A very brief foray into M rated, before I head back to what will be the start of a new chapter in the life of H&R.
Heaven for Ruth, at least the possibility that it might actually exist, had evaporated the moment that she had held Danny's head in her hands. Harry had been with her then and Harry was with her now, but this time they weren't looking at each other across a yet to be explored divide, they were lying in beautifully warm water and enjoying a glass of white wine together. So why did she feel as though she was frozen to the spot, when there was every prospect of what she was visualising would happen, was going to exceed everything she'd ever experienced? Could it be that there was something in Harry's expression, to suggest that by keeping her waiting he was teasing her intentionally? Because he knew this was another first for her, whereas she had a sneaking suspicion that it wasn't for him.
Questions that weren't answered until Harry took her now empty wine glass and placed it alongside his on a side table, before with one single movement he gently persuaded her onto his lap. Easing her into a position that left nothing to her imagination and caused her to reconsider her perception of there being a heaven and even more so when Harry took his time to adjust himself against her. Her with eyes closed, which did at least give her the chance to avoid the way he was looking at her, but without the ability to ignore the effect that first his lips and then his tongue were having. Starting at the pulse point in her neck, where he lingered just long enough to feel her hands which had developed a mind of their own join the party, before he moved down and almost simultaneous gave his full attention to her breasts. His lips and his tongue causing her breathe to hitch, until just when she thought it couldn't get any better, he trailed the tips of his fingers across her stomach and down until they found the spot, where if she'd been able to speak, she'd have said something along the lines of 'Jesus Harry' or 'Oh my God'. Both of which were beyond her now, because it was taking every ounce of her shattering concentration, to cope with the rhythm he was setting.
Something that he was remarkably managing to sustain, given that his breathing was accelerating to match her own, until through the glorious haze of their coming together, in a voice that was barely more than a groan, she heard the words, 'it's never been as good as this Ruth.'
Which from someone who had been married for several years and was the father of two children and with Juliet recently demanding they give it another go, was when she recovered, not only a huge boost to her confidence about her own body, a body that she now had absolutely no control over, but also meant that any thoughts she might have had about his previous relationships and whether she was enough for him in bed, were a thing of the past.
Only to redouble, when his hands which had briefly stopped worshiping every inch of her skin demanded more. More which as the water temperature had dropped beyond comfortable, was when they were wrapped in one of the huge bath towels together. This time with her eyes open and with him insisting that she didn't look away. And as if this wasn't enough to convince her, his last words before he fell asleep beside her, were that 'he loved her more than he'd ever believed it possible to love anyone.'
All of which, was more than enough for her to insist that when they did buy a house it had a bath and if not, that there was sufficient space to install one.
.
'I'm just looking forward to their reactions?' said Adam, who was sitting at a table in a small bistro opposite Harry and Ruth, when Malcolm had gone to the bar to order some drinks. Waiting for the rest of the team to arrive, just two months after the night in the bathtub and the two days which had followed in pretty much the same vein. Not that they hadn't ventured outside the hotel to get some fresh air into their lungs, to eat somewhere other than in the hotel dining room and to find a way to look at each other without smiling.
An invitation that had not only prompted a positive response, but a lot of ponderings as to what their esteemed leader hadn't told them, when he'd been dishing out his invitation in the meeting room. The majority of which Malcolm had managed to quash because Harry and Ruth had used him as a witness. Not as the rumours were suggesting, because there had been a secret wedding, or because he was the only person to know for certain that Ruth was pregnant. One or both of which might have been possible if Harry hadn't been so busy protecting the state and beyond.
Not on the grid which would have been his preference, he'd attended several high-profile meetings and a conference in Brussels to discuss cross border security. The latter of which had run over into a second week and had resulted in them spending ten days apart. Just one in a long line of 'duty must come first' occasions which had caused Harry to re think his priorities, where his life was heading and what needed to happen in the future to hang on this over- riding emotion of contentment that living with Ruth was bringing him.
Admittedly Ruth wasn't Jane, so he hadn't come home to questions and complaints and there were no children to consider, but even before the few days that he and Ruth had spent away, he'd been visualising a life where neither of them were chained to their desks. That and as Malcolm had pointed out, he wasn't getting any younger. Malcolm who was still living quite happily with his mum, as opposed to him who had been enjoying amongst other things, a site seeing tour of Iran, albeit on a monitor.
Something they'd discussed in his kitchen which of course was now Ruth's kitchen as well, during an evening when Ruth had been looking after Wes.
The combination of which had brought him to this moment, but not without a lot of delicate negotiating on the one hand and plenty of arm twisting on the other.
Both of which to a certain degree had depended on Adam's ability to function as he'd put it at the time, 'like the Adam of old'. A man who he'd have trusted with his life if necessary. Something which had been achieved because Adam had talked at length to an independent councillor, not only about losing Fiona, but his doubts about his ability to look after Wes and still do his job. A person who let him talk, until it had reached the point where he'd heard himself say, 'his life wasn't over, it hadn't ended on the day that Fiona had died.'
It didn't stop there though and it certainly wasn't enough to allow Harry to apply for a long term leave of absence, never mind have his other request rubber stamped.
That not inconsiderable ace came in the form of a certain Ros Myers. 'Who if her reputation was anything to go by, would ensure that any potential trouble makers, would be spending the night in the nearest hospital having her boot extracted from a place where the sun didn't shine.' Harry had told both the Home Secretary and the DG. Without adding that if they considered him to be the ultimate pain in the aforementioned arse, Ros by comparison would require them to think again.
