Many thanks for all your kind comments, and apologies for the delay in updating. Here's a longer chapter to hopefully make up for it!

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Chapter 9

"Alex, you really need to try and eat something otherwise you'll end up keeling over again."

She sighed, picking up her sandwich and nibbling at it without a great deal of enthusiasm.

"I can't get my head round all this, Sam. My stomach's still churning."

They were in the canteen having a late lunch, or at least Sam was. He reached over to squeeze her hand briefly in a gesture of solidarity before tucking into his sponge pudding, and she noticed a couple of the female staff watching them surreptitiously. She attempted to hide a smirk behind her hand, but he caught her out.

"What?"

"Seems you're quite a hit with the ladies, Casanova."

He grinned sheepishly.

"Amazing what happens when you treat women like human beings, isn't it? Now if only I could persuade DS Carling …"

She snorted.

"Lost cause there, I suspect. I don't think he's raised his eyes any higher than my cleavage as yet, and that's only when he's not checking out my lower half."

"Hmmm. That skirt probably isn't helping. Not that I'm complaining, you understand."

She raised a flirtatious eyebrow, deciding this was one way of taking her mind off things at least.

"And you a happily married man, Mr Tyler? Shame on you!"

He smiled broadly

"Extremely happy, and unbelievably lucky. Doesn't stop me looking, though."

His gaze drifted away over her shoulder, and his face lit up.

"Talking of which, here's the real reason I came back."

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"Alex, this is Annie, my … wife. I still can't get used to saying that."

Sam pressed the pretty brunette's hand to his lips and Alex watched the colour rise in Annie's face as she tugged her fingers out of his grip, blushing prettily.

"Sam, people are looking …"

He grinned up at her.

"Let 'em look, I couldn't care less."

Clearly they were besotted with one another, and it brought a lump to Alex's throat as she realised with a sudden jolt that she missed Gene with an almost physical ache. She wanted to bury her face in his neck and breathe in his musky masculine scent, needed to lean into his reassuring bulk and feel his strong arms wrapped around her. And more than anything she wanted him to shag her senseless so she could lose herself for a while, escape from all this confusion and uncertainty.

"If I were you, I'd get Alex back to CID pronto. The Guv's back and he's on the rampage, wondering where she's got to. He's quite a sight to behold when he gets all Alpha male, isn't he?"

Annie smirked at Alex, her eyes dancing with mischief, and Alex blushed and looked down at her feet. Clearly Annie had worked out exactly what was going on between Gene and herself. Sam grimaced and rolled his eyes.

"Point taken. I am going to finish my pudding first though, he doesn't scare me that much. Apparently, underneath that gruff exterior he's a pussycat."

He grinned at Alex, and Annie looked at her in something approaching amazement.

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He was still pouting attractively, his hands thrust deep in his pockets, and a thrill ran through her as she squeezed his arm reassuringly.

"Gene, I'm fine. Why wouldn't I be? Sam never left me alone for a second and there was really no need to bite his head off, for goodness sake."

He sighed, his shoulders slumping.

"I know. I was just concerned when I got back and there was no sign of yer."

She moved in close and spoke in a low husky voice.

"Hmmm, I wonder how I can possibly make it up to you. How about an inventory in the stationery cupboard?"

She felt him tense as the atmosphere between them was suddenly charged with electricity and then he took a step forwards, trapping her between his body and the desk. Her breathing hitched as his eyes held hers and she saw the desire lurking in their crystal blue depths.

"I've got an even better idea, Bols. It's a quiet afternoon, I'll just give the troops a team talk and then we'll head off home. Meanwhile, make yerself comfortable and try not ter be too much of a distraction, alright?"

She tried to look suitably wide-eyed and innocent.

"Who, me? The very thought …"

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Instincts honed over many years plus the addition of a great deal of practice enabled Gene to stay focussed on the task in hand and yet still manage to watch her every move out of the corner of his eye. With all the other attention in the room trained in his direction, she knew she was playing to an audience of one and he could tell she was enjoying every second of it.

Perching demurely on the edge of his desk, she made a show of fanning herself and then slowly undid another button on her blouse to reveal more of that glorious cleavage, leaning forwards to make sure he got the full benefit. He clenched his jaw and carried on, waiting for her next move.

Glancing around the office as though bored, she drummed her fingers on the desk before picking up a pen and absent-mindedly running her fingers up and down its length. As she blatantly slid it between her lips he sucked in a breath and almost lost his train of thought, knowing he should look away but unable to resist.

Watching him from under lowered lashes, she hitched her skirt up slowly to reveal a glimpse of stocking top and creamy thigh as she took her time adjusting her suspenders. Bloody woman, he thought. He was definitely hot under the collar now, rocking back on his heels and doing his level best to concentrate on the summing up.

