All too soon, the morning sun was streaming through the french doors of my hotel suite, stirring me from a deep sleep. As I was rolling over, trying to block out the light, a knock on my door startled me and I rolled right off the bed onto the floor. Rubbing my shoulder, I stood and answered the door with a grumpy face, expecting my early-morning Maxwell wake-up call. Instead, I saw Liam's smiling face.

"Am I disturbing you, Lady Riley?" He asked when he saw my grimace.

I quickly shook my head, fixing a smile on my face. "Not at all, come in." As I closed the door behind Liam, I stretched and yawned. "What are you doing here?" I asked. Before he could answer, there was another knock at the door. "Hold on," I said, "It's probably Maxwell."

Wrong again. This time, Bastien was standing behind the door. Liam pulled me back, stepping in front of me as if protecting me. Bastien winced, looking ashamed at the reaction to his presence. "Lady Riley," he said. "Your Majesty. I didn't expect to find both of you here, but perhaps it's for the best. After your conversation with him last night, the King Father ordered me to help you find Tariq. I'm here to share what I've learned."

"With everything that you've done, how do we know that you're not here to hurt Riley?" Liam snapped.

Bastien looked crestfallen. "I have nothing against Lady Riley. What I did, I did under orders from my king. You are my king now, Liam, and if you ask me to leave, I will, without question."

Liam looked to me, then back to Bastien. "I'll hear you out if Riley will."

I stepped out from behind Liam and gestured for Bastien to enter. "Thank you for helping," I said, earning a shocked look from both men.

"Thank you, my lady," Bastien said after he recovered from his surprise. "I promise I'm only here to make things right." He squared his shoulders as he gave us the full report. "After King Liam's father ordered me to arrange the photographs of you and Tariq, I didn't keep much of an eye on him. Once the photos went public, and he left Cordonia, I assumed he went to his family estate, but-"

I interrupted, "If he were there, we would have found him by now."

"Correct. I confirmed last night that Tariq did not return home. It appears he spent some time traveling at first. Germany, Morocco, the Bahamas. But as far as I can determine, the last flight he booked was a one-way trip to Los Angeles."

"To California? Why would he settle there?"

"He did used to say the L.A. lifestyle intrigued him," Liam told me.

"Red carpet fashion designers, Hollywood parties, I guess I can see that." I frowned. "L.A. is a huge city, though. It won't be easy to find him. We should look for people he knows there, first."

"I don't believe he has family in the area," Liam said. "And...I say this without judgement, but Tariq is the sort of person who has more wool coats than friends."

I furrowed my eyebrows, thinking. "He does love his coats," I murmured. "Wait! That's it! His coats!"

"What?"

"Think about it. Tariq is disgraced, ashamed, and he's hiding in a foreign country. I bet he's doing the retail therapy of his life right now. And knowing Tariq-"

Liam finished my thought, "There are only a few designer stores he'd be willing to set foot in."

"Maybe we can track him through his shopping!"

Bastien looked impressed at the idea. "Interesting. It's as good a lead as any. I can start contacting any stores that would meet his fashion requirements."

"Wait, wait," Liam said, holding up a hand. He was actually smiling again. "You may be a professional, Bastien, but when it comes to calling up clothing stores, we know a true expert."

"We do?" I asked.

"Maxwell. He might not throw his prestige around the way Bertrand does, but he knows how to get people talking. And he's spent enough time around Tariq to know what designers are up to his standards."

"Maxwell Beaumont?" Bastien scoffed. "Handle a delicate investigation?"

"Maxwell's always been a bit under-rated," I said.

Bastien looked between my face and Liam's before concluding, "Good lord. You're serious."

"Hey, who do you think helped us figure out that you were behind the photos?"

He shook his head, but agreed.

"In the meantime," Liam said, "Riley and I are expected at a tea ceremony today."

