First of all, I apologize for how the last chapter came out. I hate it when
the dialog gets all jumbled up and you get a headache just trying to read
it. I have reposted so hopefully that issue is resolved. Thanks again for
the reviews, I am working much harder at proofing my work. All of your
comments are appreciated.
Disclaimer: same as previous chapters
Heads up: I have had some emails asking about acronyms and abbreviations used.
BUPERS- Bureau of Personnel
EOD- Explosive Ordinance Disposal
SERE- Survival, Evasion, Resistance and Escape. A school all military combat air crews are required to attend.
Jungle in Paraguay
The midday heat was as unrelenting as the morning chill had been. They had traveled slowly trying to avoid detection. Food was scarce and water that had fallen on the surrounding foliage had long since evaporated in the heat. For now they depended on Harm's SERE training, but lack of sufficient food and water was wearing on their stamina and the breaks were becoming more frequent.
The solitude had allowed each of them time to think and consider their feelings. Though they had not spoken about it much the personal contact between them was at an all time high. Harm constantly held her hand and when they reached difficult terrain he would place his hand in the small of her back to guide her. They were each absorbed in their new closeness. Despite this, Mac found herself apprehensive about how it would continue once they were out of the jungle. As much as she knew her feelings for Clay had been the result of time and place compounded by danger, she knew what she felt for Harm was real and would persist. Harm was an enigma to her though she knew him about as well as any person could.
Harm stopped and squeezed her hand. She stopped and listened as he did. It was faint, so faint she wasn't even certain that she heard it. "Where?" she whispered.
Harm looked around then cocked his head. "There," he pointed. "But quietly. They may be watching." He let go of her hand and crept along on all fours until he came to the crest of a hill. She followed him and settled on her belly beside him. They watched for several minutes in silence. "I don't see anything. Do you?" he whispered.
She scanned the area again. A small spring seemed to be trickling down a rock into a pool. The area was thick with vegetation and there was no sign of anyone around. "No." she replied.
"Okay, I'll go down first and you wait a minute and follow me. Keep alert." He leaned over and kissed her then started down.
After a while he was at the edge of the pool. There had been no sigh of movement so he waved he down. The water was clear and cool. They drank their fill. Harm tore a piece off of his shirt and dipped it in the pool then he began to wipe her face with it. "I knew you were in there somewhere."
"What I wouldn't give for a bath." She sighed. "I don't think I have ever gone this long without bathing.
"So why don't you?" he asked. "It's not exactly the Ritz but I'm sure it would be refreshing.
Mac was tempted; the water would certainly energize her. "Turn your back."
Harm smiled.
"I mean it. I'm delighted about the new turn in our relationship but I don't want your first impression to be of me covered with grime."
Harm grinned and turned his back. "It wouldn't."
"Excuse me?"
"I've seen you a hundred times.in my dreams." Before she could answer he walked a few feet into the foliage. "Hey, Mac. I'll be right back. Don't worry I won't be far."
Mac wasted little time washing the grime and sweat from her body. Regretting she didn't have something clean to wear she slipped back into her clothes and shook her damp hair. She was getting concerned when Harm returned with arms laden. He had something or several something's wrapped in his jacket. "Where have you been?" she asked.
"Just shopping." He replied, dropping her a famous flyboy smile. "Feel better?"
"Much," she moved over so he could lean back against outcrop by her. "Shopping, huh?"
Harm untied his bundle and opened it. "Hungry?"
Mac's jaw dropped. He had somehow found bananas and some other fruit that was large and ovoid. "What's that?" She pointed to the unfamiliar fruit.
Harm held one up. It was heavy and he held it with both hands. "This is a Bacury. Gunny pointed them out to me. They are kind of like an orange and the Para guans make drinks from them." He began to peel it. The pulp was white and it was segmented like an orange. He handed her a segment.
"Mmm. I like it, but then I would probably like a stale sock right now. Couldn't find a Beltway Burger stand, huh?"
Harm shook his head and smiled. "No, jarhead, at least for the present you'll have to eat healthy." He took a bit of the Bacury.
Neither of them spoke until they had eaten their fill and washed at the pool. After wrapping the remaining fruit back in the jacket he leaned back contented. "I think we should settle for the rest of the night and get an early start in the morning. I found a little cave further up the slope."
