Chapter 3
…...
James and Jean sat side by side on the couch as the fire let off a warm glow in front of them, dinner made, dishes washed and put away, another bottle of wine sitting on the table beside James, he leaned across and filled Jean's glass when she took a long sip from her glass.
"If I didn't know any better James, I'd say you were trying to get me drunk."
"Not at all Ma'am."
"Jean, remember."
"Sorry, it' takes getting use too."
"I know what you mean…I wonder how Robbie's grandson is."
"I'm sure he's fine. Kids can be very resilient when it comes to little tumbles."
"Do you ever see yourself having children James?"
"Not sure really, need a woman first."
"So there's nobody special in your life?"
"Not yet, nobody I'm really interested in."
"I don't get it."
"Don't get what?"
"You, I mean look at you."
James turned and gave her a strange look, his smile fading.
"Oh god I didn't mean it like that. What I mean is you're a very good looking young man, you're kind, compassionate, and you're a wonderful police officer, one of my best. I just can't understand why no woman had snapped you up yet."
"You sound like Robbie."
"Well good, I'm glad I'm not the only one who sees it."
James set his glass down before turning sideways so that he was facing Jean again, who now had her legs up on the sofa and she turned to face him too.
"I don't know, I'm a very private person and I won't lie…I do find it hard to trust people, to allow people in to my life."
"Like you have with Robbie?"
"With Robbie, Laura…even you. I know that anything I tell any of you will remain private, that anything I say to you would never be used against me."
Jean without really thinking had found herself placing her hand on James knee as he spoke, glancing up at her to see her smile softly at him.
"I'm sorry I shouldn't have…that was unprofessional."
"No, don't be it's fine. What about you, I take it you haven't found anyone new since your divorce."
"What man would take on a newly divorced Chief Superintendent?"
"You'd be surprised."
Jean stared into James bright blue eyes before she set her glass down and stood up before walking in to the kitchen, her hands steadying herself on the sink as she looked out the window. She heard James getting up from the couch and forced herself not to look around. She heard his footsteps grow closer as her breath quickened. She tried her best to hold back the gasp that escaped her lips when James arms found their way around her waist.
"James what are you…."
"Sshhh, just for once in your life…don't try to be so strong okay." He whispered against her ear.
…
Jean found herself leaning into him as he tightened his grip on her before gently turning her around in his arms to face him. She tried to keep her head down until James placed his hand under her chin, forcing her to look up at him.
"Hey…it's okay…it's just us."
James saw the faint hint of a smile from her before he leaned down and placed his lips gently against hers, his arms bringing her closer to him.
"James we can't." she said breathless.
"Why can't we?"
"I'm your boss, it's unpro…"
"Colleagues are allowed to have relationships."
"This isn't a relationships James, this is us trapped in an abandoned cottage in the middle of nowhere, in a storm…caught in a moment of pure…I don't know, lust."
"Lust?" He laughed.
"It's not funny, I'm being serious."
"Yeah I know you are, look…you keep going on about me needing to find someone, someone who gets me, knows all about me. There are only three people in my life who knows me extremely well and you are the only one I'm even remotely interested in…Ma'am." He smiled.
"Ma'am, really…right now is not the right time to be using my title James."
"What are you afraid off, losing your job…that can't happen, getting hurt? I would never, could never do that to you."
"I already have one failed relationship James, I can't afford another."
"Then don't let us fail, embrace it."
Jean looked up and ran a hand down the side of his face before she felt herself leaning up and kissing him again. She took a hold of his hand as he led them to the bedroom, closing the door behind him to see her standing by the bed. It was the first time he'd ever seen Jean Innocent looking nervous and unsure of anything in her life. He came up to her and wrapped his arms around her, placing a kiss to the side of her neck as a moan escaped her lips.
"James…stop teasing."
He guided her back slowly on to the bed as he hovered over her before placing a kiss to her lips and slowly pushing aside the dressing gown she was wearing. She closed her eyes as he looked down at her, afraid to open them.
"Hey, don't close your eyes."
"James I…"
"You're beautiful."
She looked up at him, a smile playing on her lips before bringing him down to her as she wrapped her arms around his neck.
"James…if we…if we do this…there's no going back, I can't…we."
"I don't want to go back; all I want is you…just you. Now, do me a favour and try to relax, let me love you."
She smiled up at him before he came down to join her, taking his time as he held her in his arms.
…
The sound of birds outside the window woke James from his sleep; turning over in bed he noticed Jean's side of the bed empty. He got up, grabbing his trousers and shirt from the floor before walking out to find Jean holding a cup of coffee in her hands as she looked out the window.
"Morning." He said, coming up beside her and kissing her cheek.
"Good morning, sleep well?"
"The best nights sleep I've ever had, you okay?"
"I am…I thought this morning would be awkward but I feel wonderful. I still think you're mad to want a woman like me but…"
"Don't….don't say things like that okay. I want this to work, you and I…I don't care about anyone else, their opinions are irrelevant to me…okay?"
Jean smiled at him before he took her cup from her and put it to the side before covering her lips with his own.
The drive back to Oxford was a quiet one, both lost in their own thoughts. Jean turned to him when she heard him humming to himself, a laugh escaping her lips.
"Hey, what's so funny."
"I don't think I've ever seen you look this happy before."
"Well, now I have good reason to be happy….now I have you."
He looked over at her before taking hold of her hand and giving it a gentle squeeze.
"You did a good job boarding up the door to the cottage, you're quite the handyman."
"I have my moments….I left a note and money for the glass on the door and food and drink we consumed. I also left my number in case they wanted to contact us."
"Good idea…I admit despite the mess our day became, I actually ended up having a really nice time."
"It's certainly one we'll remember."
…...
It was a few days later, Jean and James were in his office finishing up the last report for their case. Jean was leaning over James, pointing out a few errors in timing when Robbie came in and stood by the doorway observing them closely. The way James laughed at something insignificant she would say or the way Jean touched his arm or should, the way she leaned in to him or the way his arm had found it's way to her waist as he leaned back. Looking up at her, he saw the shadow by the door and moved away.
"Sir."
"What…Lewis." Jean added.
"Hiya you two."
"What are you…I didn't know you were back, you never called." Jean said.
"I thought I'd surprise you both."
"Well, we're certainly surprised, aren't we Hathaway."
"Definitely, so how's your grandson?"
"Yeah he's good, back causing his mother havoc."
"Good…that's good." He smiled.
"I was gonna ask how you two got along working together but as I can see…you got on just fine." He grinned.
"Lewis, we can explain." Jean said.
"Ma'am, you don't have to explain a thing to me really…it's nice to see you both happy…you both deserve it. Just gonna go grab a coffee."
Robbie smiled before leaving the office, James standing up as Jean turned to him.
"Caught out." She said.
"But he wasn't bothered by it, and it won't bother anyone else."
"I just don't want people thinking you slept your way to the top or that I make a habit of sleeping with my junior officers."
"Jean stop, remember what I said. Anything said about us is brought about by jealously and childish antics. You put them aside and you move on and you don't regret anything. I don't regret any of this because if there's one thing I know for sure now…it's how much I love you already."
"Really…you love me."
"I hope you don't feel it's too soon."
"No, no it's not too soon…I love you too."
"Well at least we agree on that, now why don't we grab Robbie and go and get some lunch, no doubt he's on the phone to Laura filling her in as we speak."
"We can do this, can't we?"
"We can…together."
…
-Fin