A Touch of Change

Chapter One

He walked into his bedroom, mind flooded with plans and strategy. A man had been watching him in parliament lately. Alfie wasn't as dead as the world believed- though, it was never a sure thing, was it. Michael was fighting his leash, making choices Tommy couldn't easily dismiss. The family was off, everyone retreating into their own corners. And always there was the itch under his skin, the ache of missing her. It was all too much, too fucking loud, and the dope wasn't enough to quiet it anymore.

By rote his hands moved to his tie, loosening the knot and pulling it free. His cufflinks were next to go. They looked like the ones he'd had before the war, but they cost five times as much. He stared at them where they sat on his dressing table. Deceptive things, hiding their value behind their simplicity. Used to be him that was like that. Not now, not anymore. Wasn't sure what he was anymore.

The door opened. He didn't turn, only Lizzie'd be coming in at this time of night. And only Lizzie would forego knocking. He wasn't sure when she'd stopped knocking at the door, honestly. He shrugged his shirt off and tossed it onto a chair. It was in Lizzie's hand when she stepped into his line of sight. He watched, absently, as she hung it in the wardrobe.

Then she was moving to her vanity, taking off her jewelry. That caught his attention. She didn't wear jewelry much. Not since they got married. But she was wearing a diamond and ruby bracelet and she'd rubies in her ears. Her dress was one of the nicer ones- the type she only bought when he told her to. It was late, he realized, and she was only just getting in. "Where were you?"

She glanced at him through the vanity mirror. Not the one Grace had used- that was in the attic. "Dinner with Mrs. Whithe. She's offered to introduce me to her daughter's dance instructor for Ruby." He blinked, trying to remember a man named Whithe. He vaguely recalled a fat man with thin hair and a wife nearly half his age. "She likes to dance, Ruby," she said. It was hesitant, though, like he wouldn't want to know.

She wasn't wrong. Ruby was only just coming up on her fourth birthday. Her liking dance now didn't mean much. And him knowing wouldn't help with business. A new instructor was one more stranger coming into the house, another person who might hear too much. But it was too late now, wasn't it. "Fine." He stepped out of his trousers and tossed them onto the chair. Lizzie picked them up and put them away. He went to the bed and sat down. "Come here."

Lizzie paused. He didn't say anything. She'd come. She always did. And after another moment she turned and moved to stand in front of him. "Tommy..." He grabbed her hips and pulled her closer. "Why?" New, that. She'd never asked him that before. He locked eyes with her for a long moment. But there was no reason, really. His head was mucked up, he'd not fucked in a few days. And she'd married him, hadn't she? The two went together- marriage and fucking.

His hands slid up her sides. "Need a reason, now?" She turned her head away. He might have wondered about that, but it didn't matter. He'd stop if she asked (always had, always would) but she wasn't. His fingers moved to the clasp of her dress. He paused then, fingers toying with the fabric a bit, waited for her to look at him. Then he pulled his hands away. Lizzie reached up and undid her dress.

He watched, eyes skimming absently over her body as the dress fell. Tomorrow he'd call Margate. He needed to check in on Alfie. Then he'd call Michael. Figure out what the fuck he was doing. His hands went back to Lizzie as he stood up. He turned her around so her back was to him. She crawled onto the bed, hand going between her legs to get herself ready. He was already half hard. A quick stroke of his hand and he'd be ready.

It still surprised him how little she had to do for him to get hard.

Going onto her hands and knees Lizzie looked back at him over her shoulder. Tommy reached out, grabbed her waist with one hand. He pulled his cock out of his shorts with the other. He waited for her nod before sinking into her from behind. She pressed her face into one of the pillows. Tommy relaxed a bit more. It was easier this way, not seeing her face while they fucked.