Please don't say you love me (Tom Hiddleston Fanfic)

Airport

"God, I hate airports," I grumbled as I dragged my suitcase along behind me. If I was being truthful though, it wasn't the airport I was irked by.
"Sure," Joey grinned beside me, "it's the airport you hate."
I let out a low sigh and gave him a mock angry glare, "I hate airports, but you're also moving up the list of things that annoy me right now too."
He held up his hands in a 'please don't hurt me' manner and laughed, "come on grumpy, let's get checked in."

So far, I hadn't seen Tom. Shauna had told me that she had caused quite the blow up over at the agency when she called and threatened to send out a press release stating I was forced under duress to attend the press tour if Tom and I ended up near each other on the flight. Thankfully, I think they had taken her seriously as he was so far nowhere to be seen, even the paparazzi frenzy didn't seem to be loitering around so I could only assume that it was due to a distinct lack of Hiddleston and his singing princess. Thank goodness Joey had agreed to come with me though, he had essentially handled everything from making sure we were ready to go when the car arrived to take us to the airport to our checking in. Honestly it was like somehow my ability to manage my own life had dissipated along with my parents, especially when it came to international travel.

"Thanks for being here with me Joe," I said as we took our seats in the passenger lounge.
He flashed me a grin, "I wouldn't want to be anywhere else."
I nodded, dropping into the seat beside him and pulling my book out of my bag. I was just settling in to start reading when a commotion in the entrance to the lounge drew our attention. Joey cocked an eyebrow at me as we both watched the doorway; my blood instantly turning to ice as two figures were ushered through a crowd of people before the doors sealed behind them.
"Ava..." Joey turned to me.
I let out a shaky breath, "yeah."

I spun back around in my seat as the two moved through the lounge and took a seat across the room from us. My stomach felt like it was on fire as I watched Taylor remove her oversized sunglasses and settle in as close to Tom as was humanly possible. I don't know how long I stared at them but every movement, every interaction made my chest tighten. The way she would lean in to speak, the way his eyes would half flutter closed as she whispered something against his ear. Mostly though I hated the way their interactions were so easy, so effortless. His hand sliding along her thigh casually, the way her fingers laced with his, the simple act of him pressing his lips to the back of her hand before leaning in and offering her a chaste kiss.

"Ava," Joey's whispered voice dragged me back from the darkness my mind was slowly sinking into.
I turned to face him, suddenly aware that I hadn't been blinking, barely breathing. With a soft smile he carefully, softly swiped a stray tear from my cheek, "it's going to be okay."
I shook my head, whispering, "it doesn't feel like it."
Sucking in a deep breath a shuffled so my body was angled towards Joey, keeping my head down in an attempt to make myself as inconspicuous as physically possible. I chanced a glance up at Joey who was none too subtly glancing between where I sat and where Tom and Taylor sat.
"I thought I was done with this," I whispered, raking my hands through my hair and grasping at my book, "I thought I was beyond caring."
"I know," Joey shifted so his knees were touching mine, blue eyes searching my face, "but, despite how you might be feeling right this second Ava, you actually do have a handle on this."
I barked out a soft laugh. He had to be kidding.
"Seriously, Ava, you're far more capable of dealing with this than you realise. His being here, their being here right now is of no impact to you."
What he was saying made sense, and yet all I could think of was the way his hand slipped into hers, the way she let her fingers trail down his arm, the sheer ease of their being there together. Like they'd been doing this forever.

That was when I made the colossal mistake of turning to glance in their direction. Tom's gaze met mine across that room and I felt like every ounce of calm I had been grasping for was suddenly flushed down the toilet. My heart stopped, despite the forced half smile I plastered onto my face, I felt like my whole world was about to collapse. That's when I felt it, Joey's hand sliding into mine, his fingers lacing through the spaces between mine as he shuffled closer to me.
"Ava," his breath whispered across my shoulder, sending a shiver coursing down my spine.
Tom's eyes narrowed as he watched us from his seat.
My heart clenched.
Joey's lips pressed against the skin on my shoulder and I felt my face flush. I tore my gaze away from Tom's unwavering glare and shifted to look at Joey.

Before I had a chance to say anything further his free hand was resting against my neck, his pupils blown as he leaned forward and pressed his lips to mine. It took my brain and my mouth a split second to connect and before I knew what was happening my mouth was opening to him, his tongue sliding across mine as he pulled me closer. I could practically feel Tom's gaze burning a hole in the back of my head as I surrendered entirely to Joey. How I had not kissed him before this moment I wasn't entirely certain, if I was honest the thought hadn't crossed my mind all that much. Until now. Until he was absolutely stealing every single inch of air I had and sending shock waves coursing through my body. I let out an involuntary whimper and tightened my hold on his hand as he slid his thumb across the rapid fire pulsing in my neck. All too soon though his lips left mine, a sly smirk lifting one side of those perfect lips as he rested his forehead against mine.

I sucked in a sharp breath and sucked my bottom lip between my teeth.
"W..."
He grinned, planting a chaste kiss on the corner of my mouth before whispering against my lips, "now, let's see him agonise over that for the next eight hours shall we."
I squeezed my eyes closed for a split second before matching his grin.
Then the sinking feeling settled in the pit of my stomach, forcing that grin to waiver.
Had he only kissed me to make Tom jealous?
And why did I care so much if that was the case?
"You okay?"
I forced myself to meet his gaze, and nodded.
"Yep," I lied. "Totally fine."
Shit.