Charlotte Banks is a 28 year old photographer from San Francisco that moved to London to start new with her two kids: Ellie (12) and Alex (6.5).
One day she meets the handsome British actor Tom Hiddleston and this is the story of how she falls in lo...
After only three hours saying goodbye to Tom, I found myself at his place for our date.
Two lit candles on the dining table and a single rose on what I suppose it's my plate. "You are so cute!" I say to him "Oh yeah?" "Yes!" I say pulling him to me He kisses me slowly and then hugs me "Well...what can I say, I'm an hopeless romantic" he says smiling I smile back at him and settling myself on a bar stool and admire him cooking. "The house offers a steak, potatoes and red wine...and of course dessert" "Never miss dessert!" "Never!"
After 30 minutes he says to sit down at the table and brings the food over. He picks up the rose and gives it to me while he kisses my other hand and then my cheeks. We start to eat and I can't help but think what a good cook he is!
"More wine?" He asks "No thanks...perhaps dessert?" "Coming right up" he say standing up, taking the dirty plates with him and coming back with a single slice of chocolate cake with sliced strawberries on top. He settles it on the center of the table and grabs the fork taking a piece of cake "Where's mine?" He brings the fork to my mouth and I open it to taste the cake "Like it?" "Uhmmm...love it! You baked it?" "Yep!" He takes another piece and feeds himself. We go on like this until there are not even crumbles on the plate "Go sit on the couch darling" he instructs
From where I sit I can see him cleaning the kitchen and the table.
Ten minutes later he is sitting on the couch with me putting a soft blanket around us. "Thank you for dinner" "Oh, my pleasure darling" He kisses me on the temple and we proceed to watch some tv.
Once we grow bored of that he disappears in his library, coming back with a Shakespeare book and dims the lights before sitting down again and opening the book. "I thought I could read to you" "Please do, what are you going to read?" "I was thinking about Sonnet 18" "I'm all ears" I say making myself more comfortable and snuggle into his side, he puts an arm around my shoulder and hold the book with the other.
"Shall I compare thee to a summer's day? Thou art more lovely and more temperate: Rough winds do shake the darling buds of may, And summer's lease hath all too short a date: Sometimes too hot the eye of heaven shines, And often is his gold complexion dimmed: And every fair from fair sometimes declines, By chance or nature's changing course, untrimmed; But thy eternal summer shall not fade, Nor lose possession of that fair thou ow'st; Nor shall Death brag thou wander'st in his shade, When in eternal lines to time thou grow'st: So long as man can breathe, or eyes can see, So long lives this, and this gives life to thee"
"That was...wow! I'm speechless! You are amazing babe" "Ehehehe thank you"
I hug him tight and kiss his chest
I move to sit the end of the couch with my legs up on the coffee table and let Tom put his head on my legs while I stroke his head and twirl my fingers in his curls.
"Charlotte?" He says looking up at me "Uhm" "I don't know if it's too soon but I have to say it. You are the most beautiful woman I've ever met, you're an amazing mum, a very talented photographer and I'm so proud and happy I can call you my girlfriend"
He takes a deep breath and holds my hands in his big ones
"What I wanted to say is...I love you, Charlotte!"
I stare at him without saying a word
"It's ok...you don't have to say it back. I just wanted you to know that I really care about you and that I love you with all my hearth, but if you don't want to say it back or don't want to hear it from me, it's alright I'll wait as long as you want"
I grip his hands and look him in the eyes, and before getting lost in them, I speak
"I love you too Tom!"
I said it! I did it!
He puts his hands on my cheeks and pulls me in, kissing my lips with love, and love only.
When it's near midnight he takes me back home and as usual kisses me goodnight on the door step promising me to text me once he's home and to call me in the morning.
Ten years...ten years since I last say the L word, except to my kids, and it felt so good telling Tom that I love him and hearing him say it to me.
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