Chapter 9
"So what do you want to do first?" asked Harm as he and Mac strolled through the carnival, hand in hand.
"I really don't mind," said Mac, enjoying just being with him.
"I want you to have fun," said Harm, looking into her eyes.
"I am," said Mac.
"I'm glad, I am too," said Harm, squeezing her hand and then letting go.
Mac only had a few seconds to be disappointed before she noticed Harm taking his jacket off and wrapping it around her shoulders.
"Here, you're cold," said Harm.
"Thank you," said Mac, pulling the jacket closer.
"Put it on, you'll be warmer," said Harm.
"It'll be pretty big on me!" laughed Mac.
"So?" said Harm shrugging. "At least you'll be warm."
"Men don't care about fashion much do they?" asked Mac, slipping her arms through and putting the jacket on properly.
"Not really," replied Harm easily. He fixed the collar for her.
"You look beautiful Sarah, like you always do," said Harm.
Mac blushed slightly. "Thanks," she said.
Harm slipped his arm around her waist as they kept walking and Mac reciprocated the gesture, placing her own arm around Harm's waist.
"So flyboy, you going to show me how good you are with a gun?" she said teasingly a moment later as they came to a shooting stall.
"Is that a challenge?" asked Harm mirroring her playful tone.
Mac just smiled in reply and deciding to win her the cute teddy bear he saw her looking at, Harm took his wallet out and got ready to shoot the wall of ducks.
A short while later, they had left the stall, the teddy bear held securely in Mac's arms along with a plush tomcat imitation.
"The vendor was surprised at how good you were. You should have played it up and not told him you were in the military," said Mac smiling.
"You gave me a run for my money Marine. I think the vendor thought we'd make him run out of prizes if we kept going," said Harm with a laugh.
"Yeah, but these are nice, I'm going to call the bear Navy," said Mac, indicating to the bear she held.
Harm smiled. "He's cute, and I'll name the plane you won me Sarah," said Harm.
Mac studied the toy for a second. "I think that'll work," she said.
"So we've got Navy and Sarah, I wonder what else we can come up with," said Harm chuckling.
Mac laughed, the conversation they were having too funny to keep up.
"Oh, how about the Ferris wheel next?" said Mac excitedly.
"Sure," said Harm as they got into line to purchase tickets.
"So where to after this Marine?" asked Harm as they sat down together on the Ferris wheel and secured the seat. He put an arm around her shoulders and Mac leaned her head against his shoulder.
"Well, we could get some cotton candy," said Mac.
"Hungry, Marine?" asked Harm, quirking his eyebrows at her.
"Not really, it's all a part of being at a carnival though. Cotton candy is a must," said Mac with a smile.
The Ferris wheel stopped and Mac and Harm looked out at the sights around them, lit by the lights of the carnival and the moonlight.
"It's so beautiful tonight," commented Mac.
"Yeah it is," agreed Harm.
"Can I try something?" asked Harm, knowing that the ride would move soon.
"What?" asked Mac.
"This," replied Harm, kissing her lips softly.
They felt the ride move and looked at each other.
"Why did you want to try that?" asked Mac, a smile playing on her lips.
Harm grinned, blushing slightly.
"I've always wanted to kiss the woman that I love at the top of a Ferris wheel," he said, trying to sound nonchalant.
Mac's first instinct was to laugh that the great Harmon Rabb Jr. had thought of something so romantic but he'd shown her his softer side and she could only smile and kiss him again in reply.
The ride stopped and they heard a hearty laugh close to them.
"Hey lovebirds, I might have to rename my ride," said the slightly large but gentle looking man who was the in charge of the ride.
Harm and Mac blushed and quickly got up.
"Sorry," said Mac.
"No apologies necessary. I know Ferris wheels have a romantic quality," he said.
Harm smiled and they said goodbye.
"You two kids have a nice night now," said the man.
Harm and Mac walked away from the ride, heading to the food stalls for cotton candy. Mac heard a chuckle from Harm, who tried to turn it into a cough. Glancing sideways at him she lost it too and they both burst out laughing.
"Well, that was on the embarrassing side," commented Mac.
"Yeah," agreed Harm. "But it was fun."
"It was," said Mac.
They kept walking and found a cotton candy stall where Mac got herself a bag of the fluffy pink candy.
"Want some?" she asked, when she'd opened the bag and put a handful of it into her mouth.
"Mac, do you know how much sugar is in that?" he said.
"I'm guessing a lot, but it's still delicious," said Mac, putting another handful into her mouth.
Harm reached into the bag, pinched some cotton candy between his fingers and proceeded to eat it.
Mac was watching him with an amused expression.
"What?" he asked, seeing her look.
"Nothing, it's just that I've gotten you to have cake and cotton candy all in one night," teased Mac.
Harm grinned. "Well, I can let my guard down around junk food sometimes," he said, teasingly defending himself.
Mac nodded. "Surprisingly enough, stickboy."
"Jarhead," retorted Harm playfully.
"Squid," said Mac, joining in.
"Marine," said Harm.
"Navy," said Mac.
Harm thought for a moment and Mac smiled in mock triumph.
"Semper Fidelis head," said Harm.
"Semper Fidelis head?!" asked Mac, chuckling as she shook her head.
Harm grinned sheepishly. "Well I couldn't think of anything and I figured any normal endearment would make you want to deck me."
"That depends on what it is," said Mac.
"Beautiful?" asked Harm.
Mac grinned. "I like it, handsome."
A few hours later, after going on several more rides and enjoying a fireworks display they were both ready to call it a night. Harm drove Mac home to her apartment and walked her to her door.
"I really had a nice time tonight Harm," said Mac.
"I had a really nice time too Mac," said Harm.
"Would you like to have lunch tomorrow?" he ventured.
"I'd like that," said Mac.
"I'll call you and we'll work a time out tomorrow," said Harm.
"Okay," said Mac.
"Good night Sarah," said Harm, leaning forward and kissing her sweetly.
"Good night Harm," said Mac. She pulled him in for a hug and then they released each other.
"I love you," she said.
"I love you," said Harm. He stroked her cheek and with a parting glance, left.
Mac locked up and sat down on her couch, smiling at the nights memories.
The ringing of the phone shook her out of her thoughts.
Chapter 10 continues. Wow, and I hadn't originally planned on getting this far but the ideas kept coming and I'm enjoying the story too much to end it quite yet! I hope you're all enjoying it too.