Chapter Thirty: Rewrite the Stars

Kate breaks the surface of the warm bath water with a loud gasp.

She still feels somewhat tainted by Emmett's touch. However, she can think much more clearly now, all her emotions are under control again. She exhales; a bath was just what she needed to get her thoughts together. Tomorrow, she's telling her father and Thomas everything that happened in the library. She's not sure what's going to happen once she tells them what Emmett has planned, but this is too big for her to resolve on her own. God, she shudders to think what Thomas's reaction to the news will be, considering how deeply he cares for her. The man will be like an unleashed volcano.

She steps out of the bath, drawing the deep, red towel around her. She reaches for another towel and starts to dry her hair. And that was the moment Kate had the feeling that she wasn't alone anymore. She turned towards her bathroom door and just stands there, still as if she had been frozen where she stood.

Thomas Shelby is standing there, leaning against the door staring her down. She can't think of a damn thing to say as he looks at her. She can tell from the look on his face that he's been there long enough to see most of her. A strange feeling, almost akin to terror, flows over her. No, it's not terror; the feeling is much more potent, almost hypnotic. Kate doesn't know what it is, but it's strong and she can't help but squirm slightly under his gaze. he's not wearing his coat; he's still in his vest though.

Thomas," she swallows hard, finding her voice first as she drops the towel around her head to the floor, shoving the damp strands of hair back from her face. "you shouldn't be in here right now."

"I know….I just wanted to talk to you." He shifts, making no signs that he intends to cross over the threshold. "I needed to make sure you were alright."

She swallows. "I am." Aroused. Yes. That's the word she was looking for at this moment. "Much better now."

He exhales raggedly as silence fills the room again. He inhales deeply before demanding. "Kate, you need to f**king tell me to look the other way or something, because I-

"I can't." she says quietly. "I won't tell you that."

She almost smiles as she watches him clench his fists by his sides. She knows that he wants her and right now Kate's mind surrenders to accept the fact that she wants him as well. She never thought she would relish the sight of a man fighting to control himself because he wants her so much. She has watched him fighting to control himself for so long, but tonight, she hopes that it becomes the night that they finally acknowledge and act on their love for each other.

She almost cannot stand him looking like at her like this a moment longer. His eyes are so intense they seem to be peering straight through to her soul. Her skin crawls, she can't help it partly because in the back of her mind she remembers Emmett touching her. However, the burn flowing over her is because Thomas is looking at her as if she is the most beautiful woman in the world. Moreover, right now, she finally feels as if she is beautiful.

He seems to be debating about what is going to happen next before crossing the threshold of the bathroom. She inhales, her heart pounding in her throat as he approaches her. He stops, right in front of her and looks down at her, his eyes locked on her face. "I've never," his voice is hoarse as he touches her cheek, so gently. "seen…a more beautiful or perfect woman in my life."

God, the way he looks at her sometimes, it's almost enough to make her cry because she feels so unworthy to have anyone look at her like that. "Am I?"

"Yes." he kisses her brow tenderly as she unbuttons his vest. Surprisingly, her fingers aren't shaking as she undoes the vest. "Kate?" he looks confused for a second as the vest falls to the ground.

"I want to see your tattoo." The words slip out of her mouth and he stills her hands as she reaches for his suspenders. She bites her lip, waiting as he brings his suspenders down over his shoulders. She watches him as he pulls his shirt completely up and over his head. She can hear him breathing heavily as she reaches out and touches the tattoo on his chest. "I've always wanted to see this up close."

"It's not like, you haven't seen it before."

She nods. "I know…I was trying not to look when I fixed your stitches."

"I tore them out." He confesses, causing her to smile.

She looks up at him, holding his gaze. "I know it."

He smirks as he reaches for her hand. "Is that so?"

"Yes. Well, not right away but….I figured it out when you were gone. And then, I was so mad at myself for being happy to see you again."

When she stretches upward to kiss him, he pulls away from her. "Kate, wait a minute. I didn't come up here for-

"Touch me." He looks surprised for a moment by her request. "Please." She should have been surprised, but the moment she saw him standing there, she knew exactly what she wanted and there was no turning back for her.

"Kate, don't you dare tempt or distract me." he says. "I know that something happened downstairs-

"That has nothing to do with this, with us." She states, holding his gaze. "I promise."

His eyes narrowed and he gripped her shoulders. "So something did happen, then?"

"Yes, but I'm alright. I do not want to talk about it right now or tonight. I'll tell you tomorrow," she cups his face in her hands. "I want to be with you."

"Kate, a lot happened to both of us today." She steps closer to him, nodding in agreement. "I don't want you to have any regrets tomorrow and I don't want to take advantage of you."

"The last time I told you to have me, it would have been taking advantage of me, but not this time. I am thinking clearly."

"I told you once," he says hoarsely as his hands go to her waist. "that I wouldn't do anything to you that you didn't want me to do. I just want you to be sure."

