"If you don't get out of that bath soon I'll come over" Dempsey threatened as he lay on the bed after his shower watching Harry in the bathtub which stood centre place through the beams and heavy draped curtains that could divide the suite.

"It was a long walk back, my feet were killing me" she protested

"I clearly remember you saying that you'd never walked arm in arm down the Champs-Elysees" Dempsey teased

"I'm not sure that I meant all of it" she protested half heartedly

"It's kinda lonely out here" James threw out; Harry said nothing but in response Dempsey heard the water start to go down the plughole but the noise of water being sucked away had barely got started before it stopped.

"Hey!" he protested "I'm waiting"

"So am I" Harry called his bluff "You said you'd come over" she begged in her most seductive of voices

"The water?" Dempsey questioned pulling himself around on the bed to get up

"I let enough out to make room for you" Harry faked innocence; Dempsey smirked and threw his towelling robe off.

***

Dempsey knew where he was going; he'd made sure it was straight forward – that had been why he'd taken Mimi with him to the travel agent. They had pre booked not only the hotel but several venues to ensure there were no slip ups; Mimi had advised him well so far.

The instructions were simply, coming out from Le Maurice they crossed through the Jardin des Tuilenes and picked up the glass boat for their evening dinner cruise; the problem was the lack of time after the delay in the bathtub!

Harry had taken charge as she confirmed the booking and ordered the food, only now as the boat pulled away did she panic that she may have put Dempsey's nose out of joint but she needn't have worried.

"You sound so damn sexy when you speak French" he growled

There was a constant burning look between the two lovers as they ate, tasting each others' food and consuming copious amounts of champagne. The boat moved slowly and the lights on land painted an enticing and romantic picture that seduced the pair up onto deck for the return part of the cruise.

The evening air was chilled, the spring sunshine not yet powerful enough to warm the night as well and so once again Harry was appreciative of the warmth she gained from Dempsey wrapped around her. After a time the lit buildings began to merge in their eyes, the lights dancing on the water began to hypnotise and as the music from below escaped upwards the mood of romance somehow filled the night air. The light kisses James planted on Harry's neck invited her to turn around and wrap her arms around his neck. She returned his attention and they slipped into a long tender embrace.

***

Dempsey rolled over and caught Harry as she started to get out of bed, "there's no hurry" he said

"Yesterday you said you wanted to see lots of sights"

"Well there's temptation right in front of me"

She grinned and wriggled out of his grasp. Dempsey put on his soulful look and pouted as he watched her walk towards the door and accept the breakfast trolley provided by room service.

"I never heard" he muttered

"You were gently snoring"

"I don't snore"

"Snuffling"

Dempsey leapt out of bed and started lifting lids to see what food had arrived

"What sort of breakfast is this?" Makepeace asked as she picked up a piece of toast to nibble

"American" Dempsey answered with pride; he served himself some eggs and looked for the best place to sit. He made his way back to the bed and tucked in.

Harry poured coffee and looked at the other option of pancakes. She picked up a second slice of toast and wandered back to bed with a cup of tea in her hand "not continental" she observed adding "we are in France"

"I read the menus – continental is the stuff you have for breakfast at your place everyday"

"Well you can always sleep in your own flat"

"Then I'd have no breakfast! Come on Paris has loads of American stuff - must have been from when we won the war - that Franklin D Roosevelt roundabout, hey the Avenue de New York! I might look for a New York Times" he grinned "and" he added as he waved his half eaten sausage towards Harry "a pastrami sandwich with rye bread"

"Dempsey the French do fantastic breads and cheeses" Harry exasperated

"And wine" he grinned back standing again. Harry caught the waistband of his boxers and pinged them playfully but James pointed out that 'you couldn't waste good food'. As he tucked into the pancakes Harry showered and dressed.

***

They agreed on Montmartre and travelling by Metro and fortunately the spring sunshine broke through again.

"See there are people on bikes" Harry pointed out

"Yeh but they've not got moustaches and neither are they carrying stupid long baguettes" Dempsey retorted

The couple had wandered around the narrow streets and cobbled roads taking in small art galleries and museums. They passed the Sacré-coeur Basilica and the Moulin Rouge and now sat outside drinking coffee and listening to the street musicians. A blonde woman emerged from a small art dealer; Harry paid no notice until the gentleman followed her out, there was something familiar about the coupling Harry thought but no one sprung to mind and she returned to her pastry.

Dempsey was engrossed in the travel guide; Harry watched him for a few minutes before springing the book out of his hands.

"Hey" he protested snatching it back

"What are you reading about?" Harry asked as she lifted it out of his hand for a second time

Dempsey tried to grab it back, forcing it closed but failing to retrieve it; Harry lifted it high, out of reach but James tickled her instead. The guide book became a fast moving target as each of them passed it from hand to hand, behind their own backs and twisting it away from the other. James went back to the tickling and Harry resorted to tossing the book high ready to catch it with her other hand; James dived for it and the duo toppled perilously – the only way to keep themselves from the pavement being to cling to each other. The tickling finally stopped as did the jumping, ducking and diving, the guide book lay untouched on the table as James' and Harry's eyes burned into each other. She leaned back just a little into the secure support of his arms around her waist, her hold loosely over his shoulders around his neck, their gaze seared straight through into their hearts and James for one wondered if this would be a good time, Harry reminded herself to count to twenty before she said yes. Their lips drew ever closer until they slid over each other. Dempsey sat back down and pulled Harry onto his lap.

The gentleman's face soured "are you sure that's her" he spoke in French

"I'm telling you it is" likewise her conversation was in French

"Well I'm not so sure she's here to track us down"

"They might be, they put her undercover!"

"He's a yank, I heard his accent – he can't be British police"

"I don't think we can risk it"

They watched the canoodling couple finish their coffee, him putting the last pastry in her mouth and then make their way towards the Place du Tertre hand in hand.

"If we go after them and they don't know about us we expose our position"

"And if we ignore them and they do know, we risk everything