Title: "When Friends Help Friends Pursue Their Dreams" 2/3
Author: TxJAG_b aka TnJAGAz
A/N 1: Detailed author notes are in chapter one – a wrap-up of the Dreams series….
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From "When Friends Help Friends Pursue Their Dreams" 1/3
Sturgis saw his chance when Mac's door opened. Harm walked out and headed toward his office. He followed.
Harm sat down at his open terminal and began making the corrections that Mac had suggested. Oh man! It's Friday night, where am I going to take her? He stopped typing and reached for a phone book.
Sturgis rapped on his open door. "Harm, have you got a moment?"
Irritation showed on his face. Harm put his hand over the receiver. "Look Sturgis, I'm kind of busy…."
"This won't take long." The bubblehead settled into the chair in front of Harm's desk and didn't budge.
Harm sighed and put the phone back on the receiver. "Okay make it quick. I've got a lot of work to do here-"
"Harm," Sturgis looked directly at his friend, "How do you feel about Mac?"
************************************************
"When Friends Help Friends Pursue Their Dreams" 2/3
2010 Zulu
JAG Headquarters
"What?" Harm managed to sputter, incredulous. "Look Sturgis, I don't have time for games-"
Sturgis calmly observed his friend's violent reaction. Bingo, I must've caught him off guard today…. He fixed his friend with a pointed stare that he usually reserved for guilty defendants. "This is not a game Harm, how do you feel about her?"
Despite the momentary lapse, Harm's defenses snapped into place. "Well you know, she's a good friend"-
Okay buddy, I hate to do this but you asked for it by giving me an evasive answer. Forgive me Dad. " Harm, will you cut the 'she's a good friend bullshit' and answer the question?" He snapped with deliberate anger.
It worked. Harm was shocked into silence. He stared blankly for a few moments at his friend. Did he just say 'bullshit'? It was very rare for Sturgis to say any colorful words. He must be really irritated. But why is he taking it so personally? Why all of a sudden was he so concerned with Mac's welfare? Sure he was her friend, but he never done anything like this. Maybe it was a cover for something else.
"Okay Sturg," He decided to call his friend's bluff, "What's going on?"
"Just answer the question." he replied heatedly. He knew if he kept pushing in the right way Harm would give him the answer he wanted.
Harm again looked at his friend for a long moment. His answer came out slowly. "I like her Sturgis, she means a lot to me.
Now we're getting somewhere. "You like her a lot?"
Harm snorted grinning, "Yeah, I was thinking of asking her to go with me to the Senior Prom. Do you think she will?"
Sturgis shook his head. "Harm this is serious." He was determined not to let him squirm away from this one.
Harm was getting irritated with this probing. "Okay Sturgis, enough is enough."
He's trying one last time to get me to back off.
"Tell me what's got you so riled up."
You asked for it, Harm. "You yanking Mac around like a rag doll, that's what."
Harm's eyes narrowed. "What do you mean?" Uh oh, I may have pushed too hard.
"Buddy, do you have any idea how she feels about you?"
Harm sighs and crosses his arms. "Yeah I do."
"You do?" He does? "So? Tell me…."
"We're the best of friends-" Oh for the love of-
"Arrrgh! Harm! She doesn't just like you as a friend, man, she loves you! Don't you get it?" Uh oh, Mac's going to kill me! Nuts, why did I have to say that?
Harm sat silent for a moment. Then a smile came to his face. "She does? Really?"
Finally, he understands. "Yes, she does, really. A fat lot of good it does her, though…."
"You're wrong Sturgis. I love her too."
You do? "Well when were you going to tell her, Harm, when she retires?"
"Sturgis that's uncalled for. This hasn't been easy-"
"-For either of you, yes I know. It took you two long enough to admit it. So how are you going to show her?"
"I've asked her out on a date," said Harm matter-of-factly.
"You what?" Sturgis Turner couldn't believe what he was hearing.
Harm felt as if he was talking to a slow child. "I've asked her out on a date."
"So where are you taking her?"
"Well I was trying to make those plans when you came charging in here." Harm let his irritation show through so Sturgis would let him finish his phone calls. It was getting late and it would be exponentially more difficult to find a place that still had open dinner reservations for tonight.
"Oh, well, I'd guess I'd better let you get back to making those plans…." He stood uncertain what to do next. Harm was asking her out. He was finally going to admit to her how he really felt - what more could he do?
"Yeah, thanks a lot there, old buddy" The sarcasm in Harm's voice left Sturgis wondering if he's done permanent damage to their longstanding friendship. Well, if it gets them together, he rationalized, then it was worth it.
