Chapter forty-three: Feel it

Christmas Eve,

The bang on the door causes Thomas to bellow. "I'm busy!" The door opened anyway, causing him to groan. He knows exactly who it is without even looking up. "Kate."

"Your growls don't intimidate me Thomas." She states as she walked briskly over to his desk, pulling on some bright orange gloves, which definitely clashed with her brown dress. She hops up onto his desk. "I've just come to let you know, I am taking Ruby and Charlie out on a walk."

He frowned. "It's Christmas eve. Don't you have a ton of details to fuss over?"

She shakes her head, her hair stuffed up inside an orange cap. "Yes and no. I am taking them both out for a quick walk, so I can calm down. I am too hyper right now."

"I've noticed." He states. Kate's been going through various moods. She could be happy one moment, angry the next and tearful within a seconds notice. He'd told everyone about the doctor's warning about Kate's stress, so, all the adults took it in stride. Kate kept her mood swings in check around the children though.

He'd kept his promise and had done nothing to the girl. He'd let Polly and Finn have that pleasure. Polly had left the girl with another scar on her face; no one crosses the peaky blinders. They all swore to hide this detail from Kate. In spite of her desire for mercy, his authority couldn't go unchallenged. Whether he liked it or not, Kate was going to make him weak, he could feel it. It wouldn't be her fault, she didn't ask him to change, but he could feel that something was going to change in his life.

"Very funny." She wrinkles her nose at him as she crossed one leg over the other. "They both want to see the waterfall and since it's frozen, I thought they'd enjoy seeing that."

"It's a little bit of a walk Kate."

"I know which is why I'm letting you know where I'm going. Otherwise, you'll go into one of your moods and have everyone out looking for us when it'll be totally unnecessary!" he rolls his eyes. "I should be exhausted enough when I return from the walk to finish up the last minute details calmly."

"Fine." Kate brings up her hem to her knee so she scratch her leg. "Why Kate, do you insist on sitting on the edge of my desk?"

She frowns. "What do you mean?"

"I mean, are none of the chairs in here comfortable for you?"

She blinked. "Don't know, never thought about it before." She leaned forward slightly. "Why? Does it bother you?"

"Not really bother." He glances at her exposed ankles. 1930's and she was still wearing ankle length dresses. Still, she had a good-looking ankle. "Distract more likely." He admits as he takes a hold of her hem, twirling it between two of his fingers."

"Well, you work a lot." Kate says with a teasing smile. "A distraction once in a while isn't going to hurt you."

He chuckles and runs a finger softly from shin to her knee, drawing her skirt up with the tip of his finger. "That you know of."

Kate's smile wavered as his finger paused on her knee for a second and continued upwards. He glanced up at her and his gaze caused her to inhale. "Maybe I do know," she whispers gently. "and that's why I do it."

Unable to take her teasing for a moment longer, Thomas jumped out of his seat and advanced towards her. She brought her legs down as he leaned forward and kissed her. She let out a whimper as he kissed her with a passion. He'd removed his hand from her skirt and both of his hands were gripping the sides of the desk. He wasn't touching her, just working his mouth against hers. His body was so close to hers that he could feel the want practically burning inside of her.

Kate reached up and wrapped her arms around his shoulders. It was in that moment that he touched her. He wrapped an arm around her waist and pulled her against him. She moaned as he moved against her, lifting her slightly off the desk. God, he just had to hold out for six more days, but this intoxicating woman wasn't making it easy on him. He could have sworn that she was deliberately baiting him since she no longer wore pajamas to bed. Even though it was winter, she'd swapped them out for silk nightdresses that seemed to be getting shorter and more inappropriate. Last night, she had him grab her a nightdress, which she'd conveniently forgotten on the bed. He'd gone into the bathroom, to find her all wrapped up in a towel, her cheeks a rosy hue. Oh, he barely managed to leave the bathroom before the urge to seduce her overpowerd him.

Kate out a breathy gasp as he reached for the neck of her blouse; pulling it down to expose her shoulder. He leaned forward and kissed her shoulder, causing her to tremble and grip his forearms tightly. Unable to resist, he bit her shoulder, causing her to let out a strangled gasp and dig her gloved hands into his arms. He felt Kate slide a curled foot up his leg as he gripped her hip, pushing her against him.

She held onto him as he dipped her onto his desk. He held his hands on either side of her head as he worked her mouth open and slipped his tongue inside. Kate let out a faint squeal as she reached for his coat and pushed it off his shoulders. That made him move.

He nudged her leg aside so he could carefully get atop her. Kate bit his lip lightly as she wrapped her legs around his waist. Papers and pens were falling off his desk, but he couldn't care less. To hell with the remaining six days, he wanted her now!

"Bloody hell!" Arthur's voice caused them both to jerk apart. "Lock the door Tom!"

"Bugger off Arthur!" Thomas shouted angrily at him.

Kate blushed red before she started laughing crazily as Arthur slammed the door. "Poor Arthur."

He shakes his head in amusement as she continues howling with laughter. "You're a mad woman Kate."

