I wake up a couple of hours later, the feel of Andrea's warm palm playing with the hairs on my chest, is relaxing in a way I've never felt with anyone else. I relax into her touch, making the most of the short time we've got left before I have to get up and leave. I don't want to, I never do; but we both know that under the current circumstances I don't have a choice.
If circumstances were different I wouldn't so much as even consider moving from our comfortable embrace, and it's that fact that reminds me that what we have is a lot more serious than the casual affair we pretend to be having.
I let out a sigh, reluctant to break this moment with the depressing thought that we are both secretly dreading, the time that I have to go. Trying to find a way to drag out my departure, I decide to confess to eavesdropping on her earlier conversation with her friends.
She confesses that she somehow knew I was there, that she could 'feel' my presence. She then asks me if I heard her little bet with Yvonne, before explaining why she agreed with it.
"I don't like hearing them run you down," she tells me, "I know I can't ever tell them about us, this, but I also can't help but defend you; I hate that I have to lie to them so much, it was the only way I could think of to explain why I defend you so much without revealing how I know what I do."
An indescribable feeling washes over me at her words; and I can't help but roll her on top of me so I can kiss her thoroughly again. The passion between us surges up again and I know I'm not going anywhere tonight.
When I wake up next, I realise that it's now the next morning. A pang of guilt hits me, knowing I'm going to have to come up with another elaborate lie to explain why I didn't make it home last night. As if reading my thoughts, Andrea shuffles closer into me, wrapping herself tightly around me.
There is no point in leaving now; it will only make things worse. I will just have to say I fell asleep at my desk or something. I think I may have left a change of clothes here on my last overnight visit, so at least I won't have to go back to work in the same outfit as yesterday.
I let myself relax back into the comfortable pillows, making the most of the time we have left and enjoying the rare moment of waking up together.
Andrea pushes herself even closer to me if that's even possible; we must be thinking along the same lines. I drift into a relaxing light sleep, trying not to think about the day ahead.
We are late for work when we next wake up, and know we are going to be in big trouble. Through our haze of passion last night, neither one of us remembered to set an alarm. It was Andrea's phone ringing on the bedside table that eventually woke us.
Remaining quiet whilst she answers it, I try to think up my own excuses for being late, knowing that it will look very suspicious if anyone finds out that we are both frequently late on the same day(s); it's not the first time we've done this and sooner or later someone is going to make the connection.
When she hangs up the phone, she turns to face me, giving me a longing look, before getting up and heading into the bathroom. The look she gave me probably mirrors my own, one that shows regret at having to get up and leave my side, but knowing we don't really have a choice.
We don't speak as we hurriedly get ready for work; we don't need to, so in tune with each other now, thanks to our closeness, we function like a well-oiled machine. Like all the other bad habits we have developed during the duration of our relationship so far, I drop her off a couple of streets away from the station so that we are not seen arriving together. When I do I secretly hope that our paths will cross at some point during our respective shifts, so that I can spend some more with her.
It's late in the afternoon, when as I hoped, she makes her way up to my office, unfortunately with PC Hemmingway in tow. "Sir," she begins, keeping things professional, "We have just got back from a shout that we think you may be interested in. It may be related to the burglary case DC Sim is working on"
"Go on," I encourage her to explain the details; however my focus is on watching her face and listening to the sound of her voice rather than the actual words she is speaking, which is what I should be paying attention to.
I think she notices that I'm not paying attention fully, when she decides to stop mid-sentence and ask if everything is OK. I get up from my perch on the edge of my desk and glace out the window, knowing that I need the distraction before returning to the conversation.
"Just thinking," I mumble with my back to them, missing the look that Yvonne gives to Andrea.
Picking up on my unspoken thoughts, Andrea changes the direction of the conversation back to the burglaries. "Well anyway, we were thinking that this Michael bloke might be worth a visit."
"OK," I agree with her, knowing that her intuition and investigative skills are way beyond the level of her current rank, "You know the details of the case, well most of them anyway, go and see what you can find out. I would have said to take Susie with you but she's in court all day today. Report back to me with your findings."
"Sir," both Andrea and Yvonne reply, Yvonne visibly surprised that I am letting them run with this line of inquiry unsupervised.
"Go in plain clothes," I advise, just as they are about to open the door to my office, "best not to spook him unnecessarily."
"Sir," they both reply simultaneously.
