Chapter 21

"Sarah, I don't think I'll have to wait long at all for that to happen. I'm very attracted to you and would like to spend some time getting to know you better. I was hoping that might be where we were heading," Kenneth said in response to Mac's statement.

"Oh…I do like you Kenneth, but there are things in my past that you don't know, and if…no, when, they came out, they would hurt you politically."

"I'm aware of your past Sarah. I've read your personal file," he informed her.

"But there are things that aren't in there," she said sadly. "For one, I am a recovering alcoholic."

"About four years since you've had any at all, but that hardly counted since it was forced on you by a madman. If I remember right, it was actually more like eighteen or nineteen years ago."

Stunned that he knew that, she answered, "Nineteen years, four months, twenty-two days." She could have given him hours and minutes too, but it didn't seem vitally important. "That madman also killed the man I was dating."

"I know, but I don't see that as a current problem, do you?"

"I guess not...but there are other things in my past…I was married and ended up killing him…"

"It was an accident, I read the report Sarah. You see, I do know about you. I also know you were engaged to an Australian, but you called off the wedding when your partner was lost at sea."

"Do you know that my father was an alcoholic, my mother ran out on us, and that my uncle is in prison, for stealing the Declaration of Independence!? That's some family history I have!" she stated somewhat defiantly.

"Yes, I do know those things, I also know that you were almost killed trying to save a child's life, and that you're a big sister to a little girl that desperately needed a family. You're a kind, considerate, compassionate, woman whose bravery astonishes me. We all have things in our past we've had to overcome, but it is in how we do that, that tests the measure of who we are. You, Sarah Mackenzie, are a person worth of all the best life has to offer."

Still in a daze that he truly knew so much about her and still seemed to want to know her better, she hung her head and said, "Thank you, Kenneth that has to be the nicest thing that anyone has ever said to me."

"I'd like to spend a lot of time saying nice things to you if you'd let me," he told her softly.

"I'd like that," she replied with a bit of a blush. "I just don't know what to say! You know all that about me and yet you still think we could stand a chance of surviving public opinion?"

"We've both seen action in our military careers and survived, surely we can survive the press!" he claimed with a twinkle in his eye.

"The press can be as deadly as enemy fire," Mac insisted.

"Only if we have something to hide. When we decide that we're ready to 'go public' with our relationship, we'll be open and honest about your past. With nothing to hide, there'll be no ambushes."

"I wish I had your confidence," she sighed.

"I didn't say it wouldn't be hard, but nothing really worth having is easy."

"Alright, but we do need to keep this quiet because if it were known we were 'seeing' each other, I couldn't be your agent any longer."

"Then we will keep it between us until we are sure."

"Okay."

"So, shall we seal this promise with a handshake or a kiss?"

Staring at his luscious lips that were just inches from her own as he asked her the question, she smiled slightly and said, "Oh I think I'd like the kiss please."

Kenneth brought his lips down on hers in a very tender sweet kiss. It didn't last long or turn passionate, but as a first kiss it was very nearly perfect. Unfortunately, as it ended, Kenneth couldn't control the yawn that slipped out.

Mac looked at his dismayed fact and burst out laughing. "So much for Mr. 'I can get by on little or no sleep'!"

"Well, I'm not getting any younger!" he protested.

"Why don't you take those weary old bones to bed then?" she teased.

"Why Agent Mackenzie! Are you suggesting we sleep together?" he asked in mock shock.

To be continued…..