Assignment for Webb
By Bernadeen

A/N: This last chapter is just for fun. Have to up the rating, though. Enjoy.

Rated: M

Chapter 14

Friday

The next evening, Harm took Mac to one of their favorite restaurants. It was a favorite because the menu had enough variety to satisfy Mac's carnivorous appetite and Harm's vegetarian palate. Mac ordered a large steak, medium rare, and much as she had done three weeks ago, she savored each bite. Harm watched, fascinated, and felt himself becoming aroused. How would it feel if Mac acted that way about the things he could do to her? Pulling his mind away, he decided to bring the challenge back into the open. With a wicked grin, he asked, "So, Mac, do you still want to find out whether … other activities … give you as much pleasure as eating that steak?"

Mac almost choked and quickly took a sip of water. "You offering to let me make the comparison?" she asked saucily. She couldn't believe that Harm wouldn't back out at the last minute.

Harm's look was intense. "Come with me and see?"

Mac's breath caught in her throat and her response sounded slightly strangled. "Okay."

"We can leave whenever you're ready."

-o-o-o-o-o-

Harm's apartment
Later that evening

Now that they were here, Harm was suddenly nervous. This felt like a seduction, something he had never really attempted with a woman. Truth be told, he had never needed to. Yet in another way, it wasn't a seduction. When Harm heard the word seduction, he thought of the Victorian scenario where the experienced man set a stage to lure the young, naïve woman to allow intimate advances that society frowned upon. Harm had to admit he set the stage a bit, setting the lights to a warm glow, chilling sparkling cider in the fridge, placing two vases of fragrant flowers around the apartment, having soft music ready on the CD player, and, of course, having freshly laundered linens on the bed. Yet Mac was far from naïve, they both knew what this night was for.

Mac slipped her coat off as she surveyed the apartment, noticing the romantic touches. Harm hung their coats and followed Mac toward the sofa. On the way, he flipped on the music and brought the cider from the fridge. Quickly filling two wine glasses, he silently offered one to Mac with a confident smile that didn't entirely hide his nervousness. Even though this could be just good sex, it would mean so much more to him .. and he hoped to Mac. He hoped it would mean an important change in their relationship .. and he acknowledged to himself that that change could turn out good or badly. 'Don't screw this up, Rabb!' he told himself as he sat next to Mac.

Harm held up his glass. "To friendship .. and love .. and good steaks."

The toast broke the tension. Mac laughed so hard, she had difficulty taking a sip of the cider. Putting her glass on the coffee table, she leaned toward Harm, still chuckling. "Well, Sailor. Let's see what you've got."

Harm grinned. "Just like that? No seduction? No romance? Just .. it?"

"This is your show, Harm. You made the challenge so do whatever you have to do." She answered saucily. "Anyway, you've done okay in the seduction category so far," Mac added as she swung her eyes around the apartment.

Harm sat silently gazing at Mac for a few seconds as fantasy scenes he had been imaging for four weeks flashed through his mind. Then he carefully set his glass on the coffee table beside hers. He brought his hand up to Mac's face, gently cupping the side of her head, his thumb caressing her cheek, then lightly toughing her lips. It was subtle and sensual and Mac felt herself shiver as her lips twitched with the temptation to kiss his thumb. She resisted the urge to participate, staring into Harm's eyes, waiting for his next move. She didn't need to wait long.

Harm followed his thumb with his lips. The kiss was gentle, yet seductive. Just as Mac moved to respond, Harm left her lips, moving across her cheek and trailing kisses down her neck. Mac made a sound like a purr, as he kissed a spot just above her collarbone, and she moved her head to allow him easier access. He kissed the sensitive place again, then trailed the tip of his tongue across the same spot, to be rewarded with another soft purr.

For the evening out, Mac had worn soft pants cut so full that they looked like a skirt when she wasn't walking, topped with an emerald green sweater that buttoned down the front. Harm began releasing the small buttons, placing a kiss on each newly exposed patch of skin, until he reached her lacy bra.

Mac was having trouble holding onto reality. She didn't want to admit too quickly, even to herself, that Harm would easily prove his challenge. Right now it didn't seem important to avoid feeding his ego. She was in the midst of an event that she had dreamed of for years. With a sigh she gave herself over to the feelings, the sounds, the touches, the scents of the moment.

Harm took his time pulling the sweater from Mac's waist band, all the while kissing and sucking the soft skin across tops of her breasts. When the sweater was free, he slid his hands underneath and up along her back, feeling the toned muscles flex at his touch. With experienced ease he unhooked her bra and let it slide away, releasing Mac's breasts to his eager eyes and mouth.

Harm couldn't resist tasting each of her luscious breasts before drawing back. He didn't want to break the rhythm too far into the 'event' so he silently stood, holding out a hand to Mac. She took his hand, and he led her up the few steps to his bedroom, where he slipped her sweater and bra off, along with his own shirt, before they lay down together on the bed.

Harm continued his exploration of Mac's body, with his hands, lips and tongue. Mac's hands slid across his chest, caressing his nipples, and following Harm's lead in the slow, sensual foreplay. As Harm's kisses moved downward, and he found a sensitive, and slightly ticklish, spot just to the side of Mac's belly button, she suddenly put both her hands on the sides of his face and brought their lips together in a searing kiss. Tongues touched and sparred, as hands removed the last garments preventing skin to skin contact. The pace quickened, as each felt the urgency to fulfill their physical needs. As their bodies joined, Harm looked into Mac's glowing coffee eyes, and said the words she had waited so many years to hear, "Sarah, I love you."

