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ChapterTwenty-Two
Olivia followed Rick along the road leading through the village square. They’d only walked two blocks when he turned down a street bearing a sign pointing to the Sanctuary of Aphrodite.
They’d visited the site during the first week of field school when the students had toured local monuments in the area. As far as ruins went, the sanctuary wasn’t that impressive. Though it had been important during its heyday when it had served as a temple dedicated to the goddess Aphrodite, all that remained now were a bunch of broken columns, some faded mosaics, and a few rectangular areas marked by low stone walls.
Rick led them past the ticket booth—now closed for the night—to a section of the chain-link fence with an iron gate. To Olivia’s surprise, he pushed it open with little effort.
“Shouldn’t the gate be locked?” she asked.
“It should be, but the caretaker’s not that diligent. Most nights, he’s at Leda Taverna, getting drunk.”
“You’ve…been here before?” Though she had no right to be jealous, she didn’t want to imagine him here with anyone else.
“Nope. This is my first time. Juno told me about it. Apparently, it’s a popular spot for couples.” He gestured to the gate. “Shall we?”
Olivia hesitated. Given that the site wasn’t open to the public after dark, if they went any further, they’d be trespassing. As in, committing a crime.
Wasn’t that precisely what she was trying to avoid?
“What if we get caught?” she asked. “Think how much trouble we got into when we broke the law before.”
He placed his hand on her arm. “We don’t have to go any further. But it’s not like we’re stealing a vehicle. If it makes you feel any better, Juno said the last time a couple was caught here after hours, they had to pay a fifty-euro fine.”
She could handle fifty euros. She was more worried about the potential humiliation if anyone found out.
“Whatever you choose, I’ll respect your decision.” He gave her a roguish smile. “But sometimes the best things happen when you break the rules.”
Was he referring to Clear Lake? Even if the consequences had been disastrous, they’d made some unforgettable memories. Here was a chance to make more of those memories, with a lover who genuinely cared about her. For years, she’d let her fear and anxiety stop her from following her passion. She couldn’t keep living that way.
Besides, how could she pass up the chance for intimacy in an ancient temple dedicated to the goddess of sexual love?
“Let’s go,” she said. “Hopefully, Aphrodite will watch out for us.”
The site was bathed in darkness, the only light coming from a slim, crescent moon. As Olivia made her way around the ruins, she stumbled over a large rock. Rick grabbed her arm and pulled her back.
“Careful. Next time I’ll bring a flashlight.”
Next time? Her pulse raced. Sneaking into the sanctuary for one night was bold enough. But making a habit of it? That was the mark of a true badass.
With no large structures to hide behind, the area around them was fairly exposed. Fortunately, the darkness provided ample cover. But when Rick almost tripped over a broken column, he took out his phone and turned on the flashlight app. Using the faint light, he led them to a rectangular area, walled in on three sides. The low stone walls provided enough of a barrier to shield them from anyone who might walk past the site. Beneath them, the ground was paved with smooth, flat stones.
Rick eased himself onto the stones and pulled Olivia toward him. “Sorry the ground’s so hard. I had no idea we’d end up here, so I wasn’t prepared.”
She sat next to him and rested her head on his shoulder. “We can bring a blanket next time.”
They sat together in the stillness. Even if the site was little more than rubble, it had lasted for centuries, playing host to thousands of steamy encounters. Back in the day, when religious pilgrims had come to worship Aphrodite, the temple priestesses offered up their bodies as part of their duty to the goddess.
Now I’ll be adding to that history. The thought made Olivia shiver with delight.
When Rick whispered her name, she turned to face him. Though she was craving the taste of his lips, she let him take the lead. He started slow, placing feather-soft kisses on her eyelids, her cheeks, and the curve of her chin. His lips grazed the sensitive spot behind her ear and the hollow of her collarbones, sending flickers of desire through her. When his lips caressed her bare shoulders, she quivered with anticipation, wanting so much more.
“Should I keep going?” he asked.
“Yes. Please.” She glanced at the hard ground beneath her. “Though I wish we had that blanket.”
He unbuttoned his shirt, eased it off his shoulders, and passed it to her. “Here. You can lie down on this.”
She took it from him but couldn’t pull away. Now that her eyes had adjusted to the darkness, she could make out his well-defined figure. Reaching toward him, she stroked his chest, letting her hands graze the firm muscles. “How the hell did you get so ripped?”
