Safe & Sound

love story

taylor's pov

after travis's magical proposal, the evening continued to unfold like a dream. 

we made our way back to the suite where we found the hallway before had transformed to a paath lined with candles, their soft glow casting mesmerising shadows on the castle's stone walls. i pointed them out with delight, grinning happily as i rested my head on travis's shoulder as we continued our stroll.

the path led to what i had been enchanted my earlier, the castle's intimate music room. iinside the room was illuminated by chandeliers and candlelight which cast a warm inviting glow on the grand piano. i gasped as i noticed the person sat at the piano, accompanied by a small string quartet.

i squeezed travis's hand saying "travis, this is incredible! how did you plan all this"

he grinned, taking my hand "i may have had a little help" he admitted, nodding towards giovanni who i noticed stood nearby with a satisfied smile "i wanted to do something special for us. and i thought the best way to do that was through music" he said, it made my heart set on fire as it beat out of my chest for the love i felt for this man.

the musicians began to play a beautiful, soothing melody which entranced me as travis led us to a cozy loveseat near the piano. we silently settles in, hands intwined, as the music filled the room with it's enchanting sound. the pieces ranged from classical to modern, each i was sure more beautiful than the last.

as we allowed the music to wash over us, i leaned into travis, feeling the warm of his love more than ever and the magic of the moment. "this is perfect" i whispered "thank you."

travis kissed my forehead delicately "anything for you tay. i wanted tonight to be unforgettable" i leaned up and placed a light but tender kiss to his lips, overwhelmed by love.

after the concert, we both thanked the musicians profusely as they took the sign to leave. giovanni reappeared however this time with a tray of decadent desserts, i spied all sorts: delicate pastries, rich chocolate truffles, accompanied by a bowl of ripe, juicy berries. 

"congratulations to you both," giovanni said sincerely with a warm smile. "i wish you a lifetime of happiness."

"thank you, giovanni," i said, smiling as travis also thanked him, his eyes shining with gratitude.

as giovanni quietly left, we moved to a small, elegantly set table near the fireplace. the flickering flames casting a soft, golden light over the room. i watched as travis picked up a truffle, holding it up to my lips, his eyes full of affection.

"try this" he said softly "it's amazing."

i took a bite, savouring the rich, velvety chocolate "mmm, you're right. god, it's delicious!" 

travis grinned, popping the rest of the truffle into his mouth, saying "i knew you'd like it."

we continued to feed each other bites of the pastries and berries, laughing and talking between mouthfuls. at one point, i reached for a berry, accidentally smearing some cream from a previous pastry on my cheek. travis chuckled and gently wiped it away with his thumb, his touch lingering on my skin.

"you've no idea how happy you make me" he said, his voice sincere and tender.

my heart swelled with love "god trav, i feel the exact same. this night, this place, you, everything is perfect"

travis poured us each a glass of cranberry juice (as i couldn't have prosecco), handing one to me as he said "to us," we both raised our glasses "to our future and the beautiful baby we get to build together"

"to us," i echoed, clinking my glass against his as we sipped the juice. 

enjoying our deserts, travis reached for another pastry and held it up to me "open wide" he teased. i giggled and obliged, taking a small bite "mm you have to try it too" i said, taking the pastry from his hand and bringing it to his lips. he took a bite, his eyes never leaving mine "delicious" he murmured, clearly talking of more than just the pastry.

we continued to feed each other, the intimacy of the moment deepening our connection. "you know" i said, my voice soft filled with affection, "i've always dreamed of nights like this, but i never imagined it could ever be this perfect."

travis leaned in, brushing a stray hair from my face "it's perfect because we're together, taylor. you make everything better."

we finished the last of the desserts, our fingers sticky with choclate and cream. i laughed as travis licked a bit of chocolate from my fingertip "you're so immature" i teased, my heart full with love

"and you love it," he replied, pulling me close for a kiss.

the kiss was sweet and lingering, filled with the promise of our future together. when finally we pulled away, i rested my head on travis's shoulder, feeling utterly content for the first time in my life. 

as the night drew to a close, we stepped out onto the balcony to gaze above at the stars. the clear Tuscany sky was filled with countless twinkling lights, the cool breeze carrying the scent of the gardens flowers.

"it's so peaceful here" i whispered, leaning my head on travis's shoulder. "i wish we could stay here forever."

travis wrapped his arms around me, pulling me closer than we already were. "we'll always have this moment" he said, softly, looking down into my eyes "and we'll come back here with our little one, i promise."

we stood for a long time, lost in the beauty of the night and the depth of our love. the world seemingly faded away, leaving just the two of us in our perfect magical bubble.

when we finally returned to our suite we found a bath had been drawn for us, the gold rimmed tub filled with rose petals and scented oils.

travis helped me into the bath, both of us sinking into the warm, fragrant water, our bodies entwined. we talked quietly, sharing our hopes and dreams for our life together and the baby we were so excited to meet.

"i can't wait to see you as a dad," i said, tracing circles on travis's chest.

he kissed me saying "and i can't wait to see you as a mom. our child is going to have the best role model tay." i smiled, it meant a lot to me to hear that and he knew that.

after our bath, we wrapped ourselves in plush robes and settled in front of the fireplace, sat together, wrapped in a soft blanket, watching the fire and feeling the warmth of each other.

"travis" i said, my voice filled with emotion "i can't believe how perfect this all is. you really make everything feel like a fairytale."

travis squeezed my hand, his eyes locked on mine "it's not a fairytale, tay. it's our reality. and it's only going to get better" we shared a tender kiss, sealing our promises with a touch of out lips. the night grew late, but neither of us felt tired. instead felt an overwhelming sense of peace and contentment which i hoped would stay with us forever.

later, as we lay in bed, the fire still casting a gentle glow over us, i rested my head on travis's bare chest, listening to the steady beat of his heart. "goodnight, my love" i whispered.

he kissed the top of my head. "goodnight taylor. sweet dreams."