Dempsey was knackered, his stomach hurt like hell and he new he'd done too much. At least he'd picked up the car and driven it round to Fry, pumping his ego to finish the job himself had barely been needed, the suggestion 'that he use the car for the weekend to take Gaynor out' had registered well with Fry who quite understood that the workshop didn't do weekends. Dempsey lay sprawled across his settee, beer can open and pizza box nearly empty, the TV telling him how many score draws there were that day. He felt just a little guilty that he'd not used any food in the fridge and that in turn made him miss Harry which in turn produced today's dilemma – when should he call her?

Dave and Mac had taken in everything relating to her maligned character and the fraudulent doctoring of hers and Roberts bank accounts. That had left Makepeace with access to the bank records of Middleton and Al Hussein and although she had fallen asleep for an hour at 2.00am and again between 5.00 and 8.00 she had finally completed the trail she and Dave had followed back from the Middle East to David Middleton and she could see how he sucked money from Coutts bank into the terrorist organisation.

It had taken more than the morning to log the various comings and goings in the relevant accounts but sheer determination to prove she could cut the mustard drove Harry on. Frank, the bobby left as observer, had faithfully kept her supplied with caffeine boosts and he hadn't blinked an eyelid when her choice of a sandwich had been peanut butter with strawberry jam.

She just missed the London train and sat chilling in the cold, lifeless station waiting room; the next train seemed to stop at every village; the taxi driver took his opportunity to choose the longest route he could get away with and it was 5.00pm before Dempsey sat himself up, flicked the TV remote to off and gathered her into his embrace.

"You crossed all the 't's" he asked as he stroked her hair, aware of the total relief washing over him. Gosh he'd not realised how tight he'd been until the wound up coil of fear for the future was released; Harry had come to him.

"Umm and dotted all the 'i's" her chilled body drew warmth from Dempsey at every point of contact, of which there were many "Bloody Middleton is so greedy he couldn't care how he prospered and who got trampled on in the process"

"So what about this terrorist group?" Dempsey massaged some warmth into her

"They promised him multi billions when they got to control the oil fields"

"So no mis-placed principles?"

"Just greed" she held his clasp around her "like it always is"

This determination was what made him so proud of her "Come here Commissioner" he sighed as he cradled her on the sofa; by the time he'd kissed her hair she was already asleep and he had barely told her "I love you" before he too joined her.

.

Dempsey released himself and placed a couple of cushions under Harry's head. He placed the pizza box and beer can in the bin, hung his coat up next to hers and put his shoes away. His place never looked as pristine as hers but it was at least what he called tidy. Not many minutes later he sat on the edge of the sofa and stroked her hair "food Princess" he said

Harry stirred, opened and closed her eyes murmuring nothing in particular other than she intended to sleep for the rest of the weekend.

"I've got smoked salmon, with cream cheese on granary" he wafted the open sandwich across of her, but Harry was still not wanting to stir.

"Good choice" she muttered softly so as not to wake herself

Dempsey tore a square of bread with topping off and placed it on her lips.

"Mmmm" she appreciated as she ate and pushing herself just a little more upright "You can feed me" she consented.

James fed her three more bite size portions before he picked up a green olive and ran it around her lips forcing the tip of her tongue to follow him until he suddenly conceded and popped it into her mouth.

Harry rotated onto her side "more" she yearned

The next olive bounced lightly on and off her lips four times before she caught it "salmon next" she requested now opening her eyes and as she opened her mouth to be fed the bread she closed her lips on his finger tips, inviting him to up the game.

The watercress brushed her nose and cheek and her tongue danced trying to catch the salad. Dempsey played the olive on her nose and Harry formed her mouth into a perfect O taking his finger rather than the food, her tongue playing itself across the end; she protested when he withdrew and her eyes started to tango with his as he allowed her to draw it back in.

She burst out laughing and reaching out to the tray parcelled some bread around the salmon and popped the offering in his mouth. At first they continued to take it turns to feed the other but as the teasing increased the food became less important and the cream cheese seemed to be on Harry's nose and she deliberately missed James' mouth, so she had reason to wipe the the corner of his mouth, never missing the opportunity to play her finger along his lips, across his teeth and let him nibble at or kiss her fingers.

The wine was a red, Dempsey's choice made for him by the contents of cupboards. He was the first to hold the glass for her to drink from and she had protested when he made to drink his own, insisting on reciprocating the offer.

It was when the wine drinking got intertwined with last few olives that the inevitable followed and red wine soaked through Harry's blouse and dripped onto her skirt.. James followed her into the kitchen as she undressed and ran to the sink to deal with the stain.

