She takes a few minutes in front of the mirror to tidy her hair back into some sort of order, to consider and then immediately rule out reapplying lipstick, but mostly to just catch her breath. There's a light in her eyes she hasn't seen for a while, and she likes how it looks, she likes how she feels. She doesn't know what this is, this thing between them, not really. What she does know is that it's been bubbling under the surface, getting stronger and stronger, for so long that it was inevitably going to reach this point. She thinks again about the morning she woke up completely unsure of what had happened between them the previous night, her brain unhelpfully supplying image after image only serving to confuse rather than clarify. Adding to the confusion was her disappointment...not at the thought of having slept with him, but at not being able to remember a thing about it if she had. That's when she knew she was in trouble and that there was probably only one way she was going to get out of it.
She spots him standing to the side of the door as she walks into the lobby, her coat over his arm, and a faraway look on his face.
"Well, well, look at you, exactly where you're meant to be." She crosses to him and takes her coat, putting it on and then reaching to take his hand. "It seems you do listen to me occasionally, after all."
"I listen to you all the time, Harry." He shrugs and she feels him squeeze her hand as he leans in towards her. "To the important stuff anyway."
The December chill hits her as soon as they step outside and she feels for him in only his jacket while she's quite cosy in her coat. There isn't a taxi in sight and she wonders if they might be in for a long, cold wait.
"Jeez, it's cold." He shivers beside her and she turns to him, sliding her arms under his jacket and moving her hands slowly across his lower back. "Keep doing that though and I might start to forget just how cold."
"How about this?" She pushes herself firmly against him, her hips exactly where she wants them, and she feels his body respond to her, impressive given the cold. Unable to resist, she tilts her hips slightly and he lets out a sound that lands somewhere between a growl and a moan. "Warmer now?"
"You're killing me here, partner." That was definitely closer to a growl, and it sends a bolt of heat running through her body.
"Well, we can't possibly allow that to happen. I'd have nobody to unzip my dress." She smiles up at him, and then catches sight of someone over his shoulder, leaving the party and heading down the steps. "Looks like Diana's leaving. Could be your last chance, Dempsey…"
He says nothing, instead she feels his hand on her chin, gently turning her face to his before his lips move to cover hers. The kiss is hard, almost aggressive in its hunger, and it leaves her and likely anyone else in the vicinity in no doubt of who he's taking his chance on tonight. She feels a growing need begin to coil deep inside her belly and it awakens a desire she hasn't felt in a while. Along with the desire is a freedom, a feeling of lightness that comes with finally allowing herself to go with her instincts, with how she feels, what she wants. Tonight she has kissed her partner, let him know in no uncertain terms that he's coming home with her, they've essentially been sprung by their superior officer, and now she's in his arms in full view of anyone who might be leaving the party to head home. A tiny glimmer of something more familiar creeps in, an urge to pull back, to regain control, to return to her more sensible self. She feels it trying to battle with her newfound sense of release but she pushes it forcefully away and refuses to let it spoil her fun.
"In case that wasn't clear…" He pulls back and runs his thumbs across her cheekbones, his gaze fixed firmly on her. "Susie from Traffic never stood a chance."
"Diana from Fraud…" she murmurs, not that it matters.
"Whatever." He shrugs and there's a sweet smile threatening his lips. "If she ain't Harry from SI10, I don't care."
"Well, Harry from SI10 is starting to wonder why she thought her partner leaving his car behind was a good idea." She reluctantly pulls her arms out from under his jacket and reaches to take his hand once again, tangling her fingers in his. "Come on, I think we might have more luck with a taxi if we walk up to the main road."
They start to walk and she's thankful she didn't opt for heels any higher than the ones she has on. They haven't been walking for long when his hand squeezes hers and she senses he has something to say.
"Don't take this the wrong way because I'm glad you did, but…" She has an idea where he's going with his line of questioning, but she'll let him finish. "What made you, you know...why tonight?"
"Like I said, I'm ready to stop fighting it, but I suppose I was spurred on by...Christmas, mistletoe, a few glasses of wine, and it just felt like a good time to step out from behind my little fence." She's telling the truth, but she doesn't really have an answer to exactly why she chose tonight, let alone the fairly public setting of their office party to finally give in to how she feels.
"Hey…" His shoulder gently nudges hers and she smiles. "If I'd had any idea, I would've kicked that fence down for you anytime."
"Mm…I'm sure you would." They reach a corner and she starts to look around for a taxi. "What do you mean, if you'd had any idea? Am I really so difficult to read?"
"Most of the time, yeah, you're…almost impossible to read." He shrugs and runs a hand through his hair, a slightly awkward look on his face. "You spend a lot of time making it seem like I'm the last thing you want."
