forrestsc requested the entire story and as she said Cotterdam would spoil it, I'm leaving it out. This is a little m rated chapter, so don't read if it isn't your type of thing.

Ruth was finishing up for the day when Jo came up to her. "Fancy a drink tonight? The rest of the team is coming?"

"And I'm the last minute addition?" Ruth asked with a raised eyebrow.

"No, I just can't watch Zaf and Adam get drunk on my own. I'd like a friend."

"I would but I can't. I have plans tonight."

"Really?" Jo asked with just a hint of more interest than a friend would give.

"Yes," she said flicking through a file and not looking up at her.

"Anything… nice?" Jo asked.

Ruth rolled her eyes and couldn't stop the thought that sprung to mind. Harry's driving me home and we are going to make mad passionate love and we'll be so caught up in emotion and in each other that we'll be lucky to make it up the stairs. Luckily she didn't say that though. "Harry's taking me out to dinner." It was a lie because he was taking her home but Jo didn't need to know that.

"Okay, she replied. "And…" but Jo tailed off, unable to think of how to phrase it.

"You could ask me," Ruth said, leaning on her desk with a small smile. "Don't try ferreting for information, just ask me."

"Okay," Jo said surprised at her friends bluntness. "Are you and Harry…"

"Yes." she said simply.

"Really? Together? Finally?"

"Yes." Ruth said unable to stop the smile that spread on her face.

"I'm happy for you both," she said sincerely, even though she wasn't happy about how much lighter her purse was about to be. She quickly scurried away as Harry left his office and made a beeline for Ruth's desk.

"Ready?" he asked, his eyes twinkling.

"Yes," she said as her computer finished shutting down.

"Good." They didn't say another word to each other until they left the grid as they didn't want others eavesdropping on them. When they had gone Jo went to her purse and fished a chunk of twenty pound notes out. Zaf was laughing about something random when Jo silently handed him the money.

"You win."

"No way," Zaf said disbelievingly, clutching weakly at the cash.

"Yes, you win." Zaf let out a very happy laugh. "Don't get too happy, the drinks are on you tonight."

"I think I can afford it," he said with a smile. "Does this mean all the tension will disappear on the grid?"

"I doubt it," Adam said.

"I guessed yesterday," Jo said slipping her jacket on. "They were just so at ease with each other. Much more than usual." Quietness spread out between the three of them until Zaf broke the silence.

"I think this calls for a strong drink," he said, and everyone left the grid together.

Ruth unlocked her front door and as it swung shut Harry pressed her against it, his mouth caressing hers with barely concealed desire. "God, you have no idea how much I want you," he whispered across her lips as he pushed her coat to the floor. "Sitting mere feet away from me all day… Looking irresistible…"

"Stop talking," she breathed as he kissed her neck hard. She briefly wondered if he was going to mark her but at this moment in time she couldn't care less. All she wanted was for his lips to never leave her body. Not ever. He started unbuttoning her blouse and kissing the newly revealed skin.

"I did promise you dinner…" he whispered.

"Believe me, I am not hungry," she breathed shaking her head as her hands pushed his coat and jacket off simultaneously. Her hands gripped at his arms, feeling his muscles under his shirt as he touched her skin at the same time.

"I'm going to have to stop," he said backing half a pace away from her. Before she could ask why he spoke again. "Just as long as it takes to get upstairs. I can't do this up against the door. Not with you."

She smiled at him, loving how he always wanted this to be special for her. "Harry, the fact that its you and me makes it special. Whether its against a door or in a bed." He took her point but the moment of frantic passion had been broken. He took her hand as they slowly manoeuvred the stairs, in between greedy kisses, fizzing with intent. This was still new enough between them for every single brush of the fingers was electric, every touch thrilling. She wondered whether it would actually ever fade. They way her breath caught when he held her.

Ruth managed to get her fingers under his tie and quickly undo the knot as they remained lip locked and negotiated her bedroom door. Ruth's blouse was barely hanging on but she didn't want to let go of Harry so her arms became trapped by the fabric. Harry laughed for a second as her hands pulled his neck closer. "What?"

"Let go of me for a second." She did and Harry threw her blouse to the floor, quickly followed by her bra.

"You happy now?"

"Not nearly," he said. "Give it an hour or so and ask me again."

"I'll do that," she said as he pushed her to the mattress. He quickly covered her body with his own and she gasped as the material of his shirt ran against her hardened nipples. While kissing him she felt the zip of her skirt being pulled down. She almost held her breath, waiting for the reaction she hoped was coming.

"Oh my God Ruth," he said in a hoarse whisper, moving down her body, to have a closer look. "What the hell are you trying to do to me?"

"I thought you might appreciate it," she said. Harry ran a finger under the black lace tops of her stockings and up underneath the suspenders she had worn especially for him. He kissed the skin of her thighs that wasn't covered by material and unclipped the suspenders, so her knickers could be thrown to the floor. As soon as they were dispensed with he kissed her right between her legs and started teasing her mercilessly with his tongue, making her moan.

"… Harry…" she breathed, totally caught up in the pleasure he was giving her. He kept going until she said his name in that quiet passionate whisper at least twice more. He moved up her body as she tried unsuccessfully to unbuckle his belt and remove his trousers. After the teasing he had just given her, messages from her brain weren't going the way they should have been.

He quickly removed them himself along with his boxers and kissed her mouth passionately, tongues dancing together as his hands caressed her breasts slowly. After a minute or two of wonderful kisses he pushed into her firmly. She arched her back as her eyes popped open, adoring how he felt inside her. "This is amazing," she whispered.

"I'm not arguing," he replied as he thrust into her again, making her cry out. Somehow his shirt was still on, but her hands ran over his chest underneath it, wanting to feel as much of him as possible. She could feel her climax approaching fast and hated it, trying to hold on. No one else had ever managed to bring her to the brink so quickly, and never in her life had she been so desperate to make it last. "Don't fight it," he whispered after a second, nipping her earlobe as he realised what she was doing. "Let go."

His voice was the tiny push that took her over the precipice, almost against her will. Almost. Harry knew she wasn't the screaming type of woman but the way her breathing changed, her lips moving soundlessly against his neck as total bliss overcame her was easily more erotic than any moan or scream he had ever heard. He thrust into her three more times before his own orgasm overpowered him.

"You're going to have red marks there," he whispered as he looked at her neck. "I'm sorry."

"Don't worry about it," she said, moving closer into his embrace, now that they were both fully naked.

"I know you're worried about people at work…"

"They already know," Ruth said. "Jo wanted to find out, so I told her. Though not in as much graphic detail as I've just experienced."

"And you're okay with that?" Harry asked carefully.

"They were all guessing and speculating. I'd rather them know the truth than continually wonder what's going on. And I bet Zaf is pleased."

"Why would he care?"

"Because he had a bet going with Jo," Ruth murmured over his chest as he stroked her hair. "That we'd get together."

"I'll kill them," Harry said in a growl. "Why would they hurt you like that?"

"They didn't know I knew," Ruth said, stroking his chest trying to calm him down. "They were only having a bit of fun. This is a life and death job. It was only harmless fun. Just don't mention it."

"Mm," he said not convinced at her attitude.

"Leave it," she added. "Just think about us. Like this. Here. Together." He reached a hand behind her head and pulled her in for a kiss. And they stayed entwined until morning.

Hope this satisfied requests for more.