I don't own Ashes to Ashes
Just a bit of fluffiness to get rid of all that angst!!
Then back to the plot, honest!
---
When they arrived back in London the next afternoon, it seemed inevitable that they should have to show their faces at CID in order to put forward their case to the Super, before returning to inevitable hustle and bustle on Monday morning.
As they stood outside the office, Gene dressed in his usual work outfit of shirt and tie, Alex in an off-the-shoulder top and jeans, she could feel the nerves emanating from his rigid frame, could see it in the white-knuckle clench of his fingertips on his arms as they waited for Superintendent Harrison to open the door and bestow upon them whichever punishment or down-talking he saw fit... For a brief moment, as she saw him rising from the desk through the pane of glass, Alex was aware of the inevitable déjà-vu of standing outside the Headmistresses office and waiting to be scolded for having allowed her knee-high socks to slip down to her ankles. To her side, she was dimly aware of Gene's look of concern in her direction, before the door opened and the formidable figure of their senior officer blocked the doorway.
A lump rose in Alex's throat as her teeth dug into the flesh of her lower lip, and she could only nod when he stepped aside, indicating the two wooden, uncomfortable chairs set before his desk, looking deathly ominous as she and Gene filed quietly into the room, following the Super's lead in remaining silent as they settled themselves into the hard, unwelcoming seats that had been set out for them.
----
James Harrison was forty-nine years old, with greying brown hair that was still thick and curly on the top of his worn yet still handsome face. Formidable lines had been etched into his cheeks and around his mouth, hardening the attractive exterior to create an image that would once, as Gene had heard many a time, have caused some of the roughest criminals to shake in their boots. His uniform was crisp and ironed, the sign of a man well looked after, and the wedding ring that glinted on his finger was the only suggestion that this man had any sentiment in his person.
His tie was neat, his blue blazer emphasized his broad shoulders, and his torso was trim and well-kept, with the white shirt tucked neatly into the waistband of his trousers. He carried himself with the air of a man who knew how to get what he wanted, and as Alex watched him settle himself into the leather office chair beside his desk, there was a small part of her that noted, with a glimmer of attraction, that he acted in much the same way as she had come to expect from Gene. She bit her lip again, half-embarrassed, half-amused, as Harrison leant forwards on his arms, his brown eyes both searching and accusing as he looked from one to the other of them.
She half expected Gene to fidget, to bring his hand to the back of his head as he sometimes did when he was embarrassed or nervous, or even to pull out a cigarette and begin smoking profusely... but instead he remained stock still, not exactly the depiction of relaxation, but by no means did he come across as a rabbit caught in the headlights, the way that she herself felt under the intense scrutiny of Harrison's hardened gaze.
"You've been gone for well over a week, Hunt," he said, and Alex bit back a smirk at the knowledge that, whilst this man might well carry some of Gene's physical demeanour, his voice didn't contain that same gruff quality that sent shivers done her spine. Startled by her own train of thought, and the knowledge that, whilst Harrison's statement was directed at Gene, his gaze remained firmly affixed on her, Alex blinked, looking nervously at Gene, whose lips were pressed together in a tight line. As she looked at him, she could practically see the cogs whirring in his brain as he fought to speak the truth without coming across as unprofessional, despite them both having known all the way home that their long absence, whilst being emotionally fair and reasonable, had been unprofessionally handled by both of them; for that, Alex felt that the blame fell squarely on her own shoulders, and gulped uncomfortably as Gene spoke.
"I'm sorry, Sir..." his voice was cracked, restrained, and Alex blinked, half expecting a torrent of explanation, but only raising her eyebrows slightly when none followed. There was a thoughtful hum from Harrison, and when Alex glanced up she saw that his gaze had moved to Gene, bearing into him intensely before he spoke again.
"Is there a reason for your sizeable absence? Or did the two of you simply take off on a whim, deciding that a holiday was just what you needed, and that London's Police force didn't need to know that two of its senior officers had popped off for a fiddle and a flutter?" His voice was unerringly calm, though Alex couldn't help but note the slight clench of Gene's jaw at his crude phrasing. She resisted the urge to quirk her eyebrow at him, seeing the way in which his grip tightened on the arm of the chair.
