"Ruby, where's your mother?" Galvin asked, unlikely though he was to get an answer.

"Out."

Well, it was better than nothing. Except now he was doubtful about leaving her alone in such a state. She could barely stand up. In fact, unless all those pizzas had a more serious effect than he'd realised, basically all of her weight was dependent on his right shoulder and the arm he had around her waist.

Definitely too old for this…

Thankfully, he only had to open three different doors before he found Ruby's bedroom. Well, he assumed it was hers. There was makeup scattered on a dresser, clothing all over the floor and… Oh, God. A copy of Twilight on the bedside table. He had never been so glad to see a book left unread.

With some difficulty, he managed to make his way across the room and manoeuvre Ruby to sit on the edge of the bed. With faster reactions than he'd ever seen from her, she grabbed his shirt as she felt herself drop. Caught off-guard, he had to steady himself with a hand on the mattress. Combined with the arm she had around his neck, it brought them a bit too close for his liking but he couldn't exactly just drop her. If only…

"You just gunna leave me here all by myself?" Ruby asked him, betrayal sneaking into her voice as she –impossibly - held on still tighter.

"I'm not your babysitter."

"And I'm not a baby!"

Galvin couldn't believe she was pouting to prove her point. Steadying himself, he attempted to take her hand to release the vice-like grip on his shirt. So much power in such tiny hands… he paused to despair for a moment and before he could react she'd entwined her fingers with his.

"You know…" she started to speak, and there was something there, something different in her voice. Something that made his heart beat faster and his stomach twist, "for an old man, you're quite good-looking."

He sighed and rolled his eyes. Aside from everything else, this girl seriously needed to work on giving compliments. When he turned his head slightly to look at her, though, she caught him off-guard again. God only knew when she'd learnt to move so quickly but she'd pulled on his hand to bring him towards her and kissed him.

It took everything he had not to slap her. Instead, he wrenched himself from her grasp, took both her arms and hauled her onto the bed, pinning her there.

"Never do that again."

Tears filled her eyes as he spoke, his voice deep with suppressed rage.

"I… I just-"

"You have no idea how you will make people feel."

"I wanted to take your mind off it all! I just-" Ruby sobbed, "I just wanted to help."

"What the hell, in your depraved, misguided teenaged fantasy world, is your definition of help?"

"You drink to forget. This is much healthier."

"And what is this?" Galvin released her arms and gestured at the two of them, sitting back on his heels. Hesitantly, Ruby pulled herself up too, slid her legs out from underneath him and leaned back on her hands. When she spoke, she sounded almost shy.

"Whatever you want it to be."

Galvin sighed, closed his eyes for a moment, ran a hand through his hair.

"I don't want-" he started to say, "I don't… Ruby."

He emphasised her name, suddenly unable to say anything else. It didn't come out sounding quite as annoyed or assertive as he'd hoped. It certainly didn't divert Ruby, who gave him a coy look and a smile before continuing to slowly unbutton her top.

"Stop me," she said, almost challenged.

"I'm not that strong."

Galvin's voice was almost a whisper as he made the understatement of the century. It had been so long- so very long- since his wife and it had barely even occurred to him since. But now, presented with this idiotic and irritating but still-so-damn-cute little pixie of a girl… He couldn't take his eyes off her, intent on seeing each inch of pale skin exposed. And she watched him the entire time, completely aware of the effect she was having. So fucking infuriating. And so young, he thought with a start as a blue blouse gave way to the purple bra encasing small, firm breasts and the tiny tummy beneath it. This girl was barely legal! Where the hell had she learnt to make such an impression on middle aged men?

On her knees, Ruby moved towards him, still so very slowly. She shrugged off the blouse and tossed it aside, then reached out for him, with both hands. She touched his shoulders, and he realised she was worried about getting thrown off again. She didn't need to be. Honestly, it was all he could do to keep breathing. With both hands she pushed the jacket off his shoulders and let it fall behind him. He could barely compose himself to disentangle his hands from the fabric. Ruby almost looked concerned for a moment, as her fingertips traced lines down his arms. She was unsure of his reaction basically because he wasn't reacting at all. His brain had given up, unable to focus on anything but what she was doing.

Finally she took his hands in hers and guided them to her waist. Galvin felt warm, pliant female flesh beneath his fingers for the first time in so long, and… almost had no idea what to do with it. He swallowed thickly, brought himself to meet Ruby's eyes and saw the answer shining there again.

Whatever you want.

He moved. Tentatively at first, exploring the smooth skin with thumbs and fingers and palms. Marvelling at the gentle curve of her waist and the indent of her navel. She arched her back, reached behind with one hand and a soft snapping sound was the only warning he got before the bra fell away too and he was inches away from pert, flawless breasts and puffy, dusky pink nipples that just screamed at him to touch them. Again, Ruby's hand covered his, guiding him upwards and he cupped one breast. Slightly less than a handful, so taut and pliant as he pressed his thumb lightly into the softness before gliding it over one of those nipples. Almost instantly it hardened to his touch. Ruby arched her back again, towards him this time as he teased her, feather-light touches before he rolled it between his fingers.

