Quick author's note before I begin, because I think it will be appreciated
here rather than the end...the song used in this chapter is called "You're
Still You," and it's sung by Josh Groban. The words within the asterisks
(*) are the lyrics. Anyway, on with the show...
~~~~Part 14~~~~
1923 est
Mac's apartment
Georgetown
(Harm's POV)
I've been waiting out here for a few minutes, right outside her door. I don't want to knock, yet, because I'm too early. I want to give her time.
"Why is he just standing there?" Oh, okay. I guess she doesn't need any more time. I knock on the door, and she opens it almost immediately.
"Wow," I say, for lack of a better word. Damn, she looks good.
"Damn, he looks good." I just look her up and down, taking stock.
She's wearing a wine-red dress that falls to just above her knees. I think the skirt's made of satin, judging by the way it lightly sways as she shifts. The top is high-cut, spaghetti strap, and made of velvet, by the looks of it. I probably look like a gawking idiot, the way I'm just standing here checking out her dress and the way the color accentuates her skin's tones, and the way the material of the skirt whispers against her hips, catching the light at different angles against her sensuous curves.
I place gentle pressure with my hand against her shoulder, signaling her to turn around so that I can view the back. She complies, and sure enough...I can definitely see her back. Almost all of it. The dip of the material reaches all the way down to just above her...umm...yeah, you know what I mean. I also use this opportunity to take very careful inventory of every inch of her sculpted calves.
"Okay, Harm, you have all night to look at this dress. If we don't get going, we'll lose our reservations."
Yeah, I guess she has a point. I shake myself and say, "Well, shall we head on out, then?"
She turns to me, "Yes, please."
I help her into her coat, then smile and offer her my arm, which she gladly weaves her own through, a beautiful smile of her own playing on her lips. Oh, those lips. They match the color of the dress exactly, and I'm suddenly thirsting for them. Okay, Hammer, control yourself. If you're a gentleman, she might even let you kiss her goodnight.
We get out to the SUV, and I help her into the passenger side. I get into the driver's side, and head towards Café Milano in D.C.
************************************************************************
1917 est
Café Milano
Washington, DC
(Harm's POV)
We pull in and I hand the valet my keys and help Mac out of the car. We go up to the maître'd and I say, "Rabb, two, please."
He looks up and says, "Ah, yes, Mr. and Mrs. Rabb. I'm so glad you could make it this evening. Your table is ready for you now, if you'll just follow me, please."
He first takes us to the coat check, then we follow him to a table way in the back.
"This place is incredible. I wonder if Harm has ever taken anyone else here."
"This is some place, huh? Have you ever been here?" I ask her.
She shakes her head, "No, have you?"
"Uh-uh. I wouldn't take just anybody here. Not even on Valentine's day."
She raises an eyebrow, but doesn't look over at me or say anything. "If this is going where I think this is going, then we are gonna have a great night tonight." Ooh...okay, so I'm not exactly sure what she means by that, but whatever it is, I know I'm gonna like it.
"Your table..." gestures our maître'd. I lead Mac to her spot, clearly indicated by the single red rose right in the middle of her place-setting, on top of her menu. I help her push in her chair, then sit on the opposite side of the intimately small table. "Your server should be with you momentarily," says the waiter, then heads back to his podium at the front of the restaurant.
"God, this is like a really good dream. I'm afraid to blink, because it might just disappear." "Harm, this place is incredible."
I smile at her, "I'm glad you like it."
"Like it? Harm, I love it, it's perfect. It's like a fairy tale or something."
I laugh softly. "Oh, great, now he's laughing at me." I quickly stop and look at her.
"I'm sorry, Mac, I wasn't laughing at you. I was just laughing at the fact that I was thinking the same thing."
"I know you weren't laughing at me," she says. "I should stop jumping to conclusions."
Our waiter comes to the table at this moment and asks, "What can I get you to drink this evening, Ma'am?"
"I'll have an iced tea, please. Sweetened."
"Okay, and for you, sir?"
"I'll have the same."
"No wine at all this evening? I have some excellent suggestions..."
"No, thank you. We're fine," I reply.
"Very well, then. I'll be back momentarily to bring your drinks and take your food order."
He leaves and Mac and I start to look at our menus.
"That's weird." "Harm, my menu doesn't have any prices on it."
