A most heavenly smell greets her as she opens her front door and she can't help the wide smile that spreads across her face.
"Harry?" she calls, front door still half-open. She's pretty sure it's him. She can't imagine anyone breaking into her house to cook for her, but she knows he'd be disappointed in her if she failed to check before entering the house. And she never wants to disappoint Harry.
"Hello," he says, stepping through the doorway to the kitchen, wiping his hands on a tea-towel. "How did it go?"
"Good." She enters the hall, closing and locking the door behind her. Then she puts down her bag, but before she can take off her coat, his arms are round her waist and he's kissing her warmly, tenderly.
"I love coming home to find you cooking me dinner," she confesses against his lips. "When are you moving in?"
"As soon as you say the word."
"Right now then?"
He smiles and kisses her again before pulling back to hug her tight and lift her off the floor, spinning her round in his arms.
She shrieks in surprise, then laughs, the sheer joy of it overwhelming.
"I love you," he whispers when her feet touch the ground again, gazing deeply into her eyes.
"Me too." She smiles. "I haven't felt this happy in years."
He kisses her forehead and pulls back, turning towards the kitchen as he says, "Go wash your hands then and come to eat. We have some planning to do tonight."
Soon they're sitting across from each other at the table, eating and joyfully planning Harry and Scarlet's move.
"My friends could help if we need them," she suggests through a mouthful of mouth-watering, chicken curry.
"The wild women? Heaven help us!"
"Harry!"
"What?" She narrows her eyes at him. "All right. Fine! Might as well put them to good use," he agrees seemingly reluctantly though his eyes are twinkling. "Though let's plan on keeping them sober, all right?"
She laughs and makes a note on the notepad by her right elbow to call Bridget.
"Now there, we're in agreement. At least until we've finished. We can all go to the pub down the road after that."
"Sounds good. Then they'll be someone else's problem."
She giggles. "You're so naughty, Harry."
"And that's why you love me."
"That and your big..." She waits, grinning.
"Heart," he finishes for her, smiling in return. "Or was it the bank account? I forget."
"Neither. It's the fact that you're well endowed."
"Now I remember." He winks and she giggles again.
"I confess, I can't wait until I have you in my bed every night."
He chuckles. "Is that what it comes down to in the end? Now I'm almost scared to ask what you and Fiona talked about."
"Wouldn't you like to know." Her eyes look so mischievous all of a sudden that he desperately wants to kiss her. God, he loves if when she's like this – playful and teasing and happy.
"As it happens, I would." He leans towards her. "Very much."
She smiles, then takes another mouthful of food, washing it down with a swig of her wine, watching him. He doesn't react, watching her right back, waiting. He's good at the waiting game, is her Harry.
"Viagra," she says and can't help laughing at the look on his face.
Gotcha!
"Poor Adam," he sighs, recovering from his surprise and playing along. "I never knew he had such troubles."
Much to his satisfaction, that makes her laugh even harder.
"Adam's fine. I think she was more concerned about you," she says eventually, when she's managed to catch her breath, eyes still twinkling.
He narrows his eyes at her and she wonders if perhaps she's pushed things too far.
"Well, I hope you set her straight on that score, or I might have to take matters into my own hands."
"Oh? What are you planning to do? You can't start coming onto your employees, Harry. One of them's bound to slap you with a sexual harassment charge, sooner or later."
There's something in her gaze – concern maybe? Worry?
Oh Ruth. You have absolutely nothing to worry about, love.
Not that he can really blame her for worrying about him straying given his less than stellar past.
"I have no interest in seducing any of my other employees, Ruth. I already have the one I want." That makes her smile. "But I might have to accidentally arrange for some of the rest of them to catch us in flagrante."
"You wouldn't dare!"
"Maybe not." He sees her relief, so he adds, "Perhaps a tape would be better."
"And how are you planning on getting me to make said tape? Are you going to tie me up?"
"Mmmm," he hums, leaning forward again. "Now there's an idea. Would you like me to tie you up, Ruth?"
His eyes are dark, his voice seductive suddenly, and she can't help the way her stomach does a little flip at the way he's looking at her.
"I don't know, Harry," she replies. "I'll have to think about that. What I do know, however, is that you're not having Malcolm and Colin set up hidden cameras in my house."
It's so unexpected that he bursts out laughing, chuckling away for quite some time, while she watches him fondly, her eyes soft and warm and full of mirth.
"Oh Ruth," he says eventually, wiping his eyes with the back of his hand. "You're such a breath of fresh air and I love you... so much."
"I love you too."
