girl...but because you weren't. I mean, you were different, and I knew it even before you slammed the door in my face," he said with a chuckle.

Gabriella tensed briefly at his recollection of the events of their first day, but then relaxed once more. She didn't like that there were these other girls that had commanded his attention, but she acknowledged that she was willing to trust that he was done with that and that he was interested in just falling in love with her.

"And every day, even as you frustrated the hell out of me at first, albeit with a good purpose, I just, well, wanted you more. And I was quite pleased to figure out you wanted me too," he said, burying his smirk in a light kiss to her neck.

"I have no idea what you're talking about," Gabriella joked with a laugh.

"You're sitting naked in my arms. Don't you think it's a little late to still be playing hard to get, Montez?"

"Mmm...you have a point. Do continue."

"Well, as you know, my wanting changed, became more. And I guess what I was trying to say is that being here with you, I wanted to exceed your expectations, but the fact is...this, us...it's exceeded mine."

Gabriella squeezed his hands in hers beneath the water.

"I don't just mean the physical," Troy added.

"I know." And she did know. She felt it too.

"Though, I'd say we are, um, pretty compatible in that arena."

Gabriella's heart beat a little faster at the thought. "Yes, I'd say we are. And you have exceeded my expectations...it has all exceeded my expectations," she agreed, moving one hand to gently stroke his outer thigh.

They sat silent and contemplative for a few minutes. "I guess we should probably finish up here before we turn into prunes, huh?" Gabriella joked softly. She closed her eyes as Troy's lips pressed to her neck.

"Maybe not just yet," he said in a low tone, starting to suckle her neck further.

His free hand moved up and caressed her breast and her chest began to rise and fall more steadily at what his touch aroused in her. And then that touch moved lower. "Troy," she lightly protested, mainly because she wasn't exactly at a point where she felt that having condom-less sex with him was a good idea. She still had some caution left in her swiftly mushing brain.

"Don't worry," he said, understanding her unspoken concern. "This is just about you."

His words made her tingle all over. And his hand sparked more than just tingles in her as it slid over her sex. He was gentle, kissing her all the while and still holding the hand that she gripped him more tightly with now. The care with which he caressed her sent her over the edge more so than anything. She shook against him with her pleasure and he still kissed her and held her through it. Gabriella lay back against him, her eyes closed, her breath shaky and her limbs feeling useless for the moment...and she silently wished for the weekend to never end.

Breathing in deeply, she slowly opened her eyes. The lovely red and cream shades filled her vision, and that, along with the strong arm slung over her middle assured her that she was still right where she wanted to be.

It was Sunday. They would rejoin the group this morning. Gabriella felt a tinge of sadness and apprehension at the thought. This weekend had been perfection and they had been able to solely focus on each other. She wondered what their "us" would be like once back with the rest of the group.

The alarm sounded next to her head and she stretched, partly against the resistance of a certain someone's arm, to reach out and turn it off. 'Our time is not up yet, thank you very much,' she thought.

As she relaxed back into him, she felt Troy pull her a bit closer. "Mmm, it can't be morning yet," she heard and felt him mumble into her hair.

It wasn't that Troy wasn't a morning person, though he generally wasn't. It was that he had mixed feelings about rejoining the tour group today and leaving Rome. On the one hand, he looked forward to showing her more of this country he loved but on the other hand, he didn't want anything to mess with this bubble of happiness they were currently floating in. 'But,' he thought with an inward sigh, 'to move forward, I guess we must move forward.'

"I think you're right. I think it must still be midnight. The alarm is obviously malfunctioning," she teased softly.

"Obviously," he replied, kissing the top of her head.

They lay there in silence for several more minutes, neither in a hurry to move. Then, Troy slid his hand from her stomach and brought it up to sweep her hair back toward him, baring her neck and shoulder to him so that he could place several soft, wet kisses there. Gabriella's lips curved on a sigh. His hand slid back down her arm and over the curve of her hip and, after a moment, she turned her body slowly to face him.

