Mac stood in front of McMurphy's with her arms crossed on her chest and Harm's uniform jacket over her shoulders. They said goodbye to their friends just a few moments ago and Harm went back inside to pay for their drinks. She looked up towards the sky and took a deep breath. There was just something about the air in this time of the year. The air just smelled special in the end of April and beginning of May. Not so much during the day, but at night… She loved it ever since she could remember. Mac took another deep breath. Everything that had happened in the last few hours was going to change her life completely. In a good way, for a change. She never really thought this would happen. A few years ago she would have said there may be some chance, not very big one but still a chance. If both of them went totally insane or something like that. She smiled and shook her head. But not after Paraguay. She frowned and chased away the memory. But now… As if all the pieces are finally starting to fit together. She smiled. Butterflies in her stomach just didn't seem like they had any intention to stop swarming around ever since she stepped inside Harm's apartment a few hours earlier. But all her nervousness seemed to be positive.
"Ready to go?" Harm asked as he came from behind her.
"Yeah" she nodded and he took her hand and intertwined their fingers.
Harm glanced at Mac as he stopped at red traffic light. She's been pretty quiet ever since they left McMurphy's. The light changed from red to green and he stepped on the gas paddle. He looked at her again. She looked so gorgeous. She was leaning against the window and starring outside. A sudden rush of panic came over him. She's not changing her mind about the whole thing, is she? But the look on her face calmed him down. She didn't seem apprehensive or worried or anything.
"Hey…" Harm reached out and took her hand. "Are you ok?"
She looked at him as if he had just woken her up from a deep sleep. Then she gave him a smile and squeezed his hand.
"I'm fine, I was just thinking." Harm smiled back before returning his eyes to the road. He suddenly felt her lips on his cheek and she moved close to him placing her head on his shoulder and her hand on his chest. He put his arm around her shoulders, determined that just one free hand on the steering wheel would just have to do the trick for the rest of the ride.
Harm pulled over in front of his soon to be ex building. He quickly got out of the car and went to get the door for Mac. She gave him another one of those smiles of hers that made him swallow hard and wipe the sweat off his palms against his pants. She wrapped her arm around his waste and they started walking towards the door. She realized how quickly it became so natural for her to touch him like that. Funny how practicing that in her mind over the past nine years made it so easy now. In the elevator Harm pulled her closer to him and he felt his heart starting to beat a little faster. It was almost weird that they were going home together. She was finally going to come home with him, and she wouldn't just leave after they had coffee and talked. He tried to remember how long it has been since he first realized he wanted her that way. Probably as long as he has known her. He unlocked the door and pushed it open. Mac stepped inside, took Harm's jacket of her shoulders and put it on top of one of the boxes. She glanced at all the packed things. Yeah, that's what it took. Nine years, bunch of packed up stuff and two plane tickets to the opposite sides of the world.
"Hey" he said in a low voice. She felt his hands on her bare shoulders and it immediately sent shivers down her spine. She leaned back against him as he wrapped his arms around her. Harm felt his heart starting to race even though he tried to keep it under control. But with Mac standing so close to him he didn't stand a chance. He was sure she could feel his heart beating like crazy. Hell, he was even sure she could hear it! And her smelling so damn good didn't help at all. Harm realized that something he wanted for a very long time, something he wanted most, was suddenly happening.
"So…" Mac started. She turned around in his arms to face him.
"So…" Harm repeated.
"I haven't had a chance to tell you how happy I am."
"Really?" Harm frowned.
"Yeah, really. You don't believe me?"
"No, no, I do. I just…"
"Hey, we both agreed there won't be any regrets after we let fate decide." Mac cut him off. She was looking him strait in the eye.
"Good thing general Creswell offered his wedding present. I bet you never thought he would do something like that."
"Harm, I would have done this even if general didn't offer me to go as a member of your staff, you know that. This way I just get bonus. I get you and I get to keep my job." She tugged at his shirt slightly and smiled at him. Harm nodded and then leaned down and kissed her. He broke the kiss and pulled her a bit closer.
"I'm so happy about this. I mean us, getting married… I know it kind of sucks you have to pass out on your assignment, though." She kept looking at him and Harm was sure that pretty soon he won't be able to stand her gaze anymore and that he would start to stutter or faint or something even worse. She was quiet for a few seconds.
