Tom Hiddleston / Reader (4) - Part 2
Tom talked about his life while you ate the spicy chicken with rice and vegetables that he had cooked. You smiled politely while he spoke although you found his lifestyle a bit sad; he was always traveling and therefore very rarely home, he lived in hotels and trailer parks by the movie sets and very rarely managed to eat a home-cooked meal. In a way you understood why Tom wanted someone around but still you couldn’t really get why he was willing to pay someone for being his friend, unless of course, he was expecting something… in other words; there was a catch.
- Your salary will be five thousand pounds per month. Tom said and shifted his gaze to you casually to see if the salary was alright in your opinion. You chuckled nervously because you had never gotten paid that much and it made you somewhat anxious about the conditions.
- I, of course, will also pay for the traveling and accommodation expenses… as well as lunches and dinners. Tom added. You leaned back in the chair and sighed. The pay was too high which made you seriously consider the fact that there was a catch, somewhere hidden behind the casualness and the charming smile that Tom had on his face. What if Tom had some expectations after all? What if… when he said “friend” he meant “friend with benefits”? That was an arrangement that you did not want to end up into because even though Tom was a handsome, fine man being paid for such services would make you strictly speaking a prostitute… kind of… in your own mind at least. The thought made you chuckle nervously and you felt that you had to say something.
- So what’s the catch? you asked and looked directly into Tom’s eyes.
- No catch. he said and smiled in a warm, friendly way as he chuckled a little as a response to your question.
- There must be a catch. There always is a catch. you stated and inhaled as well as exhaled deeply with a polite, yet neutral expression on your face.
- You… want there to be a catch? Tom asked with a somewhat confused tone.
- Oh, come on! Surely you have people who would love to travel the world with you. you stated and took a quick breath before continuing.
- I mean, I get that you are a good guy and you want to help me out, but still, there is something that doesn’t add up. you said and monitored Tom’s expression. He laughed “Ehehehe” and leaned back in his chair.
- So what’s the catch? you asked again.
- I suppose that the catch is that you would pretty much put your own life on hold for me. Tom replied finally. You kept analyzing his face and waited him to continue. Tom noticed that you were studying him and it was making him feel a bit challenged, not in a bad way… but it was just something that he was not really used to. It had been a while since anyone had questioned him and his motives.
- There will be plenty of traveling. Your home and things, friends… everything pretty much stays here in London while hotels become your primary home and everything you own has to fit into a suitcase. Tom spoke and noticed the look on your face softening a little. It was somewhat apparent that you had not thought about it like that, but yes, he was right; if you did this, you would put your own life on hold and leave pretty much everything behind.
- Besides, I am expecting you to be available for me twenty four-seven. Tom added with a playful tone which made you unable to say for sure whether he was just joking or not.
- What does that mean? you asked and laughed nervously. Did he think that he could just call you in the middle of the night if he was lonely… or better yet, sarcastically speaking, if he was “lonely”.
- It means that if we arrive to a hotel and it is night but I cannot get any sleep, you will come and empty the mini bar with me. Tom stated with a smirk on his face. “Uh-uh?” you commented and emptied your glass that was filled halfway with water. “But I assure you, your boss is pretty nice” Tom added and winked his eye at you. That wink however did not make you feel any better because if you did this, you would do it because you basically were fucked if you did not; you had spent your savings and if you did not get a job now, you wouldn’t have money for the rent next month and therefore you inhaled slowly and said
- Alright, Mr. Hiddleston. We have a deal.
- My friends call me Tom. he said and smiled sincerely which made you feel less anxious.
- Alright, Tom. When can I start? you asked and responded to Tom’s smile with a smile.
After finishing the lunch Tom wrote you the first check so you wouldn’t have to worry about the rent anymore and gave you a date and time on a yellow post-it-note. “The day after tomorrow” Tom said and asked you to meet him at the Heathrow airport, by the main entrance at nine am. He also suggested that you would pack summer clothes because you were going to fly to Australia with him and it was currently summer there and therefore you did not need winter clothes like in London. You nodded and put the note into your wallet so you wouldn’t lose it.
- What about the contract? you asked as you were putting your jacket on.
