I Love You Tom Hiddleston

Truth or Dare

It was a couple of days later, and Kate was busy at work when there was a visitor for her.  Working from home most of the time, she spent one day a week in the office. Investment Finance wasn't exciting in anyone's world, but it paid the bills, and she was damn good at it.

Tom hadn't contacted her and to be fair, she hadn't contacted him either.  Part of it was wanting some space to breathe after her revelation; calm herself, part of it was fear.  What if, in the cold light of day he'd decided she was just too much trouble.  She was, to put it bluntly, not the woman he had expected or maybe wanted. He was a red blooded man with real, and understandable, wants and needs.  She couldn't - yet - fulfil them.  Would he be prepared to wait around till she was ready to do so?

The phone on her desk broke into another of her moments of introspection.

"Kate, there's someone here to see you.  They said they don't have an appointment but you'd maybe see them anyway?" Moira on reception called her, and by the tone, Kate could tell something was up.

"Me? How odd. Ok, be there in a minute, thanks, Moira." She hung up and locked her laptop screen. Standing up, she racked her brain as to who it could be. There was nothing in her diary, Moira had been right on that score. Oh well, only one way to find out.

As she entered the lobby, she became aware of a tall figure sitting relaxed, legs crossed obscured by one of the broadsheet newspapers that always lay on the tables. All she could see was a pair of dark jeans and grey boots.  She smiled, she'd know those grey suede boots anywhere.

"Tom!" she called out walking over to stand next to him.  The newspaper descended and the eyes and the smile that emerged lit up reception like a handsome beacon.  She could almost hear the collective "ahhhh" from the women who'd suddenly decided Moira was their best friend in the whole world.  

"Morning Darling," Tom stood and grabbed her hand, kissing her knuckles gallantly and entirely work appropriately.  The sighs got louder.  He stood up and whispered, "I think you might have some questions to answer later love - shall I give them something to really talk about?" For a second Kate looked at him then shook her head, an overwhelming sense of devilment filling her,

"No" she said equally quietly. "Let me..." and with that she pulled him close and kissed him soundly on the mouth, lingering just a little longer than strictly necessary so they would get the full effect.

"Oh Katie, Katie, Katie" he whispered as they parted "You little minx!" 

Normally she hated being called Katie, it made her feel 5 years old, but when he said it?  The pit of her stomach churned and somewhere deep inside a fire lit.  Her eyes must have reflected it as he looked at her intently.

"Oh we liked that, did we KATIE?" he winked, "Think you can get a coffee break? I have something to ask you."

"Ok, let's go across the road, there's a Costa. It won't be busy, it's only office staff round here that use it." she pulled him by the hand back out the revolving door and into the street.  She didn't need to turn around to know that there were many, MANY pairs of eyes boring into her back.  And not a few of them would be green right now.

Tom had waited to contact her for one very good reason.  He wanted to be sure she was calm.  If she was still upset, frightened even, she wouldn't listen to what he had to say next with any sense of reason.  

They sat at a small table in the corner, Tom with a Cappucino, Kate with a Chai Latte.  They talked about the weather and other thoroughly British - and mundane - things for a minute or two until Kate decided to kick the elephant in the room out.

"How did you know where I worked?" she put her cup down and rested her chin on her hand.  She'd told him WHAT she did, not WHERE. This, she had to admit was not the actions of a man who didn't want anything more to do with her.

"Ahh well, I have a good friend who is an AMAZING stalker!" he laughed and she frowned in puzzlement, then smiled.  

"Go on?  I'm intrigued!" 

"Well, I asked Luke to track you down.  He managed to work out from a combination of what you said you did and the route plotted on your Oyster card...." he shrugged and Kate's mouth fell open.

"You STALKED MY OYSTER....wait a minute...." she sat back and put her hands over her face "you're kidding me on aren't you? I am SUCH a muppet!" she blushed and he laughed loudly, making one or two people turn round.  They hunched down over their drinks and Tom grasped her hand, raising it to his lips.

"Oh sweetheart, you're no muppet.  A bit gullible now and again but..." he winked.  

"Ok, that aside, how DID you track me?"  

"Luke asked one of your friends on Facebook - Amanda." he smiled smugly. "Took a lot of convincing to get her to spill, but one facetime later to prove it was me, we did eventually.  I'm assuming she did as we asked and didn't mention it?"

"No she did NOT.  Wait till I see her!" Kate was thrilled and amused all at the same time.  "I'm sorry I didn't call you Tom, " she paused and took a long drink, not making eye contact. "To be quite honest, I was scared." she looked up and he was sitting, head on one side, smiling gently.  She felt her heart beat race away into the distance.  "Scared you'd not want a.... me." she finished, breathless with anticipation.

"Darling Kate, you do yourself - and me if I'm honest - a disservice.  The fact that as yet, you haven't met a man to whom you could give yourself" he took both her hands and she was astonished at his chivalrous terminology "that you didn't feel worthy of your ultimate gift, means that I am more in awe of you than ever.  To have that strength of character, in today's world, is something I could only aspire to." he kissed both her knuckles and she almost melted on the seat.

"I'm sorry I doubted you...I feel a 'but' coming Tom, is there a 'but'?" she withdrew her hands and picked up her cup, almost in self defence.

"Well, actually it's more of a "I need you to be brave and trust me" type of thing." he looked a little worried and that, in itself, made her feel more in control.  She liked being able to look after him, take away his worries, it made her think about her own much less.

"Okaaaay. Go on." she smiled encouragingly.

"Well, you have been truthful with me, wonderfully so. I believe I need to be the same with you." he took a breath.  "I need - no, that's wrong, I would LIKE you to trust me enough to come with me on a trip.  I promise not to try and make a move - any move - that you don't want.  We will go to New York, spend three nights there and then come home.  We'll share a suite - and a bed ONLY if you're happy.  I CAN sleep in the same bed without jumping on you I promise! We'll go places and see things and meet people - some very special people - and we will have fun.  You deserve fun, by the bucket load.  I expect nothing in return, truly. It's just, well, I'm fed up being the 'Single Pringle' of the group.  Chris has Elsa, Robert has Susan , hell even Evans and Seb have someone now.  And I really REALLY want to show them I'm lucky enough to have you. Our private sleeping arrangements have NOTHING to do with them.  Would you love?  Dare you show The Avengers that Loki really can be loved?" he smiled and blushed.  

As she looked at him, sitting there, all flushed and nervous, she realised suddenly that this was more than just a simple dare. This wasn't him using her for his own ends, this was him telling them that he finally had someone who loved him. He was just a man, asking the girl he loved to let his friends see that too. The fact she hadn't slept with him didn't even register with him.  Well, only in so far as he wanted her to give that up only when SHE was ready, and not before.  

"Oh Tom." she paused and she could see he'd stopped breathing, he was truly afraid. "Darling I can't think of anything that would make me happier.  Now, when do we go?"