"This is not a date!" Despite the fact that he was clearly not listening to a word she said Ruth was continuing to repeat herself. She was not having Jay think this was anything other than what it was - a business arrangement.

"Yes whatever you say Ruth… or should it be Doctor Winters?"

"No, Ruth. I don't want anyone realising what's going on. Oh and please can you not have the ridiculous accent this time."

Jay grinned at her and shock his head. "Yeah but if we see people that we saw last time then won't they find it a bit strange if I'm talking differently?"

"Fine, just try not to talk at all." Ruth glared at him, knowing that in less than five minutes she was going to have to start suppressing her anger and pretend to actually like him. This was going to be almost impossible. Why hadn't she taken the drama lessons she had been forced to take at school more seriously? It was going to take everything she had to not to give them away.

"Right darlings you're here." The cab driver called out from the front of the cab and Ruth got her purse out of her bag. She was in the process of opening it when she felt a hand on her right arm.

"Let me" Jay took his wallet out and handed a twenty pound note to the driver. "Keep the change."

As they climbed out of the cab Ruth whispered "I'll give you the money for that on top of the £100 I already owe you for tonight."

"No it's fine. My treat."

Ruth wanted to argue but they had reached the door of the hall and she didn't dare say anything incase someone overheard. She allowed Jay to open the door for her and walked in placing the same fake smile on her face that she usually did in situations like this.

Ruth spent the next couple of hours trying to hide her disapproval at Jay's accent and the way that he wouldn't let her speak. On more than one occasion she nearly reminded him that she was the doctor and he was just the nurse being paid to accompany her, but she couldn't risk anyone else overhearing.

It was just past midnight when people finally started to leave and Ruth decided that she had dome enough networking for one night. She waited for Jay to finish what he was saying and then spoke directly to the surgeon standing in front of them. "Well thank you so much for such a lovely evening but I think it's time that we leave. I have a shift early tomorrow and should really get some sleep so that I'm at the best of my game for my patients."

"It's been a pleasure having you and your partner here Dr Winters. I hope to see you at our next event."

"Thank you"

Given The Chance

Ruth tried to ignore how close to her Jay was standing as they walked back outside into the dark. Once they were safely away from the huge hall that the event had taken place in she turned to him. "You can leave now."

"What and leave my date to make her own way home in the dark? What kind of man do you take me for?"

"I am not your date, and trust me you don't want me to answer the second question."

"Ruth what is your problem? What happened to you to make you so incapable of being nice to another human being?"

"Shut up Jay. If you're going to insist on making sure I get home ok then order me a cab. Once it's here you can go I'll be fine on my own."

Jay smiled gently and replied "I'm sure you would be fine alone, I just don't understand why you want to be on your own all the time."

Ruth wasn't sure what to say to that. She had been determined that she was going to remain as distanced from him as possible this evening so he knew that this was nothing more than a business arrangement; but there seemed to be genuine curiosity and concern behind what he had just said so she answered honestly. "I don't."

Jay was shocked by Ruth's sudden display of honesty, Usually in moments like this he would respond with some kind of joke or sarcastic comment to try and remove the awkwardness from the situation, but he didn't want to upset her. "Then why do you push everyone away?"

"Because it's easier this way."

"Easier how?"

"If I don't let anyone in then there's no danger of anyone…" Ruth stopped and quickly added "please can you phone that cab?"

Jay nodded and took his mobile out of his pocket. He spoke to the cab company and then turned back to Ruth. "They're going to be here in about five minutes."

"Thank you."

"Look I know that you don't want to spend any more time with me than you have to but it's really not safe for you to get into the cab on your own. Please let me come in with you. I'll get the cab driver to drop you off first then take me home."

"Fine" Ruth surprised herself by not arguing but decided that it was just out of habit having spent the entire evening going along with whatever he said to keep up appearances.

"Good"

They both stood in silence waiting for the cab to arrive. When it did get there Jay opened the door for Ruth and she got in without saying a word, then once he had followed her in she gave the cab driver her address. The journey to her house took less than ten minutes and Ruth spent the entire time looking out of the window to her right. She was thinking about what she had said to Jay, and his reaction to it. When she had confessed that she didn't actually like being alone she had expected him to at the very least make some kind of sarcastic comment about it. But he had said nothing, and not only that but he had looked genuinely concerned about her. That wasn't the Jay that she knew. Maybe she hadn't actually taken the time to get to know the real him; maybe she should have.

They arrived back at the house and she looked round at Jay. "Thank you for tonight, I'll give you the money at work tomorrow."

"I don't want it."

Ruth said nothing just climbed out of the cab and walked towards the front door. Jay climbed out of the cab, gave the driver another twenty pound note, and asked him to wait for a moment. Ruth sensed Jay walking behind her as she wondered up the drive. "I just want to walk you to the door."

Ruth rummaged in her bag for the keys and finding them she unlocked the door. As it swung open they both turned around on hearing an engine and watched as the cab driver drove off. "Bastard" Jay glared down the road after him. He looked at Ruth and hesitated for a moment. He didn't want to stand outside while he waited for another cab to come but knew better than to ask himself in. While he tried to decide what to do Ruth solved the problem for him. "You can come in and phone another cab."

Smiling gratefully at her Jay walked into the house behind her and closed the door behind him. The hall wasn't very large and as Ruth had stopped just inches from the door it meant that Jay couldn't get past her. They stood nearly nose to nose staring at one another. Jay thought about what Ruth had said earlier and understood why she had let him come in. She didn't want to be alone anymore. Still slightly unsure as to whether he was doing the right thing or whether he was about to get himself slapped, he leant forward and kissed her gently on the lips. She pulled back shocked.

"Did you just kiss me?"

"Yes, and I'm going to do it again. Are you going to stop me?"

In answer to his question Ruth leant in towards him and began kissing him back. Her heart was racing and she wasn't really sure what she was doing but she couldn't help herself. She had seen something in him earlier, something she had never seen before. And she liked it.

The kiss quickened and Ruth wrapped her arms around him. His right hand was on her cheek and his left was on her waist. He took control and steered her around, pinning her against the wall. Ruth moved her hands under his jacket and slid it off him. Jay did the same back to her. She slipped out of her shoes, continuing to kiss him as she did so. She could feel her excitement pulsing through her veins and her earlier hesitance was completely gone. Once he had removed his own shoes she whispered into his ear. "Shall we go upstairs?"

Jay didn't hesitate for one moment. Her warm breath filled his ear and he answered with a simple "yes" before lifting her into his arms and carrying her up to her bedroom.