Until I felt him tap my hand, and I remembered he had placed something there.

I looked down, opening my hand to reveal two coins. “I love it! I used to do this at Disneyland with my parents as a kid. I toss in the coins and make a wish like Snow White?”

I plucked one from my hand and wound up, ready to hurl it into the water. He took my hand gently, shaking his head.

“Slow down, princess. This is no Disney fountain. The Trevi has history, traditions to abide by. As a man of Roma, I cannot let you mess with the tradition.”

“I love it when you sound like a professor. Teach me, Dr. Bianchi,” I purred, loving the sight of his nostrils flaring and his chest expanding.

Oh, it was going to be a very good night.

Doing his best to ignore my shameless flirting, he turned me so that he was behind me, pressed tightly against me, lined up perfectly. “With your back to the fountain, you must toss a coin with your right hand over your left shoulder,” he instructed. “If one coin goes in, that means you’ll return to Rome.”

He waited while the group of people who were listening to him—and swooning, I might add—followed his instructions. A flurry of coins sailed into the air and landed with little plops in the water.

As I held on to my coins, they waited intently for step two.

“Two coins in, and you’ll return to Roma and fall in love,” he added, dropping a kiss on my lips.

As the group tossed their second coins in, couples embraced and kissed. Some women were scribbling on papers, trying to get Marcello’s attention. He laughed, waving them off and breaking dozens of hearts.

“Now that you know the rules, it is your time.” He moved away a bit to give me room.

I made a show of pocketing the coins.

His brow furrowed, confused, he asked, “Avery, you do not want to—”

I silenced him with a kiss. “I don’t need a coin to bring me back to Roma. I don’t plan on leaving. And the second coin?” I teared up when I saw the expectant look in his eyes. “I already fell in love in Rome—and I’m never letting go.”