Bradshaw knocked on Harry's door, it was early morning but he'd been told to update her on some disturbing news. He tapped his foot as he waited for a response, nice gaff, must be Daddy's money you wouldn't get this place on a coppers salary.

Harry woke up to the sound of knocking and realised she was in her bed and Dempsey was wrapped around her. She struggled to free herself. 'Someone is at the door,' she told him as he woke up and groaned, he wasn't a morning person. She ran downstairs hastily tying her robe and opened the door. 'Bradshaw,' Makepeace acknowledged, 'it's six a.m. what is it?'

'Jail break, Fiorelli, Spikings thought you should know,' his gaze ran over her. 'Sorry, didn't mean to wake you,' he had to admit the D.I. looked good with no make-up on, hair tousled, bare lips, very beddable. 'Fiorelli knows you're in the force after the court case so you should watch your back.'

'All right, I will thanks,' she turned to leave and then it became obvious Bradshaw wasn't following suit. 'I'll be careful,' she reiterated in a deliberate tone hoping that would send the Sergeant on his way.

'I'll stay here and follow you to work, no rush,' he made his way back to the car much to Harry's disquiet. 'Superintendent Spikings said you needed protection,' he threw over his shoulder. Bradshaw had no intention of screwing up again with the Ice Queen.

She went back upstairs and Dempsey was already in the shower so she padded through to the kitchen to make some coffee and tea and popped some bread into the toaster.

James came into the kitchen drying his hair, 'who was that?' He glanced over at her, 'funny time to make a house call.'

'That was Bradshaw and he's still outside, Spikings told him to get over here as I needed protection. Apparently, Angelo Fiorelli has broken out of prison.' She could see Dempsey face darken at that.

'I'll go tell Bradshaw that I've got you covered,' Dempsey growled as he picked up a piece of toast. In his opinion there was no point in wasting the team's resource when he was there, nobody could look after the princess, better than him.

'No, you will not, they gossip enough already as it is.' She looked out of the window and could see Bradshaw's car. 'I could get a lift from Bradshaw and then you could take my car.'

'Oh, that's a good idea,' Dempsey said sarcastically, 'and no-one will notice when I turn up in your car cos they're a bunch of lousy detectives.'

Harry frowned, 'well you could drive to your place and get your car and then give me a lift back this evening and I can collect mine.' It was a bit annoying to have to go to such lengths but she liked to keep her work and private life separate.

'They think we're engaged why would we do that? Nobody told them we'd split up unless you went round saying it.' Dempsey gaze questioned her, 'did you tell people that?' She looked awkward so she probably had and that got right up his nose, it was like she couldn't wait to get rid of him.

'I er…. I might have mentioned it to Joyce,' Harry offered weakly, 'and I may have said something to Spikings. I can't really remember,' she clutched her forehead. 'What are you doing?' She eyed Dempsey warily as he pulled on the jeans and a shirt he'd left at her house.

'What you should have done,' he took the stairs two at a time and opened the door and walked over to his subordinate's car. He leaned into the window, 'no need to provide protection for D.I. Makepeace I got it covered. I'll see you in the office later.'

'Yes sir,' Bradshaw's eyes were out on stalks as the Chief Inspector obviously hadn't shaved yet and he'd slipped trainers on and no socks. So, there was something going on between the two of them. The Yank had something of a reputation with the ladies but there was no doubt about it bedding DI Makepeace was mega, the lucky bastard.

'Okay then,' Dempsey patted the top of the car indicating Bradshaw should move off and if he wanted to spread gossip then so what. He went back into the house and joined Harry and drank down the coffee she'd made. 'Not bad, might make a barista out of you yet.'

'I really wish you hadn't done that,' Harry was annoyed as she hated the snippets of gossip she overheard about the two of them. She was a private person and didn't like to be the subject of discussion.

'Why, you're my girl. It don't bother me that people know about it,' he picked up another piece of toast and came over to her and put his arm around her shoulders. 'Don't worry about it Harry,' he kissed her forehead and then sat down for his breakfast.

'You haven't got socks on and you haven't shaved,' she gave an annoyed groan. 'It's obvious that you've stayed the night… It was alright for Dempsey, they'd all be mentally slapping him on the back for supposedly getting her into bed and he'd be swaggering around like some testosterone fuelled gorilla.

'Yeah, so what?' Dempsey found it annoying that she kept on denying there was a 'them.' What the hell was the point?

'You weren't invited to,' she reminded him crossly. Typical Dempsey, couldn't leave her alone just kept chipping away at her defences. He should have left last night but he'd taken advantage of her exhaustion instead.

'You fell asleep, what was I supposed to do?' He finished off his breakfast, took the socks she handed him and went for a shave.

Harry sighed and went to the bathroom for her shower, James could be really annoying at times. After she'd finished bathing she dressed in a suit to look more official and she had to admit she looked untouched by human hand until her ex-partner pulled her into his arms.

'Always want to mess you up when you look all calm and collected,' he laughed down at her and his mouth sank to her neck and he nuzzled her. 'I know that drives you crazy,' he nipped her teasingly.

