Author's note: I decided to combine both my ideas but this will mean a third chapter in a day or so. Thanks for your reviews and encouragement. As always I love hearing that you enjoy my little flights of fancy.
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The insistent ringing of her doorbell annoyed Barbara. She had been happily lying in bed thinking about what had happened on the bridge, lost in her reveries of what might follow. A quick look through the peephole confirmed her fear but she was mildly confused; she had thought he would be at the station for hours yet. Now suddenly Tommy was at her door. What does he want? Barbara was not sure she was ready to talk to him preferring to lose herself in her fantasy about their kiss being more to him than she feared it really had been. She had left the office afraid that if she saw him they would end up doing some type of embarrassed emotional dance around each other and end up both apologising but she did not want to express regret for something she had enjoyed so much. It would have been better to see him tomorrow when time had provided some space and they would most probably end up saying nothing and drift back into their normal routine.
"Sir! What are you doing here?" Her voice was clipped in her unique Havers style.
Tommy was mildly disheartened by her question but not surprised. He had hoped she might open the door and leap into his arms but knew it was much more likely that she would pretend it had not happened. He noticed that she was dressed in a towelling dressing gown that tied at the waist. Her neck was bare beneath the low lapels of her robe. She had nothing on her feet and her legs were visible up to the edge of the robe just below her knees. Oh God, is she naked under that robe? The possibility excited him and he felt a slow burn start to ignite in his groin. He fought to control his urge to seize her and frogmarch her to her bedroom to have his wicked way. He grinned at the lascivious nature and schoolboy language of his thoughts. "Hi, so are you going to invite me in?"
"Oh sorry, yes of course," she said as she stepped aside to let him pass. What's with that grin? She shut the door and turned around expecting him to be standing there awkwardly but he had already slipped off his coat, turned on her table lamp and had settled comfortably on her sofa. "Er, make yourself at home."
"I was worried when you didn't take my call."
"It never rang." Barbara looked puzzled and leant over to pull her phone from the kitchen bench. She touched the button and saw instantly that she had four missed calls from Lynley and three voicemail messages. "Oh, sorry Sir; it's still on silent. I forgot to flick it back on after the arrest. I, I guess I had other things on my mind."
Tommy caught a brief glimpse of skin as the robe parted marginally with her movement, confirming that at least she had no shirt on. She did not sound angry but neither did she sound wildly excited to see him. As he expected she seemed to be trying to slip straight back into their familiar patterns. No Barbara, you cannot run away from this. He had no doubts at all about his desires. His only concern was how she felt about what had happened. "Like tonight on the bridge?" Tommy asked as he raised his eyebrow provocatively and smiled with that closed mouth smug grin that he used.
"Hmm. Yes, I'm glad we caught Baralowski for Winston's sake. He was terribly nervous but it was funny the way you led him on with your 007 impersonation," she replied trying hard not to indicate how much the kiss had affected her.
Tommy chuckled at the comparison. "So do I make a good Bond?"
Barbara's face reddened when she released that it was an unfortunate analogy. Bond was a master seducer of women and the films were in fact laden with innuendo and sexuality. It was a comparison she instantly regretted as it would provide an opening to conversations she did not want to start. She could not however hide her smile. Lynley would indeed make an excellent Bond – tall with dark hair that framed his face which, although no longer as boyishly striking as it had been when she met him, was still ruggedly handsome. His rich baritone voice set off his educated speech perfectly and rounded out her image of the perfect Bond. "Yes, it would suit you and you could have your pick of beautiful leading ladies."
"I already have one in mind." His tone was sensual and she knew his comment was directed at her. A ripple of pleasure ran through her body. She desperately wanted to kiss him again but that was dangerous territory for her mind to wander into with him sitting right in front of her. His voice sounded silky, too silky, and the look in his dark eyes was too intense; Barbara had to look away. "Are you going to sit down or do you always make your guests feel welcome by standing over them?"
She realised he was right. He was sitting but she was still standing, fidgeting with her hands conscious of his eyes on the tie of her gown. She had thought he was probably here to make sure that she appreciated the limits of their kiss and understood it was just a physiological reaction and nothing more but his tone and gestures warned her that his intentions were quite dishonourable. Her physical reaction at the thought bordered on painful. The familiar deep pull inside her pelvis that she had when she fantasied about Tommy was so much stronger now that he had kissed her. She thought she had eased that problem earlier but now having him here so close to her she had no idea what to do next. She decided to wait for him to make any move. "I was just about to take a bath actually, before you came. I probably should go and put some clothes on." Oh great Barbara that is really waiting for him to make a move. Shout from the rooftops that you are virtually nude why don't you? Now he will think you are trying to bed him!
