Harry didn't sleep much that night and was grateful when she saw the dawn light. She got up and showered and then picked out a white capped sleeved tee shirt and a white linen skirt and a navy jacket, she looked smart and cool as the weather was very hot and the offices weren't air conditioned. She slipped on a pair of navy, high heeled sandals and picked up her handbag.

Her heart was thumping hard as she pulled into the SI10 car park, Dempsey had beaten her to it which was unusual to say the least and when she entered the office, she found Spiking's rather attractive secretary, Josie sat on her desk and chatting to her partner. Ignoring them she went and made some tea and was called in by Spikings and given a raft of files on the two cases he'd mentioned yesterday.

'Excuse me,' she said brightly to Josie removing her from the desk as she landed the armful of files. She sat down and started to read through them whilst giving James covert glances to try and read his mood.

Dempsey lit a cigar and did his expenses for the month as she ploughed her way through the reports. She looked all bright and crisp so she'd obviously slept well; he'd gone home drank a few whiskeys and then stayed up watching late night television which had been a bunch of crap. Expenses done he got up and went to chat to Chas while Makepeace decided which case they would take up.

Harry decided on the gun running as she'd had her fill of drug cartels with the Sanchez case and this was minor compared to that. The gun running was more institutionalised rule breaking while certain people looked the other way and she guessed the Home Office had an interest. She gave the files on the drugs case to Chas and said they'd take the other one.

Dempsey followed her back to the desk and she silently handed over the material on the gun running operation which he took from her without a thank you and started to peruse.

So that was what it was going to be like, terrific he wasn't even speaking to her. She went and made another cup of tea and made him a coffee as a peace offering. He ignored the coffee. Okay she got it, bad mood and bad Harry.

Dempsey put the files down and issued his plan of action. 'There's only four suppliers in the country so we need to go visit them and see what shakes loose, they're in the Midlands, Manchester and North Wales we're gonna have to spend some time on the road I'll get Josie to book the rooms, two days each place.'

Harry nodded well that was lovely eight days of travel and hotels on their own after a major falling out, super. Harry and Chas made appointments with the arms manufacturers, Josie booked the rooms and typed up their schedule with a copy to Spikings.

'I'll go home and pack and meet you back here,' Harry informed him in a cool tone willing him to relent and return to their usual friendly banter but that wasn't on the menu apparently.

'Okay,' Dempsey answered being economic with words which wasn't like him. Eight days with the princess and the temperature read cool to freezing, wonderful. He picked up his jacket and drove back to his apartment and threw stuff into a suitcase since they were going to company headquarters he guessed he needed to pack the good stuff, smart jackets and chinos instead of jeans.

He zipped the case and then heard the doorbell ring and was surprised to find Makepeace outside his apartment. 'Thought I was meeting you back at the office,' he growled.

'And I thought it might be better to clear the air before we start on the road trip,' Harry took off her jacket as it was warm and laid it on the couch. Her blue eyes held his gaze apologetically and she gave a soft sigh, 'I'm sorry James, I've been an idiot and I don't blame you for being mad at me.'

'Thanks,' he said in an even tone not letting it go. 'Okay well I'm ready and now you've got that off your chest maybe we should drop one of the cars back at the pool or leave one here.'

'You're impossible,' she was upset at his unrelenting behaviour. 'What do you want?' Harry asked in an exasperated tone.

'Well I want a real girl and if you find one send her my way,' Dempsey picked up his holdall and walked out leaving her to shut the door behind her.

Harry was seething but she followed and it looked like they were taking his car as that's where Dempsey put his bag so she got her case locked her car and put her luggage in his boot or trunk as he preferred to call it. She just about closed the passenger door as he drove off.

'Buckle up,' he advised as he drove them swiftly out of the city and headed for the motorway. So what did sorry mean in Harry language and as to what he wanted then basically Makepeace with her backbone in tact rather than the tentative born again virgin. Still he guessed the last few weeks had been tough on both of them as the trauma of separation probably went both ways. She'd left cos she didn't want to see him die, cos she cared about him. Harry'd lost partners before there was the gay guy she'd worked with and then the other stiff in the market when they'd first met. She'd been a bit subdued and attended the funerals but she hadn't handed in her badge.

'After I get on the motorway it's down to you with the map,' he informed her, 'side pocket. We should be at the hotel about four do you want to stop for lunch somewhere.'