"I'll leave you two to prepare, then." He gave a bow and said his goodbyes. As he opened the door to leave, he nearly ran straight into Maxwell, whose fist was still raised as if about to knock. "You'll be coming with me, Lord Beaumont," Bastien said, grabbing Maxwell by the collar as he carried on his way.

Maxwell shot me a terrified look, and I couldn't help but tease him a little, saying "It's been nice knowing you!"

Liam laughed, but let Maxwell relax by explaining, "He's working with us now, Maxwell, don't worry!" Liam shook his head as he closed the door, then turned slowly to me, smiling. "I'm glad to have Bastien's help, but he interrupted us before I could show you the reason for my visit." He reached into his coat pocket and pulled out a long, narrow velvet box. "I wanted to give you this."

I opened the box and gasped. As I stared, Liam took the pearl bracelet out and fastened it on my wrist. "Liam, this is too much. This is gorgeous!"

"It looks even more gorgeous on you."

"You-" I started, then shook my head with a smile. "Thank you. What brought on such a generous gesture?"

Liam stepped toward me, brushing my messy hair out of my eyes. "It seems all I can think about lately is how close we are to clearing your name."

"That makes two of us. I'm tired of having this scandal standing between us."

"I know. I may not be able to tell the world how I feel about you...not yet. But I wanted to give you a token of my affection."

I stared at the bracelet, and my eyes went wide. "Liam, did you use the pearl from the Blue Grotto to make this?"

He shook his head. "No, I'm aware that we're still...how did you put it? Dealing with the sand. I'm still keeping it safe for you. But since you told me you love pearls, I thought you would appreciate a pearl bracelet."

"Very much so, yes." I reached up and gave him a sweet kiss, and he responded by wrapping his arms around my waist and pulling me flush against him. After a few seconds, I pressed my hand against his chest, pushing him away. "I'm going to have to find the perfect dress to wear with this bracelet at the tea ceremony today."

"I suppose that's my cue to leave you alone to dress."

"I mean, you could stay and watch, if you wanted," I said, sticking my tongue between my teeth as I smiled up at him.

Once more, we were interrupted by a knock at the door. Liam chuckled and stepped away, letting me answer it. It was Hana, and she had a garment bag slung over her shoulder. "I hope I'm not interrupting," she said coyly when she saw Liam.

"I was just on my way out," he assured her. He gave me a quick kiss on the cheek and bid us farewell. Once the door was closed, Hana turned to me, grinning. "Early morning wake-up call?" she asked.

I laughed. "Something like that." I held out my wrist to show her the bracelet Liam gave me. "He wanted to surprise me with this."

Hana gasped much as I had when I first saw it. "Oh my!" she said. "I've never seen so many pearls in one place."

"Yeah, he definitely knows how to spoil a girl."

"Well, I'm glad I brought this, then. It'll match perfectly!" She took the garment bag she was carrying and hung it on the back of my closet door. Carefully unzipping it, she showed me a gorgeous dress that looked just about my size. "Thanks to my parents' fashion lessons," she explained, "I know a few local designers. One of them helped me make a dress for you for today." She stepped back and watched my expression as I examined the dress.

"You made this for me?" I asked, stunned.

"When I heard the court was coming to Shanghai, I wanted you to have something special to wear here. I couldn't find a shop that sold the exact dress I had in mind, so I thought it'd be easier to design it." She bit her lip nervously. "What do you think?"

I took a long moment to soak in the details of the cherry red dress. Slim-fitting, with a red silk pencil skirt, and an intricate red lace bodice. "Hana, it's amazing! I can't believe you designed this for me! I really am getting spoiled today. I don't know what I did to deserve such nice things, or such nice friends. I feel like I should be looking for something to get Liam. And you!"

"Oh, Riley," Hana said with a wave of her hand. "You don't have to get me anything. Having my best friend here on the trip is all the gift I need."

I looked at her dubiously, but her smile was so sincere, I knew she meant it from the bottom of her big heart.