"I remember that." With that, Kate unfolds the towel and allows it to fall off her, leaving her standing there completely naked before him. Heat washes over her in waves as he looks at her, his blue eyes running over every inch of her. Kate holds his intense gaze long enough to say. "I want you…to make love to me Thomas Shelby." She wraps her arms around his neck, causing him to inhale as her breasts graze his chest. She can't believe her boldness either, but she's not terrified. She could never be afraid of him. "Don't make me beg you."

"You don't have to beg me." He touches her stomach, running his hand downwards to the spot between her legs. She let out a garbled cry as he slides a finger inside her, causing her to instantly become wet. He's a bigger, rougher man than Emmett, but he's so gentle with her. Just this one touch from him was enough to cause that last thought of Emmett to vanish and the desire to be with this man consumed her body and soul. "Kate," his voice his hoarse and his breathing is heavy . "this is the last time I'm asking you. Are you sure?

"I'm sure." She cups his face in her hands. "I'm so sure that I know that I'm going to be with you for the rest of my life, no matter what tomorrow holds."

"Then we do this right." He puts an arm around her waist, lifting her up so he can carry her back into her bedroom.

"Towel!" she gasps out. He frowns. "The sheets. Don't want the maids finding the evidence and telling anyone."

He nods. "Right." As he picks up the towel from the floor, handing it to her.

She says nothing else as she holds onto him; he kisses her neck, causing her to smile as she runs a trembling hand across the back of his neck. Her heart is pounding in her chest, but it's not from fear. It's from anticipation Thomas sets her down by the bed long enough to undo the button on his trousers. She swallows hard, turning away from him to turn back the comforter back and to throw off the extra pillows. This whole thing seems to be as a pre-choreographed dance and they each know the next move before it happens. As she rearranges the towel on the bed, she feels his hand on her lower back.

"Don't move." she freezes as she feels him against her back entrance and his hands on her waist, seemingly to hold her place. She inhales, surely he doesn't intend to…not for her first time! Then, she feels his lips on her back and she trembles as she feels him kissing the scar from where she'd been shot all those years ago. She moans, arching her back as she clutches the sheets. He puts a knee on the bed, semi-mounting her as he lightly bites that area. Her reaction is to place a hand on that knee and grip it hard as he pushes her against him. Kate trembles as he slips a finger inside her, possibly seeing if she needs to be stimulated.

She does not. She's wet. Partly from the bath, but mostly from him and her heart is beating rapidly. "Thomas," she moans. "please."

"How do you want it?" He suddenly asks her, his tone slightly rough.

"What?" she doesn't understand at first.

"Kate," he grabs her around the waist, spinning her around to look up at him and she gets lost in those intense blue eyes again. "we're both so wound up, I could f**k you until you passed out." He is fighting for control of his emotions and Kate swears that the earnestness on his part is turning her on more. "Or, we take a moment to step away and I make love to you, slow and easy." He grips her face in his hands. "I need to know now; because you're not acting it's your first time. I don't have a f**king chance against you."

She thinks rapidly. God, this tension is exquisite. She knows it's her first time, it'll hurt her somewhat, but she knows that it's not for long. She's with Thomas and he loves her so much; she doesn't care what others have said, she knows that he won't hurt her. She inhales before saying. "Something…in-between." He opens his mouth, probably to confirm if she's sure, so she cuts him off. "I trust you…explicitly."

"As you wish." He grabs her around the waist and situates her on the bed. He's not being completely gentle and she's glad, the tension is almost too much for her. "If you want me to stop, any time, say the word and I will."

"I won't." The need is clear in her voice. "I want you in me Thomas."

He inhales as he thrusts two fingers inside her, instantly hitting her virgin barrier, causing her to inhale. "On your back Kate." he orders as his fingers move hard inside her. She swallows hard as she does as he bids. In spite of the command, she feels his hand on her back, helping her down. As soon as she's in a comfortable position, he states. "Spread your legs." Heat rises in her face, but she tentatively does as he orders. "Wider!"

Kate nods her eyes wide as he hovers over her. He slides another finger inside and she could feel herself responding to his ministrations so quickly. "God." She whimpers as he runs his other hand through her hair.

"There's something…f**k, I get to be the first and only man to see you like this." Kate nods as he kisses her deeply. "As his ministrations speed up, Kate can feel the explosion growing inside her. So, she breaks the kiss to cover her mouth with a shaking hand. He grabs her hand and pulls it down to her side. "When you come, I want to hear you scream."

"Rosemary." She gasps out, unable to stop herself from arching into his hand. God, why does her younger sister have to be next door? She could just scream in frustration.

He exhales and withdraws his fingers. "Right."

"Don't stop." She begs as she reaches for him.

"I'm not going to." He leans forward and kisses her deeply, causing her to moan as he positions himself between her legs. A faint whimper escapes her lips as she feels him against her entrance. He breaks the kiss to study her face. "This will hurt."

"I know." Kate says she runs her hands up his forearms. "But you won't hurt me, I know and I trust you."

