'Well, I think we paved the way to the painful break up of a beautiful relationship,' Dempsey said as he got out his car keys and did the honours opening the passenger door for her.

'I don't think you could have been more annoying,' Harry responded icily, 'and I wouldn't get engaged to you if you did give me the Koh-i-Noor.'

'Well if I ever do get around to asking for your hand in marriage you can keep that in mind but just in case you forgot I ain't asked so stick that up your aristocratic ass.'

'We say arse,' Harry responded with disdain and then her tongue moved delicately over her lower lip soothing it from his demanding caress.

'Okay arse. Sounds ruder though,' he muttered his quick glance taking in the tongue action which turned him on; he put the car into gear and drove her home and stayed in the driver seat as she got out as he wasn't about to volunteer for rejection.

'Aren't you coming in,' she asked as arguing with him had definitely made her feel like sex and not the gentle kind. It was bizarre she concluded but there you go.

He thought about playing hard to get and then rejected that idea as she sashayed up the path to the door, he locked the car and followed and barely got through the door before she kissed him passionately and they were tearing at each other's' clothes in the hallway.

'So arguing with me turns you on,' he growled as she unbuttoned his shirt. All he knew was that over the last three years he'd have liked to fuck her senseless when she turned on the ice.

'Seems to,' she admitted as her hot mouth moved over his chest and she moaned with pleasure at the contact. Harry was no stranger to arousal and annoyance meshing together and sending a wave of moisture to her thighs.

'Weird don't you think,' he unbuttoned her blouse and unfastened the bra, front loader so easy access. Her beautiful breasts always made him drag in a deep breath as his hands caressed her insistently feeling her nipples hard against his palm. 'So fucking beautiful,' his voice deepened with desire as he pushed her back against the wall.

'Being attracted to you is weird, I've given up trying to…. Oh God, James… She unzipped him and he pushed her skirt up and that was that, they were up against the wall doing it and she couldn't get their quickly enough as he thrust into her in an uncontrolled manner that he was obviously trying to reign in.

'Just let go,' she panted grabbing the back of his hair and gave out a rather unladylike scream of excitement to which he dutifully responded to with a desperate drive for satisfaction on his own behalf.

Dempsey groaned so loud it sounded as if he was dying; his heart was pounding so hard it might be on the cards, Harry had her legs around his hips and was moaning loud enough to annoy the neighbours and then bam boom he couldn't hold it back any longer and was grateful for the fact her body clenched on his dick and she was there. Pleasure beyond belief and harsh panting to grab any oxygen available followed and that weird feeling of gratitude for a fantastic fuck; it was so different with her. All previous engagements just faded into sepia when it came to sex with Harry.

Harry recovered first and couldn't help feeling that their lovemaking had all been a bit Lady Chatterley and that Dempsey made a convincing Oliver Mellor's as before she'd had sex with him she hadn't really been alive to this kind of sexual awakening. She could feel his warm breath against her upper chest and she gently disengaged her legs to support herself. Her movement made James groan so she realised he was still sensitive as he shuddered into her.

'Are you okay,' she asked with gentle concern as her fingers ran through his gorgeous dark hair, she loved the silky feel of it and had often wanted to touch it during their three years as partners and she reveled in the freedom she now had.

'No idea, I think my brain just fell out,' he growled the rumble of his chest reverberating through her. 'You drive me insane,' he groaned as his arms tightened around her.

'Is that good or bad,' she smiled at his slight grumpiness. Harry knew that James hated not being in control of his emotions and that with her he felt somewhat vulnerable.

'Hell, if I know,' he responded. He disengaged and they tidied their clothes and looked at each other with a certain amount of sheepish humour. 'That was unexpected Makepeace, keep that up and you might get your proposal.'

'If we keep that up I might just accept,' she laughed self-consciously at the hot need they had for each other acknowledging the attraction.

'You ever felt like that before,' he asked his dark gaze searching hers, he asked the question cos he sure as hell hadn't.

'No,' she answered honestly as his hands closed on her hips and he swayed her against him, 'I'm usually very reserved that way.'

'That wasn't reserved angel, that was anything but reserved.' He kissed her temple and rested his jaw against her hair. He smiled at the thought of their arguments turning her on. 'So that time when you lost the keys and I nearly went back to the States, that was a bad argument.'

