years together he’d been a workaholic, devoting too much time to catching criminals. Not that Erin complained. She remained loyal and supportive right up to the end when the cancer finally claimed her. But she missed out on an awful lot because of his obsession with the job. They’d had relatively few holidays and little in the way of a social life. After their daughter Tanya moved out, Erin spent most of her days – and many of her nights – at home alone.
Knowing that he should have been a more thoughtful husband was with him all the time, gnawing at his conscience. It was one of the reasons he’d found it difficult to move on after she died. He just didn’t think that he deserved to. Which was why, when he felt himself being drawn towards Angel, he tried to resist.
It happened gradually over a period of months. He sensed there was a mutual spark as soon as they started working together. But the relationship took on a personal dimension when she got all emotionalone day in the car after hearing that her ex had got engaged. She told Temple that all the men in her life had been total shits and she was fed up being by herself. Like any understanding boss he listened and he sympathized. He saw himself as a shoulder to cry on and nothing more.
But the next day she asked him about his own life outside the office. Did he have a girlfriend? Would he ever marry again? How did he manage to cope after his wife’s death? He wasn’t sure how to react at first because nobody had ever dared to broach these subjects with him. But he was touched by her interest and he found himself opening up to her.
It wasn’t long before they were meeting for drinks in the evenings, unbeknown to their colleagues, and a quiet intimacy developed between them. Even so, Temple got the shock of his life when Angel said after one too many gin and tonics, ‘Here’s the thing, Guv. I fancy the pants off you and I know you like me. But I also know you won’t make the first move. So let me be the one to suggest that we take this relationship to a new level. I’m sure it will do us both the world of good.’
It took Temple three days to take up the offer and invite her over for drinks. During that time he wrestled with his conscience and spent hours looking at photographs of Erin. Feelings of guilt and betrayal weighed him down, but in the end he asked himself a simple question:
Would Erin really want me to go on punishing myself for not being a better husband?
Of course she wouldn’t. She’d want him to get on with his life and stop feeling sorry for himself. And so that’s what he decided to do. And five months on this was where he was at – waking up next to a sexy young detective whose only flaw seemed to be that she had questionable taste in men.
Temple sat up and looked down at her. Not for the first time he felt like pinching himself. She had a natural beauty, with soft, gentle features and a slightly upturned nose with a dash of freckles. She also had a body to die for – toned and shapely and with not a single blemish. How could he be so lucky?
‘What time is it?’ she groaned, without opening her eyes.
‘Just after six,’ he said. ‘I’ll jump in the shower first and then fetch you a cup of tea.’
He switched off the digital alarm and then leant over to give her a kiss on the forehead.
‘You spoil me,’ she said.
He smiled. ‘That’s so you won’t be in a hurry to end our little arrangement.’
Her eyes flickered open. ‘What makes you think I will? You have only to say the word and I’ll move in.’
He stared at her, dumbstruck.
‘That’s right, boss,’ she said. ‘I did say what you think I said. And I mean it too. It’s about time we took this relationship to another new level.’
His breath lodged in his throat and he struggled to find his voice. He was caught totally off guard. It was the last thing he had expected her to say.
‘Why look so surprised?’ she said, touching his face. ‘Isn’t it
Knowing that he should have been a more thoughtful husband was with him all the time, gnawing at his conscience. It was one of the reasons he’d found it difficult to move on after she died. He just didn’t think that he deserved to. Which was why, when he felt himself being drawn towards Angel, he tried to resist.
It happened gradually over a period of months. He sensed there was a mutual spark as soon as they started working together. But the relationship took on a personal dimension when she got all emotionalone day in the car after hearing that her ex had got engaged. She told Temple that all the men in her life had been total shits and she was fed up being by herself. Like any understanding boss he listened and he sympathized. He saw himself as a shoulder to cry on and nothing more.
But the next day she asked him about his own life outside the office. Did he have a girlfriend? Would he ever marry again? How did he manage to cope after his wife’s death? He wasn’t sure how to react at first because nobody had ever dared to broach these subjects with him. But he was touched by her interest and he found himself opening up to her.
It wasn’t long before they were meeting for drinks in the evenings, unbeknown to their colleagues, and a quiet intimacy developed between them. Even so, Temple got the shock of his life when Angel said after one too many gin and tonics, ‘Here’s the thing, Guv. I fancy the pants off you and I know you like me. But I also know you won’t make the first move. So let me be the one to suggest that we take this relationship to a new level. I’m sure it will do us both the world of good.’
It took Temple three days to take up the offer and invite her over for drinks. During that time he wrestled with his conscience and spent hours looking at photographs of Erin. Feelings of guilt and betrayal weighed him down, but in the end he asked himself a simple question:
Would Erin really want me to go on punishing myself for not being a better husband?
Of course she wouldn’t. She’d want him to get on with his life and stop feeling sorry for himself. And so that’s what he decided to do. And five months on this was where he was at – waking up next to a sexy young detective whose only flaw seemed to be that she had questionable taste in men.
Temple sat up and looked down at her. Not for the first time he felt like pinching himself. She had a natural beauty, with soft, gentle features and a slightly upturned nose with a dash of freckles. She also had a body to die for – toned and shapely and with not a single blemish. How could he be so lucky?
‘What time is it?’ she groaned, without opening her eyes.
‘Just after six,’ he said. ‘I’ll jump in the shower first and then fetch you a cup of tea.’
He switched off the digital alarm and then leant over to give her a kiss on the forehead.
‘You spoil me,’ she said.
He smiled. ‘That’s so you won’t be in a hurry to end our little arrangement.’
Her eyes flickered open. ‘What makes you think I will? You have only to say the word and I’ll move in.’
He stared at her, dumbstruck.
‘That’s right, boss,’ she said. ‘I did say what you think I said. And I mean it too. It’s about time we took this relationship to another new level.’
His breath lodged in his throat and he struggled to find his voice. He was caught totally off guard. It was the last thing he had expected her to say.
‘Why look so surprised?’ she said, touching his face. ‘Isn’t it
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