Chapter twenty-six: Kiss the Air

The following afternoon,

Kate hangs up the phone and moans miserably as she rubs her eyes. She barely slept last night. Two hands on her shoulder cause her to jump. She exhales as she realizes that it's Thomas behind her. He frowns. "Didn't mean to scare you. Are you alright?"

"Yes, I am." she sighs. "I'm sorry. I've called him and the college at least 4 times today. No one knows where he is."

"It'll be alright, Kate." He rubs her shoulders before smiling at her. "Come on; let's get you out of here."

"No." she shakes her head in protest. "I can't do that."

"Yes, you can. You're getting anxious and you're making me paranoid." He turns his head and shouts up the stairs. "Rosemary!"

"What?" she comes running down the stairs, hair out of her usual braids.

"If Emmett comes looking for us, tell him to meet us at the lake in the park."

Rosemary frowns. "Why?"

"You'll find out." he smirks. "I'll bring you back an ice cream."

She frowns. "Lemonade instead please, lavender."

He frowns. "Lavender lemonade?"

"There's an ice cream parlor by the lake, she loves. We'll bring it back."

"Good, don't come back empty-handed." She then adds. "Unless Kate comes back empty handed, I'll be fine with that!"

Kate shakes her head as Thomas herds her out the front door without bothering to tell her parents. "I don't know how you always managed to talk me into abandoning my responsibilities at the drop of a hat." Her eyes widen. "Hat! I'm not wearing one!"

"You'll be fine." he assures her as he flags down a horse and cab. "Besides, it's a gloomy day in London. No one will be looking at you, except me." he grips her waist firmly as they run across the street.

"And you're the only one whose opinion matters?"

"Yes."

She laughs. "Very well, Mr. Shelby."

Kate lets out a sigh as they drift along the empty pond. No one had bothered to rent a rowboat in this weather. It was probably going to rain in a few hours; the sun was still shining, somewhat through the gray clouds.

Thomas exhaled and pulled the oars back into the boat. "Feel better?"

Kate nods as she leans forward, resting her hands on her knees. "Yes, I do. How do you do that?"

"Do what?" he reaches for her hands, leaning forward slightly to touch their heads together.

She closes her eyes as she smiles. "Know exactly what I need, to feel better."

"I know you, that's all there is." she giggles as she feels his lips against her cheekbone. "You're not that complicated a woman. If you're upset, you just either need to be alone or held. Today, you need a little bit of both."

She exhales. "Thank you. I've not seen you completely upset, but I know you have a temper." He nods his head along with hers. "I suspect that should that situation arise, you haven't thrown me out of the room, that, you just need someone in there, to be there with you. And, maybe your anger will simply subside on its own."

"We'll see. You've seen me mad before."

She nods. "As have you. You scared me a little bit when we first met, but, I know and understand you better now."

"You were a bit curious at first, flirtatious."

Her eyes opened. "I wasn't flirting with you!"

"I saw the look on your face when you toasted me in the club."

"I was thanking you."

"You were flirting with me." he states with a smirk on his lips. "I know that smile. Come on, you know it."

"I'll never…admit to such a thing."

"Hmm, you just did." That's when the rain starts to pour around them. They pull apart and look at the sky as the rain streams down their faces. Kate laughs as Thomas curses. "Put this on." he says as he strips off his coat and passes it to her. Thomas starts to gets the oars back into the water. "I'll get us back to the shore."

"Wait." He holds his hand out to brace her as she crosses over to sit beside him. She holds the coat over their heads. "There you go."

"I can get wet. You keep dry."

"We can share, Thomas." she swallows as she turns to look at him, realizing that they're so close, almost nose-to-nose. "You're quite the gentleman, Thomas Shelby."

"Don't want you to get sick." He exhales. "I want to keep you safe."

"I'm with you. Nothing's going to happen to me." Kate can't help herself; she leans forward and kisses him on the mouth. Thomas leans into the kiss, deepening it. Kate becomes aware that she's in a public place, where anyone can see them and she breaks the kiss. "I'm sorry." She stammers as Thomas stares straight through her; seeing something, that she obviously can't see. "I don't know what-

Thomas cups her cheek in one hand as he leans forward and kisses her. She closes her eyes, relishing this moment as she drapes one arm around his shoulders. She shivers, partly from the rain, but mostly from him. She can't help but smile at the happy, bright and bubbly way she feels inside every time she's with him.

