Harry dropped in on Dempsey and asked him to go over to the pub for a chat, 'that is if you're finished for the day.'

The Chief Inspector leaned back in his chair, 'I'm never finished for the day, it's just a matter of when I feel I've done enough,' he responded his gaze running over her. Harry looked very pretty today in her navy linen dress, it had a severe style which emphasised her blonde, blue eyed, charm. She was like some Saxon maiden, cool, calm and collected. Made him want to mess up her hair and kiss her soft mouth until it was full and sensual.

'Well have you done enough then,' she responded sitting on the side of his desk. 'I've had an idea about how we can get Junior out of his current difficulties and I wanted to bounce it off you.'

'Bounce away,' he smiled at her with that masculine confidence which used to irritate the hell out of her.

When had she begun to find it charming, what was the moment, probably after she'd got drunk that time and he'd made sure she got home okay. 'I thought I could lure you away from here with a beer and scampi fries,' she smiled at him in a charming fashion.

'Are you flirting with me Detective Inspector,' he asked in a mock outraged tone.

'Yes, I think I am. Come on James it's seven p.m. I think you've put in the necessary hours,' she got off the desk and looked at him expectantly.

'Okay, but only because of the scampi fries,' he got up and followed her out saying goodbye to Chas who was still working on a suspected diamond heist.

They entered the Ambercote and true to Harry's prediction Suzanne Leyton was there, Dempsey nodded to her pleasantly but didn't engage. He didn't want Harry to get all weird on him again.

Harry went off to the bar and he picked up a newspaper and started to peruse it and then became aware of the psychiatrist coming over. 'Hi,' he smiled, 'I didn't know you were a regular here. D.I. Makepeace and I are having a meeting so I'm afraid I can't invite you to join us. Got sick of sitting in the office,' he smiled pleasantly.

Makepeace joined them and greeted the other woman in a polite manner but didn't ask her to join them either. Suzanne got the hint and returned to her colleague who was looking a bit annoyed at being deserted.

'Your fan club,' Harry observed, 'still keen,' she took a sip of her drink as she looked at him over the top of the glass.

'Yeah well, I'm not, nice enough woman but I got you so that's all she wrote.' He didn't want to dwell on the subject as he knew it would only hurt Harry. 'So, what's your option for Junior.'

His ex-partner leant forward. 'There is a big charity push by the BBC to help with the famine in Africa. If Junior as the P.M.'s son could be deployed on a televised visit to highlight their plight and be shown to empathise with their situation he could then sell up his shares and publicly donate the money to the charity. He would look good even if the company folds later on. Of course, he makes no money but then neither does he embarrass the P.M.'

Dempsey nodded as he took in her animated expression. 'Well I think that's lovely, all supposing you could get him to do that. Greedy men aren't that charitable in my experience.'

'Yes, that's the fly in the ointment so to speak, but anyway Spikings could put that to the Home Secretary and I thought you might have a talk with Junior and perhaps threaten him a bit. I mean your interrogation style is a bit intimidating and you could make it clear to him what his outcomes might be if he continues to support a Ponzi scheme.'

Dempsey had wondered where he'd fit into Harry's plan and wasn't surprised it was in a role that played to his strengths. However, he'd been meticulously schooled by Spikings on the appropriate behaviour of a senior officer. 'I don't know that it would facilitate my career to scare the crap out of the P.M.s son,' the American drawled his gaze amused. 'And I'm shocked that you would suggest I use tactics that you've said you deplore on more than one occasion.'

'Yes, I have said that,' Harry agreed pleasantly. 'But Queen and Country come before personal considerations and I don't think it would hurt to deploy your talents for a positive result.'

Dempsey leaned forward and gave her a wince of a smile, 'I always deploy my talents for a positive result D.I. Makepeace, I don't intimidate people for fun. I do it cos they're being unpleasant to others which is called criminal activity or even terrorism.'

'Fair point, well what do you think of my plan,' Harry took the Scampi Fries out of her hand bag and handed them to him.

'Bribery,' he took the fries off her and opened them. 'Isn't it about time you told me about my garbage disposal of a digestive system or is it okay to poison me with additives if you want your own way about something.'

Harry laughed. 'Well you've got me there James,' she smiled at him. 'It is a good plan though isn't it?'

