"Well that's me off" Phil announced to the half-empty CID office. Standing up, he shut his computer off.

"Hang on a minute mate, that's me too. Fancy going for a pint? I could do with a drink after all this paperwork." Phil smirked and looked pointedly into the DI's office.

"No thanks Terry" He said loudly so his voice carried through the doors to reach Sam's ears. "I'm off to the Dreyfuss's" Sam's head snapped up at the mention of the name she had come to detest. Her brow creased in annoyance and her narrowed eyes followed him out the office. Phil noticed and smirked triumphantly at her, having achieved his aim of bothering her and knowing there was nothing she could do about it. He gave her a little wave before disappearing through the double doors, leaving one swinging behind him.

"What was all that about?" Terry asked Mickey, both having been watching the interaction between the pair.

"Dunno" Mickey replied with a shrug of the shoulders "But the DI doesn't look too happy does she?" Terry swung round in his seat to join Mickey in gazing through the window into the small office where Sam was clearly visible, a frown still distorting her features.

"Your right there" Terry muttered as Sam caught both their eyes in turn and glared at them. "I wonder what's rattled her cage?"

"Phil! I thought you 'ad forgotten to come, you are late." She fixed him with a glare that Sam would have been proud of. "You were supposed to be 'ere over an 'our ago!"

"Yeah sorry Monica, I got a little held up. Too much paperwork and a narky boss. Never a good combination." Monica chortled slightly and opened her mouth to speak but Phil got there before her. "I brought this though" he smiled genuinely and pulled an expensive bottle of red wine out of a carrier bag which was wrapped round his wrist.

"Well 'ow can I stay annoyed at you now?" She took the bottle off him and placed it on the hall table.

"So am I gonna stand on the doorstep all night or are we going in?" It was Monica's turn to smile now as she took a step back and opened the door fully giving Phil an eyeful! She was no longer fully dressed as she had been earlier on. She was now donning a silky blue nighty with black lace around the bottom and the top. It was short and low-cut with a matching silk dressing gown over it which only reached an inch above her knees. It was exactly Phil's kind of thing.

"I thought you were coming in. or 'ave you changed your mind?" She stood against the door, one arm stretched up and leaning against it for support, the other hand rested on her hip. Her right leg was casually crossed over her left one giving her an almost laid back look. A seductive smile spread across her face.

"Erm…no…no" Phil's mouth had gone completely dry and his mind, blank. He had to be fantasising, this couldn't be real could it? He blinked twice but the image in front of his eyes never changed.

"It's rude to stare Phil" There was laughter in Monica's voice as she spoke. She was clearly enjoying herself. "Maybe I 'ad better remove the temptation"

She reached for the sides of her dressing gown and pulled them together, tying them with a silky blue ribbon so, even though her perfect figure was still on show, Phil could no longer see the provocative nightwear. He cleared his throat nervously and felt his face grow hot as he realised he'd been caught staring.

"This way" Monica smirked, grabbing the wine bottle from the table and walking away towards the living room, the bottle swinging gently in her hand.

"Uh…yeah" Phil said blankly to no one in particular. His mouth was hanging slightly open giving a rather gormless look about him. He swallowed several times, trying to tempt some moisture back into his sandpapery mouth.

Phil stepped over the threshold into the mansion and gently closed the door behind him, trying to pull himself together as he did so. His mind was still oddly blank. After several deep breaths, he took a few tentative steps forward wondering whether it might not be best to turn back and run while he still had the chance. She was a married woman after all and her husband was a friend of his but before he had time to make a decision…

"Phil?" Monica had appeared in the door frame holding two glasses of wine. "I thought you 'ad run away from me" she smiled. Phil gave a dry laugh

"Of course not" She held a glass up to him which he took gratefully and sipped, looking anywhere but the woman before him.

"So do you 'ave any plans for us this evening?" She also raised the glass to her lips, leaving behind a smidge of lipstick.

"Not really"

"Well I'm sure we'll think of something" She smiled radiantly at him "Why are we standing out in the 'all? Come on through." She grasped his hand and led him through to the living room. It was a hugely spacious room with a cream carpet and large sofas to match. A small glass table stood in the middle with a vase of colourful flowers and to his right, Phil saw the small wooden table that had previously been home to the telephone. A plasma screen television hung on the wall along with various paintings and art works and a small fire crackled gently in the grate of a magnificent fireplace giving the room an overall relaxing and comfortable atmosphere.

Monica dropped Phil's hand and wondered over to the sofa, first placing her glass gently on the table in front before sitting herself down on the luxurious sofa. Her gaze never wavering from Phil's face. She patted the seat next to her which Phil took as an invitation to sit so after a slightly larger sip of wine, he walked forwards but opted to sit opposite her rather than right next to her. Monica wasn't giving up so easily though. She swung her legs up onto the couch so she was now lying on her side, her legs outstretched and her head propped up on her hand. Her gown had mysteriously opened since last time Phil had chanced a glance, revealing the sexy nightdress once more.