Harm looked at his friend mischievously. "By the way buddy, I'm gonna remember that comment you made to me earlier. I bet your Dad would get a kick out of hearing about that."
Sturgis looked stunned "Harm, you son of a-" fortunately, he stopped himself. "You wouldn't dare."
"Payback is hell Sturgis. Trying to go for two?" The former submarine officer started to open his mouth, and then thought better of it. He got up and left, closing the door behind him.
2016 Zulu
As Sturgis headed back down toward his office, he ran headlong into Harriet and Jennifer headed the opposite direction.
"May I ask where you two are headed?"
Jen and Harriet look at each other, then back at the Commander. "Permission to speak freely, Sir?" said Harriet.
"Permission granted," Sturgis answered, although he wasn't entirely sure this was a good idea.
"To talk some sense into that pig headed Commander!" Harriet blurted out. Sturgis' eyebrows raised at the venom in her voice.
Immediately, Harriet looked at Sturgis' shoulder boards and blanched, "No disrespect meant toward you Sir."
"Just toward Commander Rabb." he replied amused
Jen was the next to step out of bounds. "The Commander has played games too long with the Colonel's feelings-"
"Petty Officer, how do you know about Colonel MacKenzie's feelings and that the Commander has been playing games with her emotions?"
Jen was a little intimidated, but not enough. "A woman knows, Sir."
Harriet nodded her agreement.
"You want to show him the error of his ways."
"Exactly Sir." Harriet was sure that Sturgis was their ally in this.
"Lieutenant, I don't want to rain on your parade, but I think you're a little late-"
"Oh no!" groaned Jen, "She didn't give up on him did she?" Harriet looked apprehensively at Sturgis until he smiled.
"You didn't let me finish." They both looked at him. "The Commander has asked the Colonel out."
"Really?" Harriet's eyes got as big as saucers. Jen broke into an ear-to-ear grin. "Oh, that's wonderful news Sir!"
"I thought you both would see it that way," he replied "Now can you both let them handle this?"
"Oh Yes Sir!"
"Absolutely Commander!"
"Then let's get back to work before the rest of the day gets away from us…." As both Harriet and Jen affirmed their willingness to do this, Sturgis silently prayed that other members of the staff would not repeat their meddling. But he knew they would. Hopefully the two JAG lawyers would understand their friends' intentions.
2030
Admiral Chegwidden sighed as he walked back into the bullpen. While his meeting with Colonel Brinkman was successful, the one with SECNAV Sheffield did not go well at all. With Singer gone and Manetti transferred, he was short two attorneys again. He told the man that unless they got replacements, the backlog of cases would continue to increase. Sheffield had been in a foul mood and wanted to hear none of it. He told AJ about yet another fraternization case that could blow up in the Navy's face and he wanted Commander Rabb and Colonel MacKenzie to handle it as soon as possible.
Tiner pulled Harm's door shut as the Admiral walked by. Inside, Harm looked up momentarily from his conversation on the phone, trying to figure out what was going on.
AJ looked at Tiner and then Rabb's door which he had just closed. He looked to the Petty Officer for an explanation. "The Commander asked that I shut his door Sir, privacy needed."
"Oh I see, well tell the Commander that he can have privacy for twenty more seconds then I want to see him and Colonel MacKenzie in my office."
Tiner stalled for time. "About what Sir?"
AJ whirled around, he could not believe what just came from Tiner's mouth. Harriet stopped her typing and looked up. Jen, who had been on her phone, absently laid the receiver in its cradle, keeping her eyes on Jason.
"I don't believe that is any of your business, Petty Officer." He growled, "Just get Rabb and MacKenzie in my office ASAP."
"Admiral, both Commander Rabb and Colonel MacKenzie are working on the Masters court martial – you told them you didn't want anybody disturbing them unless absolutely necessary, not even you Admiral." The last part of Tiner's answer came out sounding somewhat smug.
AJ considered what the Petty Officer just told him and the fact that Lieutenant Masters' court martial took place last week. Tiner was going to pay for that remark. "Well Tiner, I'm glad you reminded me of that." He said quietly with a fatherly smile on his face.
Jason smiled, pleased that he had kept Commander Rabb out of trouble. "You're welcome Sir." He didn't notice Harriet ducking behind her terminal. For some reason, Jen seemed to be cringing.
"It's especially interesting that you should mention the Masters court martial since it concluded last week." The fatherly smile evaporated.