It's a few hours later that Andrea and Yvonne return to my office to inform me of the progress of the case. I've been wondering all afternoon if Yvonne has took any notice of the fact that I have trusted a CID case to them, well more specifically Andrea, when I normally would be wary of letting any of the other uniformed officers have much more than a supporting role in current CID investigations.
"How'd it go? Did you find anything interesting?" I ask as they come barging into my office.
Andrea drops a case file on my desk with a 'cat that ate the canary' sized grin on her face. "Read it," she encourages me, obviously feeling very pleased with herself.
On skimming quickly through the file notes, I am more than a little surprised and impressed that they have managed to solve the case that DC Susie Sim and DC Gary Best have been working on for weeks without much success.
"I'm impressed," I voice congratulating them, surprised that they have also managed to write up the paperwork in the few hours they've been gone. "Aiming for my job?" I joke.
Only Andrea gets the joke, Yvonne a little in the dark, and genuinely surprised about the way I have been behaving around them both today. This is the side of myself I usually keep well-hidden at work, but somehow, as always Andrea has got under my skin and I can't help but let my playful side out around her.
"We was thinking of going for a drink to celebrate and was hoping you would join us," Andrea voices, giving me a look that tells me much more than her words ever could.
"I'll think about it," I reply, trying to read between the lines, "I've still got these reports to finish," I add.
"I'm sure they can wait until morning," Andrea replies, before repeating the conversation we had in the early hours of the morning; "And besides, Yvonne here is convinced you never leave the office, even sleeping here most nights, so she's challenged me to convince you to join us in the pub for one evening this week, just to prove you are actually human. This is the perfect opportunity, and you would be doing me a big favour," she explains, with a sharp look in my direction.
"What kind of favour?" I ask, intrigued by the conversation, and not wanting to give in too easily. If it was just going to be the two of us, she wouldn't have to ask twice, but I can't let on with Yvonne still watching us both closely.
I suck in a breath of air as Andrea takes a few steps closer to me, stopping with her warm breath tickling my ear. She covers her mouth with her hand as if whispering a secret to me. I can't help but be distracted by her close proximity.
"Yvonne has a major crush on someone at this pub slightly off the patch that we discovered recently, and I don't want to be the third wheel. If you come with us, I won't be." she whispers, placing a light kiss to my ear on the last word.
I am astounded at the risk she took just then, we are treading on thin ice, both momentarily forgetting Yvonne is in the office with us.
Taking a second to regain my composure, my nerves frazzled from the close proximity, I reply, "OK, I suppose I can make an exception just this once. Somewhere off the patch you said?"
"Yeah," Andrea confirms knowing it's the one condition I made for going along with their little plan.
"Ok, just let me finish off here and I'll be with you," I confirm.
Andrea glances at Yvonne deep in thought, as if debating whether to voice her thoughts in front of her. "We was thinking of meeting at my flat in an hour, and then getting a cab from there, so no one has to worry about driving back," she finally voices.
I nod in understanding, knowing it's the only genuine way we can get around the issue of Yvonne seeing us arriving and leaving together. We both know, with alcohol involved we will struggle to keep our feelings towards each other hidden, and therefore we will need a way to disguise our closeness.
"Give me 10 minutes and I'll give you a lift," I reply, hoping that Yvonne believes that the niceness I am displaying is a one off.
"We will meet you around the corner from the station," Andrea confirms, our usual meeting spot, "We wouldn't want to ruin your reputation," she adds for Yvonne's benefit.
The two PC's leave my office and disappear off somewhere downstairs. I know that Yvonne is already full of questions, I could tell by the look on her face as they left my office. This is going to be an interesting night. I just hope that we don't give too much away, the last thing we need is the details of our relationship being spread around the station, and Yvonne is known for being a bit of a gossip.
I quickly finish signing off on the reports on my desk, before locking them away in the filing cabinet and grabbing my things to make an early escape from the office. I get a few surprised looks from the lingering members of CID, most of them well aware it's unusual for me to leave until long after they have gone home. It doesn't take me long to get into my car and pull out of the station car park around to our planned meeting place where Andrea and Yvonne are already waiting for me, talking about something.
I pull into an empty space, close to where they are standing and open the passenger door. Andrea opens the door to the backseat for Yvonne before climbing into the seat beside me, resisting the urge to kiss me on the cheek like we usually do.