Thomas's hand moves from her cheek to her neck, to her shoulder downwards towards her waist, or so she thought. She lets out a surprised moan against his lips as he touches her breast. Thomas instantly withdraws his hand from her. "I'm sorry Kate."

"It's alright." Did she really just say that aloud to him?

"Normally, I have more control over myself, but," he shakes his head. "I don't know. I think it's because you're still stuck with Emmett that I-

"Feel the need to show me more reasons why I should love you," she asks softly. "and not him?"

He exhales. "It must be something like that."

"It's alright. I'm normally much more conservative, but," she flushes as she admits. "I do like it when you…touch me, Thomas."

He looks as surprised by her admission as she feels for revealing it to him. "I can't believe you told that to me Kate."

"Me neither."

"I know, you're not used to it, but I don't want you to be scared of me. I want you to trust that I'll respect your boundaries."

"Thomas, for six years, I've been with a man who's claimed to love me. However, he never bothered to kiss me, much less even my hand. I like…knowing that you find me desirable and want to show me the extent of your love. It makes me feel like…I'm worth something." She draws the coat back up around them. "Actions speak louder than words."

He leans forward, kissing her one last time before grabbing the oars. She grabs one and he chuckles. "Careful." she smiles and holds onto the oar, he holds onto her hand while they find their rhythm to put together, then they each man an oar.

She bites her lip before blurting out. "I need to know. When you said you'd break into my room one night, was that something to shock me, or was that real?"

"That was partly to shock you, but…yeah, it was real. I meant it, I won't do anything to you that you don't want me to." She laughs as her face heats. "Kate, that was the day I decided I was going to marry you."

All laughter freezes in her chest, but her face grows warmer as she attempts to keep her tone light and playful. "Is that so?"

"Yes." He states calmly as he turns towards her. "I intend to marry you."

She swallows hard. "We've never talked about marriage."

"We're talking about it now." He states as he pauses rowing to grip her left hand, running his finger over the diamond ring. "I will be putting a ring on this hand as soon as it's free."

"Well," she flushes. "as much as I love and appreciate your honesty, please, try to wait a week or two before doing that." he groans. "Thomas, my mother will need some time to adjust and you haven't proposed to me yet."

"Correct, and you haven't given me an answer yet."

"Because you already know what the answer is."

"There are two answers to that question Kate."

"Well, be confident in knowing that it'll be the positive one. No diamond, please."

He snorts. "With those eyes, I'd never buy you diamonds."

"Thank you."

"Emeralds maybe."

"Oh, Thomas." She shakes her head. "I like….how we can always talk about things, no matter how deep or intimate they may be."

Thomas nods. "Agreed." They pull up onto the shore, by the boathouse. The boatman pulls them onto shore and Thomas gets out first, carefully lifting her clear from the mud. "I've got you."

"That you do."

"What is this?" Emmett's angry voice causes them to whip around to see Emmett storming towards them. He looks so angry that he's barely recognizable. Thomas sets Kate down and hurriedly pays the man a few pounds for his trouble.

"Emmett?" Kate is stunned by his behavior. He's normally so calm and in control. "What's wrong?"

"What's wrong? You've been calling me non-stop for the last day. I finally come calling on you and rosemary tells me that you're down here!"

"Don't you yell at me!" Kate's blood rises in her cheeks. "I did nothing wrong!"

"Don't yell at you? You tell me that you needed to see me, I come over and you're at the pond with him!"

"It's a lake and you wouldn't answer my calls." Kate snaps. "What was I supposed to do? Just sit around and wait for you in case you happened to pick up the phone!?"

"Yes!" Kate stares at him in shock. "What has gotten into you?"

"Enough!" Thomas shouts. "Who tell the hell are you to talk to her like that?"

"She's going to be my wife! That gives me every right to talk to her as I see fit!"

"No! I'm not!" Kate snaps, harsher than intended. "I'm not going to marry you Emmett!"

"Don't be ridiculous Kate." Emmett snaps. "The wedding is in three days! It's not being cancelled right now! What will people say?"

"That I came to my senses before making a terrible mistake!" Emmett stares at her as she wrenches the ring off her finger, slapping it in his hand. Emmett's face stills, letting her know she's shocked him. "The wedding is off."

"What?" he's completely shocked by her behavior.

"I'm sorry, I can't marry you." she attempts to speak in a calmer voice, but her heart is pounding like crazy. "We're not suited for each other."

"I don't understand." Emmett isn't understanding. "What do you mean?"

