This was my first D&M so I thought I'd re-post it as it was probably the best of my earlier efforts. This story follows an episode in the third series 'The Burning'
'Well it seems like the Yank has done us proud,' Spikings beamed at the rest of the office it was a Friday afternoon and everyone was feeling just that little bit euphoric at the thought of the weekend; it had been a very hard week.
'Mara Giardino and Coltrane wrapped up like a present with a bow on top, upstairs are very pleased and I think a promotion is in the offing so our Lieutenant will become a Detective Inspector before too long and he may even get a piece of tin.'
'He'll love that,' Makepeace said drily knowing Dempsey didn't think much of medals for anything. She was pleased at the acknowledgement of his rank in UK terms as she guessed Inspector and Lieutenant were the same grade in reality. It was a formal recognition of his role in the team; she was expecting her review board shortly and would be disappointed if she didn't get the promotion.
She'd missed Dempsey over the past three months as he'd been under deep cover and been very difficult to contact which made Harry's job as control practically superfluous. His idea of maintaining contact didn't meet her requirements to fulfil her role.
The fact he turned up in her bedroom when she was asleep or made a car chase necessary to tell him to stand down from the operation hadn't made her life easy. Add to that she'd had to threaten to shoot him to stop him from shooting Coltrane.
And then there was the other part of it which had kept her off centre since she'd said it. Harry had told Dempsey she cared for him which went against the grain in their battle of the sexes.
Harry felt her partner's presence before she saw him but that wasn't because he'd erupted into the office with his normal macho banter, he hadn't said a word and took all the back slapping in his stride.
He poured himself a coffee and came over to her desk and sat on it his dark hazel gaze running over her as if he was noting every detail of her physical presence. 'Hey,' he murmured softly, 'what's up?'
'Good to have you back,' she told him coolly. 'Spikings' is very pleased with you which must mean he's stuck it to another division because that's what gives him pleasure,' she smiled her blue eyes searching his. 'Are you all right Dempsey you seem… different?' It was as if he was still wearing another mask not the normal Dempsey, harder less approachable.
'Takes a while to move out of deep cover,' he accepted a file from Chas with a brief, 'thanks.' The Joey thing was still getting to him even though Makepeace had given him a kind of absolution on that. Then there was Harry and the 'caring about him' thing and that had hit him right in the gut.
'We should celebrate your success. Do you want to celebrate with the boys tonight or would you like to come to a wine and cheese at my place with the usual crowd,' Makepeace would normally have let him name the celebration but she hadn't been expecting him back today and had already made arrangements so if he chose SI10 over her offer she wouldn't be able to attend.
Dempsey had made a decision about his relationship with Harry and he wanted to act on it before he talked himself out of it. 'I'll come to your place, cancel the wine and cheese,' his dark eyes held hers. 'Re-arrange it,' he growled taking a gulp of the coffee and wincing, 'this don't get any better, I'll be there around 7 p.m. and if anyone else is there I'll get rid of them for you.'
Harry raised her eyebrows with aristocratic hauteur but something in his manner told her it wasn't the time to pick a fight. 'Certainly James, anything else; food preferences, wine, dress code,' her familiar cool tone made a smile tug at his lips.
'Wear something pretty,' he responded his gaze flicking over her appreciatively. 'It's good to see you Harry,' he turned as Chas turned up at his shoulder. 'Yeah, yeah Spikings wants a report I know the drill,' he got up and went into Spikings office and stayed there for most of the afternoon with the governor's secretary manning the typewriter.
-oOo—
Harry felt a bit nervous about the evening ahead; she'd rang her friends to tell them the evening was off making work the excuse which wasn't strictly true. Dempsey was part of her work but he was also part of her social life and had been for three years.
Her partner was different, she couldn't really put a finger on how he was different, she just knew and she wasn't exactly sure which Dempsey she'd get tonight. Being honest with herself she knew arrogant, cocky Lieutenant Dempsey annoyed her but attracted her at the same time.
