AN: Hiya! Well, yall certainly DID review, so I guess I have to make a sequel. And here it is! I was totally surprised, I didn't think that anyone would really like that Lost in the Mountains thing. Guess I was wrong, huh? Ok, here we GO!
1817 Local
Mac's Apartment
Georgetown
Mac sat on her couch, curled up with a gripping 'can't put it down' novel...and she found her thoughts wandering. Usually she got so into a book that she was oblivious to the outside world, but this time her concentration was on another subject: Harm. And the poacher/plane incident. Weeks later her thigh was still aching slightly, muscles sore from finally finished healing. Harm's words...or at least what she thought he had said...she tried to recall exactly what had happened.
/ 'This Sarah...do you love her?' / She had asked. Yes, that was certain enough.
/ 'I'm wild about her!' / He had replied, and she had been crushed...why? She didn't want to admit it even to herself, but she was saddened...and jealous, too. But then, just as she'd turned away, her ears caught five more words.
/ 'I...I'm wild about you too.' / And THAT, my friends, is where things went fuzzy and gray. Did that mean what she thought it meant? Did it mean anything? Had he even said it? Or did she just imagine something that she wanted to hear? She shook her head and put two fingers to her temple, trying to clear her mind of all the questions that came tumbling one after the other. Clarity came in the form of a sharp knock on her door that cut through her confusing thoughts like a knife. Sighing, she set the paperback down on the coffee table and pulled herself off the couch. Crossing the living room, Mac looked down at herself, in MARINES sweats.
/ My hair's probably not so hot, either. Oh well, / she thought as she unlocked the door. She was lucky she glanced through the peephole before opening the door. /Harm?!?! Oh shit! /
Harm tilted his head toward the door. He was sure he had heard the locks turn and click when they suddenly stopped, and his brows furrowed.
"Mac?" He said questioningly, leaning one arm against the frame, his other hand holding something behind his back.
"Uh...just a second." She replied before racing to her bedroom and searching frantically for something better to put on. /Crap, crap, crap, crap, crap.../ she thought repeatedly. /KNEW I should have cleaned up yesterday! Crap, crap, crap, oh good! / She had found a pair of jeans and a tapered blue shirt to pull on, throwing the rest of the cluttered mess into her bedroom and locking the door. She forced herself not to race across the room to the door and it took all her willpower not to collapse when she opened it. Harm was standing, roses in hand – having brought them out from behind his back a moment earlier – in full dress whites, shining gold wings and all. But no brightly polished medal could compare to the pure glowing of Harm's Flyboy smile.
"Hey Mac." His voice was so...perfect, I guess you could say, to her ears. It was low and deep, forceful but gentle, and could be filled with a certain huskiness and playful tone that hinted at things that made her want to open a window! (AN: wink wink) She casually leaned against the open door, actually using it to hold herself up while her shaky legs recuperated, trying to play it off. Harm noticed and said nothing, but his smile's power knew no end. He just poured it on, seeing if she would break.
"What are you doing here?" / Oh my god if he doesn't stop that...wait...does he KNOW it affects me? gasp I knew it! He DOES do it on purpose! That...ooh / The second wave of smiles hit and washed away the angered thought before it was even fully formed.
"These," he held out the flowers and bowed slightly, holding his white sailor cap in one hand, "are for you."
"Wow, a dozen roses." She sniffed them after daintily plucking the bouquet from his hand and turning on her own sexy smirk. "They're beautiful, thank you. But if you got me these at Madame Belle's Florist Shop (totally made up)," she said, checking the card, "then why didn't you get the free delivery too?" She put on the innocent smile and rose her eyebrows in question. "Why go to all the trouble of coming here?"
Now the first rule of law was never ask a question you don't know the answer to, and Mac certainly did NOT know the answer, but she could sure as hell hope for one! And she did just that, her brown eyes looking up into his sea-blue ones, a little hopeful.
