Gene Hunt. Gene. Bloody. Hunt.
If there was ever a man who shouldn't be underestimated, it was him.
The whole thing had been so out of the blue, she'd barely had time to breathe, let alone think.
So, it was hardly surprising that late at night, wrapped in the arms of a man with unbelievably long eyelashes, and gorgeous hands, that's exactly what she dound herself doing.
Unexpected. That was the best way to describe the whole bloody evening.
What hadn't she been expecting? She'd be lying if she said she thought they wouldn't end up in bed together. Or that she hadn't imagined it.
But the way he'd asked... the longing in his eyes made her want to cry.
She'd been about to leave, after yet another night of sitting in their corner of the trattoria, watching the world go by, when a large, long fingered hand had grabbed hers, and she'd looked into those eyes. Staring at her with an intensity, a hunger but at the same time with a vulnerability of exactly the same kind she'd never thought Gene capable of displaying. He was a man at the end of his tether.
All she had do do was nod and he'd tightened his grip, pulling her towards the door, quite obviously not caring that Ray and Chris were gawping after them, Shaz watching them with a knowing grin.
He'd pulled her up the stairs in the same way, making her completely weak at the knees. He'd grabbed the key out of her pocket, managing to open the door within a couple of seconds despite his trembling hands.
That was all insignificant, because less than a minute later, she was pressed against the inside of her front door, those gorgeous hands entwined in her hair, both kissing eachother for dear life as they began to make up for years of denying themselves.
Then, suddenly, he'd let go, seeming to want reassurance that she wanted this, him. She'd always imagined him as the kind of man whod've had her over the sofa within three minutes, and for a moment she wanted to scream at him to hurry up. Instead, she'd nodded again, giving him what she'd hoped was her best 'come to bed' smile.
And it appeared to work. Two seconds later, much to her surprise, she found herself scooped into his arms and hastily walked across to the bedrooom. How on earth could Gene Hunt be romantic and almost primal at the same time? And why on earth was she feeling... warm and fluttery?
He'd laid her down on the bed as though she might break any second, not taking his eyes off her as he crawled over her on all fours. Now she'd exepected, welcomed the onslaught of pent up sexual frustration. Instead, in true Gene Hunt style, he completely disregarded what he was expected to do, kissing her with a tenderness that made her ache with longing, before making his way down her body. Any clothes that got in his way were torn off in quick succession.
And then, he'd reached his goal, causing her to curl her toes and fingers, crying out as he carried on making up for lost time...
The whole night had been... tender, but desperate. A huge relief, but rather terrifying at the same time.
She had never expected to hear those words from him at all, especially not in the midst of their fist night, trying to get their heads round all this new found intensity.
But, as they'd clung to eachother, moments away from tumbling over the edge, he'd pulled away, looking at her with complete adoration, as she'd whimpered, trying to bear the intensity of his gaze, he'd whispered it to her.
"Alex... I love you..."
His voice has been so laced with emotion, so completely honest, that it sent her tumbling over the edge, causing him following seconds later, capturing her cries with his kiss.
She shivered with desire even remembering it, a sleeping Gene wrapping his arms round her possesively all the while.
But the most unexpected aspect of the night hadn't even been that. Nothing that had happened a few hours ago confounded her as much as the knew, undeniable knowledge that, even after years of futile resistance, she loved him back. Completely.
And that she didn't feel angry with herself in any way for doing so.
It just felt right.