"But," Hana continued thoughtfully, "If you want to get something for Liam, I saw a jewelry store next door. And the sign said they do custom engravings. I bet you could find something really nice for him there!"

"That sounds perfect," I said. "Let me get changed, and then you can help me pick something out."

After a quick shower, I got dressed and Hana helped me do my hair in an elegant updo that really completed the whole outfit. Once we were satisfied I could not possibly look any better, Hana led me to the jewelry store she had seen. After a few minutes of browsing, I spotted a pair of jade cufflinks by the front counter. I pointed them out to Hana. "What if I got those engraved with something, like...the Cordonian royal seal. Do you think they could do that?"

Hana spoke rapid-fire Mandarin with the shopkeeper. At one point, she pulled up a picture to show him on her phone. After a minute, she turned back to me with a smile. "He said it will only take a few minutes."

"Sold!" I declared, and Hana let the shopkeeper know. He carried the cufflinks into the back room, and we could hear the scraping of tools on jade for several minutes until he returned with the cufflinks in a box.

Hana and I studied the newly engraved cufflinks with awe. "It looks amazing," I said. "Liam is going to love these!"

"The best tea service in the world and jade cufflinks! He's in for a real treat," Hana said.

"Speaking of which, we'd better get going. It wouldn't do for the host's daughter to be late."

Hana stalled a little, and I cocked my head as I looked at her. "What's wrong?"

We shuffled from the store to the street to hail a cab. "I'm worried."

"About your dad? I thought things went pretty well the other day."

"That's part of the problem. After I got home, he spent the whole night talking about how well I must be doing at court to have connections like you. And he started asking me about suitors."

"Did you tell him about Neville and Rashad? They've got to be your dad's idea of the perfect bachelors."

"I did, and he...he was thrilled." She sounded like she wanted to cry. "That's what scares me, Riley."

"Oh," I said, finally understanding. "And you don't want to marry either of them."

She shook her head, not meeting my eyes. "The better things go, the more my dad's going to expect me to pursue them! I don't know how to tell him that I'm not interested in either of them."

We settled into the cab, and I scooted a little closer to Hana so I could wrap an arm around her. "You'll be okay, I promise."

"How can you be that confident?"

"Because I've met you, Hana. You're incredible, and if you can learn to waltz and ride horseback and dine with royalty, I know you can find a way to handle your parents."

"I hope so."

"Hana, can I ask you something?"

She looked at me with surprise. "Of course!"

"Do you not want to get married to Neville or Rashad, or do you just...not want to get married?"

Her eyes widened, and her cheeks flushed. She looked out the window of the cab while she thought about her answer. "I don't know what I want anymore, Riley." She looked down at her lap, then up at the ceiling. Anywhere but at me. "My whole life, I just knew what my life was going to be. I was going to grow up, marry a rich nobleman, have kids, and that would be that. There was no questioning it, or wondering if it was what I wanted. It was just a fact."

Finally, she turned to look at me. "And then I met you." She smiled. "And you were so brave, and confident, and you showed me that I actually have a say in where my life takes me." She looked away again, and lowered her voice. "Can I tell you something? Something you have to promise not to repeat."

"Of course, anything Hana."

"I think I...might not...like men."

"You're gay?"

She shrugged. "I'm still figuring things out for myself. But I..." she cleared her throat. "I hope this doesn't make you uncomfortable. But I kind of had a crush on you, when we first met."

I smiled. "Really? Me?"

"Yes, you! How could I not?"

I shook my head. "I think you nobles need to get out more."

"It doesn't bother you, though, does it?"

"That you had a crush on me?"

"That I might be gay."

"Of course, not Hana! You're my best friend. I love you. Nothing can change that."

She took a deep breath. "Thank you, I really needed to hear that. I'm not sure what my parents reaction will be, if I even decide to tell them. I'm still so confused and unsure of myself. But, I'm glad I got to talk it through with you a little. It helps."