'It was a bad argument and I didn't lose them you did,' she demurred smiling as she remembered it and knowing what he was asking.

'Did you…

'Did I what,' she asked playing at innocence, he raised his head and looked down at her his warm gaze, amused.

'Did you feel like this then; you know, was I in danger of you climbing me like a monkey lady with the horn,' he laughed as she rested her forehead against his chest to hide the colour stinging her cheeks. 'Come on out,' he tipped up her chin with a crooked forefinger to see her expression.

'It was a long time ago I can't really remember,' she lied without remorse her gaze flirting with his. She had felt exactly the same and had fairly lurid fantasies about ripping his clothes off at that time which she'd been very self-critical about.

'Yeah, you did,' he acknowledged looking very pleased with himself. 'Wish I'd known,' he said with definite regret, 'we've wasted a lot of time, princess.' Fancy that, all that time ago Harry'd been hot for him and he hadn't known. He'd fallen for all that cool disdain at his flirtation, he kind of knew she liked him but hadn't thought it had been like that.

'Spikings is right though,' he ran his hands over her ass and pulled her into him enjoying the feeling of her soft mound against his lower body, 'you should have a ring?'

'Well I suppose I do have my old engagement ring…. She answered doubtfully, it would do as a prop but it seemed wrong.

'Hell no, I don't want you wearing that,' his rejection was instantaneous. Dempsey didn't want an older claim on Harry being revisited. 'I'll get you something,' he offered awkwardly.

'It's a cover James we'll choose it together, I must admit I'm reluctant to put my old ring on it has some bad memories attached to it, silly really it would be ideal.' She frowned thinking she was being ridiculous as the engagement wasn't real.

'Nah, a cover has to be invested in, it's gotta feel real like when I was Lupino. If you don't believe in the cover it falls apart, like when you tried to stop me smoking… You were wrong to do that. Tomorrow we'll go buy a ring.'

'We'll go Dutch,' she agreed. 'Or maybe I should buy it then I can wear it as a dress ring…' That seemed the most appropriate option.

'No way,' James wasn't having that. 'You're my fake fiancée and I ain't having you buy your own ring cos I wouldn't do that so you're having a real ring and that's final. You can wear it as a dress ring later. I reckon I owe you for all the times I didn't satisfy you when you we're feeling like today,' he smiled at her in his usual irrepressible fashion. 'Makepeace if I'd known,' he growled in a semi threatening tone.

'Well you know now,' she ran her arms around his neck and her sultry gaze challenged his, 'show me.'

-oOo-

'A guy dating you wouldn't go to a high street jeweller,' Dempsey said as he parked near Hatton Garden, 'where would he normally go?'

'Asprey's probably,' Harry said in an off-hand kind of way, 'but a copper couldn't afford that Dempsey so we need to find somewhere more modest.'

'Where's that?' He questioned her. 'Come on Makepeace, if that's where you'd get a ring from that's where we're going.'

Harry looked at him as if he'd gone mad, 'James that will be very expensive and it's about half an hour from here so…

'So, nothing that's where we're going, direct me.' He squared his jaw. He wanted Harry to have a ring she'd be proud to wear and he'd had that compensation from the States for having to move to England because of Coltrane being a bent cop. That had been generous so he could buy her something nice.

Harry couldn't understand why they didn't just go to Ratner's as they were merely looking for a ring to keep their cover with the Chief Superintendent and as long as it was respectable looking that would be fine. She looked at Dempsey and realised he had that determined look on his face and she shrugged and indicated where they should turn.

'We should really have an appointment,' she informed him and then swallowed hard as he used his police badge to get them the necessary attention.

A very smart looking middle aged man took them into a room and asked them what price range, and Harry looked shocked when Dempsey said something in the five thousand to ten-thousand-dollar range. She didn't say anything as they were playing their cover and she wasn't about to contradict her partner, it reminded her of the time he bought the tank.

'Sapphire to match her eyes,' Dempsey suggested, 'my angel's got beautiful eyes.' He remembered the time he thought Coltrane had had her killed and the picture he had of her in his mind's eye, the blue of her eyes haunting him.

'Certainly sir,' two trays of rings were offered and the jeweller's assistant got a ring gauge out and measured Harry's finger and then suggested certain rings which would be suitable and assured them that they could adjust any of the others.