I look at her and try to suppress a smile, "You're kidding! Huh! That's really strange."
"Oh, that's so not fair...I can't let him pay for dinner here. It'll cost him at least an entire month's paycheck."
"Well, it has the food listed on there, right?" I ask casually.
"Yes...but...Harm, I thought we weren't calling this a date."
"I'm not calling it a date."
"Harm, you picked me up, you made reservations, you're paying for dinner, you're taking me home afterwards...it's a date."
"Hey, you said it, not me."
"Damn it, he tricked me!" She just looks at me murderously. I laugh. "Fine, whatever," she says.
Our waiter comes back and takes our order, then leaves again.
"Okay, so after dinner, you want to go dancing, right?" I ask.
"Well, that was a suggestion...we don't have to if you don't want to."
"Are you kidding? It's your choice tonight. You're my date, remember?"
"Oh, he is not going to let me live that one down anytime soon." She rolls her eyes and looks back down at the rose, playing with the petals.
During dinner, we keep the conversation light between us. When we've finished our meals, the waiter comes and asks if we would like dessert.
"Uh, no, thank you," I say quickly.
Mac looks at me strangely and I add, "I have dessert at home for us."
"Very well, sir, here is your bill, then."
After I've paid the bill, we both head to the coat check to claim our things.
The maître'd comes up to us and says, "Excuse me, but right next door, we have a ballroom set up, if you are interested. There is a bar and there are tables set up. Entry is free of charge if you are coming from here, so you are already paid for."
I look at Mac questioningly and she nods her head. I turn to him and say, "That would be perfect, we were planning on going dancing anyway."
"Oh, wonderful! The entrance is right through that archway," he says, pointing to the place.
"Thank you," I answer, then turn us in the direction that he pointed.
I look down at Mac when we get into the ballroom, "Would you like to just relax for a little while or do you want to dance now?"
"Let's just sit for a while."
I nod and we find a table close to the dance floor. After a couple minutes of watching the couples on the floor, Mac says, "I know we've only had dinner so far, but this is the best Valentine's day I've ever had...I really mean that, Harm."
"Yeah, me too." The current song ends and another one starts.
"Oh, I love this song!"
"Hey, this is a great song," I say. I stand up and hold out my hand to her, "Would you care to dance?"
"Hell, yeah." "Yes, I'd love to."
She places her hand in mine, and I lead her out onto the floor. We get there, and I immediately lay my hands on the small of her back, right about the place where the velvet fabric of her dress comes up to meet the silky smoothness of her skin. She wraps her arms around behind my head, and I feel the cool enamel of her nails caressing the fuzz at the nape of my neck.
"God, I could just stay like this forever." So could I.
The instrumental introduction is done, and now a rich, male voice floats through the speakers:
*Through the darkness, I can see your light.
And you will always shine, and I can feel your heart in mine.
Your face I've memorized. I idolize just you.*
Mac lays her head on my shoulder. "These lyrics are beautiful." I'd have to agree with her on that one. They sure fit the way I feel about her.
*I look up to ev'rything you are. In my eyes, you do no wrong.
I've loved you for so long and after all is said and done, you're still you.
After all, you're still you.*
I tilt my head a bit to rest lightly on top of her head. "Please don't let this song ever end." I have got to find out who sings this song...it could very well be our wedding song.
*You walk past me. I can feel your pain.
Time changes everything. One truth always stays the same:
You're still you. After all, you're still you.*
I pull her closer to me, and she likewise readjusts her hands a little. "I could easily lose myself in this." I've already lost myself.
*I look up to everything you are. In my eyes you do no wrong.
And I believe in you, although you never asked me to.
I will remember you and what life put you through.
And in this cruel and lonely world I found one love.
You're still you. After all, you're still you.*
The last notes fade away, and Mac and I reluctantly pull away from each other as a little more upbeat song comes on. I lead her back to the table, and we sit and talk for a little, but neither of us is really in the mood to stay here anymore, so we leave.
2230 est
Harm's apartment
North of Union Station
Washington, DC
(Harm's POV)
At the restaurant, I told Mac that I had something for dessert at my apartment, so that's where I pointed the car when we left the restaurant/ballroom.
We get there and go up to my floor. I open the door, and we walk inside. I help Mac out of her coat, then remove my own and hang them both on the stand by the door.
"Go ahead and make yourself comfortable while I make some coffee, Mac."