- I’ll have my people work on that and you can sign it on the airport. Tom answered and took your bag as you were putting on your shoes. He gave it to you when you were ready and added
- Oh, (Y/N), whatever happens… whatever we talk… it is between you and me.
- Of course. I-I… Uhm… I wouldn’t… you stammered and took a deep breath to buy you some time to gather your thoughts.
- Media will hear nothing from me. you said and extended your hand to Tom to get your bag from him. Tom nodded, wished you a lovely day and then watched you leaving his home.
You walked to the nearest bus stop and hopped on the next bus that arrived in few minutes after you had reached the stop. It had started to rain, although the raindrops were half-frozen and stung your face as they landed on your skin. Yes, it was nice to get out from London since the city was gray and gloomy due to the weather and the chilly humidity that went straight to your bones. When you got home you called your friend and donated your plants, not that there were many, to her because it was simpler that way. You had no idea when you were going to come back and it would have been too much to ask to ask your friends to look after your plants while you were away… especially considering the fact that you did not know how long you would be able to stay at home between your trips. Tom had said that sometimes he was home for a week between his travels and sometimes he only stayed long enough to change the content of his suitcase.
You got a box of summer clothes from the warehouse and started to go through them. You needed to wash some casual yet beautiful summer dresses because despite being clean and basically ready for the next summer, they had a scent of being stored in a box for more than a couple of months and since you were going to hang out with Tom Hiddleston, or Tom as his friends called him, you did not want to take a risk of smelling like a dusty, old warehouse. You still had a day to get the dresses dried and after putting them for an extra spin to get the water out from them, you hung the few garments to dry near the heater.
You selected the clothes, packed your suitcase, two of them actually; one smaller that you could carry with you into the cabin and one bigger that you would put into the cargo with other people’s luggage. You chose comfortable and simple clothes that suited your body type and made you look casual, yet sophisticated. You also packed a couple of finer dresses, just in case you needed to accompany Tom for a fancy dinner or something. You selected your favorite tops, skirts and light pants and decided that if you needed something specific, you would just buy it when you knew exactly what you needed. Besides, you did not even know what kind of clothes movie-people used and if you were going to spend time with them, you wanted to fit in. You also packed a couple of items of swimwear because you were pretty sure that you would have a chance to enjoy the beach-life as well, at least you hoped so.
The next day you cashed the check and after the money had gotten transferred on your back account you paid your rent for three months in advance, just in case you would be busy and your mind got distracted… or more like occupied with new things and you did not want to take a risk of forgetting to pay the rent. Besides, you did not know how long the employment with Tom would last so in your opinion it was good to play it safe and pay the rent for a longer time instantly and of course, still have money to spend while traveling. You also paid your other bills and cancelled your broadband Internet connection which left you with your mobile connection. There was no reason to pay for set, immovable Internet when you were not going to be home using it.
You also emptied your fridge, although it was almost empty already, took the garbage out and decided to go to the airport early so you could eat breakfast there. Your plan was to clean your apartment, including washing your dishes, during this evening and then not touch anything anymore. Your friend stopped by just before you went to bed and you gave her your plants, a packet of cheese that you had opened but there was no way you could have eaten it before leaving and bag of potatoes which you had not even opened yet. You did not tell your friend who had hired you or what you were going to do exactly, you just told her that you had gotten a job as an assistant and therefore you had to spend most of your time abroad from now on.
After your friend had left you still checked that you had everything; your passport… wallet… everything you needed… and went to bed. You tried to fall asleep by counting sheep, controlling your breathing almost as if you had been meditating and even tried reading a boring book but nothing was helping and as a result you ended up staying awake the entire night. At five am you gave up and got out from bed. You had an alarm waking you up at six anyway so it did not make any difference whether you spent the last remaining hour in bed or not. You were hungry but at the same time you felt like you could have thrown up because you were so excited as well as nervous.
You put on some makeup, got dressed and after unplugging all electrical appliances except your fridge-freezer –combo, you took your bags and left the apartment. You still checked out that you had your charger, phone, wallet, keys and passport because those were the most important things to take with you, and when you had completed this final task, you closed the front door of your home and made sure that it was locked. Then you headed to the nearest stop of the public transportation and got yourself to the Heathrow airport.