"I had a personal problem, Sir," Gene ground the words out as thought it was physically painful, and she had to stop herself reaching out to clasp his hand within her own, instead digging her own fingers into her thigh. "DI Drake was 'elping me deal with them... she's into all that Psychiatry balls, Sir..."
She bit back the inevitable 'psychology' remark, watching as Harrison eyed them both with disapproving eyes. "Your relationship's not secret in CID, you know?" He said eventually, glancing between them as though expecting them to blush; neither one of them did. Harrison waited, and then nodded, continuing on. "Since your public display in that little restaurant you're all so fond of, it's been the second most popular topic of conversation, beaten only by speculation as to whether DS Carling's penis really does bend slightly at the tip..."
The attempt at humour was lost, and Alex and Gene made no comment, although she remained positive that she saw Gene's jaw clench yet again, and looked down at the floor as Harrison went on. "Whatever personal issues you might have, DCI Hunt, you are a senior officer in the Metropolitan Police Force, and that entails demonstrating certain professionalism, whatever inconvenient circumstance you may find yourself in." His gaze moved back to Alex, a smirk tugging at his lips. "As for you, DI Drake, I see no real reason as to why your absence was necessary alongside your DCI's – were you able to rectify the problem, or were you simply providing a service?" His eyes were glinting, and before Alex had even opened her mouth to protest, Gene's voice sounded, a menacing growl that shocked her.
"She was there as my partner, Sir, not as my colleague, and her absence was down to me. I'd advise keeping that gob of yours shut when making comments about mine and DI Drake's personal relationships, when it's well known fact you're shaggin' WPC Milner after hours every night!" The acid in Gene's voice was terrifying, and the lack of respect – so very unlike him when it came to his superior officers – set off alarm bells. The black look in Harrison's eyes as he looked back at Gene was brimming with contemptuous loathing, but there was no denying that Gene's words had hit home, a brief flash of pain and panic breaking through, before Alex's eyes fell on his hands, the right of which was agitatedly twisting and fiddling with the gold ring on his wedding finger... Sentiment, she had thought at first – but not much, it would appear.
It took several moments before the Superintendent could speak again, but his cheeks were undeniably reddened as he spoke. "The fact of the matter is, whether sex was involved or not you absented yourselves from your public duty for well over a week, and made no attempt to contact the department!" Harrison's voice was sharp and harsh, his jaw tight, as though he were biting back several other vicious remarks. "I would be well within my rights to suspend you both, if I didn't think you'd simply while away the next month having sex and return like nothing had been amiss." His lips twitched cruelly as his gaze turned to Alex yet again, and she shivered. "So, for the time being, I think you'll do well with desk duty, Detective Inspector – no crime scenes, no forensics, nothing like that- just desk duty... for a month." His smirk wasn't missed as Alex bit down on her lip, nodding once in acknowledgement before angrily averting her eyes- it was like high school all over again. "And you, Chief Inspector..." Harrison's voice sounded again, but though he didn't address her any longer, Alex could feel his eyes still fixed on her as he said, "I'm afraid you'll have to deal with DI Drakes replacement for that time – long enough, I trust, that you'll learn to ask for leave in future, instead of taking it on a whim..." There was a moment of silence, a moment where Alex could practically hear the roar of anger that was rising in Gene's chest, but no comment came forth, and Alex breathed a soft sigh of relief. A few seconds later, seconds that seemed to drag on for an eternity, Harrison nodded, "get out of my sight, both of you." He jerked his head towards the door dismissively. "Drake, there'll be a desk set up for you on this floor first thing Monday morning... Now leave."
They both gave terse nods, simultaneously rising from their chairs, Gene holding the door open for Alex and sending one final glower in Harrison's direction, before following her silently out of the room.
----
The moment they were safely down the corridor, Gene grabbed Alex's hand, pulling her out of the building at speed, just ahead of the CID crowd now filing through the building and headed inevitably towards Luigi's. They were back in the flat within five minutes, and Gene was physically shaking with anger.