Mac nodded. "Sounds good. We're both exhausted."
The cave Harm had found was really more of a niche in the rock sheltered by growth. It was just big enough for the two of them and completely camouflaged. After checking it thoroughly for reptiles they climbed in for some sleep. Harm lay on his side spooning Mac.
Mac found the closeness a comfort. They had slept beside each other many other times, but there was a new intimacy in their touching. It wasn't like touching a brother any more. It was all she wanted. "Harm?" she called softly.
"Hmmm?" he nuzzled her neck.
"What took us so long?" she asked.
Harm ceased his ministrations and sighed. "Don't you mean what took me so long?" He pulled he over so he could see her. "I've had a lot of time to think about this. After you left my apartment that night, it's about all I did. I was so determined not to lose you that I almost let you go."
"Why? I was starting to think I was the only one with feelings."
"Oh I've had feelings from about the moment we met, but there was always something overshadowing it."
"Diane?"
"In a way, yes. I didn't want you to think it was because of Diane at first. Then there was what the Admiral said when we met 'Don't get too close'."
"But we did, in a different way." She smiled.
"Yeah, you became the best friend I have ever had. You know my likes, my dislikes, my fears; you've even seen me cry. You went to Russia with me when no one else believed. There's no one else in my life like you, you know me even better than my mom. After we resolved all our family issues I started realizing how much you meant to me, but I was too scared to mess it up. Then every time you got involved with a new guy I started thinking you didn't feel the same. I guess we aren't good communicators."
Mac sighed, "I guess I did my share of pushing. I thought getting involved would push you into admitting how you felt, but it just kept pushing you away instead." She reached up and touched his cheek. "So what changed this time?"
Harm looked at the hand he had placed on he stomach. "I think it was seeing you in the pregnant suit. I liked it and it was then that I knew what I wanted. I was willing to give up anything for you then." Before he could say anything more she kissed him. When they pulled away they were breathless wanting more. "Not yet," he whispered. He took her chin in his hand. "And I mean not yet. I want to give you everything, Sarah."
She understood, for the first time she really understood everything. "I love you," she whispered in his ear as she settled back against him. She never saw the smile that remained plastered to his face the rest of the night.
TBC........... R/R
Disclaimer: same as previous chapters
Heads up: I have had some emails asking about acronyms and abbreviations used.
BUPERS- Bureau of Personnel
EOD- Explosive Ordinance Disposal
SERE- Survival, Evasion, Resistance and Escape. A school all military combat air crews are required to attend.
Jungle in Paraguay
The midday heat was as unrelenting as the morning chill had been. They had traveled slowly trying to avoid detection. Food was scarce and water that had fallen on the surrounding foliage had long since evaporated in the heat. For now they depended on Harm's SERE training, but lack of sufficient food and water was wearing on their stamina and the breaks were becoming more frequent.
The solitude had allowed each of them time to think and consider their feelings. Though they had not spoken about it much the personal contact between them was at an all time high. Harm constantly held her hand and when they reached difficult terrain he would place his hand in the small of her back to guide her. They were each absorbed in their new closeness. Despite this, Mac found herself apprehensive about how it would continue once they were out of the jungle. As much as she knew her feelings for Clay had been the result of time and place compounded by danger, she knew what she felt for Harm was real and would persist. Harm was an enigma to her though she knew him about as well as any person could.
Harm stopped and squeezed her hand. She stopped and listened as he did. It was faint, so faint she wasn't even certain that she heard it. "Where?" she whispered.
Harm looked around then cocked his head. "There," he pointed. "But quietly. They may be watching." He let go of her hand and crept along on all fours until he came to the crest of a hill. She followed him and settled on her belly beside him. They watched for several minutes in silence. "I don't see anything. Do you?" he whispered.
She scanned the area again. A small spring seemed to be trickling down a rock into a pool. The area was thick with vegetation and there was no sign of anyone around. "No." she replied.
"Okay, I'll go down first and you wait a minute and follow me. Keep alert." He leaned over and kissed her then started down.
After a while he was at the edge of the pool. There had been no sigh of movement so he waved he down. The water was clear and cool. They drank their fill. Harm tore a piece off of his shirt and dipped it in the pool then he began to wipe her face with it. "I knew you were in there somewhere."