Those dark eyes of hers...beautiful, deep brown pools...held his as he reached a hand up to touch her hair and then let his fingers slide down over her bare back. They hadn't bothered wearing anything to bed again last night, just preferring the feel of each other's skin to that of clothing.

"I'm not going to forget this weekend...one way or another," she said softly.

"Neither am I," he returned, finding her lips with his own and further expressing his sincerity.

They made love slowly, relishing this sweet time they had and thrilling once more at how well they fit together physically. Most couples have a learning curve with each other, but theirs certainly seemed to be accelerated. They just felt a sureness and connection that enhanced the experience from the start. They knew how to give and receive pleasure, knew how to work together for it, and knew it was theirs to have. They knew they had here and now and that they should make the most of it, because they didn't know what the future held.

Later, at breakfast downstairs in the hotel's Palm Court Restaurant, a charming garden restaurant surrounded by ancient stone walls, flowers, and ivy, Troy and Gabriella enjoyed a quiet breakfast of cappuccinos and cornetti. Swallowing another bite of the delicious crescent-shaped pastries, Gabriella took a sip from her delicate cup and then smiled across the table at Troy.

"So, do you think they'll know we've been gone?" she asked.

"Quite possibly. Me, at least. Alberto said he did answer some questions and help some folks in my absence."

"Ah."

"Do you mind if they've noticed our shared absence?" Troy asked, curious to hear her answer.

"No, not really, other than that this is just ours and I'd like to keep it special like that."

Troy nodded. "I would too. It may not be a secret that we were away together but they don't have to know any details. That can be for us alone."

"Good."

"We may still kind of be everyone's business though once they see us together now. I mean...we aren't trying to hide anything, right?"

"No."

"So, if I want to kiss you whenever, I just can?"

Gabriella's lips curved higher. "Yes."

"Good. And if I want to turn you into a thirteen year old girl by holding your hand?"

"Go right ahead."

"You're very agreeable right now. I should have whisked you off to a hotel two weeks ago," Troy joked.

"Two weeks ago, I would have left you lying on the ground clutching yourself in pain," she said, raising one eyebrow at him humorously.

Troy laughed. "No doubt. Well, I'm glad that wasn't your reaction this weekend."

Her smile was peaceful as she looked back at him. "Thank you for this weekend," she said sincerely.

Troy nodded. "Thank you."

They conversed happily for several more minutes, finishing up their breakfast before heading back inside to gather up their stuff and check out of the hotel. They had a taxi drop them back off at their former hotel, where they located the bus and loaded their items into its storage area before parking it in front of the hotel and meeting up with their group again, helping to get their items loaded up too.

Having done so, Gabriella made her way onto the bus with Jennifer and John. They passed Johanna and Ivan, who were sitting toward the middle of the bus. Reaching the back of the bus, Jennifer and Gabriella sat down on the back seat and John sat one seat up. He opened up his book a while and did his best not to hear what the two young women had to say.

"Well?"

"Well what?" Gabriella asked lightly, teasing her friend.

Jennifer lowered her head and narrowed her eyes at her. "Don't make me smack you."

This made Gabriella laugh and when she stopped laughing, she started talking. "I loved the dress, purse, and shoes. Thanks for helping with those!"

"Oh, girl, that was fun! I'm glad you liked them. Did you have a good time?"

Gabriella felt the pink rise onto her face as she just smiled at her friend and nodded enthusiastically.

"Oh, that's awesome!" Jennifer exclaimed. "So, no complaints?" she asked, raising her eyebrows meaningfully.

"Nooo!" Gabriella answered emphatically, making Jennifer laugh.

"That good, huh?"

Gabriella gave her a sly smile. "Better."

They were interrupted by the sound of Troy addressing the group from the front. "Good morning, everyone. I hope your stay in Rome was all you wanted it to be." His eyes found Gabriella's briefly as he said this. "We'll be moving on to Naples now, which will be about a three hour drive, so settle in, catch up on some rest if you need it, and we'll be tasting the best pizza in the world soon enough," he finished with a grin, setting the mike back in its holder and saying a few words to Alberto before making his way toward the back of the bus. He was stopped a few times and said his hellos to several folks and answered a few questions but soon enough, he was standing in front of the long back seat of the bus, offering his smile to Gabriella and Jennifer.

