This chapter, with slightly unnecessary detail, was split from the next chapter and augmented especially to amuse Tess.

Still on bended knee, Tommy cupped her face in his hands. Waiting was agony. Her eyes tried to watch as he moved towards her, but she closed them when they lost focus. Their lips grazed each other. Tommy paused. Barbara instantly feared she had done something wrong. His grip tightened around her face.

"I do love you, Barbara."

"Then hurry up before I lose my nerve." Tommy laughed softly. He moved forward just as she had decided to take the initiative. Their mouths crashed together. They both pulled away. "Bloody hell. Sorry. I'm not good at th..."

This time Tommy's timing was perfect. Soft, warm lips caressed hers. Barbara slid her arms around his neck and held him close. When she tried to tell him she loved him, his mouth captured her top lip and gently rolled it sending a shiver down her spine. Even though she had never allowed anyone to kiss her intimately before, she was ready to try. His tongue flicked across hers accidentally when she opened her jaw slightly. She answered in kind eliciting a deep groan from Tommy. His Tommy's tongue ran around the circle of her lips. She twisted a little left to get better purchase and with gasp began to open to him. They paused. Tommy's hand encouraged her face closer.

Rock and roll I gave you all the best years of my life...

They jumped apart. Barbara delved in her jacket pocket for her phone. "Sorry, I didn't even know it would work here."

"Argh." Tommy's eyes closed, and he pointed his face skyward.

"Hello?... Winston! Why did you ring this number?... Yes, I didn't think of it either. Trust Hillier to penny pinch... No, you didn't interrupt our sightseeing. We were... getting our heads together about the case... Haha... So?... I see. Yes, thanks. I'll tell Tommy... Yes, I call him Tommy now. It would look a little kinky if I called my boyfriend Sir... Okay, my undercover boyfriend. Thank you, Winston. You can go now... Yes, I will. Goodbye."

"Something important?"

"Maybe. Hillier wanted to know why we used the satellite phone in an area with mobile coverage. Winston thought quickly and told him we were testing that it worked. Anyway, there is an Arctic research station at Qeqertarsuaq. It belongs to some Danish university, but it might be used by Schweindeiner in some way. Winston suggested we check it out."

"Yes, good idea. Was he teasing you about us?"

She felt her face blush. "A bit. He does that. I never said, but he has guessed that I have a bit of a crush on you I think."

Tommy put his arm around her shoulder. "I'm hoping it's more than a crush."

She smiled. "Yeah, it is."

"Good, now, I think we were about to..." As Tommy moved to kiss her, the ship's horn sounded twice. It was the signal to be back onboard within thirty minutes.

Barbara put her hand on his chest. They rested their foreheads together. "We'd better head back."

Tommy let out a long sigh. "Yes, we had."

They held hands but walked silently back to the ship. In the main street, there were only a few shops other than the supermarket.

"Barbara, should I buy...some... er... um...?"

"Do they sell er-um here?"

He looked at her and scowled. "In case we... need it... them. Please don't make this any more embarrassing."

"Oh! Er - ums." Barbara screwed her eyes up and shrugged. "Er... yeah... probably."

He noticed her face colour as brightly as he was sure his was shining. "Keep walking back. I'll catch up."

Tommy entered the supermarket. It was neat but dark and much more like a small warehouse then Sainsburys. He walked to the counter. "Excuse me," he said in a loud whisper, "Do you sell condoms?"

"Ja," the man said as he vigorously nodded. "Seal, Walrus or Whale?"

Tommy closed his eyes and silently cursed. "What's the difference?"

The man held out his hands about five inches apart. "Seal." He moved them to about seven inches. "Walrus." Then he made a large circle with his hand. "Whale."

Tommy stared at him. He suddenly felt inadequate. "Two packets of Walrus please."

The man reached under the counter. "Sorry, no Walrus."

"Um, Seal then please."

The man shook his head. "None left."

"Whale?"

The man slapped two strips of five silver foil packets on the counter. Each pack was stamped with a big blue whale. Tommy quickly paid, gathered the strips and shoved them into his pocket. "Thank you." He avoided eye contact as he fled the store.

He caught up with Barbara on the hill near the ship just as the five-minute departure horn sounded. "That was embarrassing. They come in three sizes, Seal, Walrus and Whale but only had one size in stock."

Barbara started to snigger. "Your size I hope."

"Whale."

Barbara seemed to be trying hard not to laugh. "Is that supposed to impress me?"

"No! It'll be damned embarrassing if they're too big."