"That smug little nancy deserves a machine gun shoved up his jacksy on full pelt!" He growled, slamming his fist into the wall as he kicked the door shut, his teeth gritted. "I swear to God, Alex, if he lays a hand on you I'll personally march over to his house and tell his wife about his fiddling with the-"
He was silenced as Alex pressed her lips up to his, mouth insistent and stubborn when he moved to pull back. He waited for her to relent, hands gripping her waist slightly, before he gave in and responded, pressing her to the door whilst his mouth softly moved with hers. Her hands tangled in his hair, holding him closer, and though the phone rang out in the dark, quiet flat, they both ignored it, deepening the kiss so that the pressure of their mouths increased, the heat of the embrace instantly wiping away the chill of anger that had risen in Gene's throat and chest. The answer phone clicked on, just as Gene's hand found its way beneath her top, caressing the warm skin of her back with chilled fingers, feeling her shiver against him.
A voice sounded on the tape as Alex's hands slid to begin unbuttoning his shirt, opening up a large V so that her hands could run freely over the planes of his shoulders, caressing the familiar lines of his collarbone with tender fingers, sighing and murmuring into his kiss...
"Ah, Mister Hunt-" the disembodied voice was oddly loud, causing Alex to jump slightly before allowing Gene to press her harder against the wall, forgetting the interruption as his tongue tangled around hers. A moment later, the voice on the answer phone was accompanied by a soft whine that resonated from the kitchen, and was followed by the slight patter of paws on the tiled surface before Fitz leapt onto the sofa, eyeing the answering machine with his head cocked to one side. Gene pulled away from Alex with a growl of annoyance, his hands still on her waist as he debated how best to reprimand the whining dog for the intrusion on their privacy. A frown settled into the lines of his face as the voice continued on, and a moment later his annoyance turned into happiness.
"It's Alan Green – the estate agent? I'm just calling to let you know that your house is ready and- well, the keys are here if you want to come and pick them up..." There was a brief pause, as though he was thinking what else to say. Alex had gone rigid with anticipation, and when Gene glanced back at her she was grinning with disbelief and wonderment. He snorted, just as Mr Green brought an abrupt end to the message with an awkward 'that's all...goodbye'. The machine beeped, then fell silent, and a moment later Gene was grinning, kissing Alex with a blissful intensity, remaining naive and unsure as to who had initiated it, but uncaring as he felt her lips spread wide in a joyous smile to match his own. He chuckled, slipping his tongue into her mouth and gripping her tightly to his chest before pulling away, his mouth twitched into an irrepressible smile that would not be wiped away, even as he attempted to calm himself.
"Alex," he said softly, cupping her face in two large, rough, and yet warm hands, his eyes burning with emotion. "Move in with me tonight."
She stared at him in disbelief, her eyebrows threatening to disappear as they leapt up her forehead. "Tonight?" She said, "With no furniture, no clothes, no food, no bed... you want to move in tonight?"
He nodded, grinning absurdly, unable to stop himself. "Yeah... tonight; just me, you, that oaf of a dog over there, an airbed and a bottle o' wine..." he kissed her briefly, mouth warm and soft, and then, with a voice so quiet it was barely audible above the hitch of her breath, he spoke. "New start, Alex- you and me... Please?"
Alex met his eyes, biting her lip nervously before sending him a coy smile, followed by a small nod. "Yes."
He grinned, pulling her into him and kissing her fiercely, tongue duelling with hers. When he finally pulled away, his hand cupped the back of her head, breath brushing over her face. "Come on; let's go get the keys, 'ey?"
Alex laughed, but shook her head. "No, you get the keys; I'll sort out the duvet and things..."
Gene looked at her blankly, and she snorted. "Gene, be practical; go and get the keys, then come and pick me up, ok?" She pressed a kiss to his lips fleetingly, and then pulled back, still smiling. Gene's mouth twitched slightly as he nodded, and, after stealing yet another kiss, he stepped back out of the door, his footsteps echoing up the stairwell as he raced towards the car.
Giddy with excitement and joy, Alex stumbled through to the bedroom, a smile on her lips as she changed the duvet and pillow covers, before folding them up on the sofa. Fitz, looking huge in the small flat, bounded over in one movement, excitedly yapping at her heels as she collected up his basket and the chew toys he had managed to strew all across the small living room in the space of two hours. She rolled her eyes at him, smiling, and then moved to collect some fresh clothes from the bedroom.
----
When Gene returned almost an hour and a half later, Alex was sitting in the kitchen, absently stroking Fitz on the head and still smiling quietly to herself. She didn't even realize he was there until he leant down to kiss her cheek, his hand ruffling Fitz's fur before he twisted her face towards him, eyes soft and warm.
