Chapter Five

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'Coffee?' offered Damien.

'Yes, but would you like to go up to the flat and have it?' Alex replied.

'Can do.' Damien agreed, putting his hand up to the waiter and mouthing 'Bill please?'

Alex glanced round.

'He's gone' Damien told her, 'Went a while ago.'

Alex felt deflated, 'Oh' He didn't care, he didn't give a damn about her. Oh well, at least she knew now.

Damien was studying her face, and he gave a knowing smile.

'What?' Alex asked.

'Tell you when we get up to the flat.' Damien said.

He was probably going to tell her that the Joanna lookalike had appeared and whisked Gene away, thought Alex grimly. Why the hell did it hurt so much?

As Alex was making her way through the trattoria while Damien was paying the bill, Luigi caught up with her, 'This man- he is just for you. Just perfect' he gushed.

She forced a smile, 'No Luigi, he is perfect, but not for me, just a friend.'

Luigi tutted and shook his head.

In the flat Alex filled the kettle and took out two brandy glasses, pouring a large one for her and Damien, as she handed it to him, he smiled a toothpaste commercial smile.

'So, my opinion? You want it?' he asked.

'Not much point, I think I can work it out for myself.' she said.

'To say he was mightily pissed off is putting it mildly.' Damien said, 'I've never felt so uncomfortable in my entire life, kept expecting him to come over and land one on me, but then he just looked sad and slunk off- you're killing him Alex.'

'But…' her heart was beating stupidly fast.

'And you- when you found out he'd left-your face- it was like all the life dropped out of it.' Damien shook his head. 'You and he need to have a little chat I think.'

'He doesn't do little chats, he just slings insults.' Alex mumbled, cradling her brandy glass.

Damien finished his brandy, 'Forget the coffee' he told her, 'You look exhausted, kid, I'll get going.' he stood up.

'Thanks for everything' Alex said.

He kissed her cheek, 'Sort it out with him'

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Alex had been asleep for a while when the phone rang; her arm groped around for it from her bed and she held it to her ear, 'Yeah?' she muttered groggily.

'Kick Remington Steele out of your bed Drake, I need you at the station.' Gene said brusquely.

'Wha? I….' she spluttered.

'Now Inspector- not pissing about!' he barked, and the line went dead.

She more or less fell out of bed and flung some clothes on, peering blearily at the clock and finding it was 2.30am. 'Oh god' she mumbled to herself, 'Please I need to sleep.' with difficulty she managed to let herself out of the flat and headed to the station.

When she arrived the incident room was in darkness, but there was a light on in Gene's office, taking a deep breath, she crossed the floor, trying to get her head together enough to face him. But she stopped dead at the office door. He wasn't alone, the Joanna lookalike, still perfectly groomed, was in there with him. Alex had never felt more shambolic, she hadn't even combed her hair.

'Felicity Armstrong meet DI Alex Drake' Gene said tiredly.

Alex nodded ungraciously but the woman held out her hand, 'Thank you!' she gushed. 'I'm so stupid, I don't know how this could have happened.'

Alex frowned and looked at Gene.

'Felicity is in charge of covert operations, hiding people- witnesses.' Gene explained blandly.

The Witness Protection Scheme?' Alex replied faintly.

Gene ran his hands through his hair, 'I'm her first point of contact-no-one else in this station is supposed to know- I'm trusting you Drake- against my better bloody judgement.' he turned to Felicity, 'Make yourself useful and get us some tea- five sugars for me!' he rapped.

Felicity jumped and headed to the door, she turned back, 'Er where?'

'There!' Gene snapped, waving a hand in the general direction of the kitchenette.

'Sugar?' Felicity asked Alex, who shook her head.

When she'd gone, Gene looked at Alex, 'Surrounded by fucking posh women, I thought you were useless, but she makes you look like bloody DI of the year. She's not up to the fucking job, hasn't even got a headful of brains'

'Looks good though.' Alex said, smiling uncertainly.

'Does she?' Gene pouted, 'Hadn't noticed, too busy running around doing everything but wipe her bloody arse for her.'

'So how did she get the post?' wondered Alex out loud.

'Hell knows' Gene replied, 'Anyway, she's misplaced a witness, and I need you to go with her to try and get the stupid cow back- if I go it could blow her cover' he pulled a gun from under his jacket, and handed it to her, 'you don't hesitate to use this if you need it. Jesus I could kill the bloody stupid bitch, putting one of my officers in danger.'

'Gene' whispered Alex, as their hands touched when he handed over the gun.

He looked into her eyes and put one finger to her cheek, 'Be careful' he begged.