Thomas groans as Kate patiently explains again. "I can't marry you Emmett. I'm sorry."

"Why are you doing this?" he demands. "Is this because I yelled at you?"

"No, it's because I don't love you."

"What's love got to do with this?" he questions, causing her eyes to bulge. "Kate, I thought you and I were above such things."

She stares at him in surprise before nodding her head. "I see, I see it all now. I guess at some point I thought that I was above all of that too, but I'm not. I want more. I want a lot more than what you're offering me."

"At your age, you can't afford to be much pickier." Kate's mouth drops open in shock at his statement. Thomas takes a step towards Emmett, but she puts a hand out to stop him. She knows he'll pummel him if he has the chance. "You're not getting much younger and if news of this gets out, there's not a decent man who'll give you a second look."

"Christ, let me punch him Kate." Thomas growls by her ear.

Emmett doesn't hear those words from Thomas, otherwise he would have stopped talking. "You're an attractive enough looking woman Katherine, but you're no raving beauty."

"Wow," Kate says dryly. "what a way to compliment the woman you want to marry."

"I'm just reminding you of the reality of the situation." Emmett reaches for her arm. "why don't we just put this argument behind us and talk about this rationally? And definitely, in a more private setting."

She takes a step back, out of his reach. "I don't need to talk to you privately because you're not listening to me!"

"Do your parents know about this?"

"I don't need my parent's permission to break my engagement to you!" She snaps. "In fact, my father will be thrilled." she turns towards Thomas and asks. "Thomas, take me home please."

He nods and reaches for her. "My pleasure."

"Katherine." Emmett grabs her arm and spins her around. She doesn't even get the chance to say a word. Thomas instantly grabs a hold of Emmett's arm, pulling his hand off her. Before she can even react, Thomas has punched Emmett in the jaw, instantly knocking him to the ground!

"Thomas!"

Thomas gives Emmett one good kick as he snarls down at him. "Don't, you ever f**king touch her again."

"You," Emmett pulled himself up from the ground. "stay out of this."

"I won't." Thomas's voice is dark and threatening. "I don't even know why she even thought about marrying you. She doesn't deserve someone like you."

"You, I know you had something to do with-

"Just shut up! Have you not looked at her? Don't you realize that any red-blooded man would kill you just for the chance to win her?" Emmett stares at Kate, his darting back and forth between her and Thomas. Thomas's passionate words catch her and Emmett by surprise. "She's a beautiful woman and you just f**king neglect her and run her down."

"I don't have to explain myself to you."

"It's raining and she's under my coat. You don't think of her or care for her at all. She deserves far better than you and believe me…there will be someone who'll love her more than you can imagine."

"I suppose you're thinking that she'll love you? Katherine would never look twice at a man like you!"

"Well, maybe after being with someone like you, someone like me won't be as bad." Thomas spits at Emmett's feet before turning and pulling his coat tighter around her. "Let's get you home."

"That was unnecessary." She states as they move through the deserted park quickly, keeping the coat over their heads

"I think it was." he snaps, fury still running through his veins.

"Why?"

"It was either I punch him…or cut his tongue out. I went for the less bloody alternative for your sake." She chuckles weakly at his words "Are you alright, Kate?"

She nods as she admits. "Surprisingly…I feel fine."

He snorts as he mocks Emmett. "No raving beauty. Are people in society f**king blind?"

"You're biased Thomas."

"I am not."

"Well, maybe you're just blind to my imperfections."

"Are you blind to mine?" he asks.

"Let's say," Kate freezes as someone grabs her arm and sticks the muzzle of a gun into her back. She raises her hands, glancing at Thomas. His jaw is set and while he appears calm, she can see that he's concerned for her. "that you're both too blind to see what's going on around you. There's a car up ahead." Another man comes out of the bushes and reaches inside Thomas's coat for his gun. "We're all going to get in. If you try anything Shelby, I will shoot the girl."

How dare the sun choose to come out now to shine brightly on them while they're in a dark and dangerous situation at this moment?

Alienfromthenorth: I know, we're winding down, aren't we?!

Idcam:And you were right, it didn't go as well as one would have wanted. But at least Thomas got to punch him.

Thorin no-can-shield: I was clearly lulling everyone into a false sense of security, lol. It was going to be my last fic, then, I started getting ideas. I also realized that they don't all have to be 30+ chapters. A short one should be fun.

Thehoodedassassin: Your feelings were absolutely correct.

Author's note:

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