Harm, unsuspecting of what was about to happen, entered Jen's apartment with the spare key he still had from when Mattie was still Jen's room-mate. Once Mattie returned to her father Harm tried to return the key to Jen, but she insisted he keep it for emergencies.

He found the shoes quickly, as they lay in a row by the door and then proceeded into Jen's room for her shorts.

Turning to the chest of drawers, he opened the 2nd top drawer and started looking for the shorts, only to suddenly freeze on the spot at the sight that greeted him.

He quickly closed the drawer, his ears going bright pink at what he saw. He took a deep breath and tried to clear his mind of the image of Jen in nothing but that sexy, white silky panties and lacy bra. He sooooooo didn't need that picture right now. Especially not when he had to face the woman in just a few short minutes.

Even though technically Jen was his wife 'Still sooo not used to that fact.', they were not romantically involved, they flirted just to ease the weird situation they had found themselves in.

And if he couldn't get his mind off of what she'd look like in that sexy underwear or what she would look and feel and taste like and... 'Damn it, stop it! I have to stop thinking of her like that.'... then he was sure he would go insane very quickly. 'The Chinese didn't succeed, Webb and his missions didn't succeed, Palmer didn't succeed and one look in a wrong drawer would. Yep, that woman and that drawer are much more dangerous than any secret agency.'

He had always known Jen was a very attractive woman with an amazing body and with an even more amazing, enchanting personality that just drew you in and before you were aware of what happened, it was already too late and you were hooked, but he usually managed to remind himself of the regs, which were quite an effective cold shower. But now with the regs out of the way, them being married, her being his wife and the growing awareness they had of each other as a result, such thoughts could easily lead to insanity. Or, at least, to utter humiliation. Which is even worse than insanity since he would be completely aware of everything. 'Yup, insanity is much nicer.'

Contrary to what Mac had once accused him of, Harm was no prude. No woman he's ever been with was ever disappointed or dis-satisfied with his prowess in bed, but he did believe that what happens between two people is to stay between them. He was always disgusted by the locker room talk and with men who bragged about what their latest conquests were like in bed. True, he wasn't exactly celibate when he was younger, but he was never with more than one woman at a time and always prided himself on being a gentleman and respecting women and treating them correctly and with respect. Being raised by two strong women, his mother Trish and his Grandmother Sarah, made sure of that.

Thinking he must've opened the wrong drawer, he grabbed the handles of the 2nd top one again and yanked the handles back, only to quickly shut it again.

'Damn it, she SAID the 2nd top drawer for shorts. Did she do it on purpose? No, not Jen, she's not malicious. With the current situation between us she wouldn't do something like this. She must've made a mistake. Besides, I doubt she would want me seeing her underwear.'

With time running out and knowing where the underwear is, Harm decided to use the reverse-psychology. If the underwear was where it shouldn't have been, he would check where it normally would've been.

Opening the top drawer he was relieved to find the much sought shorts. He thought of taking a T-shirt with him, but that would've been overkill. Jen needed just shorts to climb the fire escape.

Harm grabbed the white shorts he found and quickly made his way out of the apartment, only stopping to pick up the tennis shoes and to lock the door.

Making his way through his own apartment, he also collected a large black beach towel and a duffle, placing everything in it. He then opened the window and made his way down the fire escape, getting down just as Jen's car turned the corner.

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As Jen parked her car, Harm made his way to the driver's door and waited for her to get out. Jen got out of the car and found him offering her her shorts to take. She took the shorts and noticed he was avoiding her eyes.

'Oh, god, he must've seen it.'

But then also something else occured to Jen. 'Is he blushing?... I can't believe it, the man is actually blushing!'

Harm knew from the way she was acting that she knew what he saw. The image came again and, mortified, he found himself blushing, which just made him even more mortified.

'Damn it, I'm a fully grown, mature man, who definitely had sex before. Why then am I blushing like some virgin, who is talking to the girl he has a crush on? All I need right now is to start stuttering.'

