His hand pressed into the small of my back, he pulls me into him until I can get no closer. The fingers of his other hand intertwine with mine, a beautiful mesh of his warm skin on mine. Resting my head on his chest, I can hear-and feel- the beating of his heart. Slowly, we turn, music playing softly in the background. His lips brush the top of my ear as he murmurs the lyrics, singing quietly. He spins me away from him and I twirl around, my hair fanning out and brushing across my back. His eyes meet mine and I am again astounded by the compassion, the love that they hold.
“What?” His mouth curls into his signature half smile, a dimple on his right cheek.

“Oh, nothing.” I whisper back and twirl underneath his arm, ducking away from his questioning stare. “I’m just thinking that I like you.” My hand lands on his chest and my forehead finds his in the semi-darkness. We stay in this position for several minutes, simply breathing together. Being together.

“I like you too.” His nose brushes against mine. “Well, no.” His voice turns serious.
“I.” His lips touch my forehead.
“Love.” His lips find their way to my temple.
“You.” His lips brush my cheek as he finishes his sentence. His kisses leave behind tingly spots of anticipation, a path of euphoria that no other living human could possible regenerate. Surely he can hear the skipped beats of my heart, the suddenly uneven pattern of my breathing.
“I love you too.” I say simply, leaning into his sturdy chest as the song comes to an end. We stay in our embrace, dancing to the beating of our hearts. I think about what that phrase means, what promises it holds, what a future it possesses. There isn’t a part of me that doubts the sincerity of his words-or mine-yet somehow, that’s what scares me the most.
As if he can hear my thoughts, he tucks a piece of strand behind my ear. “What’s wrong? Ellie, what is it? Darling, please. Talk to me.” His voice is slightly frantic, worried as he tilts my chin up to him.
“I’m worried.” I close my eyes and his hand moves to cup my face, his fingers tracing my jawline. “I’m worried that I’m going to hold you back from all that you can be, worried that I’ll be a distraction.”
“Hold me back?” His voice is laced with complete disbelief. “Ellie. You have done the opposite. You are the first and only person to make me think about my future. You challenge me and push me to be my best. You make me want to succeed, to do something worthwhile. Hold me back? Never.” His voice swells with emotion, and when I raise my head to look at him, I see that his eyes threaten to overflow with tears. “My dear, you must remember that. Trust me.” In the beautiful brown-green pools that are his eyes, I search for an answer. I find hope and compassion, understanding and solstice.
“I trust you.” This is my answer. He pulls me into a tight grip and I know that, this time, my heart has led to the right place.