Chapter 7 The Engagement
Several months had past. Sherri and Harm continued to date and become more attracted to each other as the days, weeks and months pasted. Sherri saw more of Col. McKenzie and was relieved to learn that the Col. was engaged to the Australian, Cmdr. Brumby.
At was Friday at work. Sherri soon would be giving report to the next shift. She was looking forward to going home and getting ready to spend the entire week end with Harm.
Harm left JAG early. He drove to a jewelry store and picked out a beautiful engagement ring. It was white gold with a tear-drop shaped 3/4 caret diamond in the center. He planned to ask Sherri to marry him sometime during this evening.
At home after her shift, Sherri was ready to enjoy her weekend. She wore a pastel chenille top and a dark blue skirt of the appropriate length. Her hair was done in long ringlet curls hanging loosely around her shoulders. Harm was going to pick her up any minute. Harm knocked on the door of Sherri's apartment. She let him in.
"You look wonderful tonight." Harm kissed Sherri.
"Your not so bad yourself, sailor." Sherri answered as she returned Harm's kiss. Harm was wearing black dress slacks and a cream color shirt.
They walked hand in hand to Harm's car. They drove on the capital beltway to Silver Springs. Once there it was easy to find the restaurant A'Roma.
The restaurant was exquisite. The entrance included two large heavy, wooden doors that were decorated with stained glass in the windows. Inside there were two large white marble pillars near the hostess's desk.
"Dinner for two tonight, sir?" the hostess asked Harm.
"Yes, please." Harm answered with a smile.
Harm and Sherri followed the hostess to their table. It was a table for two secluded from all of the other tables by dividing walls decorated to resemble a cafe in Italy. The soft glow of a small candle in a wicker holder made the moment even more romantic. A waitress arrived to give the couple menus.
"I will be right back in a few minutes to take your order."
Both Harm and Sherri nodded in agreement.
After awhile, Harm and Sherri ordered their meal. After dinner was finished and the table cleared, Harm ordered two glasses of fine Italian wine. The wine arrived and finally they were somewhat alone. An Italian looking man playing an accordion came over to their table singing what seemed to be an Italian love song. Harm and Sherri leaned over the table and gently kissed. Harm fumbled in his pocket and retrieved the ring case that held the diamond ring. The accordion player smiled at Harm and left the couple alone.
Harm gently held Sherri's left hand in his. He looked into her eyes softly.
"Sherri, we've been together now for awhile and you are really special to me. I love being with you. I am complete when I am with you. You are beautiful, intelligent and fun to be with. Sherri, I want to spend the rest of my life with you. I love you. Will you be my wife?" Harm placed the diamond ring on Sherri's left ring finger.
A tear ran down Sherri's cheek. ""Yes Harm, I will be honored to be your wife." Sherri said as she kissed Harm tenderly.
.
As they left the restaurant, they noticed that it was raining. "Stay here Sherri, I will bring the car around." Harm suggested.
Back at Harm's apartment north of Union Station, two drenched lovers were glad to be out of the rain.
"I love you, Sherri." Harm whispered.
"I love you too, Harm. "Sherri replied.
A candle was the only light in the room. Its dim but eerie glow engulfed the small area.
Harm began to unbutton and remove Sherri's wet shirt. Sherri began to unbutton and remove Harm's wet shirt. Both shirts fell to the floor.
"Want some more wine?" Sherri asked Harm as she poured two more glasses of wine from the restaurant into the cups. "It will keep you warm on such a cold, wet night."
"I know something else that will keep both of us warm on such a cold, wet night." Harm whispered as he held Sherri closer and massaged her arms and shoulder gently.
"Mmmmmm, Harm, you feel so good."
Harm laid Sherri back on the bed.
"This is only the beginning Sherri." Harm said softly.
He removed his own shoes and wet socks. Then he gently removed Sherri's shoes and wet socks. She kissed him gently. Harm returned the kiss.