"I'd go anywhere with you" she finally said in a bit lower voice filled with emotions. Her expression was serious but soft and Harm realized immediately she meant what she said. "As long as I don't have to sit in the back seat of F14 or F18 or a MIG or any other fighter plane for that matter" she continued in a more playful manner. "Make that any plane that has less than 150 seats, 2 pilots and five flight attendants" A smile spread across her face.
"I think we can work something out." Harm nodded before letting out a laugh. Her arms found their way around his neck and she held on to him tightly. He followed her action by tightening his grip around her waste. He felt her hot breath on his neck and then she said something that made his head spin and his heart race.
"I love you" she whispered simply into his ear. She kissed the side of his neck gently and the sensation made Harm stop breathing for a moment. He felt the kiss even after Mac pulled her lips away. If he was able to contain himself earlier this evening and leave things at just five or six kisses, he most definitely couldn't do it now. Not anymore. He'd been trying to contain himself for 9 years. Half of the time he tried to convince himself he wasn't in love with her and the other half thinking how perfect they'd be together. But the entire time he kept fantasizing about making love to her. He's done it so many times over the years that he almost felt embarrassed. But now she was finally there with him. He was normally never nervous when it came to this. But with Mac it was different. Around her his self-confidence wasn't all that it was around other people and his usual eloquence seemed to fly out the window when she looked at him the way she's been looking at him all evening. He ran his thumb across her cheek and over her lips.
"You're beautiful" he said. Mac felt her cheeks turning red and she looked away with a shy smile before looking back up at him.
"Thanks" she said quietly still smiling at him. God, how was he able to do that, make her feel like that? It was a simple compliment, she's gotten her share of them over the years, but when Harm said those words she would just start to melt. The heath emanating from his body made her want him even more. And she didn't seem to be able to stop looking at his eyes. It was like everything she needed from him for so long was right there, love, friendship, understanding, passion and even lust. She stepped closer to him, leaving no space between them. He put his lips over hers, sucked them gently before he pushed his tongue between them. Her tongue was soon inside his mouth and both of them seemed to put everything they felt for each other in that long, deep kiss. Harm felt Mac's fingers untie his bow-tie. They broke the kiss and starred at each other. Mac started unbuttoning his shirt, button by button. When she was done with the buttons she placed her hands on his chest and slowly ran them over his shoulders causing his shirt fall down to the floor. She touched his chest again and realized just how his muscles tensed every time she touched him. Harm felt like her hands were burning into his flesh. He leaned down and put dozens of gentle, wet kisses over her neck and shoulders. She tilted her head and Harm could hear her sigh. Good, he was getting to her just as much she was getting to him. He put his arm around her lower back and pulled her even closer into him. Their bodies were completely pressed against each other and Mac could feel how aroused he was. Their lips met again for another kiss. Mac slid her hands down his chest and stomach and started unbuttoning his belt. His hands were all over her, his lips on her neck and lips and she closed her eyes. Her knees were about to give out and her heart was racing. Harm's pants were soon on the floor, leaving him just in his boxers. He pulled her with him towards his bedroom. He sat at the edge of the bed that was still there and pulled her down to his lap. She put her arms around his neck and gave him a smile that let him know they were on the same page. He gently pulled the stripes off her shoulders and unzipped her dress. He loved how it felt to kiss her skin, how he made her shiver and sigh every time he kissed her shoulders and breasts. He wrapped his arms around her and rolled them over. He rested on top of her. As he rested his weight on her she let out a sigh. It felt so good, so sexy to feel his body pressing her down to the bed. It made her want him even more. Because he was right there where she wanted him to be all those years. Their breathing became louder due to the long kisses they shared. Harm suddenly felt her hand on his lower stomach and his muscles twitched as she gently run her hand over him. Mac could most definitely feel that he wanted her just as much as she wanted him. She slowly pulled his boxers off and she looked up at him. His eyes were fixed on hers, expression on his face so gentle, passionate, loving and vulnerable at the same time. She never saw it before. Or maybe she did, she suddenly remembered, a couple of times when she caught him looking at her. She snapped herself back to presence and realized Harm's hips were between her legs. She wanted to feel him, all of him, she wanted him even closer. She looked at him again, lifted her hips a little bit and wrapped her legs around his hips. Following her lead he slowly slid inside her without breaking the eye contact. He waited a few moments before he began to move and thrust inside her. They both soon realized how in sync they were and perfectly they matched each other. It came to Mac how Harm was strong but gentle at the same time. She pulled him down to her even closer and deeper as he picked up the pace a little bit. Harm's thoughts were swarming around in his head, but every single one of them was about Mac. And about them. There, there was finally them. What the hell took them this long?! It felt so right, like it was meant to be. She was so beautiful, he always knew that. But it seemed to him that she was maybe the most beautiful exactly like this, in his bed, underneath him, with him inside her, whispering his name, slightly panting and flushed He was brought out of his thoughts by the sound of his own voice moaning her name. Minutes later they climaxed almost simultaneously.
