She sneaks back into the bar through the front, slipping round the edges of the room until she finds Sam and Zoe. "Hi," she smiles, "are we leaving?"
"Ruth!" Zoe says in surprise. "Where have you been? We've been looking for you. We're all leaving."
"That bloke, David, wasn't it?" Sam says eagerly. "The one I left you with. He was beaten up pretty badly. You should see his face. It didn't have something to do with you, did it?"
"No," she replies, looking suitably surprised, "There was something off about him though, so I excused myself pretty quickly after you left and... well... I met this really nice guy..."
"Really?" Zoe smiles. "Do tell."
"He seems lovely," she replies. "He's tall and good looking, and I discovered he sings in a choir!"
"A match made in heaven then," Sam quips. "I hope you got his number."
"No," she shakes her head, "but I gave him mine."
"Well, let's hope he'll ring then," Zoe replies.
"We found her," Sam calls out suddenly to someone behind them and Ruth turns to see Danny and Will moving towards them. Danny hands her her coat, so she thanks him and slips it on before they make their way out into the street. A few minutes later, they've all managed to find each other, and several of the others ask her where she's been, but she evades the question and diverts their attention by asking where they're going. Malcolm declares that he's going home, while the rest debate on what club they're going to hit. They eventually settle on one quite near Ruth's place, so she agrees to tag along, unable to face their attempts to change her mind if she decides to go home. She's still quivering inside as a result of the kiss and all she wants to do is repeat it, again and again, forever. 'God, who knew Harry Pearce could kiss like that?!' she thinks dreamily. 'A lot of women, Ruth,' she attempts to remind herself, 'and you don't want to be another notch on his bedpost.' But the part of her that's lost in a daydream objects, 'If he's as good in bed as he is at kissing... like hell I don't!'
The man who's occupying her thoughts is standing off to one side surreptitiously watching her. She can feel his eyes on her and she can't help raising her own to meet them. The intensity of his gaze, however, is not something she can deal with right now, so she swiftly looks away.
"What about you, Harry? Are you joining us?" Adam asks.
"No," she hears him reply and she can't make up her mind it she's disappointed or relieved. "I'm going home, and you, Mr. Carter, are in charge of making sure everyone gets home at a reasonable hour tonight. I'm not having my entire team working at less than fifty percent capacity tomorrow."
"Yes, Sir," Adam salutes and bundles his wife into the taxi that's just arrived. Zoe and Will follow them in, leaving Ruth, Sam and Danny to share the next one, and Harry and Malcolm to get the third.
Danny helps Sam into the cab, both of them giggling like teenagers, but before Ruth can follow them in, Harry steps up to her and offers her his hand in assistance. "Goodnight, Ruth," he murmurs softly in her ear as he helps her into the black cab. "I'd like to call on you later... if I may. There are things to say..."
She's stopped breathing for a moment and only manages to recover after he squeezes her hand gently, bringing her back to herself. "I'd like that," she breathes and watches the sparkle of delight appear in his eyes.
"One o'clock," he murmurs and steps back, closing the door before turning swiftly towards the other cab and getting in.
On the way to the club, she's very grateful that she's suddenly the gooseberry as Danny and Sam appear to have noticed nothing odd in her behaviour and she can just sit back and think about Harry. 'Are you mad?' she asks herself. 'A night-time tête-à-tête with Harry, your boss, the sexiest man alive, the one who gives you butterflies just by looking at you, the one you fantasize about every night, the one who can kiss like the devil... all right,' she concedes, 'you might have a point; you're not mad.'
She pulls out her phone and opens the picture Zoe had taken, staring at it for some time. It wasn't until she'd seen him holding that microphone, until Fiona had pointed it out, that she'd considered what he would look like when erect, what it would be like to touch him, feel him inside her. It was rather silly of her really to not have thought about it before. She'd thought about kissing him; she'd thought about that a lot, standing wrapped in his arms and snogging him like there was no tomorrow, but her fantasies had never moved beyond that. Not until now, until she'd seen that microphone in his hands, so suggestive, so enticing...
It's past one and she's not home yet. He wonders if she's changed her mind, wonders if some harm has befallen her, wonders if she's... And then she's there, searching for him in the shadows, hoping he'll be there. He steps forward into the light and she smiles a little nervously, inclining her head in invitation before she quickly makes her way to her front door, unlocking it and holding it open for him. He slips past her into the hallway, wanting to touch her, to kiss her, but he holds back until they step through the door of her flat and she closes it behind them. Then he moves close, his hands resting gently on her arms as he slowly lowers his mouth to hers and kisses her softly.
She responds at once and he's slightly dazed by the intensity of her passion. Never in a million years had he imagined it would be this good, she would be this hot. He groans as they begin to impatiently peel away each other's coats, their fingers slipping swiftly below their garments, seeking out warm skin. She sighs into his mouth and he suddenly realises that they haven't said a word to each other and they're already moving further into her home, fingers working on buttons, nails scraping against bare skin, lips fused together.
He can't do it like this. It's not fair; it's not right.