Harm and Sherri lay facing each other, as the Italian wine started to take its' effect. They lay comfortable in each other's arms. Sherri's head was on Harm's strong shoulder. The rain continued outside with occasional flashes of lightning.
"Harm, I love you." Sherri said with tears filling her eyes.
Harm turned back to Sherri. He also had tears in his eyes.
"I love you too, Sherri." Harm whispered. He kissed her passionately.
She laid her head on his shoulder once again.
Sherri ran her fingers along Harm's chest under his T-shirt.
"I think this has to go." Sherri teased as she removed Harm's T-shirt.
Sherri wasn't expecting what she saw. She revealed Harm's finely sculptured chest.
"I agree." Harm placed his hands under Sherri's shirt. Then he removed it. Harm ran his fingers over her small frame.
"Sherri, you are so beautiful." Harm removed the elastic band that was holding Sherri's hair. Her long blonde hair fell past her shoulders.
"You make me that way, Harm. We still have some wet things to get rid of, or we will both catch a huge cold."
"Your the nurse, Sherri." Harm lay back flat on his back with his arms stretched out to the sides.
Sherri slowly unhooked Harm's belt. It fell to the floor.
Harm lay on his back. Sherri laid her head on his strong shoulder as she massaged the hairs on his chest.
"That tickles, Sherri, but a good tickle. A very good tickle."
Sherri smiled. Harm was holding her close. He kissed her gently.
Suddenly lightning flashed and thunder rumbled.
Sherri pulled the blanket up over her head.
"What's the matter, Sherri? It's only a little thunder and lightening from the storm."
"I know. I am afraid of lightening. Always have been, always will be." Sherri said from under the blanket.
Harm joined Sherri under the blanket.
"Hello there, beautiful." Harm smiled.
"You probably think I'm silly. "
"No, not at all. Sherri tried to come out from under the blanket.
Harm stopped her.
"Not so fast my pretty."
Harm kissed Sherri tenderly. "You are something special, Capt. Sherri James."
Harm and Sherri held each other close as the two became one. Later they fell asleep in each other's arms.
The night's shadows turned into the morning dawn.
Several months had past. Sherri and Harm continued to date and become more attracted to each other as the days, weeks and months pasted. Sherri saw more of Col. McKenzie and was relieved to learn that the Col. was engaged to the Australian, Cmdr. Brumby.
At was Friday at work. Sherri soon would be giving report to the next shift. She was looking forward to going home and getting ready to spend the entire week end with Harm.
Harm left JAG early. He drove to a jewelry store and picked out a beautiful engagement ring. It was white gold with a tear-drop shaped 3/4 caret diamond in the center. He planned to ask Sherri to marry him sometime during this evening.
At home after her shift, Sherri was ready to enjoy her weekend. She wore a pastel chenille top and a dark blue skirt of the appropriate length. Her hair was done in long ringlet curls hanging loosely around her shoulders. Harm was going to pick her up any minute. Harm knocked on the door of Sherri's apartment. She let him in.
"You look wonderful tonight." Harm kissed Sherri.
"Your not so bad yourself, sailor." Sherri answered as she returned Harm's kiss. Harm was wearing black dress slacks and a cream color shirt.
They walked hand in hand to Harm's car. They drove on the capital beltway to Silver Springs. Once there it was easy to find the restaurant A'Roma.
The restaurant was exquisite. The entrance included two large heavy, wooden doors that were decorated with stained glass in the windows. Inside there were two large white marble pillars near the hostess's desk.
"Dinner for two tonight, sir?" the hostess asked Harm.
"Yes, please." Harm answered with a smile.
Harm and Sherri followed the hostess to their table. It was a table for two secluded from all of the other tables by dividing walls decorated to resemble a cafe in Italy. The soft glow of a small candle in a wicker holder made the moment even more romantic. A waitress arrived to give the couple menus.
"I will be right back in a few minutes to take your order."
Both Harm and Sherri nodded in agreement.