"Don't need to tell me twice...these shoes are killing me."
"Why don't you take your shoes off, too. They don't look very comfortable."
"Thanks," she calls to me from the couch. "So, Harm...what's for dessert?"
"Please tell me it's what I had in mind." Hmm...I'm still not exactly clear on what that is, but somehow, I don't think she'll object to what I do have.
"Well, it's called a chocolate refrigerator cake...picked it up at some chocolate shop. You may have heard of it; it's called Godiva..."
"Harm, you just said two of the most magical words a woman could hear...chocolate and Godiva." "Harm, you are a mind-reader." I freeze. She's caught me. "How did you know that chocolate was the best way to win over a woman?" Oh, it was a joke. Whew!
"I just know how much you love your chocolate."
"Yeah, but do you know how much I love you? Damn it, why can't I just say it?" "Yes, I do. And don't even think about making jokes about my eating habits..."
She's talking, but I stopped understanding the words when the true impact of her thoughts hit me. She loves me. Not just a friendship kind of love...she's really in love with me. All this time, I've been afraid to tell her how I felt, and she's been suffering from the exact same fears. I can't believe I've been so stupid.
Her voice breaks through my thoughts, "Harm, did you hear me?"
"What? Oh, sorry, Mac. I sort of zoned out there for a minute."
"Yeah, you're telling me." "Well, I asked if you needed help getting the dessert." She starts coming towards the kitchen, and I quickly say,
"No, I've got it...you just sit back down on the couch. I'm almost ready."
"Okay." She sits on the couch, and I dish out a piece of the decadent cake onto a plate for her, and one on another plate for me. I put the rest of the cake into the fridge and then from the top shelf, I take out a single, long-stemmed red rose, very similar to the one I left on her desk this morning, with only one major difference. I place the rose carefully onto the plate, next to the chocolate cake, and pick up both plates.
I first put down my plate on the end of the coffee table, then sit down next to her and place her plate on the table in front of her. She smiles as she spots the rose, and reaches over the cake to pick it up. She brings it up to her nose and breathes in the sweet fragrance.
"Mm...even better than the one from this morning." Oh, she has yet to realize the biggest difference. "Wait, what's..." Okay, she's just noticed the difference.
"Oh, God, Harm..."
~~~~Part 14~~~~
1923 est
Mac's apartment
Georgetown
(Harm's POV)
I've been waiting out here for a few minutes, right outside her door. I don't want to knock, yet, because I'm too early. I want to give her time.
"Why is he just standing there?" Oh, okay. I guess she doesn't need any more time. I knock on the door, and she opens it almost immediately.
"Wow," I say, for lack of a better word. Damn, she looks good.
"Damn, he looks good." I just look her up and down, taking stock.
She's wearing a wine-red dress that falls to just above her knees. I think the skirt's made of satin, judging by the way it lightly sways as she shifts. The top is high-cut, spaghetti strap, and made of velvet, by the looks of it. I probably look like a gawking idiot, the way I'm just standing here checking out her dress and the way the color accentuates her skin's tones, and the way the material of the skirt whispers against her hips, catching the light at different angles against her sensuous curves.
I place gentle pressure with my hand against her shoulder, signaling her to turn around so that I can view the back. She complies, and sure enough...I can definitely see her back. Almost all of it. The dip of the material reaches all the way down to just above her...umm...yeah, you know what I mean. I also use this opportunity to take very careful inventory of every inch of her sculpted calves.
"Okay, Harm, you have all night to look at this dress. If we don't get going, we'll lose our reservations."
Yeah, I guess she has a point. I shake myself and say, "Well, shall we head on out, then?"
She turns to me, "Yes, please."
I help her into her coat, then smile and offer her my arm, which she gladly weaves her own through, a beautiful smile of her own playing on her lips. Oh, those lips. They match the color of the dress exactly, and I'm suddenly thirsting for them. Okay, Hammer, control yourself. If you're a gentleman, she might even let you kiss her goodnight.
We get out to the SUV, and I help her into the passenger side. I get into the driver's side, and head towards Café Milano in D.C.
************************************************************************
1917 est
Café Milano
Washington, DC
(Harm's POV)
We pull in and I hand the valet my keys and help Mac out of the car. We go up to the maître'd and I say, "Rabb, two, please."
