Stupid - John Shelby (ON HOLD)

26. Close •

Vin was sure that time had never moved this slowly before. Knowing that John was just a wall away, waiting for her to finish so that they could go to his house, his bedroom, it was almost unbearable. It had been her idea to wait until they had sorted out the letters before moving on with their relationship, and even though she still stood by her decision, she was having a very hard time keeping her hands to herself. She wanted so desperately to have him close again. To feel him against her, as close as two humans could be.

John wasn't making the situation any easier either. He could clearly see how bothered she was, and made it his mission to 'accidentally' make physical contact whenever he saw an opportunity. Every time he knocked on the window in the snug to order something from her he would make sure that his hands brushed hers as she gave him what he ordered. He would look at her with those ocean blue eyes, a dark hint of lust dancing in them, and then he would smirk that crooked, confident smile that had always made her knees weak.

Her sexual frustration seemed to be bad for business as well. She wasn't patient, never had been and she hated having to contain herself. This all made her angry and while moving behind the bar to help the never ending flow of drunk men, she slammed the glasses onto the bar, making the beer splash everywhere and the men jump back in shock. After a while the cue on Grace's side of the bar was about thrice as long as her side. She didn't mind though, she really couldn't deal with the people today.

As she worked her mind started to once again drift to the man on the other side of the wall. Would they kiss tonight after reading the letters? Or maybe they would go even further, maybe John rip off her clothes and fuck her senseless. Vin shook her head, almost laughing at herself. What on earth had gotten in to her? She looked at her watch. 10 minutes. She sighed.

"Do you have a curfew or something?" Grace interrupted her rather unholy thoughts. Vin blinked dumbly a few times before collecting herself enough to respond.

"No? Why do you ask?"

"You have been looking at your watch once every ten seconds for about an hour" Grace explained while pouring a pint. Vin blushed deeply at the older woman's words and averted her eyes.

"Oh" She started. "No i'm just really excited to finish, feels like I have been here for days"

Grace nodded and seemed to accepts the excuse. "You can head on out now if you want to, its slowing down and i'm sure I can handle it" Vin started protesting immediately, stating that she couldn't just leave and what if there was another rush all of a sudden, but Grace cut her off. "I'll be fine Vin, there isn't going to be another rush, the place is basically dead" Vin looked around the bar, Grace was right. Except for the crowd around the bar, that was shrinking with each pint Grace poured, it was very few people in the pub. A few sleeping sods by a table, but nothing that Grace couldn't handle on her own.

"Are you sure it would be alright with you?" Vin asked again, not really believing that someone outside their family would go out of their way to make her happy. It was uncommon in these parts, and Vin suddenly felt that she could make a friend of Grace. A good one. It would be good for her to have friends outside the Peaky Blinders circle.

"Im sure, now get out of here!" Grace smiled. Vin smiled back at her, eyes twinkling with gratefulness. She nodded happily and pulled her apron off while walking through the doors behind the bar. A few seconds later she was back, now wearing a coat and her hat. She put a hand on Grace's shoulder on her way around the bar.

"Thank you Grace, I really appreciate it" She smiled. Grace looked a little taken aback, but smiled back nonetheless. Vin then continued towards the snug, and in the normal 'Winifred Lynn way' she bursted through the doors. She was met by three sets of alarmed eyes and two guns pointing at her head.