Title: The Arrangement 4/?
Author: rebelxxwaltz
Rating: Now officially M. Yes, that does mean what you think it does!
Fandom: State of Play (2003).
Pairing: Della Smith/DCI Bell
Fic Summary: Della and Bell continue their information sharing arrangement after the Collins scandal wraps up. As they work together, their emerging friendship is threatened by mutual attraction and misunderstandings.
Word Count: This chapter around 3100. Probably 2500 of which is just smut. Oops, did I say that outloud? *cough*
Disclaimer: I do not own State of Play or any of the characters. I do own my fun little theories, my wild assumptions, and lots of delicious chunks of head canon.
Spoilers: Yes, for the whole series.
Notes: Here's a nice big chapter to make up for the lack of update during my vacation! Things progress a bit here, but there are a few things that Della and Bell still haven't worked through…

The Arrangement
Chapter 4

The wind had picked up to a surprising extent during their time in the restaurant, and Della huddled unconsciously closer to Bell's larger form as they progressed down the sidewalk. It felt like an early spring rainstorm blowing in, droplets falling randomly and capricious leaves fluttering in the sharply flavored air. Her flat was two and a half blocks from their current location, and she wondered if leaving the house without an umbrella might have been an unfortunate miscalculation.

She peeked at her companion out of the corner of her eye. He had adjusted the size of his strides to match those made by her shorter legs, walking beside her with a straight back and that alluringly rugged profile she had grown to know so well. Della knew without a doubt that she was totally lost when it came to William Bell. Less than halfway through dinner she had begun to theorize and bargain with herself in order to justify what she wanted. Maybe he was trapped in an unhappy marriage? He never talked about his wife, and Della had never seen so much as a photo of her in his office or rare glimpses into his wallet. Perhaps they were separated and seeing other people? That way it wouldn't hurt anybody if she took him home and shagged him senseless, right? At the rate things were going, she would soon be to the point where she no longer cared one way or the other.

Speaking of which, what was she doing? Allowing him to walk her home was just asking for trouble. God, she would probably do something stupid like ask him in for a nightcap only to discover she had no alcohol in the flat. After that it was only one small but significant step to coffee, tea or me?

They were about half a block away from the corner of Della's street when the weather decided to stop playing games. The clouds that had been hidden by the darkened sky opened up and let loose with a deluge of cold, fat raindrops. Bell cursed quietly at her side, and they both increased their pace. The street they were in was quiet and residential, which meant there were no conveniently placed shops to duck into or awnings to use for temporary shelter. They were both getting absolutely drenched, and the rain just seemed to fall harder. Bell's overcoat offered him some protection, but Della could already feel the thick cotton material of her denim jacket sticking heavily to her arms. Spluttering slightly, she offered reassurance. "Nearly there now."

He nodded in acknowledgement, water streaming through his hair and dripping off the end of his nose. Della was reminded of the first night they had met at the hospital. The rain hadn't bothered him then, either. He had simply stood and watched her through the downpour, stoic and a little bit intimidating. How much had things changed between the two of them since that night?

When they reached the corner, they glanced briefly at each other and broke into a run, sprinting until they reached Della's building. As she fiddled with the key to the outside door, Bell leaned against the building and shielded her from the worst of the driving rain. Della's fingers were wet, as were the lock and her set of keys. As she fumbled breathlessly trying to unlock the door she could feel the heat of his body behind her, radiating even through all their layers of clothing, interfering with her already depleted level of concentration.

And then it happened. His large hands slid around, covering hers to still her jerky movements. Gently he grasped one of her wrists, turning her so that they were face to face. The raindrops continued to fall, but Della no longer noticed. She was completely paralyzed by his touch and the intensity of his expression. Reaching one long fingered hand up to her face, he pushed the wet strands of hair behind her ear in a tender gesture. Slowly he leaned closer, breathing unevenly as his thumb traced across her cheek from the corner of her mouth to the shell of her ear. Della shivered and leaned into the touch, eyelids fluttering closed as she waited.