Harry looked at them uncertainly they didn't have prices and she bit her lip, one ring in particular caught her attention for its simplicity and elegance and she pointed to it.

'That looks right for you, try it on,' Dempsey felt a certain amount of emotion and then decided he should put it on her finger so he picked it up and took her hand kissed her fingers and then slid the ring on. It was a perfect fit.

'That's beautiful,' Harry said softly. She was lost in admiration of the ring and hardly noticed Dempsey conclude the sale with the sales assistant. Her partner insisted that she kept the ring on and he got the box and all the necessary paperwork done, they were then given a glass of complimentary champagne and left alone.

'Well here's to us princess,' he clinked his glass with hers, 'you never know this could be our longest running cover,' his voice sounded low and emotional to him and he wondered if she noticed.

'Was it very expensive,' Harry wrinkled her nose apologetically as she had put the rough velvet tone down to the trauma of an empty bank account.

'Well all I can say is you have good taste sweetheart and I guess that's an investment; anyway, Lady Harriet can't go around with a cheap piece of glass on her finger.'

'I'll have to get a chain for it, I can't wear it when I'm operationally active,' she admired the ring. 'Asprey's really do know how to cut the stones well; look at the light reflecting off the sapphire.'

'Yeah, it sparkles all right,' he agreed and wished they were going back to one of their homes rather than the office. 'How did you feel when I put the ring on your finger,' he had to ask cos it had meant something to him.

'Worried,' she responded with a smile. 'I didn't want you to be out of pocket, people in my circle live in a different world in terms of disposable income and I didn't want you to think you had to match that.'

'Well the NYPD were very apologetic about my exile and especially about Coltrane trying to off me so you've got their guilt money on your finger. You made me feel better about Joey so you deserve it, seems appropriate.'

Harry's heart melted at his gruff words. 'Perhaps we could stop at my place before we go back to the office,' she suggested in an emotional tone.

Dempsey smiled she must have read his mind, 'your place it is, princess.'

-oOo-

Harry felt very embarrassed at the attention the ring garnered especially as she'd spent the last hour making passionate love with her ex-partner. It had been beautiful and she knew James had been feeling emotional and was now being a little bit defensive.

'Very nice,' Spikings said dryly. 'I hope you didn't get it on expenses, I've had the RPG and the tank to deal with and I don't need a repeat performance.'

'Nah this is courtesy of the NYPD they felt awkward that I was being harassed by my former boss,' Dempsey responded in his usual manner. He could see Spikings was relieved at that.

'Well perhaps now the two of you could get on with some work unless you'd like me to play the part of registrar,' Spikings growled in his usual manner.

'Yes sir,' Harry responded politely as she went to her office followed by Hargreaves and half the typing pool.

'Work I said not ogling at rings,' Spikings roared as he went into his office somewhat exasperated by the turn of events. Dempsey had obviously pushed the boat out if he was any judge of jewellery and he wondered how serious things had got between his two most effective officers.

'Nice ring,' Chas said tongue in cheek to Dempsey, 'very classy suits Harry,' he got a coffee and sat on Dempsey's desk. 'Got it bad Jim,' he observed with a kind twinkle in his eye.

'Tell me about it,' Dempsey drawled. 'Always thought I was immune you know, had my fair share of women and relationships. There's always one dame out there that can get to you like no other and then everything changes.'

'I'll start writing my speech,' Chas grinned at him and got a dangerous look from his friend.

'Let's not get ahead of ourselves; the ring's for the cover; don't want to upset the Chief Super, and anyway I've been reliably informed that D.I. Makepeace wouldn't marry me if I did buy her the Koh-i-Noor so I wouldn't waste your time on doing that.'

Dempsey was feeling decidedly uncomfortable at the amount of emotion he'd felt over the last twenty-four hours and was feeling decidedly out of his comfort zone. And even if he did want to make things permanent he wasn't sure that Harry would climb on board. I mean she was a class act and he was a New York cop when it came down to it and New York was beckoning because he'd have to go back and testify against Coltrane and the Giardino's and that was going to be a tough ride.

He glanced across at Harry and could see she was feeling awkward at all the attention the ring had brought her. Her blue eyes met his and he swallowed hard and then looked away wondering what the future would look like for the two of them. He'd like to think Harry would always be there but only time would tell.

End or Part 1 (Part 2 may take a while as it needs a lot of editing)