"Hey, stud," Jennifer greeted in a low, sly voice.

Troy was thrown off by that greeting and felt himself pursing his lips as he glanced at Gabriella and then back at her friend. "Um, hey, Jen."

"Don't worry. She hasn't told me anything much. I'm inferring."

Troy just nodded in response and Jennifer laughed at the fact that he seemed to be at a loss for words for once.

"Jen..." Gabriella admonished.

"Oh, Gabriella, vicariously, remember? Anyway, Troy, have a seat. I'm just going to move up a row here and join dad."

"Well, thank you, but please don't feel like you're being kicked out of your seat," Troy replied.

Jennifer shook her head at him, stood up and slid past him so that he could take her place next to Gabriella. Troy smiled and did so happily.

"Oh, Troy," she said with humor, "if I didn't want to be kicked out of my seat, I'd still be sitting there."

Troy and Gabriella both gave her grateful smiles.

"Now, settle in and catch up on some rest," she said, lightly mocking him for his recent words to the group. "For some reason, you two look like you need it," she finished with a wink before plopping down next to her dad.

Gabriella turned her head into Troy's shoulder, trying to contain the giggles she felt bubbling up within her. Troy slid his arm around her and chuckled into her hair. Eventually, Gabriella sat back up and turned her body so that her back was against the wall of the bus and Troy turned his hips in her direction so he could better see her and then pulled her legs across his lap.

"So, what was your favorite thing in Rome?" he asked, sparking their conversation.

"You're really asking me that?" she said, disbelievingly.

Troy's lips curved upward. "Your favorite thing you can write about."

"Who says I can't write about my true favorite thing?"

"Your editor might be scandalized."

"Ha! She'd love it."

"My family will inevitably be reading your article when it comes out."

"And you don't think they'd be proud?" she teased.

"I think...that if you cover that in your article, my photo series on your hair needs to be included."

"I might be able to live with that."

Troy shook his head at her. "Okay then...your hair looked particularly stellar while you were sleeping..."

Gabriella narrowed her eyes at him slightly. "You didn't..."

Troy shrugged playfully. "You don't know that I didn't..."

"I'll find out. I have my ways."

Troy licked his lips. "That you definitely do...now, answer the question about Rome, Montez."

"Fine. My second favorite thing about Rome was, well, I liked so much. The Pieta hit me even more than David did and the Sistine Chapel was beautiful. And the Trevi Fountain was awesome. And Trastevere was just Italy embodied...but I guess they all just tie into my first favorite thing about Rome anyway."

Troy grinned at her, understanding that she meant not only that their weekend was her favorite thing but that he and the way their relationship had changed had been her favorite thing. He leaned forward and she met him halfway for a sweet kiss.

"I have mentioned you have a talent for that, haven't I?" Troy said with a smile, as they pulled back.

Gabriella shook her head at him and rolled her eyes but she was inwardly pleased. "I haven't always."

"I doubt that. The first guy who got to kiss you is probably still reeling."

Gabriella laughed. "Um, nope."

"Why do you say that?"

She thought back on the memory, a faint smile on her lips. "My first kiss was with Shar's brother, Ryan."

It took Troy a moment but then he responded. "The Ryan who hiked Cinqueterre with his partner, Jeff?"

"Yep. We were twelve. He was trying to figure things out. We dated innocently for a few months. He didn't really come out until high school."

"That must have been tough."

"It wasn't easy, but Ryan has a quiet strength about him. He and Jeff are really happy now."

"That's great."

"It is."

"Well, I still view it as a compliment to you."

"Oh, you do, do you?"

"Yes. Because he likely realized early on that if he couldn't fully get into kissing you, no one else of the opposite sex was likely to appeal either."

"That's sweet, but I'm not sure twelve was my best year, what with the braces, the bad perm, and my completely flat chest."

"Sounds hot," Troy joked, and she slapped him playfully on the arm.

