Author's note: all usual disclaimers apply. Merry Christmas one and all. And yes, there is another slightly saucier story coming. And a second chapter for this one...

SEPTEMBER

"It is him," DS Barbara Havers said with mounting frustration.

Her DI tutted. "I disagree."

"You would."

Tommy Lynley counted silently to ten before he replied. "Please, enlighten me on your theory, Sergeant."

"You're a toff. He's a toff. You can't believe someone like you would be capable of lusting after a woman and then brutally attacking and murdering her."

"On the contrary, I can believe how a man could lust after a woman and then want to kill her."

"Yeah, I'm sure."

"It's just that in this instance, I don't believe Smyton-Brown did it."

"Well, I'll bet he did."

"What are you willing to wager?"

"I dunno. I'll do something toff, but if I win, you have to do something normal."

"By normal do you mean working class?"

Barbara snarled at him. "Yes, something common."

Tommy shuddered, but he believed he was on safe ground. He offered his hand. "Deal. By the end of this year. I don't want you wriggling out of it by postponing it."

Barbara shook his hand. "Or you."

LATE DECEMBER

Barbara had hoped Tommy had forgotten their bet. After his initial day of gloating, he had not mentioned it again. Three days before Christmas, Barbara believed she would escape her fate. It was their last rostered day for the year. With several weeks of outstanding leave, they had both been ordered to take three weeks off. She had no real idea what she would do with that time, but sleep figured prominently in her tentative plans.

Tommy arrived at work later than she expected. "Everything okay?"

"Yes, fine. I was held up at the agency."

"What agency?"

Tommy held up a key. "I booked a very nice place for us."

Barbara felt a surge of unreasonable jealousy. He had been very guarded about his Christmas plans, but now it seemed he was taking some woman away. She was not even aware he was seeing anyone. "I hope she enjoys it," she said with as genuine a smile as she could muster.

"So do I. And don't forget your swimsuit."

"What?"

"Don't forget your swimsuit. And your passport. I know it's current. I thought I would pick you up at about seven in the morning. We leave from Gatwick Airport, but the luggage limit is 20 pounds on our later transfer, so pack light. You don't need good clothes, this is a very casual break. And the weather will be about 15 to 18 Celsius down to about 10 overnight." He turned and walked into his office.

Barbara marched into his office without knocking. "What are you talking about?"

"We had a wager, Barbara. You agreed to do "something toff" by year's end, so I have arranged that."

"Arranged what? Passports? Fifteen degrees? Swimsuits? I thought you'd take me to the ballet or opera or drag me through some art gallery. I didn't expect to be kidnapped for a week."

"Two weeks."

"What?"

"Don't tell me you had other plans for Christmas and New Year, because I know you don't. I think it is a very toff thing to book time away."

"Where are we going?" Barbara saw the smile in his eyes and wished she had played harder to get.

Tommy's face broke out into a wide, satisfied grin. "Ah, no. I will save that surprise for the morning."

Tommy handed Barbara her boarding pass. She looked at it then stared at him. "Greece?"

"Yes."

"Please tell me we are not going on an archaeological dig."

Tommy laughed. "I want a holiday, not a bad back. No, we are not going on an archaeological dig."

"Good. If you wanted that, we could have just gone to the British Museum and looked at Elgin's Marbles."

Tommy put his arm around her shoulder. "Trust me. What I have in mind definitely cannot be done at the British Museum."

Barbara looked up. She was unsure how to interpret that remark, but part of her body clenched tightly in anticipation. This was going to be sweet torture being with him and hiding her desires. She would never dare dream that he might have them too.

Barbara was stunned. After a four hour flight and a long and bumpy ferry ride followed by a fifteen-minute journey in a sea taxi which was, in reality, an old fishing boat, they arrived on a small Greek Island. Stunningly beautiful, the white cliffs rose about twenty metres above the azure sea. Their guide pulled into a beach with powdery white sand. With hand signals and broken English, he led them to a hard earthen path defined by small offcuts of the white cliff rock. "Follow. At top you see villa. Above vino." The man embraced them in turn, planting heavy kisses on both of Barbara's cheeks. His breath smelt of fish and his thick moustache reeked of tobacco. "I call back two weeks. You want longer, tell Agape."

"Thank you, Spiros," Tommy said as he shook the man's hand. "We have been looking forward to this."

"Adio!"

"Adio," they chorused.

They watched Spiros return to his boat, then began up the path. It was a gentle climb through an overgrown vineyard and a small olive grove. Glimpses of blue water could be seen through the foliage but it was only at the top that they could see the full view. "Oh! It's amazing," Barbara said.

"It is. Are you still angry at my toff ways?"

