Dinner with Harry

Hope you enjoy, let's all see where this goes. Remember Harry's almost 10 years younger at this point. Maybe not the gentleman he evolved into where Ruth was concerned. Ruth is 10 years older, and changed, but no one knows this but Ruth…on with the typos…

Harry was agitated with Ruth for two reasons. The first, she seemed to be acting a bit too much like a senior member of the team, rather than the junior officer she is, and the second is she's getting under his skin in a way he thought was behind him. Fifteen years ago he'd be thinking of bedding her no matter his or her status. All that had changed once he accepted head of section D. He swore no inter-service romance, although those were usually the easiest to start and they had common ground. Had he just watch Tom lose the woman he loved because of his job? No, I can't let this go further. I end it tonight by berating her, but not so much as she loses all her confidence. I need that intellect of hers working to keep the UK safe. We won't have anything in common to discuss. I'll irritate her, and then she'll find me boring. It will be a safe night out, with a beautiful woman, just nothing to follow. There I've got a plan, now to put it into operation.

Ruth meanwhile was dressing. She'd gone shopping. She liked her tastes from her youth for work, but for socializing with Harry, especially after it sounded as if she would be getting a dressing down tonight, she had a better idea of what to wear than she would have if this had happened 10 years ago. She decided her grid style would remain as it was, but her socializing attire had to change. In her shopping she selected a sapphire blue dress that would bring out her eyes, which flared at the hem, the v neckline revealed enough just to intrigue the Harry she knew, and the low cut of the back would inflame his desire as well as the fitted waist to show off her figure. Matching shoes had been a must. A thin silver chain around her neck, earrings to match with sapphires set in silver. All would accent her pale English skin, offset by her brunette hair. She had her talking points planned, and was just putting on the finishing touches of her makeup when the bell rang.

There was Harry in a Black suit. They were perfectly matched for a nice evening out in London. Whatever Harry had planned to say to rebuke Ruth completely left his mind as he stared at the vision in front of him. He steadied his eyes, but his mouth was open, but nothing was coming out. Not a word.

"Welcome Harry, would you like to come in and have a drink before we leave for dinner?"

"Uh no." Harry had managed one response. He stood staring. Ruth looked back as innocently as possible. She didn't comment. She waited for Harry to recover from the shock to his system.

Finally Harry said, "We'd best go or we'll be late for our reservation." With those words Ruth stepped out into the night with Harry. She waited while he opened the Range Rover door for her. Had I known what she planned to wear I would have brought the Jaguar.

Ruth waited for Harry to begin the conversation during the drive, but when it became apparent he was speechless, she decided she would further disarm him. "Harry, I've been thinking, and I realize I overstepped my remit today when I took over the discussion. I hope I didn't do permanent damage to the team as a unit. I just have so wanted to always be part of MI5. A proper spy."

All the usually verbose Harry could manage was, "Well, see that it doesn't happen again. Run such matters through me and I will see what should be presented to the team as a unit." Harry knew that was all of a reprimand Ruth was getting tonight, because he was now hoping if he played his words right she would be in his bed before the night ended. Forget his standards set 15 years ago. He wanted her and somehow, he felt she wanted him.

Ruth could read Harry, along with a few uncomfortable shifts in his seated position, and knew the night was hers, but she also knew Harry needed to fall in love with her, not just desire her for one night. This might be a more difficult task. What Ruth needed was a foil to keep Harry at bay. She needed Zaf. Yet Zaf was a year or more away from arriving at MI5. Maybe she would play time spoiler again if Tom decided to leave the service. Ultimately Tom had thrived in the private sector, but she didn't want to see him shoot Harry. They had been quiet for some time, and she was drawn from her thoughts when Harry said, "We've arrived."

The restaurant Harry had selected, Ruth knew to be one of his favorites. The type men of his age frequented with dark mahogany covered walls, and privacy. It didn't escape her attention that the pianist was playing, "I've got you under my skin" as they were seated in a secluded some would call romantic setting. Table with candlelight. The finest of English tableware. As they were sitting there, silence was again descending on the couple who had always had trouble communicating. This time Ruth was determined to make an impression but keep Harry at a safe distance until the timing was right. There was that word again, timing. Their timing had always been awful. Ruth was determined this time they'd get it right. Just not jumping straight into to bed with him. That was not perfect timing. She had reasoned as had Harry, this was not turning out to be a working dinner. It was time to turn it around and Ruth would lead Harry down that path.

"Harry, do you think we can make this work with minimal loss of life?"

Harry had been staring at Ruth's cleavage and was shaken from his non- professional thoughts "What was that?" Ruth smiled slightly at Harry, I want to give him some encouragement just not too much before the time is right.

Ruth nervously checked her watch, Harry poured from the bottle of wine he had selected, a red, she somehow thought he might select another type, but was pleased with what was before her. "I think working with you will be excellent. It will be the type of professional relationship I've wanted but couldn't have at GCHQ."

Harry's face fell with the words "professional relationship." She thinks I spent the bloody night staring at her body well her face too for professional reasons? I have to remember she is young. Maybe I should go a bit slower. If it's worth having it's worth waiting for, and I think she will be worth waiting for. Besides how will I feel if it's just a one-night stand? How would she feel if it were only that? I can't lose the best analyst we've ever had all because I want her body, mind and soul. With those thoughts Harry shook himself back to the conversation, and found himself debating with her just how much the Americans can be trusted. "Ruth they just want to use us and abuse us."

"Harry whether you like it or night, they still remain a super power, and we need them at times. We just have to stay ahead of them in many ways I think I can help with that area. Christine Dale has just joined CIA London. I think we can work with her. Perhaps we should have her work more with Tom," Ruth quietly suggested. Harry seemed to ponder this, but added, "Tom is seeing someone." Ruth thought, Not the loony doctor. "Maybe you should look into his latest love, I have heard she's not that stable."

"Really Ruth you didn't strike me as a gossip."

"It's not gossip. I've been checking on a few people, and she's popped up in a few police reports." Ruth thought a small lie wouldn't hurt.

"Ruth you shouldn't spy on your co-workers." Harry thought if she were spying for GCHQ this would toss her off.

It was Harry's statement that reminded her she was supposed to be giving GCHQ personnel information on section D to pass along to politicians. This time Ruth would not make the same mistake and would come clean to Harry during dinner.

As they were eating, Ruth said, "Harry I have to confess that GCHQ said I could only have this job if ever so often I passed information about section D along to them. I don't plan to do that, but I wanted you to know in case you want to send me back now. We might as well get this over with."

Harry reached out and caressed Ruth's hand. She had the softest skin he thought he'd ever touched. "I suspected as much Ruth, but I appreciate your forthrightness. In fact I might want you to pass information to GCHQ but only on my orders. That way we can all be happy." He was still holding her hand and Ruth made no move to pull back. In fact she shyly returned the caress and managed a blush.

All too soon dinner ended. Harry was hoping she would invite him in once they arrived back at her place. As he walked her to the door Ruth turned and leaned in and kissed him with controlled passion, offering hope but ensuring he knew the night was at an end he sighed. The kiss had sparked something he had not felt in a long time. It was more than lust and her kiss was more than friendly. It was progress. It might mean they would have to fill out their own permission to socialize forms. He left disappointed he wasn't spending the night, but happy there was hope.

Ruth for her part smiled as she closed the door behind her. She too felt hope, and that spark that had always seemed to exist. Now was time for sleep because Harry didn't realize just how important tomorrow would be to the team. They had an Algerian agent to use, and a child bomber to stop and save.