AN: Hi everyone – I hope you are all well. I have been really busy recently with returning to work as the lockdown eases plus, things are quite frankly a bit depressing in the world and my muse seems to have done a bit of a runner and I've not really felt like writing. I really hope she returns because as I've been trying to write new stuff I've been thinking lots about new chapters for my Secret Santa story – we're only 6 months away from Christmas after all. I know some of you are hoping for more chapters to The Beef and I have to say it's taking a bit longer than I thought. I only intended the story to be short one but it seems to have turned from a vignette into something a bit longer – I hope you will bear with me. Also, I have an idea for another bigger story, it's vague at the moment but I really hope it will come to fruition. Meanwhile, here's just a little something I've been tinkering with for a bit. It really isn't one of my best at all, but I wanted to post it in an attempt to coax my muse back in full force. Also, this short vignette may even connect to The Beef (possibly, maybe, probably ) I also have a little sexy M follow on from The Girl From Mars but as I seem to have a lot of M stories, and I know they're not everyone's cup of tea I'll probably wait on posting it for a while. Anyway thanks so much for your feedback and messages. I'm so glad you are still wanting to read, your comments keep me motivated, they are so much appreciated, more than you can imagine, so a big thank you to all readers seasoned and new.

ML

It was an early evening in mid-summer. Over Oxford town the swifts screamed as they raced over and around the ancient colleges before climbing impossibly high into a perfect blue sky. Shooting through the thermals they almost disappeared into the blue beyond before suddenly returning, as if by magic, to the corridors of air above the golden sandstone buildings.

The city below was busy, thick with tourists and students and locals. They day had been hot and the pavements and buildings radiated the heat even in the shade. At one of the colleges, preparations were being made for a function. Tables were laid and dressed with contemporary floral centerpieces and champagne bottles were being chilled by the barrel load as a troupe of busy waiting staff took orders from managers with clipboards and event walkie talkies. A small ensemble of musicians were shuffling through music scores and setting up their seats. In the kitchen underneath the college, chefs were busy making and preparing the various dishes and other delicacies that were to be served between courses.

At home, in the ensuite, Laura was putting the final touch to her makeup. The dinner at the college was one she was invited to and attended each year. When she had first started going, when she was young and had just finished college, she had been like any other guest at the meal but as they years had passed and her career had propelled her to the forefront of her discipline Dr Laura Hobson had become an important guest at high table.

As she applied mascara, Laura thought about all the other times she'd attended the function. Some years she had gone alone, sometimes with someone; old flames from med school, new beaus, male friends wanting more than she cared to give. This year was different. She was going with Robbie. She smiled to herself and padded barefoot into the bedroom. She wore a figure-hugging black dress that she'd recently bought and she knew she looked good. From the wardrobe she took out a black wrap flecked with silver and a small handbag that went perfectly with her outfit before slipping her feet into a pair of heels. She loved to dress up. It was something she didn't get chance to do much. She took a pair of earrings from a small box on the dressing table and with them a necklace that matched.

Putting the necklace on she headed out of the bedroom and into the upstairs hallway which lead to the stairs. She paused to look out of the window and down into the garden. She smiled again to herself. There was Robbie, out in the garden, watching a blackbird poke about for worms. Laura laughed softly to herself. She knew Robbie would be talking to the bird. He had a habit of talking to animals and birds that both amused and touched her. Just as she predicted; Robbie put his hands in his trouser pockets and said something to the blackbird who cocked his head and regarded him with an unblinking eye. Laura laughed softly again and shook her head slightly. She continued to gaze out of the window for a moment longer. Robbie was dressed for the evening too, and Laura felt her stomach flip a little when she saw him in his tuxedo. He moaned regularly about his age, how he was getting on but he could still pull off a good suit.

From her vantage point upstairs, Laura took a long look at Robbie's backside. It pleased her eye greatly and she knew she'd find her hands on it later on. She wondered when that might occur. Maybe, after the dinner, they would dance. She had never known before they'd got together that Robbie was a good dancer. Maybe, she thought, when they chatted and made small talk to the other invites at the reception drinks, her hand might sneak its way onto his lower back, then venture down. It didn't really matter if she did that or not she thought, because later on, after the function was over, she knew they would walk for a while by the river and steal a kiss and a caress by the waterside, before getting a taxi back home. The night air at the water's edge would be cooler, it would be dark, save for the blush of twilight in the northern sky; and they would hold hands and talk and laugh as they kissed. Back home they would head straight to bed, Laura getting them a glass of water each on the way. She might just get chance to take some of her make up off before Robbie would pull her down onto the bed and they would make love. She smiled again. Her love for him just seemed to get deeper each day. He infuriated her sometimes, but that was part of it too. It was give and take, sometimes she took more, sometimes he did. They were both guilty of it; it was something they were working on. Right now, however, looking down at Robbie, Laura felt anything but infuriated.