'Dempsey, stop it,' she swatted him off her and turned to the mirror. 'When I look like this,' she straightened her skirt, 'it creates an element of doubt.' She gave him a warning look when his hands warmed her hips and he pressed his body against her rear as she straightened her blouse.

'You're joking, you answered the door in your robe and I told Bradshaw to take a hike looking less than groomed, it's obvious we just got up,' he kissed the back of her neck. 'You smell gorgeous, and when you dress like that all the guys wonder if you're wearing stockings,' his hand trailed over her thigh. 'And yeah, you are,' his warm eyes teased her and then darkened with desire as his hands ran over her ass appreciating her feminine curves.

'Not in a million years,' she slapped his hands away. 'Apart from not being available for your somewhat rough and ready attempt at seduction; I need to get to work and if you want a lift to your place you'd better get a move on.'

'Spoilsport,' his gaze ran over her assessing her mood she looked mildly annoyed and he put that down as normal. 'I'll ride with you since Fiorelli's around. I don't want you going anywhere on your own so no need to go to my place, we'll take your car.'

'You're not listening are you but then again you never really do,' she fixed her make up in the mirror and tutted at the red mark on her neck where his stubble had caught her. 'Spikings will probably say I have to have twenty-four-hour protection and you need to do the things you do so I can't depend on you for twenty-four-hour cover; you won't get assigned.'

'Don't be too sure about that,' he pulled on his leather jacket. 'Okay let's go,' he picked up his keys and wallet and followed her out.

-oOo-

Spikings viewed Dempsey with his usual fiery appraisal. 'So, you decided to dismiss Bradshaw from D.I. Makepeace's protection all because you were Johnny-on-the-spot so to speak.'

'Yeah, I was there. We'd been to the Opera the night before and I stayed over; no big deal. No point in using Bradshaw's resource when she'd already got me there.'

'You didn't think to be more discrete about your presence,' Spikings asked baldly. 'Gossip about Harry isn't going to do her career any good…

'Chief we announced our engagement already it's old news. As far as I'm aware female officers can still get married,' he ran his hand around his jaw and guessed he still had a five-o clock shadow cos that razor he'd borrowed off the princess wasn't up to the job. 'Anyway, I'll look after Harry…

'You will not. You have a full schedule and you're the head of this unit. I suggest you assign Bradshaw and Morrison and then you get on with your job which is to keep this city safe and that's an order.'

'Told you so,' Harry said coolly as he left the Superintendent's office. 'Spikings is right. You haven't got time to protect me James, you're very busy and I have to go to court today and do some shopping so I will see you when I see you.'

'You'll see me later, I'll drop by.' His dark gaze was determined on hers cos there was no way she was gonna get away with playing Miss Goody Two Shoes when that slimeball was after her ass. 'I'm sleeping over and as I'm your fiancé it would be weird if I didn't unless you want to reacquaint yourself with Mr Fiorelli.'

'No thanks,' Harry responded with a shudder. She knew James well enough to know that he'd break into her place if she didn't allow him to protect her and that made her insides melt although she would never dream of admitting it. She could also remind him that she'd broken the engagement but she didn't do that either and technically the ring was back in her possession. 'I'll make dinner so don't snack,' she relented as she pulled on her jacket and picked up her briefcase, 'I'll see you this evening.'

'Hey,' he pulled her round. 'Don't I get a kiss,' his dark gaze moved over her mouth. 'One little kiss to send me on my way,' he pulled her to him. His view was that he needed to get the old Harry back so getting her used to his touch was a major thing with him.

'I'll give you a boot up the rear end to see you on your way,' Spikings came in and glowered. 'Let go of the Detective Inspector, Dempsey and get back to work.'

The American theatrically took his hands off Makepeace and went to the door giving her a bold wink as he left.

'Why, Harry?' Spikings question was almost involuntary and to add to that he felt himself very much to blame for partnering the pair of them.

'To tell you the truth sir, I really don't know. Well I suppose Dempsey is like me, highly competitive, ambitious and dedicated to the job, they're his good points and his bad points to be honest.'

'Y-e-s,' The Superintendent concurred. 'Have you got me anything on the P.M.'s sprog yet, that might cheer me up.' He noticed Harry looked pensive.

'Actually sir, I got side-tracked on that. I'll get right back to it immediately although I do need the Chief Inspector's help,' she shrugged and looked at him hopefully.

'Just get on with it Harry, but watch yourself. This Fiorelli thing and Dempsey beating his chest has all the wrong vibes.'

Harry nodded seeing the sense in that. 'I'll try and calm the situation down. James will insist on being with me overnight as he still has problems with the Thriller Killer operation and he won't trust anyone else.'

'Nevertheless, Bradshaw and Morrison, Hargreaves and Watson and Fry and Kilhane will be taking shifts. We need Fiorelli back behind bars and we need to keep our officers safe. What you and Dempsey do in your free time is very much up to you, Detective Inspector,' Spikings disapproval was evident.

'Yes sir,' she acquiesced but had to admit to feeling rather naughty, like a teenager with a love bite on her neck. She felt very awkward when her personal life was brought into her work life, very awkward indeed.