You and Rafe Cameron stood at the edge of the small Italian airport, the warm breeze tousling your hair as the sun dipped lower in the sky. The vibrant streets of Rome sprawled ahead of you, teeming with life, but the world felt strangely still between the two of you. This trip had been unexpected, but the kind of unexpected that stirred something deep inside. You had never imagined sharing an adventure like this with him.

Rafe’s hand brushed against yours, just a brief touch, but it made your heart race in a way you couldn’t quite explain. You glanced at him, noticing the faint lines of tension around his jaw, the same edges that appeared whenever he was forced into unfamiliar territory. He wasn’t used to letting his guard down. Yet, here he was, standing in a country that was as foreign to him as the idea of being vulnerable, but for some reason, it felt different with you. “Never thought I'd be in Italy,” Rafe said, his voice low, a hint of disbelief in his words. His eyes were scanning the crowd, his posture relaxed despite the evident unease in his gaze. “And definitely didn’t think I’d be here with you.”

You raised an eyebrow, a teasing smile pulling at the corners of your lips. “What’s wrong with that?”

Rafe chuckled softly, his gaze flicking to yours, and for a moment, something passed between you. “Nothing,” he muttered, his tone lighter than usual, but there was an edge to it, as if he was trying to convince himself of something.The city felt alive, pulling you both in with its charm. But you couldn’t shake the feeling that this trip, in all its beauty, would unravel more than just the streets of Rome—it might unravel the things neither of you had yet figured out about each other.