Thank you so much for all your great reviews! Here's T...
Ruth picked up the phone to order their Chinese meal. Neither she nor Harry could be bothered to cook after the bad day they had had on the grid. It had been tiring, exhausting and terrorist filled day. But on the upside, no bombs, no gunshots and no deaths thanks to their diligent work.
Harry listened in amazement as she settled into the conversation in fluent Mandarin. He didn't understand a word but he didn't need to. The expression on her face spoke volumes as she ordered their food. He let her carry on in Chinese and five minutes later she put the phone down and curled up next to Harry on the sofa.
"Food will be here in fifteen minutes," she said as Harry stroked her hair.
"How did you do that?" Harry asked. "It usually takes an hour to get delivery from the China gardens."
"The advantages of speaking their language," Ruth said. "It speaks volumes."
"You're an incredible woman," Harry said sincerely.
"I've waited a long time to hear you say something like that," Ruth said, a fraction of the years of hurt showing in her voice.
"How about I love you?" Harry asked, whispering into her ear. She couldn't help it. She shivered.
"That too." Ruth reached her out for his hand and squeezed it with feeling.
"You know what I've been waiting years for?" Harry asked. She shook her head and he raised her hand. A fingertip ran around the relatively new wedding band she had on her left hand. "That."
"Thanks for not minding," Ruth said. Harry looked curiously at her. "For buying me a silver wedding ring instead of a gold. I love it."
"You're entitled to whatever jewellery you like," Harry said kissing her palm lovingly. Her fingertips touched his cheek, rough with stubble. He could feel the coolness of her ring and loved the fact that she had married him. That she had chosen him. After everything they had been through, she had decided to spend the rest of her life with him. That was the most wondrous thing in the world.
T is for take away
I wrote this one at the beginning of the project and I've actually written another entry for T. So its two for the price of one.
"No absolutely not," Harry shouted down the phone. "I am not allowing anyone I don't approve of to come into Thames House just because you feel like it!" Ruth came in and sat down, but she didn't say anything, waiting for Harry to finish his rant.
"This is insane," Harry said. "We are perfectly capable of…" Harry stared at the phone as whoever had been on the other end had slammed it down.
"I can't believe the gall of that insufferable man," Harry said to himself, almost unaware of Ruth's presence.
"Do you want my input or would you rather rant and exercise your considerable temper on your own?" Ruth asked. She was ignored completely and nodded to herself as Harry kept shouting.
"The Home Secretary is requesting that we house three agents from the French security services because they don't trust how we're dealing with the security measures on the Channel Tunnel!" Harry said as he was pacing the office. "Why? What the hell is their problem?"
"I think they're right," Ruth said quietly.
"What!" Harry shouted at her.
"Sit down," Ruth said calmly. She waited until he did and then covered his hand with both of her own. "Now calm down, okay?" Harry nodded after a minute. "What would you rather do? Waste time surveying the channel tunnel when you can get someone else to do it, or actually do something useful like stopping bombs blowing up in London?"
"You might have a point," he admitted.
"I do," Ruth said. "Let the French survey the Tunnel while we do the more important things." Harry wasn't looking at her so she put her hand under his chin and tilted his face up to hers. She kissed him across the desk, soft and slow. Just a gentle brush of lips which said without words how much he meant to her.
"I shouldn't shout at you," Harry said with a sigh.
"No, you shouldn't," Ruth said but she was smiling at him. "I love how much you care. Its what makes you, you."
"Come here," he murmured, wanting to kiss her without the desk being in the way. Ruth smiled and walked closer to Harry as his arms wrapped around her of their own accord. Ruth allowed herself to be held by him and kissed him just as eagerly as he kissed her.
By the time she walked back onto the grid, Harry was totally calm and had no worries about the incoming French agents.
"How do you do that?" Beth asked as Ruth began typing.
"Do what?" Ruth asked not really paying attention.
"He'd normally be in a towering rage if the French were trying to invade his castle," Dimitri said, joining in. "Only you seem to have such an incredible effect on him."
"I seem to have very effective methods of persuasion," Ruth said with a raised eyebrow and a smile, looking at her computer screen.
"Forget I mentioned it," Beth said trying to concentrate on saving the country from terrorists rather than Harry and Ruth's love life.
T is for temper. Which one do you like better?