** For authors notes, disclaimer etc. see chapter 1
Double dating 2/?
"Remind me why we're walking again?" James smiled as Jean rolled her eyes at him and he knew she was two seconds away from tell him to man up and just keep walking before she left him behind and went to meet Laura and Robbie alone.
"Because we live in one of the most beautiful cites in the world, it's a mild summer's night and we were less than a mile from the restaurant." She replied taking his hand and squeezing it gently before pulling him into shaded side street kissing him hungrily. "Besides it's romantic, if we'd driven here in five minutes I couldn't have done that but if you'd rather get where we're going quickly in future and don't want to enjoy a walk with me then fine."
"Hold on a minute I never said that did I?" James whispered glancing around before pulling her back into his arms returning her kiss with an equally desperate one of his own. "If this is how every walk we take together will go we can walk everywhere from now on who needs cars?"
"If you keep distracting me like this we're going to be late."
"Hey you started it, come on let's go." James smiled taking her by the hand and pulling her back out into the main street. "Do you know how proud I am right now to be walking this street holding your hand? You couldn't have been more wrong to joke about me not wanting to walk with you. I want the world to see how lucky I am."
"Do you mean that? I mean I know things are great when we're alone and everything but are you actually ok with us being together in public?" Jean asked stopping again for a second and turning to face him before starting off again suddenly not wanting to look him in the eye. Up until that point she'd been able to push aside the doubts that still plagued her about how much chance there actually was that they could turn this into a proper relationship, one that stood the test of public scrutiny. They'd been so careful up until then while never denying that their relationship had changed they'd never really done the whole public declaration and if she was honest, with herself if not with him, suggesting that they walk to the restaurant had been a test. She'd really needed to know if he would try to hide behind the closed doors of his home or hers or the normality of four colleagues spending the evening together.
"Are you seriously asking me that? Jean please tell me you haven't been worried about how I really feel all these weeks I thought I made that clear the first night we were together." James sighed stopping again this time in the middle of the hiving college square with their destination in sight and pulling her into his arms. "I have been desperate to do this from the beginning I never want to go anywhere without you by my side, I don't care who sees us, what anyone might have to say about us or anything else because I know that they will be looking at you and thinking either how lucky I am to have you or that you really could do better! I love you and that means I don't care who knows it now will you please have a little more faith in me? In us?"
"Ok, I'm sorry it just all seems a little too good to be true at times I wonder what I did to deserve you." Jean smiled the complete lack of self-consciousness in the way he held her apparently oblivious to the people around them calming the nerves in her stomach as he kissed her again.
"Just being you that is what you did now can we go to dinner because I'm starving and I promise to continue reassuring you later on the way home ok?"
"I'll hold you to that but yes I'm pretty starving myself nothing like a walk with the odd little diversion to build up an appetite."
"So much for Jean and James are never late." Robbie sighed leaning against the windowsill of the restaurant glancing up and down the street again to see if he could see their friends.
"Well maybe she had to deal with him taking forever to pick something to wear too!" Laura laughed sitting beside him as he put his arm around her shoulder. "And in my very humble opinion the fact they are a little late is a good thing it means they are starting to be a little more relaxed which means they're good for each other. "
"You're trying to tell me now that bad time keeping is a sign of a good relationship?" Robbie replied narrowing his eyes sceptically at her. He knew she was probably right though, before they got together he'd often thought both of them could do with turning their general up tightness down a notch or two, if being together was making that happen he wasn't about to complain about it.
"Yeah I mean when we're together do you spend much time thinking about exactly what time it is or where we should be at any given time?"
"No I'll give you that one. When I'm with you I'm not thinking about anything other than how great it is to finally be with you."
Moving so she was facing him instead of by his side she rested her hands on his chest looking up at him. In the weeks they'd been together it had been even better than she'd imagined it would and now standing outside the restaurant with him on a warm summer's since looking forward to dinner with their best friends she couldn't think of a single thing she'd rather do or anyone else she'd rather do it with.
"I love you." She said quietly tilting her head as he smiled broadly before kissing her. For a second they got lost in each other the fact they were in a busy Oxford street surrounded by people becoming irrelevant.
"I love you too pet but I wish they'd hurry up my stomach thinks my throats been cut." He laughed as she went to move and he pulled her back into his arms.
"Hey you were the one worried about how we should act around Jean and James if they arrive to find us making out like a couple of teenagers outside the restaurant you'll panic and then you'll spend the rest of the night acting like we're meeting for the first time." Laura laughed shaking her head as he kissed her again then his attention was caught by something behind her that she couldn't see.
"I don't think it would be a problem, it looks like we're not the only ones who have trouble keeping our hands off each other." He whispered nodding over her shoulder as she turned in his arms scanning the people in the square across from them her eyes eventually falling on their friends.
"Wow who would have guessed James could kiss like that." She smiled turning again and winking playfully at Robbie. "Maybe I picked the wrong detective."
"Oh I don't think so." He laughed "I think I can hold me own when it comes to passionate kisses in public."
"Really? Maybe you should show me again." Laura replied indulging in letting her lips caress his again until she heard a quiet cough behind her.
"God get a room you two." James laughed squeezing Jean's hand as she immediately picked up the teasing baton.
"Yeah I mean there's a time and a place inspector put it on ice till you get home."
"You can talk!" Robbie laughed feeling himself relax completely for the first time since the dinner date had been arranged as they all descended into laughter.
"He was only trying to prove he could kiss me like James was just kissing you, I was speculating that I might have gone for the wrong one in that partnership he was proving I hadn't."
"Damn right, hands off Hobson he's mine." Jean laughed as James smiled smugly at Robbie.
"Two women fighting over me, didn't see that coming." He said proudly as Robbie rolled his eyes and Jean playfully slapped his arm.
"I think we should eat before this descends into a full on cat fight." Laura laughed taking Robbie's hand and following Jean and James into the restaurant looking forward to the night even more than she had been as the relaxed happy atmosphere surrounding them just seemed to get stronger.