"Hey," she greets warmly, "You ready for this," she asks me quietly.
I nod silently, before moving the car back out into the traffic; neither of us noticing that I'm not supposed to know where Andrea lives, until it's much too late to cover up our slip.
I park in my usual spot, just around the back of Andrea's apartment block, and together the three of us head inside. Andrea offers us each a coffee to dispel the slight awkwardness before encouraging Yvonne to use the bathroom to get ready in.
Making the most of the couple of minutes alone, but still knowing we need to be extra careful, we walk into the kitchen where we can talk quietly without being heard from the bathroom.
"Do you think she picked up on me not asking for your address?" I ask, concerned about our carelessness.
"I don't think so," Andrea replies, "but if she brings it up, I will tell her you gave me a lift home once after the bomb incident," she reminds me of my first visit here, when we shared our first kiss.
"OK," I confirm, knowing that this little outing is going to reveal certain things that we really could do without anyone else becoming aware of.
We don't get chance to say much more as Yvonne reappears from the bathroom. "Your turn," Andrea says to me, knowing that she needs to cover up at how well I know my way around her flat, "There are spare towels and toiletries under the sink," she says knowing that's where she's stashed the few toiletries I leave at hers for the occasions I stay the night, which is becoming more frequent by the week.
"Thanks," I say shuffling into the bathroom, grabbing the bag containing my change of clothes I brought up from the car with me on the way.
Just before I enter the bathroom I hear Yvonne comment to Andrea that she must have special powers or something to be able to convince me to join them so easily. I stifle a grin knowing that we spent half of the early hours of this morning planning this out carefully.
"Ok, I confess," Andrea says to Yvonne, "I had already pre-warned him of our little bet, so all I had to do this afternoon was convince him to play along. I have a few bargaining chips of my own."
Knowing they are talking about me and this little game we are all playing, I decide to leave them to it, and concentrate on getting myself ready. I wonder what she is going to tell Yvonne that she used to convince me to join in.
I almost run right into Andrea when stepping out of the bathroom. "Sorry," I say barely audible.
"It's OK," she mumbles back, squeezing past me in the open bathroom doorway and deliberately rubbing against me. Again we are playing with fire here, Yvonne barely a few feet away in the kitchen.
Unable to resist temptation, I step back into the bathroom and close the door as much as I can, without causing it to click. Curious, Andrea watches me closely, wondering what I'm up to.
Quickly checking that Yvonne isn't paying attention, and using my body as a shield, I take a step forward and pin Andrea to the bathroom wall, fusing our lips together passionately, desperate for the intimate contact. She returns my kisses eagerly for a minute or two before coming back to her senses and remembering that we are not alone.
"Yvonne," she hisses to me as a warning, knowing that we have both been in the bathroom together a moment or two too long.
"I know," I reassure her, reluctant to leave, but knowing that I can't stay here any longer without raising suspicion. "Later," I add in a silent promise sensing the sexually charged atmosphere.
She nods in agreement, reluctant to let me leave the room, but knowing we need to both get ourselves under control before Yvonne sees us.
I return to the kitchen, subconsciously pouring another drink, forgetting that I shouldn't be so familiar with the layout of Andrea's flat.
"So," Yvonne starts when she joins me in the kitchen, "Andrea tells me she already told you about our plans, what did she say to convince you to join us? Sir"
"I think we can drop the Sir now we are off duty," I say, flashing back to a similar conversation I had with Andrea on her first day at Sun Hill. "To answer your question, I wasn't going to agree to this little plot of yours, but let's just say I owe PC Dunbar a drink after losing a bet a couple of weeks ago. It's about time I pay up."
Thankfully Yvonne accepts my explanation without too many questions.
"OK," she replies simply plunging us into an awkward silence.
I am hyper aware of my every word and action tonight, I need to be if we have any hope in keeping the true nature of my relationship with the Scottish brunette under wraps.
"You ever been here before?" she asks me, breaking the silence.
"Once or twice," I reply carefully; "I don't usually socialize with colleagues outside of work too often, but I have been known to make the odd exception, or give someone a lift home if they have stayed after hours to help out on an important case. PC Dunbar has helped us out up in CID quite a bit recently, even putting in the overtime, so I will confess to dropping her off at home a couple of times."
"That would explain why you didn't need to be told the address earlier and how you seem to know your way around her kitchen," Yvonne comments offhandedly.
