Living With Mr Shelby

Chapter Fifteen

It had been three days since anyone had heard from Tommy and fearful rumblings had begun to stir among the few Blinders Tommy had left behind. I however, attempted to say positive seeing as the Shelby's always managed to get themselves out of whatever trouble they got into.

"Poll, have you heard anything?" I asked Polly as she swept through Tommy's office giving me a pile of paperwork to sign in his place and helped me through what I'd need to do for each group of papers.

"No, but they better bloody come back soon we're losing Birmingham." Poll said sternly as she left the room only to return with the day's books and we counted the money together double checking Finn's math which had greatly improved over the last two years.

"Go home, rest, have a bath and sleep, he'll be back soon." Poll said once we'd done and I'd helped her shut up the bookies for the night. I decided that Poll was right and headed up to the flat hoping that I'd find Tommy too drunk to stand, slumped on the sofa but he wasn't there. Once the water was warm enough I began to strip down while humming to myself, I was so swept up with daydreaming I didn't notice him until he pulled my petticoat off my shoulders and began kissing my neck.

"Tommy." The name passed my lips before I could stop myself and Tommy groaned as if I'd whispered the most seductive thing he'd ever heard, he went to pull the short under-dress the rest of the way down but a soft knock followed by Poll's voice wanting to see if Tommy was with me as he hadn't been at the Garrison with his brothers, who had arrived mere minutes ago interrupted him.

"I'll be back before it gets too late." Tommy promised as he pressed a final kiss to the base of my neck and reluctantly left through the side door clicking the door shut I could hear him double checking he had locked it, a habit he used whenever I bathed at home alone.

*********

Water sloshed a little as I opened my eyes and saw Tommy sat beside me, his fingertips playing with the water, his hands found their way to my waist skimming my side and up to my chest. He swallowed deeply and brushed a thumb across my breast making me gasp.

Tommy had been respectful with me over the years while he'd openly kiss me or brush his thumb across my lips or cheek; these were intimate signs to everyone including myself that I belonged to him. He had never pushed any further apart from the few times he'd lost control of himself leading to the habit of him locking me in the house while I bathed so he wouldn't be tempted to force me to do anything unladylike.

His touches became rougher and a delighted moan mixed with his name fell from my lips in a way that made Tommy's eyes dance, his hand vanished from my side and was soon gently brushing at my thighs tortuously slowly travelling higher and higher.

A door slamming jerked me awake and I realized with a hot blush that the real Tommy was looking at me from the doorway with a questioning look. I reached for the towel that was on the coffee table and waited for Tommy to look away but his gaze stayed on me making me feel like I was under inspection.

"We might have a problem." Tommy mumbled once he had allowed me to wrap myself in the towel. I frowned watching him carefully trying to tell what was causing the issue seeing as if I asked he'd most likely say it was men's business.

"You'll fix it." I muttered as I looked across the room at him the thoughts of my dream clouding my mind. I shuffled away as another round of blush filled my cheeks making Tommy frown, he followed me to my room as if he was expecting to see me hiding someone in there. He politely lit my fire and wished me a good sleep letting me get to bed.

***********

I opened my eyes as a wave of something I'd never felt before washed over me and for a moment it felt as if I couldn't move. Flashes of another intimate dream about Tommy left my inexperienced body tingling and oddly damp in certain places. I hurried to get dressed and washed seeing as I was most likely late for work again and rushed to the bookies where Poll was talking rather sternly to Finn who had been caught messing around with a girl he liked and was hearing the same speech from each of his family members.

I smiled at Poll who pointed at the clock that ticked away carelessly above the doors indicating I was late and she wasn't happy about it although, thanks to Finn I wouldn't be getting a mouthful from her today. I heaved the doors open and people swarmed in, within seconds the eerily still bookies were bustling and crowded.

Once the morning rush died down Poll shooed the girls, including myself, home to prepare lunch for our respective partners. I Blush had settled through my body as I thought of the dreams I'd had and almost jumped out of my skin when Finn and Tommy slumped themselves down at the kitchen table causing them to give me a deductive stare that Finn had learnt from Tommy many years ago.

"What." I whispered not looking at Tommy for fear he might figure out what I was thinking and shoved a plate of sandwiches on the table greeting Issac and another young boy the same age as Finn, who happily helped the Shelby's devour their lunch. Once the three boys had finished Tommy sent the three to Charlie Strong's yard to help him with a new delivery that had come in that morning. I had hoped Tommy would leave as well but he sat staring at the back of my head as I cleaned the kitchen avoiding facing him at all costs.

"You're cross with me?" Tommy sighed giving up on guessing what was wrong, for a second I froze trying to think of a response but Tommy crossed the room and turned me so I was pinned between him and the kitchen side. His lips claimed mine as he pulled my neatly tied up hair loose and wrapped his fingers through it, his other hand fell from my hip to my thigh and he began slowly pulling up the edge of my skirt. Without thinking I broke our kiss and shoved him roughly causing him to stumble backwards a little. I glanced up at the now furious Tommy and ran into my room slamming the door and twisting the little metal key just as his fist collided with the door.