now that we don't talk [tom blyth]

14.

"Have you had sex yet?"

I rolled my eyes at Mia, turning away and pouring the freshly boiled water into my mug to make a cup of tea. "No, we haven't. I told him we will take it slow."

"What does slow look like though? Like is slow 'first dates and small kisses' or is it 'sleepovers and sex'?" she continued to query as she leaned against the fridge door.

"I don't know, it's kind of a 'let's see what feels right in the moment' kind of slow," I said, shrugging my shoulders before reaching for the fridge door so she would move out of the way. She hummed at my response.

When I made it back to my desk, my phone buzzed from on top of the pile of papers. Tom's name flashed bright on the screen and I couldn't withhold the grin as I swiped to answer.

"Hello my dear," his beautiful accent rang through the phone, the smile on my face now spreading wider. Butterflies filled my stomach at the gentle flirtations he threw my way.

"Hi," I responded quietly, not wanting to disturb anyone in the office.

"Quick question, have you got a moment?"

I nodded before quickly realising he couldn't see my actions, "Yeah, yeah a quick one. Is everything all good?"

"Yeah, no, everything is all good, I just wanted to know if you have plans tonight," I heard a car door shut in the background.

"Umm," I paused, sitting at my desk and holding my phone between my shoulder and ear, unlocking my computer to pull up my calendar, "Yeah, I am free. Why's that?"

"Can I take you out on a date?" I paused for a moment, thinking over the offer. I obviously told him we would take it slow, and slow we were going. Yet, I couldn't stop myself from overthinking how good of an offer it was and what I would be suggesting by saying yes. At the end of the day, I was in control here. We move at my speed.

"Sure," I replied, leaning back in my desk chair, resuming holding my phone again.

"Great," his voice perkier than before, "I'll pick you up at 6."

"What is the dress code?" I questioned.

"Beautiful."

-

My phone read 5:45pm as I hurried to swipe mascara over my lashes before Tom arrived at my apartment. As I finished, I threw it onto the bathroom bench and rushed into my bedroom to pull on my boots. I ran my fingers through my hair to bring some life back to it, taking a quick glance in the mirror before I rushed out of my bedroom to answer the doorbell ringing.

As I opened it, Tom stood looking at me with a teeth-filled grin across his face. His hands held a beautiful bouquet of white lilies yet to blossom, wrapped in brown paper and secured with a white ribbon. My jaw dropped as he passed them into my grasp.

"Thank you," I whispered, looking between him and the flowers, noticing his cheeks turn pink, "they are beautiful."

"Just like you then," and now it was my turn to blush. I opened the door a little further for him to step in as I turned to go to the kitchen and find a vase. My boots tapped on the hardwood floors as I walked around the kitchen, filling the vase and placing the bunch of flowers in. Tom stood the other side of the bench, his gaze following me around. Once I was done, I picked my coat up from the bar stool and swung it over my arm. "Should we go?"

Tom nodded, following me to the door and allowing me to leave first. As we made our way out of the apartment block, his hands found mine and he interlaced our fingers together. His car was parked on the side of the street, he dropped my hand to open the passenger door for me.