"Yes," I confirm.
"OK, let's go," Andrea says, coming out of the bathroom with her shoes in her hand.
It takes all of my willpower not to pull her into me for a fiery kiss. This is going to be a long night of torture, I realize quickly.
"Taxi should be here any minute now," Yvonne confirms.
"OK," both Andrea and myself respond, getting together the things we want to take with us and ensuring the flat is secure.
We all head out of the flat and into the street below and I can't help but look around nervously, hoping no one will recognize me.
About 35 minutes later we arrive at a rather nice pub, just outside the Canley borough and I can't help but be a little surprised.
"How did you find this place?" I ask genuinely surprised.
Andrea leans into me slightly to whisper the answer close to my ear, "Yvonne fancies the bar owner's son," she informs me, "She met him at a nightclub a few weeks back and he told her about this place. She's been itching to come here in hopes of running into him again ever since."
"I see," I reply, watching as a man around a similar age to Yvonne approaches our table.
"Yvonne, how lovely to see you again," the man says loudly, putting an arm around Yvonne's shoulder and dropping down in the seat next to her.
"See why I didn't want to come on my own with her," Andrea whispers to me discretely, leaning across me intimately. "Just play along," she adds.
"And who are you friend's" the man asks.
"This is my best friend Andrea and her boyfriend Neil," Yvonne introduces us to the man we now know as Trevor.
I give Andrea a sharp look, worried about the way Yvonne introduced us. "I'll explain later," she whispers to me again, grabbing for my hand under the table discretely.
Highly concerned, but knowing there is nothing I can do at the moment, I play along with their little game, still wondering what is happening. The perfect opportunity to find out what game I've been dragged into, comes when I reach the bottom of my glass and decide to get a refill.
"I'll help you," Andrea says to me, giving Yvonne a sly wink, and leaving her alone with her new 'friend'.
We stand side by side at the bar waiting to be served. "What's going on?" I ask, glancing back at Yvonne to be sure she's not listening in on our conversation.
"Trevor doesn't know about our jobs," Andrea replies, "She told him a story about us all working for some big insurance firm or something, I'm not sure what gave her the idea to give you the label of my boyfriend, but for all intents and purposes it works in our favour. Think of this as an undercover mission. Well that's what Yvonne said to me when she convinced me to go along with this little plot of hers. She doesn't know anything about us, if that's what you're worried about, she just thinks I'm acting tonight to give her story credibility."
"I've got to admit, it's a well thought out plan you've got." I reply, slightly relieved that our secret isn't out in the open, but that we can still show some form of affection towards each other, as long as we don't let it get too out of control.
"I was sceptical at first too, but when I thought about it, I realized that she's doing us a favour really. We both know that we've got to be careful about how we are seen together in public, and how alcohol makes us careless in hiding it; but with this, we can let our guard down slightly, and then put it all down to acting in the morning; Yvonne will never be any the wiser and neither will anyone else."
I let her words sink in realizing that she's right, this is a perfect cover for us; I can't believe I hadn't thought of it before now. "You took a risk earlier though, up in my office this afternoon."
"I know," she confesses, "but if Yvonne comments on it I will just say I was practicing getting into character. She will believe that."
"OK," I agree with a small rarely seen smile. "This could be fun."
We pick up our now full drinking glasses and return to the table where Yvonne and Trevor are cuddled up in the booth, talking quietly between them. Andrea takes the seat opposite them, and I settle in beside her, placing my arm along the top of the seat behind her, and allowing my fingers to dangle near her hair. I considered putting my arm around her properly; however I don't want to be too obvious about it.
We all settle into a companionable conversation, sharing jokes and stories from our younger years, however still being mindful of our undercover story. When we are next due a refill, Trevor and myself get the drinks in whilst Andrea and Yvonne escape to the ladies room, I can only assume that Andrea will inform Yvonne that I am now fully aware of their little game, and have agreed to play along.
When they return from the bathroom, I can tell by their actions that my guess is right, Yvonne settles back into Trevor's side and Andrea settles beside me, slightly closer than we were sitting before, her hand searching for mine under the table.