I gave her a big hug as we pulled up to the gardens where the tea ceremony would be held. "I'm here for you, always, Hana."

Together, we wandered slowly towards the open-air teahouse, taking in the sights and smells of the perfectly tended gardens. Suddenly, Hana's smile melted. "Oh, no," she groaned. I followed the line of her sight and noticed Neville and Rashad walking towards us.

"Lady Hana," Neville said with a chipper voice as they drew near.

"Good afternoon," Rashad said with a bow.

Behind them was Hana's father. "There you are, Hana," he said, pulling his daughter towards him, and away from me. "You must come say hello." I shot Hana a glance to see if she was okay, but she smiled - a forced smile, but a smile.

"I'll come find you later," Hana told me as she walked off with her father and the two suitors.

As I stood and watched, I heard a pointed cough from behind me. I turned to see Madeleine hanging on Liam's arm. "You're blocking the way, Lady Riley," Madeleine said.

"Sorry," I said, moving slightly. Instead of brushing past me, they stood for a moment.

"I think what Madeleine means is, it's a pleasure to see you, Lady Riley," Liam said, smiling coyly at me. "You look...that is, that dress has a marvelous design."

"Thank you. It's actually Hana's design."

Madeleine's eyebrow twitched upwards, but otherwise her face wore the same disaffected neutral expression it always did. "I didn't know Lady Hana was such an accomplished seamstress." Madeleine tugged at Liam's arm, and I nodded my head as if to say, It's okay, go. He bowed briefly and they hurried off, so I followed behind and found a table for the ceremony.

"Harkness!" Drake said as he saw me approach. "Over here. I thought I'd be stuck drinking tea alone."

"Sadly for all of us, that's not the case." This was from Olivia, who joined our table and took a seat at the same time I did.

"Hmph," Drake grunted. "Did Madeleine send you to sit with us exiles?" He asked Olivia.

"Not as such. But there was only one other available table." She looked pointedly at a table with Kiara and Penelope. "Your company seemed marginally preferable."

"It's okay, Olivia," I said, "You can just admit we're friends."

She glowered at me. "I just find you less insufferable than Penelope."

"Coming from you, that's like a confession of love," Drake said.

"We're basically besties," I grinned.

As the tea ceremony began, we watched entranced as a server carefully filled a cup with boiling water, added the tea, then poured out the water and filled it again. After we were all sipping our tea, I noticed that Hana and her father were standing away from the group, in a heated discussion. I excused myself and went to back Hana up, as I promised I would.

As I approached, I heard Xinghai saying, "Why would you let him walk away? You should be with Lord Neville right now!"

"He said he wanted to talk to Liam. It was only polite to let him go."

"I never said it was rude. It was a wasted opportunity. Lord Neville asked for formal permission to court you! Hana, this is the first step toward a proposal! If you hurry, you can still join their conversation."

I cleared my throat to announce my presence. "Am I interrupting?"

"Riley!" Hana said, clearly relieved. "Please, join us."

"I wanted to thank you both for inviting everyone to tea," I said.

"Of course! I told my father we couldn't let everyone leave Shanghai without visiting this place."

"The ceremony was lovely."

"It always is," Xinghai said, scowling at his daughter a little. "But it would be better if you made use of it, Hana. All those lessons in small talk over tea service were for a reason."

"That's...a very specific school of conversation," I said, glancing at Hana.

"Father, I've been talking to Neville for the past ten minutes!"

"And why stop there? You have a proper suitor! This is everything we've been working for."

"What's wrong with taking a break?" I asked.

"There will be time to relax once she is engaged with a suitable prenuptial agreement," Xinghai told me. "Until then, Lord Neville needs to know she is as interested in a potential match as he is."

I looked at Hana with a pained expression, trying to silently encourage her to speak up for herself. She looked back at me, torn between the need to please her parents and the desire to be true to herself.

