Page 87 of Tour Wars
He clenched up, trying to distract himself, trying to think ofanything—ancient pottery types, Roman emperors, the Greek alphabet—that would delay the inevitable, but she felt so good underneath him. He kept going, telling himself it was a test of his will, that the longer he held out, the better it would be. But when she cried out and pressed her face into his shoulder, he let himself go, succumbing to an intense wave of pleasure that racked his whole body.
As they came down from their high together, he held her tightly, still overwhelmed by the feelings she’d elicited in him. For the longest time, all he wanted to do was hold her. To reassure himself that she was really with him and not thousands of miles away.
Releasing her gently, he lay on his back and let out a satisfied sigh.
She nestled her head against his chest. “Mmm. That was totally worth the wait.”
“It was. I love you, Em.”
“I love you, too. Even if you did make me risk my life in a giant blizzard.”
He couldn’t remember a time he’d felt so content. For all his boasting and competitiveness, for all the times he’d tried to get ahead, the best things had happened when he hadn’t put himself first. When he’d cared about other people, loved someone with his whole heart, and put himself on the line for her. Back in November, when he took on the Robertis, he hadn’t known what would come of it. He’d had no idea if he’d find a job or win Emilia back. All he’d wanted to do was get justice for her.
But now, he was gainfully employed, reunited with the woman he loved, and ready to take on life’s challenges.
It was a far better future than he ever could have predicted.
* * *
After their secondround of delicious, toe-curling sex, Emilia dozed off in TJ’s arms. When she woke, the room was still dark, but she was too curious about the storm to go back to sleep. Easing out of bed, she found the bag with the shirts and slipped one over her head. It fit her more like a dress, the hem falling halfway down her thighs, but she loved the way the soft fabric caressed her bare skin. She crept over to the window and pulled back the drapes. Outside, the sun was just rising, the whole world covered in a blanket of white.
As a kid, she’d loved days like these. Snow days when school was canceled, when she’d spend hours playing outside and then warm up with her mom’s spicy hot chocolate. It was one of the memories that still filled her with a twinge of sadness when she recalled how much she’d lost.
Though she’d always have a small void where her mom had been, she was slowly filling the well by letting people into her life. Not just colleagues or dig buddies but people she cared about. Friends like Rick, Olivia, Dusty, Stuart, and Cesca. The people on the tour group who’d reached out to check on her after posting their one-star reviews of Buon Viaggio in November. And TJ, who’d helped her break down her walls. Thanks to him, she’d opened herself up to love, realizing it didn’t have to end in hurt and humiliation. After the way he’d come through for her, she knew she could trust him with her whole heart.
At the sound of his voice, she turned to face him. He sat up in bed and grabbed his glasses from the nightstand. “Everything okay, Em?”
“I woke up and had to check out the snow. Looks like we got at least a foot. Come see.”
He got out of bed, found the other t-shirt, and put it on with a chuckle. “I didn’t realize these were extra-extra-large.”
“They’re adorable, but if you tell anyone we were wearing matching lake shirts, I’ll have to kill you.”
He came over to join her. “So, no taking a selfie of us and posting it online?”
“Don’t even. I can’t have anyone thinking I’m a ‘lake person.’” She gestured to the view outside their window. “How much do you think we got? Maybe a foot?”
“Or more. I’m glad we didn’t have to drive in it last night.” He grinned. “I know this might sound selfish, but I’d call this a perfect storm.”
She felt the same way. Thanks to the blizzard, they’d been able to truly reconnect. And now, they had so much to look forward to. In the space of one year, her life had changed completely, and not in ways she ever could have imagined. She’d led a ten-day tour through southern Italy, gotten fired, rebooted her life in California, and fallen in love with her fiercest rival.
Whether it was fate, luck, or sheer persistence, she’d ended up exactly where she was meant to be.
EPILOGUE
One Year Later
“Any further questions?” Emilia scanned the audience one last time. When no one raised their hand, she spoke up again. “On behalf of the Getty Conservation Institute, I’d like to thank you for attending my presentation on technological advances in the conservation of wall paintings at Pompeii and Herculaneum. If you think of any follow-up questions, I’ll be at the conference all weekend, and my email address is on the handout.”
She waited until everyone had filed out, then went to grab her laptop. As she was tucking it into her briefcase, a familiar voice addressed her. “Excellent job, Dr. Flores.”
A smile tugged at her lips. She turned to face TJ, who was looking sharp in a navy blazer, a light blue button-down, and a striped navy-and-gray tie. Whenever he dressed in full professional mode, her hormones went into overdrive. Even now, she wanted to drag him by the tie, press him up against the wall, and have her way with him.
But since they were at an academic conference, she kept her urges under control. “Thank you, Dr. Mayer. I hope you were paying attention and not ogling my legs.”
He smirked. “Well, you know how I feel about you in heels. But no, I was listening. Your presentation was fantastic.”
“Thanks.” She took his arm. “We should get going. My talk ran a little late, and I don’t want to lose our table.” In a conference hotel filled with hungry archaeologists, securing a reservation in one of the on-site restaurants hadn’t been easy.