"What I wouldn't give for a bath." She sighed. "I don't think I have ever gone this long without bathing.
"So why don't you?" he asked. "It's not exactly the Ritz but I'm sure it would be refreshing.
Mac was tempted; the water would certainly energize her. "Turn your back."
Harm smiled.
"I mean it. I'm delighted about the new turn in our relationship but I don't want your first impression to be of me covered with grime."
Harm grinned and turned his back. "It wouldn't."
"Excuse me?"
"I've seen you a hundred times.in my dreams." Before she could answer he walked a few feet into the foliage. "Hey, Mac. I'll be right back. Don't worry I won't be far."
Mac wasted little time washing the grime and sweat from her body. Regretting she didn't have something clean to wear she slipped back into her clothes and shook her damp hair. She was getting concerned when Harm returned with arms laden. He had something or several something's wrapped in his jacket. "Where have you been?" she asked.
"Just shopping." He replied, dropping her a famous flyboy smile. "Feel better?"
"Much," she moved over so he could lean back against outcrop by her. "Shopping, huh?"
Harm untied his bundle and opened it. "Hungry?"
Mac's jaw dropped. He had somehow found bananas and some other fruit that was large and ovoid. "What's that?" She pointed to the unfamiliar fruit.
Harm held one up. It was heavy and he held it with both hands. "This is a Bacury. Gunny pointed them out to me. They are kind of like an orange and the Para guans make drinks from them." He began to peel it. The pulp was white and it was segmented like an orange. He handed her a segment.
"Mmm. I like it, but then I would probably like a stale sock right now. Couldn't find a Beltway Burger stand, huh?"
Harm shook his head and smiled. "No, jarhead, at least for the present you'll have to eat healthy." He took a bit of the Bacury.
Neither of them spoke until they had eaten their fill and washed at the pool. After wrapping the remaining fruit back in the jacket he leaned back contented. "I think we should settle for the rest of the night and get an early start in the morning. I found a little cave further up the slope."
Mac nodded. "Sounds good. We're both exhausted."
The cave Harm had found was really more of a niche in the rock sheltered by growth. It was just big enough for the two of them and completely camouflaged. After checking it thoroughly for reptiles they climbed in for some sleep. Harm lay on his side spooning Mac.
Mac found the closeness a comfort. They had slept beside each other many other times, but there was a new intimacy in their touching. It wasn't like touching a brother any more. It was all she wanted. "Harm?" she called softly.
"Hmmm?" he nuzzled her neck.
"What took us so long?" she asked.
Harm ceased his ministrations and sighed. "Don't you mean what took me so long?" He pulled he over so he could see her. "I've had a lot of time to think about this. After you left my apartment that night, it's about all I did. I was so determined not to lose you that I almost let you go."
"Why? I was starting to think I was the only one with feelings."
"Oh I've had feelings from about the moment we met, but there was always something overshadowing it."
"Diane?"
"In a way, yes. I didn't want you to think it was because of Diane at first. Then there was what the Admiral said when we met 'Don't get too close'."
"But we did, in a different way." She smiled.
"Yeah, you became the best friend I have ever had. You know my likes, my dislikes, my fears; you've even seen me cry. You went to Russia with me when no one else believed. There's no one else in my life like you, you know me even better than my mom. After we resolved all our family issues I started realizing how much you meant to me, but I was too scared to mess it up. Then every time you got involved with a new guy I started thinking you didn't feel the same. I guess we aren't good communicators."
Mac sighed, "I guess I did my share of pushing. I thought getting involved would push you into admitting how you felt, but it just kept pushing you away instead." She reached up and touched his cheek. "So what changed this time?"
Harm looked at the hand he had placed on he stomach. "I think it was seeing you in the pregnant suit. I liked it and it was then that I knew what I wanted. I was willing to give up anything for you then." Before he could say anything more she kissed him. When they pulled away they were breathless wanting more. "Not yet," he whispered. He took her chin in his hand. "And I mean not yet. I want to give you everything, Sarah."
She understood, for the first time she really understood everything. "I love you," she whispered in his ear as she settled back against him. She never saw the smile that remained plastered to his face the rest of the night.
TBC........... R/R