A little smile hovered around her lips as she played her final ace, knocking something off his desk and taking her time as she bent over to pick it up, making sure he got the full benefit of her shapely backside from an angle he'd been dreaming about for days.

"Right, you've all got yer instructions. DS Carling's in charge till my return first thing tomorrow. Any questions? No? Good …"

He strode off in the direction of his office before anyone had a chance to respond, loosening his tie on route. She bit her lip at his approach, wondering what his reaction would be, but his expression remained unreadable even though she detected a certain tightness in his jaw.

"Shall we, Lady Bols?"

He reached for his jacket and threw it over his arm as she preceded him out of CID, down the stairs and past the front desk.

"Guv? This just arrived for yer …"

Phyllis held up an envelope but he waved her away, intent on following Alex out of the building.

"It'll keep. Things ter do this afternoon."

The older woman watched his progress, her gaze devouring him hungrily: broad shoulders, those endless legs, a backside so tight you could bounce a half-crown off it and a mane of dirty blond hair that she'd practically kill to run her fingers through. She'd always carried a secret torch for the Guv, and what red blooded woman wouldn't? If only she was ten years younger. She sighed in frustration, guessing exactly what he'd be doing that afternoon. Or more likely who, the lucky cow …

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He unlocked the door and she stepped through it, shedding her jacket and draping it over the newel post before heading in the direction of the kitchen. It came as something of a surprise when without any warning she found herself pinned up against the wall by sixteen stones of randy DCI, one hand fondling a buttock while the fingers of the other held her chin firmly, forcing her to meet his steely blue gaze.

"Yer've been askin' fer a good seein' to all day, luv. And now yer goin' ter get one …"

She gasped as his lips claimed hers in a bruising kiss, his tongue plundering her mouth greedily as his obvious arousal pressed against her hip. Heart pounding, she melted into him with a moan, her stomach turning to liquid, her legs already weak with desire. Without breaking the kiss he walked her slowly backwards until her thighs made contact with the kitchen table, his urgent fingers fiddling with the front of her blouse.

"Bugger this …"

Taking a firm grip, he tore it open, grinning wickedly as buttons flew off in all directions and skittered across the kitchen floor. Before she could react his teeth were nipping at her throat, one hand snaking behind her to unclip her bra as he moved swiftly lower, taking an erect nipple into his mouth and sucking hard.

"Ohhh! Gene …"

She was lost, her fingers tangling in his hair, her mind reeling under the delicious onslaught of his lips and tongue, giving herself up willingly to his needs and her own as she sank down onto the table. Dragging her skirt up her legs, he parted her thighs and moved between them, rubbing his trapped erection against her hot, wet centre and eliciting a throaty moan.

"Mmmm … more …"

She gazed up at him through half closed eyes, a lock of hair flopping over his damp forehead as he teased her, pleasured her. This was what she wanted, needed. Sweet oblivion. Forgetting everything else, she concentrated on the wonderful sensations he was creating within her.

"My turn, Bols. Those stockings are givin' me the right 'orn."

Tugging her to her feet, he spun her round and pushed her down onto the table, ripping her lacy knickers off in one swift move and kicking her legs further apart. Before she had time to react, she heard the sound of a zip being lowered and then he was inside her, filling her, stretching her, his fingers digging into her hips as she whimpered and ground her behind against him.

"Gene! Oh God … yeesss …."

He began to move in earnest then, the old table creaking under the sustained onslaught of his powerful thrusts as she held on tightly, riding out the storm with her face pressed against its smooth surface. As he pounded into her relentlessly, over and over, the sugar bowl made its way gradually towards the edge and fell to the floor with a resounding crash, but the noise was almost drowned out by the rushing of blood in her ears. The insistent ache between her thighs became an all-consuming wave of bliss spreading upwards through her belly, her whole body shuddering into a heart-stopping climax as she cried out his name in ecstasy. Somewhere in the far distance she heard him curse and groan as he finally lost all control and exploded deep inside her.

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"Shit. Sorry about yer blouse, luv."

She chuckled, her cheek pressed against his chest as she snuggled deeper into his warm embrace.

"Jesus, Gene …"

He shifted her back from him so he could look at her properly, and the concern in his eyes caused her heart to lurch.

"I didn't hurt yer, did I?"

She stroked his face, a satisfied smile tugging at her lips, her body still tingling with the aftershocks.

"Are you kidding? I doubt I'll be able to sew a button on ever again without demanding that you drag me in here and have your wicked way with me. That's if I ever manage to retrieve any, of course."

He smirked, waggling his eyebrows at her.

"Press studs from now on, Bols. Yer know it makes sense."

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As they slid under the sheets later, Gene reached for her with one hand while flicking the bedside lamp off with the other and she sighed as his mouth captured hers, the passion already flaring between them again.

On the far side of the street, a shadowy figure turned away and walked slowly off into the gathering darkness.

Soon. Very soon …

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Still intrigued? Hope so ...