-o-o-o-o-o-o-

Harm and Mac lay together as their breathing slowed, the euphoria of their joined climax fading into the contented joy that follows great sex with someone you care deeply about. Mac was the first to move, only to snuggle closer and nuzzle into Harm's neck. Her voice was muffled as she stated the obvious. "You win."

Harm pulled his attention back to Mac's voice from an all-consuming feeling of fulfillment. It took a few seconds to understand her meaning, then he grinned. "So that was better than a half-bloody piece of dead cow?"

The reward for his humor was a slap on the chest as Mac began to move away from him. Harm tightened his arms around her and pulled her back against him. "Oh, no, you don't. It took us too many years to get to this position and I'm not giving it up until I have to."

"Sorry, Flyboy. You're going to have to. Nature call." And with that Mac rose gracefully and headed toward the bathroom, totally comfortable with the fact that she was completely nude.

"Come right back," Harm called, as he enjoyed the view of Mac's firm, sexy derrière.

Mac shot him a sexy grin and a look that clearly said 'where else would I want to be' before stepping through the bathroom door.

Harm lay peacefully almost dozing until he felt Mac crawl into bed beside him. She didn't come back to snuggle, and after a bit Harm turned his head to look questioningly at her. Mac was lying with her head propped on a pillow with her arm beneath it and looking at him. Harm's first reaction was concern that she had regrets. "What?" he questioned.

"This changes things," she stated the obvious.

"You knew that."

"Yes, of course. I just didn't think our being together would be so … would feel so … right." She stopped as though thinking she had said too much.

A sexy happy grin spread across Harm's face. "It does feel right," he agreed, slightly surprised at the realization. Then he continued, "why shouldn't it feel right? We've both known we wanted this for a long time.." As Mac began to protest, Harm continued, "I know we've taken a long and winding route to get here, but deep down, didn't you know eventually we'd be together?"

Mac smiled and moved closer, draping her arm across his chest. "I suppose so, deep down." She shook her head. "We still have our careers to deal with. And it won't be easy to become a couple at our age – we're pretty set in our ways."

"Speak for your self. I'm entirely flexible in a relationship." Harm stated, his tongue firmly in his cheek, then continued sincerely, "and I truly believe we can work things out in our careers. This opportunity with the DOD should help find separate career paths in Washington."

After a few seconds, Harm turned and raised his head so he could meet Mac's eyes. "I meant what I said .. I love you, Sarah. At the risk of moving too fast, I want to be clear. I want us to be together, a couple … and eventually ... maybe not so far in the future, I want you to be my wife. I'm not asking now – I'm just stating my intentions .. for the record." Harm finished with a smile and a loving caress down Mac's cheek.

Mac stared at Harm. It was everything she had fantasized about for so long. Was this another dream? "Pinch me, Harm."

"What?"

"Pinch me. I think I'm dreaming .. I know I've had this dream so many times before and I always wake up to find it wasn't true. Is this really happening?"

"You've had this dream?" Harm teased. "So you've often dreamed about me? Well, well … if only I'd known, I'd have worked harder to make your dreams come true sooner."

Mac let out a sound suspiciously like a snort. "Now I suppose you consider yourself pretty hot stuff to be the subject of my dreams? Careful, Harm. I'll start a rumor that you have a Marine dreaming about you and I won't bother to clarify that the Marine is a woman."

Harm reached out toward Mac, his long fingers finding Mac's side. Mac gave a decidedly un-Marine like squeal and rolled away to avoid being tickled. Harm's long reach stopped her escape and the match was on. They playfully wrestled on the bed, each trying to find a ticklish or otherwise vulnerable spot on the other's still nude body. They were laughing so hard that neither had much strength to really try to get the upper hand. Suddenly Mac twisted away from Harm as he again tried to tickle her. In the process of pushing Harm way, neither realized how close to the edge of the bed he was. With a surprised grunt, Harm found himself rolling off the bed and hitting the floor. Mac's grinning face quickly appeared over the edge of the bed. Harm's long arms and quick reflexes allowed him to grab Mac and pull her off the bed and down on top of him.

Suddenly Mac was lying full length on top of Harm, skin to skin, and their play turned quickly to passion. Their love making was heated with an air of desperation, as though they wanted to confirm that they could repeat the experience that a short while ago had changed their lives.

Some minutes later they again lay together, breathing heavily and feeling a few aches begin from newly used muscles. Mac looked at Harm. His eyes were closed and the look on his face was relaxed, happy, and contented. She smiled lovingly and ran a finger over his chest muscles. Harm opened his eyes and squinted at Mac. "Don't tell me you're still looking for trouble?"

"I never was looking for trouble. You started it."

Harm was too tired to continue physical activity right now. Winning the wrestling match didn't seem to be important any longer. "Whatever you say," he conceded with a tired sigh.

Mac continued to look at the face of the man that she was finally able to freely admit to herself that she loved .. the lifetime together, till death us do part kind of love. "I love you, Harm. And I want all the things you told me you want .. for us to be a couple, marriage .. and we do have deal to share a baby, remember?"

With a loving laugh, Harm hugged Mac to him. Then he released her and said, "let's go to bed, Marine. I have a feeling we won't be getting as much sleep as usual, but we won't regret it one bit."

As Harm and Mac pulled the covers around them, both were thinking how much their lives had changed in just a few weeks. How an assignment not so different from many other dangerous assignments they had been in together over the years had nearly cost them everything but ended giving them more than they ever imagined. They fell asleep in each other's arms, contemplating their new and joyous future together.

END