When the invite for the function had arrived, months before, Laura had panicked a little. The function was what Robbie called a "Big Cheese Event" studded with an array of Oxford's medical and academic glitterati. She knew Robbie hated such events but he had seemed keen to go from the off. The reason was simple, he was glad to go with her; and she realised how much he had missed being a couple and doing such things. It was one thing to go out for dinner together, but she came to realise he missed being involved in all things with her, from the sublime to the ridiculous to the mundane. The function was a mixture of all three of those things. The meal was always wonderful, there was often a ridiculous master of ceremonies and always there was the repetition each year of all the familiar Oxford faces. Laura knew that Robbie, at times, would be irritated with the "Oxford Bollocks" that inevitably accompanied such a function. But she knew that he would tolerate it for her. How she loved him for doing so. She knew some of her contemporaries were surprised at their getting together. She'd heard the comments Beauty and the beast from the north east, Hobson's bit of geordie rough (that one always made her laugh the most). She knew Robbie knew about these cheap asides and despite them all, he would shrug them off with a weary lift of his eyebrows and maybe a secret wink just for her. The bottom line was, he just wanted to be there for her, especially this time, and she knew full well that just before she had to rise from the table and perform a ceremonial departmental duty, his hand, under the table would squeeze hers, gently, for no other reason than to convey his presence. That was all she needed, she thought, just his presence. And smiling to herself again she made her way downstairs.

Outside, Robbie enjoyed the warm summer air for a minute longer. He thought of the gloomy and stuffy college dining room where the function was set. He disliked such gatherings but at least Laura would be there by his side. On my arm he thought with a little bit of smug pride. He'd seen the shock on some faces when they'd first got together, he'd heard the sneers behind his back, the gossip about them both. It had passed and they had both found it funny. Even so, because of it, he sometimes questioned their togetherness, moreso the fact sometimes bothered him that Laura could've had her pick of the men on offer and she had picked him. He knew later on, as they ate the meal perhaps, her hand would find his thigh and squeeze it gently when some don or puffed up academic on the table tried to catch him out with a barely disguised elitist riddle or trap. Robbie didn't care. He knew all the tricks in the book by now, and Laura knew that, but still, she had his back. He sighed. It was turning into a beautiful summers evening, the sort that you could spend by having a few drinks in a beer garden before taking a romantic walk and then returning home for an early night. He would rather be doing that than going to the function. But Laura needed his support tonight, even though she would never say as such. And that was enough for him to want to be with her.

There was also another benefit in going to a posh do. It would mean she would be dressed up. He knew she would wear something that would take his breath away. He'd showered and dressed first so he could get out of her way. He knew she'd take time to put her makeup on, choose her outfit and dress to perfection. How he loved her doing so. He had missed so much the little rituals that sharing a life with someone brought. He adored finding out her little habits and foibles. They had been together just over a year and still he discovered new things about her that seemed to enchant him. He looked up to the sky and watched the swifts for a while. So high up, they looked like little specks of dust. He could just make out their screaming calls. The swifts of Oxford were an annual albeit short lived summer delight. Always there in the sky, not caring about the minutiae that went on below, soaring in the deep blue of the sky.

A quiet but harsh cluck returned Robbie's consciousness to the ground. The blackbird was voicing some irritation over something that Robbie couldn't see. The bird, feathers a rich glossy black and immaculately preened, was perched on the edge of a bucket. The bucket was full to the rim of horse manure that Robbie had procured a few weeks before to go with a rose he'd bought for Laura. It hadn't taken her long to plant it next to the log store so it could clamber over it. He smiled. She loved her garden and he knew if given the chance she'd spend all day in there. She worked too hard, like he did, but Laura was good at switching off. It was something that filtered through to him. He found he could think ahead again, plan things with her, talk about the future. Their future.

Robbie watched the blackbird for a few more moments then checked his watch. The taxi would be here soon. He went into the kitchen and closed and locked the door behind him, leaving the blackbird clucking softly and looking down into the bucket of manure.