"Father, I..." She started. She hesitated, then squared her shoulders and started again, more confidently. "I am not interested in Neville. Even if I tried to court him, even if he proposed to me, I would never want to marry him."

Xinghai looked confused at first, like he couldn't understand the words coming from his daughter's mouth. "What are you saying? Why on earth would you turn him down?"

"He might be successful and wealthy, but he's pretentious and selfish, and...and boring! I don't care about him, father! He doesn't mean anything to me!"

"Romance is all well and good to dream of, but this is your future we're talking about! You can't throw it away over sentimentality!"

Hana didn't say anything, but her face was red with anger. I tried to play peacemaker. "Mr. Lee, I know you mean well, but I think you and Hana both want different things for her."

This did not go over as well as I had hoped. Xinghai turned to me with a scowl. "I want what's best for her. There's nothing wrong with that."

"Okay...but, you clearly have different ideas about what that means. This is Hana's life, and it's her choice to make."

He shook his head, disappointed. "After yesterday, I expected better from you. I thought you understood the value of your position here at court, and of Hana's. But it seems I was wrong. You've clearly been a negative influence. Someone with such misguided priorities doesn't belong at this court. Or with my daughter."

His words felt like a slap across my face.

"Dad, that's enough!" Hana shouted, not caring if the whole court heard her. I could see her hands shaking a little, but her voice was determined as she continued, "You have no right to say that to Riley. You don't know what it's been like at court, but she's been there with me through everything. The competition, the touring, the endless pressure to impress the royal family. And all the pressure from you. Riley's the most remarkable person I've ever met, and I...I won't let you talk that way to my best friend."

"Hana..." Xinghai started, but she held up a hand to cut him off.

"If there's one thing Riley's taught me, it's that sometimes you have to find your own way in life. No matter how hard or scary it can be. I'm not having this conversation with you anymore. This is my life, and I need to decide what kind of future I want. Who I want to be. I...I need some space for a while." She started walking away, and I jogged after her, but she stopped me. "Thank you, Riley, but I need to be alone for a while." I gave her a brief hug, and slowly walked back to the tea party.

As I found my group, still at our table, I slumped into my chair with a frown. "I think I might have made things worse."

"What happened?" Drake asked. "We saw Hana leave."

"She and her dad got into a fight. She actually told him she wasn't interested in Neville."

"Well, good for her. It's about time she told her parents to lay off."

"Interesting," Olivia added. "It seems she's discovering a backbone."

I shot her a glare, but didn't answer. Around us, guests were starting to leave the party, forming a line into the garden, with King Liam waiting at the front.

"Does every event have to end with a line to meet the King?" I asked.

"Don't worry," Maxwell said, appearing behind me. "Soon enough, you'll be standing at the front of all the lines with him, and people will be waiting to meet you."

I rolled my eyes, but smiled. "At least I can give him my gift," I said, holding out the cufflinks for Maxwell to see.

"Nice! Everyone likes surprise presents!"

After a few long minutes, I reached the front of the line, greeting Liam with a curtsy.

"Lady Riley," he said formally. "It's always a delight to see you again."

"I brought you something," I told him with a grin, holding the jewelry box behind my back. "Close your eyes." He did, and I pressed the open box into his hands. "Okay, open them!"

He beamed as he held the box up to the light, watching the jade cufflinks shine. "Is that the Cordonian crest?" He asked.

"Well, if there are two things I know you like, it's Cordonia, and my company."

"Right on both counts." He quickly removed his gold cufflinks and hooked the jade ones into place. "How do they look?" He asked, holding his arm out for my inspection.

"Fit for a king," I decided.

"I'll try to be worthy of them. What inspired such a generous gift?"

I gave him an are you kidding look. "After the gift you gave me this morning? I guess I just wanted to return the favor. You know, even if this isn't the engagement tour either of us wanted, we still get to travel the world together. And I think that's worth remembering with a keepsake. Plus, it gave me an extra excuse to see you."

