I needed to escape. After a weekend in Monaco, filled with loud music, flashing lights, and endless parties, I craved a place where I could just breathe. I found this luxurious yet quite hotel, tucked away from the world. No wild clubs, no crowds, just the sound of birds and the rustle of trees. This is the place where families come to relax. Perfect.

On my first morning, I decided to hit the hotel’s outdoor pool. I was looking forward to some peace, but as I got closer, I heard music and someone talking into a microphone. Great, just what I needed. When I reached the pool, I saw an aqua gym class in full swing. An energetic animator, with her back to me, was leading a group of elderly folks through their exercises. I sighed, my hopes for a quiet swim dashed. She looked young, maybe too young to be leading this kind of class. Maybe she’d know me, and I could convince her to wrap things up quickly. I scoffed at the thought, but walked over anyway.

“Excuse me,” I called out, trying to keep my irritation in check. “How much longer is this lesson going to last? I was hoping to…” She turned around, and I stopped talking, my whole body froze. She was stunning, a summer angel, with her hair catching the sunlight and eyes that seemed to hold all the warmth of the day. I’ve never seen someone more beautiful. My heart raced in a way it never had, not even on the track, I thought it could have fallen out of my chest, right on the floor, in front of her.

“I’m sorry, we’ll finish in about 10 minutes, I hope it’s okay.” She said, her voice as soft as her smile. It was like she brought the sun with her. I swallowed, suddenly unsure of what to say. I’ve never been loss for words and I’ve never felt this way.

“It… It’s okay… I’ll wait….” I said softly, I’ve never heard my voice this soft in my life. I couldn’t look away, hypnotized by her.