Puzzle.
Harm was freshly showered when he stepped into the living room wearing a pair of shorts with a fluffy pink towel draped over his shoulders. He stopped just past the doorway to see Mac seated on the floor, the beginnings of a puzzle spread across the coffee table's surface.
While it wasn't odd, plenty of people loved puzzles afterall, it was different and certainly not something he ever thought Mac would enjoy. But, there she was, searching the table for the next piece with the tip of her tongue slipping out and a look of concentration that he found adorable.
"Didn't know you liked those things."
Her head snapped up and a slow, cute grin spread on her lips, the kind he only witnessed when she was teasing or flirting. It made a tingling warmth spread through him and Harm sighed happily that after seven years of friendship and six months of dating, Mac could still make him feel like a lovesick teenager.
Mac shrugged, "I bet there are a ton of things we still don't know about each other."
"Are you offering to share all your secrets, Colonel?" He crouched down to her level, the flirty tone evident as the darkening of his eyes when she licked her lips. Harm leaned in to kiss her but a hand on his chest made him stop.
"Maybe not all of them but, I'm sure you could try to unravel a few." Mac's fingers toyed with the edges of the towel that she used to pull him closer. When their lips finally met it was fiery and passionate. His body covered hers and her legs parted to cradle his larger frame between her thighs. He smelled of his soap and her shampoo, the domestic portion of their relationship that gave her a little thrill.
"Mmmm, we're a little old to be making out on the floor, dontcha think?" Harm's voice was gruff and he was placing tiny kisses on her shoulder, her neck and even the shell of her ear.
She didn't push him off, choosing to wrap her legs around his waist instead. "Oh I don't know. Something about this feels right…I want you, Harm."
……
Mac lay on his chest, a throw draped on top of them as they lay on the floor next to the coffee table with pieces of her puzzle scattered around them. She sighed happily and pressed a kiss to his jaw when she heard a rumble of laughter. "What's so funny?"
"You. Me. Us." Harm punctuated and then shifted slightly so that he could use his arm to prop his head up. "I couldn't imagine we'd still be flirting after all this time, it's puzzling."
She snorted at his terrible pun and smacked him lightly on his chest. "That was terrible and, I don't know…if we stay together, I don't see this toning down. I enjoy the innuendos, the flirting, the kissing…"
"The hot sex?"
Mac chuckled, "Definitely that."
"And what do you mean if we stay together?" Harm raised his head to look at her, suddenly concerned that something was wrong and he'd missed it.
She was quiet for a bit and that made him worry even more. "Neither of us have good track records. And it's that…you know…I ah…shit." They hadn't said the 'L' word yet, neither of them. As intense as her feelings were, Mac was terrified to offer him that secret and have her heart broken.
What they had was fun and sexy and good. Nevermind that Harm had practically moved into her apartment, more and more of his things having made their way into her drawers, her closet, her life. She was scared and it was, indeed, puzzling.
"I love you, Harm. I love you so so much that you can't imagine. I'm scared this is too much, too soon."
"We practically live together, Mac and I love you too. I've loved you for a while, I just-"
"Wasn't ready?"
"Yeah."
"But you are now." It wasn't a question and that slow, sexy smile spread on her lips again. "We're like a puzzle you know?"
"How?"
"Disorganized at first, but once the pieces fit together, it's like magic and it creates this beautiful picture." Her finger traced the length of his jawline that she replaced with tiny kisses. "We fit together, always have, I think."
"So if I were to ask you to marry me, would that fit our puzzle?"
"Are you asking?" She seemed hopeful. Harm wasn't perfect but he was perfect for her.
"I'm asking. Without a ring because it's back in my place but, I'm asking."
"Then I'll answer-" Mac paused for a moment watching the myriad of expressions in his eyes. "Yes."
