Thank you very much for the lovely reviews, I really appreciate them.

Dempsey returned to his apartment after a long and exhausting day and he smiled as he heard a glass of wine being poured. So, she had come here. He'd been over to her place and found the door boarded up and no sign of Harry.

'Hi,' she said her colour a little high as he entered the room and threw his keys in a bowl on the kitchen work surface. She felt a little presumptuous coming here but didn't think he'd mind.

'New career Harry, breaking and entering,' he came over to her and his gaze searched hers and he smiled as she took the key out of her pocket and dangled it off one finger.

'Not guilty as you can see I have the key you gave me,' she smiled at him her eyes flirtatious. 'And would a burglar make dinner for her victim?' Her gaze softened as she took in his weary expression. 'You look tired,' her hand cupped his jaw and her thumb ran over the abrasive stubble, 'and you're very scratchy.'

'Long day, your boyfriend wasn't keen on returning to the slammer and took some persuading and then we had to get the other boat back to the owner. The Dolce Vita didn't look too good by the time we'd finished, may need some work.' He appreciated her touch and took her hand and kissed it careful not to come on too strong; didn't want to frighten her off.

'Go and get a shower, you'll feel better for it and I'll finish making dinner,' the blonde gently disengaged and walked back over to the oven and checked on the food.

Dempsey watched her pleased to find her here using his stuff, he headed off for the shower and decided to shave as well because maybe if he wasn't scratchy she'd be more inclined to let him get closer.

Harry smiled as James sang in the shower and she set the table and got the food ready to be served. When he reappeared she subliminally noticed he'd shaved and it made her hormones jump because it signalled he was feeling romantic if she was that way inclined. She wondered if he would make a play for her tonight and decided he probably would knowing Dempsey. There was one certainty in this world and that was her ex-partner was always up for it.

'Something smells good,' he sat down and realised he was extremely hungry as he'd been living on adrenaline all day. He took the plate Harry passed him and thanked her. 'You didn't have to cook, we could have ordered in. You had quite a day. You okay?'

'I'm fine James,' she reassured him, 'it isn't the first time I've been abducted,' the blonde added wryly. She forked up some of the chicken, it was good.

'I'd like for it to be the last,' Dempsey said seriously. 'I kind of figured you'd be out of the firing line taking the job with Spikings.' His warm gaze ran over her he was so damned glad she was okay.

'What happened to life is hard and then you die,' Harry took a sip of the wine and gave him a mocking glance.

James sat back in his seat and his eyes held hers, 'what happened is I fell in love with this stubborn, know it all, hot, blonde fox and my life ain't been the same since she walked into it.'

Harry swallowed hard. 'Anyone I know,' she asked glibly and then realised that probably wasn't the right thing to say as she saw his jaw square.

'Not being clear enough huh! Okay,' he got off his seat and then got on one knee before her and said, 'Harry, will you marry me, I love you and if anything ever happened to you my life would be totally screwed.' He felt very awkward and hoped to hell she'd say yes.

'I love you too,' Harry responded softly totally charmed by his gruff, awkward manner, 'and yes I will marry you,' and then she half laughed and half cried. 'I never thought you'd ask me properly,' he rose to his feet and she was pulled into a hug that nearly broke her ribs. 'I said yes, you can loosen the grip, I'm not going anywhere.'

'Sorry,' he kissed all over her face and then took her lips in a kiss that burned right through both of them. Thank Christ for that, he'd never found a dame as hard to romance as Harry but now he'd got her it made him deeply thankful that a girl like her could care for a guy like him and that she could forgive him even when he'd royally screwed up.

Harry ran her arms around his neck and enjoyed letting go of the anger and hurt, she really did believe he loved her and that he always would whatever life threw at them. A little niggle did make her clarify one point. 'And James, no other women. I want you to promise me and mean it,' her blue eyes were determined on his.

'Hey, I already got the memo,' his warm eyes ran over her face and he could see she was serious, she wanted her promise. 'Okay I promise, not even operationally. I get it, I really do. The last thing I want to do is hurt you, Harry.' He kissed along her jaw trying to distract her from old grievances.

'Well in that case,' she undid the top button of her blouse and retrieved the ring and took it off the fine chain and handed it to him and then put out her hand.

James took the ring off her and slid it on her finger. 'You're my fiancée for real, it feels kind of weird after all the pretending. Should I go and see your Pop and ask him for permission. I'll do that if it's some old family tradition.' He kissed the stone and then kissed her with the kind of heat that started her pulse racing his mouth warm, caressing, demanding.