"What about you? When was your first kiss?"

"I was eleven. I had this treehouse in the backyard and I took Amanda Tucker up there on the premise of studying for our upcoming math exam."

"I take it no studying was done."

"Oh no. We studied. It took me the whole hour and a half to get up the courage to kiss her."

"And?"

"And we both did fine on the exam," Troy answered mischievously.

"Glad to hear it," Gabriella responded dryly.

"And...it was a first kiss. Clumsy and fascinating and perfect in its own right."

She smiled at his summary. "And does this Amanda still pine for you?"

"Doubtful. I photographed her wedding."

"Oh!"

"Yeah, we dated innocently too and then decided to be just friends. She and her husband were a lot of fun to photograph because it was so evident how very real their love was."

"That's awesome," Gabriella responded, a yawn taking over her.

"Or boring maybe?" Troy teased, fighting a yawn himself.

"You know that's not it. I'm just a bit tired still."

"Me too," Troy acknowledged.

"Well, maybe we should follow your advice and rest some."

"Probably."

Having agreed, they rearranged themselves such that Troy was leaning back into one corner with one leg up on the seat and Gabriella was lying back against him, his arms loosely wrapped around her. The motion of the bus soon lulled them to sleep and they woke some time later, hearing the excitement of others on their bus as they appeared to be entering Naples. Troy kissed Gabriella lightly on the head and then she moved so that he could head back up to the front of the bus to say a few words to the group.

He pointed out the Bay of Naples and Alberto parked the bus so they could all get out and stretch their legs and make the short walk over to Castel dell'Ovo. The roof of the castle had a commanding view of Mount Vesuvius, the bay of Naples, and the city of Naples itself, making it a lovely first stop. Their next stop was to the National Archaelogical Museum, where they viewed mosaics, frescoes, and statuary from Pompeii and Herculaneum, as well as examples of Greek and Roman sculpture.

Having appreciated the history contained within the museum, the group also greatly appreciated their next stop at Da Michele in the Spaccanapoli neighborhood of Naples. Here, they waited in line with the rest of the hungry visitors to the pizzeria and found the wait to be completely worth it as they devoured the two types of pizza the no frills establishment offered, pizza margherita and pizza marinara.

"Oh, God, this is...oh, there aren't words," Gabriella remarked happily, closing her eyes in delight as she took another bite of the hot, cheesy goodness.

Troy laughed. "Eat up. I'm sure there's at least one extra jean size in it for you."

Gabriella remembered what she had said to him back in Viareggio. "I never had any doubts. Would you mind terribly?"

"Nah...more of you to explore," he answered with a wink.

"Way to be glass half full there, Bolton."

"I try."

After eating as much delicious pizza as they could possibly handle, the group walked around Spaccanapoli for a little while, just taking in the crowded, colorful alleys full of shops, plastic rosaries, seafood, and famous artisan workshops specializing in the city's famous nativity scenes. The area was stimulating, to say the least, with its bustling nature, a variety of churches, palaces and statues, and also walking street vendors and performers.

Once everyone had made their way back to the bus, the group traveled the short journey south to Pompeii. There, Troy was able to just walk around with Gabriella and take it all in with her since Pompeii provided its own tour guides. The group walked the ancient cobblestone streets, eerily observing the imposing shadowed outline of Mt. Vesuvius in the background. They passed many of the well-preserved buildings and structures of the excavated city, including courtyards and houses and the town's forum. Their guide pointed out a fountain that had two worn in hand imprints on either side of its spout, showing how often it was used by Pompeiians who placed their hands in those two spots while leaning to take a drink. There were raised stones crossing the streets at various points for the inhabitants to use to avoid stepping into large puddles of water when it rained, a rather ingenious idea. Details like this were fascinating to Gabriella.

Troy and Gabriella watched a friendly stray dog start to run alongside their group and smiled at him but also soberly remembered seeing the cast of a dog archaeologists believed was chained outside one of the houses in Pompeii during the catastrophic eruption in 79 AD while visiting the museum in Naples earlier that day. Seeing more of the preserved casts here in this ancient city was also sobering. They both felt particularly touched by one of a mother-to-be lying face down, in a natural pose for trying to protect her unborn child. It was impossible not to feel for these people who had been going about their daily routine, who had no idea that they would all soon be frozen forever just as they were at that point in their lives.

