Steve tossed and turned in bed a couple of nights later as a bout of Sunday night insomnia took hold.
For the past forty eight hours his mind hadn't drifted to work or the case at all, instead it had been focused on Kate and making their undercover home a bit more comfortable if they were going to be living there a while.
His younger self would not have found it a particularly exciting way to spend his time off, but the company had made it one of his nicest weekends ever.
The photo shoot had perhaps been the most awkward couple of hours. He had anticipated that the holiday pictures would be the most difficult as they had had to strip down to swim wear, but it hadn't been the case. The couple of wedding photos they took were far more excruciating, particularly when Amanda's colleague had suggested one of him and Kate kissing.
"What?!" Steve had spluttered a little shocked when he had heard the comment.
"I don't think so!" Kate had dismissed the idea immediately. She was not kissing her best mate in the presence of other people.
So far they had done some solo shots of Steve in his blue three piece suit and Kate in the wedding gown that Amanda had picked out for her. It was a simple lace dress with a small train and no veil. There were thin straps over her shoulders and a very low back that made wearing a bra impossible. Apart from the lace it was just the type of non fussy dress she would pick for herself.
They had just comkleted some shots of them cutting a cake and an arty black and white one of their hands displaying their new wedding rings. What was missing was me of the happy couple together.
"Every wedding has pictures of the bride and groom kissing," Amanda had reminded them with a big smile on her face. She knew this was going to be awkward for the two friends and she was going to take some pleasure in teasing them.
"Fucks sake," Steve had muttered as he realised Amanda was right.
"This is totally your fault," Kate had reminded him as she too realised they were going to have to do this one photograph. "No tongue or there will be trouble," she had warned.
"Give me some credit," Steve had muttered back as he stood face to face with her.
The kiss when it did happen was not as bad as either Steve or Kate had envisioned, even nicer than they thought which is why it perhaps went on a bit longer than a friendly kiss might have.
"I think that's everything," Amanda's colleague's words had broken the silence far too quickly and they had broken apart, each a little disappointed that it had had to end.
It was fair to say Steve's thoughts hadn't really been on Reggie Dawkins at all after that…..until Matt had texted late Sunday evening. He was requesting an early morning catch up with Steve to discuss the psychologists report that he had received. Steve was now lying in bed wondering what the report contained.
"Are you ok?" Kate asked sleepily from her side of the bed. She had been trying to get to sleep for the past hour but had been prevented from doing so by Steve's frequent shuffling about.
"Can't seem to sleep," Steve sighed frustratedly.
Wanting to help her friend out, Kate moved closer to Steve and started giving him a head massage. She had found out that it relaxed him when he fell asleep on her last Friday night after dinner.
Steve had suggested watching TV after their meal to switch off from the case before heading to bed. Kate had agreed and they had settled on the sofa together and chosen some mindless programme to entertain them.
Although it had been Steve's idea, Kate could tell he was still focussing on work as he looked distracted. She had reached out and started stroking Steve's head which he very much enjoyed. It wasn't long before he had been snoring beside her.
Kate's touch worked its magic again, and soon Steve felt his eyelids growing heavy as all the tension and apprehension about the following day left his body as sleep beckoned.
The next thing either of them knew, the alarm was sounding. Neither was surprised to find that they were spooning as they had woken each morning over the weekend in the same position. It seemed their bodies naturally sought comfort from the other whilst they were asleep.
Steve moved his arm that was resting over Kate to slap at the alarm behind him. With silence returned, he returned to cuddling Kate.
"Aren't you supposed to be getting up for that early meeting?" Kate mumbled.
"Next time the alarm goes off," Steve replied, just as sleepily.
Both occupants of the bed shuffled around a little to get more comfortable before attempting to get a few more minutes of dozing. When they settled, Steve's hand had somehow managed to find its way under Kate's top and was dangerously close to copping a feel of one of her breast's.
Steve tensed, waiting to see what Kate would do, but nothing came. No verbal reprimand or pushing of his hand away which he took to mean as consent so he relaxed and tried dozing.
The second alarm came way too soon and very reluctantly, Steve dragged his body from the bed and into the shower, his erection which was present for the fourth morning in a row led the way.
Ten minutes later, Steve was fixing himself a coffee before heading out of the house. He was tired from his lack of sleep so he failed to notice a car parked a little way down the street with a single female occupant in it.
"DI Abbott on the move," DC Claire Wilton spoke in to her radio as she watched Steve get in to his car and reverse out of his driveway. She had told her boss about her suspicions regarding DI Abbott and right now they appeared to be justified.
"I thought the debrief was at 8?" the voice of her SIO came back over the device.
"It is," Wilton confirmed as she looked at her watch. It was only 7am. Far too early to be leaving for the debrief.
"Bit of an eager beaver isn't he?" her boss said, thinking the same thing. Something was definitely afoot.
"Should I follow him?" Claire asked.
"Yes," came the reply. "Don't let him out of your sight,".