/ I wanted an excuse to see you.../ It was the truth, but he didn't want to say that, realizing they were falling into the flirtatious game they had begun a little while ago, right after their incident in the mountains, actually. It had started gradually with a bit of playful teasing, but as of late it had escalated and the senior officers were finding it increasingly difficult to resist one another.
"I...uh...I wanted to deliver them myself, make sure you got them."
"The flower boys are dependable Harm, you know that as well as I do." She wasn't going to make this easy on him at all, and she took a step forward out of her doorway and into the hall, nearer to him. It took every single ounce of Harm's discipline not to let his eyes wander from Mac's face – beautiful as it was – and with good reason. Because he was so tall he had to look down at her, and he could look down her blouse swiftly if he wanted to. The gentleman fought the devil in his head.
/ Oh crap...she left her blouse unbuttoned less than usual at the top. Shit!!! Hmm...she looks like she dressed in a hurry, in fact. Oh god! Eyes on her FACE Rabb! / Harm prayed she hadn't noticed his inner battle and how his eyes had drifted down some. Mac was feeling very smug, smiling with her questioning brow raised and her seductive body language obviously making him uncomfortable. That is, until Harm challenged her intimidating step closer, taking one of his own and leaning his face down to hers, that voice reduced to an oh-so-sexy murmur.
"Is it so hard to believe that I went out of my way just to see you?" Mac gulped and took a few steps back, Harm not letting her create a gap and advancing on Mac until they were in her apartment. He closed the door behind him and put his hat on the shelf by the door. Turning back to Mac he smiled as she stood, roses clutched in one hand, hair a little messy and clothes evidently hurriedly thrown on.
"You might wanna put those in some water." He smirked as she blushed and went to the kitchen.
"Um, yeah. Thanks." She retreated to her kitchen and fumed when she heard him chuckle.
/ Get a hold of yourself Mackenzie! It's only Harm... / But only didn't really apply anymore. He was suddenly very important, and she was thinking things she shouldn't about a 'senior officer' if you wanted to get technical, as he often did. She woke from her still mixed-up thoughts to find she'd gotten her favorite glass vase to put the roses in, and had done so, already adding water. She took in a deep breath and closed her eyes after picking up the vase. / You may have won the battle, but I'll win the war, Stickboy! Marines always win! / She returned to the living room, finding that Harm was sitting quietly on her couch, leaning forward and putting his elbows and his knees and his chin in his hands, staring off into space with those gorgeous blue eyes. / Don't go soft, Marine! / Mac reminded herself as she cleared her throat and set the roses on her coffee table.
"Now, you were saying something about going out of your way to see me?" She sat at the other end of the couch as Harm smiled lightly and leaned back, relaxing some while his eyes closed.
"Well, I never really apologized well enough for getting you shot. That should never have happened. I'm so sorry Mac." She sighed. Was that all the flowers were for? / Maybe I didn't hear him say anything after all... /
"But I know you love flowers anyway, so...there they are." / Smooth Rabb. You're losin' her... / "I guess you already had dinner," she nodded, "and it's too bad. I would've cooked for you." She smiled a little as he stood up.
"Thanks for the offer." Harm briefly flashed the grin and she was reminded of how she truly felt, and cursed herself for falling so deeply in love so quickly. / Great. Now I can admit to myself that I love the guy but he doesn't even know, or care, for that matter. Just great. / She masked her hurt like many times before and walked over to the door where he was. Harm turned after grabbing his hat and opening the door, leaning over to whisper into her ear. Mac's eyes widened and sparkled once more as he did so.
"I really am wild about you, Sarah." He brushed his lips on her cheek as he pulled back, but didn't get away because she turned her head and they kissed for a passionate moment. Their lips were reluctant to release their hold and he smiled when they finally did.
"See ya later, Mac." He let himself out and as soon as the door was securely closed, he leaned his back against, it, not knowing Mac was mirroring his movements on the other side of the door. The only thing the two could think was:
/ Damn he's/she's a good kisser! /