.

By 5am the witness was back under Felicity's dubious protection, the gun had remained unfired, and Felicity was a jibbering wreck of gratitude.

'I can't thank you enough, I don't know what I'll do if she does it again though, that boyfriend's going to talk if they catch up with him, I'm sure of it.' she said worriedly, 'and DCI Hunt is sick of the sight of me I know.'

'I have a feeling he'll delegate now I know about you.' Alex replied, 'I expect your dealings will be with me from now on.'

'I hope so, I'm terrified of him.' confided Felicity.

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Alex dragged her protesting and worn out body back through CID and to Gene's office to hand in the gun. He was at his desk, and didn't quite manage to hide his relief at seeing her back safely, but pulled himself together enough to make an acerbic remark, 'Sorry I dragged you away from lover boy.'

'I don't think you are.' she replied defiantly.

He blew smoke in her direction, and she noticed the ashtray full of dog ends, he must have been chain smoking all the time she'd been gone.

'I don't think you're in the least bit sorry' she continued angrily, 'and I don't have a lover boy for your information, you really think I'm that much of a tart that I have to sleep with every male I come into contact with?. I'm just a bitter, twisted, single, knackered, jaded copper- very much like you in fact. So now if there are no other emergencies you need me to deal with for you, I'll go home to my lonely bed.'

His face was inscrutable, ' I know you're not a tart, and I know you wouldn't…..so who was he then?'

'A friend' Alex said, 'He's a male escort actually. It was his night off. Why- jealous?'

He stared at her for what seemed like forever. 'Yes' he said eventually.

Her mouth fell open in disbelief, 'You were?'

His eyes drooped, and she found herself mesmerised by his eyelashes, he looked so tired, like he needed someone to love him. 'I've thought of 346 different ways to kill him.' he said. 'Some of them quite ingenious.'

'Oh good, never let it be said you have no imagination.' Alex felt flustered, Chessie was screaming unobtainable! in her head, but she ignored her. She wanted him. She needed him. And she was shit at game playing. A thought came into her head; maybe not quite shit, maybe…. Suddenly she didn't feel quite so tired, it was Saturday after all. Possibility after possibility whizzed around her mind.

'So' she dropped her eyes too, looking at his mouth all the time she was speaking to him, 'are you heading off home now?'

'Guess so' he yawned.

'Could you give me a lift?' she asked.

'Yes go on then, just this once.' he replied.

'Can you wait a minute?, There's something I want to do' she asked.

'Hurry up then woman, I'm bloody knackered.' he said, beginning to sound cross again.

She hurried out of his office, and down to the optimistically named Ladies Changing Room, which was a cramped dive where Shaz and the other WPC'S changed in and out of uniform. At the back of the cupboard she found the uniform Gene had got her to try on. She grabbed it, smiling to herself as she remembered how she'd had to sew the buttons back on after Gene had ripped it off her that first time, she changed into it quickly, even finding the emergency supply of stockings and suspenders that Shaz was so protective of. Her shoes looked out of place because the heels were so high, but Shaz's were too small. She walked back into CID and into Gene's office.

'Mr Hunt?' she said in a low sexy voice, posing by touching up his door frame before walking around the desk, 'I'm arresting you for locking DI Drake in a stationery cupboard, would you come with me please?'

He looked shocked- and very much more awake suddenly. To shock him even more, she lifted up the skirt and showed him the stockings.

'See anything you like?' she asked, leaning down.

'Quite….quite a lot' he said hoarsely.

She grabbed his hand, 'Come on then. I'm taking you in for questioning, just see how you like it when the boot is….' she stopped speaking, pulling him to his feet, before whispering in his ear, 'pressing down on your neck'

'Yeah… er … Ok' he said, still sounding hoarse and slightly shell shocked , he grabbed his coat, 'Put this on, we've got to get past the night sergeant.'

She put the coat on quickly, and grabbed his hand again, 'Come on'

'Think she's coming down with something' Gene explained to the night sergeant as they scurried past him and out of the building.

They got into the car and Gene tore out of the car park, minutes later the Quattro screeched to a halt around the back of Luigi's.

She looked at him, 'It's the weekend' she said happily.

'Well spotted.' he replied. 'Are you taking me in for questioning or not?'

'Oh yes, lots and lots of questioning.' she said.

In the flat they gazed at each other hungrily.

'Is this normal procedure?' he asked.

'No' she said, wondering how an hour ago she had felt so tired and now she was fizzing with energy, 'If you'd just like to step in here, Mr Hunt.' she opened the bedroom door. 'I think we'll be more comfortable.'