Jason Tiner's eyes almost bugged out when he heard the last part. Last week? Oh sh**!
"Now get me Rabb and MacKenzie in the next five minutes numb nuts or I'll bust you down to Seaman and throw your six down the stairwell!"
"Aye, aye Sir!" barked the Petty Officer in reply. His fear was palpable. He knew that the Admiral would do it if pressed far enough.
Harm chose this moment to open his door and stick his head out. "You needed to see me Sir?"
AJ turned still burning from his encounter with that idiot Tiner. "My office Rabb! Now!" he bellowed.
"Aye Sir!" Harm bolted out into the bullpen. As the Admiral went into his office, the Commander looked over at a visibly shaken Tiner.
"What did you just do Tiner?" hissed Harm.
"You have no idea Sir." said Jason weakly as he quickly went toward Colonel MacKenzie's closed door.
2035 Zulu
Jason was about to knock on her door when Gunny intervened. "My turn Squid. You deserve a silver star for that maneuver." He looked back at Chegwidden's office "That was a brave move Petty Officer."
"I hope it was worth it." grumbled Tiner as he headed back to his desk.
Mac heard the commotion out in the bullpen, but was busy trying to get the auto-correct feature on her word processor turned off. It kept capitalizing the first word in each line and replacing the name 'Chalmer' with 'Charmer' and she was sure that Captain Chalmer would not be pleased with that change. She finally found the right drop down box and turned off the annoying program when she heard a knock at her door.
"Enter." she called out as she began to save her file.
Gunny stuck his head in the door. "Ma'am?"
"What is it Gunny?" she said without looking at him. She had just noticed another paragraph where the Captain's name had been changed.
He seemed almost apologetic. "Ma'am, the Admiral needs you in his office ASAP."
This time she looked up at him. It was his tone that had caused her to look up. "Any idea what this is about?" She saw that his face was filled with…regret?
"Well Ma'am," he started slowly, "It might have to do with the status of your relationship with Commander Rabb."
Mac looked stunned. "My relationship-" she breathed. She felt the floor drop away from her.
"-With Commander Rabb," he finished gently for her, looking at the Colonel apologetically, "I'm real sorry Ma'am."
Mac took a moment and calmed herself. She and Harm knew this would happen someday, but she didn't expect it to happen this quickly. Suck it up MacKenzie. She looked back at Gunny with a reassuring smile. "Thanks Gunny, I'm on my way." Truthfully, she didn't feel like smiling.
"Yes Ma'am." he responded, proud of the way she was going to tackle this debacle head on. Now that's intestinal fortitude.
2038 Zulu
AJ and Harm heard the knock on the office door. "Enter." called out the Admiral.
Mac briskly walked in, shut the door and came to attention. "Reporting as ordered Sir!"
AJ looked at her, wondering why she was being so formal. "At ease Colonel, take a seat."
"I'd rather remain standing Sir." she responded in her most professional tone.
AJ looked at Harm who merely shrugged. Now what's this all about? He thought, oh well, a little bark ought to take the starch out of her. "Take a seat Colonel," he snapped, "That's an order."
Reluctantly, she sat down in the chair next to Harm. AJ turned his back to them and walked toward his window. Mac took the opportunity to glance briefly at Harm and smile.
Uncharacteristically, she took hold of his hand and gave it a gentle squeeze before releasing it. She then turned her attention to the Admiral.
The Commander, who had been puzzled by Mac's performance up to now, was horrified. At the same time, strangely, he was pleased by the contact.
"The SECNAV has a fraternization case he wants handled as soon as possible. He wants it done quietly and without undue media attention-" began AJ.
"Sir?"
What's up with Mac? She usually doesn't do this kind of thing. "Colonel, I wasn't finished with my briefing-"
She interrupted him again. "I know Sir, but there is something that you need to know." She seemed determined.
Whatever it is, it must be important for Mac to risk a dressing down for rudeness. "All right Colonel," He replied in a fatherly tone, "What is it that you need to tell me?"
Instantly Harm realized what Mac was about to say. He had to stop her before she spoke.
"Th-"
"Admiral, what the Colonel is about to say is that this case between Seaman Broward and Petty Officer Mamura should be handled aboard the Tarawa rather than here at JAG Headquarters. It will keep the chance of media exposure to a minimum and allow the ship to get underway on time."
Mac was at first annoyed by Harm's interruption, but quickly realized that Gunny had been dangerously mistaken. This was not about her relationship with Harm; this meeting was about two other people which they would be trying. She would take care of Gunny later.