He looks up and says, "Ah, yes, Mr. and Mrs. Rabb. I'm so glad you could make it this evening. Your table is ready for you now, if you'll just follow me, please."
He first takes us to the coat check, then we follow him to a table way in the back.
"This place is incredible. I wonder if Harm has ever taken anyone else here."
"This is some place, huh? Have you ever been here?" I ask her.
She shakes her head, "No, have you?"
"Uh-uh. I wouldn't take just anybody here. Not even on Valentine's day."
She raises an eyebrow, but doesn't look over at me or say anything. "If this is going where I think this is going, then we are gonna have a great night tonight." Ooh...okay, so I'm not exactly sure what she means by that, but whatever it is, I know I'm gonna like it.
"Your table..." gestures our maître'd. I lead Mac to her spot, clearly indicated by the single red rose right in the middle of her place-setting, on top of her menu. I help her push in her chair, then sit on the opposite side of the intimately small table. "Your server should be with you momentarily," says the waiter, then heads back to his podium at the front of the restaurant.
"God, this is like a really good dream. I'm afraid to blink, because it might just disappear." "Harm, this place is incredible."
I smile at her, "I'm glad you like it."
"Like it? Harm, I love it, it's perfect. It's like a fairy tale or something."
I laugh softly. "Oh, great, now he's laughing at me." I quickly stop and look at her.
"I'm sorry, Mac, I wasn't laughing at you. I was just laughing at the fact that I was thinking the same thing."
"I know you weren't laughing at me," she says. "I should stop jumping to conclusions."
Our waiter comes to the table at this moment and asks, "What can I get you to drink this evening, Ma'am?"
"I'll have an iced tea, please. Sweetened."
"Okay, and for you, sir?"
"I'll have the same."
"No wine at all this evening? I have some excellent suggestions..."
"No, thank you. We're fine," I reply.
"Very well, then. I'll be back momentarily to bring your drinks and take your food order."
He leaves and Mac and I start to look at our menus.
"That's weird." "Harm, my menu doesn't have any prices on it."
I look at her and try to suppress a smile, "You're kidding! Huh! That's really strange."
"Oh, that's so not fair...I can't let him pay for dinner here. It'll cost him at least an entire month's paycheck."
"Well, it has the food listed on there, right?" I ask casually.
"Yes...but...Harm, I thought we weren't calling this a date."
"I'm not calling it a date."
"Harm, you picked me up, you made reservations, you're paying for dinner, you're taking me home afterwards...it's a date."
"Hey, you said it, not me."
"Damn it, he tricked me!" She just looks at me murderously. I laugh. "Fine, whatever," she says.
Our waiter comes back and takes our order, then leaves again.
"Okay, so after dinner, you want to go dancing, right?" I ask.
"Well, that was a suggestion...we don't have to if you don't want to."
"Are you kidding? It's your choice tonight. You're my date, remember?"
"Oh, he is not going to let me live that one down anytime soon." She rolls her eyes and looks back down at the rose, playing with the petals.
During dinner, we keep the conversation light between us. When we've finished our meals, the waiter comes and asks if we would like dessert.
"Uh, no, thank you," I say quickly.
Mac looks at me strangely and I add, "I have dessert at home for us."
"Very well, sir, here is your bill, then."
After I've paid the bill, we both head to the coat check to claim our things.
The maître'd comes up to us and says, "Excuse me, but right next door, we have a ballroom set up, if you are interested. There is a bar and there are tables set up. Entry is free of charge if you are coming from here, so you are already paid for."
I look at Mac questioningly and she nods her head. I turn to him and say, "That would be perfect, we were planning on going dancing anyway."
"Oh, wonderful! The entrance is right through that archway," he says, pointing to the place.
"Thank you," I answer, then turn us in the direction that he pointed.
I look down at Mac when we get into the ballroom, "Would you like to just relax for a little while or do you want to dance now?"
"Let's just sit for a while."
I nod and we find a table close to the dance floor. After a couple minutes of watching the couples on the floor, Mac says, "I know we've only had dinner so far, but this is the best Valentine's day I've ever had...I really mean that, Harm."
"Yeah, me too." The current song ends and another one starts.
"Oh, I love this song!"
"Hey, this is a great song," I say. I stand up and hold out my hand to her, "Would you care to dance?"
"Hell, yeah." "Yes, I'd love to."