They lay silent for a few moments as their breathing came back to normal. Harm held his arms tightly wrapped around Mac. She lifted her head a bit so she could see his face.
"Are you a sleep?" He shifted to his side and looked at her.
"No" he shook his head. "You try making love to a marine and sleep after that" he grinned at her.
"Hey!" she slapped his arm playfully. "You're lucky I'm in an extremely good mood tonight so I'll take that as a compliment."
"I meant it as a compliment" he kept grinning at her. They bought laughed. They felt so comfortable with each other.
"You know, I never once thought I would first ask a woman to marry me and only then make love to her." Mac gave him a smile.
"Good thing we're not all that old-fashioned so we didn't wait until we're married." Harm chuckled
"Yeah." His face turned more serious. "We waited too damn long anyway." She nodded her head.
"That's all your fault, you know." Harm prompted his head on his hand and frowned at her.
"How is that all my fault?" Mac tilted her head with an amused expression on her face.
"It is! Harm, I practically threw myself at you at least half a dozen times! And you did nothing. Oh, wait you did! You pushed me away. I'm surprised we even managed to get to this point and managed to do get it right." Harm touched her cheek and leaned his forehead against hers.
"I'm sorry." He said simply. Mac gave him a smile.
"Apology accepted." He kissed her.
"But I still don't agree it was all just my fault." He continued after breaking the kiss. "It wasn't me who almost got married." he teased.
"Ah, don't even start, Flyboy. If you didn't treat me the way you did I never would have gotten involved with Mic in the first place. So that's your fault as well." He chuckled.
"Ok, ok. And I really don't wanna hear his name again tonight. Or anytime for that matter." She rolled her eyes.
"You're such a kid" she whispered. But she knew what that was all about and she liked it – Harm was jealous. She kissed his shoulder and snuggled against his chest. His right arm was wrapped tightly around her and he was playing with a strand of her hair, wrapping it around his finger.
"Beside, I came to you and told you I wanted you." he went on after a few moments.
"Oh, god, we're not still talking about this, are we" Mac groaned. He grinned at her.
"We are."
"Jees. Ok, that was exactly the problem. You never said things out loud. Nor clear enough! I've told, you I'm not a mind reader. And your signals were always mixed. Eventually I really stopped hoping that things you say or do actually mean something." He thought he sensed some disappointment in her voice.
"Now that I think of it it's probably true. I'm sorry, I guess it seemed clear enough to me at the time." She nodded.
"See, it's all your fault" she said stubbornly. He shook his head and smiled.
"Ok, ok, I give up. It is my fault." Mac giggled and snuggled into his chest.
"I'm glad we got that settled." Harm let out a deep sigh.
"You know, all these years… I wanted you so badly all these years. Ever since we first met. But I never had my chance with you. I mean, not really. Other men did, especially those I didn't particularly like. And it was eating me up. The worst thing is they weren't good for you. They didn't deserve you. And I felt so angry! In the end you'd get hurt and I would feel even angrier because I was helpless and couldn't make you feel any better." He finally finished and sighed. Mac leaned in a kissed him.
"Thanks, it feels so good to hear you say that" she whispered. She suddenly burst into laughter. Harm seemed amused.
"Wanna share what's so funny?" She looked at him still giggling.
"You and me. We're such a piece of work! I was in love with you, you were in love with me and yet it took us almost ten years to get together!" She suddenly found herself flat on her back with Harm pinning her down.
"Don't you dare call me or the woman I love a piece of work" he said with a huge grin on his face.
"Ok, how would you call us?"
"A little confused? Messed up?" he offered.
"Yeah, like that sounds better" she giggled.
"Yeah, you're right" he frowned.
"I'm always right" Mac whispered before kissing him.
"How 'bout we stop trying to find appropriate names for our sorry asses and start making up for the lost time?" His voice turned a bit husky with desire he felt.
"I think that's a very nice idea" Mac responded as she wrapped her legs around his waste and met his lips.