Frank and I met in an Argentine Tango dance class.

And I know this sounds cheesy, but I loved him the moment I saw him. I had debated going to the class because I had “topped out” and was honestly bored. I wasn’t sure if there would be any new partners to dance with, so I went to the first lesson of the semester to check it out.

When I walked in the dance hall, there he was. Tall, handsome, perfect. My breath caught in my throat, and as the instructor introduced us, I had to ask him his name again. I had missed it the first time because I was looking at him so hard. “Frank,” he said again. So easy! I thought. How did I miss that??

As we danced, I felt his hands, strong around me, and his shoulders guiding me across the floor. At one point, our hips brushed, and I got the shivers. I took sidelong glances at his lips, and wished I could feel their texture, their softness.

The music ended, and he released me. I felt breathless. Still, we managed to strike up a conversation—our first conversation, which lasted two hours, and even then, I wished it would not stop. I hung on his words, hungry to know all about him, trying to keep up with his stories, my eyes riveted on his face…

For a week, I held my breath

for the next dance lesson. Then Monday finally came. I drove to the lesson with butterflies in my stomach. Soon, I was in his arms again, and he was telling me about his time served in Iraq as a medic, and how he had traveled to Argentina, spoke fluent Spanish and some Italian. How he enjoyed traveling, was part Bohemian and came from gypsy stock.

He was the most handsome man I had ever seen. And I was hooked.

Monday dance lessons became the highlight of my week. We had taken to talking for a couple hours after each class. But one night, I mentioned I was hungry. And that night, we went out to eat.

As we sat at the table, I felt giddy with excitement. Is this really happening? I wonder what he eats? I wish I could kiss him! Is this a date? Oh! I’m not sure!

The waiter came to take our drink order. He declined a Coke and asked for water with lemon instead. My fingers crossed. The waiter came to take our dinner order. Frank ordered fish curry and vegetables. When the food came, he ate them ALL. Even the cabbage. Oh my gracious. A man that eats cabbage. Even more to love, because health was already so important to me then!

As we ate and talked, I felt his knee brush against mine, accidentally (no really!), and I wished for such a happy accident to happen again. The dinner came to a close, and as I got out my pocketbook, he offered to pay for it all.

A date! I thought. He has made it a date!

As he walked me out to the car, the cold March wind caught in my dance skirt, and I shivered. He took me into his arms and held me, warm against him. I looked up, and my eyes caught in his, and I felt myself falling, falling into him. He looked at me, searching. His eyes moved back and forth, asking. This all happened within a few seconds, but in my mind, I feels like an eternity lingered in that moment.

With my eyes, I told him, yes, YES,

and then suddenly his mouth was warm upon me. My lips parted, remembering to open, and in one moment, I traveled to the sun and back. Fire alit within my body, and I felt planets colliding, stars exploding, new worlds being created.

It was the best kiss I’ve ever had in my life.

It even beats our wedding kiss. ;) My world changed in that moment. My orbit shifted to center around him. He is both my sun and my world at once.

…I’m not sure of the exact moment I fell totally in love.

Perhaps it was in those first moments when I laid eyes on him across the room. Perhaps it happened as I listened to the deep tones of his voice as he told me stories all those nights we chatted after dance class. Perhaps it was the first time we danced, when I smelled the soft, earthy tones of his skin, so very near to mine. Maybe it was all at once.

Yes. I think it was all at once. For I’ve loved him as long as I’ve known him. When I met him, I felt something awaken inside of me. All of a sudden, I could see my future. New dreams fashioned themselves in my mind. My heart quaked within me, a stirring of the senses that made me drunk with spring love.

Now, we have been married almost three years, and I still look at him like he is new every morning. Every day, he grows more attractive to me, and I still can’t figure out how he does that. ;)