As he gazed openly at her, the little voices at the back of Phil's head cried out, begging him to resist but he wasn't sure if he had the strength to. She was a married woman, she was taken. Off limits. This, however, only attracted him to her all the more. Phil had always enjoyed that little bit of danger and that was one thing Monica Dreyfuss certainly offered, the only question was: Could he handle it?

He stood to lose an awful lot if this went pear-shaped. His job, for one, could be on the line and any respect Sam had left for him would be lost despite the many years it had taken him to earn it. Not to mention the fact that she had a husband whom he was on good terms with. Phil didn't suppose Louis would be too impressed if he slept with his wife and Louis was a big man. One might go as far as to call him gangsterish. Phil shuddered to think of the damage Louis could cause him.

He was roused suddenly from the battle going on in his head by a slight dig in the ribs. Phil blinked and looked round. Monica had left the sofa and joined him on the two-seater where he sat.

"Phil? Did you 'ear a word I said?" She asked with a bite of impatience.

"Erm…sorry" Phil cleared his throat nervously " I was thinking"

"Mmm what about?" Monica leant back against the chair and her nighty rode up a few inches.

"Oh…n-nothing much…" He blustered slightly "What were you saying?" He forced his eyes upwards to meet her sparkling pair.

"Oh I was just talking about our sleeping arrangements"

Phil was trying to concentrate on what she was saying but found himself being distracted again. This time by her rosy red lips which were moving as she spoke. He traced the outline of them with his eyes and licked his own nervously, wondering what it would be like to capture them. To lock his own over them and feel the silky softness for himself while running his hands through her soft curls.

"…both sleep in my bed" Phil jerked awake again and switched his gaze to her eyes which were dancing with laughter. A pink tinge appeared on his cheeks as he realise he'd been caught.

"B-Both sleep…in...in your bed? He questioned, unsure as to whether he had heard her right or not.

"Yes, I am saying…for the third time…" she added with a wry smile "That I do not feel safe 'ere after this morning and none of the other beds are made up anyway so it makes sense for us both to sleep together"

Phil's eyes widened

"I mean sleep in the same bed together" Monica corrected herself though Phil was sure that there had been no mistake.

"Uh…yeah…sure. If that's what you want" Phil heard himself saying. Monica chuckled

"What's the matter with you tonight Phil? You seem…distracted" She rested her hand on his thigh and stroked it gently. The pale blue nightdress had ridden up so high that the lace from her French knickers had crept into view and Phil's eyes were glued to it, feeling his blood rushing.

"Maybe we should 'ave an early night" Monica suggested "I feel tired" she said though there was no hint of sleepyness in her voice.

"An early night?" Phil repeated, breaking out of his reverie and looking deep into her lust-filled eyes.

"Sounds good to me" he smiled cheekily, regaining some of his composure "Though…" His face dropped slightly "I have nothing to wear, I didn't bring anything."

"Oh I'm sure we can find something" Monica leaned in closer to him snd whispered in his ear "Though maybe we won't..."

Phil grinned at her again but it slowly faded as his lust took over and he looked down at her. She was so close he could see the cute little freckles on her nose that she had tried to hide with powder and smell the summer fruits of her hair getting stronger the closer she got. Losing the control he had been clinging to for the past half hour, Phil slowly lowered his head and brought his lips down to meet hers, relishing the delicious contact he had craved and moaning softly as he caressed her lips gently with his own.

She responded by arching her back towards him and wrapping her arms around his neck, feeling the tiny hairs standing on end as a shiver coursed through him sending goose bumps up and down his masculine body. Phil brought his own hands up, one holding the side of her face, tenderly stroking her cheek and the other entangled in her soft, black hair, tugging it gently.

Phil's lust-filled heart skipped a beat as her slender fingers slid into his hands and pulled them down onto his lap. He hadn't even realised they had left the back of his neck.

Monica was the first to pull back even though Phil's lips desperately clung to her own, determined not to lose the contact. She leant her forehead against his while taking deep breaths and trying to fight the urge to throw herself at him for another mind-bogging, passion-sparking kiss. Her fingers wrapped tighter around his as she fought the impulse.

"Sh-shall we…shall we take this…upstairs?" Phil asked quietly, giving up any resistance he had left, his mind only on the beautiful woman offering herself to him. Monica nodded wordlessly and wrapped her arms around his neck once more as he curled his own arms around her and picked her up effortlessly. Monica buried her head in his shoulder as he walked slowly towards the spiralling staircase, sucking gently on his neck and teasing another low moan from him but he jerked his head away, conscious of the fact he had to work the following day and reluctant to show up with red bruises on his neck. Monica gazed up at him, wondering if she had done something wrong but these thoughts were banished as he leant down for another kiss…