Shifting Perceptions —Epilogue

I've never read the Elizabeth George books (Tommy as a blond?!) but I am a huge of the BBC series, and I have borrowed the characters to play with just for fun and no profit to myself. I promise to return them unharmed but hopefully very satisfied...I hope you enjoy!

Many thanks to all those who have left reviews and encouraged me!

This story really finished with Chapter 14, but I felt a short epilogue was needed to wrap a few things up...

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It was warm, and she felt comfortable and beautiful and loved. She couldn't remember the last time she felt that way, and her brain struggled with the transition from being asleep to waking up. Such a nice dream...except she was now awake, and Tommy's long, lean body really was wrapped around hers, his arm around her waist, their legs intertwined and his head nestled into her hair as he slept. She moved slightly, stretching a bit, and he curled against her body even further, tightening his arm around her as if he thought she might try to escape.

She laughed internally at the idea of escaping. She had tried for years to avoid this situation, afraid of her own feelings, sure he had none for her, certain it would never work, and look where that had led her. To this very morning, waking up in his arms, feeling warm and loved.

She had spent so many years denying this part of herself, focused solely on her job, aside from the disastrous dating service attempts. Last night, and this morning, though...it was miraculous, although she still couldn't see how a relationship could work between them for the long term. For a little longer, she thought, I will just enjoy this moment. She sighed contentedly, and snuggled against him.

"If you keep wriggling your bottom against me like that, I can't be held responsible for what happens next," Tommy warned, his voice thick with sleep and the beginnings of desire.

Barbara turned in his arms and rolled over to face him, smiling shyly. "Good morning."

He kissed her, softly. "It is a very good morning," he agreed. "No regrets?"

"No regrets." Her eyes were huge, uncertain. "Some concerns. Fears."

"Then we deal with them. Together. I'm not giving you up, Barbara. Not now. Not ever."

"But the job, and you being a sodding earl, and —"

"None of that matters. We'll figure this out, I promise you, we can make this work." He was stroking her now, her face, over her shoulder, down her side, to her thigh and back, as though he could soothe her fears away. "As for the job, if it ends up I have to give up working with you to be with you, then so be it. You're due for a promotion, anyway, especially after your stellar work on the Lisa Ramsey case."

"But honestly, I'm crap at relationships, and —"

He leaned in then and kissed her, lips pressing on hers, teasing her mouth open and drowning out the sounds of protest. She didn't try to resist for long, not when he was so warm, and his lips and tongue felt so good. When their mouths finally parted she leaned back with a sigh, caressing his chest.

"What we have between us, it's incredibly rare," he said, pulling her closer to him. "I love you. The trust and friendship we've built over so many years, and then this chemistry we have, I've never felt anything like it. If you tell me you don't feel it, too, I won't believe you."

"I can't tell you I don't feel it," she admitted.

"So no more Sir Richard Bartram at your doorstep from now on," he warned, his voice teasing, but with an edge to it as well.

She laughed and shook her head. "You should thank him, actually."

"Why on earth would I thank the man who has been fawning all over you the entire weekend? The one who kissed your cheek as he left last night, at least three hours after you should have finished the drive back to London!"

"Jealous, are you? Yes, you should thank him, because he's the one who made me realize that perhaps a toff could be interested in me, after all. I mean, he knew who I was, where I'm from, and he made it clear that he was still attracted to me."

Her fingers were still trailing across his chest, distracting him, but Tommy made himself focus on what she was saying. "You always underestimate yourself, Barbara. And the rest?"

"Well, he's not as fast a driver as you are. And we stopped for lunch. And then when we got back to London, he asked me out to dinner."

"You didn't have to say yes!"

"There was no food in my flat, not even any bread for toast. So we went to dinner and had a nice time. He's a very nice man, really. Then he brought me to the flat, and helped carry my bag in."

"And?"

"And nothing. He kissed me goodnight — " She could feel his body tense up, and it stopped her short.

"Barbara..."

"And I told him it was impossible, that there was someone else. He took it like the gentleman he is, gave me a friendly peck on the cheek and said good night. And then there you were, sitting in the Bristol, looking like...I don't know what you looked like."

"I looked like I wanted to murder someone, him. I wanted to kill him because he had taken you away from me, and then he was here, and touching you...I was furious. I was so incredibly jealous."

"You know, when he went to kiss me, I let him, because I wanted to compare it to yours. That's when I knew it was hopeless, really, and that I couldn't fight it anymore. Because there was no comparison." She nuzzled into his chest. "And that is why you should thank him."

"I'll send him a thank-you note on our wedding invitation, shall I?" he asked, stroking her hair. She looked up at him then, eyes wide, and he couldn't really read the expression on her face.

"Don't be daft!"

"Then we're not inviting him?" Tommy teased.

"You can't marry me. I'll never fit into your world."

"You're the one who's being daft! You already do fit into my world, perfectly. We work together, we spend time out of work together, and that is not by chance, it's by choice. This weekend in Howenstow, everyone thought you were delightful, no one thought you didn't belong there. My sister and mother certainly seem to think we belong together. You are the only one who seems to have a problem with the idea of us. I shall just keep asking you until you say yes."

Barbara opened her mouth to reply, then thought better of it, shaking her head before trying again. "Do you know, it's really difficult to have an argument like this when we're naked and in bed together!"

"Exactly! There are far better things to do when we're naked in bed together." His mouth was on hers again then, and there was no more discussion for quite some time.