There had been a little of snowfall during the night and therefore the city was jammed. This standing in traffic kind of ate your extra time and when you got to the airport you had only five minutes left before meeting Tom. That meant that there was no point to get some breakfast before meeting with him, which was a shame, because your nausea was finally fading away and that left you feeling terribly hungry instead. You cursed silently as you dragged your bags towards the meeting point and checked the time from your point when got there. Soon you saw Tom getting out from a taxi and after getting his luggage from the trunk of the car, he walked towards you with a smile on his face.
- Morning. you said and tried your best not to blush. Tom looked very handsome in his dark blue knitted shirt that had a very flattering V-neckline, dark, very nicely fitting jeans and a scarf that looked very warm. He gestured you to go inside from the wind and freezing air that was just barely below zero. When you and he got in, he suddenly put his bags away and hugged you, which was something that you had not expected him to do and therefore you kind of froze still and held your breath.
- Relax! Tom said and told you that you looked very nice. You inhaled and breathed in his cologne which was very nice and suited him well. You eventually placed your hand on the small of his back and patted it in a friendly but awkward way which made Tom chuckle.
- Now we’ll get through the security and we’ll have time for a slow breakfast. Tom spoke softly into your ear and pointed at the VIP-check in as he drew a bit further, still keeping one of his arms wrapped around you. “Okay” you commented and tried to decide whether you would dare to end the hug or not.
You came to a conclusion that hugging was fine and therefore Tom, who was paying you quite well, well not that well if you counted the hours and divided the monthly salary with the hours, yes you had counted it and it was less than seven pounds per hour considering that you were basically working around the clock, anyway, Tom was the one who would end the hug when he wanted to. If he did not feel awkward embracing you so long, not to mention so openly in public, then hey, it was a good thing because it meant that he felt comfortable with you… which obviously was a… good thing.
- I hope you’re hungry. he added, unwrapped his arms, stepped further away from you and then continued by stating that “There is a delightful café that has the most delicious croissants.”
- Great! you commented and walked with him to the VIP –security check in where you also got rid of the bigger suitcase. Tom’s assistant had already checked you and Tom on the flight the night before and therefore you did not even have to worry about screwing up the registration process somehow. The assistant had also pulled the necessary strings to get you a visa and all you had to do was to take a picture of your passport and send it to Tom, who had sent it forward to his assistant.
You followed Tom to a cozy café that was located quite near to the gate that you were supposed to use for boarding after a couple of hours. Tom ordered a wide selection of fresh pastries, both sweet and salty, and a pot of freshly brewed tea for you and him to enjoy. You however were so hungry that you decided to order some small sausages as well as two hard boiled eggs, a carafe of orange juice and fruit slices to complete the breakfast. As the minutes passed by you relaxed and started to enjoy Tom’s company. He made you laugh easily and it had nothing to do with the fact that he was a famous person, oh no, you laughed because he was charming and funny and you genuinely enjoyed spending time with him. You sometimes stopped to wonder if Tom had somehow known that you and he would get along so well… if he had gotten a good feeling about you and therefore he had offered you the job… or more like asked you to go with him.
Then it was time to get onboard the airplane. Tom paid the things he had ordered and offered to pay yours as well but you insisted to pay your share. It was only fair in your opinion since you had stared everything on the table so you would share the bill as well. You informed Tom that it had nothing to do with stubbornness but it was a matter of principle; you had not even left England yet and since you had not signed the contract, you wanted to take care of your own share of the expenses.
- Oh yes, speaking of which. Tom said and took a document out from his bag. He told you very shortly what it said and gave you a pen to sign it. You glanced the contract through, just because you had been taught never to sign anything without reading it first, and then wrote your name on the blank line that was next to Tom’s signature.
- Good. Shall we? Tom asked and gestured you to walk towards the gate. His assistant had booked the seats in the first class and that meant that you and Tom got onboard from your own entrance and therefore you did not have to walk through the tourist-class. It was a huge airplane anyway, bigger than you had ever been on and the first class was in the second floor which in your opinion was quite cool.
