Saturday 1747 Zulu; Harm and Mac's Home; Falls Church, Virginia

"Watch the leg, it's about to hit the—"

!THUNK!

"—door frame."

Grimacing, Harm peered at Sturgis over the top of the couch as he struggled to keep his grip. "Thanks for the head's up. I appreciate it."

"Anytime."

Moving day had finally arrived, dawning clear and bright with gusty winds and slightly lower-than-average temperatures. Starting first at Harm's loft, and following with Mac's apartment, they were now unloading all of the furniture and boxes out of the rented truck and into the new house. Carefully edging the foot of Mac's sofa past the jamb on the front door, Harm nodded to his friend and began slowly backing down the hallway.

"Guess this means I'll be stopping at Home Depot later," he grunted, shifting the weight of the couch in his hands. "That'll make four times in one week, between finishing the attic and repairing all of the dings from moving in. Think they'll give me a discount for being a loyal customer?"

"Not a chance. What else needs to be done?"

"There are a few seams still left to tape, and I need to get more glass blocks to complete the bathroom wall. Plus there's the installation of the fixtures, passing inspection, and priming and painting the drywall. My goal is to have Mattie moved upstairs by the end of the month."

Eyebrows shooting up, Sturgis looked at him with a look of disbelief. "Do you honestly think you'll have it ready for her by then?"

"I certainly hope so."

Approaching the final corner leading into the family room, the two friends tilted the sofa and cautiously began to ease it through the tight turn of the hallway. Behind him, Harm could hear voices in conversation.

"Have you gotten the results of the amnio back, ma'am?" Harriet was asking. Craning his head as he waited for Sturgis to maneuver the other end through the narrow passage, Harm could see where she crouched next to a pile of boxes near the sliding glass doors.

"Not yet." Mac's response came from the direction of the adjacent kitchen. "The doctor's office is supposed to give me a call sometime this coming week."

"Are you going to find out if it's a boy or a girl?"

"No. As long as the baby's healthy, we'd rather be surprised about the sex."

"Actually, Harriet, that topic's still up for debate." Making sure he spoke loud enough for Mac to hear, Harm flashed Harriet an impish grin. "I want to know, but Mac's digging in her heels." With a grunt, the two men set the heavy piece of furniture down against the far wall.

"There's nothing to debate, Harm. And I'm *not* digging in my heels. I've said it once and I'll say it again: I'm simply being realistic." Rounding the breakfast bar into the family room, she grabbed a stack of pillows and glanced at Harriet. "Would you mind carrying that laundry basket upstairs for me?"

"Sure." Seeing Mac glower at Harm before leaving the room, Harriet followed her down the hallway to the u-shaped staircase. As soon as the men were out of earshot she inquired, "May I ask what that was all about, ma'am?"

"Why not? It's pretty simple really. Harm wants to find out now. I don't. And if Harm knows before I do, then chances are good he'll inadvertently slip and tell me, thereby ruining the surprise and defeating the purpose of my not wanting to know in the first place."

"I'm sure he has his reasons."

Mac snorted. "You bet he does. 'I want to know now so that we can buy the right color clothes. That way people won't constantly have to guess the baby's sex because it's always wearing yellow'," she mimicked. Rolling her eyes, she stomped to the top of the stairs and across the hall into the master bedroom where she tossed the pillows onto a box with a frustrated sigh. "Is it really so awful for me to want to wait until it's born? I mean, you and Bud found out for all three of your babies. What do you think I should do?"

"I think you need to go with your heart." Setting the basket down, Harriet looked at her friend sympathetically. "You have to do what's right for you, and if that means waiting until the baby is born then so be it. Stick to your guns, ma'am. I'm sure the Commander will come around eventually."

"And if he doesn't I'm going to be hearing about it for the next four months."

As Mac rubbed a hand soothingly over her tummy, Harriet stepped over to one of the windows facing out into the front yard. "There's another option, Colonel," she said, eyes twinkling mischievously as she looked down to the sidewalk below. "Admiral Chegwidden just returned with Mattie and Mrs. Burnett. If you don't want the Commander finding out before the big day, you could always ask the Admiral make it an order."

* * * * * * * * * *

Same Evening; 0102 Zulu; Harm and Mac's Home;

Falls Church, Virginia

In exchange for her taking the master bedroom with its sunken garden tub, Mac had offered to let Harm have the den downstairs plus a bedroom on the second floor. He'd just finished setting up his stereo equipment and was heading back upstairs when Mac appeared at the top of the steps.

"Hey, could you give me a hand with something?"

She waited until he nodded before turning back to her bedroom with a smile. Following her across the hall, he leaned casually against the doorframe, watching as she moved to the dresser in the corner.

"This drawer is jammed," she grunted as she gave an ineffectual yank on the handle. "It must have happened during the move. I've been trying to open it myself but it just won't budge."

"Let me give it a try."

Mac stepped back as Harm sauntered over and stared challengingly at the offending piece of furniture. He looked at it for a moment before kneeling down and taking a firm grip on the drawer pull. Watching from a few feet behind, Mac waited patiently as he put his weight into the task at hand and gave the drawer a hard heave.

To their mutual surprise the drawer easily came loose and flew across the room. Thrown off balance, Harm lost his footing and crashed backward into Mac's legs. One minute she was standing, the next she was laying in a heap with him at the foot of the bed, limbs tangled with his and her head pounding from where it had come into hard contact with the wooden floor.

Disoriented by the tumble, Harm's attention immediately zeroed in on how intimately Mac's hips fit with his. Acutely aware of her burgeoning belly pushing against him, a surge of longing flowed through his veins at the visceral knowledge that she was carrying his child. Desire flared. Caught up in his own hunger, the sound of Mac's groan brought his thoughts back to reality with the efficiency of a cold shower.

"Mac!" Harm scrambled to his knees and crouched over her, his eyes filled with concern as she lifted a hand to the back of her head. "Are you all right?"

"Figures I can't get by at least *one* day without you giving me a headache," she muttered, scowling up at him.

Propping herself up on one elbow, she rolled to one side and struggled to sit up. Giving her a hand, Harm's gaze was instinctively drawn to the gaping neckline of her blouse. Until now he had studiously avoided noting how pregnancy had enhanced her already ample cleavage. *Get a grip, Rabb!* he chastised himself, dragging his eyes back to her face.

"I guess not," he nodded, flashing her a guilty smile. "Do you hurt anywhere else?" He ran his fingers lightly down her arms, grasping her hands warmly.

"Just my head and my pride."

"Not to mention your backside?"

"Yeah, I guess my backside is a little bruised too."

Hauling themselves to their feet, Harm gave her shoulder one final squeeze before forcing himself to take a step backward. It wasn't easy, but his hormones were staying firmly in check. "Give a yell if you need me for anything else, okay?"

"Will do."

He turned to leave and was halfway into the hall when Mac called back out to him.

"Harm?" She gave him a small but heartfelt smile. "Thanks."

"You're welcome."

Standing at the foot of her bed, Mac watched as Harm disappeared from sight.

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To be continued...

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