Harry dragged in oxygen when Dempsey raised his head and looked at her waiting for his answer she looked adorably confused.

'I've forgotten what…. oh, Freddie.' She took a deep, steadying breath and thought about it. 'I think asking for my hand in marriage would be a bit old fashioned, I'll tell him over the phone and then we'll both go down to Winfield Hall. Knowing Freddie, he'll throw a big party, he'll want to celebrate the occasion.

'I'm an old-fashioned guy when it comes to you,' James smiled at her. 'I want everything to be right for you, I want you all dressed in white, the whole works. He could see he'd surprised her.

'You do?' Harry was astonished but pleased because she'd got married on a beach last time as Freddie had disapproved her choice. She'd definitely expected a registry office wedding with very little fuss and was pleased that this time she'd get to do it in the traditional manner.

'Yeah, I do. You'll make a beautiful bride; I was thinking about that when we were going to Chas's wedding that time when the bride called it off. You were all dressed up; I thought then that some guy's heart would miss a beat if he was waiting at the church for you.'

'Oh, well all right then,' she smiled up at him quite touched at Dempsey being so romantic. 'There's a chapel at Winfield Hall, we can get married there.' She reached up on her tiptoes to kiss him. 'I think that we should discuss this in bed because you're obviously very tired,' she pressed her lower body against his and her eyes widened humorously. 'Unless you think we should wait until we get married.'

'That ship's already sailed,' he swung her up into his arms and headed for the bedroom which was no great distance. 'I feel nervous, I never proposed to anyone before.' His body language was in conflict with his words as he looked perfectly at ease with the blonde in his arms.

Harry smiled indulgently and ran her arms around his neck and kissed him with all the pent-up passion she'd denied them both which made him lose it and they ended up falling on the bed in a heap of limbs. 'Ouch,' Harry complained but then as he apologised with a kiss she decided that she wasn't too badly hurt and he could kiss her better as often as he wanted to.

-oOo—

Spikings took the news of the engagement as well as expected, he'd suspected something was going on between the two of them a lot earlier than the couple involved. 'Congratulations,' he said to Harry as she told him the news. 'Are you planning on a long engagement,' he asked tongue in cheek.

Harry laughed. 'I know what you're thinking sir, but I have every confidence that I will make it down the aisle. Dempsey can be quite reasonable you just have to know how to handle him.'

'I admire your confidence and optimism,' the Superintendent responded dryly. 'He's a good copper I'll give him that and he's even getting to learn the art of diplomacy which has been amusing to watch. I study his expression from time to time when he deals with the suits; it cheers up what would be a very boring part of my job.'

Harry nodded. Dempsey had great emotional intelligence when he paid attention and the boorish behaviour was often a cover to make people think he wasn't as bright as he actually was. It gave him an advantage when people underestimated him. 'Yes, well it's good that he can actually control his reaction because I would imagine some of the policies we have to follow must look very odd to an American cop.'

I'm a British cop and they seem odd to me,' Spikings growled. 'Anything on Mason and Steers because I'd like to see some movement on that without getting the brief back from the Home Office.'

'Well I know what they're up to sir, it's a matter of how to proceed without embarrassing the Prime Minister. It's a Ponzi scheme with the P.M.'s son providing the legitimacy as an early investor. The company is thriving at the moment until market confidence wanes. As with all these operations it's only a matter of time.'

'Surely Junior could cash in his option,' Spikings frowned. 'If the scheme failed after that it could just be called a shrewd financial decision.'

'He could sir, but then that might tip the balance and the collapse of the company could be laid at his door. Mason and Steers have rather cannily used Junior as the face to promote the investment. I would have suggested a plan of action if I could have seen a way to extract the P.M.'s son from the mix but it presents difficulties.' Harry tucked a stray lock of hair behind her ear as she pondered the problem.

'Well go and talk to your fiancé and see if the pair of you can come up with something, otherwise we'll steer well clear. We need a rescue package which will get this division a halo from the Home Office, there are financial cuts in budget on the cards and I don't want to be the last in line for funding.'

'Yes sir,' Harry placated her senior officer as she could see he was irked by the possible impact of a budget reduction for SI10 and she didn't want the director's cut analysis on any of that or as Dempsey would put it, 'the boss going off on one.'