Tom pointed out the seat that had been reserved to you by the window which was a very nice detail, considering that you had not traveled that much and therefore flying was something quite special for you. It was a spacious leather-covered seat that looked more like an armchair. There was plenty of space for your legs and therefore it was very easy to get comfortable. Tom sat in the seat next to you after putting your bag as well as his bag to the storage right over your seats. You fastened your seat belt and breathed in slowly as you squeezed the arms of your seat quite tightly. The truth was that even though you were not afraid of flying per se, you got nervous in the takeoff because you flew so rarely. Besides, you had watched quite many episodes of Air Crash Investigations and therefore you knew that the riskiest phases of any flight were landing and taking off.
Tom was a frequent flyer and he noticed that you somewhat nervous. He placed his hand over yours and squeezed it gently. He continued brushing the back of your hand with his thumb until the airplane had soared above the clouds, leaving the snowy London behind. You looked out from the window although you couldn’t see anything but white clouds that bathed in the sunlight and looked soft as cotton candy as you looked at them from the unusual perspective. Unfortunately there were no direct flights from London to Sydney and therefore you had to change the flight at Singapore. However the stop at Singapore was a somewhat quick one, a bit too quick to be honest for your liking because you had hoped to walk around a little. You had been sitting on the airplane for fourteen hours and now you were facing eight more hours to reach Sydney, which was the destination where you were heading. The flight was pleasant and there was hardly any turbulence, which was great because every time the plane shook even a little you remembered the documentaries you had watched about plane crashes.
Tom had been able to sleep during the flights, which did not surprise you at all. You however had not and therefore you were almost a zombie when you arrived to the Sydney airport. Fortunately you were traveling with the VIP and therefore you got the VIP –treatment as well. It meant that you did not have to queue to the passport control and even your luggage did not get inspected… not that there would have been any reason for them to check it out anyway, but it was a nice detail anyway. After checking in the hotel you were quite ready to get some sleep, you got a quick, cool shower and washed the dust of the travel as well as your makeup away. Tom however was not even jetlagged due to the well-slept long naps and he was almost instantly knocking on your door. You shouted “Just a second!” and got quickly dressed in a bathrobe that was hanging in the closet of your hotel room.
- Hey (Y/N)! I was thinking that we could go and check out Bondi… he said as he kept reading his emails and then he continued “It is such a beautiful day” but stopped talking when he lifted his gaze from the phone screen and noticed that you looked dead-tired. His expression changed from enthusiastic to deeply concerned instantly and after quickly arriving to a conclusion that you looked like a zombie… not because you had been terminally ill, because you were not, but due to serious lack of sleep. Therefore he asked if you had not been able to sleep during the flights.
- No, but I’m fine. you answered and invited him in to your spacious room that had a beautiful view to the ocean. Your room was actually right next to Tom’s and you had joining balconies, or almost, because there was a waist-high railing separating them.
- Are you sure? Tom asked with a worried and slightly suspicious tone.
- Yes. I’m great. you stated and smiled widely but your smile made you resemble the Internet meme “overly-attached-girlfriend” because you happened to open your eyes wide open to appear less tired. “O-okay” Tom commented and walked into your room. Tom walked past you and you closed the door behind him, still smiling the same way. Tom turned to look at you and said
- Listen, if you need to sleep-
- No, I’m awesome. you stated and realized that you were standing in your bathrobe.
- I will just… Bondi, you said? you asked and lifted your suitcase on the table, opened it and quickly found something to wear.
- Yes. Tom replied and then added “I will just wait outside”.
- No, please… Uhm… Check out the balcony. It is amazing. you stammered as you grabbed the clothes and then disappeared into the bathroom. Tom laughed a little and walked into the balcony. He breathed in the salty sea-air and enjoyed the sun on his face. After a couple of minutes you came out from the bathroom, wearing a summer dress and your most stylish swimwear under that, packed quickly your beach-bag and walked to the balcony where Tom was enjoying the breeze.
- Okay, I’m ready to go. you stated with a smile on your face.
- Listen, when I said that you must be available around the clock… Tom said and sighed. Sure he had said it himself and that had been even written into the contract but still, he did not want you to suffer for his sake.
