Limerence (Tom Hiddleston fanfiction)

Chapter 9

"Monsieur Hiddleston?" The doorman called. Tom kept looking at me for a moment, those eyes, lips, face so close to mine I could barely contain myself. He chuckled and kissed my forehead. Getting up and going to the door. 

I exhaled deeply, realizing I had been holding my breath. I rise from the couch and walk over to the window past the kitchen. He was sitting at the island in the kitchen, watching me watching Paris. 

"Beautiful isn't it?" I turned and smiled at him as he took a forkful of his omelette. 

"It is!" The tension in the room was stifling. I could feel his eyes studying my body. 

I turned to face him. I studied his cheekbones and his jawline, biting my lip as I approach him. Awestruck. Feeling my hands shake and my breathing fasten. He was so intimidatingly stunning, I didn't feel worthy.  

"Scarlett?" He looked up seriously as I stood across from him, I wonder why I was here? Why does he want me here? "What's the matter?" 

"Tom," he sat completely still, his face unreadable. "Why am I here? I mean, why me? Why are you letting me into your world?" I look down, feeling sheepish for bringing this up right now. 

"I don't know." He brushes his hand through his hair like he hadn't thought of it until now. "I don't ever let people really in. With my line of business, you keep everyone and everything at arm's length." He sighs. "Everything you say and do gets misconstrued and misinterpreted. I am always so careful with what I say and how I say it, but with you," he looks up at me. "I feel like I can be the me that no one ever really sees, just close friends and family. If I'm completely honest I haven't thought of it till now," he looks down at his omelette, pushing the last few bits around the plate absentmindedly. "Luke did a background check on you, he made sure you are not paparazzi or some journalist out for a good scoop or story."

"You did a background check on me?" I felt angry, I didn't know why but the invasion of my privacy made me nervous and I could feel my hands shaking. 

"I had to, you seemed too good to be true." he gets up from his seat and takes my hands, blue eyes penetrating mine. "I apologize sincerely if you find that upsetting, I just had to take precautions, to protect myself, you must understand that? I've met women before who were just interested in the wrong reasons." I look at him, he was completely earnest, of that, I was almost certain. 

"I don't like that you ran a background check on me, but I guess I understand it." 

"I didn't read through anything. I was just glad when I knew that what I felt with you was real. You were being completely honest, and yourself. I guess the sexiest thing in the world is when I meet someone and they seem like they are themselves." he takes my face in his hands and I feel dizzy. "I told you in the elevator that day, that I want to be honest with you and I want you to be honest with me. I meant that."

I stare up at him. Certain that he can feel my cheeks heat up and flush. 

"You're blushing." he chuckles. "You're so beautiful." I blink at him, unable to speak. "Come on. Grab your things, I'll get something warm for us." he kisses my forehead and leans back, eyes locked. "I'll meet you at the door." I hover for a moment, breathless from his touch, scent and that silken voice. 

Tom didn't give up where we were going no matter how many times I asked. We had been driving for about a quarter hour. I scrolled through his phone's music, laughing at some of the songs and impressed with some also. He kept his eyes on the road, looking devilishly handsome with his black sunglasses and that smirk. It was refreshing that we didn't have to speak, we listened to the music and exchanges glances between songs. When Arctic Monkeys's "Do I wanna know" started playing I felt my stomach turning with excitement.He looks at me from underneath his glasses and I'm overcome with sudden confidence as I look back at him with the same fervour and certainty enjoying his astonished expression as I wink at him. He breathes in deeply clearly feeling the heat in the small space as well and breaking out in a reverberating laugh. 

"Oh, you're good," he says underneath his breath and I mentally high-five myself. 

We arrived at some nature park, he got out and opened my door - always the perfect gentleman. I stretched, enjoying the warmer weather and the sunbeams on my face. 

"So what are we doing? This place is stunning!" He takes my hand and ignores my question, just commenting on my statement. I sigh deeply and he laughs while pulling me closer to him. Oh, my. 

"Sigh no more my dear, we're almost there." I smile excitedly as he takes my hand in his as we walk down the gravel pathway. "Isn't this cloudless day magnificent?" he looks at me and then back at the sky.

I look at his face and listen to his voice, so calm, so eloquent. 

"It really is magnificent." I try to sneak a peek at the bag he is carrying and its content to no avail. He chuckles as we near the riverbank. 

"Are we having a pick-nick?" he shrugs and I groan displeased. 

"Milady. I'll be right back." he walks towards a man at the dock and I can not help but sneak a peek at his bum, gosh. What a beautiful piece of English landscape. 

I take in the view, it is truly a magnificent day. The air is crisp and there isn't a breeze and the silence is only accompanied by the river lapping at the shore of the riverbank. The water is a cobalt blue. Some part of Paris, I'm not sure where exactly is across the water, but even though this is a strange and unknown city to me, I feel perfectly at home. Tom returns and takes my hand leading me to the dock, and I realize what we're doing... 

"Rowing?" He laughs. "We're rowing? Oh, my soul! That's it right?" he sighs in defeat.

"Yes. Well, I'm rowing. You're just going to sit there and look gorgeous while drinking wine." I blush as he gets on the boat and holds his hand out for me. I am a little nervous as I get on the boat but when we're a few meters from shore I look up at him and he is looking at me with an effervescent smile. 

"I wanted to have you all to myself. No escaping. Except if you want to take your chances jumping in and swimming to shore?" He chuckles and for a moment I see that Loki side of him, the bad boy side that I have only seen flashes of. 

"So, what am I then? You're captive?" I ask playfully. 

"You. Are. Mine."