AJ Chegwidden looked thoughtfully at Harm, as if he was accepting the man's cockamamie explanation. "That's amazing Commander, I had no idea you had been brushing up on your ESP skills."
Looking sheepish, Harm fell silent.
He shifted his focus to the Colonel, his eyes boring into hers. "Colonel, do you really feel
this is the best way to handle this case?"
"Absolutely Admiral," she responded quickly, thankful that Harm had butted in. "The Commander, um, took the words right out of my head."
"Well I'll be damned." AJ clearly had not been expecting her to say this. He had expected a stiffened spine followed by a weak apology. Off balance, he walked over to his desk, picked up his pen and signed off on the document on his desk and handed it to her. "You'll both leave on next Sunday at 0530 by helo for Tarawa. Dismissed."
"Aye Sir." They brought themselves to attention then did an about face and exited the room.
AJ stood looking at the closed door. They have been working together way too long….
2128 Zulu/1728 Local
JAG Headquarters
Falls Church, Virginia
Mac tidied up her desk as she secured for evening and placed several files into her briefcase. Not that she would even touch them tonight. In all likelihood, she would not look at them again until tomorrow morning. That thought made her smile. That and a certain phrase spoken by her Flyboy, one Commander Harmon Rabb, Jr.
I want to…I want to take you out…on a date.
Okay, so it wasn't the stuff of romance novels, she thought, it still came from Harm. That made up for the awkwardness. Besides, she hadn't been a sultry seductress herself.
Mac did an internal time check. 1730. Damn! By the time she could get to her place, she'd only have one hour and twenty two minutes to get ready. She had to get her six moving. She grabbed her purse and cover, snapped off the lights and closed her door. She made it to the elevators just before the doors closed.
*~*
Harm looked at his wall clock. 1742. He had to get moving if he was going to pick Mac up at 1930. Luckily the dinner reservations were made, all he had to do now was make it home, shower, shave, dress and be at her place before 1925.
The Commander busied himself putting notes in a couple of files and shutting down his computer. He casually looked over at the clock again. 1747? Harm grabbed his files, shoved them into his briefcase, hit the lights and grabbed his cover as he headed out the door. The elevator had already closed, so he decided to take the stairs. Everything had to be perfect tonight.
1815 Hours local
Apt. 201
2812 The Washington
Washington, DC
Mac finished toweling off her hair as she stepped back into her bedroom. The hot water had run out much too quickly, but she didn't have time to worry about that, right now she had find the right dress for her date.
Her date…Mac could not believe this was finally going to happen. She was finally going on a real dress-to-the-nines, fancy place to eat dinner, date. And best of all, it was with the one person she had begun to think was unreachable. Commander Harmon Rabb, Jr. Everything had to be perfect for tonight.
She opened her closet and found a racy red number staring back at her. Too forward, she pushed it aside. How about this blue velvet one? Zipper broken, revealing more of her backside than she wanted to show on her first date with Commander Harmone. How about this shimmering emerald number? Too flashy, if they were going to a disco or a holiday dance, maybe. She quickly dismissed several others. Nope, too formal. Unt uh, too casual. Nah, too glitzy. Yuck, definitely not, too puritan-how did that get in her wardrobe….Dammit! She had almost exhausted the entire rack when she saw the plum blouse wrap – she could put it together with a tight looking black spandex skirt that stopped just above the knees and… that just might work. Now all she had to do was find her matching eye shadow and lipstick.
1820 Hours local
1205 8th Street
North of Union Station
Washington, D.C.
Nuts! Harm watched as another bloody trail stained the shaving cream on his cheek. That made four different nicks that now adorned the Commander's face. He took another piece of toilet paper and stuck it on the bleeding place. He looked in the mirror. He hadn't seen a face covered with this many nicks since he was in high school. His styptic pencil would have to run out tonight…
*~*
She had spent five minutes and thirty one seconds looking for the proper color eyeliner pencil and eye shadow, but when she finally found them and applied them to her eyes, the effect was perfect. Looking in the mirror she saw that her eyes had that smoky come hither look. The dark plum lipstick shined invitingly just like she hoped it would. Now to finish getting dressed…
*~*
He tossed the light blue shirt in the hamper. How did he miss that stain? He could have sworn it was clean when he hung it back in the closet a few days ago. This was his last blue shirt. He pulled it on and looked at it. Great! It looked fine – no stains. Now all he had to do was hope his tan and black tweed sports jacket didn't have anything wrong with it….
