Chains Of Command
"Dalton?"
"Gone." And she was much more relieved about that than she should have been. But then, she wasn't exactly in love with the guy. It was far easier to leave someone if your heart wasn't fully in it. "You never liked him."
"I just thought you could do better Mac."
For once Mac thought she had the right man, powerful, wealthy and with a good heart. The way he'd defended a mutual client, throwing his own money in to help had won him a spot in her heart until he betrayed her. It was her fault, she knew, leaving sensitive information out in the open. Still, he copied the information with no regards to whom he would hurt including the woman he supposedly cared for. "I thought he was pretty good."
"You're a good looking woman, Your smart…'pretty good' doesn't cut it...not even close when it comes to you." Harm's voice was soft despite the loud music pouring through the bar and the voices from the other patrons. He leaned close for her to hear and smudged out the cigar for her benefit. "You deserve more than just 'pretty good'."
"Do I?" Lord, the way he was looking at her made Mac's breath catch. It was like a hunter going after their prey and damn did she want to succumb to him. His eyes drifted to her lips and then back to her eyes again, if she didn't know better, Harmon Rabb Jr. wanted to kiss her. The air rushed out of her lungs as his past actions began to click into place - his treatment of Dalton, the veiled hurt in his eyes when she left JAG for his law firm. This wasn't the look of a caring friend but a man in love. "Your jealousy for him had nothing to do with his job, did it?"
"In part but, no...it didn't…. It had to do with you."
"Me?"
Harm nodded and a lazy smile spread across his lips. "More like you and me."
"You're speaking in riddles Harm."
"Mac...There's something between us that I can't explain…" He reached out and took her hand, his bigger one clasping completely around her delicate fingers and threading them through. There was a spark to his touch, combustible and gentle all at once. Harm's hungry eyes softened a bit. "He wasn't right for you because…"
Mac found herself leaning closer to him, just a tug from his hand would have had her pressed against him. They were a breath away now and she could smell his cologne and the faint scent of bourbon which still hung from his lips. His eyes were scanning her face again, dropping down to her lips which parted in expectation for his to press into her own. "Because?"
"I am…" Harm grinned when she leaned back and stared at him in shock. The grip on her hand was the only thing keeping them in the moment and he was reluctant to let her go. "Don't look so surprised, you can't tell me you don't sense something."
"I do...I have...you just never seemed to notice me not that way…"
"Yes I have…" He kissed the corner of her mouth only fully kissing Mac on the lips when her eyes fluttered shut. The kiss was chaste given their current location and didn't last nearly as long as Harm wanted it to but it was something.
"Harm, don't break my heart."
"I won't." He promised.