- Don’t worry. I will take a nap on the beach, alright? you said and nodded reassuringly. Tom made a silent “hm” comment and nodded as a response. Tom was right; it was such a beautiful day anyway and you did not want to miss any of it, especially because the weather in London this morning had been so gray and gloomy.
You and Tom walked to the Bondi beach that was located quite nearby. You took some pictures of the ocean and bought a large towel so you could lay on it on the beach. You also bough sun lotion with a high UV-protection because it had been a while since your skin had been kissed by the sun. Tom was wearing sunglasses, casual navy-blue shorts and a short-sleeved white shirt with buttons in front. He also had a cap which he wore the front-side back. He looked cool and relaxed, very well disguised because as you walked along the coast, no one recognized him.
You found a great spot that was not crowded and both of you spread your towels side by side, sat down and stared at the horizon silently for a moment. You took the sun lotion out from your bag and put it on your skin after taking your summer dress off. You were a bit nervous being in the presence of a famous movies star, dressed in your swimwear but then again, you were too tired to care; if Tom Hiddleston was going to criticize or mind your ass that was not necessarily the firmest on the Bondi-beach today … he would be most welcome to but you would just ignore him entirely.
- May I help you with that? he asked as you tried to get your back protected with the sun lotion but there were many spots that you did not quite reach. You made a silent “Uhm” –comment and after hesitation you handed him the bottle.
- Now, love, you must come to sit in front of me. he spoke and patted the towel. You stood up, stepped from your towel to his and sat down in front of him. Tom took the lotion and squeezed the bottle so he had a generous amount of it on his palms. Then he rubbed his hands together and pressed them on your back. He spread the lotion carefully with long, slow and gentle motions all over your back and shoulders, using more time that would have been necessary.
- You have a very beautiful neck. he commented and then moved to massage it with his fingertips. His touch made your heart race even though you tried to keep your mind focused on the fact that he was just applying sun lotion, helping you so you wouldn’t get sunburn on the first day… which would have been such an amateur mistake.
- Such… delicate ears. he said with a deep, soft tone and rubbed them slowly with his fingers that were covered with the sun lotion.
- Flawless skin…soft… kissed by the breeze as well as the sun. he spoke into your ear and moved to massage your neck again. You hope that he wouldn’t feel your pulse against his fingertips as he massaged the skin with delicate motions right above your carotid artery. The thought made your skin get covered with Goosebumps as his touch made you shiver, despite the temperature being over thirty Celsius degrees.
- You are beautiful. he whispered and shifted his hands on your shoulders, massaged your upper arms with relaxing motions and then added “Your turn” with slightly mischievous tone. You turned your head to look at him and smiled, hoping that he wouldn’t notice the blush on your cheeks. You got up to switch your places with Tom. He got up as well and asked “Would you like to help me with my shirt?” You looked at him with a confused expression and then he added with an innocent tone
- My hands are covered with the sun lotion, love. I do wish to get this shirt stained.
- Of course. you stated and started opening the buttons of his shirt carefully, very cautious not to spoil the bright white fabric in any way. You stared at Tom’s chest as his bare skin was revealed one opened button at the time although you knew that you shouldn’t have stared. You however were so tired that your self-control was not really functioning that well and therefore you went along with things that you wouldn’t have normally even considered of doing. You knew that Tom was staring at you with a light smile on his face, following your every move… surely monitoring the movements of your chest as well and therefore you needed to keep your breathing calm, even though it was challenging.
- Okay, done. you said and removed your hands from his shirt as soon as you had opened the last button. “You still need to help me to get it off my shoulders, love” Tom stated with a playful smirk on his face.
- Ah, sure… Silly me. you chuckled and slid the shirt off his shoulders with great care, which was a move that brought you awfully close to Tom’s bare chest. He had clearly been working out for some role and you could see his muscles tensing as well as relaxing according to his movements. When you had managed to slide the shirt off, you folded it neatly and put it on the towel, a bit further away. You were about to sit down when Tom said
- I still need help with my back. I can’t quite reach.
This time you did not even comment. You just smirked at him, asked him to turn around, took the sun lotion and applied it straight on his back. You took a deep breath before placing your hands on his shoulders and beginning to spread the lotion on his back. You kept your touches as professional as possible and did not stop to adore his skin like he had done to you… but you had to admit that he also had very soft and flawless skin that was very… very pleasant to touch. You made sure that every spot of his back got protected and there were no white lines of lotion anymore and then announced that his back was ready.