After awhile, Harm and Sherri ordered their meal. After dinner was finished and the table cleared, Harm ordered two glasses of fine Italian wine. The wine arrived and finally they were somewhat alone. An Italian looking man playing an accordion came over to their table singing what seemed to be an Italian love song. Harm and Sherri leaned over the table and gently kissed. Harm fumbled in his pocket and retrieved the ring case that held the diamond ring. The accordion player smiled at Harm and left the couple alone.
Harm gently held Sherri's left hand in his. He looked into her eyes softly.
"Sherri, we've been together now for awhile and you are really special to me. I love being with you. I am complete when I am with you. You are beautiful, intelligent and fun to be with. Sherri, I want to spend the rest of my life with you. I love you. Will you be my wife?" Harm placed the diamond ring on Sherri's left ring finger.
A tear ran down Sherri's cheek. ""Yes Harm, I will be honored to be your wife." Sherri said as she kissed Harm tenderly.
.
As they left the restaurant, they noticed that it was raining. "Stay here Sherri, I will bring the car around." Harm suggested.
Back at Harm's apartment north of Union Station, two drenched lovers were glad to be out of the rain.
"I love you, Sherri." Harm whispered.
"I love you too, Harm. "Sherri replied.
A candle was the only light in the room. Its dim but eerie glow engulfed the small area.
Harm began to unbutton and remove Sherri's wet shirt. Sherri began to unbutton and remove Harm's wet shirt. Both shirts fell to the floor.
"Want some more wine?" Sherri asked Harm as she poured two more glasses of wine from the restaurant into the cups. "It will keep you warm on such a cold, wet night."
"I know something else that will keep both of us warm on such a cold, wet night." Harm whispered as he held Sherri closer and massaged her arms and shoulder gently.
"Mmmmmm, Harm, you feel so good."
Harm laid Sherri back on the bed.
"This is only the beginning Sherri." Harm said softly.
He removed his own shoes and wet socks. Then he gently removed Sherri's shoes and wet socks. She kissed him gently. Harm returned the kiss.
Harm and Sherri lay facing each other, as the Italian wine started to take its' effect. They lay comfortable in each other's arms. Sherri's head was on Harm's strong shoulder. The rain continued outside with occasional flashes of lightning.
"Harm, I love you." Sherri said with tears filling her eyes.
Harm turned back to Sherri. He also had tears in his eyes.
"I love you too, Sherri." Harm whispered. He kissed her passionately.
She laid her head on his shoulder once again.
Sherri ran her fingers along Harm's chest under his T-shirt.
"I think this has to go." Sherri teased as she removed Harm's T-shirt.
Sherri wasn't expecting what she saw. She revealed Harm's finely sculptured chest.
"I agree." Harm placed his hands under Sherri's shirt. Then he removed it. Harm ran his fingers over her small frame.
"Sherri, you are so beautiful." Harm removed the elastic band that was holding Sherri's hair. Her long blonde hair fell past her shoulders.
"You make me that way, Harm. We still have some wet things to get rid of, or we will both catch a huge cold."
"Your the nurse, Sherri." Harm lay back flat on his back with his arms stretched out to the sides.
Sherri slowly unhooked Harm's belt. It fell to the floor.
Harm lay on his back. Sherri laid her head on his strong shoulder as she massaged the hairs on his chest.
"That tickles, Sherri, but a good tickle. A very good tickle."
Sherri smiled. Harm was holding her close. He kissed her gently.
Suddenly lightning flashed and thunder rumbled.
Sherri pulled the blanket up over her head.
"What's the matter, Sherri? It's only a little thunder and lightening from the storm."
"I know. I am afraid of lightening. Always have been, always will be." Sherri said from under the blanket.
Harm joined Sherri under the blanket.
"Hello there, beautiful." Harm smiled.
"You probably think I'm silly. "
"No, not at all. Sherri tried to come out from under the blanket.
Harm stopped her.
"Not so fast my pretty."
Harm kissed Sherri tenderly. "You are something special, Capt. Sherri James."
Harm and Sherri held each other close as the two became one. Later they fell asleep in each other's arms.
The night's shadows turned into the morning dawn.