"Sorry I took so long," he murmured, briefly stroking her cheek with his long, elegant fingers. "Took bloody ages to find an airbed, an' then they wanted me bollucks on a silver platter for it!"
"I hope you didn't concede defeat and hand them over," Alex teased, eyes glinting mischievously. Gene bit back a groan, and then shook his head.
"Nah... Bloke behind the counters shaggin' the corner shop lady when 'is Missus is away... got it for free." He grinned, pulling her to her feet and gently brushing his lips across her cheek. "Pump only cost a fiver an' all..."
"Mmm... I worry about how you find out about all of these affairs out you know," Alex murmured, pressing her mouth to his neck and sucking briefly, feeling him sigh slightly. "You're not cheating on me, are you?"
"You'd know if I was, Alex... Snouts ain't exactly fond of me, just of keeping their arses outta jail..." his voice was matter-of-fact, and Alex smiled against him. Her mouth continued to assault his neck until he had to respond, drawing her away from him with a reluctant sigh and shaking his head. "Not here," he murmured, stroking her cheek fondly. "Wait... it'll be better if we wait... Please, Alex..." his voice was weak, and his body was responding all too well to the feel of her so close to him, but she pulled away, hearing the effort, the sincere meaning behind it, and meeting his eyes calmly. He stroked his fingers through her hair, twirling loose wisps around his digits as he went on softly. "It's been so long..." he murmured, kissing her wistfully on the forehead, "so long..." His voice was filled with a longing that had been absent for over a week, and Alex felt her stomach melting in response, her arms wrapping tighter around his back.
"I know," she whispered, kissing his pulse lightly.
His hold tightened around her, his lips in her hair, and for a few moments nothing was said, both content in the warmth of their embrace. It was Fitz's small whine that brought them both back to earth, and they sighed. Gene's voice was gentle in her ear as he spoke next, lips teasing lightly as he whispered, "Come on then, Lady Bols; we've got a house to move into."
----
With Fitz in the back of the car with his basket alongside, and the boot piled high with a bag of clothes, the bedding, and a crate of bottles that Gene managed to scrounge from Luigi for a ridiculously small sum of money, they barely paused for breath until they were parked up on the driveway of their new house, Gene's impatience evident as he gripped the wheel tight at each corner, grinding his teeth and tapping his fingers lightly.
It took several minutes for the reality of the situation to sink in, for the belief that this was really going to become their home to penetrate their minds. When it did, Gene reached over to squeeze Alex's thigh, smirking slightly before slapping her leg and getting out of the car. When Alex joined him a minute later, having recovered from her sense of wonderment, he was leaning casually against the bonnet, a cigarette smoking between his lips as he glanced thoughtfully at the door. Alex stood next to him, settling herself into his chest with a sigh and smiling as him arm slid around her waist, the smell of tobacco warm in her nostrils as he exhaled.
"Wanna do the honours, Bollinger Knickers?" he murmured, looking down at her with softness in his gaze. The cigarette in his mouth dangled slightly as he removed his hand, reaching into his pocket and drawing out a pair of shimmering gold keys, which he offered to her on the tip of his finger.
Alex reached out hesitantly, taking them in her hand but doing nothing as he took the cigarette between his fingers once more, taking one deep drag before nuzzling at her ear, the smoky haze leaving his lips and brushing warmly and wispily across the skin of her neck. She shivered, turning her gaze to meet his as he smiled down at her, taking another drag as she playfully slapped at his arm. "I'm going to stink," she complained softly. Gene smirked, blowing smoke in her face without remorse, even as she fanned it away with her hand and grimaced in disgust.
"Stuck with it now, love," he murmured, dropping his cigarette to the ground and stubbing it out with his foot while, at the same time, pulling Alex closer into his chest, lips descending on hers without hesitance. "You gunna open up that door then?" he asked when they finally pulled apart. Alex smiled, nodding her head and taking his hand in hers.
