Love & Great Buildings

FOURTEEN

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

Taking a deep and calming breath, Rosemary dashed quickly from her room towards the front door. Tom's bright smile greeted her as she pulled open the door and he moved swiftly to pull her into a quick, but warm, embrace. "Hello, Rosie."

"Hey Tom," she breathed into his hair. She pulled back and gestured him into the flat. "So," she started as she shut the door behind him, "Make yourself at home. I was thinking we could order in, if that's quite alright with you?"

"That sounds brilliant." He settled himself onto the couch and quickly turned his attention back to Rosemary. "What are you thinking, food wise?"

She shrugged and settled beside him, her thigh pressing against his in the small space. She could feel the radiating heat of his body and she fought the shiver that threatened to tremble through her. She was tense and felt as though she were wound tight as drum. She cursed at herself. How had she gone from calm and collected to sensory overload as far as Tom was concerned? Tom, seeming to sense her unease, shifted his body away from hers, his eyes full of questions and concerns that he did not voice.

Rosemary smiled softly at him, willing herself to relax. This is just a normal night; there is absolutely no need to be so on edge. None. "Um, well the curry place not too far from here is quite good. And Chinese is always an option. And there is a decent pizza place close as well. It really depends on what you're in the mood for."

Tom's eyes narrowed momentarily before relaxing. "Curry sounds lovely."

"Perfect." Rosemary popped to her feet and quickly dashed into the kitchen, pulling open the drawer she kept her collection of takeaway menus. She rifled through them until she found the menu for Curry Palace.

Letting out a quiet whoop of victory, Rosemary clutched the folded menu in her hand and called out. "Do you want anything to drink while I'm in here?"

"Water's fine," Tom answered from directly behind her.

Rosemary let out a shriek of alarm and whirled around to face him. She clutched her hand to her heart, feeling it hammer away alarmingly in her chest. "Mother of god, Hiddleston!" She hissed. "Wear a bloody bell! You scared a good ten years off my lifespan you great bloody git!"

Tom smiled sheepishly at her. "Wasn't my intent." He paused, studying her. She felt herself grow uneasy under her gaze, shifting from foot to foot as she twisted a lock of her hair between her fingers. She was a fidgeting mess and she knew there was no way Tom wouldn't notice. "Rosie, are you alright?"

She narrowed her eyes at him and snapped, "No, I'm not bloody alright, you scared the hell out of me!" She turned away from him quickly, dropping the menu onto the counter, and busied herself getting a glass from the cabinet over the sink. That wasn't what he had meant and she'd known it. But admitting that something was wrong would mean having to talk about it and she was in no way ready to cross that bridge. Not yet. Flying off the handle at him, however, had been the absolute worst way to react. But there was little she could do about that now. Stupid. Stupid. Stupid. She turned towards the refrigerator and pulled out the pitcher of filtered water, filling the glass in her hand and then handing it to Tom without speaking.

He took the proffered glass with a raised eyebrow. "That's not what I meant, Rosie." He placed the glass onto the counter and turned his full attention on her. "Something is obviously wrong. Please talk to me." He reached out and took her hands in his. "Is it something I've done? Something I've said?" His blue-green eyes were brimming with concern and tinged with uncertain fear.

Rosemary shook her head fiercely. "No. No, it's not you." She tried to offer him a small smile but it felt forced and she could see the uncertainty growing in his eyes. "I've just been stuck in my head. I've got something I'm trying to work out for myself and it's a fair bit harder than I thought."