Still, despite those sad thoughts, it was amazing how much of the city had been rediscovered since the initial accidental findings in 1599. Mosaic doors still had their luster and murals could still be clearly viewed for all of their expression and beauty. Of course, as they learned, some artwork had been discovered and then, many suspected, reburied until it was later discovered once more because it was considered too erotic and sexually explicit. In the House of the Vetti, two wealthy brothers, there were wall murals and statues depicting Priapus, the ancient god of sex and fertility, with an extremely enlarged penis.

"And all of the men suddenly feel just a bit smaller," Jennifer whispered in Gabriella's ear jokingly before moving forward to observe the controversial art with her sister.

In addition to the depictions of Priapus, there were a number of images on the walls of the house's "erotic room" showing persons engaged in various sexual acts. Their guide pointed out that in brothels, similar images may have been painted to indicate different services offered at the establishments or may have just been painted to stimulate visitors. Various inscriptions supported this notion, such as one that roughly said "If anyone is looking for some tender love in this town, keep in mind that here all the girls are very friendly." Of course, their guide also pointed out, the "tender love" was not one-sided. Other brothel inscriptions detailed how certain male house slaves were willing to serve women, even virgins.

Gabriella tried to remain intellectual in her observation of the various depictions, but she felt it was a battle she was somewhat losing.

"Well, we've got that one down," Troy whispered into her ear, indicating a woman on top painting.

"Um...yes," she whispered back, trying to keep a straight face.

"Hmm...how flexible are you, Montez?" Troy asked, tilting his head in the direction of another painting.

Gabriella considered the painting. "Find out," she whispered back challengingly.

"Gladly. And what do you think of that one?"

"I think...I'm ready for us to check into our hotel."

Troy laughed quietly, not wanting to draw attention from the others. He slid his arm around her waist, his hand resting a bit lower and he couldn't resist tapping her lightly and playfully on the upper part of her buttocks. "You're still blushing," he said in a low tone as they exited the house.

"So are you," she shot back, surprised to see some color in his cheeks too.

"Well, aren't we just the innocents?" Troy joked.

"That is doubtful," Jennifer teased, coming up beside them and chatting happily about their experiences at Pompeii and about getting to enjoy the Amalfi Coast next. Troy and Gabriella talked and laughed with her as they made their way through the rest of the tour, enjoying the comfort of being themselves with a supportive friend.

Following Pompeii, Alberto drove them along the narrow, winding, cliffside road along Italy's beautiful Amalfi Coast. Everyone enjoyed the breathtaking views and as they arrived at the Hotel San Pietro in Positano, they were all excited to get an open air view of it all. As they stood inside the lobby letting others from their tour group get checked in before them, Gabriella looked around the beautiful decor of the space and then commented to Troy, "I wonder if we have rooms next to each other again."

"We do," Troy answered with a smile, forgetting that he wasn't supposed to know that.

Gabriella eyed him suspiciously. "And you know this because...?"

"Ehrm, I checked."

"Really? When?"

"This morning while you were in the shower." It wasn't a lie. He had double-checked.

"It's funny how we've been next to each other so often, isn't it?" she remarked slyly, seeing the guilty look on his face.

Troy took a breath, watching more and more of their group disappear in the direction of their rooms. "I may have made some requests..."

"Ah."

"But by the time I did, you didn't seem to mind my being close."

Gabriella laughed. "I'm not mad, Troy. I was just curious as to whether it was fate or you."

"Call it both then. I had nothing to do with Florence...and I had no guarantees that I'd get my way at the different hotels."

"Fair enough."

"Besides, I'm not sure how much adjoining rooms matter now...how much having two rooms matters now..." He let the thought hang in the air.

"Well, it could be good to have a space of our own if we wanted it."

"True."

"Or think of it as two rooms to...enjoy."