"Yes, and you're going to help me," she said, pulling him towards the door. Gene grinned, settling behind her, his arms around her waist, as she slipped the key into the lock. His hand reached out to cover hers, lips falling to her neck and moving up to her cheek as the key twisted to the right, the click of the lock going unheard as he twisted her around, mouth ensnaring hers in a warm kiss that caused her to melt into his chest. His arms snaked around her, holding her with a strength that made her knees wobble and her breath catch, but a moment later he pulled away, looking particularly self-satisfied, and yet simultaneously open.
"Welcome home," he whispered, eyes warm and full of emotion. Alex's teeth toyed with her lip as she blushed under his heated gaze, eyes staying locked with his nonetheless as they pushed the door open and stepped inside.
----
They walked round only once, their hands clasped together as they went, before they returned to the car, eagerly emptying its contents and carrying it into the empty living room. When Fitz was let out, he raced through the open front door and into the house without so much as a second's hesitation, whilst Gene laughed softly, unloading the basket and dogs toys from the backseat while keeping one arm firmly around Alex, who was holding the bag of clothes and toiletries in one hand, whilst the other rubbed gently up Gene's back. He led her in, dropping the basket and drawing the bag from her hand as he pulled her into his embrace, mouth warm and hospitable.
"Pick a bottle," he murmured softly, eyes still half closed as he pulled away. "I'll get the bed sorted."
----
There were no glasses, so they curled up on the airbed in the main bedroom, passing a bottle of wine between them and taking large gulps from the bottle. By ten o'clock, Alex was pleasantly tipsy, leaning her head on Gene's shoulder and giggling as he uncorked the third bottle of the night with his teeth, spitting it aside and dipping to catch her mouth with his own.
"Could get used to this," he murmured, taking a large swig of wine as his hand stroked down her face, handing the bottle over with a smile. Alex took it, sipping for a few moments, and then tapping him lightly in the chest with the bottle itself.
"You're a big softie underneath it all," she said, smiling up at him with shining eyes. Gene shifted slightly, pulling her slightly closer and raising an eyebrow, the duvet that had been pulled up to his armpit falling to his waist as he propped himself up on his elbow.
"Soft, 'ey?" He murmured, prying the bottle from her fingers and taking a large swig for himself. His lips brushed up her neck, across her jaw and over her forehead, before he spoke again, his voice gravelly and rough. "Forgotten it already, 'ave you?"
Alex grinned, pressing her mouth to his neck, lips open as she sucked and nibbled lightly at the sensitive skin. "I don't know what you're talking about, Gene," she murmured, drawing back with a devilish grin when his spare hand moved to cover her arse, the other reaching behind her to place the bottle down on the floor. The action brought his body across hers, his weight pressing her down into the airbed as he brought both hands to her face, fingers gentle and tender as they trailed over her neck and chest.
"S'funny..." Gene murmured, kissing the hollow at the base of her throat before moving up towards her ear, "I can't seem to forget..." His tongue sought the soft shell of her ear, sending shivers down her spine as one hand teased beneath the hem of her shirt. "You're perfect, Alex," he murmured, closing his eyes as he rested his cheek briefly on hers, whispering in her ear lightly and feeling the raw emotion that flowed between them. "Never wanna lose you..." his lips were gentle as they traced hers, movements slow and assured before he pulled away, whispering quietly, "I can't lose you..."
"You won't." Her touch on his face was cool, the metal of his mothers ring prominent as she met his eyes with her own. "Yours... only yours..." When her lips brushed his, he nodded, cupping the back of her head and searching her eyes with his penetrating gaze.
"I- I lo-..." he trailed off, looking away and blinking furiously, before whispering, eyes returned to hers, "I'm lost, Alex." His gaze was serious and hard, and Alex couldn't tear herself away for as much as a second. "I'm completely, totally lost to you... an'- an' I can't let you go... I won't..."
She shook her head, lifting herself up onto her elbows and speaking softly, eyes shimmering as her breath brushed across his cheek. "Wouldn't ask you to... wouldn't let you, either, come to think of it..." For a moment, they both stared, Gene's chest rising and falling heavily, Alex's lips parted in anticipation, before suddenly they were embracing –not violently or fiercely, but with a depth of feeling that somehow made the insubstantial airbed seem like luxury, and made the scantily furnished room a five-star hotel; it was perfect, and as their mouths met and their tongues tangled, there was no denying it, no resistance whatsoever- it wasn't needed.