A conversation that had taken place over a week ago, when the sale of Ruth's house to Adam had been completed. Something that had coincided with the estate agent in Devon who they'd signed up with, ringing to say that a house within walking distance of the sea had just come on the market. A house which if they liked it, they both now wanted to become more than a weekend retreat. They wanted weeks, rather than the days that they'd spent wandering along the beach, driving to the estuary where Harry in particular had gazed at the boats that were moored and enjoying the seafood that was available in almost every restaurant. Time to explore further and get to know the area. That and to share a bed without the ever-present chance that one or both of their phones would ring and demand that they go into work.
.
Malcolm for once, found himself in the unique position of not having to respond, just being able to watch. He'd known Harry for more years than he cared to remember and more than any of them, recognised the change that this new and what he considered to be wonderful relationship with Ruth had done for him. Harry who was ordering a second round of drinks at the same time as the waiter was handing out menus, smiling in a way that up until recently, had been as rare as Juliet Shaw turning into Mary Poppins. Not that the idea of her on her broomstick being blown away never to be seen again, hadn't crossed his mind.
More than that though, there was nothing about Harry at this moment to suggest that he was the man who caused them all to sit up straight and do his bidding. Everything about him exuded the love he felt for the woman who was sitting alongside him.
Something which he then went on to prove, without of course a physical demonstration, which would have caused Malcolm to consider buying a broomstick of his own, when 'we'll get the work side over with first and then we can all enjoy ourselves,' he told Zaf, Jo and Colin, who had shared a taxi and were the only ones who were surprised by Harry saying they could enjoy themselves.
Harry didn't use words like enjoy, in fact his vocabulary was very limited, apart from what they imagined he said to Ruth. But to then say that 'he and Ruth had been granted a three- month leave of absence,' which in Zaf's mind confirmed that Harry's undivided attention during the weekend away, meant that they were now discussing baby names, came to a grinding halt as a vision of Juliet Shaw as Harry's replacement, brought the second member of his staff up short. Something that wasn't lost on Colin either, whose face was devoid of colour, unless of course white counted?
Until. 'As you know Adam has bought Ruth's house. And you're going to need a bigger one thought Zaf. Ruth and I are going to use the proceeds to by a property on the coast. In fact, we're driving down there tomorrow,' Harry continued, waiting for it to sink in. Before announcing that, 'the job of Section Head and Section Chief were being combined and would be shared by Adam and Ros Myers from Six, who would be joining them later.'
'And an analyst?' asked Jo, who hadn't had a vision of Juliet Shaw in any way shape or form, but was looking to Ruth to confirm that Harry wasn't pulling their legs?
'Carol Ritter, who I know,' said Ruth, speaking for the first time, relieved that Harry hadn't turned it into a monologue. Besides she was getting hungry and as tomorrow was a big day, she was hoping for an earlier than usual night.
Whereas Harry was just glad that what he'd said had been received without argument and that Zaf, who was well known to make cheeky comments, had managed to control himself, when anything less might well have put Ruth's recently acquired confidence to the test. Instead telling Jo, who he knew she was particularly fond of, about Beer as in the village, not the drink, how happy she was and what actually surprised him, that she loved him. Something that he'd never expected her to voice, except perhaps Malcolm.
Only to be interrupted as their meals arrived and Malcolm proposed a toast to the future. A sign that as well as this being a rare evening out, it was also a celebration.
.
Hair and fur as the time had gone on, had produced more negatives than positives, so Ruth with little reluctance in the end, had let a delighted Wes adopt Fidget. Scarlet couldn't be left with Mrs. Harris for more than a few days, it would be taking advantage Harry had said, which meant that his beloved pooch was coming with them to Devon. Not to the hotel, but to what had been described as a very comfortable guest house on the 'Welcome to Devon' website.
This time with Harry driving and in his car. A car which was loaded to the proverbial gunnels because they had three months freedom beyond anything either of them could remember. In the hope that they'd find a house that they liked, could buy without the usual last-minute hitches if they were lucky and move some of their things in before they went back to London.
The miracle that he and Ruth were doing this was one thing, but that he could forget about work was just the icing on the cake as he listened to Ruth chatting away beside him about her hopes and dreams. All of which were adding to the pure elation he himself was feeling and with Scarlet curled up in her bed that was lodged between boxes of what he had no idea and honestly didn't care.
What did matter, as they wound their way down what was an equally long and winding road of the song, within a stone's throw of where they were going, was that everything felt familiar and unlike the last time, when they'd come here chasing Ruth's childhood dreams, he also wanted to be here.
In the same way that they'd chosen The Bay View Guest House, predictably named because from the window in their room there was a sweep of the bay, which at its farthest point west was dotted with small boats. Because it was as ordinary as the hotel had been extraordinary, because 'he didn't need to treat her on a daily basis as much as he might want too,' she'd told him. They'd be able to blend in and be themselves.
Realised by the welcome they received from the landlady who introduced herself as Alice, before offering them 'tea as soon as they'd settled themselves in.' An offer that didn't come from the 'this is how we treat our guest's handbook' it was heartfelt. Almost as though she knew their story. Followed by, 'dinner is seven and there are five other guests staying and if you need anything else, just give me a shout.'
At which point Harry thanked her and meant it, before turning his attention back to Ruth who had walked over to the window and was gazing at the view that was as familiar to her as her own face. Was she imaging just as he was, how living here permanently at some time in the future, would guarantee them the lifestyle that they wanted? He certainly hoped so.