His desire raged at inferno level as he took in the view of her in bra and briefs with the vinegar in one hand asking him to pass her the salt crystals. He came from behind her, his hands playing over her belly and although she was concentrating on her task in hand she gave no protest to that or his series of kisses running around her neck. His hands ran upwards and delighted in holding the weight of her breast, his fingers edging around and under the lace.

"Maple syrup or the squirty cream" he groaned as his tongue played with her ear and he reached out to the fridge. Harry's next action left him reeling; she swivelled into him, gave him the most promising long, lingering, deep and provocative kiss he thought he might not actually make it to any next stage. What astounded him so much wasn't her next words "why not both" but the ones after "but I'm going to have a deep hot bubbly bath with another glass of red first"

"First?"

"First" she smiled wickedly

"Might as well wait til after" he ran his finger down from her waist, over her hips with very little objection "It could get messy"

"Yes" she agreed, now restricting his hand from the inside of her underwear "but I'm really looking forward to my bath" she wriggled away "first"

"Harry you'll kill me" he protested "If it's a long bath I might not be able to wait" he raised an eyebrow to see if there would be any objection, after all the said items would still be in the fridge tomorrow.

"Give me time to enjoy a glass of wine" she twirled her body in front of him and picking up the un-spilt glass carried that with her towards the bathroom. Dempsey poured himself another glass and opened the fridge to check his contents were still there. He rubbed the back of his neck 'bloody hell she was so hot'; he stood in front of the open fridge for ten minutes, the chill cooling him but the contents setting his imagination on fire. He tidied up the try of food by eating the leftovers and decided that Harry had had long enough on her own; he had just started to unbutton his own shirt when the door bell went.

Without thought Dempsey answered the door and before he had a chance to react Dave and Mac had stepped forward into the hallway. Mac waved the cans, "Wow you're in mate" Dave exclaimed "We saw your light and it's months since we had a drinking night" Mac added as they moved towards the lounge.
"Is it just you two?" Dempsey asked as he looked out down the street and answered his own question as he saw Bob and Tony turn onto the path and skip past him into his own home.

The guys flowed into the lounge where the TV was on and Dempsey's beer can was stood half drunk on the coffee table

"Hey it's months since we've had a guys night round here" Bob announced

"So where were you all going?" Dempsey asked as he followed them in and looked for somewhere to sit now his sofa and arm chair were full of self imposed guests

"We were going down to the Green Man, they show match of the day on TV down there" Mac explained

"Yeh but we can watch it here – it's fine" Tony suggested

"You have got more beer haven't you?" Dave thought to check

"Sure, in the fridge" Dempsey was still reeling from fast pace of invasion; before he could volunteer to get it Tony had jumped up and reached the kitchen. Dempsey followed him scanning the kitchen for evidence that Tony might pick up on but Tony only saw dirty dishes, the number of plates or wine glasses or that Dempsey wasn't known for home cooking all flew well under his radar. That the fridge contained food as well as beer also failed to register. Tony tossed two cans to Dempsey and picked up a four pack and made his return to the lounge.

Dempsey held back and slid in the direction of the bathroom. He eased the door ajar and noted that Harry was no longer in the bath; he pushed the door open more.

Harry had wrapped a towel round herself and was desperately trying to formulate a plan or excuse. Having studied the lack of anyplace to hide, or any route out, she was now desperately trying to come up with an excuse. She decided to brazen it out and was waiting to see who was entering the bathroom

"Harry" Dempsey whispered

"Don't bloody squash me" she hissed as the door opened onto her

Dempsey shut the door behind him and leaned back against it

"Who the hell has arrived?" she asked having only been able to hear the racket of voices that followed the door bell

"Just the guys"

"Who? she demanded

"SI10 you know Dave, Tony, Mac…Bob"

"And you invited them in?" her frustration was showing and her incredulity unmasked

"Well they sort of invited themselves in" Dempsey defended

"You could have said no" she countered

"What?" now it was Dempsey's turn for scepticism as he mimicked words he thought she had wanted him to say "Sorry Harry's having a bath and then we thought we'd re-enact nine and a half weeks"

"At least you could have said you're knackered"

"I couldn't" he defended "I would never say that to the boys and well they're here now"

"For how long?"

"Match of the day?" he winced hopefully

Harry sighed "Just watch the door and let me get back to the bedroom"

Dempsey grinned he rather liked the idea of sitting with the boys for a few beers knowing that Harry was waiting for him in bed

"Don't get dressed" he whispered "I'll stand guard over the living room" Harry put her head around the door and watched as Dempsey stood in the doorway blocking most of the view. She crept over the hallway and into the bedroom.

Dempsey tossed a can across the room to Dave.