Barbara could not help but smile. "This is the best bet I have ever lost."

"I hope so. You deserve... a nice break."

Barbara wanted to thank him. She was tempted to kiss his cheek, but he was too tall to do that without creating a fuss. As they were carrying bags, a hug would be similarly awkward. She settled for her warmest smile and noticed that his ears began to turn red.

Around the bend they came to their villa. Barbara had expected something ostentatious. Instead, it was small and quaint. The same white rocks had been mortared together to form a simple cottage. A thick wooden door separated two shuttered windows painted in yellow. Two bright blue flowerpots stood underneath them, but in winter, the geraniums were not in flower. Faded terracotta roof tiles were partly covered by a creeping grapevine that snaked up two posts and across a pergola that formed a verandah. A rustic wooden table with two chairs and covered by a red checked tablecloth sat in the shade. The villa was the epitome of Barbara's view of Greek islands. More of the white rocks had been laid as a terrace which extended ten feet around all sides of the building. Beyond the house, another paved area surrounded a swimming pool that looked like it was carved into the chalky rock.

"It's gorgeous!"

"It's only small," Tommy said apologetically.

Barbara turned an smiled. She refrained from making an obvious comment. "I prefer this, it's perfect."

"I hope so."

He led the way to the door and unlocked it. The door creaked as it swung open. Inside, the villa was open plan. To the left was a small dining table underneath the window where they could eat as they looked out over the ocean. Behind that was a small but relatively modern kitchen with a wood-fired stove, a small stack of wood, a white enamelled sink and a freestanding cupboard. In a small alcove, there was a large modern fridge in a retro design. Barbara opened it. There were three bottles of wine chilling, several bottles of beer, some platters of meat, cheese and fruit, and vegetables in the crisper. On a shelf were some chocolates.

"A woman comes up from the village every two days and restocks it. I have ordered what I think we will enjoy. But if you want anything..."

Barbara moved across and touched his arm. "It's perfect, really. I am... a little overwhelmed. This is ours for two weeks?"

Tommy grinned at her. "Yes. Only thirty people live here. There is a small village about twenty minutes walk away. It has a taverna, so we can eat there too. There are only four guest villas on the island, and that beach we landed at is our private beach."

"Our beach?"

Tommy nodded. "Mmm. We could swim naked if we want to and no one would ever see us."

Barbara's insides somersaulted in the most delectable way but she felt her ears and neck flush with colour. "Umm..."

Tommy also went red. "You brought your bathers though. I was just saying... hypothetically we could. I didn't mean to sound crass. I mean it must seem odd bringing you to an isolated spot but... my intentions are honourable. I thought we could relax."

Barbara looked away. He was so cute and embarrassed that she feared she might walk over and kiss him. If his intentions were honourable that would ruin their fortnight. She had to play along. They were friends on holidays, nothing more.

On the other side of the room, there was a large couch and a comfortable looking chair. A small television sat on a table beside the window. Behind the couch, there was a wall with a door. Barbara walked over and looked in. A large four-posted bed sat against a half wall. Made from black metal, it was covered with white linen. A white lacy net was wound around the top frame. On the near wall, there was an open wardrobe with a few shelves and hangers. Beyond the bed was an open bathroom. Barbara walked over an inspected it. A small basin and mirror were on the left, but there was no curtain or screen around the large shower rose that hung in the middle of the room. A door hid a toilet in an annexe that extended beyond the house and had another door on the other side.

"Clever. You can access the toilet from the pool area too," she said trying to hide her excitement. She wanted to pinch herself to see it was real.

Barbara came back into the bedroom. She stared at the bed. The bed. If his intentions were honourable...

"I'll sleep on the couch. It's a sofa bed," Tommy said quickly. "But we will have to share the bathroom. I can access the toilet from the other side at night if I need to."

"You've thought this all through." She was not really disappointed. She would have been beside herself if there had not been an alternative option.

Tommy nodded. "I started looking as soon as you lost that bet."

They spent the afternoon unpacking and exploring the grounds before sitting on the verandah and nibbling from the platters as they drank some beer. "This is so far from the hassles of a London Christmas," Barbara said.

"It is. You're not disappointed?"

"With this? How could I be? Thank you, Sir."

"Tommy. Don't you think for these two weeks we could just be Tommy and Barbara? Let's leave Havers and that poncy Lord Asherton in London."

Barbara stalled for time by sipping her beer. It made sense. She might never swim naked with him, or have him share her bed, but she could at least call him by his name. "Okay, Tommy," she said holding out her bottle of beer.

He grinned so lovingly that she almost let her bottle slip from her grasp. He clinked his bottle against hers. "Thank you. To us, a Merry Christmas and a very happy New Year."

"To us."