Chapter One

In the first year after Grace's departure to America, Tommy Shelby buried his head in the family business and his cock in any woman who happened to have medium-length blonde hair or cloudy blue eyes. It became routine to him, as it had been before he met her; to start the day plunging himself into work, and to finish it either at the bottom of a whiskey glass or in the arms of a woman he'd only just met. It had been one year of living without life; reverting to the survival mode he had been in since the war. One year of the loneliness and lifelessness he had become accustomed to before he had met the taciturn barmaid. He had settled comfortably into his loneliness, until one day, upon returning to Small Heath from a business trip in London, he passed a woman in the street. Her clothes were simple, and one would assume she belonged to nothing more than an average family from Birmingham. There was something, however, about her face that pulled him in. Its expression was both desperate and reserved. It was only seconds, though, before his car had passed, and the woman was gone. It wasn't until later that night that he would actually speak to her.

..~..

"Tommy!" Arthur shouted as the second eldest Shelby walked in to the Garrison, "How was London, eh?"

"It was business, Arthur, and now the business is done."

Arthur didn't miss the solemn, tired look in his brothers' eyes, but he chose to ignore it, as he had been for the past few months. He knew Tommy wasn't happy, but he also knew there was no fixing him, so it was easier to pretend. Some days Tommy would even pretend too. Judging by the way he brushed past him to the bar without another word, however, today was not one of those days.

Tommy took the bottle of whiskey from Tom and proceeded to pour himself a generous glass when he noticed the door to the Garrison open, and a woman walk in. She was wearing the same plain clothes she was wearing when he saw her walking on Watery Lane, but her expression was quite different. Her eyes, which earlier were tight and wary, were now bright and soft. Her lips were now curved upwards just slightly, and her shoulders much more relaxed and loose. She walked right up to the bar, and took a seat next to where he was standing. He hadn't even realized he was staring until she spoke.

"Well are you going to order me a drink or do I have to do it myself?" Her bright brown eyes were peering directly into his, without a trace of fear.

"It is not custom for the owner of a bar to order drinks for his customers, but I suppose I can make an exception. What will it be?"

If she was taken aback by his statement, she didn't show it. "A rum please," she asked.

Tommy nodded at Tom then turned to the woman as he took a seat next to her, the tiredness he had felt from his trip slowly starting to melt away. "So what brings a woman like you to a place like this?"

"Booze."

"I'm sorry?" Tommy asked, his eyebrow raised.

"Booze," she repeated indignantly. "I am currently drunk, and I intend to stay that way as long as possible. I got kicked out of the last pub, so I came here in search of another drink."

Tommy felt the slight pull that he had begun to feel in his chest dissipate. Perhaps he had simply misjudged this woman, and she was no different from everyone else in the bar who had come to drink away their evenings.

"Aren't you going to ask me why I got kicked out?" she asked, pulling his attention back to her.

"Alright, why did you get kicked out of the last bar?" he asked dryly, his interest in her quickly dwindling.

"I can't tell you that." She was grinning now, her eyes shining even brighter than before.

"Well then, I think we're done." He swiftly picked up his glass and had turned to go join his brothers when she grabbed at his sleeve.

"Don't leave, please." Her eyes looked up at him, pleading. He couldn't tell why but something in her gaze compelled him to sit back down. "I just don't want to be alone tonight. Just one night." Her grin had disappeared, and was replaced with the same tight expression he had seen earlier that day. There was a certain sorrow and longing in her that seemed so familiar to him.

"Would you like to come home with me, Miss…?"

"Blake."

"Would you like to come home with me, Miss Blake?"

She nodded, suddenly quiet.

He stood up and outstretched his hand to her. He then led her to the door. His brothers saw him leave, and nodded in his direction before continuing to drink, as it was not unusual for Tommy to leave the Garrison with a woman on his arms.

..~..

Though the walk to his place was quiet, as soon as the bedroom door shut behind them, the woman pressed herself to him, gripping his face in her hands as she kissed his lips. Tommy quickly brought his arms up to wrap around her. One hand found its way to the back of her neck, the other rested at her waist.

Her lips were soft and warm on his mouth, and though he didn't make a habit of kissing the women he slept with, he reciprocated her kisses willingly. He tasted the rum on her tongue as he deepened the kiss. She matched him with equal intensity; their lips and tongues licking, sucking, softly and quickly at each other's mouths. Her hands moved down to his chest, and they lingered there for a moment before she gripped the lapels of his coat and pulled him back towards the bed.

He removed his coat, and then hers, keeping his lips on her the whole time, pressing at her neck and her jaw. The backs of her calves hit the bed, and he undid her dress as she fumbled with his buttons. Her dress was on the floor before she could finish the buttons, and he brought his hands up to her face, his thumb brushing over her cheekbone as he looked down at her. Her hands stilled on the last button, and that moment felt like an hour to her as he stared into her eyes. She felt as if a part of herself had known this man for years even though, as she just realized, he hadn't even told her his name.

"I don't know your name." She said softly.

"Tommy." He said after a pause.

"Just a first name?"

"I only have your last name Miss Blake, so I think that makes us even." There was a glint in his eyes she hadn't seen before. For now this was enough. It was likely she wouldn't see him after the morning anyways.

A/N

First chapter is slow, but I promise things will heat up soon :)