8 - Tom

The sunlight streaming through the window onto my face wakes me but I am too comfortable to move. The woman in my arms stirs and snuggles closer to me and I smile as she murmurs my name. I was lying on my back with my arm around her and she had her head on my chest. We'd gone to sleep simply holding hands but I was in no way complaining.

Turning my head to look at her she seemed as comfortable as I am, smiling slightly. My small movement stirs her and she opens her eyes sleepily. It takes her a minute to look up at me and I smile down at her.

"Good morning." I say softly, brushing her hair away from her face with my free hand.

"Good morning. Sleep well?"

When she makes no move to pull away from me I release a breath I hadn't known I'd been holding. I wasn't ready to move yet.

"I did. How about you?"

"Very good. And it is completely unfair for you to look so good first thing in the morning."

I saw the exact moment the realization that she'd just said that out loud hit her and couldn't help but chuckle.

"Anything I say before I've had my coffee cannot be held against me."

"I wouldn't dream of it." I tease, "But I will go on record saying you're stunning in the morning as well."

The windows were behind her, backlighting her and making her blonde hair seem to glow where it fanned out behind her. She was naturally beautiful in a way I hadn't seen before and her beauty wasn't just skin deep, she was a beautiful person inside as well.

I knew what we'd agreed to but I was starting to want to try for more. Zawe had left me broken but Eliza seemed to be helping put me back together faster than I'd thought possible. I'm not sure how, or if, I should bring up the idea to her. I think she was feeling the same way but I couldn't be sure and I didn't want to ruin when we had if she didn't.

"You look lost in thought. What's on your mind?" She asks propping herself up on an elbow looking down at me, her hand resting against my bare chest.

"Just thinking how lucky I am to have passed out in front of your shop." I tuck her hair behind her ear again and want so badly to lean up and kiss her but I know that's the one thing she said was off limits.

"Well I wouldn't make a habit of that. Your next savior might not be a nice as I am."

"Savior huh?" I ask smirking.

"Yes. Even a god can be saved by a lowly mortal sometimes."

"You can save me anytime darling." I say as if I were Loki and she giggles, covering her mouth with her hand that had been on my chest.

"So, my lord, are we going to stay in bed all day or would you like some breakfast?"

"Depends on what you have in mind my lady." I sit up making her lay back on the bed as I hover over her.

She was looking up at me wide eyed and her breathing had increased. I look at her lips and back up to her eyes only to see her do the same thing. Was she acting still or did she really want me to kiss her?

"If I don't stop now I'm going to end up kissing you." I whisper searching her eyes.

She smiles and touches my face, running her fingers along my lips. "I'd be lying if I said I didn't want you to, but that would definitely complicate this."

She was right, it would totally complicate things but I still really wanted to, especially having heard her just say she wanted me to. Reluctantly I sit back, resting my weight on my elbow giving us both space to breathe. She props herself up on her elbow too.

"So breakfast..."

"You cooked for me yesterday, it's my turn to cook for you."

"You don't have to do that."

"No, but I want to." I lean forward and kiss her forehead.

"Well if you insist. I'll go jump in the shower and be out shortly."

She slips out of bed and into the bathroom closing the door behind her and I collapse back onto my back.

She sang in the shower and I tried, and mostly failed, to not think it was me that inspired it. Christina Perri's The Words hadn't held much meaning for me before now but now it reminded me so much of the relationship Eliza and I had forming. It scared me how quickly she'd become so important to me.

When she walked out of the bedroom with her hair still damp I was just dishing up the food and setting it on the table where we'd sat yesterday morning.

"I didn't know you could sing." I say as we start eating.

"Sorry, I'm not used to having company while I shower."

She was clearly embarrassed so I reach my hand across the table and lay it on top of hers. She looks up at me and smiles shyly.

"I liked it. You have a beautiful voice."

"Thanks."

We eat is comfortable silence and when we'd both finished I take the dishes to the sink. I turn back around to see she'd crossed to the floor to ceiling windows and was peeking out the gauzy curtains. I knew what she was looking for and judging from the bemused look on her face it was out there.

