Birthright

Trust

"Close your eyes..." she whispered in his ear as they sat in his flat.

"Do as you're told!" her voice was low and soft. "If you trust me, as you say you do, close your eyes and open your mouth...."

They'd arrived back in the flat kissing and pawing at each other. The taxi ride home had bordered on pornographic as their pent up feelings overflowed. Gasping for breath, she'd pushed him off, giggling. "You'll get us arrested. Gods alone know what the driver must have thought." He smirked.

"Oh darling, Harry is my personal driver. There's nothing Harry hasn't seen. It's what I pay him for."

"You mean that was YOUR car? Not a taxi?" she was taken aback.

"Yup." he unlocked the door and walked into his townhouse. She gaped as she saw the luxurious rooms.

"Historical fiction pays well!?" she remarked as she took in the marble flooring and the sumptuous furnishings. She got the feeling this was more than a writer's salary ever paid for. "Lok...err Tom?"

"Yes? " he turned, an eyebrow raised "What did you say?"

"Your name?" she tried to cover up the slip of the tongue. He looked at her, eyes narrowed.

"Hmmm."

"I WAS just about to say Look at all this!" she waved her hands about in an effort to distract him "how on EARTH did you..."

Tom smiled. He undid his top button and loosened his tie. Slumping onto the sofa, sprawling relaxed, he motioned her to sit with him. "Come here." she sat on the edge of the sofa, suddenly feeling uneasy. "Closer." he beckoned to her "and I'll tell you my secret...." he smiled seductively and she felt herself burn again. Odin's breath she wanted him.

"Ok. I trust you...." she slid closer, slipping off her jacket. The room was, unsurprisingly, cool. Although he didn't know it, his heritage had given him an immunity to the cold. She felt the chill however, and her body reflected it. His eyes flickered briefly to her chest and he smirked. She flushed. "So... tell me then?"

"I robbed a bank..." he whispered in her ear. She turned and looked at him, mouth hanging open. For a second, he paused, then he laughed loudly. "I'm joking of course." he winked at her. She waited, what would he say next? "Some of my ladies pay extremely well!" he ran a hand up her arm, his fingers trailing across her throat and to her cleavage.

"Loki Laufeyson!" it was out her mouth before she could stop it. Her heart leapt into her mouth and he stared at her. Really stared.

"What did you say?" his voice was low, this time not in a good way. "What.did.you.say." he stood up and walked to his desk in the corner. Turning he picked up a manuscript then carried it back over. "I want the truth and I want it NOW." he said. "You are NOT what you appear to be and I want to know NOW." he threw the paperwork on the sofa. "That name. Where did you hear it?"

"I errr... I just did" she shrugged and smiled prettily. "Must've read it somewhere. It's a good curse wouldn't you say?" she tried to pass it off with a laugh.

"Try again. That name, it's in my forthcoming book. I only found it in an old manuscript myself a couple of months ago." he sat down and put an hand on her wrist, grasping it tightly. "This time, I want the truth."

She took a deep breath. She couldn't lie, but she couldn't tell him. Not yet, she needed to speak to Fury first. "I'm not a spy, I'm not trying to steal your ideas. I promise you that. I... I can't tell you the whole story. Not yet. I promise I will. " she felt tears of shame and embarrassment sting her eyes. "I'm sorry Tom. I PROMISE this is not anything that will harm you. If anything? It's me that's going to come out of this at a disadvantage. Please, trust me? I'm going away for a couple of days and when I come back? I swear I'll tell you everything."

She looked down at his hand, gripping her wrist tightly. "Tom... you're hurting me. " she said softly. He wasn't, she was used to far worse, but she had to try and get him calm, off the defensive. He looked down, and seemed to realise what he was doing for the first time.

"Oh Jesus, Asa I'm so sorry. I shouldn't have done that. I've NEVER done that before. I am SO sorry. If you want to leave, please, I understand. I am so ashamed...." he dropped her wrist like it was scalding him and started to babble. Now, in an instant, the tables had turned. He looked like a little boy, suddenly scared. She realised that the reaction had come from his subconscious. This was nothing he had done deliberately or even consciously. It was in reaction to the name. Of that she was sure.

"Shhhh Tom, it's ok. " She gently stroked his cheek. He was no threat. To her or anyone else for that matter. "I'm not going anywhere - not yet anyway." She smiled and ran her fingers along his jaw and down his throat, coming to rest at the top button of his shirt. He closed his eyes and groaned softly.

"Oh Jesus Asa, if you do that much more...." he tipped his head back. She leaned in and kissed his throat, making him swallow and gasp a little. She pushed him back onto the sofa. "I trust you so you must trust me. Close your eyes..." he looked at her, eyes glazed with desire.

"I... trust you" he said hoarsely.

"Then close your eyes..." she whispered in his ear. "Do as you're told!" her voice was low and soft. "If you trust me, as you say you do, close your eyes and open your mouth....you'll need the air." She smiled against his neck and nipped the skin gently.

He leaned back and did as he was told. She straddled him, her dress bunching around her hips. Carefully, teasingly, she undid his shirt buttons, one by one, kissing his chest lower and lower as she did so. His mouth hung open, breath gasping as she ran her fingers over his skin. His tattoos were a revelation, and a turn on. For both of them. For her as she traced the trail across his chest and down his arms as she removed his expensively tailored shirt.

For him as she followed those fingers with her mouth. Finally reaching his stomach, she slid onto her knees between his. His suit trousers now impossibly tight. "Open your eyes. I want to see your eyes." she said softly and he looked down, his hair falling over his face as he did so.

"Oh my God" he whispered "Oh. My. God."

She smiled up and slowly, deliberately undid his belt. "By the time I finish with you Thomas, you won't believe in God. Only me." As her hands pulled at his trousers, he could only nod in silence. His last thoughts as she took him to oblivion was that she was unlike any woman he'd ever known. He had NO idea just how right he was.