Story 3 - Perfect

They were tearing each other's clothes off even before Mac's front door was shut or locked. Articles of clothing were dropping to the ground and she might have sent a few of Harm's buttons flying across the room. "I want you now."

"I thought we'd never get out of there."

It was with great patience that she sat through dinner and dessert at Bud and Harriet's. Their yearly tradition was making Mac antsy to run away as Harm stood in the living room, glass of merlot in hand as he regaled the group with his most recent brush with death.

A weather balloon had been the cause of another harrowing experience in an F-14 and as the time ticked by all Mac wanted was to touch and kiss and make sure every part of him was still whole.

Short kisses in her Corvette turned heated as they arrived at her building and rode the elevator. By then, Mac was desperate for more than just kissing and touching. She wanted him. She wanted him badly and the tenting of his pants told her that he wanted the same.

They made love once on her sofa and once more the shower. Both encounters were equally hot and heated as he made her come more than once. It was so intense that, surprisingly, Harm didn't crash into her bed immediately afterwards. Instead, after drying her hair, Mac found him on the couch. A fire had been lit and all lights were off except for the warm glow from the Christmas tree.

Harm wore a fluffy red robe which had somehow found a home in her apartment with at least one hundred other things. Uniforms were hung next to hers, his toothbrush and favorite toothpaste had a place on the sink. Body wash, shampoo, razors, underwear all had a spot in her home. All that was missing was Harm but she hadn't wanted to push the issue or rock the boat.

"Looks like we're in for a white Christmas." He pointed towards the window and her eyes followed. "It started snowing."

"Really?" Mac said excitedly as she crossed the living room and pulled back the heavy curtain uncovering the door to her balcony. From the French doors she could see the snow fall and the light dusting that covered the two chairs and small table which sat outside. "It's beautiful."

"So are you." He grinned sheepishly as Mac looked his way. "What? You are beautiful."

"Thank you."

He padded the spot next to him. "Want to join me?"

"Depends. Is that hot chocolate?" She stood on her toes, peeking across the room to the pair of steaming mugs on her coffee table.

"Yep."

"With real marshmallows?"

"I know what you like." He replied with his voice deliberately deep and sexy.

For a long while they sat in a companionable silence sipping hot chocolate while Christmas songs played on her radio. Harm stood to throw more logs on the fire and when he sat down, Mac snuggled against him dropping her head on his shoulder. "I like it when you're here. It feels right."

"I like being here." Harm said with a smile that faded only slightly. He was spending so much time in her apartment that often a week could pass by without him sleeping on his own bed. It was a little jarring to walk into the loft one evening and have it feel so empty.

Funny how a place that once was his haven now made him feel rather lonely. And that was a good chunk of why Harm hadn't been ready to commit. He liked his life, the solitude and being out in the World with no one waiting at home.

The adventures were his and his alone until Mac came out of nowhere and made him realize that life with a partner was actually kinda fun. He didn't need her, not in the way romance movies portrayed the hero once he fell in love. But he did want her and not necessarily in a sexual way altough that was a given.

They got together on New Year's Eve almost a year ago and Harm realized he didn't want or need the bachelor's life anymore. It was all a little frightening but when they clicked, they really clicked and it was wonderful.

"I love this song." Mac hummed the familiar song, Julie London's "I'd Like You For Christmas," a sultry, jazzy tune from the 50s that was a favorite of hers.

I'd like you for Christmas

Please make my wish come true

'Cause I'd dream trees and deck the hallways

If I knew you'd be mine for always…

It had been a while since he'd heard it on the radio who never played it in favor of more modern classics. "This is a nice one. They don't play it much, unfortunately."

"No they don't."

I won't be blue on Christmas

If old Saint Nick comes through

And he remembers that I'd like you for Christmas, New Year's, Easter too

Harm cupped his hand around her cheek, let his thumb brush her lower lip and then kissed her. She tasted like cinnamon and chocolate and he kissed her again for good measure. "What would you like for Christmas, Mac?"

"Well," She checked her internal clock and was surprised it was nearing midnight. "Given there's about five minutes left until the 25th, if I did like something, it'll be a little late for you to get it."

Harm glanced at the wooden clock on her as if he needed reassurance that her uncanny timing was spot on. "Some shops are open on Christmas. I'm sure I could figure something out."

He would too. Even in a blizzardHarm would run off to get what she needed. It was kind of scary that he invested so much so quickly. Mac figured she'd be dragging 'I love yous' and other sentiments from him forever but it was just the opposite.

He could still be a jerk that stuck his foot in his mouth far too many times. But, he loved her and said so on the first night they spent together. "I'd like you for Christmas and I already have you so my Christmas list is - oh!"

Mac would never know where he hid it, the elegant engagement ring that Harm pinched between his fingers and glimmered in the light from the tree. It was a thin band of white gold with little accents that looked like tiny leaves and a single diamond shaped like a rose.

"Marry me and you can have me for New Year's and Easter too." He was a little nervous. Dating a woman was one thing but marriage and all of the ups and downs that came with a life together scared the hell out of him. He was ready for it, all of it.

"Harm, we talked about this. About not moving too fast."

"I'm not saying we need to run off and get married tomorrow but, it's been a year and I know what I want. I think you want this too."

Mac's eyes couldn't pull away from the ring. It was so simple and yet so very elegant and not gaudy. "I do want this. Yes. Yes, I'll marry you."

He slid the ring home, brushing a thumb over it once it rested on Mac's finger. His hand held hers, angling it to and fro mesmerized at how a stone could dazzle in such a tiny bit of light. "Perfect."

"Yeah it is." She managed to pull her eyes away from their joined hands and looked at him. "Merry Christmas, Harm." Her clock chimed midnight as she leaned in to kiss him, a sweet slow meeting of their lips that quickly deepened.