She sat him down on the bed. He was uncharacteristically quiet and manageable . She stood in front of him, feeling powerful, and undid the buttons on the uniform jacket and removed the cravat before bending over him slightly.

'So, would you like to explain to me just why you locked me in the stationery cupboard?' she said strictly.

His head was down, he was at a disadvantage, he wanted to flop back onto that fantastically comfortable bed.

'Answers, Mr Hunt, I want answers.' Alex put a finger under his chin and pulled his head up so he was looking at her. When she had his full attention she undid the top button of her blouse and nudged at his boot with her high heeled shoe.

'I tried to leave the door unlocked.' he said watching as her hand hovered over the second button, 'but Viv was there and I know he always double checks that the door is locked.'

Alex undid the second button on the blouse and nodded, 'So, why didn't you come back when you'd shaken Viv off?' She took the jacket of the uniform off and flung it across the room.

'The Super rang and gave me a bollocking, apparently Felicity had been trying to contact me.' he said, his breathing becoming heavier as he watched her undo another button.

'Why couldn't she contact you?' Alex asked.

'Because I was, we were…'Gene smiled uncertainly as Alex undid the last button and removed the blouse, flinging it in the general direction of the jacket, 'otherwise engaged'.

Alex pushed her shoe between the crocodile boots and his hand shot out for her hip. She knocked it away, 'You can't touch me, I can touch you, but you are under arrest and can't touch me. So, do carry on.' she looked down on his golden head.

'He insisted I ring the silly cow straight away.' he said, 'I wanted to come back and unlock the door, let you out, but then she rang me as soon as I'd put the phone down from the Super.'

Alex began to unzip her skirt, she pushed forward so she was standing in between Gene's thighs, his hand crept out again, and darted up her skirt, stealing a touch of her stocking covered leg.

'No touching unless I say so!' she ordered, wrenching his hand away, moving further between his legs so her whole body was right in his face. She bent down to his ear, hearing his ragged breathing, 'And I don't say so.'

She pushed the skirt down over her hips and wriggled about a bit so it fell away from her, stepping out of it she kicked it away and stepped back between his legs, so his lips were nearly touching her naked belly. With satisfaction she heard him stifle a groan.

She reached her hands down and smoothed the suspenders and stockings, 'You must have been on the phone to Felicity an awfully long time' she said sternly, 'What on earth did you find to talk about? Did you think of me at all?'

'Yes' he gasped.

She could feel his warm breath tickling her tummy, it felt glorious.

'What did you think about me?' she turned slowly so now he had a face full of her arse and lacy knickers.

'L..l..locked.. in that cupboard' he stuttered, 'I knew you'd be getting….cross.'

'But you would rather have been chatting to Felicity than come back to me in the cupboard?' she ran a hand over her left buttock provocatively.

'Oh god if you keep doing that…' he moaned.

'Answers!' she rapped, but carried on moving her hands over her bottom, showing it off, presenting it to him.

' We weren't chatting ! I tried to get rid of her but she was worried about that witness, and I explained over and over that until the witness made a run for it I couldn't step in and do anything.' Gene said, willing himself to keep his hands off Bolly's arse, oh Christ on a bike, she was moving her legs open now, pushing his feet apart with those heels, his erection felt like it was almost up to his neck.

'Do you want to know what I think?' Alex said, luxuriating in his closeness and the effect it was so blatantly obvious she was having on him. 'I think you secretly wanted me left there locked up in that cupboard. I think it was the only way you thought you could control me.' she bent over slightly and heard his breath catch again.

'Maybe' he agreed cautiously .

She turned again, looking down at him. The pupils of his eyes were dilated, partly from exhaustion but mainly from lust, his mouth was slack. She put her arm around his neck and her right breast nestled itself into his face, she sat on his strong thigh, keeping one arm around his neck, 'Sometimes it's good to leave the control up to someone else' she whispered, 'to be controlled, like I'm controlling you now.' she parted her legs again, 'See? Everything you want is right here in your lap, but you can't have it, not at this precise moment anyway. But it feels good doesn't it? Pleasurable?'

'Um- yeah' he panted.

'And part of that pleasure comes from the expectation' she said, sliding her hand from his neck and beginning to remove his tie. 'What will I ask of you next? When will I decide that you can touch me?' her hands moved on to the buttons of his shirt, and hovered over his heart.

'It's beating' she whispered, as she had on that very first day.

'It about to go into fucking arrhythmia .' he muttered.

