Florence: Where It All Began

Chapter 46

The band is mid song when Tony leads you onto the dance floor. It's a very slow, romantic song so he pulls you into his arms, wrapping one around you and giving you his other hand to hold.

"I haven't danced like this since highschool." You say, laughing nervously.

"Just relax, let me lead. See? Nice and easy."

He smiles softly at you and you smile back. Being this close to him, staring into his eyes, it gives you butterflies. You start to tense up because even after being with him and knowing him for a while, he still makes you nervous.

"What's the matter?" He asks.

"Nothing, why?"

"You're not as relaxed as you were."

You laugh from embarrassment.

"What?"

"You... make me nervous."

"What?" He chuckles. "How do I make you nervous?"

"I don't know. I guess it's not you, it's how you make me feel."

"What do you mean?"

"The way you look at me with those eyes and that smile. You give me butterflies."

He smiles at you and doesn't say a word but pulls you in closer, his cheek touching yours. You sway with him for a few songs, the only sound around you is the music the band is playing. It feels so nice to be able to just be with him, no need for words. After a little bit, the dance floor starts to get too crowded and you can hardly move without bumping into the couples around you.

"Hey, let's go back outside." Tony says.

He takes your hand and leads you out to the upper deck where there are only a few people. He takes you over to an area where you're not near anyone and you start dancing again. The music is playing through the speakers and you hear the band start playing a slow version of 'The Way You Look Tonight'. You love the song and it just makes everything you're feeling for him more apparent.

"I love this song." Tony says.

"Me too."

"It makes me think of you."

You smile at him and he gives you a small kiss.

"I've only known you for a very short time, but you've completely changed the way I see myself." You say.

"How so?"

"I feel adored when I'm with you. I feel like I'm worth more than a billion diamonds when you look at me, when you hold me the way you do. Like you want me."

"I do want you and I do adore you. You've flipped my world upside down and helped me realize things I didn't before."

Hearing this confession from him makes you think about what he means to you too. You remember a line from a movie you saw once that perfectly describes the way you feel.

"I really hope I won't sound crazy with what I'm about to say." You laugh nervously.

"You aren't crazy. What is it?" He asks.

"I remember years ago, I was watching your movie, Magic."

He chuckles, "Yea?"

"There was the part of the movie where your character, Corky, was talking to Ben, or pretending to talk to him. Anyways, he was telling Ben about Peg and how much he loved her and he said, "This isn't puppy love, Ben. It's salvation." And that line resonated with me so much. It described the kind of relationship I had always dreamed of having. Not some silly little fling but something so special that it saves you from the darkest parts of yourself. As Corky called it, salvation. I feel like that with you. Everything I lack as a human because of my flaws, bad qualities, whichever you want to use, it all just dissipates when I'm with you. My problems still exist but it doesn't even matter because they don't matter to you. I no longer feel broken, I feel whole. I've never had that with anyone ever before."

He stops dancing and wraps both of his arms around you.

"You amaze me. And I couldn't have said it better. What I lack, I gain with you. I don't want for anything. I'm not lonely, I'm not restless, I'm not unhappy. I'm completely and totally satisfied. More than that, even. You mean so much to me."

"So I'm not crazy, then."

"No, of course not. Why did you feel like you were?"

"I know I keep coming back to this, but we've known each other for what, two months at the most? And we've kinda been living a fairytale here in Florence. I mean, I'm so far away from anything I've ever known, it feels like a dream."

"I know this isn't normal for you, but it is for me. This is my reality. I travel, live out of suitcases in hotel rooms, I'm constantly moving for work. So if we're going to be together, this is your normal now too. Not a dream. And I know, we've only known each other for weeks but look how much time we've spent with each other. Every morning, night, day off, for the last month, I've been with you, and I can't get enough. There's no rule saying we have to be together for so long before we can feel this way. I'm absolutely crazy about you, Amy. I haven't felt this way about anyone, ever."

"No one?"

"No one but you."

You reach up and place your hand on the back of his head, pulling him down to you. You share a slow, deep kiss before you're interrupted by an announcement from the captain.

"Ladies and gentlemen, we've reached the end of our evening. We'll be just a few moments longer making our way back to port."

You stand there, holding each other, looking into each other's eyes as you wait for the boat to stop. You swear you see his eyes start to well up with tears.

"You okay?" You ask.

"I'm perfect."

He pulls you to him and holds you until it's time to go. Then he takes your hand and leads you off the boat and to a nearby taxi waiting to take you back.