- That was very nice. You have gentle hands. Tom commented and asked mischievously
- Would you like to spread the sun lotion on my chest as well?
- I am sure you will manage. you stated and returned to sit on your towel. Tom chuckled a little and continued spreading the lotion on his chest, legs as well as his arms. He put some on his face and ears too because he did not want to look a red lobster afterwards.
You were baffled because you had a feeling that Tom was flirting with you and you did not know how to react to that. Should you just go with it? Or should you put an end to it before anything happened? The problem was that if he kept flirting with you and being so informal with you, intimate even… you might easily develop feelings for him and since you had been hired to be his friend, it made him your boss and therefore you couldn’t get close and personal with him. Besides, you were surely just imagining it all; Tom was just being friendly and trying to get you relaxed… nothing more… but then again, you were both adults… single… would it be so bad if something happened? “Yes!” you thought firmly. “It would be bad because he is paying me to be here!” you told yourself silently and took a secret glance at Tom who was laying on his back next to you. He was enjoying the sun, probably having a nap and therefore you decided that you would go and take a swim. You couldn’t sleep on the beach anyway… so taking a dip was a good idea. You had been laying in the sun for a couple of hours already anyway and you were feeling hot.
- I’m off for a swim. you said and waited to get a confirmation from Tom. “Okay” he said and smirked with his eyes closed. You stood up, put on your flip-flops and walked to the shore. You made sure that you were between the flags because getting rescued on your first day at Bondi was not really a part of your plan.
You walked into the warm water and waded slowly deeper until the water was up to your waist. You closed your eyes and raised your face towards the sun that was slowly getting lower on the sky. You let the waves rock you gently as you got lost into your own thoughts and the surrounding sounds faded away. The sand felt soft under your toes and the water was warm but still refreshing. The sun caressed your skin with the light breeze and you could feel the tiredness sneaking in and making you feel relaxed… maybe a bit deceivingly so, taking into consideration that you were in the water.
- I recon this is your first time here. you heard a man saying to you. You opened your eyes and saw a man sitting on a paddling board right in front of you. He was wearing dark blue swimming shorts and he had a beautiful golden, perfectly even tan… and he was in a great shape. He had a naturally blonde surfer hair and he was approximately your age, maybe a couple of years older than you. The board that he was sitting on was turquoise and had writing on it, although you were unable to read it; you had kept your eyes closed for a rather long time and now the sudden brightness was blinding you.
- Hi, Bondi rescue at your service. the man said and flashed a smile. He had perfect white teeth and his smile was sincere as well as gorgeous. You smiled back, unable to say anything because you were somewhat baffled from this sudden intrusion… especially since the guy that was talking to you was so handsome.
- I just wanted to tell you that the current is about to change soon and this part of the beach will be off limits. he said and then continued “I can paddle you to the safer spot”. You stared at him with a confused look on your face and took a glance over your shoulder to see if Tom was still laying on his back sunbathing. He had sat up and was staring at you. The lifeguard smiled at you and explained his concerns again, but this time using his body language and speaking slower, just in case you did not speak the same language with the locals.
- Uhm… Okay… Or I’ll just… get back to shore. you replied now that you had finally regained your capability to form understandable phrases.
- Oh, you do speak English! the lifeguard stated and offered you his hand. You took it as an automated reaction and suddenly you found yourself sitting on the surfing paddling board next to him.
- So first time at Bondi? he asked again.
- Yeah… Arrived earlier today actually. you answered and stared at the clear water; it was strange that the water was so clear that you couldn’t estimate the depth at all… it could have been just half a meter or two and you wouldn’t have know the difference by merely looking. Then you shifted your gaze to Tom who was following you from the distance.
- Are you here with a friend? the lifeguard asked curiously since you kept looking at one specific spot on the beach.
- I am… and I have been swimming for a quite a long time so I should probably head back. you stated and checked if your arms had burned. Fortunately they had not or if they had, you were unable to see it in the sunshine.
- You have not been swimming! Just standing still, that ain’t swimming. he commented and laughed a little.