Ruby had her eyes closed, a pink flush tingeing her cheeks as she bit her lip. Galvin couldn't remember the last time he'd seen anything so agonisingly arousing, and so close. As his resolve crumbled, he gave into his first urge. He lowered his head and closed his mouth over the other, neglected nipple and sucked it into a matching peak, laving it with his tongue. A soft squeak escaped Ruby's throat, and Galvin felt a hand settle gently on his shoulder, before drifting upwards to run fingers through his hair. God, she was actually enjoying this. The dazed fumblings of an old man. Then again, she did have her sights set on the densest boy in London.

He removed his mouth, flicking his tongue once more against the peak that now glistened with moisture. Met Ruby's eyes again, saw her pupils dark and dilated with drink and arousal. When she moved in to kiss him, he didn't stop her. He put his hands on her denim-covered rear and pulled her onto his lap. Coaxed her clumsy, closed-mouth kiss open and tasted the cherry alcopops that would have disgusted him on any other day. Tonight it was sweet and delicious and oh-so-her. And God help him, he wanted her. When she finally managed to unbutton his shirt and push it off, she pulled him close, wrapped her arms around his neck. He felt those gorgeous nipples against his chest and the petite, tight body in his arms, all curves and softness. And she responded with all her energy and enthusiasm.

There was no way she couldn't feel how hard he was. He was straining against his pants, in agony from the restriction but not wanting to rush this. He knew he would never get the chance to do this again. Not when she was sober…

Oh, and there it was. He was officially a terrible person. Not only would he be betraying her trust, but taking advantage of this impressionable, undeniably naïve female would surely get him on some sort of register for a number of years.

She began to toy with his belt buckle.

No matter how much she claimed she wanted it, it would always be wrong.

She loosened it… he kissed her hard, kept his arms wrapped firmly around her. God, he didn't want to let her go.

She couldn't be thinking clearly. She had never even mentioned this before. She loved Luke.

She unbuttoned his pants, slid her hand past the waistband of his boxers and gripped him firmly.

"Oh, God," he hadn't expected her to move so quickly; felt like a fucking teenager again as he groaned into her mouth. His hands drifted lower, seemingly of their own accord to squeeze her rear and he could have sworn he felt her giggle.

Then she began to remove her jeans. He had opened his mouth to tell her to stop, honestly he had. But she was wearing the tiniest, lacy purple thong he had ever seen and his mouth just hung open. She had to twist to get her skinny jeans all the way off and Galvin could see only a single small triangle of dark hair hiding beneath the material.

Ruby at least had the decency to blush when she caught him looking, her hands drifting downwards as though to cover herself up before she thought better of it.

"What do you think?" she asked a little shakily

"You're beautiful."

A deep red spread across Ruby's cheeks, and she avoided Galvin's eyes as she processed the compliment.

"Nobody's ever told me that before."

"They should. Every day."

He could tell she was getting embarrassed, unspeakably so.

"Why have you got to make this weird?" she asked, pouting again.

"I'm not making it anything it wasn't already. You talk to Luke tonight?"

She thought about denying it for a second, but nodded, toying with the duvet cover.

"He asked if I'd help set him up with some girl."

"Ouch."

"Mmm."

"You know, you have terrible taste in men."

She nodded, with a small smile of resignation. She wouldn't stop staring at the duvet.

"Ruby. Look at me," Galvin met her eyes as she did, "If I was ten years younger… and you were ten years older. And sober. This would be the night of my dreams. Really. I would fuck you silly."

She blushed again, and giggled. Smiled sweetly. Galvin's expression softened as he saw it.

"But this isn't what you want. Forgetting isn't always the answer."

Ruby nodded, sadly this time, and Galvin began to extricate himself from their position on the bed. With a little effort, he managed to get his pants done up over his erection, which hadn't quite taken the hint of a serious conversation.

"Sorry." Ruby said as she watched him.

"You're not helping, put some damn clothes on."

Sheepishly, Ruby pulled her blouse back on, did a couple of buttons up. Galvin only glanced at her but could still see her nipples, hard through the thin fabric. He rolled his eyes, directed Ruby to lay down and then pulled the duvet over her.

"There. Stop being sexy before I change my mind."

She smiled and nodded, snuggling to get comfy under the covers. He couldn't help himself. Leaned down to kiss her, pausing an inch from her lips to give her a chance to object. And she moved to meet him, accepting his tongue for a brief moment. A final taste, because they both knew this could never happen again. She ran a hand through his hair and he briefly touched her cheek.

And then he was gone. Ruby heard the door slam and lay there for a few more moments, contemplating what had happened. Remembering the press of his mouth against hers and how it had felt to look into those brown eyes and feel so completely helpless when faced with such sadness. She unbuttoned the blouse again, ran her fingers curiously across still-hard nipples before her hand drifted lower.

She'd make it up to Luke in the morning…

Xxx

Because older men are hot…

Wrote this while a little drunk, a little bored and while pining over the sexiest supervisor in the world. Hate to love my job. Or is it the other way around?