Now, I honestly thought I had reviewed this chapter, but, one again it appears not. Apologies! Then again I have been distracted like most of the reviewers having made the pilgrimage to Dundee...and what a great time we had!
I think Dempsey has met his match here. He can't out flirt Inga, she has got him wrapped around her seductive, wet finger and he knows it. He has failed to find out anything more, apart from the fact that she wants him and that she was asked to do a double with Odette. Inga has him well and truly dangling on a hook. Loved the description of him eating his food but realising he wasn't tasting any of it because he was so distracted. What an excellent way of of telling us a little of his mental state...then we have the finger, although this feeds Dempsey's ego that it's for him it highlights that Inga is an out of control cannon and he is in the firing line. She has no inhibitions whatsoever so suggests she has a screw loose...VERY dangerous! There is no way Dempsey can end up in her bed because he would seal his fate, screw up the case and ruin his relationship with Makepeace. So, how is he going to get out of this one? Is he going to crash the car, he surely can't concentrate on driving while she has her hands on his crown jewels...men can't multi task especially when it involves a certain part of their anatomy lol. I would love to see him explain himself to Makepeace and Spikings.
Can't wait for the next chapter...Inga is naughty naughty

HELP! Eeeek, Yipes! I can’t review this chapter! It’s too much about Inga!

Although it’s a perfect study of her ‘trampness’, I hope we won’t get to see more of her disgusting behaviour, like this #fingeraction! All she thinks about is hacking around! ... So please, Miss McKrato, please no necking, French-kissing or chest touching involving Dempsey and this lascivious redhead in any of the following chapters! All right?

Still, I appreciate it that Harry is constantly present in his thoughts. He NEEDS her! So don’t forget to keep your eye on the ball, Miss McKrato ;-)

That’s my review for #22 for what it’s worth, which is probably not much cause you’re the author here and you know #everything!

Sincerely yours.
xxx

Well McDundee was a fabulous experience. One that leaves a lasting impression on all who went.
Now this chapter is not what I ordered, Harry, help! we need you.
Inga is very naughty naughty so outrageously flirty, oysters ,bleau steak, glistening finger food and snakes everywhere!
Think old Inga needs a spell in Silver Hill and Dempsey needs to show Harry much love on that beach in Cornwall!
Brilliant chapter soo wonderfully long, I realise it must be hard to write after Dundee but please try. Dempsey needs saving

Wow! What a McWeek we had in McDundee! :-)
Now back to business... Miss McKrato you are very naughty, naughty! "There's something quite satisfying in swallowing an oyster. Maybe it's just a female thing." Kickapoo joy juice?

'Inga was a bad girl and he could well imagine how this night would end if he let it.' - Bad? Bad? Is she a nympho or what?

"So am I gonna like your part of town?"
"Don't know. " She made a face. "Classy Kensington. Is classy your thing?"
That made him smile and the image of Makepeace that rose up so vividly in his mind brought along with it a moment of clarity. "I'd certainly like to do classy," he said. - I hear most American men have to get involved with a flame-haired woman before they can connect with the gorgeous blonde goddess they really love.

'He had thought she had just been smoothing her dress down beneath the table; crossing her legs, hadn't been paying too much attention and so it was with shocked fascination that he watched her raise a glistening finger just inches from his mouth and slide it between her waiting lips.' - Gulp. Er. Ah. Um. Do you enjoy that sort of crap Miss Krato? I'm sorry to say these things but you made me slightly disgusted, frankly.

'She was looking at him as though she knew, as if she had seen him in Studio 2, hanging onto that clay and shaking like a freaking junkie in need of a fix. How had he got himself into this position, where Makepeace had become a physical need? And why did the idea of her, swollen and fecund bring out these intensely complex feelings?' - God Krato, how sexy!

"Have you ever been sexually attracted to a pregnant woman?" she interrupted. "I mean, does it turn you on, enough to want to f*%k one?" - The answer is yes!

When Inga's hand reached out to rest on his upper thigh, he glanced down with surprise.
"Keep your eyes on the road, James," she told him, her fingers now brushing lightly over his groin before moving on to the zip of his fly...' - Help! Eeeek! Yipes! Say it isn't so! Harry where are you? James needs rescuing!

Oh NO NO NO!
He can't do this to Harry!
How could she forgive him ? She'll be so sad and fell betrayed , rejected and unhappy...
( like your writing anyway...)

Have a great time in Dundee! Yep, Inga's a fantastic little tramp, love her eating habits especially. Yes, Dempsey we all know 'you'd do classy'...now just get your act together and get busy!
Thanks again.d

OMG! Inga is a very naughty naughty. He is in for way more he bargained for. Cant wait for the next chapter. Love it!

You write more chapters like these and I’ll need to install air conditioning in my flat lol
Love how ambiguous this line is : "Yeah, sure things are movin'… not as fast as I'd like but slow and steady wins the race, right?"
It’s what I think about things between Makepeace and Dempsey lol
Love how Harry admits to things like taking pleasure in looking at his body or feeling disappointed that he didn’t touch her.
I’m willing to forgive Harry for sleeping with Paul-bloody – Masters after reading this line: “Her imagination had allowed her to believe it had been his body that had made love to her that night she had spent with Paul Masters.”
Love how he struggled to take the bump off.
“Was she, like him, forgetting to breathe?”
Sure she was!