"Mmm...I like the way your mind works, Montez."

She grinned. "That's not all you like. Now, come on, let's get checked in and see if fate and the front desk have appeased us."

"After you," Troy said, watching her walk to the front desk and following with a happy grin on his face.

"Okay, this balcony view is to die for," Gabriella said, taking in a breath of the fresh sea air and turning to smile at Troy. Their rooms were next to each other but there was a privacy wall between their balconies, so there would be no balcony travel for the two of them. This didn't really bother them in the least given that Troy had dropped off his stuff in his room and then come next door to hers using another convenient option, a door between the rooms, which they would decidedly keep unlocked.

He plopped down in one of the balcony chairs and stared out at the water and then up at her. "I'd have to agree," he said, eyes sparkling and looking as blue as the waters below them.

Gabriella approached him and he pulled her down into his lap. Her arms wrapped around his shoulders and her lips met his for an extended kiss. "Do you want to go down to the beach for a little?" he asked when they'd pulled back.

"Do you have your heart set on it?"

"No."

"So, we could go check it out tomorrow?"

"Yes."

"That might be a better plan then."

"And why's that?"

"Because I have something else in mind for right now."

"Oh, you do, do you?"

"Mmmhmm," Gabriella replied, standing from his lap slowly and turning to go back inside the room.

Troy stood, following her and finding her lounging on the bed, staring back at him as he approached her. "So, you wanted some more rest then?"

"Not to start with."

"A rousing game of truth or truth then?"

"I was thinking more dare or dare."

"I see. So, dare me," he challenged in a sexy tone, standing next to the bed, his eyes sweeping down over her.

"I dare you...to find out how flexible I am."

Troy climbed onto the bed next to her, gently pushing her back down onto it. Perched above her, he held her gaze for a moment. "You should know...I never back down from a dare."

"I'll keep that in mind," she said, pulling him the rest of the way down to her, their mouths joining with a fervor that saw no signs of stopping anytime soon.

"Didn't know if we'd see you two for dinner. Did you go...exploring?" Jennifer teased, an hour or so later.

"Um, yes," Gabriella answered a bit uncomfortably.

"Then, I guess you both worked up an appetite, huh?"

"Definitely," Troy responded with a grin, not as thrown off as he had been earlier in the day by Jen's sly remarks. They were now sitting at a table with the rest of Jen's family and Ivan, which could have been particularly strange except that Ivan's attention now seemed primarily focused on Johanna. Troy and Gabriella were both happy to see that. It didn't, however, stop Ivan and John from saying a few words to Troy when all three women left the table for a restroom trip.

"She's a rare gem, that one," John remarked.

"She is," Troy agreed, his eyes following the retreating shape of her body and seeing her smiles as she chatted with the two sisters.

"She's not like the others," Ivan put in, eyes darting around to light on a few of the girls whose attentions Troy had returned earlier on in the trip.

"No, she's not."

"Remember that," Ivan said, his tone one of warning. "She deserves more than just a heated fling."

"I know that. It is more, man."

Ivan nodded. "Good."

"She's the kind you keep," John added. "And the kind you're happily kept by...and that's the best thing in the world if you can find it," he said, thinking longingly of his late wife.

Troy nodded, thinking about John's words. He saw that about Gabriella the same way he had been allowing himself to see once more that that was still what he wanted in life. When she returned to the table minutes later, he slipped his hand into hers beneath it, earning a sweet smile in return. Throughout dinner, they enjoyed the company of their friends and the beauty of the sun setting over the water. After eating, they all continued to converse and listen to the live music the house band was providing. When a slower song began, Troy looked at Gabriella and inclined his head toward the open terrace area between the tables and the band. She looked pleasantly surprised but nodded and stood with him, letting him lead her to a spot and slide his arms around her. She held to him as well, enjoying the closeness. She suspected there were glares being directed her way but didn't care. He was looking into her eyes with mesmerizing sincerity in his and his hands rested familiarly at the small of her back. Under the most beautiful sky, feeling the most caressing of ocean breezes, and hearing the most harmonious music around them, they were falling in love...and becoming an "us" for all the world to see.

