The Girl in the gilded cage (A Tom Hiddleston story)

Distractions and an awkward dinner

*Tom*
The next day I am sitting outside my trailer, when a young girl walks up. She is a pretty blonde, 17 year old and her name is Katja Markovich. It was her brother Lucas who fell from the low tightrope. The family works with the horses. Mostly the parents but Katja is training hard and doing little bits too. "Hi Tom".
"Good afternoon Katja. What brings you this way ?" I ask her sending her a smile. Admittedly she makes me a bit nervous. I don't really know why, there is just something about her, she seems to grown up for her age.
She smiles at me and sits down on the narrow steps next to me, forcing us to sit really close together. "As this is the night of my mom send me to ask if you would join us for dinner tonight, as a thanks for helping my brother".
"Tell your mother thanks for the invitation and sure, that sounds great, maybe then I can get some real food for once". I say chuckling, trying to get rid of the uneasy feeling of having her this close to me.
She puts her hand on my thigh, to far up for my comfort, giving it a squeeze. Then she gets up. "See you at dinner then Tom. I'll save you a seat next to me".
"Yeah see you". I say and watch her flounce away. Am I totally crazy here or is she flirting with me ? I just have to ignore it. First of all I have no such interest in her and secondly she could actually be my daugther and it feels really awkward honestly.

*Malina*
"Are you okay Malina ? Does it hurt anywhere ?" My brother asks me and I shake my head. Luckily I was only training on the low rope when I fell and I only have a couple of bruises. "Nothing broken, I'm fine".
My brothers looks me over anyway. Making sure I really are okay. He looks at me thoughtfully. "You haven't fallen down for years. What happened ?"
"I don't know. I must have slipped or something". I say. But I know what happened. I heard Katja Markovich talking to one of her friends about Tom and I had lost my concentration. That girl might be young but she isn't innocent at all. But Tom wouldn't be interested would he ?
My brother helps me to my feet, dusting some of the sawdust of me. "You need to keep your head straight Malina, if you had been up on the high line...".
"I know, I know. No distractions. Focus on the act". That is my life in a nutshell. If you can call it a life. Always focus on the act, the job. No fun and no distractions. But lately my mind has gotten more and more distracted, even more since last night. That hug, his warm embrace, the scent of him, warm, masculine and spicy still lingeres in the back of my mind.
No I need to expel Tom from my mind. I mean that would never lead anywhere anyway. He is to old, he is a famous actor and he will be leaving for his real life before I know it. No it is better to forget everything about him. Everything about that smile and those lips. Everything about those eyes and those soft looking curls. Yeah I have no place or time for romance.

*Tom*
"Welcome Tom. Come in, come in sweetie". Gallina opens the door to me and I offer her the flowers I brought. "Well thank you. You hadn't needed too".
"Oh nothing special, just some wildflowers I picked out in the field. Thanks for having me". I say smiling. I hadn't been able to find a place nearby to by her a bouquet, so I picked one on the fields behind the circus.
She smile at me and closes the door behind me. "You know what ? These are much prettier than the store bought ones. Dinner is ready in a minute, just sit down."
I shake her husband Sergei's hand, he is a strict but friendly man. Then I say hi to Lucas and Katja. Noting how Katja looks at me, and I almost curse when I realise the only place to sit is next to her. But I can't really ask people to switch seat and I sit down. She wont try anything here in front of her parents right ?
"Once again for helping Lucas". Gallina says putting the food on the table, seending me a warm smile. She is still a strikingly beautiful woman that moves with airy grace. Her body still athletic even though she is in her late forties.
I look at the food and smile at her. Saying as truth is. "No problem at all. Wow this looks absolutely delicious Mrs. Markovic".
"Do call me Gallina and thank you". She says beaming. I load up my plate, and we start eating. The conversation is easy and I like both Gallina and Sergei. Lucas is a great kid. Only Katja worries me, honestly the way she looks at me scares the shit out of me.
Suddenly I feel her hand on my thigh, rapidly sliding up higher, and I take my hand down to remove hers, while I try to keep smiling having a conversation with her father.
But only seconds later her hand is back, and when I try to remove it gently, she squeezes her hand rather hard. Shit what am I to do ? I don't want her hand there, but if I use the force necessary to peel her hand away her parents will notice, and I kind of don't want that either.
I glare at her, trying to tell her to get her hand of me, but she just smiles and wink at me. Her fingers is stroking my inner thigh as I hold her hand in place, keeping her from running it up higher. I am still wondering what to do. Trying to eat with one hand.
How much of an insult would it be to excuse myself and leave ? Probably very much and I am very uncertain how her father will react if I expose her, maybe he will think I have initiated it in some way.
"Please stop Katja". I whisper through the side of my mouth when her parents are busy looking at Lucas that are excitedly telling something he had seen this morning.
She smile at me, slowly licking her lips, making me swallow. She definately acts very mature for her age and she literally scares the shit out of me. Honestly I don't know now to handle someone that young coming on to me like this. "Just relax and enjoy Tom". She says in a whisper, pretending to pick her fork of the floor, allowing her to lean in closer.
My appetite is pretty much gone and I am pushing my food around the plate. I will be happy when I can leave for the safety of my own trailer. And I think I need a serious talk with Katja alone about what is appropriate and what is definitely not.
I manage to hold her of long enough for everyone to finish up their food. Then in a small moment of me being focused on something else, her hand slides to my crotch, trying to grab me through my pants and I fly up from the seat. "Thank you for a great evening. I better get back to my own trailer now".
I almost run from their trailer before they can say goodnight, needing to get away from Katja as fast as possible. Ugh what the fuck ? That had been a real nightmare.