In moment's, Gene's shirt had been pushed eagerly from his shoulders by Alex's confident hands, whilst her top had been pulled from her and dropped aside, followed closely by the thin, sheer fabric of her lacy bra. His lips trailed down to her breasts, hands searching out the fastening on her jeans whilst he covered one taut nipple with his mouth, suckling and licking as Alex's hands pushed down on the back of his head, holding him close to her chest and sighing her pleasure, just as he eased her jeans and knickers down her thighs.
"Missed you," Gene murmured, pulling his mouth away from her breast and kissing slowly down her stomach. "Forgot how good you feel... s'been so long... He reached the triangle between her thighs, pressing soft kisses to her pelvic bone as he drew the remaining garments from her body, placing them next to him before planting an open kiss to her thigh, sucking and licking lightly as he revelled in the sweet sounds of breathless pleasure that escaped Alex's lips. He swiped his tongue tenderly across Alex's centre, feeling her shivers of pleasure, the taste of her body exquisite on the tip of his tongue; it was too much to take. A moment later he was rising up the length of her body once again, lips tracing every inch of skin as he went, before their mouths met once more, his breath heavy.
"Can't wait anymore," he murmured, kissing her cheek softly. "Need you, Alex... Always... want you..."
Alex slipped her hands to his belt, unbuckling it quickly and pushing the trousers and boxers down his legs. "Have me..." she whispered in his ears. "I'm yours, Gene... if you want me, I'm all yours..."
A chuckle resonated in his throat as he kicked off his clothes and pushed his hips against hers, lips suckling on her earlobe briefly before he whispered his reply, smiling to himself. "Always want you, Alex... Never have enough... Always you... Nobody else..." He shifted his weight, lifting her hips up with his hands, mouth still paying homage to her neck and skin as he entered her smoothly, his groan of delight loud in the quiet room. They both stilled, breath brushing across bare skin as the familiar feeling of intimacy, of being so closely conjoined with one another, swept over them. Gene's kisses were soft and gentle on her skin, feather light caresses that made her shiver and sigh. When his hips thrust gently against her, Alex moaned, pushing upwards with her pelvis and kissing his chest reverently as he slowly moved within her.
The heat of her, the smell, the taste on his lips and the sound of her voice, were like perfection. Gene had forgotten, amidst the grief of losing his mother, just how good Alex made him feel. He had of course known, amidst his mourning, just how lucky he was, how very blessed he had to be to have her offering him sanctuary in the haven of her arms, but he hadn't realized how much he missed this; this, the simple wonder of knowing that the woman beneath him was willing, wonderful, and probably the closest to heaven he could hope for.
Her mouth sought his once more, her hips urging harder up at him, silently requesting more, the soft moan that left her throat swallowed up by the heat of their embrace. Gene pulled away, tangling one hand in Alex's hair as his slow thrusts became deeper, harder, eliciting gasps of delight from Alex as he gazed down at her glistening body; she was beautiful. It still struck him, every time, that he had done nothing in this life to merit such good fortune; the soft line of her lips, the deep hazel of her eyes that brimmed with emotion that he neither deserved nor could comprehend... It shook him to the core, and as he moved within her, he could not have torn his gaze from her for anything.
"You feel so good..." he murmured, closing his eyes briefly as she rolled her hips against his, causing him to go rigid as a board as he held back his release with a choked gasp before continuing, slower, more gently... "Perfect..." he whispered, "Never enough... always want more... always want you..." a groan left his lips, sweat beading on his brow and trickling down his face as he continued to whisper to her, his words sweet, quiet concessions of sentiment that echoed in Alex's ears as she looked up at him, her pleasure at their union combining with a strong, overwhelming rush of love as he moved inside her, his thrusts growing deeper, stronger, rocking her body with delight.
"Beautiful..." Gene gasped, his hand tightening on her waist and head as his speed increased. "Never been like this..." His lips traced the lines of her face, mouth whispering across her cheekbones and lips as he continued speaking. "Nobody else... just you... Alex..." He caught her mouth gently, sucking on her lower lip briefly before letting out a soft breath, before kissing her more deeply, the hand that rested on her hip sliding between their slick bodies and searching for the sensitive bud of nerves that lay nestled between her thighs.