“Dempsey laughed. She certainly knew how to hook a guy and he knew he was going to have to be careful or Inga might just swallow him whole tonight.”
Dempsey, you’d better keep your hands off her. I will lose my faith in you being a good cop if you do anything with her! I’ll be watching you, pal!

Love what Harry’s thoughts in this one. How she wonders what he was thinking about and “Who had he envisaged as he trailed those fingers over the clay – Odette or Harry?”
If only she knew! Wonder what she’d do if she knew! Love how she wonders about women in his life or about a child there might be.
Also love how she’s making Dempsey nervous. Don’t blame him after last chapter lol
Don’t like the sound of that: " I'm gonna get some answers out there tonight whatever it takes."
Whatever it takes? Don’t go there Dempsey. Don’t even think about it!
Love when he calls her “honey”!

First of all, I love #vibeshitting!
Dempsey can be so funny sometimes. Who is he trying to fool? Himself?
"Do my best. The married life and a kiddie on the way not suiting you then?" he joked.
"When the wife is Makepeace and the kid is a fat guy's straight jacket? C'mmon, gimme a break!"
Yeah right. He couldn’t live one day without Harry. He cares so much it’s literally painful to imagine that he can’t show it.
“It frustrated the hell out of him that she wouldn't let him in. Whatever she had going on, he wanted her to trust him with it, confide in him.”
They are two most stubborn people I know! But don’t blame them really. When I read your story I can feel their insecurities.
Do I need to tell you how incredibly sexy the last scene was? Bloody hell, I’m glad I wasn’t there in the room with them. I might have suffered a heart attack. I’m surprised Dempsey didn’t explode lol
This is the most beautiful, the most romantic line I’ve read : “Makepeace had just caught a glimpse of his soul.”
Wish it was me who wrote that!

Love how they refer to the things we know and the others in the chapter don’t. “Darling”, I’m sure you can envisage him in anything you want.
"Not sure I can envisage you in some old, baronial hall, darling," she replied, looking at him directly, her eyes twinkling.
"I'm quite sure you can…shining the armour," he added quietly.

“His natural New York accent was far more attractive to her ears; warm and easy, in fact, she enjoyed just listening to him sometimes.”
Sometimes? I can listen to his NY accent 24/7
I read in some articles years ago that people who worked on D&M said the eyes said it all when they looked at G and M. And it’s so true. She just can’t keep her eyes off of him and he always smiles at her warmly.
“Again, Harry couldn't resist a glance in his direction. He smiled at her warmly, his eyes crinkling in that way that made her forget what she was supposed to be doing.”
Dempsey is acting like a real husband. Love how he cares.
"You need to eat properly, Odette, honey." His fingers stroked lightly over her cheek. "Don't make me worry about you."
Yeah, Makepeace, dump the bloody diet and eat.

Ok, so Dempsey at the end of this chapter is not Dempsey I like. Don’t think Harry likes him either.

Dempsey was so clever at creating this illusion of laid back high spirits but she knew that right now he was as tense and brittle as she was.
Gosh the whole thing is going to fall apart at some point - I hope they don't bleed to death

the white sports socks so made me smile - much needed after the admission of sex with Masters

the thin line of dark hair that ran down the centre of his abdomen and then disappeared into the waistband of his jeans. - seen that - all to briefly

Then this is really the complimentary paragraph to her epiphany in the previous chapter
Because that was exactly what it was like for him, wasn't it? It wasn't that he was drawn to her because it had gone way beyond that – he was connected to her. It was the weirdest thing but last night, his hands running over her shoulders that way, it hadn't just been a turn-on, a sexy, unexpected encounter, it had been an epiphany. It had felt so God-damned right and natural like it was meant to be…

amazing chapter, these are the most amazing paragrapghs
The one question that had been in her mind as she watched had been 'What is he thinking?' She would never forget that expression on his face as long as she lived. Who had he envisaged as he trailed those fingers over the clay – Odette or Harry? Maybe neither. Maybe he had just been taken up by the beauty of the female form and that was the reason for the wave of emotion she had witnessed surging through his body. But the way his hands had caressed the pregnant belly, it was almost like he was suffering with the enormity of feeling it evoked. She would swear she had seen a kind of pain mixed up there as though it had overwhelmed him for a moment. That wasn't merely the effect of 'art', no matter how good it was, it went deeper.
this one is seeded with hope - Harry wonders if he has feelings for her!

and another awakening: He was nervous. She was making Dempsey nervous!

He was covering it well but she knew him and he couldn't hide the embarrassment that still lingered on in his stilted body language. - see she knows him - love the case you are building

because…because… what if he actually had feelings for her? - exactly - he does you need to find that out Harry

I'm pinning my hopes on Inga opening Dempseys eyes to this: "No? You didn't think that little comment Jenna made to your guy was significant?"
Harry felt her chest tighten.
"I think I've told you before, Dempsey, he isn't 'my guy'."

My re read has reminded me how brilliant this story and your writing is

Clever...like the chapter title and all the different hooks. And ah... one day they will realise, one day it'll just go too far. But then Harry is right, if they were to do anything now it would all be brushed away in the it was just because of the cover scenario and then where would they be? I hope Dempsey behaves himself toninght! I shall look forward to the next bit as and when.
Thanks
d

Loving this as ever, really great tension between them, and such insecurity as well. I especially liked M's goading of him earlier just to see if he would give her a reaction. Glad there's more...