The soft press of Bell's lips against hers made Della feel weak in the knees. He was cradling her face with two hands, sucking and teasing at her bottom lip with both of his. Urging her to respond, he gave the lip a gentle bite. Della's self control splintered and her arms shot up to embrace him, one hand grabbing onto his solid shoulder and the other winding around to dig into the short hair at the back of his head. Their lips searched, meeting more firmly as Della's back pressed against the façade of the building and she pulled Bell closer, sliding her hand up from his shoulder and along the side of his neck.

Growing in confidence, he speared his fingers into her wet hair and wrapped one of his arms around her waist, crushing their bodies together and leaving them both momentarily breathless. Their mouths broke apart, gasping, lips feathering as the raindrops slid sensually through the minuscule gap between them. Della felt a small moan erupt helplessly from her throat as he resumed his assault, tilting his head for better access as he coaxed her mouth open with his own.

It was good, so good, and she kissed him back with total acceptance and passion. Nothing mattered in that moment but his tongue twisting against hers, laced with the smoky vanilla notes of the Scotch he'd consumed after dinner. The fingers of one rain-soaked hand managed to find their way beneath her jacket and blouse to stroke the sensitive skin at the small of her back, and Della knew that she couldn't deny him anything. If he wanted her even half as much as she wanted him, she would give herself to him completely- regardless of the consequences.

xxxxx

The sensation of holding Della's small form against his body in the driving rain was making William Bell shudder with longing, and he wondered if she could feel it. She tasted of tart cherries and mint and spice, and he knew instinctively that it wasn't just because of the foods she had ingested that night. He pressed his mouth harder against hers as he felt one of her small hands caressing the side of his face; tracing the line of his eyebrow, stroking behind his ear, curiously exploring the point where their lips melded together with chilled fingers.

A few more blissful moments passed before Bell became dimly aware that they were still standing outside in a downpour. He had always liked the rain, even as a boy, but it was hardly an ideal setting for… whatever this was that was happening between them. Was it love? Mutual seduction? One flashing bright moment where everything clicks into place? He wasn't the type to wax poetic, but he also wasn't ready to let it end.

Reluctantly breaking the kiss, Bell leaned his forehead against Della's for a moment before looking into her dazed eyes, questioning. "Della, do you want to…?" He gestured to the door, with Della's keys sticking out of the lock.

She rested a hand on the lapel of his overcoat, face adorably flushed. "Yes. I mean, we should…" Her words trailed off and she turned toward the door, staying within the circle of his arms and leaning back against his chest. She finally succeeded with the lock as the rain continued to pelt down upon them. The dry warmth of the interior was a bit of a shock to the system, but Della took one of his larger hands and entwined her small fingers with his own. For a moment he felt like a child, letting her lead him through the hallway and into the stairwell. He would follow her anywhere, completely fascinated and totally smitten.

Reaching her flat at last, they tumbled through the door and just managed to lock it behind them. He pressed her against the wall and kissed her deeply, tugging at the buttons of her sodden jacket as her eager fingers pushed his overcoat off his shoulders. Their arms became tangled in the sleeves of their wet outerwear and they laughed breathlessly, breaking apart just long enough to shed the garments before their lips met again and hands continued to wander.

Pulling away and holding her at arm's length, Bell raked his eyes over Della, standing in front of him in a saturated white blouse. The material was soaked to the point where it was more or less translucent, and he could see the outline of her bra beneath the fabric. Slowly he slid his fingers into the v at the top of her blouse, tracing along her collarbone as he gazed into her honey brown eyes. She shuddered, parting her lips when his hand slid lower, hovering at the top button. He hesitated, wondering if they were moving too fast. It had been a long time for him, and he didn't want to pressure her.