Mac had just finished putting on her right earring. Harm would be knocking on the door any moment. Just in time.
Harm looked out his window again… Mac would be here any moment.
1940. Where was he? He was ten minutes and thirty-two seconds late. He should have been here by now. She picked up her cell phone and hit button #2.
Harm stood on front step of his apartment building. Mac usually came from that direction. He hoped she got here soon. If she didn't, they'd have to forfeit the dinner reservations. In the background, the tinny sound of a cell phone chirping could be heard.
No answer. She closed the phone. He was probably on his way here. She would just sit down on the sofa and wait. But before she did, Mac couldn't resist peeking out through the blinds at her parking lot. No Lexus SUV, or Red Corvette. She sighed and sat back down. Where was he?
Harm started to pick up the cell phone when he realized it had been malfunctioning earlier today. Maybe she misunderstood about their date. Maybe she thought he was supposed to pick her up. Grabbing his keys off the coffee table, he headed out the door and down to his Lexus.
Mac got in her Corvette and started it. She backed out of her parking place and pulled out of the parking lot and into traffic.
Harm pulled up just as Mac slipped into traffic. He drove into the parking lot, parked and searched for Mac's Corvette. Not here. Now he was getting worried….
Mac reached Harm's loft and knocked on the door. "Harm?" No answer. She pulled out her key to his place and unlocked the door.
Harm stepped inside Sarah MacKenzie's darkened apartment. "Mac?" No notes near the door. Maybe she had just been delayed. No, she would have called. If she could. Now he was really starting to be concerned. Just in case he had missed her, he decided to call his place. It was screwy, but something told him he should try this before sending out search parties. I've been hanging around her too long, he said chuckling to himself as he dialed his loft phone number.
Mac wistfully looked at the Commander's darkened apartment. How could she have misunderstood? She was about to leave his apartment when the desk telephone began ringing. Mac hesitated. On the fourth ring, the answering machine picked up. "Hi, this is Harm, leave me a message after the beep."Then a voice identical to the machine's came through its speaker. "Hey Mac, it's Harm, if you're there—"
She rushed over and picked up the phone. "Harm! Harm, I'm here. Where are you?"
His voice immediately became softer. "I was going to ask you the same thing, Mac."
"I'm at your place." She looked around the empty room as if to verify to herself that's where she was.
"Mac, what are you doing there?"
She rolled her eyes at Stick boy's goofy comment. "Looking for you. You were supposed to pick me up at 2330."
"Wrong Marine, you were supposed to meet me at 1930."
"I don't remember anything being said about me driving over to your place, Flyboy."
"I said I'll see you at 1930."
"That doesn't tell me I'm supposed to meet you at your place, Harm."
"Well I didn't say anything about picking you up, Mac."
Oh-kay, this was getting them nowhere. Mac decided to bring order out of chaos. "Look Harm, just stay there all right? I'll be back over in a few minutes." With that, she cut the connection.
"Mac, Mac wait-" her voice was replaced by the drone of the dial tone. He stared at his cell phone. Great, what a way to start off a romantic evening.
Harm watched as Mac pulled in her space and turned off her lights. Getting out of the car she saw Harmon Rabb standing against the railing of her steps. He had on brown dress pants with an open collar dark blue shirt framed by a tweed sports coat.
Wow Squid! Easy Marine. She admonished herself, unconsciously licking her lips First business, and then pleasure….
She crossed her arms and stood beside her car, looking sternly at the Commander.
Harm looked at her. Even when she's mad, she's drop dead gorgeous. Easy Hammer, let's not forget that you're dealing with one very pissed off and hungry Marine….
"Are we going to stand here all night staring at each other?"
He looked at his watch. So much for their reservations at the Bordeaux Dinner Theatre…well, what can they do now?
"No," he said slowly getting off the stairwell and walking over to her car. "Come on…."
"Where are we going?"
"You'll see."
2007 Local
Beltway Burgers
Washington, D.C.
"…That's three super-deluxes with extra cheese and bacon, three bags of super crispy fries, two monster size drinks, one small drink and one lean and mean veggie burger with our special fat free dressing," The young female drive-through clerk had heard these kind of orders before. The girls get something like this, a salad or maybe a kid's meal, while the guys gorged themselves. Yuck. This guy sounded like a candidate for blobville. Oh well, it takes all kinds….
"Will that be all?"
"Uhm, yeah."
