I know it is early morning, but I am warm in my cocoon so I don’t really care. I know that I’m in Tom’s hotel room still, and that I will need to check out of my hotel (which I never actually set foot in except to drop off my things), and then make the four hour drive back to New York.  But all those things can wait.  For however much time I have before I need to get up, they can wait.  I’m pretty sure this bed has a feather topper, and I know for a fact that the duvet is down. In other words, I am in bed heaven.

I wonder if Tom is awake. I open my eyes just a bit, hoping to get a peek.

Only…Tom isn’t there.  I’m alone in this giant bed, and he’s gone. 

I sit up quickly, clasping the duvet to my chest.  I’m still completely naked, and he is still nowhere to be found.  Not in bed. Not on the floor (I don’t know why he’d be on the floor, but just checking), and not in the bathroom. 

That little shit left. Without saying goodbye.  Again.

Scrambling out of bed, I trip over my own feet as I take the duvet with me, and then tumble softly into an awkward pile onto the plush carpeted floor.  I’m not sure how it is that my knees are still wobbly, but good god, they are.  And the muscles in my thighs ache as if I’ve had a good work out.  Oh, it was a good workout, alright.

There’s a soft tapping at the door, and I look up from my pile on the floor. 

Wrapping the blanket around myself, I shuffle over to the door and open it up just a smidge.  There’s a hotel employee there, with a cart behind him.  He has a name tag on that says “Ralph” and for some reason I wonder if that’s really his name.

“Room service.” Ralph says nonchalantly.  I’m very aware that I’m standing there in only a duvet, with sex hair and a dopey look on my face.  This guy has probably seen it many times before.

“Okay.” I say slowly.  I open the door, letting him in, and then plaster myself to the wall, out of the way.  I didn’t order room service, but I will gladly accept it.

“Would you like it over here?” He asks, gesturing toward the small sitting area.  I don’t really care.  I would just like for him to leave the food.

“Thank you.  Um…I didn’t order food though.” I say quickly, my conscious getting ahold of me.  Ralph looks down at a slip of paper and then back up at me, a curious look on his face.

“Mr. Hiddleston did.  About an hour ago.” He says.  Ah, the mysterious vanishing Mr. Hiddleston.

“Oh. Thank you.” I nod.  Ralph smiles and then takes the lids off the trays, then quickly leaves the room.  Well at least if Tom’s going to abandon me again, this time he left me with food.  A goodbye would have been nice though. 

I walk over to the cart, letting the blanket fall loosely around my shoulders.

Heaven.  Waffles. Bacon. Juice, coffee and a huge lovely bowl of fruit. 

I grab the bowl of fruit and a piece of bacon and stumble back toward the bed, kicking the duvet out and around me so I don’t trip again.  I barely settle back onto the bed, sitting cross legged and surrounded by blankets and pillows, when I hear the door start to open again.

Wow. These hotel employees are super friendly.

“Ralph?” I frown.

“Who the hell is Ralph?” Tom sounds amused as he steps into the room, looking awake, handsome and rather sweaty.  I pause, bacon midway to my mouth, the bowl of fruit in my lap.

“Oh, hi.” I manage. “Ralph is my new boyfriend.  He brought me bacon.” I grin. Tom walks over to the bed and stops, puts his hands on his lean hips and narrows his eyes at me. He’s wearing a plain tshirt, which is a little sweaty at the neck and chest, and a pair of jogging sweats.

“Yes, but I am the one who ordered it for you.” He winks at me and my stomach does a little flip.

“Well, you may get in my boyfriend line then.  It’s rather long.” I smirk and then quickly wonder if I should have said that.  We are just friends with benefits.  Or…fuck buddies, to put it a bit more crassly.  I shouldn’t even be mentioning the “b” word.  Tom laughs though, shaking his head and eyeing up the fruit in my lap.

“You look comfy.” He can’t hide his smile.  I bite into the bacon and smile back.

“I am comfy.  I thought you left, actually.” I hold out the other half of the bacon and he leans forward and opens his mouth.  I hesitate for half a second, but then pop it into his mouth.  He chews and looks blissfully happy for a moment.

“I left you a note.” He looks around the bed, and I do too. 

“I didn’t see it.”

“I gathered that.  You sleep like a tornado.” He grins as he leans over, picking up a slip of paper that is on the floor.  He hands it to me.

Good morning! I’m going for a run. I’ve order breakfast. Don’t leave. –T

I read it quickly and then give him a sheepish grin.

“Sorry.  I didn’t eat everything, I promise.” I nod toward the tray. 

“Good girl.  I’m going to get a quick shower and then perhaps I’ll eat the scraps of whatever you leave.” He raises an eyebrow at me, but laughs good naturedly.  We had a great dinner at the diner the night before, but all our late night activities have left me ravenous. 

Tom turns and kicks his shoes off, then peels his shirt off as he walks away.  I watch the flat planes and sinews of his back move as he walks, the muscles in his arms and shoulders flexing as he tosses his shirt to the side.  I’m suddenly feeling much less interested in the food and much more interested in what’s about to happen in the bathroom. 

Tom turns just as he enters the bathroom, his fingers slipping under the waistband of his shorts.