The more sensitive James she saw on occasions was the man she loved but it was all a mixture of different aspects of his personality. He could be very tough to get along with and he could be extremely charming depending on which Dempsey you got.
He always had her back though and that was something you couldn't say about many people and certainly not of her less than stellar ex-husband who'd made her very uncertain about her attraction as a woman.
Harry knew men reacted to her blonde, blue eyed beauty but always felt something of a fake. She feared that if a man got too close and she let her guard down, they'd find her lacking and move onto someone who was better at it.
It being sex, and since Dempsey was well known to be very successful with the ladies she'd always felt as if she had feet of clay when it came to that side of things.
She decided to wear a dress that was sexy but didn't look like she was asking for it. Harry didn't like to be too obvious about her attractions so there were plenty to choose from she selected an ice blue, silk dress with a modest décolletage, a hint of cleavage but not an obvious display. The dress length showed of her tanned legs and she put on a pair of pretty, diamante sandals which gave her a little extra height. She had been growing her hair longer and she had a loose fish tail plait over one shoulder and was pleased with her appearance, she looked good.
It was a warm, summer evening and she opened the windows to let the cooler air in and checked the champagne was chilled, she also had some caviar and small biscuits ready as a reminder of their first assignment. When the doorbell rang she nearly jumped out of her skin and realised how tense she was, this was stupid it was Dempsey; they'd practically lived in each other's pockets for the last three years.
Harry answered the door with as much composure as she could muster and gulped slightly as she noticed he'd made an effort. He was dressed in a shirt and tie with a linen jacket and a pair of chinos rather than jeans; he looked very attractive and his hair for once had been tamed and looked perfectly groomed. He handed her a single white rose and offered her a bottle of Cristal champagne.
'For the lady,' he smiled at her as he offered the gifts. 'You look beautiful but then you always look beautiful,' he followed her in. 'I'd think about you here when I was in a dark place; the princess in her tower, didn't really make the cover much easier to be honest,' he added dryly.
'It's nice to know you remembered me,' she responded tartly taking the rose and enjoying the scent before she popped the single bloom into a slim, cut crystal vase and put the champagne in the fridge. She opened her bottle expertly and poured them both a glass. 'To your return,' she toasted him.
Her blue gaze searched his as she addressed his behaviour during the last operation. 'You didn't keep in touch during the last operation; in fact, when I tried to contact you; you didn't look pleased to see me at all.' Harry had been hurt by that, she'd been worried about him and wanted to make sure he was all right. She'd also been worried about female distractions which to be honest were inevitable where Dempsey was concerned.
'You could have blown my cover,' he growled, 'it was your idea that I get closer to Mara Giardino which by the way bugged me, and to be honest it was worse seeing you than not seeing you.'
He put down the champagne and came over to her taking her glass out of her hand. In the difficult weeks and months he'd spent under cover, constantly in danger of exposure and possible certain death, in that crucible, he had decided on one thing and that was that he was gonna risk everything to have a chance with Harry.
Harry was now feeling decidedly nervous Dempsey seemed very decisive about something and she had a feeling it was something about them, about their relationship. He was closing in on her and every cell in her body felt super sensitive to his proximity she swallowed hard but didn't trust her voice as she was afraid that her inner feeling of panic would be only too evident.
James ran his hands up and down her arms the bare skin warm and smooth to the touch the longed for feel of her skin, the perfume she wore, just being in her company; he'd craved that. His blood was thundering through his veins and his heart was beating its way out of his body. Say something you idiot he berated himself, go for it!
His dark gaze ran over her beautiful face she looked like a deer in the headlights, half scared but standing her ground, Makepeace had a lot of spirit he had to give her that.
He forced himself to speak his voice tone low and deep with emotion. 'Harry, when it came to it I didn't shoot Coltrane because of what you said and if you really do care,' his gaze moved from her eyes to her lips and back again, 'don't say no to me,' he whispered as one hand tipped up her jaw and his mouth came down on hers with the kind of passion that wasn't polite, the hunger only too evident.
