Thick As Blood

The way fingers ran through bristled hair reminded Cecelia of a soft fur coat, one that you couldn’t help but run your hands over for hours at a time. She felt the same way now with her hands in Richards’s hair, and his hands on her body. She was slightly dizzy from standing, and the alcohol seemed to make her sway.

Richard was dizzy as well, but not from the small amount of Bourbon he drank, but from having her kiss him in the first place, it had shocked him, and he was left even more shocked when she locked herself to him and let her lips latch to his without any intent of leaving. He had been kissing her for a while now, and only just now placed his hands at the small of her back. Her body was already pressed against his; it was like that small kiss had sparked an instant attraction that she was going to peruse until Richard said otherwise.

Cecelia pulled away from him enough to look into his eye. Richard was shy, but the way he held her back was gentle, and she could tell that he must not have minded being kissed, or he would’ve stopped a long time ago. Kissing him was gentle, as she didn’t want to make him take off the mask, or show she was bothered with by it. She was still able to kiss him, quaintly, and carefully. But after time she felt her stomach begin to burn with desire… and she knew she wanted something more. She tugged on his hand pulling him the short distance to the edge of the bed. Their eyes were locked… some sort of need was flashing within both of them; Richard wanting someone, and Cecelia wanting the same.

Without saying a word, Richard sat… waiting for her. She undid her top of her dress as she stood before him, and the top fell off her shoulders, but the rest still clung to her waist. Richard responded to the gesture by not touching her breasts, but by cupping her hips and pulling her towards him. She carefully climbed atop him and replanted her lips where they were before, although this time she explored a little more. She kissed around the base of his jaw, and left feather light kisses across his check and then down to the scar on his neck.

She slid his brown suspenders over his shoulders before she began to work on unbuttoning his waistcoat. The vest came off quickly, as did the collared shirt; which she softly tossed to the floor. She quickly kissed the flesh that was slightly hidden by his undershirt. She felt him draw in a quick breath through his teeth. His hands found their way up the outside of her thighs, lifting the dress over her hips, and eventually over her shoulders. She was now completely naked atop him, so she slipped off his undershirt so that she could feel his flesh against hers. She could see faint scars; they had healed now, but he likely received them while he was in the war. It only reminded her that he was a soldier, a protector.

She placed her hands on his face; one was flat against his smooth warm skin, the other against the false face that he wore. Her eyes looked into his one, and then she looked at the piece of tin. When he realized she was asking him to take it off, his hands gently grabbed her wrists and lowered them from his face. He didn’t meet her gaze again, as he felt his face grow warm with embarrassment. The way Cecelia acted towards him, he often forgot that half of him was fake… she had always seemed to look at him as if he were whole.

She was quick to unzip his pants and bring him back to their original desires. Richard was slightly off guard, after he declined her request he assumed she’d stop – but even though he could smell the Bourbon on her lips he lifted her small frame and set her back on the bed.

“Richard make love to me… please…” she gasped. Even if the alcohol was influencing her decisions, at least her wants were honest.

She watched him look at her for a moment before he freed himself and positioned himself at her warm entrance. He pressed into her slowly; and felt pride in the way she wrapped her legs around him after arching her back. She was tighter against him, and she fit him perfectly. Once he felt like he was deep enough he pulled back and then re-entered. He could see her eyes were low, and her breathing shallow. Her teeth were clenched when she moaned his name. Her obvious enjoyment added with the incredible feeling he felt, he couldn’t help but feel the knot in his stomach begin to unwind. He kept his place slow; while Cecelia pulled him down to meet her lips. He finished a few moments later when he finally couldn’t bare the ecstasy they were sharing.

He fell next to her, unsure of whether she was satisfied or not, but before he could look at her she had wrapped a leg over his and nestled herself under his arm. Cecelia's arm reached across his chest tracing his skin delicately with a fingernail. She was asleep within minutes, leaving Richard unsure of what just happened between them. She seemed pleased, she didn’t seem regretful, but whether or not she’d even remember this in the morning was a pressing question. With Cecelia in a soft slumber, he slipped off his mask and placed it on the table nearest to him before shutting his eye, and waiting for morning to come.
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Richard sat up to see that Cecelia was still peacefully resting. The bottle of Bourbon only reminded him that she was unlikely to remember their encounter together, let alone be proud of it. So he slipped back on his tin mask and while hooking the wire behind his ears he sighed. Although he wanted that to happen, he wasn’t entirely sure Cecelia had… and that made him feel slightly disappointed. After several drinks of course she wouldn’t mind kissing him. Richard dressed, and fixed the collar of his shirt after fastening the final button. He placed his newsboy cap on his head and threw his jacket over his shoulder before carefully, and quietly shutting the door.
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He met Hansen and Briggs upstairs, they were already making a delivery to the Ritz restaurant, and together the three of them would head over to the casino to unload the rest of the shipment.