“Unless, you’d like to join me.  Then we could have breakfast together.” He says casually, leaning against the doorjamb.  I swallow hard, pulling my lower lip into my mouth. 

I don’t really think too hard, I just sort of react.  I tumble out of bed, shedding the duvet like a cocoon, tripping over his trainers as I hurry toward the bathroom.  He waits for a second, laughs at me as I stumble around, and then turns and takes off his shorts as he makes his way toward the shower. Holy moley.

There is a god, and he loves naked men just as much as I do. 

****

“I’ve got to leave in forty five minutes. I have a plane to catch.” Tom glances at his watch, then bites into a piece of cantaloupe.  I stab a grape with my fork and pop it into my mouth.  We’ve been eating quietly since we got out of the shower.  I’m not sure about Tom, but I’m starving.  Neither of us are shy as we dig into the waffles and fruit.  Tom gets up and grabs the coffee, refilling both of our mugs.

“Thank you.” I say between bites.  “I’ve got to head back to New York.  Where are you off to?” I ask.  We are sitting across from each other on the bed.  I’m wearing only a towel and Tom’s wearing boxer briefs.  Red ones.  What a little harlot.

“Paris.” He smiles, though it doesn’t quite reach his eyes.

“That’s romantic.” I grin.  He nods and then presses his lips together, looking pensive.  He seems thoughtful, or perhaps he’s just hungry.

“It’s for work.  I’ll be there for a few weeks, and then I’ll be back in London for a bit.” He takes a breath and we are quiet for a moment.  We don’t really know much about each other.  He talks a lot, but he doesn’t talk a lot about himself.  I know a good bit about his family, but only because of Emily.  It’s funny how easy it is to feign knowing someone when you’ve slept with them, but when it comes down to it—how intimate have we really been?

“Tom, about last night.” I look at him, and he meets my gaze.  His eyes are always rather startling.  It’s as if he looks through me.  I falter for a second. 

“Yes?” He leans back, and my eyes wander to his bare chest for a second. Focus, Gracie.

“I know we were sort of joking around and we were…preoccupied.” I take a sip of juice, my mouth suddenly feeling rather dry.  “But I think it’s good if we have boundaries.  If we have rules for this.”

“I agree.  I’m glad we’re on the same page with it, Gracie.” He leans forward, his big hand coming to a rest on my thigh.  “It’s not a…line, when I tell you that I like you.  A lot.  It just wouldn’t be fair to promise you anything.  Not right now.” He looks at me, and I chew nervously on the inside of my lip.

“So…we agree then. We’ll just have fun together.  Keep things light.  And no hard feelings if we have to stop, for whatever reason.” I watch his face, and he nods, looking rather serious.

“ Yes.” He says simply.  I nod and then take a deep breath.  I can do this.  I meant it when I told him I needed to get myself together.  I’m still wrapping my head around the Richard mess.  I like Tom.  He’s sweet and funny and smart, and god knows, the sex is fantastic.  I just need to make sure that I don’t get myself confused.

“Well. I should get going.” I say abruptly, yanking myself from my thoughts.  Easiest way not to get confused—leave as quickly as possible.  Tom hesitates for a moment, but then gets up and grabs a shirt from his bag.  He pulls on a white button up, then quickly rolls the sleeves.  He looks silly standing in boxers and a dress shirt, but it’s also oddly sexy.  It reminds me of last night, when he’d let me undress him…

“I…” I look around, and it dawns on me.  I came here in my evening gown.  I’m going to have to do the most pathetic walk of shame ever.  All I have is my gown.  It’s half past nine in the morning. 

“I’m going to look ridiculous.” I sigh heavily as I grab my dress off the back of the arm chair.  Tom had been diligent enough last night to put it there, so it wouldn’t get ruined on the floor.  He watches me for a moment, looking a bit regretful.

“Don’t worry, no one will see you.  I’ll drop you off on my way to the airport.  I have a car coming any moment.” He pulls on pants, then turns and starts rummaging through his suitcase.

“Thanks, I just feel silly in…” I hold up the dress, and he understands.  I turn and then glimpse at my reflection in the mirror.  My hair is mostly dry and hangs in soft waves around my face.  I don’t look like too much of a mess, but I’m definitely not pulled together.  I push my hands through my hair, then twirl it up into a messy bun. 

“Here.” Tom slides up right behind me, and wraps his arms around my waist.  I look up, seeing our reflection in the mirror.  He presses something into my stomach, and I smile when I see what it is.  A clean t-shirt and a pair of gym shorts. 

“Thank you.” I smile.  He pulls me into his front, hugging me gently and then kisses my shoulder before pulling away.

“They’ll be big on you, but at least you won’t be wearing a gown at half nine in the morning.” He grins.  I gladly put on his shorts, rolling at the waistband.  They’re big, but they fit alright.  His tshirt is swimming on me, but it’s better than a wrinkled evening gown.  It smells like him.  Clean, masculine.  It has a logo on the front for some bar called O’Rourke’s.

“O’Rourke’s?” I ask, looking down at my chest.  He smiles.

“One of my favorite pubs.  So you better get that shirt back to me.” He says as he sits down to pull on his shoes.  I’m smile.  I don’t need an excuse to see him again, but now I have a good reason to.