"My Alex..." he murmured, pinching and caressing her clitoris until she was writhing and whimpering beneath him, his mouth clamping down on her neck as a groan of lust shook his body, her channel clamping down on him as she shook with orgasm, tearing his release from him. His final thrusts were erratic and hard, each one punctuated with a loud, possessive growl of "mine." The last exclamation was loud and rough, and as he released and collapsed on top of her, he was shocked by his own raw honesty in the depths of passion. He rolled aside, pulling her into his chest, lips in her hair as his voice dropped once more to a soft whisper.
"Just you," he said, stroking her back with his long fingers, feeling her shiver and press closer to him. "Always gunna be you, Alex..."
She turned her face up to him, her hand cupping his face as she spoke, eyes locked onto his. "I love you, Gene," she whispered, tracing her thumb across his mouth. He was still, his jaw tight as he met her gaze, and then nodded, almost imperceptibly.
"Yeah," he murmured tiredly, resting his forehead on hers, "that's what I wanted to say..." His arms went around her waist, tugging her into his chest as he closed his eyes, nuzzling lightly at her hair as he added, softly, "like living with you already, Alex."
Alex smiled, "me too, Gene... Go to sleep."
"Mmm... yeah... 'kay..." he kissed her sweetly, before pulling away, waiting several minutes before speaking. "I do though, Alex..." he yawned, holding her tighter. "Y'know that, don't yer?"
She nodded, tears pricking at her eyes. "Yes," she whispered, "I know."
----
When Alex awoke, it was to find a heavy weight sprawled across her stomach, and Gene's hands tenderly caressing her cheek. Fitz looked up at her contentedly, apparently bored of his basket downstairs, his head resting on her hip, whilst his tail thumped repeatedly on Gene's side of the bed.
"Morning," she murmured, meeting Gene's eyes and feeling her stomach flip slightly at the disarray that was his hair in the early light of morning, and the slight puffiness of his eyes. In the grey, dim light, the blue irises shone back at her, intense and warm, and Alex's mouth slipped into a smile of true happiness as Gene's lips ghosted over hers.
"Mornin'," he replied, tangling a stray lock of hair around his fingers.
"Your dog's squashing the air out of my lungs..." Alex said, giving Fitz a light shove in the ribs. He didn't move, except to briefly lap his tongue at her hand, and then continue thumping his tail as though nothing had happened.
Gene grinned, slapping the dog's sides playfully and ruffling the fur until it stood on end. "Good dog," he crooned jokingly, earning a slap on the arm from Alex as she gasped her indignation. He looked as though he were about to say something, but stopped, laughing softly as he reached behind Alex's head and drew away the skimpy knickers she had been wearing the previous evening. "Nice," he muttered, grinning. "Attractive... really... d'you always sleep on yer knickers, Alex?"
Alex snatched them from his fingers, blushing and tossing the offending garment over the side of the bed. "It's your fault!" She argued.
Gene nodded, still smiling. "I'm not complaining, Bols, just wonderin' if I should put me boxers on my head an' all." After another slap, he laughed again, lifting Fitz by the hind legs and pushing him down the bed as he rolled to lie above Alex. "Don't worry," he murmured, lips tracing her pulse and twitching into a smile. "Any time you fancy fannyin' about with yer knickers on yer head jus' let me know... It's sorta givin' me the 'orn thinking about it..."
"Mmmm..." Alex sighed, stroking his back with gentle fingers. "You're as bad as Fitz, you know?"
"How so?" Gene murmured, hands cupping her breast lightly, and Alex found it momentarily difficult to breathe.
"Oh you know... completely incorrigible – a walking sack of testosterone... shagging at every available opportunity..." Alex trailed off as Gene chuckled, his fingers running down her bare torso as his breath tickled the skin of her neck.
"Too right," he murmured, still chuckling, "Man's gotta do what a man's gotta do..." His lips traced up to her face, tenderly brushing hers before he rolled his hips against her leg.
"Mmm... maybe..." Alex's mouth found his jaw, nibbling and sucking lightly before she murmured, "But I think the dogs knackers will have to go..."
The result was instantaneous; the hard length of his erection, which was previously pressed firmly into Alex's thigh, was gone, and Gene rolled quickly away from her to the other side of the bed, looking horrified. "You what?" His voice had risen an octave, and Alex snorted.