Tommy's face flushed. He did not know if Barbara meant the double entendre or not. Does she know how enticing that is? He swallowed hard. Barbara was not a flirt and he knew she was not deliberately being seductive but the thought of her in a bath aroused him as much as the confirmation that she indeed had nothing underneath the robe. She has no idea the affect she is having on me. He wanted to suggest that he watch or he join her but that would be far too voice was uncharacteristically husky when he breathed, "I can wait."
"No need."
"Was that an invitation to join you or are you saying your bath can wait?" Tommy asked mischievously no longer hiding his intent. A look of embarrassment overtook Barbara's face with his words when she realised how clumsy and misleading her answer had been. Tommy could no longer bear the sexual tension between them and stood and pulled her gently towards him. "I think we have some unfinished business Barbara. Where were we up to?" Tommy kissed her and she responded instantly with an urgency that took him by surprise. Their tongues sought each other out and the pace and depth of the kiss increased rapidly. Tommy pulled away panting, "Oh God Barbara I want you so badly but if we continue like this I won't last the distance."
"Sorry."
She sounded genuinely contrite and Tommy looked at her perplexed. He sensed that her reactions sprang from raw emotion rather than a lot of experience with men. He wanted to open the tie on her robe and have it fall to the floor but he worried she might feel self-conscious being naked in front of him while he was still dressed. "Why are you sorry? Most women would like to know they drive their man wild?"
Their man? Those words sent a thrill up Barbara's spine and she moved back to hug him, tugging at his shirt and running her hands underneath it over his skin. Am I really yours? He raised his hands over his head and pulled off his shirt as he desperately kicked off his shoes. He kissed her again as he stood on the toe of his sock and pulled his foot free then reversed feet to shed the second one. His movements were frenzied as his desire for her grew stronger with each stroke of her hand on his back. Barbara undid the clasp on his belt and started to unzip his trousers. He groaned ecstatically as her hand brushed him. It was an accidental touch but it held the promise of so much more to come but Barbara was suddenly scared that she would disappoint him and stopped.
"What's wrong?" he asked looking closely at her.
"What if I disappoint you?"
"Have you ever disappointed anyone before?" Her face fell and she looked at the ground. Tommy instantly regretted asking her that question. It was clumsy and he had no idea of the answer. He had meant it to be encouraging as he could not imagine anyone with this much passion disappointing any man.
"It's been a very long time since I did anything like this Sir."
Tommy understood. He comprehended the need for him to manage tonight very delicately so that Barbara was not rushed or scared. "Barbara, look at me," he instructed. She looked up and he fixed his eyes on hers entreating her to understand he was sincere. "You have never disappointed me Barbara, in anything, and this will be no different. I have one condition though."
"What?"
"Stop calling me Sir! Tommy, Tom, Thomas even but not Sir," he said clearly frustrated, "tonight will be special for both of us Barbara, I promise."
Barbara smiled. "Cocky bastard aren't you Mr Cassanova?" She trusted him to look after her, to guide her through any awkwardness.
"Well if you already think I'm a cross between Bond and Casanova how can I go wrong?" He kissed her again then finished undoing his trousers, letting them fall to the floor without taking his lips from hers. Tommy moved slowly and unfolded the knot in her robe cord. He glided his hands inside the gown and traced over the contours of her waist with his fingers. Her skin was velvety and supple and as he slowly ran his hands up her sides she purred with pleasure. Her hands tracked down his side to the elastic on his boxers and she slowly slipped her thumbs inside the waistband. They both stopped and gaped at her kitchen bench as her phone started to ring.
"Leave it, what could be more important than this?" Tommy pleaded. Barbara was about to tell him they were both on call when the buzzing of his phone started. Reluctantly they pulled apart and went to their phones. Barbara's was closest.
"Havers," she answered savagely as she did up her robe. Her tone turned quickly to concern. "Oh my God, is he alright?"
Tommy looked questioningly at her as his fished his phone from his trouser pocket. "DI Lynley, this had better be important." He listened intently then replied "No I am with her now. We were just de-briefing each other on the arrest… Yes about half an hour…Certainly…Thank you."
Tommy rang off and saw Barbara staring at him, any thoughts of what had happened moments clearly forgotten. "What did they tell you?" she asked him.
"Only that Winston has been stabbed. I said we would be at the hospital in half an hour."
