Merrville County

  Fell's Springs

  A long yawn escapes Octavia's lips as she opens the front door and walks into the house. She closes the front door without even bothering to flick on the living room light. Titus wanders up to Octavia in the darkness, brushing against her left calf. She offers the corgi mutt a faint smile and moves toward the window on her right. Briefly glancing out at the landscape, Octavia issues a disappointed sigh.

  Using one hand to shut the window blinds, Octavia uses her other hand to unzip her black leather police jacket. She repeats the same procedure with the large window to her left, tossing her leather jacket on a nearby table. Octavia's department issued firearm and holster are tossed on the table as well--having served their purpose for one day.

  Rolling her neck in a circular fashion, Octavia begins unbuttoning the front of her uniform blouse. She turns from the window, both eyes half shut, a weary expression etched onto her face. Six weeks of intense investigation and random court appearances, with barely a day off, will do that to a person. At least, the worst part is behind her.

  At Octavia's feet, Titus refuses to be ignored. He brushes against Octavia's leg a second time, staring up at her with large pitiful eyes. Octavia drops her hands from the button she was unfastening, stooping to pet the attention-seeking animal.

  "Did you miss me, Titus? You did, huh? I hope you were a good doggie? No yucky surprises for me?"

  As if understanding the question, Titus yips excitedly. Octavia chuckles and finishes unbuttoning the front of her uniform. She tosses this aside as well. The Chief has thankfully granted her permission to sleep in tomorrow. Yay. One brutal case solved; half a day of well-earned rest as reward. It's always nice when things fall into place.

  Titus grows more and more excited, leaving Octavia's side and racing towards the couch. Rather than climb onto the couch, Titus goes around to the back. He yips several times, the sounds of his energetic jumping evident in the dark. Such a goofy dog.

  As Octavia stares through the inky darkness of the living room, a tall hulking figure rises up from behind the couch. Octavia's brain immediately goes into cop mode. She lowers her right hand to her hip, disappointed to find no weapon there. That's right. She put it on the table. Damn.

  A split second later, her mind comes to a realization. If Titus is so wound up, the figure behind the couch can't be an intruder. Can they? Maybe someone who fed the poor dog in order to win his trust? No. The likely answer is what Octavia settles for.

  "Dave? What are you doing here? I thought you were on Gunther detail tonight?"

  Dave crosses to the front of the couch and plops down. He opens his arms wide, beckoning Octavia to join him. Octavia grins in the darkness, sauntering over to Dave with a dramatic gait. Reaching the couch, she straddles Dave's waist, her knees pressed into the sofa cushions behind him. Dave grins maniacally, his eyes nearly level with Octavia's bosom. For her part, Octavia leans forward and kisses the space between his forehead and his nose.

  "You didn't answer my question, Dave?" Octavia whispers. "What are you doing here? I'm not going to get any sleep...Ever...If you keep showing up like this."

  "Is that a threat?" Dave muses, kissing Octavia's neck and sliding one arm around her middle.

  Octavia reaches up and removes the ponytail holder from her hair, shaking out her blonded curls. She releases a soft sigh and uses her other hand to fuss in Dave's hair. Titus chooses this moment to jump on the couch, breaking the immersion. Octavia chuckles, dropping both hands to the back of the couch, on either side of Dave's head. She peers sideways at Titus with a friendly smile.

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  "Silly dog," Octavia says. "I can't wait for you to go home."

  "Neither can I," Dave replies, burying his face in Octavia's neck and making his way down to her collarbone. "He's cute as hell. But I prefer bigger dogs. Weiner dogs are too needy for my liking."

  "He's not a weiner dog," Octavia scoffs, coming to Titus' defense.

  "Who knows what he is?" Dave protests. "Just look at him. His damned waist is too long to be a normal mutt. He's gotta be half weiner. Or whatever they call those things."

  "Oh, Dave. That's so mean."

  "No, it's not," Dave teasingly argues.

  "It is," Octavia insists, petting the top of Titus' head. "He can't help what he is. And just to prove he's not part dachshund...I'm gonna have the clinic run a DNA test on him. If I'm right...You owe me dinner."

  "What do I get if I'm right?" Dave questions.

  Octavia removes her hand from Titus' head and replaces it on the back of the couch. She peers down at Dave with lidded eyes.

  "You're looking at it," Octavia says.

  Dave shuffles his eyebrows and chuckles.

  "Oh really?"

  "Really."

  "I can get that...Well, anytime."

  Dave realizes his slipup a split second before the last word is out of his mouth. Octavia's mouth gapes and she stares at him as if he has grown an extra set of eyes. Or balls.

  "No...No, Octavia. I didn't mean it like that," Dave stammers, attempting to backtrack. "Octavia, I only meant...What's something else special that you could give me? I enjoy making love to you. Believe me, I do. I can't get enough of you. I don't want our lovemaking to become a bargaining tool. Come on. Please. I didn't mean anything by that."

  Octavia studies Dave's face for a moment, swallowing a huge lump in her throat. How many times had Jackson implied she was a whore for simply doing her job? For trying to keep the streets safe for other young girls and women? How many times had he stormed out of the house, angry that she'd taken yet another assignment? The final nail in her marriage coffin had been Eduard Maldova--Kingpin and sex fiend extraordinaire.

  Even poor Vivian's murder, at the hands of the morally bankrupt Aquarius Killer, had been linked to their sordid work as undercover officers. 'Seductresses of Entrapment', was how Aquarius had referred to her and Vivian. Her precious daughter might still be alive if she'd chosen another career path. Vivian was never Aquarius' type to begin with. She'd merely been an example, not unlike Jeremiah's murdered wife--Janet King. An example of what kind of woman not to be.

  "I'm sorry, Dave...I can't," Octavia whispers, dropping her hands from the back of the couch. "Not tonight. I'm sorry, Dave."

  Dave scrambles to save their previous energy, cupping one side of Octavia's face. He leans up, while tilting her head downward. At first, Dave kisses Octavia tenderly. However, he infuses more intensity into his kiss when she does not recoil. He uses his free hand to open the clasp at the back of her bra.

  "I bought you something on the way home," Dave says around the space between their mouths. "I hope you like it."

  "What is it?" Octavia sighs, draping one arm around Dave's shoulders.

  Dave lowers his hand from the back of Octavia's bra and reaches into his left breast pocket. He withdraws the ring box and holds it out, a wide grin on his face. Octavia's eyes widen and she suppresses a loud squeal. She straightens up, taking the box from Dave's fingers.

  "Dave? You didn't?"

  "I did. Open it."

  Octavia follows Dave's suggestion, her eyes falling on the beautiful engagement ring inside. For a moment, she can only stare. Dave gently pulls Octavia into another passionate kiss.

  Once they separate, Dave plucks the tiny suede-covered box from Octavia's hand and carefully removes the ring. He sets the box aside, using both hands to place the ring on Octavia's finger. He utters a quiet mantra to the universe. May she never take it off until the day they meet up at the altar.

  "Mackey said...There's no pressure. That a ring is just a promise. My promise to you. Well, he's right. I love you, Octavia. I hope you can see that? I may not always know the right things to say. Or the right things to do. I may even fug up from time to time. But, I love you. End of story. I wanna marry you."

  "Dave...Oh my goodness, Dave. Are you sure?"

  "There isn't a single doubt in my mind," Dave says, studying every inch of Octavia's face.

  "Okay. Sure," Octavia says, leaning in to kiss Dave again.