"Gene, he mounts every female dog within a ten mile radius! Some owners don't want their dog to be impregnated by-"
"Yer can't cut the poor buggers bits off!" Gene retorted, and Alex caught the wince that flashed across his face, laughing as his hand instinctively cupped his crotch in a protective gesture.
"I'm not asking you to get rid of yours!" Alex giggled, rolling onto her side and reaching out to touch his arm. Gene shifted slightly backward, shaking his head and glancing over to Fitz, who sat, apparently oblivious, looking up at Alex with his tail wagging enthusiastically, head resting on his paws. "I just don't think you'd be too happy with numerous half-breed puppies underfoot Gene, but if you're sure then-"
"I ain't sayin' he should slip all of 'em a quickie in the street," Gene argued, "just that a blokes only a bloke when he's got his- y'know..." he waved a hand in his crotch area, "when it's all in tact down 'ere..."
Alex rolled her eyes. "Do you ever want to be breeding puppies, Gene?"
"Well, no, but it don't change the fact that-"
He was interrupted as Alex held up a hand. "Fine, he can keep them-" she rolled onto her back and shrugged, "but next time he leaps on some poor unsuspecting bitch-"
"There's no need to be nasty, Alex-"
"-and gives her a little puppy to look after, then you can explain to the poor dogs owner that you couldn't bear to see your friend separated from his little 'minions'!" At the last, she waggled her fingers, and Gene visibly shuddered. "And then," Alex went on, "you can find homes for the fifty mongrel puppies that nobody will want." Her eyebrows rose, as though daring him to argue, and Gene ground his jaw.
"It ain't natural." He said stiffly, pulling on his boxers as though in an effort to protect himself from Alex's determination. "You've got a meat an' two veg for a reason; it'd be like.... like bangers an' mash, but without the mash, and with just the banger..."
"Sounds perfectly acceptable to me," Alex smirked, waggling her eyebrows seductively. "Nothing wrong with a good... banger..." The emphasis caused Gene to groan, rolling off the bed away from Alex and grinning slightly as it sagged beneath her.
"You want me sausage Bols, you can't cut off his veggies," he jerked his head at Fitz, who yapped briefly before rolling onto his back. Alex was grinning, the duvet falling to her waist as she sat up, breasts clearly displayed and providing an all too prominent distraction as Gene stared blankly.
"That's fine, Gene, I can wait..." her lips quirked again as she murmured suggestively, "but can you?"
His eyes remained firmly fixed on her breasts, and it was only when Alex cleared her throat that he blinked, meeting her eyes with mild disinterest. "What'd you say?" His gaze returned to her chest after barely a second.
With a victorious smile on her lips, Alex through the covers over a disgruntled looking Fitz and sat back, eyebrows raised invitingly. "How long can you wait, Gene? I might well spend the whole day wiggling, and jiggling, and twirling, completely butt-naked..." she chewed her lip thoughtfully, then smiled, standing up and moving towards the door. "I think I'll go and dust the living room floor – do we have curtains yet?"
Gene's eyebrows flew upwards, and then he was across the room in three strides, pinning her to the wall with a soft growl. "Not fair, Alex," he murmured, pressing his mouth hard against her neck. "Not my fault you look shaggable as hell..."
"And I shall continue to be thoroughly un-shaggable whilst that dog maintains his 'vegetables'." Gene groaned as, once again, she did that annoying quotation mark thing with her fingers, looking away as he sighed.
"Y'know Bols, in some places dogs bollucks are sacred- rude to cut off sacred goods-"
"Is this because you're scared of me threatening to emasculate you as well?" Alex laughed, her eyes full of amusement. "Because there's really no danger of that – I quite like your whole package."
Gene met her eyes, narrowed slightly, and then nodded. "Fine." He conceded eventually. "Do it... But only if I get to name our first kid whatever I fancy... and I'll warn you now that Gary Baldy Hunt is looking bloody good!"
Alex blinked, staring at him in surprise and shock, but he was already at the bottom of the bed, stroking Fitz's head in a conciliatory gesture, murmuring sympathetically as the unsuspecting hound leapt onto Gene's chest, licking enthusiastically at his cheek.
----
Huge thanks to Feline, as ever :-D
And the plot shall return next chapter, I sincerely promise :P
Mage of the Heart