He quickly took everything out of the duffle and placed it on the car's roof. Dropping the shoes to the floor he spread the beach towel and said "This is so that you can safely change into your shorts. No-one will see anything." then turned his head the other way so he wouldn't look either. Standing in the open door of the car, Jen was covered from looks on all sides by the car, the open door with the black tinted windows and the large towel Harm was holding spread across the remaining space.

Touched by his thoughtfulness and the fact that he himself looked away without having to be asked, Jen found herself falling in love with this gentle man even more. How come was he still single was beyond her.

Then it occured to her 'He's not single anymore, is he? I've got a little piece of paper saying that he's mine. And judging by the fact that he didn't even once object and all the flirting, I'd say he doesn't exactly consider being married to me horrible. And unless he doesn't want to be married to me, I'm not ever letting him go.'

Joyed by these thoughts, she quickly unzipped and yanked her skirt down, immediately replacing it with her shorts. Once that was done, she told Harm he could turn back.

"You sure?"

"Yes, I'm decent." Jen said exasperated.

Once he saw it was okay, Harm also removed the towel. Jan sat in the car seat, took off her shoes and wiggled her toes, relieved to be out of the heels. Harm watched, entranced by the sight of those long, muscular legs, with cute, delicate ankles. Only then did he realize the mistake he made. In his rush to quickly get it over with, he didn't pay attention to the shorts he grabbed. Instead of being normal short, they were really short shorts, leaving a lot of leg on display, clinging to Jen's hips and showing off her tight butt. Women first and all that, but there was no way he was going to climb the ladder of the fire escape behind her. It would just make things too hard on him. Literally. Damn this new awareness of her!

After she briskly massaged her feet, she put her tennis shoes on and stood up to lock the car. Then she put her heels and skirt into the duffle, together with the towel, and prepared to climb the ladder.

'So much hassle just to avoid the press.' thought Jen 'Oh well, at least they won't know we're home already and will leave us alone for a while.'

Harm mumbled something about checking the stability of the ladder and climbed it before her, with the duffle slung across his shoulder.

Jen followed him up immediately, enjoying the view thoroughly all the way. 'The man has a fantastic body. And he's all mine... Well, we have to talk first, but I have a feeling he won't object to such an arrangement. I hope.'

Finally they arrived in his apartment via the window and Harm turned to her. "Get changed and do what you have to do and then meet me here in an hour for lunch. After that we'll discuss what happens next."

Jen nodded "Okay" and deciding to be daring, she raised up on her toes, kissed his cheeck and quickly left the loft.

Harm stared after her, touching the spot she kissed. 'That woman is full of surprises.'

Then he shook himself and went to start preparing the meal.

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1 hour later a knock sounded from the half-opened door. "Sir?"

Harm turned from the table where he was setting up the plates. "Jen, just come in, you don't have to knock. And it's Harm."

Jen wore a sheepish smile as she entered his apartment, embarrassed at her mistake. She walked to where he stood. "Sorry, it's just habit. I'll have to get used to it."

Harm barely managed to breath. She had obviously dressed to impress. A nice, blue low-cut shirt and a nice black skirt. Meanwhile Jen was doing her own looking. Jeans and a blue shirt, with sleeves rolled up, revealing his muscular forearms. Like Harm, she definitely liked what she saw.

Harm broke out of his trance and smiled at her. "Lunch's ready. Sit down."

Jen took her place and inhaled the aroma. "Smells delicious. What is it?"

Harm brought the food to the table. "Mushroom soup, casserole and a salad."

Jen hung her head and whispered. "We'll have to talk about it."

Harm covered her hand with his, lightly squeezed it and assured her. "And we will. But first we eat."

Then he served the food and for the next half hour only the sounds of utensils and eating were heard.

When they were finished they cleaned up the table. Jen insisted on helping. They bumped into each other a few times in the small kitchen, the small space even smaller when filled with two people.

Finally they were done and sat down on the couch to talk.

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AN: UP NEXT: Harm and Jen finally talk and make a few decisions.