What You Have To Give

9. VERY IMPORTANT CHAPTER (1/3)

Tom texted the next day, the Thursday. Tube station at half seven on Saturday? I'm going to make it up to you Tx

I laughed a bit at that: See you there Tom! Kx He'd obviously realised that the previous night was a disaster, as we barely had the courage to look up at each other. I smiled at my phone. He was going to make it up to me. Sounded exciting enough. I walked to the station with a spring in my step and waved at him with fervour.

He called my name back as I walked to him. "So, how are you?" he asked. The classic icebreaker. I laughed: "I'm good. How about you Thomas?"

"Thomas," he said. "Nobody has ever really called me Thomas before, despite it being my name. Hmmm, quite like it." He snapped out of his small trance: "Oh yes, I'm good. I'm sorry about last time."

"Apologising again," I said, grinning widely. "No, but Kate, I am. I am. I'm so -"

"Will I have to forcefully stop you talking again," I joked. His eyes started to smile before his mouth: "Why not? It's definitely a date this time, after last -"

I stood up on my tiptoes and stopped his mouth right there. He stumbled back, surprised, but as soon as he'd regained his balance he returned the kiss warmly. "Don't talk about last time," I mumbled into his lips, and I think he heard me because he chuckled softly into mine.

He wrapped his arm around my waist and took my out of the station. We walked, in silence, until he told me where we going. "I'm taking you back to mine," he said. "We can have some dinner, watch a film and then see how it goes from there." I kissed his cheek: "Thanks Tom."

We walked hand in hand, and didn't really talk. That was fine by me: the silence. It gave me time to think about how lucky I was, to have him holding my hand and kissing me. I smiled down at the ground secretly, but Tom still saw. "What are you thinking about?" he asked.

"Guess," I pecked his lips. He looked confused for a second, until it suddenly dawned on him. "I love you so much Tom," I told him. He just kissed my cheek through my hair.

Why didn't he say it? Maybe it wasn't a Tom thing to say. It made me feel uncomfortable though. I corrected the frown forming on my face as we arrived at Tom's. He opened the door for me. "Because I am Mr Organised," he said. "I have a lasagne in the oven that will be ready in half an hour."

"I like organised men," our lips found each other and he tugged my into his living room, pulling us on the sofa in another kiss. "I can tell how this night is going to go," he dropped yet another kiss on my lips.

"Me too," I smiled at Tom. The next half hour was spent kissing and cuddling on the sofa. Tom served us dinner and it was delicious.

"So you can cook as well?" I asked. "Is there anything you cannot do?" He laughed softly: "I can't do so much, dear Kate. I don't do Maths for a start." I rolled my eyes: "I'm sure Tom." I smiled cheekily, raising my eyebrows at him. He grinned: "What have we said about flirting?"

"I forget," I said, rolling my eyes. We finished off the rest of the meal and then went into Tom's living room and he told me to choose a film while he made popcorn for us. I looked through the stack of DVDs by his TV. Oh my God. He had The Deep Blue Sea DVD. I waved it at him when he came in. His face sank: "Did I mention the rule that I can't be in it?"

I stuck out my bottom lip: "But, Tom, this is our film." He grinned: "Fine, I give in." He dropped another kiss on my lips and put it in the player. "But you're not allowed to stop me hiding behind a cushion when I'm in it."

"Don't worry," I grinned mischievously. We sat down to watch it. After about five minutes my head was buried in Tom's chest. "I remember this scene," I muttered at him.