"Hmm," she loops her hands around neck. "then why'd you marry me?"

"You know damn why I did."

She smiles faintly. "Maybe I do." She gently pushes him off her so she can hop off the desk. "I need to go take our two children for a walk." She adjusted her blouse, pulling the strap of her slip back up.

He lets out a groan. "God."

"It's alright Thomas." she smiles brightly at him. "I'm sure you've got a meeting to get to, don't you?"

"Yes." He grumbles as he picks up his coats and dusts it off. She tucks her dress back into place and attempts to put her hair in some semblance of order. "We'll finish this later." He says before he can stop the words from coming out of his mouth.

"Of course." Kate continues towards the door. "Preferably…. not with your hands tonight Mr. Shelby."

Thomas stops with one arm in his sleeve, shock coursing through his body for a moment. "Kate?" she turned towards him, hand on the library knob. "Do you really mean that?"

"Shall we say Mr. Shelby," her eyes are dancing as she says teasingly "that I've given you something to think about?"

"You're a bloody tease," he groaned as he heads towards her, intent on throwing her on the couch and taking her. "Katherine Shelby!"

Kate lets out a shriek and bolts out of the library with him hot on her heels. Kate nearly collides with Arthur, who's waiting by the front door. She spins around and laughs as Thomas glowers at her. She reaches for his scarf and drapes it around his neck. "Be back home at a decent hour, else I'll be asking you what time do you call this?" Those words cause him to jolt slightly as she arranges his scarf. He flashes back to when he recalled teasing Grace with a promise of marriage on Black Star Day. Grace hadn't taken it well. "Now, tomorrow's Christmas, so, don't be late." She patted his chest with a smile. Thomas catches a hold of her hands and holds them tightly, prompting her to study his face carefully. "What is it?"

He didn't say anything right away. Just reached up and tucked a strand of her hair back behind her ear. He smiled faintly at her before leaning forward and pulling her into a gentle kiss that tasted of a promise. Kate's eyes stayed close for a few moments after breaking the kiss, completely under his spell.

"I'll tell you when I get back." He promised.

Kate nods. "Stay safe."

He nods. "I'll be back for you."

She smiles as she adds mischievously. "You better be." She stepped aside and called. "Ruby! Charlie!" The front door opened and there they were waiting for her. "Ahh, you're ready. Wonderful!" unable to stop himself, Thomas squeezes her behind firmly as he passes by her. Kate barely reacts; she catches his hand, squeezing his fingers. "Be sure to say goodbye to your father!"

He shoots her a look as she pulls her coat tightly around her. She sits on the edge of the stairs to put on her thick walking boots. "We're going to see the waterfall!" Charlie crows as he hugs him.

"It's cold." Ruby pouts, looking like a grumpy cherub.

Kate holds up a small basket beside her. "I brought thermoses of hot chocolate and a few sandwiches just in case you two get hungry."

"See? Your mother's got you both taken care of." He kisses ruby's forehead before fist bumping Charlie. "Now, your mother is a little hyper today, so, she needs to talk a walk to calm down. Be sure to wear her out."

"Yes." Kate says dryly. "Your father is too busy to wear me out, so, you two will have to do."

Thomas just stares at her, lost without words for the longest time. Kate smiles, standing there with her hands in her pockets. If he didn't have to go pick up Kate's present, he'd have pulled her back inside to wear her out properly.

"Let's go Tom." Arthur states. "Else we'll be late."

"Right." He stands up and walks towards Kate. "See you when I get back." He says as he kisses her. Kate lets out a purring sound. He holds her close to him as he adds in a lower whisper. "But when I get back…I will make sure you're too exhausted to leave your bed tomorrow."

Kate stays still and when he pulls away, she has an arched brow as if she doesn't believe him. "We shall see Mr. Shelby."

"Don't be gone too long." Arthur adds as Thomas heads to the car. "We're expecting more snow tonight."

Kate nods. "Thanks for the warning Arthur. See you two when you get back!"

"Yeah." Arthur hops into the car and slams the door shut. "When you get back, give her a good seeing to."

Thomas punches him in the arm, causing Arthur to laugh harder. "And you," he shoots back. "need to either man up and divorce Linda or cut Noni free."

Arthur snorts. "I'm not going to marry Noni."

"Why not?"

"The woman's' bloody crazy!" Arthur proclaims. "I'm going to marry another lunatic."

Thomas is silent for a moment before asking. "Did you lose another boxing match to her?" Arthur glowers at him. "Did you invite her for dinner tomorrow?"

"She's meeting us at the field. Says she's got her bag packed."

Thomas laughs at him. "You're next Arthur, whether you like it or not. Kate picked Noni for you."

"What Kate needs," Arthur shoots back at him. "is you doing right by her." Thomas shoots him a look. "I'm serious, the looks you two shoot each other are getting damn uncomfortable now. So, do us all a favor and bloody take her to bed already!"

"Well, guess who mucked up that plan?"

Idcam: Now, Thomas has to hope that he can survive Kate and her raging hormones before January 1st.