She places her hand in mine, and I lead her out onto the floor. We get there, and I immediately lay my hands on the small of her back, right about the place where the velvet fabric of her dress comes up to meet the silky smoothness of her skin. She wraps her arms around behind my head, and I feel the cool enamel of her nails caressing the fuzz at the nape of my neck.
"God, I could just stay like this forever." So could I.
The instrumental introduction is done, and now a rich, male voice floats through the speakers:
*Through the darkness, I can see your light.
And you will always shine, and I can feel your heart in mine.
Your face I've memorized. I idolize just you.*
Mac lays her head on my shoulder. "These lyrics are beautiful." I'd have to agree with her on that one. They sure fit the way I feel about her.
*I look up to ev'rything you are. In my eyes, you do no wrong.
I've loved you for so long and after all is said and done, you're still you.
After all, you're still you.*
I tilt my head a bit to rest lightly on top of her head. "Please don't let this song ever end." I have got to find out who sings this song...it could very well be our wedding song.
*You walk past me. I can feel your pain.
Time changes everything. One truth always stays the same:
You're still you. After all, you're still you.*
I pull her closer to me, and she likewise readjusts her hands a little. "I could easily lose myself in this." I've already lost myself.
*I look up to everything you are. In my eyes you do no wrong.
And I believe in you, although you never asked me to.
I will remember you and what life put you through.
And in this cruel and lonely world I found one love.
You're still you. After all, you're still you.*
The last notes fade away, and Mac and I reluctantly pull away from each other as a little more upbeat song comes on. I lead her back to the table, and we sit and talk for a little, but neither of us is really in the mood to stay here anymore, so we leave.
2230 est
Harm's apartment
North of Union Station
Washington, DC
(Harm's POV)
At the restaurant, I told Mac that I had something for dessert at my apartment, so that's where I pointed the car when we left the restaurant/ballroom.
We get there and go up to my floor. I open the door, and we walk inside. I help Mac out of her coat, then remove my own and hang them both on the stand by the door.
"Go ahead and make yourself comfortable while I make some coffee, Mac."
"Don't need to tell me twice...these shoes are killing me."
"Why don't you take your shoes off, too. They don't look very comfortable."
"Thanks," she calls to me from the couch. "So, Harm...what's for dessert?"
"Please tell me it's what I had in mind." Hmm...I'm still not exactly clear on what that is, but somehow, I don't think she'll object to what I do have.
"Well, it's called a chocolate refrigerator cake...picked it up at some chocolate shop. You may have heard of it; it's called Godiva..."
"Harm, you just said two of the most magical words a woman could hear...chocolate and Godiva." "Harm, you are a mind-reader." I freeze. She's caught me. "How did you know that chocolate was the best way to win over a woman?" Oh, it was a joke. Whew!
"I just know how much you love your chocolate."
"Yeah, but do you know how much I love you? Damn it, why can't I just say it?" "Yes, I do. And don't even think about making jokes about my eating habits..."
She's talking, but I stopped understanding the words when the true impact of her thoughts hit me. She loves me. Not just a friendship kind of love...she's really in love with me. All this time, I've been afraid to tell her how I felt, and she's been suffering from the exact same fears. I can't believe I've been so stupid.
Her voice breaks through my thoughts, "Harm, did you hear me?"
"What? Oh, sorry, Mac. I sort of zoned out there for a minute."
"Yeah, you're telling me." "Well, I asked if you needed help getting the dessert." She starts coming towards the kitchen, and I quickly say,
"No, I've got it...you just sit back down on the couch. I'm almost ready."
"Okay." She sits on the couch, and I dish out a piece of the decadent cake onto a plate for her, and one on another plate for me. I put the rest of the cake into the fridge and then from the top shelf, I take out a single, long-stemmed red rose, very similar to the one I left on her desk this morning, with only one major difference. I place the rose carefully onto the plate, next to the chocolate cake, and pick up both plates.
I first put down my plate on the end of the coffee table, then sit down next to her and place her plate on the table in front of her. She smiles as she spots the rose, and reaches over the cake to pick it up. She brings it up to her nose and breathes in the sweet fragrance.
"Mm...even better than the one from this morning." Oh, she has yet to realize the biggest difference. "Wait, what's..." Okay, she's just noticed the difference.
"Oh, God, Harm..."