Harry was somewhat shocked into immobility by Dempsey's direct approach, at the very least she'd expected to be charmed and seduced into it. She got back into the game when he lifted her in his arms and took her into the bedroom.
'So that's it; you just come back and take me to bed? What's the matter Mara didn't work out and I'm the next port of call?' Her blue eyes blazed into his as he put her back onto her feet. 'Dempsey what's the hell's got into you?' She shivered as he pulled her close the strength of his arms and the hardness of his body were having a very undermining effect; years of wanting him were ganging up on her somewhat.
'You care about me,' he murmured as his thumb moved caressingly behind her ear in small seductive circles his hand warm on the nape of her neck, his dark gaze mesmeric as it held hers. 'Well right now I need you and I need to be with you as in you're my girl, my baby, my princess… So what I gotta ask is, are you woman enough to take the risk,' he swallowed hard. 'C'mon Harry it's crunch time, I'm sick of the advance and retreat it's like watching the damned tide go in and out; I was out there alone in the dark and all I wanted was to finish it and get back to you; get back to this.'
His head descended and he took her mouth again and pulled her up against him his hands running over her body his need only too overtly expressed. He broke the kiss to drag in much needed oxygen and then his mouth burnt on her throat. 'If you say no to me, I won't ask again and you won't see me, not outside work anyway.'
Harry took a deep breath her blue eyes confused on his; her whole system jolted with shock by Dempsey's demanding behaviour. 'That's something of an ultimatum,' she gave a slight gasp as he increased his attentions to her neck. She knew she couldn't risk the kind of estrangement he described as Dempsey didn't make idle threats but she resented the heavy pressure she was under. 'I won't say no to you James but I had imagined this happening with less of a demand to supply approach.'
Dempsey understood but he didn't really think more time would help; now was the moment and retreating would buy him nothing. 'You're right but on the other hand I can't help feeling we could circle each other for another year waiting for the right moment,' his fingers stroked her hair back. 'Go with me on this one princess, have some faith.' His mouth descended on hers as he found the zip on her dress.
Harry dragged her mouth away from the pleasure of his kiss. 'I have faith in you it's just….. She didn't have faith in herself and she was scared that she'd disappoint him. The blonde shivered as he undressed her and shouldered off his jacket.
'Get my shirt,' he growled as he dispensed with the tie. He had noticed that Harry whilst being reluctantly appreciative of his attentions wasn't really getting in on the deal in terms of touching him, he could sense her uncertainty and gave a sigh of exasperation and pulled the shirt over his head. 'C'mon Harry, what the hell…. He gave a heartfelt groan at her hurt expression and instinctively realised there was something going on with her. 'Its okay princess, just relax and leave it to me, I'll take care of you.'
Harry wasn't used to being taken care of but when James used that warm, caring tone she melted into a pile of goo. That particular vocal skill had brought her out of the darkness with the Thriller Killer and persuaded her to stay by her partner's side on many an occasion when good sense had told her to stick to the rules and safeguard her career. And in this instance leaving it to James seemed to be the safest option.
In a rush of heat and passion they were both naked on the bed with his larger frame contouring hers as his mouth seduced hers; he tasted of champagne, cigars and Dempsey. He'd snatched kisses with her here and there during the years but this was different; his kiss was seducing her senses his tongue sliding against hers coaxing her into a heated response. And the light tormenting touch over her breasts was driving her crazy her body arching into his; she couldn't keep her hips on the bed.
James dragged his mouth from hers to breathe deeply his gaze running over her disturbed expression, 'I've imagined this moment a million times,' he growled. He saw her gaze mock him slightly. 'Not like that,' he kissed her softly. 'Well maybe at first,' he smiled in a self-deprecatory manner.
