Sway with Me

Chapter Thirty-Two: Quiet before the Final

“It’s so warm,” Isabelle murmured as she stretched in the sun, she was lounging around in Cristiano’s back garden; she ran a hand through her hair as she looked at her boyfriend who nodded his head.

Cristiano closed his brown eyes as he relaxed, the last few days had been mad and he knew that tomorrow the final would change everything for them; he just hoped that they were strong enough to cope with the pressure of dancing four dances, two of which he hadn’t done before.

“No thinking about work,” Cristiano said knowing what his girlfriend was thinking of, they had only just come home from their last training session and the footballer just wanted to relax before he stressed himself out the next day.

Isabelle rolled her eyes as she pushed herself up and looked at him, she was wearing a navy lace bandeau bikini top and bottom that she had only just bought.

“I wasn’t,” Isabelle lied as she looked at him, she smiled innocently as he looked at her knowing that there was no truth to her words; he chuckled as pushed himself up so that he could watch her.

“Sure you weren’t,” Cristiano teased as he smiled at his girlfriend, he knew that she had a lot on her mind; this was the second time that she had reached the finals and she had worked so hard with them not to win.

“Do you think that we can do it?” Cristiano asked as he thought about the final, there was stillone more elimination to go before they went head to head for the title; he was nervous that he would slip up at the last step.

Isabelle moved to sit next to Cristiano, she knew how nerve racking this stage of the competition could be and she hoped that he would be able to cope with the pressure that they were going to be under.

***

“I have to go home,” Isabelle said as she pulled on her floral print jersey bandeau beach playsuit as she prepared to go home, she hadn’t been back to her apartment for days and she knew that she had to go back soon.

Cristiano wrapped his arms around his girlfriend’s waist and stopped her, he turned her to face him as he kissed her; he didn’t want her to go especially the night before the final, he wanted to spend more time with her without having to worry.

“Stay,” Cristiano said as he held her close, he kissed her again knowing that he would do anything to make sure that he had more time with her; Isabelle was an important person in his life and he wished that she didn’t have to go.

“I have to go home… it’s lucky I don’t have any pets,” Isabelle said as she kissed Cristiano, she couldn’t remember the last time she had properly spent time in her apartment since they had started dating and she doubted it would be long before he asked her to move in with him.

Cristiano snorted amused as he looked at her, he kissed her softly as he pulled her closer before his mother returned with Junior; Isabelle pulled away from Cristiano and started to pull on her slim animals blue flip flops so that she could leave.

“Hola Dolores,” Isabelle said as she smiled at Cristiano’s mother while her boyfriend sighed and sat down on his couch; his brown eyes watched his girlfriend as she prepared to leave to head back to her apartment until Junior clambered up onto his lap.

“Olá Isabelle… are you staying for dinner?” Dolores asked as she smiled at the red head, she was thrilled that Cristiano had finally found a woman that not only made him happy but helped him move on from Penny.

Isabelle opened her mouth to decline when Cristiano said yes, she knew her boyfriend was determined for her to stay with him; they hadn’t really been a part much between rehearsals that now went on for about twelve hours to Isabelle staying with Cristiano for days on end.

“Great I’m making Bacalhau a Braz,” Dolores said making her son smile at the mention of his favourite dish before his mother hurried off into the kitchen; Isabelle sat down and looked at her boyfriend who smiled at her as he moved closer to her knowing that he had won.

“You’re really are used to getting your own way, aren’t you,” Isabelle mused as she kissed his lips, she knew that they needed to get used to the fact of spending time apart before things got too serious too fast for them.

Cristiano nodded his head as he kissed her, he didn’t know what it was but he was happy that things were going so well for them; he had never felt like this about anyone.

“Of course,” Cristiano said knowing that she wasn’t a little bit upset with him for what he had done, he just hoped that she was going to like what he had to ask her after the final.

***

“So you and Isabelle…” Dolores said once the red head had gone home, it had taken some persuading but Cristiano had finally relented with the promise that she would come home with him after tomorrow’s live show.

Cristiano nodded his head as he helped with the dishes, he knew where his mother was going with this and he had plans for an early night since the final was tomorrow.

“I’m happy for you,” Dolores said as she watched her son, she had never thought that he would find happiness again and now that he had; she hoped that it was going to last, Isabelle had changed him for the better and she was thankful for that.

“Mãe,” Cristiano said as he looked at his mother, she sniffled as she continued to dry the dishes as she thought about the spiral that he had been in only months ago and now meeting Isabelle had changed all of that for him; the footballer gave his mother a hug knowing that she was going to cry.

“I’m okay… just happy for you, Isabelle is a lovely woman,” Dolores said as she smiled at her son, she would never be able to thank her enough for what she had done for Cristiano and how happy she made him and Junior.

The footballer sighed as he hugged her knowing that she was right, Isabelle was perfect for him and ever since she had danced into his life and had shown him a better way to be happy than what he had been doing with Irina; who had only been interested in his fame.

“I just never thought after what happened with Penny that you’d ever be happy again, especially not like this… it’s nice to see,” Dolores said as she pulled back from his son; she smiled at him as she kissed his cheek as she thought about how much had changed since he started dancing.

Cristiano smiled knowing that his mother was truly happy for him, he had been through a lot in the last three years and only now where things truly starting to look up for him.

“Mãe… I’m going to ask Isa to move in with me,” Cristiano said as he watched her, he wanted to at least give her some warning before he moved his girlfriend of six weeks into his home; Dolores looked at him knowing that he was serious about this.

“I guess I should have seen this happening sooner or later… you two have been inseparable lately,” Dolores mused as she smiled at Cristiano, she doubted that he would listen even if she did have any type of disagreement with what he wanted to do; the footballer was determined and it was clear that things were working out well for him right now.