The decision was made for him as her small hand guided his, urging him to continue as she moved closer. Her eyelashes fluttered against her cheek as she nuzzled her face against the side of his neck much the way a cat would, using the tip of her nose to caress the sensitive skin behind his ear. Her lips brushed against the edge of his jaw and he heard her breathe, "William…"

It was his undoing. She had only ever used his name a couple of times before, and then only to tease him. In his position of authority, it was rare that anyone addressed him by his given name these days- he was always 'Sir' or 'Guv' or 'Inspector', almost never just 'William' except to the Super or his own mum, and then certainly not in the quietly provocative way Della had just whispered it against his skin. It made his heart twist and his libido thrill, blood pumping hard as a haze of passionate feeling washed over him. Then his hands were tearing at her blouse and he was swallowing her delighted gasps in the midst of a frenzied kiss.

Della's wet shirt fluttered to the floor and he felt himself being propelled backward as his fingertips traced gently along her exposed spine, curling into the skin at the small of her back to hold her against him. Her quick and clever hands dealt with his jacket, adding it to the rapidly growing trail of damp clothing they were leaving on the floor of her flat. Her lips wandered away from his as she concentrated on loosening his necktie and pulling his shirt tails out of his trousers. Soon she was working at his buttons, eyes fixed on the top of his chest as she uncovered it. Overwhelmed with sensation, he buried his face in her neck, scraping his teeth over her pulse point and groaning when her thumb teased one of his nipples through his undershirt.

Stumbling half-dressed through the door of Della's bedroom, they gazed at each other for a drawn out moment. She bit her lower lip, and his hand shot out, thumb tracing across her kiss swollen mouth. Trembling, she reached for his other hand and led him toward the bed.

xxxxx

Ohgodohgodohgod. Della's mind was racing, trying and failing to focus on the reasons why they shouldn't be doing this. All she could feel was his large hand on the skin of her back, and the obvious hardness pressing into her hipbone as her fingers scrambled to remove his clothes. Her efforts with his crisply ironed dress shirt revealed a plain white vest that shouldn't be sexy, but on him it just was. Backing away for a moment she peered at him. Shirt hanging open, eyes wide and glowingly blue in the light pouring in from the other room, the sight of him was so arousing that she had to bite her lip to stifle a groan. His thumb traveling across the seam of her mouth swiped all her lingering doubts away with it, and she took his hand in hers.

Shoes and remaining clothing were quickly shed and they tumbled down onto the covers, hands grasping and sliding over unadorned skin. Della couldn't stop kissing him, tongues locked in an intoxicating duel, a tantalizing give and take that felt so right it took her breath away. She made a small noise in the back of her throat and inhaled sharply as one of Bell's strong arms slid between her body and the bed, hoisting her backward so that her head rested on the pillows. Long legs tangling with hers, his other hand traced down over her shoulder to caress a breast, rubbing his palm over the sensitized nipple and causing Della to arch against him.

Della watched him, loving the weight of him above her as he began to trail kisses along the side of her neck and lower. He propped himself up with one arm so that he loomed above her, affording her an even better view of his lightly muscled arms and a torso that was broad but pleasantly solid. His lips continued on their path down her body and he insinuated one knee between her legs, kneeling up so that both his hands were free. HIs fingers traced from her neck down to her lower abdomen, then traveled back up to softly mold her pert breasts. Following the trail with his mouth, he paused to look her over as his slightly rough digits stroked down to her inner thigh, thumb rubbing skillfully at her apex. "God you're gorgeous. Della…"

She released a small sound of pleasure when his mouth teased a hardened nipple, trailing a hand up the smooth plane of his back and plowing her fingers through his short hair as she held him against her. Della's other hand traveled curiously downward, and her eyes widened in surprise as she found her rather large target. He swore softly, pressing his forehead against hers as she gently explored his hard length. She squeezed and stroked, placing small kisses on his chin and his earlobe as he gasped above her with his eyes closed in obvious rapture.