When he jumped in the truck to accompany them he felt the thin leather book slap against his chest. He pulled it out of his pocket and remembered that Cecelia had given it to him – she must like him to some extent if she went out of her way to give him this copy – which he had so obviously enjoyed. He slid off the red ribbon and opened the book to the beginning, he started reading a poem he hadn’t read before, and finished it by the time they reached the casino.

It was only the afternoon by the time they were finished, and Richard decided visiting Jimmy would be in his best interest. Richard hadn’t told Jimmy that he was still working for Nucky by watching over Cecelia, let alone tell him about last night. He told himself that telling Jimmy about the job was all that needed to be done. It had been a spur of the moment decision, which he hadn’t been able to explain to Jimmy.
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Richard knocked on Jimmy’s front door, and was greeted by Angela. She promptly invited him in and sat him in the sunroom, assuring him that Jimmy was just upstairs and would only be a moment. Richard nodded as she left the room. Jimmy showed up a few minutes later.

“I have a meeting tonight, I assumed you’d be coming?” Jimmy asked.

“Hrmm. Yes, I will.” Richard told him. “I wanted to tell you that… I would like to keep the job. Hm. The one at the Ritz.”

“I told you, I don’t like my family around that girl.” Jimmy said, pushing away Richards comment.

“I… Hrmm. Could use the extra money.” Richard lied.

“Richard…” jimmy looked at him like he was a sad puppy. “You know money isn’t a problem. If you need anything I’m-“

“I don’t wish for donations, Hrm. I’m not incapable of working.”

“What do you need the money for anyway.”

“Hm. Normal things, new pieces for my gun, and I’d like a new suit. Hrm. A nice one.”

“Richard, I can buy all those things for you.” Jimmy said taking a drink of coffee.

“I’d prefer you didn’t. What does that make a man? He’s capable, but chooses to rely on someone else.” Richard assumed Jimmy of all people would understand why borrowing money would never be an option.

Jimmy however was slightly more irritated with Richard than happy, their conversation has ended with Jimmy not really caring what Richard did – as long as it didn’t get in the way of his other work. Richard knew it wouldn’t he hardly slept these days at all. When he slept he was sad, and when he was awake at least he could direct his thoughts into a happier manor.

Richard sat out on the beach while he waited for Jimmy to return and collect him for this evening’s outing. The sunset had been a sight to see against the waves before him. Jimmy had picked a fine home for his family, a family that Richard greatly envied. Jimmy's son looked up to him for anything and everything, while Angela was always there for him whether he needed food or care. Richard had grown to see them as a beautiful depiction of a family, which only made him feel more alone when he returned to his empty apartment. He tried his hardest not to think too far into things with Cecelia, until he knew what had really become of them. He had made that mistake while in Chicago - it had taken him some time to realize Odette had only been his for a little less than an hour. But eventually he did, and it hurt him.

Richard could still feel the irritation sitting next to Jimmy while driving into town. The harder fact would’ve been to explain that Cecelia had taken an interest to him last night. That had precisely been what Jimmy had called her out for: being a ‘whore.’ And even though Richard now knew she shared her bed with men, he didn’t entirely believe that’s what she was. She hadn’t asked anything from him except for comfort, and she hadn’t shown interest in anyone with money. And he couldn’t help but compare her to Odette. While Odette had been giving and sweet, there were obvious differences in his experience with Cecelia. He could still close his eye and see that look she had in her eyes; they held obvious desire and want, with her it felt different, with her he felt needed.

Although he silently hoped that when he saw her again, she would show him the same comfort she had before. He hoped that she would remember, and not regret what happened between them; he honestly hoped that what she said about ‘truth being on a drunk mans lips,’ was true, and he hoped that the same saying applied to last night.