Outside their side by side room doors some time later, they stood a bit uncertainly.

"I should catch up on my writing so I don't forget my initial impressions of what we've been seeing," Gabriella said, tilting her head, leaning against her door and looking up at Troy apologetically.

Troy nodded with a small smile. He understood. Though he wanted to just monopolize her time, he knew she did have her writing responsibility too and also just that personal space wasn't a bad thing. But it did nag at the back of his mind that after the next two weeks, they'd have a vast amount of space between them.

"Be kind if you write about me," he said, attempting levity.

"I will," she said, returning his smile.

Gabriella didn't want to leave him either but she did need some time to herself. And it scared her how much she wanted to just forfeit that time and just go lie in Troy's arms. She needed to process all of these feelings she was having.

Troy leaned forward and gave her a slow, tantalizing goodnight kiss. He pulled away reluctantly and held her gaze for a long moment before entering his room.

Gabriella turned slowly and entered her own. Once inside, she changed into her pajamas and then set up her laptop and began to catch up on and respond to emails. This left her smiling as she shared with the girls about she and Troy and their weekend. As promised, she did leave out any mention of his celebrity clientele. Following email, she set about typing up her article notes, trying to focus her attention on each detail that had meaning for her.

Having recorded the basics, she sat back and thought for several moments about what was happening in her life right now. Against all of her prior intentions, she was falling for the man next door...falling hard. She hadn't stated that outright in her email to her friends, but they'd likely be able to make that conclusion themselves. She remembered the last time she'd told them of her feelings for a man, for Michael. She tried to look back on her memories objectively.

She and Michael had definitely had an instant chemistry. They were able to converse fairly easily, but, as Gabriella had noted in retrospect, Michael had mostly always turned the conversation to speaking about her. It had made her feel special and she'd felt he was really interested in her life and thoughts, but she hadn't realized it was just part of his skill in deflecting attention from himself. It seemed to her that she knew more about Troy after two weeks than she had known about Michael in the ten months they had dated.

So, about that, she felt good. About what she knew of Troy, she felt good. About the connection that seemed to be developing between them, she felt good. About the day she'd board a plane once more, she did not feel good.

So, should she try to pull back and protect herself as best she could from that day? The thought hurt her possibly even more than that of the impending day, the thought of hurting him by doing so and the thought of not having the joy she'd come to know in spending her days with him.

No, Gabriella was resolved. She'd see this through. She had to, even if it left her broken when all was said and done. Because if it didn't... Well, she would try to take this day by day. There was still time...not a lot, but enough to be able to put off her concerns just a little while longer.

Gabriella's eyes ran along the wall until they found the door connecting their rooms. And the thought crossed her mind that if they had such a limited time to fall in love, to figure this out, to enjoy each other, then why would she want to spend the night away from him? Because it sounded sensible to do so? But she was already admittedly throwing sensibility out the window in exploring this relationship. She should be all in if she was going to be.

Grinning, she considered an idea for a moment, checking the time and noting that it was getting late but wasn't so late that she thought he'd be asleep. She locked up her laptop and rummaged in her carry on bag briefly, finding the small item she was looking for. Then, she walked up to the connecting door and paused for a moment before knocking lightly.

"You don't have to knock," Troy said with a grin, opening the door a few moments later.

"I'll keep that in mind," she said, grinning back at him. "So, I was wondering, do you play poker?"

Troy eyed the pack of cards she was holding up in her right hand. "I win poker," he said cockily, wiggling his eyebrows at her.

"We'll see," she said confidently, sliding past him and entering his room.

Troy chuckled, following her toward the bed where she climbed up, sat cross-legged, and removed the cards from the box, beginning to shuffle them.

"What are the stakes?" he asked, sitting down on the bed opposite her.

"We're wearing them."

Troy licked his lips and cut the deck of cards when she put it in front of him, watching her start to deal them next. This night was turning out so much better than he'd expected. Now, to win...though he couldn't imagine either of them would actually end up losing at the end of the night...