“The streets of Rome remind me so much of Oxford, their narrowness and the tallness of the stone buildings. They sprung up long before the invention of the car and will be here long after we've done away with such things. One day the air here will again be pure and scented more by the cooking of pasta sauces than the petroleum burnt in traffic jams,” said Lucien as Aurora looked at him deeply. There was something about this man except his raw sexuality which pulled her to him and she could feel that in the air. What it was, she had no idea but she was definitely going to try and figure that out.

“In this city that has existed for three millennia, history crawls from every crevice and crack. There is architecture so enchanting as to bewitch this lonesome traveller, draw me in until I wish I were lucky enough to call this place of sandy hued rock and brick plazas home,” said Aurora.

“I have a feeling that we both have the same feelings about quite a lot of things,” said Lucien smiling at her and she smiled back at him. When they had caught hold of each other’s hands and when they had intertwined their fingers just like lovers did when they were together.

Trumpets blare in the distance and crowds yell enthusiastically. The marble buildings tower over the hordes of people. A chariot storms through the street and you narrowly miss being trampled by his black stallion. Musicians play exotic pipes and foreign harps, creating a majestic, albeit merry atmosphere. Tantalizing scents waft through the breeze. A woman begins offering you some pudding. You trade a coin for the white, stiff pudding. It’s creamy, sweet, and cold. It tastes refreshingly of lemon. You spoon it into your mouth, savoring the cold cream in your stomach on a warm day. Slaves, dressed in brown raggedy tunics, rush through the streets, eager to complete errands for their masters. Wealthy, pompous aristocrats are dressed in bright colors of purple and white. Both Aurora and Lucien laugh and join the parade as well which happens once a week on the streets to give the people a cause to celebrate and enjoy and it had been good for business as well.

The streets were lively and bustling with people. Cheers from the coliseum could be heard in the distance. Aurora ambled through the streets, past stalls, covered in bright cloths, and vendors. The baker eagerly advertised his goods of sweet honey rolls and fragrant, spiced bread. Children chased each other through the streets. A triumphant blared in the distance. Aurora selected carefully selected new cloth. The silky cloth she chose was a deep maroon. She made sure to select the type of cloth dyed with shells and not cheap root dye. Muscular servants hauled litters, carrying wealthy, bejeweled aristocrats. The sun beamed down onto the magnificent marble city of Rome. A gentle breeze caressed Aurora’s face. Stacks of puffy clouds lazily floated across the sky.

“Are you enjoying it? Do you like the fabric?” asked Lucien as Aurora deeply inhaled the cloth.

“I like the feel of the fabric. I would want to take some of this as research material,” said Aurora as she suddenly realized that she had almost given away something very private about herself.

“Oh so you are a designer?” asked Lucien with slight interest.

“You can say I have interest in fashion and I like to design my own clothes…it is better that way…it is hobby as well and then it creates things a lot better and cheaper. So I like to buy fabrics and not dresses,” said Aurora as Lucien seemed to believe her.

“Well I must say that I envy your capabilities…to create something from scratch is not a deed to be taken lightly at all mia luca,” he said as he caught hold of her hand and kissed it.

“Not at all indeed,” said Aurora as she could feel the searing heat of his lips imprinting on her hands and then spreading from that point when he kissed it. Heat flared in her belly and pooled in her chest without her realizing that her eyes had grown dark with desire and her lips had parted of their own accord and Lucien could feel that she wanted to kiss him just like he wanted to kiss her. But then she suddenly caught ahold of herself and said,’ Should we get something to eat? I mean, that pudding was really not that good at all…I am feeling terribly hungry.”

“Of course Aurora,…I cannot possibly keep you hungry now, can i?” asked Lucien with a wink and then they both started walking towards a small bistro which Lucien said had the best pasta and the risotto, and said that also had the best collection of wines that she could possibly have tasted only in Napa Valley. So it should be the perfect place to have dinner.

Aurora went ahead with what he suggested because obviously she had no clue about what was good and what was not.

“You seem to be a bit off since quite a while! Did I do something to offend you dear?” asked Lucien in a concerned voice as they were eating their dinner in silence. Aurora’s head jerked up at him and she looked at his worried eyes and said,” No Lucien. There is nothing you could do to possibly to offend me at all. It is just that I have never been away from my family for a very long time and that too these many days. I am just worried that all of them are fine.”

“So we are here having a romantic dinner for two in Rome under the stars and you are still thinking about your family?” asked Lucien in a voice which showed that he was shocked.

“I am really sorry. I did not mean to say that…I mean…Lucien…listen..I am ….,” Aurora was stopped in the middle of the sentence with a burst of laughter from the handsome man sitting across her…

“Oh dear! It is so good to see you flustered like that…no sweetheart…it is fine…” said Lucien as Aurora laughed along with him being caught off guard.