'Are you going to talk to me?' Harry asked as she looked at the map. 'Or are you just going to sulk,' she asked glancing over at him. She knew Dempsey if he wanted to he could stay in a bad mood for days, for example when his ex Simone turned up and he hadn't wanted her at his place. Or when they'd fallen out over the stupid car keys, he'd kept that up for ages and it had been his fault all along. Only this time it wasn't his fault it was hers and she supposed that having admitted his feelings he'd expected something more from her and she'd basically bottled out. In fact she'd behaved like a virgin on her wedding night, she coloured at that thought.

The truth was that since she'd started to feel the way she did about Dempsey she hadn't really engaged with other men so it had been a while. And also it was a huge barrier to get over since she'd been protecting herself from her feelings for him for what seemed forever.

'I'm not sulking I'm recalibrating,' he looked over at her. 'You found the junction we come off yet cos I don't want to end up in Bristol rather than Birmingham.'

Harry named the junction and told him which direction to head in after they'd come off. 'It's a while yet, we can see if there are any nice pubs on the route.' What did he mean recalibrating, had he got fed up with her and decided to withdraw from their embryonic relationship. She watched the confident way he handled the steering wheel and had to admit that always turned her on a little. He always drove fast but he was a good driver and didn't take unnecessary risks; in a car chase though it was a wild ride. His skin was tanned but underneath the watch it was paler and he had nice hands.

'You want to know the time or something,' he noticed she was staring at his hands and wondered what the hell that was about. Her perfume was teasing his senses and she kept crossing and uncrossing her legs which was driving him nuts. 'And stop fidgeting for chrissakes what's the problem?'

'No problem,' she looked at the map again. 'The junction's coming up shortly we need to go cross country on the A34 towards Oxford.'

'Yeah you said that,' he came off the motorway and headed down the A34 and decided he needed a break when they got nearer to Oxford.

'The Trout Inn at Godstow is near here I'll give you directions for that,' she guided them to the pub and they parked and made their way through the olde English hostelry and found a table outside in the sunshine. 'This is lovely,' Harry smiled.

'Yeah it's nice, what do you want to drink,' she named her usual tipple and he went to get their drinks and bought back a menu. 'Food stops at two so you need to choose quickly,' he already decided on what he wanted while he was at the bar.

Harry decided and James went to place the order, and then they were sat facing each other there were kids racing around the gardens so it wasn't an awkward silence but it could have been.

She sipped her drink and looked over at him. 'So what does a real girl do, James?' The question almost surprised her as much as him.

His dark eyes flashed over her and he delayed answering by taking a swig of beer and then he got into it. 'Why are you so nervous of me, you've known me for years? What the hell d'you think I'm going to do to you?'

'I've been asking myself the same question,' she admitted a bit shamefaced. 'I think it's because I've been so defensive and I wasn't sure whether you just wanted another conquest; I mean let's face it you're a flirt.'

'Yeah I flirt, flirting helps the world go round. What can I say; I ain't ugly and girls like me,' he shrugged. 'You're so hot you don't have to flirt guys' are all over you anyway and you just treat them like they can't help it in kind of a patronising way.'

'I do not,' Harry flicked him a disdainful glance. 'It would be just nice if you'd show a little patience with me until I get used to you that way.'

Dempsey thought about that and decided that he could probably live with it if he had to. 'How do you plan on getting used to me,' he took hold of her hand and played with her fingers. 'I wasn't gonna push it last night anyway but you seemed to be acting like a sacrificial virgin. I had half a mind to take up the offer just to get you over it.'

Harry put her other hand over his. 'It might have been better if you had,' her fingertips traced over his fingers and over the back of his hand. 'I like your hands,' her blue eyes met his with a warmth that took him back a little. 'I was thinking that earlier and I didn't realize I was staring.'

'You were driving me crazy with the leg crossing and I could smell your perfume it's not exactly easy dealing with that on a day to day basis.'

'I'll try not to do that,' she offered helpfully. 'We can treat the road trip like a working holiday and get more comfortable with being together that way,' Harry blushed as she made the offer. 'Unless that's not what you want?'

'Let's not start that again,' he growled. 'Okay we can go at your pace and I'll try to be patient like you said….

'And don't make fun of me, you keep looking amused if I'm a bit nervous and it's not helping….

'I promise not to be amused,' he tried to subdue a smile and his warm gaze held hers. 'Makepeace you're a piece of work you know that?' Their sandwiches arrived and that was the end of that conversation.

Harry felt a bit better and Dempsey felt like the 'holiday' might have more going for it than he'd anticipated.