'It's genius,' Dempsey agreed because he did think it was a way out for the P.M.s son. He also thought that Junior might want to keep some of the money but then it would be between him and his conscience if he had one.

Makepeace looked pleased with herself. 'I'll put it to Spikings in the morning and then he can take it to the Home Office if he thinks it might work. Your part comes in later, we'll have to work out exactly when to deploy your charm offensive and in that way, it will be sanctioned by the Minister and you won't be negatively impacted.'

'Thanks,' he drank some of his beer. 'Just roll me in when you think it's appropriate,' his eyes were warm on hers. 'And since I'm being so accommodating I assume you're going to be nice to me this evening.'

'I'm always nice to you,' Harry pointed out her gaze mocking him. 'You'll have to specify what you mean by nice. On the other hand, please don't,' she saw the humorous quirk to his mouth and knew he would deliberately go further than she could handle. She remembered the time they'd been trying to aggravate Kathy, Dempsey's psychopathic stalker, into betraying her position, something about ripping her clothes off with his teeth while she'd been prattling on about tea and toast. That had made her temperature go through the roof.

'Any time you'd like me to tell you what I'd like to do to you just tell me, I'm game.' He smiled not really trying to hide his amusement.

'Yes, I'm sure you are,' Harry responded in an even tone not willing to engage as she didn't want to encourage a situation which would either make her blush or create a strong desire to leap on her ex-partner in a public place. 'What about dinner, I haven't eaten much today. I can whip up something if you like since you've been so helpful.

'I'd like that but if we're going to your place I need to get some stuff from my place first, assuming I'm staying over.' Dempsey liked the fact it was now possible to assume; it meant that he didn't have to get up at dawn to get back to his apartment for a change of clothes.

'Okay, you do that and I'll see you shortly.' Harry confirmed he was welcome and got up and Dempsey followed her out as they went their separate ways both feeling happy at the thought of the evening ahead.

-oOo-

Later that night Dempsey lay in bed with Harry resting on his chest and felt a warm feeling of satisfaction; he'd always felt comfortable in her room. At some of his darkest moments he'd felt drawn to come here and wait for her to acknowledge him; watching her as she slept.

'What are you thinking about,' Harry lifted her head and looked at him her blue eyes held a warmth that momentarily distracted her fiancé.

He kissed her hair to give himself a moment. 'Thinking about the times I broke in here; how right it always felt being in this room; comforting, like it was a good place to be when everything else was going to hell.'

Harry smiled and laughed softly. 'In a funny kind of way, I was always pleased that you felt you could come to me when you were in trouble. I used to be strict with myself and put it down to the fact we were partners and the strong loyalty you felt to that bond even when I hoped there was something more.'

'Well there was but we were both too chicken to admit it or admit it first,' he rolled her onto her back so he could look down at her. 'I mean I knew you liked me and might even be attracted to me but I didn't think I fit the role of Lady's Harriet's boyfriend but then you weren't really getting any so I thought I might have a chance.' His warm, amused gaze took away any offence.

Harry traced his mouth with her fingertip, 'I have to admit that the men in my set didn't really light my fire probably because they didn't race around fighting crime and taking unbelievable risks. I have to wonder if the attraction will wane now we're both in desk jobs so to speak.' Her mocking gaze teased him as she was actually pleased he wasn't risking his life every day.

James bit her finger-tip ignoring that dig at his new position. 'I think you'd be impressed at the chess game I play with the suits,' he rubbed his nose against hers. 'And the fact that I do venture out of the office to direct operations from time to time so it ain't all budgets, recruitment and policy stuff.' His mouth feathered her jaw and then moved to her neck cos he knew her weak spots by now and wasn't ashamed of ruthlessly exploiting the knowledge gained.

'Do you miss it? I mean it isn't as exciting, I find that but I suppose having a relationship with you keeps the adrenaline level up. I'm never quite sure what you're going to do next.' She then gave a gasp of surprise as he lived up to that reputation and her mouth met his passionately responding to the feeling of his body invading hers.

He broke the kiss to gain valuable oxygen, 'told you I wasn't polite in bed,' his voice was rough velvet and his shoulder muscles were bunched as they supported his weight as he held position above her.

'You did,' she moaned his name softly as they synchronised their movements, at times like this cool, calm and collected Lady Harriet disappeared and she was a fiery, passionate, woman in James' arms which surprised both of them a bit but at least it was a nice surprise.