I called out, catching the attention of the closest one. Scowling, he came forward and I indicated I wished to enter the stall. He merely nodded and unlocked the door. I supposed it wasn’t uncommon for a lone woman to stroll into the bowels of the amphitheater and ask to be left alone with a giant gladiator. Perhaps he thought the masculine beast was my property? I entered within and heard the guard stomp his booted feet impatiently. “Leave us,” I said, my eyes never straying from my quarry. The door swung shut, banging against its hinges, and a click of the lock sounded, indicating I was locked inside. My body gave an involuntary shiver—of fear or excitement, I wasn’t certain. Both perhaps? The guard’s footsteps echoed down the passageway, letting me know I was truly alone with a man who could snap me in two with his bare hands. Alas, the giant still lay quiet, either unaware of my presence or not concerned. My gaze skimmed about the enclosure and soaked in the bare bones of humanitarian comforts.