Coming to stand behind her I peak out as well. Sure enough her pretty quiet street had several people standing around outside her shop; the paparazzi had put a name to her face. Chancing a glance at her she didn't appear upset or worried like I expected, just amused.

"Certainly didn't take them long to figure out who I am. Good thing I'm closed on Sunday's."

"They tend to not waste time on juicy stuff. Me showing up in public with a new woman the day after I got dumped is stuff they dream about covering."

"You and Zawe weren't very public about your relationship either. Were they right that it was because how things blew up when you and Taylor split? Sorry, I don't mean to pry."

I was standing close enough when she turned to apologize we were only a hair's breadth apart and I have to fight the urge to wrap my arms around her. If I really wanted to see if we could be more than just friends, being honest with her would be a good place to start.

"You're not prying. You can ask me anything. Yes, the very public and messy break up with Taylor lead me to keeping my relationship as private as possible. Taylor said that I was too open with our relationship and it made her uncomfortable. Then she mocked me in her music video and it just added insult to injury. Zawe didn't mind keeping things private but looking at it now I think it was more she didn't want to commit fully and chance a messy break up in the press. I know it was just a couple days ago but it didn't upset me as much as I first thought it was going to."

"I don't know, getting so drunk you pass out on a bench seems pretty upset to me."

"Not my finest moment to be sure. But Taylor and I only dated for a couple months, Zawe and I were a handful of years. I retreated from the outside world because of Taylor and here I am now, two days after Zawe, going out with a beautiful woman and having a great time."

She blushes and fiddles with her hair. Gently lifting her chin with my finger so she's looking at me again I run my finger along her cheek trying to get the nerve to tell her I was starting to have real feelings for her.

"Do you think Zawe knows yet?" She asks, killing any courage I'd had.

"More than likely. You do know they're more than likely going to say you and I were having an affair?"

"Katy's read me plenty of them over the years to know how they tend to spin things, especially if it's out of character and will get them more views. Despite playing some very ungentlemanly men over the years you've kept a pretty clean sheet."

"It's not going to upset you is it?"

"I already told you Tom, I have tougher skin than that."

"What about if they publish pictures of us standing here?"

She glances behind her and chuckles. They'd been spotted and I realized how bad it probably looked with me standing here without a shirt. She turns back towards me with amusement clear on her face and am again amazed about how this all seemed to just roll off her back.

"We aren't doing anything bad, though they'll likely know that you spent the night. How long do you think they've been out there?"

"Some have probably been there for hours."

"I bet the main speculation right now is when and where we met. We probably do need to get a story together, just in case someone asks."

"You know we've sort of met before right? Well you probably wouldn't remember that."

"Really? When?"

"Wizard World Comic Con, Philadephia 2016."

"You were there?"

"I was. Katy took me for my birthday. I doubt they'll be able to find any record of that though. So what kind of story do you want?"

"Well sticking to the truth, or as close as possible is probably best."

"So we met yesterday on set. I mean several people saw that."

"True, and we just hit it off. Talked over coffee at your shop and the rest is history."

I was perfectly fine leaving the real way they'd met, and the following mornings mishap out; by far wasn't my best moments.

"They're going to assume here is where you went after the restaurant and before showing back up on set, or at least that you were with me. How did you even make it back over here?"

"I took a cab to set but I don't remember much after that to be honest."

"Well it would be pretty normal to offer someone who had been drinking some coffee."

"I don't think I've thanked you for what you did have I?"

"I didn't do it for the thanks but you're welcome anyhow. You're a good man Tom; kind and sweet, definitely funny and I'm glad I'm getting the chance to really know you."

I wrap my arms around her waist before I even think about it and pull her gently towards me. She slips her hands around my neck without missing a beat but looks at me with one eye brow raised. I smile down at her and lean my forehead against hers.

"I'm glad we're getting to know each other too."

I just wasn't sure I'd be ready to let her go when the time came.