- Yeah, well… I haven’t been sleeping for over two days now so I think- you said and inhaled deeply. You cleared your throat and continued “…it is only good if I do not go any further today”. The lifeguard agreed with you and laughed a little when you stated “As fun as it would be to get rescued.”
- It is an experience. he commented and shifted his gaze to you. He kept an eye on the swimming people all the time and made sure that no one was in trouble.
- Ha-ha! I’m sure. you said and chuckled. You sat silently side by side with the lifeguard for a moment and then you realized that Tom was probably wondering what was taking so long.
- So the current? you asked because you were going to return to the beach now.
- Yeah. There is a current that sometimes appears during this time of the late afternoon and if you’re not careful or a very good swimmer- he said and then added with a smirk on his face “…like I am…” and continued by saying that “It could take you out to the sea”.
You nodded and said “Got it”. you shifted yourself to the edge of the paddling board and kind pushed yourself off the board into the water. You assumed that the water would be only up to your waist like it had been before, but what you had not realized was that the board had been shifting during your conversation and now you were further away from the shore. You sank down with your mouth filled with salty sea water because you had not expected to get submerged like that. The lifeguard jumped after you immediately, wrapped his arm around your waist and brought you back to surface without any difficulties.
You gasped for air and started to cough violently when you reached the surface, basically hanging from the paddle board and being held by the lifeguard. “Let’s get you back on land” he said and after getting himself on the board, he helped you on it as well. He paddled you easily to the shore and after checking that your eyes were reacting well, making sure that you were fully conscious and you were not in a shock, he smiled at you, suggested that you would get back to Bondi when you were a bit more rested and headed to shift the flags to mark the spot where you had been swimming “off limits”.
- What was that about? Tom asked you when you sat down on the towel next to him. You cough a little bit still and grabbed a water bottle from your bag so you could rinse the saltiness away from your mouth. After that you drank the remaining water with one long gulp. Tom kept staring at you with an expression that you couldn’t read.
- Well… I got saved. you stated and took a deep breath.
- Oh my gosh! Are you alright? he asked immediately with a worried look on his face.
- Yeah. Just embarrassed and… slightly shocked. you stated and stared at the horizon with a blank yet exhausted look on your face. You had not expected the board to move… but now that you thought about it… of course it would move… with the current that would have taken you out to the open sea. You just were getting so exhausted that your mind was not operating that well anymore.
- Do you still want to swim? Tom asked as he stood up. “I was thinking that I could go… now” he continued and smiled at you with a very friendly way. “But I understand if you rather… not” he added with a somewhat serious tone.
- I do not know if it is smart for me to go back in the water. you stated and rubbed your forehead. You had gotten a bit too much sun for the first day and now you were paying for not wearing a hat like Tom.
- Come on. I will keep you close. he said and extended his hand to you. You smiled and took his hand. Tom pulled you up and after collecting your things you walked to a safe spot, left your bags on the sand and walked into the water right past the lifeguard whom you had been talking with earlier. “Take it easy” he said and analyzed your friend from head to toes. You nodded and followed Tom, slowly getting deeper. There were bigger waves now and they were making you feel a bit anxious, considering that you could have drowned just a moment ago. Tom however seemed a bit different now; he seemed a bit jealous for some reason and you had felt his hand squeezing more tightly yours when the lifeguard had talked to you.
- I think we’re deep enough. you said when the water was up to your chest.
- Trust me. Tom said and when the next wave hit you, he suddenly wrapped his arm around you and pulled you close to him. He kept staring intensely into your eyes as the waves rocked you and him gently.
- I am happy that you decided to accept my proposal. he said and shifted his gaze from your eyes on your lips. He kept you firmly against his body with his arm wrapped around your waist while his other hand traced your neck. You stared into his bright eyes completely mesmerized, not daring to breathe deep because when you did, you could feel your chest pressing even tighter against his, which made your heart beat very fast again and you could have sworn to feel Tom’s heart beating just as fast under his ribcage.
- It is getting late. you staid and broke the moment. Tom glanced at the sun that was now setting for real and after taking a quick swim and diving a couple of times you both returned to your things and left the beach. You found a shower from the corner of the beach and washed the salt off your bodies and then dried yourselves on another towels, the ones that you had borrowed from the hotel room.