He grinned. "Soon, I hope we won't need excuses. But until then, I'll take every one I can get. But, speaking of gifts...there was one other thing I hoped to share with you."

"The Hope diamond? Or a tiara with rubies and sapphires?" I teased.

"More of an experience than a physical present." He took a step closer to me, standing as close as propriety would allow. Then, leaning in slightly, he told me in a hushed voice, "There's a lake on the west side of the city which rumor describes as extremely romantic. And if you want to meet me there at sunset, it's likely to be very...secluded."

I nodded as I moved on, letting him greet the next guests. Outside the gardens, I met back up with my friends. Maxwell offered me a ride back to the hotel, but I let him know I had other plans.

"Is this something to do with why Liam's rushing the last few nobles through the line?" He asked with a twinkle in his eye.

"Maaaaybe."

"Ooh, a secret rendezvous. I like it! I'll see you later, then."

I hailed a cab and rode to the lake Liam had mentioned. I wandered around the grassy lawns until I saw Liam approach. I broke out running and he caught me in his arms. Hand in hand, we walked toward a dock on the lake, with a small motorboat floating next to it. Liam offered me a hand as I climbed in, and he sat in the driver's seat next to me.

The sun was beginning to dip below the horizon, and the water was a beautiful shade of purple as we skimmed the surface towards the center of the lake. "This really is beautiful," I said, looking all around before finally turning to watch Liam. He eased up on the throttle, letting us float idly in the lake while he turned to me. "It is. Yet somehow, my gaze can't help lingering on you instead."

"Will you ever run out of cheesy romantic lines like that?"

"Not as long as you're around for inspiration."

As the last of the light began to fade, I realized we were really alone on the lake, all the other boats had already headed for shore. Liam slowly steered the boat across the water as I settled back, enjoying the view of the city lights and twinkling stars. "So," I said at last, "If you're here with me, does that mean your father is doing better?"

"As well as can be expected. He was in good spirits when I visited him today."

"I'm glad. And you? How are you coping with everything?"

Liam focused on the water as he answered. "I...still can't quite comprehend what he did. How much he hid from me. I have always looked up to my father, always strived to emulate his unflinching sense of loyalty and duty to Cordonia. Now, I wonder, is he really the role model I held him up to be?"

"Role models never stand up to the harsh light of reality, Liam. Everyone has flaws, everyone makes mistakes. I don't agree with what your father did, but I don't think you were wrong to admire him. From everything you've told me, it sounds like he served Cordonia well for a long time."

"My father was a good king because he put Cordonia first, even above his own son. I might not ever be so good a king, but I hope to be a better man."

"As far as I'm concerned, you already are a far better man. You are thoughtful and dutiful, and you care so deeply for the people you love."

"I..." he stopped and turned to me. "Thank you, Riley. I think I needed to hear that today. I'm going to be so glad to put all of this behind us. We just have to find Tariq, and that will be easy compared to everything we've overcome so far."

"And then?" I asked.

"And then we won't need to abscond in secret like this. We'll be able to enjoy places like this together, in the open."

"I like the sound of that."

"For now, though, there is one other thing I wanted to show you."

Liam navigated the boat to a secluded inlet partially obscured by overhanging willow branches. He cut the engine, bringing the boat to a stop. "Look in the water," he instructed. I peered over the side of the boat to see shimmering fish - red, white, and orange, swimming just under the surface, the moonlight reflecting off their scales.

"Oh, they're beautiful!" I said. Liam offered me some bread to feed them, and as I dropped crumbs in the water, a swarm of koi surrounded the boat in a frenzy.

"They remind me of you, you know," Liam said, leaning over to look at them on my side of the boat.

"Because I, too, go crazy for bread?"