He pulls back, holding her gently with his hands on her upper arms as he searches her gaze. She wants him, he can see it clearly in her eyes, but she also looks nervous and insecure, and somehow he knows that, if he does the gentlemanly thing and says that they don't have to do this now, she'll take it as a rejection and he may never get this opportunity again. He doesn't want to hurt her, and if he's honest, he does want to do this now. He wants her desperately. So instead, he seeks to reassure her that she's special, that he wants more than just sex from her. "I want you to know," he murmurs huskily, "that I've wanted to do this for a very, very long time, and that this is not going to be a one-night-stand. I want this to be much, much more than that... if it's what you want too."
"Yes," she breathes, the smile that appears on her lips transforming her face.
"Good," he murmurs and pulls her back into his arms, pressing his lips against hers and letting himself get lost in her. Once they make it to her bed and their bodies join for the first time, he knows with sudden clarity that this remarkable, brilliant, beautiful, and passionate woman has captured his heart so completely that he will never feel whole again unless he always has her by his side. He knows it's too soon to tell her, that he mustn't scare her away, but as he watches her face and hears her moan his name when she tumbles over, he can't help himself. So he buries his face into her shoulder so she cannot hear his words and whispers his love for her against her skin just before he comes with a muffled groan, moaning her name in exquisite bliss.
He's sleeping, his face peaceful and relaxed. He looks so different, younger and so much more open compared to the Harry she sees at work every day. She can't quite believe that he's here. Harry Pearce, boss spook naked in her bed. She wonders if she's dreaming, but the delightfully relaxed and sated state of her body tells her otherwise, not to mention the fact that she can still feel the imprint of him deep insider her. She finds herself wishing that she could carry it with her always as a reminder of this night because, no matter what he'd said before, she's not quite convinced that he'll want to do this again. 'Why not', her inner voice objects strongly. 'The sex was rather spectacular after all.' She smiles at the thought.
He'd been so sweet last night, or very early this morning rather. First he'd come to her rescue and she'd felt so grateful that she hadn't been able to stop herself from acting on the desire she's had for so long to kiss him. When he'd responded to the kiss with so much passion, she'd been surprised and more than a little dazed, especially when he'd turned out to be so amazingly good at it. Then Adam had interrupted and she'd panicked, but he'd sought her out to ask permission to see her again, and she found herself unable to deny it, knowing that somehow tonight the stars had aligned for them and she might never get this opportunity again. When they'd come together without a word, she'd been lost in a whirlwind of sensations and emotions, but he'd very sweetly pulled back, wishing to reassure her, and it had worked wonderfully. She'd been able to utterly lose herself in their passion, something she's not sure she'd have been able to do as easily without hearing those words, but now, in the cold, almost light of pre-dawn, she's no longer sure that he'd meant it. Could Harry Pearce, such a sexy, powerful, and important man, really be interested in a relationship with her, bookish, plain Ruth?
His eyelashes flutter a little and she finds herself holding her breath, hoping that he's not waking up. She doesn't want him to catch her watching him, and as she's propped herself on her elbow, she can hardly pretend to be sleeping. He doesn't stir further, however, and she's able to breathe again. Perhaps she should lie down, she thinks, but as she's about to follow through with the thought, she hears him murmur softly, "I can feel you watching me, Ruth." Then his eyes slide open and a small, smug smile appears on his lips. She blushes at being found out, but she's unable to look away from his mesmerizing, hazel eyes. "I've noticed you have a tendency to watch me," he smiles.
"So do you," she counters boldly even as her blush deepens.
"Ah," he grins, "but with good reason. You are a remarkably beautiful woman, Ruth, and your eyes are absolutely stunning, ever changing in colour like the sea. But me? I'm just a balding, demanding, grumpy, old man. So you can see why I'm puzzled."
"You're not old," she objects.
He raises his eyebrows at her. "So I'm just balding, demanding and grumpy then, am I?"
"Only some of the time," she smiles.
"Hmmm," he hums, and leans closer, adding in a low rumble, "And the rest of the time?"
"The rest of the time," she whispers and almost loses her train of thought as he leans over her, causing her to fall back against the pillows.
"Yes?" he growls.
"You're... devastating," she breathes.
"Devastating?" he smiles, "Devastating in what way?"
"Take your pick," she murmurs. "Devastatingly handsome, devastatingly sexy, devastatingly seductive-" She stops speaking as his lips capture hers in a slow, luxurious kiss, that she's sure lasts for aeons, and by the time he pulls back, her mind has turned completely to mush and her body's tingling all over.
"My God, Ruth," he murmurs softly, "What have you done to me? I can't get enough of you." Then he leans forward once more and begins to make love to her, playing her like a master violinist until she explodes in a symphony of dazzling, shimmering, kaleidoscopic stars.
He watches her dozing next to him, her face turned up towards him, her hand resting over his heart as he toys with a few strands of her hair. She's even more beautiful in the early morning light and her face is practically glowing from their love making. He drinks her in with his eyes, storing away every detail of this precious moment in his memory to be recalled later when he's alone and missing her because, he knows, he'll miss her whenever she's far from his side for long.
He lifts his hand to stroke her cheek, making her moan softly in pleasure and open her eyes to look at him. They're a deeper shade of blue this morning and he has to bite his tongue to stop himself from saying the three little words that fill his heart and mind in that moment. It's too soon, Harry, he tells himself.