His fingertips trailed over her inner thigh and he felt her breath hitch. 'I need you, Harry,' his touch found the heart of her and her eyes closed and she bit her lower lip; that turned him on so hard. 'Look at me,' he coaxed her as his touch worked its magic. The blue, passionate blaze of her eyes nearly took him out and he had to quickly think of something to push back his natural reaction.
Harry felt exposed as she opened her eyes as if he could see into her soul but she couldn't keep anything back in that moment and then the shock of the rush of ecstasy at his skilful touch made her cry out; it was involuntary she couldn't help herself. She felt the brush of his hair against her body as he kissed his way down to her thighs; Oh God, he couldn't, she couldn't….. The scorching heat he created burnt through her body like a flame and she sighed with heartfelt relief when his body forged into hers and soothed the increasing ache of need.
Later as she lay on his chest he wondered about her sexual experience. She was responsive when he touched her, went up in flames in a totally gratifying way but she'd been on the shy side when it came to initiating anything with him. Well shy didn't exactly describe it; reluctant or nervous would just about cover it. He didn't understand that; if Harry touched him he'd be so damned turned on she would be in no doubt of his reaction.
'I can hear you thinking,' she said quietly. 'Sorry if I didn't make the grade as your girl Dempsey, I'm a good copper though maybe we should stick to that,' she lifted herself off his chest and pulled on a robe and disappeared into the bathroom. The shower went on.
'What the hell was that?' He growled getting up and pulling on his chino's feeling annoyed at her lack of pillow talk. She was obviously feeling upset about something and since they'd had quite a party last night he didn't really understand what was wrong. He made coffee and put water in the kettle to make tea for her. He was through his second cup of Joe before she came into the kitchen looking all prim and proper and as if sex didn't exist in her world.
'The shower is free,' she offered in a cool tone as she deftly made herself some tea. Harry was feeling terribly self-conscious and wished that she'd kept her mouth shut on her grade score. She should have toughed it out and licked her wounds in private when he'd gone.
'I can see you've vacated the bathroom, Harry,' he responded sarcastically. 'What's wrong? You're acting as if I've upset you in some way and I don't get that? Last night was incredible and then you come out with that comment which by the way was insulting like I'd give a score for sex. Sex is like the weather; the forecast changes regularly, sometimes it's romantic, sometimes it's just scratching an itch, sometimes playful, sometimes a little rough, you go with the mood,' he smiled amused at his own comment.
'And last night you brought me back; when I was undercover as Lupino it was like I'd imagined you. I just wanted to drag in your scent; bury my face in your hair and hold you; I wanted that so bad so I decided that if I made it through the operation I wouldn't wait any longer and I'd just go for it. So I did.'
'You did,' she agreed in a dry tone. But she had to admit to feeling a bit better when he'd said the sex was incredible. 'I er… wasn't expecting you to be quite that…. She stopped as she could see she was amusing him and adding to that she had difficulty finishing the sentence.
Dempsey lived up to the advertising when it came to the bedroom and she wasn't surprised those girls he seemed to romance intermittently kept calling him up when they were in town. Not that she'd heard that sort of conversation for a while as he spent most of his free time with her one way or another.
His smile widened. 'Quite that what Harry; passionate, focussed, demanding, when I think of it, I was all of those? Baby I've wanted you since the first moment I laid eyes on you in that bar with the fishnet stockings and your little bow tie. I've had you there beside me for three years looking like a walking heart attack and my only regret was when you bolted from the bed.'
'We have to go to work,' she pointed out her body stinging uncomfortably in the er… sensitive areas from his description as she had to admit all three adjectives fit. 'And since your car is blocking mine you need to shower and get dressed,' her gaze swept over the tanned skin of his upper body, 'I'm not used to half naked men at breakfast.'
'Not your usual breakfast etiquette huh,' he got up and went to walk by her but instead he swept her up in his arms and headed back to the bedroom. He laughed at her protest and dropped her on the bed and followed her down.
They were late for work.