Abruptly Bell grasped her wrist, pinning it above her head and gazing down at her with an expression both feral and oddly tender. Knowing that this was the moment, Della touched his face with her free hand in an affectionate and imploring gesture. She hooked one leg around his hip, pulling him closer. Kissing his lips softly, she pressed her flushed skin longingly against his. "Now."

For a few seconds he teased, gripping his cock and rubbing the head against her clit to heighten the anticipation for both of them. Then he slid into her slowly, groaning breathlessly once he was fully embedded. Della was more than ready for him, but he was large and thick and she was content for a moment to delight at the feeling of him filling and stretching her. He slid his hand up from where it gripped her wrist, tangling his fingers with hers. Her free hand slid down the side of his body and around his waist, cradling him and urging him to move.

His lips hovered over hers as he withdrew slightly and flexed his hips to push even deeper. Della surged upward to meet him, a languorous warmth spreading through her limbs. She squeezed his hand and dug her heel into his backside, encouraging. "You feel so good…"

The words seemed to spur him on as they began to move together, adopting a gentle rhythm at first. Bell kissed her thoroughly, sliding his arm beneath her again so that his chest rubbed deliciously against her breasts with each thrust. The tempo built, unhurried but urgent as they touched each other insistently. She clung to him, moving both her legs around his waist and gripping the back of his shoulder. A spontaneous moan fell from Della's lips as his cock hit that magical spot inside her, and his eyes burned into hers, taking this as a cue to fuck her harder.

Della's head fell back on the pillow, glazed eyes rolling upward, overwhelmed as her senses were surrounded by Bell. She could feel everything; the delicious heat of his lips against her neck, the tightening of his muscles as she squeezed at his bicep and ran her hand over his back, the waves of pleasure that were rippling through her with every rapid and perfect grinding thrust of his hips. Even the coolness of his wedding ring against her fingers as he pinned their joined hands to the bed was a forbidden sensual indulgence as she let him own her body completely, surrendering.

She could tell he was close as well, whispering disconnected half-phrases against her ear, groaning as he pounded into her again and again. Their eyes met once more and she flew over the edge, clamping one leg about his waist and grabbing at his arse to hold him deep inside as she shattered, crying out and pulsing around him. Bell followed almost immediately, shuddering in her arms and crushing her even tighter against him. He shouted her name, emptying into her as Della's climax continued and his cock jerked repeatedly in time with her spasms.

Exhausted and spent he collapsed on top of her, face buried in the crook of her neck. They were both breathing heavily, and Della gasped as she stretched and caused a tingling aftershock to travel through their still connected bodies. Rolling onto his back, Bell pulled Della with him, wrapping both his arms around her and caressing the sensitized skin of her bare back. She smiled against his chest, placing one hand over his heart and feeling the beat as it slowed. His breathing gradually calmed and he released a contented "Mmm" sound, absently running his fingers through her hair.

After a few more silently euphoric moments, he spoke in a voice like velvet slowly draped over gravel. "Is it just me, or was that-"

Della interrupted, knowing that they shared the same thought. "-bloody fantastic? Earth shattering? Mind blowing?"

He chuckled in response, eyes shut, nodding his agreement with those unusually long eyelashes brushing his cheeks. "Yeah, all of those."

"It was. You were." She mustered the energy to raise her face to his, joining their lips in a long kiss full of promise. Rubbing her nose against his, she smiled slyly. "Now let's get some kip so we can wake up and do it again."

Bell smiled sleepily, eyes searching hers with a silvery blue light as he tightened his embrace. Della returned her head to his shoulder and they drifted into a satisfied slumber, boneless limbs comfortably entwined.

xxxxx

OH MY. Looks like these two finally figured something out… but will the happy moment last? I think we still have a few issues to work through, personally, but don't mind me. I'm just the author!

Leave a review and let me know what you think will happen next! :D