He reaches for her hand across the table, bringing it to his lips and lovingly kissing her knuckles. "What did you actually talk about with Fiona?" he asks as he lowers their hands to the table and smiles at her.
"We didn't talk about much really," she says. "She's planning on coming back, you'll be pleased to know. I'm not sure she's ready just yet, though I might be wrong about that. Perhaps knowing about us will change things."
"How do you mean?" he asks, intrigued.
"I think she's sort of decided to... take me under her wing, protect me from the gossip or whatever other unpleasantness I'll face at work." She lifts her eyes to his. "It's rather sweet of her really. I suspect she had a much harder time of it herself than she let on. People can be so mean, Harry. Why is that?"
"I don't know." He shakes his head and squeezes her hand. "It's going to be all right, Ruth."
"She said that if I act confident and... demand respect, then people will give it to me, that it's what I believe that's important."
"That makes sense," he nods. "We use that technique all the time. Immerse yourself in the legend and people will believe you are that person."
"I don't know if I can do that, Harry."
"Of course you can." He smiles encouragingly. "You did magnificently with your mad friends. They couldn't tell it wasn't real."
"But it was real, Harry. My feelings were real."
He smiles, eyes softening. "But your feelings are still real, Ruth. So are mine. You're still the same person. Nothing's changed. That's the point."
"I'm still insecure though. That hasn't changed either."
"You're not insecure, Ruth. That's probably the one part that has changed. A couple of days ago, you woke me in a most memorable way, you made love to me with a confidence that I've only every seen you display before at work." She's blushing now, looking down at her plate, and it makes him smile fondly. "And you were magnificent, Ruth." Now she looks up. "Then you faced your fear that Juliet was still important to me head on, and when you discovered how her return might affect us, you bravely decided that you were not going to hide any more, that you would face Juliet and the rest of the world, you would 'not play her little games', I believe, were your exact words." She smiles now, looking rather pleased with herself. "You are brave and strong and there is nothing you cannot face, cannot do, cannot conquer in this world. And I love you for it. All of it – your courage and your uncertainty, your shyness, your modesty, your brilliance and your fierce sense of justice that turns you into a lioness at times. You're a remarkable woman, Ruth."
Oh Harry, you wonderful, beautiful man. I love you.
She smiles crookedly and squeezes his hand, trying to control her emotions that are threatening to overwhelm her. If that's the way he sees her, it's no wonder he's head-over-heels in love with her. And she can't help wishing in that moment that she could see herself like that too.
"If you're trying to seduce me, Harry," she manages to say after a few moments, "it's working."
He smiles and brings her hand to his lips again before saying, "Later. We still have much to arrange before I can move in and seduce you everyday for the rest of our lives."
"Ever the optimist," she giggles.
"When it comes to sex, always," he smiles. "But enough distractions, Ruth. What does the schedule look like now?"
"Okay." She looks down at her list. "So this weekend, you and I will go through what we've got here and decide what we want to keep and what we can give away. I'll call the Red Cross or the Heart Foundation or something to see if any of them can pass by and pick up what we don't want on Sunday. Then next weekend-"
"Wait," he objects. "It can't be next weekend."
"Why not?"
"It's the fifth test, Ruth!"
"Cricket again?"
"Ruuuuth! We have a really good shot at finally winning back the Ashes!"
She smiles. "I know, Harry. I'm just yanking your chain."
He narrows his eyes at her. "I was going to offer to take you with me to watch, but I'm not so sure now." He pouts so adorably that she wants to kiss him.
"Watch?"
"At the Oval."
She smiles, then frowns thinking about it. "There'll be people there."
"Mmm-hmmm," he agrees. "Almost twenty-five thousand of them."
"I mean people from the Service."
"Very likely, yes. Malcolm certainly will. We often go together. We might even bump into Adam. He said something about taking young Wesley."
"Are you planning on going for all five days?"
"No. I don't think I can get away with that! The first day, I thought, and the last... to celebrate."
"Careful! You're going to jinx it."
"No," he shakes his head. "They'll win. You'll see. It's a good year for cricket... and for me personally."
That makes her smile.
"Think about it and let me know. I should get your ticket soon if you want to join me."
"Won't it be impossible, so close to the match?"
"I'm a spy, Ruth. I have my ways."
"All right," she says, making a sudden decision. She has to start somewhere after all. "I'd like to come with you." He smirks suggestively, making her roll her eyes and add quickly, "To see the cricket, Harry."
He grins. "Obviously. Why? What did you think, I thought, you meant?"
She throws her napkin at his face.
