Continuation to Chapter 27 - Full Engagement. Read that one first!
They are too cute! _
Full Engagement Pt2
"Stand at attention." Chegwidden said calmly when his two senior attorneys stood just in front of his desk. He glanced up quickly to find Mac trying to keep a ramrod straight posture while balancing on crutches and failing miserably. He noticed her wince and the feeling of pain etched across her face. It forced an exasperated sigh out of him. "Not you Major. I'm pretty sure Mr. Rabb got you into this."
Harm cringed, sure that being a Lt. Commander would force the geuff CO to do away with that 'mister' business. This time, it was more than warranted, Chegwidden had every right to be upset. Not only did they play hooky - both of them had missed court dates and appointments - but his little stunt had Mac laid up at a hospital in Blacksburg for a few days after being shot in the leg by a deranged poacher.
Their Commanding officer had been absolutely livid over the phone hurling a slew of profanity the likes of which Harm had never experienced. That was until he interrupted to tell Chegwidden about Mac's injury, the buckshot wound that required surgery to remove. It softened the gruff old SEAL who then ordered Harm to stay with Mac and make sure she was well taken care of - for as long as it took.
"What the hell were you thinking?" Chegwidden said suddenly leveling Harm with a look that could kill. "The middle of the work week, neither of you put in for leave. What the hell made you decide to give yourselves the day off? This is the US Navy not some goddamned beach resort. There are rules, regulations. You two should know better!"
"It was my idea, sir." Mac chimed in only to be glared at with equal disdain. She didn't shy away from the scrutiny meaning to take some heat off of her partner. "We needed to blow off some steam…. I was still very upset at the Commander from when he discharged that firearm in court. I figured time away would do our partnership some good."
"The Major is correct, sir." Harm added. "It was my way of apologizing for being…"
"Insane?"
"An ass, sir. The Major is a formidable opponent and ah…"
Chegwidden waved him off, he wouldn't mention that Harm's courtroom theatrics occurred several months earlier. "We are short on staff so I will not be dishing out disciplinary action but, I won't forget this either. The two of you are on my radar and that's not a place you want to be. Dismissed."
"Aye, sir." They said in unison and Chegwiddrn watched as Harm helped Mac stand. He held her with the apt familiarity of a lover, arms wrapping around her waist and lingering for a moment too long. The Marine was staring at her partner with a look of love and admiration. Instantly, Chegwidden knew the dynamic of their relationship had shifted past the confines of professional.
Not that it was necessarily a bad thing, Rabb seemed happier around MacKenzie, lighthearted and carefree. The death of his ex had all but extinguished Harm's light making the Naval officer bitter and sometimes unkind. Mac had brought him back to the land of the living. They were a good fit, Chegwidden decided, smiling as the pair ambled out of his office.
Feeling like they dodged a bullet Harm and Mac weaved through the bullpen, Mac walking ahead maneuvering past desks and equipment and Harm hurrying after. "Hey, I got it." He opened the door to her office, holding it wide so that she could enter.
She'd been able to hold back any discomfort but, in the safety of her office, Mac sank down into her chair and groaned audibly. "That went well, I thought he was gonna hang us both from the nearest yardarm." She rolled her eyes and pointed at one of her visitors' chairs. "Hey slide one over so I can prop my leg up."
Dutifully, Harm did as told and then stopped to watch as she unraveled the bandage that wrapped from her knee upwards, disappearing beneath that Marine issued skirt. "Let me help you." He was at her side in a flash, a gentle touch gliding up Mac's injured leg as he helped raise it up to the chair.
Her breath caught when the hand which lingered on her thigh stopped just an inch below her wound. Nevermind that he needed to raise her skirt to see it or that Harm was now kneeling before her. Lord, did he always smell so good? It was dizzying and delightful. She was falling so hard for this man. "Harm."
"I'm surprised you didn't give me your 'I'm a Marine', speech."
She raised a brow and glared at him. "You got me into this in the first place, I figured your making up for it." Mac found it particularly cute to find him to be the doting kind. She reached for her purse and pulled out a package of wet wipes along with a cream she was prescribed.
"What are you doing?"
She'd taken the wipes and was using them to thoroughly scrub her hands. "I need to rebandage and reapply the cream...I'm not about to go to the head and raise my skirt up to do so."
"I want to help….Hang on, two minutes." He raised a finger and hurried out of her office. Once Harm returned he made sure to close the door and draw the blinds. Mac could smell the soap off of his freshly clean hands and smiled. The man was too much. "Hand over the cream." He slathered a liberal amount on his fingertips and gingerly applied it to the wound, taking care to cover the marred skin.
Next Harm took the bandage she'd given him and slowly wrapped her leg, using tape to secure the edges. He applied an extra measure of tape and raised his eyes to Mac as his fingers rested on her mid thigh and then teased their way upwards. His eyes had darkened, a look she'd come to learn was laced with desire.
Mac thought back to the night spent in the cave. He'd stumbled over words and then declared that he couldn't stop thinking about her. They'd kissed...Lord. could the man kiss and every reason why she shouldn't fall for her partner fell away. "I wanna kiss you again."
"Harm, not here." She frowned when the realization reached his eyes and could tell that he remembered where they were. His hands came away from her leg and he pulled her skirt down over the bandage with a heavy sigh.
"Sorry…I just…Do you want to stop this thing between us?"
"No, Harm. Of course not. The last few days at the hospital have been…"
"Wonderful." He finished for her grinning as Mac nodded in agreement.
Indeed it had been wonderful, he rarely left her side and one evening after she'd been poked and prodded for thr umptreth tkme by the hospital staff, Harm kissed her. They'd been inseparable ever since.
"When we kissed in the cave I kinda thought it would stay out there…Your interest would fade when we came back to the real world."
"Not happening." He assured her. "There's a few things we need to figure out. In a way I'm glad your hurt, it'll force us to take things...uh...slow."
"Slow huh?" It was probably a good idea, there was still so much to unravel about Harmon Rabb Jr. and she had her own secrets.
"I better get going. Scuttlebutt and all." The staff secretary was probably already posted up against her door wondering what was going on. "We still on for dinner at your place?" His hand rested on the door knob and Harm felt a warmth spread within when she smiled at him. Damn, the woman could melt a man with that smile.
"I sorta have no choice in the matter. My car is still in Blacksburg."
"Oh right." There were worse things than chauffeuring a beautiful woman around town. "Well, I better go." Harm opened her door and just as quickly closed it again. He took a breath, shook his head and then declared. "I really want to kiss you."
She really wanted that too. "Green light, sailor."
He crossed the room in a few long strides and came down just next to her. Mac's hands came to his face, farming it as their lips met in a fiery kiss.
