#shelaghmannion

I is for Intimacy!

The sitting room of Patrick Turner's apartment was dimly lit with candles as he and his beautiful fiancee were content in one another's embrace upon his settee, the two of them indulging in the white wine he had purchased for their night in as her head lay upon his shoulder and he brought his fingertips soothingly through her warm brown hair. It had been a little over a month since he had proposed to Shelagh in the kitchen of the Parish Hall, the same place that he had pushed his luck with her less than a year earlier, his heart pounding within his chest as she had opened the small box and her eyes had widened with surprise at the sight of the diamond ring resting inside. She had accepted his proposal with eagerness before he had slid the small ring down her finger and drawn her close to him, catching her in the slowest and the softest of kisses as he had cupped the back of her neck. The first kiss of many. Since that afternoon in the Parish Hall they had shared many kisses, some comforting, some hungry and some languid.

The first time that they had indulged in a deep kiss and he had buried his hand in her hair, she had panicked and admitted that she felt like things were moving too fast, but she had soon become comfortable with the added intimacy and was now a very eager participant. Snuggling in closer to her fiance's side as she took a slow sip of her wine, she couldn't help but sigh as Patrick pressed his lips to the side of her head in a tender kiss, his hand running along the curve of her side through her thin blouse. 'My gorgeous girl.' He hummed into her ear, drawing her earlobe slowly through his teeth which made her shiver with a gentle whimper. 'Mmm, you like that, don't you?' He nuzzled the tip of his nose against the soft skin of her neck just below her ear, her head tilting back with a slow shrug of her shoulders as she giggled beautifully. 'My Shelagh.' He sighed as he hooked his finger beneath her chin and brought her gaze slowly to his, her eyes leaving his to drop down to his lips and then travel back up. 'What do you want, my love?' He stroked the backs of his fingers gently along the softness of her cheek, reveling in her beautiful hum of complete contentment.

'Kiss me.' She spoke softly as she set down her wine glass and allowed her hand to settle upon the side of his neck, brushing her thumb against the soft skin that she discovered. 'Please, Patrick.' The sparkle in her eyes made it impossible for him to even consider refusing her, his free hand resting upon her waist as he set his wine glass down beside hers before he cupped her cheek warmly. He leaned in to her in order to ghost his lips slowly over her own, causing her to release a gentle whimper. 'Please don't tease me.' She breathed as she stroked her fingertips against the dark hair at the nape of his neck, a rush of love coursing through him as he allowed his eyes to meet hers for a split-second. He then covered her perfect mouth with his own as he brushed his thumb against the warm skin of her cheek, her sweet hum of gratification warming his mouth as she smiled against his lips. He slid his hand around to the back of her neck as he shifted closer to her upon the settee, running the tip of his tongue against her lower lip.

Her lips parted beneath his as she sighed gently and her hands came to cup the sides of his neck, a surge of warmth rushing through her veins as their tongues tangled leisurely. It was hard to believe that at the start of the year she was living the religious life, considering she was now sat on the settee of the man who was once nothing more than a colleague, having him kiss her senseless as he allowed the palm of his hand to run along the curve of her side. She had certainly come a long way since she had discharged herself from the sanatorium. There was no going back now. 'Shelagh.' He breathed in between long and deep kisses, his arms wrapping slowly around her waist as her soft hands ran along the front of his chest through his shirt. 'We should slow down, darling,' He cupped her face tenderly in his hands whilst he began to slow their kisses down, moving his lips to her neck as she rested her forehead against his shoulder and waited for her breath to even out. 'Before we lose all control.' She let out a breathy giggle.

His lips were warm and slow as he trailed his kisses along the slopes of her neck and his palm rested upon the base of her back through her dress, Shelagh nuzzling into his shoulder as she felt her eyes close of their own accord and she let out an audible sigh of satisfaction. 'I think somebody's getting sleepy.' He hummed in between gentle kisses left upon her neck and he brushed his thumb against her spine, his kisses becoming slower and softer as he covered her skin with them. 'We've got a while until we need to get you back to Nonnatus, my love, why don't you try and get a little sleep until then? I can wake you when it's time for me to drive you home.' He pulled away from her neck, then, unable to stop himself from kissing her forehead when he took in the sight of the sleepy smile that had appeared upon her face. Bringing her slowly into his lap, he covered her small body with the soft blanket that hung over the back of the settee and kissed her crown, allowing her to snuggle against his chest as her eyes softly closed.

'You always take such good care of me.' She hummed sleepily into his shirt as she gripped the fabric of it gently in her palm, feeling his arms tighten around her small body. 'I always feel protected with you.'

'It's because I love you, Shelagh, and I'm never going to stop.' His voice was muffled in her hair as he held her closer to him and covered her further with the blanket. 'Now get some rest, darling, it's alright.'

'I love you too.' She murmured as she slowly began to drift off in his arms, her hand resting over his heart as she could feel it beating steadily whilst she fell asleep.

It wasn't long until she was sleeping soundly in his arms and Patrick nuzzled against her shoulder, kissing her warm flesh. He loved the perfect woman in his embrace, you didn't need to be a genius to see it.

She was his and he was hers.

Just the way it should be.