He laughed and shook his head, leaning back into his seat. I turned to face him. "No," Liam said. "Koi are symbols of perseverance and courage. There's a legend about a waterfall called the Dragon's Gate. Supposedly, hundreds of koi leap up the falls, braving the swift waters and sharp rocks. Few ever reach the top, but those few that do succeed are transform into dragons."

I thought about that for a minute. "Huh."

"Huh? That's all you have to say?"

I laughed. "Sorry, I was...okay, it's stupid, but I was wondering if that's where they got the idea for Magikarp and Gyarados in Pokemon."

Liam laughed. "I didn't know you were such a nerd."

"Hey," I said, punching him playfully on the shoulder. "Pokemon are cool."

"I know that. Where do you think I learned the legend of the Dragon's Gate?"

I looked at him skeptically. "Really?"

He nodded. "Ten-year-old Liam was really into Pokemon."

I shook my head in wonder. "Just when I thought I couldn't love you any more than I did."

"Anyway, to get back to my romantic point. The story has come to remind me of you, Riley. Watching you throughout the engagement tour, you've been fighting your way up the waterfall. And when we find Tariq, you'll reach the top and become a dragon-"

"Gyarados."

"Gyarados. And nothing will ever stand in your way."

"You mean, nothing will stand in our way."

Liam took my hand and kissed it, then held it against his cheek as he looked at me lovingly. "This, Riley, is why I am certain that you are the best queen Cordonia could hope for. You are the most loyal and tenacious woman I know. You astonish me."

"I do?"

"Sometimes, when I am up against a particularly challenging decision as king, I stop to consider, which choice makes me worthy of Riley? I look to you for strength. I look to you for the courage to choose the right path, even when it is the more difficult one. That is why I know that you are the only one for me. I can't imagine life without you by my side, to inspire and challenge me. To make me a better man."

I moved the hand that he held around to the back of his head, and he dropped his grip, letting his own hand fall to my shoulder. As I leaned in to kiss him, his hands slid further down, to my hips, pulling me closer. After a long moment spent like that, I paused for breath.

"Liam," I said. "Keep talking like that and I won't be able to keep my hands off you."

"Then perhaps I should keep talking," he said with a grin.

"Perhaps you should."

"Riley, nothing in this world would make me happier than to spend my life loving and honoring you. These moments we share together will see me through to a time when I can do so openly, without fearing for your safety."

"Then let's savor this moment." I looked behind us to the back of the boat, judging how much space we had to work with. Seeing my thought process, Liam moved to sit behind the captain's chair, then pulled me over with him. We made out for a while before I told him, "I think you should take my dress off, now."

"As you wish," was all he replied.

After many long, unforgettable moments, we lay wrapped naked in each others' arms, the weeping willow's curtain of branches making us feel like we were in our own little world. I nestled my head against Liam's chest and kissed it softly. "I'll never get tired of seeing you like this," I said. "But it's getting late, and I need to check on Hana. We should probably get going."

I think Liam was almost asleep, because his voice was thick like honey when he spoke. "Mmmkay, as you wish."

We carefully found our clothes and re-dressed, which was no easy task, even with how still the water was. I went to ask Liam to zip my dress, when I noticed his concerned face. His eyes darted around the boat's deck. "What's wrong?" I asked.

"I can't find one of the cufflinks you gave me." Together we, searched every inch of the boat, but came up empty handed. "I can't believe I lost one!" He moaned.

"It must have fallen in the water when I was taking your shirt off." Liam looked heartbroken. "Hey," I said, putting a hand on his cheek. "It's okay. We'll get you one that's similar enough, and when you wear it with the real cufflink, you can remember all the fun we had here tonight."

He grinned at that and gave me one last kiss before steering the boat back toward the dock. "This was the perfect way to end our time in Shanghai," I said as we parted ways.

"Are you excited to go back to New York?" Liam asked.

I shrugged. "Depends."

"On what?"

"How much time I'll get to spend with you."