"Hello," she smiles lazily.
"Hi," he grins. "Sleep well?"
"Mmmmm," she hums. "Delicious."
"Delicious?" he asks, surprised by her choice of words.
"I feel delicious," she sighs.
"Mmmm," he agrees, "and you look delicious too. Good enough to eat." He leans forward and kisses her softly, indulging in the sheer pleasure of feeling her lips against his.
"Harry," she smiles shyly when he pulls back, "what you said... last night... well, early this morning really..." She tails off and drops her gaze to his chest where her hand rests over his heart.
"You'll have to be more specific, Ruth," he murmurs, although he already has an inkling as to what she's talking about.
"About this... us," she attempts to explain but tails off and begins to draw patterns across his skin absent-mindedly.
"About wanting this to last longer than one night?" he asks softly, deciding to help her out, and sees her nod. "What about it? Don't you want that any more?"
"No!" she exclaims in alarm as her eyes snap to his, "I do. Of course I do... I just thought that maybe..."
"Oh Ruth," he sighs. "Do you really think that little of me? Do you really believe that I would seduce the best analyst I've ever had for one night of passion and then dump her, just like that, jeopardising our working relationship for a moment of physical pleasure?"
"I... no, I suppose not," she frowns.
"Well, then," he murmurs. "You know how highly I think of you, Ruth. You're exceptional and my... desire for you has never been purely physical. I care for you very deeply. When I came here last night, I wasn't planning any of this. I was actually just going to ask you out to dinner, but then-"
"We couldn't keep our hands off each other," she interrupts with a smile.
"Yes," he agrees, "and it was spectacular. I think it's safe to say that this would have happened months, if not years, ago had I known how incredible we would be together. But as wonderful as this is, Ruth, it's not all I want. I'd still like to take you out. I'd like to date you... properly... if you'd like that too."
"I would," she smiles. "I'd like that very much."
"Good," he grins. "Is tonight too soon? There's this place I know that I think you'd like."
"Tonight would be lovely," she agrees, but then she frowns and drops her gaze to her hand and it's never ceasing movement across his chest.
"What have you thought of now, Ruth?" he almost sighs. He watches as her eyes rise to meet his and smiles at the sheepish look on her face.
"I was just thinking about Adam," she admits, "and how he almost caught us... kissing."
"I can be discrete, Ruth," he reassures her. "I'm a spook, remember?"
"But so are they, and if they find out, the gossip will be horrendous. I'd never be able to look any of them in the face again," she replies, frowning in distress. "They'll all think that I'm sleeping with you to get ahead and I couldn't bear to be thought of like that. I couldn't bear it if they were laughing at me."
"I think it's much more likely that they'd be laughing at me, Ruth," he smiles. She glances up at him in surprise, so he explains, "Chasing after a beautiful, much younger woman. Quite cliché, don't you think?"
"I suppose," she frowns, "but I'm not really that beautiful, Harry."
"Nonsense," he scoffs, and when she shakes her head at him, he adds, "I think you're beautiful, Ruth, and I will not debate this with you. After all, just a little while ago, you said I was devastatingly handsome, which is hardly a statement that most people would agree with, so clearly you don't know what you're talking about where beauty is concerned."
"Touché," she laughs, "but I do think most women would agree that you're devastatingly sexy and seductive."
"I try," he grins, feeling his chest swell with pleasure at the complement. "So speaking of seduction... do you have any plans for today?"
"Plans?" she frowns. "No, it's Sunday. I usually do the cleaning and shopping on Sundays because the rest of the week's so hectic and I get home late most nights. Why?"
"I was going to invite you to spend some time with me," he replies.
"What would we do?" she asks with a smile.
"Whatever you'd like to do," he replies.
"Spend all day in bed?" she suggests with a mischievous grin.
"Not sure I'll be up to that, Ruth," he murmurs, "after all I'm already in my fifties, but I'd be willing to try."
"How about half the day in bed, and half out of it," she suggests. "I know! Let's go see a film."
"Okay, let's do that," he nods and watches her as she smiles, kisses his cheek, and sits up, swinging her legs out of bed. "Where do you think you're going?" he demands with a frown.
She turns her head towards him, raising her eyebrows at him as she replies, "To take a shower."
"Good idea," he grins, swinging his legs out of bed and standing before walking round the bed, stark naked. "I'll join you."
She stands up, letting the sheet she was holding against her body drop back onto the bed and takes a step towards him, murmuring, "And there you were worrying that you wouldn't be able to satisfy me. I see that perhaps you have something other than getting clean planned for our shower together."
"Not true, Ruth," he smiles as he takes her hand and leads her to the bathroom, noting with pleasure the look of admiration that crosses her face when her eyes settle on his groin for several moments. "My plan definitely involves getting you clean. In fact, I doubt you've ever been washed as thoroughly as I'm planning to wash you. My hands... and tongue... are just itching to feel you all over." He winks at her and she laughs, making his heart swell with joy at the sound. Tomorrow, he decides, he's going to get Danny a really, really good birthday present.
