Chapter 14
Usual disclaimers apply
1900 EST
Sarah Mackenzie's Apartment
Georgetown
Mac heard a soft but deliberate knock on the door. "Wow Harm, you are on time today." Harm always knew that she was beautiful, but she took his breath away with the simplest outfit. She wore a pair of dark jeans that sat right below her waist, a garnet baby fit t-shirt, a brown belt, and brown boots.
Mac had always known that Harm was hot in his uniform, but who was she kidding, he would look good in a potato sack. He wore khaki slacks and a blue shirt that brought out the intensity of his eyes.
"I try," He said sheepishly.
"So where are we going?"
"That's still for me to know." He picked up the flowers he had down by her doorway. "These are for you."
"Harm, lilies?"
"Yeah. I know we met in a rose garden, but I saw Webb send you roses every time he had to go out of town, and thought maybe it had lost its meaning."
"Harm, roses will never lost its meaning when they come from you, but I appreciate your thoughtfulness. I will go put these in water."
After Mac had put the lilies in water, she and Harm headed out to start their date. She walked out to his car, and he opened the door for her. He was always the gentleman. He pulled out a scarf.
"Okay, I'm going to blindfold you now."
"Kinky," she said with a sultry voice.
"Red light Colonel," flashing his famous flyboy grin.
About twenty minutes later, they pulled up to the destination. Harm started leading her from the car. "Okay Mac," he stood behind her and whispered in her ear. He gently pulled off her blindfold. Before her was a beautiful picnic basket set on top of a huge picnic blanket that had two candles on it. He helped her sit down. They sat in a grassy knoll by the reflection pool. Across the way there was an outdoor orchestral concert getting ready to start.
"Harm, how did you set this up before hand?"
"Mattie and Jen. You just missed them driving away."
He sat down, and just then he heard her stomach growling. "Harm, you better not have packed that rabbit food you are so proud of."
"Only the best for you Marine."
He pulled out a green salad and handed it to her. "Flyboy, this better not be for me. I hate green things."
"Well Ninja-girl, you should eat healthy now, you are recovering."
"But this," he pause, "this is for me." He pulled a big, luscious, Beltway burger out of the basket.
"Harm!"
"Mac, of course this dead cow is for you, now hand over me my rabbit food."
"This is exactly how I imagined a first date with you to be. Food, the orchestra, the scenery, it is all perfect."
"Mac, you deserve perfection, because that is what you are."
She laid back into his arms after dinner. She started shivering and he wrapped his arms around her. He started running his hands up and down her to keep her warm.
"I wish you wouldn't have called me perfect. I'm really not Harm. My father once told me I was a mess like my mother, and that is all I would ever be."
"Mac listen to me. Everyone has their different perceptions of perfect. Your father didn't know what perfect was. You are perfect for me, and that is all that matters. Your grace, your intelligence, and the way you can put me in my place. All that is you, is my definition of perfection. Never let anyone tell you anything else."
"Harm, you outdo yourself all the time. You always know the right thing to say to me."
"Sarah, allow me to show you how much you mean to me." She shivered at the sound of him calling her by her given name.
"Harm, you proved that to me last year. The way you look at me, not with lust, but with respect and caring. The way you say my given name." She snuggled closer and closer to him. "You will always be there, won't you."
"I will always be there, even when you don't want me."
They listened to the music, and walked around the reflection pond. It was the most perfect night. At the end of the night he walked her up to her apartment.
"Harm, thank you best night I have had in the longest time."
"You deserve it."
He leaned in to kiss her, and tilted her chin up. Instead of looking into her eyes, he whispered, "Do I have a green light Colonel?"
"Red light." Ever the gentleman, he turned around to walk away.
