Chapter 7: A moment with you

He stands there breathing slightly heavy, sweat dripping from his muscles. My eyes avert left to right while knowing full well his eyes are burning a hole into me. "It is so good to see you again. Marcel had told me when you'd arrived, I'm sorry I was unable to meet with you sooner" Carlo says completely unaware of his indecency and the affects it's doing to me. " ah no don't be silly, I can see you're a busy man, no need to apologise" the words stumble out of my mouth and my hands clinging for dear life on the door frame.

"Here let me clean up a little then we can go for a stroll" Carlo reply's as he places his tool down and walks round the back. The other man simply stood there gawping at me but I'm not quite sure why. I left the doorway and stood a little more into the sunlight waiting for Carlo.

POV Carlo.

I went round the back and grabbed a wet flannel, wiping away the dust and sweat from my upper body and face. It must have been fate for her to find me in the clammy old building I thought. For a moment I was star struck just as I was the first moment I laid eyes on her back in Switzerland. I could never get enough of seeing that face, every time I lay eyes on her my heart throbs and I want to cup her cheeks in the palms of my hands, taking in all her glory.

Not long after I put on a clean shirt and lazily comb my hair through my finger do I walk out the building to find her standing there on the cobbled path, the sun illuminating her golden long hair, the faint curls lapping over each other in the breeze like gentle waves. Her skin an olive tan like my own but shades lighter, glistening in the light like tiny gem stones.

The flurry of air sauntering through her, filling me with the aroma of sweet coco, vanilla and coconut. My mouth watering at the sight and smell of her.

The last time I saw her, she was dressed in short and a tank top, she looked beautiful non the less but she was now wearing the most glorious silk yellow dress, almost gold, a few shades darker that her hair and it complimented her very well. The back was low cut as was the front, it reached just above her ankles and clung to her body in just the right places. "sei assolutamente sbalorditiva, perfezione" the words fall off my lips as she turns her head to look up at me, her blond eyelashes fluttering and deep blue eyes swimming with wonder. "I'm sorry what did you say? I didn't quite catch that" she reply's as her head tilts slightly in confusion, "you look beautiful" I confess, though if I had to elaborate, there would be not enough words in the dictionary to describe her beauty.

POV Flo

My face I'm sure glows a hue of red at his words due to the fact that I can feel the heat radiating off of me and the slight smile on Carlos face.

"Shall we go" he says, and stands beside me with his arm held out. I reluctantly link my arm with his, not because I don't want to but because I'm afraid of what the touch of his skin on mine will do to me, if he pushes me any further I think my legs will give way and I would collapse.

Thankfully the touch of his skin didn't bring me to my knees though, it just sent butterflies into my stomach reaching all the way through to my chest, my head felt light and airy too but it was bare-able.

"How are you finding Rome so far? I hope Marcel hasn't bombarded you with too many facts and questions" Carlo laughs out, I haven't seen him laugh like this before, he has slight creases by his eyes and his voice vibrates within me making me smile along with him. "He wasn't all that bad, I've become quite familiar with him and find his company rather soothing and comforting" I laugh a little in defence of the man that I now associate as family.

"Good, he is a good man. He once had a daughter, I wouldn't bring this up to him unless he comes to you first about it. She was his everything, blond like you but tall like a giraffe, she even towered over me would you believe!" Carlo bellows another laugh as he describes Marcels daughter, tough like a mule, tall, stubborn and built like a brick house. She sounded excellent! "What happened to her" I ask, trying not to sound too nosy, "she died of cancer, and only at the age of 26 would you believe. She was the healthiest person alive, physically strong, ate all the right foods, never smoked or drunk the slightest bit of alcohol. Bizarre really, how the people who seem to stay the healthiest and the kindest of people always are the ones to be taken away from us by cruel fates." I nodded my head in agreement at his statement. My parents were also the kindest people I'd known, they helped whoever in need and never once spouted a bad word on others, only putting themselves in the shoes of those around them to understand a situation and yet they were taken away from me, in a horrible manner.

"I'm sorry, I shouldn't have said that, I hope I didn't upset you" Carlo says as he removes his arm from mine and holds my hand in both of his, "oh no it's fine, I just agree I really do. This world is so unfair, but at the same time, it has its wonders and not every kind person is taken away by cruelty, we must be thankful of that at the least" I paint on a smile as I try to put a positive twist onto our topic. Marcel smiles and links his arm back into mine "I admire you, you're also strong like Marcels daughter, you put a smile on and carry on marching forward. I cant say the same for myself I'm afraid, I fall apart at the slightest error or inconvenience." His eyes a little sorrowful as he speak, "I'm sure that's not true, you shouldn't be so hard on yourself" I say trying to cheer him up. Marcel smiles slightly and we carry on walking towards a terrace view, over looking old ruins, plants and flowers blooming amongst them almost like a memorial of people frozen in time. Marcel stops and looks out into the distance then speaks,

"I used to be an alcoholic you know. It was in fact Marcel that got me out of the loop. He was and still is my saving grace".