As Robbie turned from the door, Laura came through from the living room, pushing the backs onto a pair of earrings. She wore a close-fitting black dress, with a new pair of heels. Robbie watched as, with a final adjustment of her earrings she smiled at him, one of her smiles that always knocked him off his feet, because he knew it was just for him.

"Oh. . . god. Look at you" He said, in a wide mouthed, wide eyed gawp. She flashed him one of her trademark smirks, hands on hips.

"Put your tongue back in, Inspector" She said, flirting unashamedly

"No chance. Come here." He said and went towards her and she in turn approached him, still smirking. He reached out and put his hands on her hips and pulled her in to him, kissing her before nuzzling his nose into her hair, being careful not to put any of it out of place.

"You look beautiful" He whispered into her ear and he felt her smile against his cheek and she caressed his back, her hands under his jacket. He returned the caress as he continued to talk softly into her ear.

"I'm so proud to be with you tonight" He said, and Laura felt her throat tighten with emotion at his words "Remember that won't you, in case I don't get chance to say it later?" he continued

Laura pulled back to look at him, a slightly quizzical look on her face

"I mean" He said "You'll be off having to hob nob and stuff"

Laura laughed softly. He was right she did have to do a lot of networking. The dinner was a big important annual event, jointly held between the college and the Lab and as holder of her position in the department Laura had several duties to deploy. They consisted of accepting accolodes, announcing notable news and giving awards. Robbie knew that in addition she had to talk and network with new and established contacts to keep things running smoothly. Her job was sometimes more politics than pathology he thought. He smiled down at her, thinking how much he adored her. She was looking back at him, eyes wide; she sensed quite correctly that he was going to speak again.

"I'm just proud, y' know. Everything you've achieved, in your career, your integrity. It's. . . just. . ." Robbie faltered with his words He wanted to say it with more eloquence but the look in Laura's eyes told him he had said it perfectly clearly. "Well, anyway, like I say, I'm proud to be on your arm tonight. Remember, won't you?"

"I'll remember" she said simply and held him close for a moment longer

"Robbie" she spoke again

"Mmm?" He said, pulling away from her embrace to look at her

"I'm proud to be on your arm too" and she looked at him, her expression serious for a moment, her eyes searching his.

"Pack it in. You don't have to say that" he said softly, with a sheepish look but he knew she meant it and his heart felt bigger as he saw her smile and nod in a contrary reaction to his words

"Anyway, you look beautiful" Robbie continued "Well actually, you look bloody gorgeous " he said, and his voice was quiet and low.

"You don't look too bad yourself" she replied and her hands on his back under his jacket, pulled him in close to her body.

"I tell you what" He said into her ear, returning her touch as his hands squeezed her hips "You're coming home with me tonight"

She chuckled warmly at his flirty tone and he leant down and they kissed; tenderly at first, as if respectful of their recent exchange of emotion. Then the kiss continued, far too deeply perhaps for the early hour of the evening. Robbie's hands found their way onto Laura's back, then up her sides, squeezing her body gently in places that he knew shouldn't be fondled at such an early juncture in the evening. In an attempt to curb his actions he returned his hands to her back but then found them wandering to her backside. He couldn't resist pulling her in even closer in as her hands now roamed over his back.

Laura felt herself melting into an all too familiar and delicious sensation and, as she had predicted to herself earlier, found her hands on Robbie's backside, albeit much earlier than she had expected.

They really should stop, she thought. There would be plenty of time for this later. . .

And then suddenly the sound of a car horn broke their proceedings. The taxi had arrived. They pulled away, both a little breathless.

"Oh, bloody hell" Robbie said almost inaudibly. "Now look" he held up his hands, palms out and looked down towards his waist.

Laura, looking down, dissolved into a fit of laughter at what she saw, a full-on expansion of one of her smirks. Robbie, tight lipped but also laughing watched her with an equal amusement at his own expense. She composed herself enough to put her hand to his face. With her thumb she gently rubbed across his mouth to remove a faint trace of lipstick that had transferred from her lips to his, she chuckled softly, still amused at his predicament.

She moved towards him, and now her expression had changed slightly, her hands near his waist. She took hold of what he referred to, and almost planted a kiss on his lips.

"Hold that thought" She said in a quiet voice, her eyes bright and sparkling with mischief and desire

"and we'll discuss this later, when you come home with me" And then taking his hand she lead him to the front door and the awaiting taxi.