'You go on up, I'll just pop these in the kitchen and let Scarlet out,' said Harry with a gentle smile, as the clock on the TV news struck ten and tense atmosphere in the room went up a notch.
'See you in a moment then,' Ruth replied as she looked up at him. Her legs appeared to be failing her again and her breathing had increased as she wondered not for the first time, how on earth it was it possible that his eyes that were now burning into hers could have quite such an effect on her. Feeling the sudden need to get upstairs use the bathroom and be in bed before Harry got there, she gathered herself together, bolted for the stairs and into what was now their bedroom.
Harry had seen her nervousness but he had also seen the desire. For years he had felt himself drowning whenever he had looked at her, so it came as no surprise as to how much it had affected his heartrate and his body as he felt the beginnings of an arousal. Until now, he had always maintained control, but recent circumstances had thrown them together and everything was about to change. His previous encounters with women hadn't required much thought, in fact even as far back as the time that he and Jane had first slept together it had been consensual to the point that they had ripped the others clothes off and the sex that had followed had been about as basic as it could be. How was it even possible he thought, to have experienced so much of life and not until he'd reached his fifties to be contemplating making love to someone that he was truly in love with?
With Scarlet now settled in her bed beside the cats, he locked and secured the door and then walked back down the hall in the direction of the stairs.
Ruth had had a quick wash and cleaned her teeth and was now anxiously waiting for Harry to arrive. Deciding that he had probably seen her legs and quite possibly a good deal more when she had been in the hospital, she had thrown caution to the wind and wearing only her flimsiest of night ware, she was now in bed. Besides which if they were going to do what she hoped and prayed they would, then the time wasted and the embarrassment she would feel as they struggled with unnecessary clothes was pointless. With the bedside light still on, she was pondering as to whether she would have the pleasure of watching Harry undress, when the door opened and the man himself walked in wearing nothing but his shorts. Had she been able to or had the time, she would have perhaps closed her eyes but seconds later an all but naked Harry turned off the sidelight and climbed into bed beside her.
Neither of them said a word and in Ruth's case she couldn't, as the mattress dipped and a near naked Harry turned to face her. She just simply did what she had done on the previous occasions that she had been in his bed and inched herself closer. This time though it was different and with no thought of sleep in either of their minds and for first time ever, naked flesh touched naked flesh as their legs entwined. Moments later with the last items of their clothing abandoned at the foot of the bed, Harry's fingertips which had been gently caressing her face had moved across her shoulders and were teasing her breasts. It was incredibly arousing and unable to lie still any longer she joined him in silent exploration and moved her hands which had been on his chest, slowly downwards towards his abdomen. Needing to take charge of the situation and hopefully to slow things down, Harry rolled her onto her back and with the gentlest of smiles, he kissed her. Any preconceived ideas that he would be able to take his time were blown away as their kiss deepened and she moaned beneath him. Hands that had so far been reasonably contained moved lower as with all their inhibitions gone, they built each other closer and closer to a climax. The terrible memories of the past few days were replaced by the exquisite feeling that enveloped them, as he eased himself between her legs and finally made her his.
It had not been how he had planned it to be, it had been far too frantic and over far too quickly, but in the end he just hadn't been able to hold back. They were lying side by side still clinging to each other, damp and sated and he never wanted to let her go. He had almost screamed his release such was the overwhelming feeling of love that he had felt for her but instead he had told her in the height of passion that he loved her. Again, it was not at all what he had planned, but finally he had said it.
Ruth lay next to him, exhausted and more satisfied than she had ever felt in her life. It didn't matter that it had been over more quickly than she would have liked, she couldn't have held back if she had tried and in all honesty it had made it so much easier for their first time. Harry had told her that he loved her, did it matter that it hadn't been romantic but had been a breathless declaration as he crashed into her, no it didn't, they had all the time in the world for that.
'I love you too Harry,' she mumbled as she drifted into sleep.
Despite being tired and wonderfully content, he was unable to sleep. He lay marvelling at how lucky he was to have made it this far and to finally after all the years of torment to have Ruth safe and asleep in his arms. He knew only too well, that without the work of Ros, Alec and the rest of their colleagues, the outcome could have been so different. They had saved Ruth and ultimately him, because without her he would have been lost forever. In a few days, he would go into work and thank them, but before that he needed to talk to Ruth and see what she thought, it was their time now and he wanted them to move on.
Dipping his head slightly forward his buried his face in her hair and kissed her.
'I love Ruth Evershed,' he whispered, as he closed his eyes and with a sigh of deep contentment, he joined her in sleep.