"Well, you're not." She knows she can be guarded, can seem standoffish, but she really thought she'd been giving off some signals recently, enough to let him know that her feelings had started to change, that she might be open to something more. "The last thing I want, I mean. You're definitely...not that."
"Good to know." He grins and pulls her to him, something she realises she really could get used to. "Remember I asked you if you were always a good little copper, if you ever let loose, got wild?"
"Mm, and as I recall I said no, never." She slips her hand inside his jacket again and runs it slowly across his stomach, feeling his muscles contract under her touch. "It appears I wasn't entirely truthful, Lieutenant."
"Good thing you weren't under oath or I'd have to arrest you." His hands move inside her coat and if they carry on this way they're in real danger of being arrested anyway.
"Well if I didn't know better…I'd comment on how you conveniently decided to bring your gun tonight." She pauses and he pulls her even closer until she's pressed tight against him, unable to hold in her grin. "Or maybe that's just my Christmas present in your pocket."
"Makepeace..?" He runs his hand slowly down her back and the intensity in his gaze sends her stomach into yet another round of somersaults. "We really need to find a cab. I mean, soon, like now."
"You're right. It would be such a shame for us to freeze to death before we even make it to bed, Dempsey." Taking hold of his hand again she steps closer to the road and by some miracle spots a taxi heading towards them, flagging it down and turning to smile at him. "See, piece of cake."
"Harry! I thought that was you." The driver leans out of the window and grins at her. "You don't half scrub up nice, girl. Hop in then!"
"Terry, you're an absolute life saver, I swear." She quickly gets into the taxi, grateful for the instant rush of warmth as she settles into the seat and feels Dempsey climbing in next to her.
"Heading to your place, darlin'?" Terry glances in the mirror and pulls back into the traffic. "Still at the same address?"
"Yes please." She smiles and slides her hand onto Dempsey's thigh, squeezing slightly and leaning against him.
"How've you been?" Terry grins at her in the mirror. "Still busy rubbing shoulders with London's undesirables?"
"Well, it's a dirty job, Terry, but somebody has to do it." She returns his grin.
"I still don't quite get why you do it though. Not when you could be one of them supermodels earning a fortune." She shakes her head at his shameless flattery and sees his grin widen. "Heard on the grapevine they've given you a Yank to drag around with you?"
"Indeed they have." She points her thumb at Dempsey and grins. "Terry, meet James Dempsey."
"Bloody hell, didn't expect taking him home on a Friday night to be in the job description. Your guvnor must've relaxed a bit since I last saw him." He winks at her in the mirror and she laughs.
"Speaking of the grapevine, I haven't heard a thing about you, which is very encouraging." She turns to Dempsey and her fingers start to move slowly up and down his thigh. "Terry was an informant of mine for a long time before he turned over a new leaf a couple of years ago and left a life of debauchery for a life driving a taxi."
"How's that working out?" Dempsey asks, sounding genuinely curious.
"Oh, you know, can't complain. It's keeping me out of trouble, and it keeps the missus happy." Terry says, meeting Dempsey's eyes in the mirror. "Can't go too wrong if the missus is happy, that's my experience."
"Good advice, Terry." She sees Dempsey grin at Terry as he raises a thumb. "I'll remember that."
She doesn't look at him but she feels herself blushing and she's glad of the lack of light in the back of the car. She's glad too when the taxi eventually turns into her street and they pull into her driveway. She pulls some money from her bag and starts to reach towards the divider to hand it over.
"Don't you think for a minute I'm taking a penny off you, sweetheart." Terry turns to look at them from the driver's seat, shaking his head. "It's been a delight to see you, Harry."
"You too, Terry, but come on…" She tries again, waving the money at him. "It's a Friday night in December, you should be out there raking it in, not giving two slightly tipsy detectives a lift home."
"If I can't drive my favourite copper home then there's no point in me even having this taxi." Terry's tone is firm and she gives in, sighing and reluctantly putting the money away. "Now if I am going get back out there and make some dosh tonight you'd better bugger off."
"Well, thank you, and keep doing what you're doing, Terry." She smiles at him as she reaches for the door handle. "The straight and narrow seems to be agreeing with you."
She's about to climb out of the car when Dempsey reaches into his pocket and pulls out his wallet, leaning towards the front of the taxi.
"I get why you won't take Harry's money but this is mine so I figure I'm safe." He slides the notes into Terry's hand, nodding as he takes it. "Good to meet you, Terry."
"Got yourself a good one here, Harry. For a Yank." Terry winks at her and she feels herself smiling as she starts to get out of the car. "Have a good night, both of you."