She undid the buttons slowly and felt him relax into her. She pulled away from him , 'Sneaky touching there Mr Hunt.' getting up off his thigh she took his jacket and shirt off him with maddening slowness and when she had finally finished she gazed at his naked torso. 'Stand up' she said gently.

He stood and they stared into each others eyes as she undid his belt and unzipped him, divesting him of his trousers, socks and boots as he stood almost in a dream.

'Complete co-operation, how refreshing' she laughed, moving to him again until their bellies were touching and his cock, only restrained by his white cotton boxers, seemed to have a life of its own as it twitched restlessly.

'You can touch me now' she said, her lips millimetres from his, and the words had barely left her lips before his mouth was on hers, and his hands were on her waist, sliding under the suspender belt, travelling rapidly over her arse and the frilly knickers. She dragged her lips from his , pushed him onto the bed and brought up her leg, digging the heel of her shoe into his chest.

'More' he begged.

She ground the heel into him and then when she thought she might be hurting him just a little too much dragged it off him, and climbed on to him, straddling him. Feeling how enormous his restricted cock was as it rubbed between her legs, she gasped involuntarily. How could she live without this? Would there ever come a day when she didn't want this? She couldn't imagine one. But she had made a decision, everything depended on how he behaved after this.

'Want me now?' she asked.

'Yes!' he tore at her knickers as she lifted herself up and then she speedily stripped down his boxers. He dipped his hand into the cup of her bra, his thumb rubbing her nipple.

As the weak morning sunlight became stronger, dappling on their skin as they writhed on the red sheets, she impaled herself on him, crying out at the intense pleasure of his first thrusts, laughing at his mouth working as he tried to reach her nipple again, shivering as his hands frisked her warm and welcoming body, holding her onto him, groaning with delight, calling her name, grabbing at her hair, pulling her down to him, kissing her roughly, as they moved on the furiously protesting bed.

'Oh god' he groaned as she planted both hands on his shoulders and let the heels of her shoes dig into his thighs like spurs. 'Ride me'

On and on they went, sweating and slipping, drinking each other in, sliding on their mingled juices, on until they were so absorbed into each other that when their orgasms hit, they were like a huge, powerful, warm, whooshing tidal wave, washing over them, making them both cry out like tortured beasts.

Alex collapsed onto his chest, and he pulled her in tightly. She could smell his sweat, the combined aromas of the events of the past 24 hours; fear, need, anger, exhaustion, and finally release.

She stayed quiet, she was going to wait for him to speak, it all hinged on this one moment.

'Best start to a weekend I've ever had.' he said gruffly, after a few minutes.

She remained silent.

'You OK Bolls?, Bloody hell, if I've stopped you talking I must have done something right.' he sounded unsure, almost nervous.

She was waiting for him to get up and say he had lots of plans for the weekend, she was sure he was going to start reeling off the excuses to get away from her. But he pulled her in closely again, 'Oi- you asleep?'

'No' she whispered.

'Don't tell me, you're regretting it- I knew it. Quick shag to satisfy your womanly needs, that's all I'll ever be.' his voice was falsely cheery.

'Is that what you think?' she asked.

'I'm not the sort of bloke women want for meaningful relationships' he said, sniffing.

'You wouldn't know a meaningful relationship if it jumped up and bit you on your very grabable arse.' she mumbled into his chest.

'Probably not.' he agreed, 'I just think…' he tailed off.

'Steady with the thinking' she quipped. 'No go on, you thought what?'

'Well- you're the only woman who hangs around my mind.' he said. 'it's like you've sort of dug in. Not really bothered about anyone else.'

'You're so silver tongued.' she whispered.

'Yes, I know.' he said drowsily, moving lazily in her bed. 'I like it here.'

'I like it here too.' she stuck her tongue out and licked his chest, tasting the salty residue.

'More comfortable than the stationery cupboard.' he mumbled, stroking her hair. 'Can I stay a while?'

'How long's a while?' she asked.

'Til you kick me out.' he said. 'I don't want to go anywhere. Except maybe later, when we've slept, and done…. er…other things, we'll go somewhere that's not Luigi's to eat.'

'Alright.' she felt drowsy too, but also warm and happy, he was right, it was nice there, sticky, but nice.

'Suppose the stationery cupboard is surplus to requirements now?' she said.

'Oh I don't know- those A22 envelopes are still going to need counting.' he said, 'if you're up for it, that is?'

'Yes, it'll add a bit of spice.' she said, 'Mustn't get too comfy.'

' I'll get you a key cut' he whispered.

oxxo

Thanks so much to everyone who read, reviewed, put on alert :)