None So Blind

Chapter 1

It was another subdued night in Luigi's. The few members of CID who hadn't just opted to go straight home gazed mournfully into their beer and checked their watches, wondering why they'd bothered to turn up for all the joy it was bringing them. Alex sat at the bar, already halfway down her second bottle of red, while the Guv occupied their usual table alone, smoking, pouting and looking anywhere but at her.
Ray crossed his arms and sighed heavily.

"I'm bloody sick of this. It's bad enough havin' ter put up with it at work but when it starts affectin' precious drinkin' time …"
Chris nodded glumly.

"I know. I mean it was obvious from the start they were never really goin' ter hit it off, but who'd have thought it'd come ter this? Seems like they actually hate one another nowadays."

Shaz looked from one to the other, shaking her head in disbelief.

"Are you two really that dim?"

Two heads swivelled towards her, brows furrowed in confusion, and Chris was the first to reply.

"What d'yer mean?"

Shaz rolled her eyes.

"Honestly, it's as clear as the nose on your face. They don't hate each other, they're in love, for goodness sake. Trouble is, they're both too scared to make the first move."

Ray snorted.

"Love? Don't be daft, the Guv's not a bloody ponce."

He chortled, shaking his head in disbelief as Shaz leaned in and lowered her voice.

"If you don't believe me keep one eye on them while we pretend to talk about something else. And don't be too obvious about it."

They didn't have long to wait. Soon after, Luigi engaged Alex in flirtatious conversation and her tinkling laugh echoed round the restaurant. Gene's head flew up and his searing gaze raked over her profile for a second, his eyes burning like hot coals, his jaw tightly clenched. Downing his drink in one gulp he grabbed his coat and stalked towards the exit without a word or a backwards glance. Alex's laughter died on her lips as her eyes followed him and for a brief second her face registered need, want, desire … and regret. Her shoulders slumped as she wobbled unsteadily on her stool and reached for the bottle, topping her glass up and sloshing wine on the bar.

Shaz flashed Chris and Ray a triumphant grin.

"See? Told you. If that's not love, what is it?"

Ray smirked knowingly.

"Love be damned, that's lust, pure and simple. They just want to get inside one another's kecks and the sooner the better I reckon, if it means we can all stop treadin' on bloody eggshells."

"Well I think it's dead romantic."

Shaz sighed and then sat back, deep in thought. After a few moments her lips curled up in a smile.

"All they need is a little push in the right direction, and I think I might just have an idea."

xxxxxx

Alex flopped down at her desk, risking a quick glance towards Gene's office, but he barely acknowledged her arrival, retreating back behind his copy of The Sporting Life. She felt a little stab of misery somewhere beneath her ribs but pushed it away, squaring her shoulders and preparing to tackle some overdue paperwork. Probably better that they gave one another a wide berth nowadays seeing as every conversation seemed to end in a heated argument. She really couldn't understand it. Just as they were developing a good working relationship it seemed like they'd both taken a step back, almost as if each was afraid of letting the other one get too close.

She snorted, leaning forwards to rip yesterday's date off her desk calendar with slightly more force than was strictly necessary. As if she'd want to get any closer to him, the overbearing, rude, bad-tempered, sarcastic … She ceased her internal rant as her brain registered the date. The fourteenth of February. St Valentine's Day. Feigning nonchalance, she prepared to get down to some work. After all, it wasn't as if anybody was likely to buy her flowers, was it?

Absent-mindedly reaching into the top drawer of her desk for a stapler, she caught her thumb on something sharp and winced, withdrawing her hand. Her eyes widened and the breath caught in her throat as her gaze fell on the single red rose nestling among the other contents of the drawer. Sucking at the tiny droplet of blood forming on her skin she glanced surreptitiously around the office to see if anyone was watching, but nobody seemed to be paying any attention and she breathed more easily.

There was a small white envelope underneath the perfect bloom and she reached in to retrieve it, opening it in her lap and gazing at the little card.

I want you, Alex. Meet me at six in the stationery cupboard and let me prove it to you. G.

Her hand flew to her throat as she read it again in disbelief, recognising Gene's distinctive scrawl. It couldn't really be from him. Could it? She glanced towards his office again but he still had his head buried in the newspaper. I want you, Alex. She imagined him whispering those words, his voice a low rumble close to her ear, and her face flushed as a wave of desire washed over her. Her eyelids fluttered closed as a sudden vision assaulted her: Gene, crushing her against his broad chest, his piercing blue eyes burning with desire before his warm mouth began a tantalising journey down her exposed neck.

A moan rose unbidden to her lips and she disguised it as a cough, crossing her legs to try and ease the throbbing ache which had sprung up between her thighs and shaking her head ruefully. Some psychologist she was, missing such an obvious case of unresolved sexual tension. Seemed she'd been living in denial, but should she really give in to this sudden overwhelming urge? After all they did have to work together afterwards. Thinking back over the train wreck that had become their relationship recently she knew something had to change.

xxxxxx

Gene threw the newspaper down on the desk in frustation, deciding it was definitely time for the first drink of the day. He didn't know what was wrong with him recently, he was permanently on edge, he wasn't sleeping and his concentration was suffering as a result. Pouting, he tugged open the bottom drawer of his filing cabinet, deciding whatever was affecting him was most likely down to her. Bloody Drake. Always throwing him off his stride, arguing over every little thing and constantly undermining his authority. It was about time he taught her a lesson, showed her who was boss.
Fumbling about unsuccessfully for the bottle, he cursed and glanced down into the depths of the drawer, wondering where it had got to. A frown creased his forehead and he blinked in some confusion, staring down at the red envelope as he ran a hand distractedly through his blond mane.

Slowly he reached in and withdrew it, checking that nobody was watching before sliding the card out to reveal a delicate embossed heart on a plain white background. His puzzlement increased further as he opened it and read the message.

I want you, Gene. Meet me at six in the stationery cupboard and let me prove it to you. A.

His heart rate doubled as he recognised Alex's neat hand and he stared at the message for several seconds, still doubting the evidence of his own eyes. I want you, Gene. He imagined her purring the words into his ear as she squirmed against him, panting with suppressed desire, and suddenly his trousers were way too tight. Christ, could it really be from her? Eyes glinting, he found the bottle he'd been searching for and poured himself a decent measure, puffing his chest out and leaning back with his feet on the desk. You've still got it, Genie boy. Seems he might get the chance to show her who was boss after all.

xxxxxx

Naughty Shaz. Although something tells me they might just thank her for it in the end ...

If you want another chapter, please be sure to let me know! :)