You and Tom walked slowly to the hotel and ate quick burgers at the pool-bar because even Tom was getting a bit too tired to change his clothes and find a restaurant. After eating the burgers as the sun finally set beyond the horizon you both returned to your hotel rooms. You wished Tom good night and thanked him for everything before getting into your room and locking the door. You hung your towels to dry, got undressed and after a quick shower took a moisturizing body lotion from your suitcase. You wanted to make sure that your skin would get nicely tanned and not all dry and red from the sunlight and salty seawater. When you had spread the lotion you got dressed into a light, short nightgown, walked to the door that led into the balcony and opened it to let the warm night air into the room. You stepped out and noticed Tom on his balcony admiring the stars.
- Hi neighbor. you said with a rather flirty tone and smiled at him as you leaned to the railing. The sky was filling with stars and you could hear the waves rushing ashore quite close by. The atmosphere was filled with electricity and seeing Tom leaning to his railing with his white shirt open and his casual shorts hanging loosely from his hips was making your imagination run wild, which was something that shouldn’t have happened… but your sleep deprivation was making you feel like you had been pleasantly tipsy and therefore you encouraged your mind and flirted with Tom a little… Nothing too daring, just brushing your hair every once in a while… running your fingers on your collarbones and tracing your lips softly.
- Well, good evening, gorgeous. Tom said and after chatting with you for a moment he all of a sudden climbed swiftly over the railing that was separating his balcony from yours. You laughed a little and asked jokingly if he came to raid your mini bar.
- No, not the mini bar. he smirked with a sultry tone and suddenly grabbed you by your waist, lifted you to sit on the railing that was quite wide and stepped right in front of you.
- What are you doing? you asked with a surprised tone and chuckled a little as you felt the butterflies taking over your stomach and making your skin tingle due to the fact that you could feel Tom’s hips pressing your inner thighs and his warmth radiating from his body.
- Only what you want me to. he said and ran his fingers up and down on your legs, below your knee, very softly. You did not dare to breathe because his touch felt so seducing and it was luring you to just give in. He moved his fingers to caress your thighs and slid the hem of your dress slowly higher… You were painfully aware of the fact that you were not wearing any underwear and you were quite sure that Tom knew that as well. You after all had seen him checking you out when you had walked to the balcony.
- Is this what you do with all your friends? you asked with a shaky voice although there was a clear undertone of tease and desire in it. “Or your… employees” you gasped as his fingers got higher on your inner thigh. You knew that you could have told him to stop anytime… but the truth was that you did not want him to.
- You did not apparently notice that your contract starts tomorrow. Tom spoke and smirked at you.
- Really? you asked and stared into his eyes like you had been under a spell. He leaned closer and stated with deep, mysterious tone
- Yes, love… so tonight… we are free to follow our desires.
You decided to give in, just this once. If the boss-employee –relationship was beginning tomorrow, it meant that now you were only two adults who answered to no one but themselves. Most likely this was not a good idea but you did not care, you were too tired to care and since Tom had been very close and personal with you the entire day, almost like he had been seducing you slowly… and now he was here and you desired him very much… there was no real reason to say “no”. You wanted him even if it made things more complicated between you and him and even if you most likely weren’t supposed to want him. You closed your eyes and pressed your lips against Tom’s as he slid his fingers higher and stopped to tease you before getting any further.
He nibbled your lower lip and listened to your soft moans that were accompanied with gasps and pleads that escaped your lips as you enjoyed his touch. He moved to kiss your neck and then suddenly stepped back but only to get a stool to sit on. He placed the stool in front of you and sat on it, spread your legs a little and guided you to rest your feet on his knees. When you did, he leaned closer and pressed a soft kiss on your inner thigh, right next to your knee and then moved slowly higher, always stopping to see the look on your face. You watched him hypnotized as he caressed you just the right way and after you had reached your sweet release, he stood up, helped you off the railing, led you into your room and undressed you from your nightgown. You undressed Tom slowly, enjoying every inch of him and when his clothes were all gone, laying in a pile on the floor, he lay you down on the bed and continued doing all the things that you had been dreaming about.