This is the first draft so I apologise for any mistakes. People seemed enthusiastic and as its written thought I'd post!
Ruth was about mere minutes away from the hotel, sitting in the back of her car. She was the last one to arrive, she knew that and was grateful that everyone would be working when she got out of the car. Oh be honest, she thought to herself. You're just glad that Harry will be busy. You don't care about the others. In the privacy of her own thoughts she could be honest enough to admit that. The car drew to a stop outside the hotel and she knew she should put together her face, as she'd be instantly on several security cameras, and most of them were theirs. Taking a deep breath she stepped out of the car and ignored how her fingernails were gripping hold of her bag much tighter than was necessary.
As soon as she walked up the stairs into the reception she saw Harry walking across to meet her. She sighed inwardly but the look on his face made it clear that he hadn't intended to bump into her the second she arrived, it had genuinely been a coincidence.
"Good, I'm glad you're here," he said before he could think. "We need you."
"Mm, I had little choice in the matter didn't I?" Harry inwardly sighed but then saw her eyes were sparkling. Her tone was critical but the expression on her face wasn't. She knew she was only here because he had insisted she come and he knew that she was aware of his involvement. "Do I need to organise a room or…?"
"No its taken care of," Harry said quickly. Then he realised the implications of his sentence as her face froze. "I mean… I meant your own room."
"Of course," she said shaking her head free of the images he'd brought to mind. Their eyes were locked for silent seconds and then Harry's phone rang. Giving herself another mental shake she left Harry to talk on the phone and the entire time she was walking away she felt his eyes on her. She didn't start breathing again until she closed the door of the small meeting room they had been given for MI5's use and saw Zaf and Adam in friendly conversation. Ruth gave them a quick smile and then switched her computer on. She had work to do.
The afternoon was fading into evening by the time the meetings had finished. It was another hour or two before Ruth felt her work for the day was finished. She put her laptop on standby and looked around the empty room. Adam and Ros had gone twenty minutes before and were no doubt drowning their sorrows together. She had no idea where either Zaf or Harry were. Stifling a yawn she kept her eyes on the door as it opened. Oh God, she thought to herself as Harry stood there closing the door behind him. He looked gorgeously rumpled, his tie abandoned and slight creases in his shirt. She reminded herself that she had to stop looking at him like that.
"Just wanted to make sure you're not working too late," he said to explain his sudden appearance.
"I'm not," she said. "Just finished. For today anyway." He walked further into the room and she felt the air get very thin. "I never thought I'd say this but I almost miss chasing down this weeks terrorist bomber. Much easier than all this political arguments that get us nowhere."
"That seems to be the history of my career," he said, although privately he was pleased by how similar their thoughts were. He reached towards her with something in his hand.
"You never stopped at reception earlier. Your key." She nodded and reached for the cardkey he was offering her. She tried, desperately tried to take it without their skin touching but she couldn't mange it. As their fingers touched she felt the spark of electricity between them. It took all of her effort to keep her breathing even as their hands parted.
"I did want to talk to you though. In private," he added in a low voice. Her heart sank as she had no idea what he was going to say, or even worse how she was going to respond. "Ruth, why do you care what other people think?"
"Because it matters to me," she said after a moments silent thought. "I don't want… to be the subject of gossip. I find it unbearable."
"I have another question then," he said. She nodded and waited. "Why are their opinions more important than your own?"
"Harry…"
"If you don't want to spend time with me, if you don't want to go out with me because you don't want to, then I'll never say another word about it. But I don't believe that's true. So, at the risk of sounding truly arrogant, why are their opinions more important than your own feelings?"
"Stop," she said quietly but firmly. "I can't do this. I can't have a relationship with you. I won't be the woman who…" sleeps with her boss. They both heard the end of that sentence even though it wasn't said. Ruth swallowed, trying to fight off the images that had brought to mind. And they were both trapped together in an upmarket hotel for at least two more days. A hotel which had wonderful king sized beds and locked doors, perfect for what her subconscious was coming up with. "No," she said, almost to herself to stop the thoughts from driving her mad.
"You know and I know that if it happened, it wouldn't be like that," he said leaning over her desk, almost close enough to catch her scent in the air. Ruth did catch the emphasis on the word if and appreciated it. She knew he wouldn't push her, if he believed she genuinely didn't want this.
"You can't keep doing this," she said pushing her chair back from the table and his far too close face. "Please," she said, almost in a whisper. "I can't think when you're this close to me. Please keep your distance, its all I ask."
"Is that what you want?" he asked so simply.
No, she was screaming inside. I want you to take me in your arms and kiss me like there's no tomorrow. I want to spend just one night wrapped in your embrace as you touch every single part of me. But of course none of that left her lips. "Its what I need Harry," she said in a voice just above a whisper. "Stay away from me. Please."
"Okay." He looked in her eyes for one more second before he turned and walked out, closing the door quietly behind him. What was wrong with her? All she wanted was his lips on hers and yet all she could do was push him further and further away. There would come a point where he would stop trying, that much she knew. She rested her head on her closed laptop, lightly fingering the key he had given her. When their skin had briefly touched. It took a while before she moved to go to her own room.
Reviews really encourage me! Thanks to everyone who reviewed Chapter one. More as soon as its written...