This time Barbara did laugh. They were at the foot of the gangway. "If you turn out to be a Seal, you'll have to wait until Ilulissat to try again."

"Shhh. I don't think I'm a seal. I'm sure we will manage."

All of the passengers had gathered on deck to watch the ship leave the harbour. It was a lovely afternoon with a gentle breeze blowing across the bow. Tommy and Barbara joined them, standing by the rail at the stern. Tommy had nestled in behind her and had his arms wrapped around her in a way that he hoped made her feel secure. "Don't be nervous, Barbara."

"Aren't you?"

He moved his face closer. Her hair tickled his nose. "Only that I'll disappoint you."

She twisted in his arms. "Seriously?"

"Of course. I know it's always portrayed as magical in the movies, but it takes time to get to know each other and discover what you like, and don't like. That's why one night stands are often unsatisfying."

"Yeah, tell me about it. Wham, bam, whoops, goodbye."

Tommy kissed her neck. "It will be nothing like that, I promise. We can take it as slowly as we need to."

"What about the bed?"

"I can ask Sabrina to move it back together."

"No, then she'll know we are... using it."

He frowned. "So?"

"I... maybe we can do it and then she can make it tomorrow? Or... maybe I'll chicken out..."

"There's no pressure, Barbara. Let's just watch as we leave port. Then we can go inside and change for dinner. You must be hungry."

"Yeah, I am. Those few hours ashore went quickly."

"They did, but they were productive. I am rather fond of Sisimuit."

Barbara waited until the last passengers had left the deck before she dared think about going to their cabin. Standing there with Tommy wrapped around her as they watched the town disappear behind them, she was content and dared to believe that for the first time in many years, she was happy. With ninety minutes until dinner, there was enough time to consummate their love, and yet it did not feel like enough. Somehow she had always imagined making love to Tommy for hours.

"What's on your mind?"

"Only that by the time we get ready for dinner there won't be enough time for... the whale."

Tommy started to laugh. "This whale has no intention of starting anything before dinner, so you can relax."

Barbara turned and looked up at him. "I'm not sure whether I'm relieved or disappointed."

Tommy stroked her face. "Think of it more as prolonging the anticipation." He bent down and kissed her softly.

With her arms around his waist and his around her neck, they locked their bodies together. The timber top of the railing pressed hard into her back, but she did not care. All her attention was on Tommy and the way he was beginning to kiss her. Soft caresses led to tentative exploration, then the most joyous feeling of connection that ran through her body. Their tongues found a rhythm that matched the rocking motion of the ship as it moved through the waves. The scent of salt spray wafted over his scent in an alluring mix. He let out a long breath of air from his nose that was warm against her face, then groaned in the same way she had seen in the movies. The front of her body was hot, and her insides felt like they were moving around in nervous yet wonderful anticipation.

They paused and broke for air. "Oh, good... bloody hell!" she stammered.

"Hmm." He began to kiss her neck. "We... really... should... go... to the... cabin."

Barbara pulled him closer and laughed to cover her shock and pleasure. "Hmmm, I thought you said the whale would not appear before dinner."

"No, I said he had no intention of starting anything. I didn't say he wouldn't say hello. Now come on, or we will have an issue."

Tommy opened the cabin door. "We are both hungry aren't we?"

Barbara frowned. "For food or...?"

"Food."

On cue, her stomach growled. "Yeah."

"Then you should change in the bathroom."

"Oh, okay." She glanced down at his trousers which were uncomfortably tight. He had not had this much trouble controlling his body since he had been a teenager. She smiled. "Yeah, might be best."

Barbara gathered her clothes and closed the bathroom door. Tommy glanced at himself in the mirror then looks down. "And as for you, just behave."

"What?" Barbara called.

"Nothing. Just talking to myself."

Tommy knelt down and pulled the covers up from his bed. It was fastened to the wall in two places. He tried to undo but noticed there was a special tool required to unlock it. He sighed then stood up and ran his fingers through his hair. It was not fair on Barbara to expect her to sleep with him on a narrow cot. He pulled four hundred Danish Krone from his wallet, the equivalent of about fifty pounds. He took his card key and went into the corridor.

He found Sabrina vacuuming the stairwell. He passed her the money and with an apology and smile. "The seas are very calm. I was wondering if you would mind restoring the room to its original configuration while we are at dinner?"

Sabrina glanced at something at his side. She looked up and smiled but was trying not to appear too pleased. "Certainly, Sir."

Tommy walked back to the cabin. As he took his jacket off he groaned. A strip of whales was sticking out of his pocket.