As the night wears on we become less careful in our attempts to hide the attraction between us, knowing that tomorrow we can blame it all on a combination of the alcohol and the role we are playing. I feel my self-control slipping as the hours pass us by, and know we need to think about getting out of here soon. Beside me, I can see that Andrea is also having the same difficulties I am. Remembering our snatched moment in Andrea's bathroom earlier this evening, gives me an idea, and I proclaim another bathroom break, hoping that Andrea will get the hint and join me. Yvonne and Trevor are so focused on each other, they barely see us move.
Andrea catches up to me, near the entrance to the narrow corridor where the toilets are located, and I waste no time in pulling her into an alcove that is hidden from the rest of the pub, and pulling her into a fiery kiss which she returns with equal fury. We remain in place for a couple of minutes, stealing passion filled kisses until we are struggling to breath.
"I've been dying to do that all night," I confess, hoping that there is no one we know within hearing range.
"Me too," she admits, pulling my lips back to hers.
"We need to get out of here," I state when we pull apart for the second time.
"Any ideas?" she asks me between more kisses.
"No, but if you keep kissing me like that, we won't even make it out of here," I reply feeling the heat pooling in my stomach, and my control slipping dangerously low.
She kisses me once more before stepping back and breaking the contact between us, knowing how dangerously close we both are to losing all of our self-restraint. I take a second to recompose myself, before we head back to the table side by side. When we get back to the table we find Yvonne and Trevor are too engrossed in each other to even notice how long we've been gone.
"It's getting late, and we've all got an early start tomorrow, we should start thinking about getting out of here." Andrea says to Yvonne.
"Do you guys want to share a cab with us," Yvonne asks, "I've just called one."
Andrea glances at me before replying with, "Sure, why not."
It's not long before we are all squashed into the back of the cab and on the way home. I try to avert my eyes away from Yvonne and Trevor's obvious flirtation, their actions leaving no doubt as to their plans for the rest of the night. I feel uncomfortable sat next to them, especially as I'm fighting a losing battle in hiding my own feelings of attraction. The cab ride feels like one of the longest I have ever endured and barely half way through the 35 minute journey, I feel my hand drop to Andrea's thigh where I start rubbing suggestive circles, my control well and truly gone now. If it wasn't for Yvonne and Trevor sharing the cab with us, I dare say we would be unable to keep our hands and mouths apart; and not for the first time, I secretly wish we had the cab to ourselves.
I can tell Andrea is thinking along the same lines as I am, her left hand rubbing my right leg and sneaking progressively higher sending shock waves of electricity through me. As long as we can hold out another ten minutes, we can blame our obviously affectionate touches on the plan, but with the way I'm feeling right now, I don't think I can manage to keep my composure much longer.
The minutes drag on, and my need to do something about the overwhelming sensations coursing through me becomes even more unbearable. Andrea's affectionate touches become bolder and more suggestive, both of us struggling to avoid letting things get too out of control, knowing we only have a few more minutes of this torturous journey left. With about five minutes of the journey left, I know I can't take much more, and even though I know there is no way we can pretend this is all just an act any longer, especially with what I'm about to do; I can't stop myself from pulling Andrea into my lap and kissing her thoroughly.
She doesn't disappoint, kissing me back with an urgency that is indescribable and sinking her body against mine. I lose track of where we are for a minute or two, lost in the heat of the moment and the sensations coursing through us both. Realizing where we are, I pull apart just long enough to catch my breath, and am relieved to find we are finally only two streets away from our destination. It can't come soon enough for me, the confines of the back of the cab stifling and uncomfortable.
Finally rounding the corner, we waste no time in giving Yvonne our share of the taxi fare, thankful that she's too wrapped up in Trevor to realize how close to ripping each other's clothes off in the back of the cab that we have come, before getting out and making our way upstairs as quickly as we possibly can.
I barely give Andrea time to unlock the front door to her flat before pouncing on her, pushing her up against it and plundering her mouth with mine. She doesn't resist and somehow manages to reach behind her and let us inside before we end up getting ourselves arrested for indecent exposure.
Inside we waste no time with pleasantries, choosing instead to strip each other of clothes as we make our way through the flat to the bedroom, the need for each other controlling our actions and no thoughts other than each other entering our minds.
We don't even manage to get as far as the bedroom, settling instead for making love on the large rug in front of the fireplace too consumed with lust to even manage those few extra feet. Afterwards we cuddle for a short while before getting up and forcing ourselves to take those few extra steps to the bedroom, where we spend the remainder of the night kissing and making love until we are overcome with exhaustion.