He exhales, kissing her so gently. "Hold onto me tight, luv." Kate cries out, not from pain as he enters her with one thrust, but because of the way he called her 'luv' so tenderly. He says something soothing in Romani before switching back to English as he kisses her. "I've got you luv."

She brings her hand up to touch his face, stroking the scars on his cheek, pausing as Emmett's ring comes into focus on her finger. It seems so very wrong, to wear one man's ring on her hand, while another man was inside her, having claimed her virtue and was now making passionate love to her. On the other hand, she was Thomas's woman now and he was her man. That knowledge brought a new security and comfort to her. This man was never going to let her go and she loved him desperately.

As if sensing her thoughts, Thomas turns his head to see her looking at the ring. His eyes flash as he pulls the ring off her finger and throws it across the room! She smiles as it clinks somewhere in the room. "You're not his anymore." He states firmly. "You never were. You're mine."

"Yes, yes I am yours Thomas." A strange light entered his eyes as he began moving slowly inside her. Kate held onto him, running her hands up and down his back, noting the various scars on his body were. She'd ask him about them later. He began moving harder inside her as he felt her start to meet and match his movements together. She lets out a cry as he gripped her hip, lifting her slightly off the bed to slide deeper inside of her. She bites her lip as she reaches up to stroke the back of his head. He lets out sounds of his own he brings his arm around her head, stroking her hair.

She brings her legs up, wrapping them around his waist. His movements were hard and deep, surrendering to him wasn't a problem. He automatically knew every little thing that would make her come for him and she did. His hold is firm as he presses her tightly to him. She buries her mouth in his shoulder as she lost control of her body. She felt his release explode deep inside her womb as this pleasure explodes inside her. She gasps as he collapses lightly on top of her. She holds tightly onto his shoulders, breathing deeply, not willing to shatter this moment.

He exhales deeply, his breath tickling her neck. "Kate." He kisses her lightly on her lips, causing her to open her eyes and gaze up at him. "I can feel your thoughts, talk to me."

"I was thinking….that this," she says as she holds onto him. "should never end."

He smiles faintly. "I know. F**king hell, God above…I could be with you for hours."

"I wouldn't mind that, myself." She admits with a blush. He smiles down at her, kissing her neck. "That was beyond anything than I thought…I didn't think I'd ever…feel this much for anyone in my life. But I do." He smiles faintly down at her as she strokes his cheek. "Everything I have to give…it's yours."

"I love you Kate." he carefully pulls out of her, causing her to whimper slightly. First time or not, she already feels cold and empty without him. He leans forward and kisses her lightly on the lips as he pulls her towards him, rubbing her arms. "I'm not going anywhere right away. Could use a cigarette at some point."

She smiles at those words, loving how he always casually manages to dryly interject some humor into their little moments together. "I want you to stay with me." she confesses as she rests her head against his chest.

That surprises him. "Your mother will have a fit if she finds me in your bed tomorrow."

"I don't care." She snuggles close. "I don't want you to leave me."

"Leave you?" He frowns. "Kate, is there something on your mind?"

"I told you before that once I told you that I loved you, there would be no going back for me. I meant it, I'm not sure if you still want to be with me after this-

"I'm not letting you out of my life Kate."

"I know that, but what I mean is…if you want to whisk me away to Birmingham and live with me in sin, I'll do it." he looks struck dumb for a moment. "Because I know that you're the one for me."

"Kate," he turns his body into hers. "I would marry you."

"Then marry me, not because your honor demands it." She states as she gazes up at him. "Marry me only because you want to marry me. But….if all you want with me is what we have right now, I can be content with that as well."

He studies her for the longest time before exhaling. "And there's the thing… I can't be content with having you just like this. I want to have you as my wife." She laughs lightly as she nods in agreement. "When I put that ring on your finger, believe me, it is because I love you and I want you in my life…always. I'm not going to let any other man think that he can try his luck with you because you're mine." He kisses her so tenderly that she almost forgets to breathe as he wraps his arms around her. "I love you."

"I love you too, Thomas Shelby." She inhales as he kisses her again. "Don't let me go."

"No problem there." he says as he rolls on top of her, gently pinning her underneath him." You're my future, Kate."

She can feel him growing hard against her again and she lets him nudge her legs aside. She knows she shouldn't do this again with him, but she can't help herself. She's been patient for far too long and her appetite for him seems to only increase with each minute. She can feel the fever consuming him through her light touch. No more hesitating, she's going with what her heart is telling her. And it's telling her not to waste a single minute with him.

Their first time together, had been full of passion, just as she'd wanted it. Then, he'd let her taste the beauty of slow, easy, and gentle lovemaking. She loved it; every touch, every kiss, every moment with him was just perfect with him. He made love to her a total of three times that night, they each caught brief moments of sleep, but their hands wandered, stirring the desire between them repeatedly. She has only one heart to give and she knows it belongs completely to the man holding her in his arms tonight.