The Italian

“It happens at 11:00 p.m.”

“I’m intrigued. Why that time?”

“That’s the time that the gods choose.” He rolls me over onto my back and smiles down at me.

“Are you going to fuck me at 11:11,” I tease. “Is that what the gods want?”

He laughs out loud and it’s a beautiful sound. “No, I’m going to fuck you at 12:11. 11:11 is for something else—something better.”

I giggle as his lips touch mine. “Nothing could be that good.”

* * *

It’s 11:00 p.m. and I’m standing at the side door of the Pantheon.

Enrico is behind me, and I am encased by his protective arms. We’ve had another amazing day and this is his surprise for me.

“Rici,” I whisper up at him.

“Yes?”

“I love this surprise already.”

He gently kisses my lips.

I have no idea what it is. The Pantheon isn’t even open, but it’s cool just being here in this greatness.

The door opens and a man comes into view. He’s wearing a suit and seems important. He bows his head. “Enrico, my child, come in.”

I bite my lip. “What the hell?” I whisper as we follow the man.

The Pantheon is lit up with candles and spotlights. It’s perfect.

It’s like something out of a movie.

Rico turns to me and takes my hands in his. “Tonight, Olivia, we get to speak to the gods.”

“What?”

“Through centuries, this has been my family’s tradition. We each have a turn. It wasn’t my year, but I swapped with someone so you could experience this, too.”

“Rici,” I whisper in wonder. My eyes roam around the huge round space, at the marble columns and the beautiful flooring.

“Pantheon means honor of gods, and it is the best preserved Roman monument,” he says. “It’s over two thousand years old and still has the original flooring and marble.”

My eyes follow his voice as he points to the marble statues that stand around as if guarding the magnificence.

“It is the tomb to many of our great Italians. Vittorio Emmanuelle II. Umberto and his queen Margherita. Rafael and his lover.”

He looks down at me and I rise up onto my toes to kiss him. “Thank you for bringing me here.”

“The Oculus.” He points to the ceiling. I look up and my mouth falls open in wonder. A circular hole in the ceiling is open, meaning I can see the clouds in the sky.

“Is that open?” I ask.

“Yes.”

“Does the rain get in here?”