"$27.60, pay at the first window." Celia started her next order. "Hi, welcome to Beltway Burgers, Home of the Super Deluxe, may I- She stopped in mid sentence as she saw the fire engine red Corvette pull up to the delivery pickup window. Wow! What a cool set of wheels!
"Here's the lady's burger and drink-" said Ricky, the freckled faced kid at the window. He handed Harm the small bag.
"The veggie burger's for me." Harm said quietly. Celia leaned over from her chair to get a better look into the car.
"Can you put extra ketchup into one of the bags?" Mac leaned over Harm towards the window and smiled sweetly at Ricky. Boy, he wasn't a blob, thought Celia looking down from her perch at the guy. Huh. It figures he's got a sweetheart. Well, if she keeps eating like that, he'll need a bigger car….
"Uh yeah," Ricky replied "um, how many?"
"A dozen will be good." Not saying anything, he dropped about dozen packets of ketchup in the first bag and handed it to Harm who handed it to Mac.
"Hey lady! Are you going to take my order or not?" Celia flinched at the angry voice coming from the speaker. It was the next customer in line. "Sorry, can I take your order?" Man, some girls get all the breaks and I get stuck doing this….
Ricky finished passing all the bags to Harm. He passed them to Mac who hungrily opened the first bag, unwrapped one of the greasy concoctions and began to savagely devour it.
"Uh," he looked blankly at Mac inhaling the first sandwich. "Thanks, um…come again?"
"You bet," said Harm smiling his killer smile as he pulled away from the window, leaving Celia and Ricky staring dumbly at the retreating sports car.
"Okay Squid," she said between bites, "This puts you closer to being back on my good side-What else have you got up your sleeve?"
"Well, you finish up your dinner and then we'll pull over, switch places, I'll eat and give you directions to our evening's entertainment…."
2030 Local
Herman's Golf World
"Miniature Golf?" She rolled her eyes as they pulled up to the curb. "I'm not dressed for this Harm."
"What's the matter Mac," He said egging her on, "Afraid that I'll beat you?"
"Ooh that did it, Squid," She smirked at him "Prepare to be humiliated." They got out of the car and headed over to the attendant's booth.
*~*
Several families on the course watched as two combatants stepped up to the first tee.
Harm fished a coin out of his pocket. He flipped it into the air. "Call it."
"Heads."
Harm caught it and looked at the coin. Then he looked at Mac with a crooked smile on his face. "Tails."
She stood back as he addressed the ball with his putter and expertly tapped it. The ball slalomed between the ridges on the felt green and plunked into the cup.
"Beginners luck," grumbled Mac.
Harm broke into his thousand watt smile. "We'll see."
The next three holes were all hole in ones for Harm. For her part, Mac had made one hole in one, one hole in three and a hole in five.
"Looks like I'm gonna win this one, Jarhead."
Mac watched as he moved to the next tee. As he started to address the ball, a wicked smile crossed her lips.
As Harm got ready to hit the ball, she walked over toward the cup, slowly and deliberately.
Harm could not help but notice her firm, skirt covered six as she walked in front of him.
"Do you mind Mac?" he said a little unevenly his voice cracking, "I'm trying to tee off here."
"Oh sorry…." she said softly, turning her head back towards him but keeping her six aimed in his direction.
Harm tried to shake the image from his mind and prepared to swing. He was rewarded with a hole in four.
"Ohhh. Ummmm."
On hole #6, Harm looked up to see Mac stretching, her taut straight body posture, accentuating her perky breasts covered by the plum blouse.
She smiled dreamily at him. "That felt good." She purred.
Harm hit the ball little too hard, causing it to fly off the green and into a water trap on hole number #8
She snickered as he went to retrieve his ball floating in the water. "Mac that's not fair."
"What?" She said innocently, her big brown doe-like eyes focused on him. Her stare was almost indecent. Okay, he thought, Two can play this game.
For the next five holes the Lieutenant Colonel and the Commander played a sexually charged game of one-up-man-ship. As soon as he retrieved his ball, Harm took off his sports coat and put it back in the car. Mac had a hard time concentrating, her mind wandering to thoughts about the firm chest beneath that shirt. She got a hole in two.
On hole number #7 Mac had gotten down on her hands and knees as she judged the lie of her ball. For his part Harm did his best to ignore her and her positioning. On hole #8 Harm leaned close to her as she attempted to hit the ball. The puffs of warm breath tickled her ear breaking her concentration as she hit the ball. Unfortunately for him, her aim was true and she got a hole in one. Harm's score, hole in three, hole in five, hole in seven.
Now they both stood looking at hole #9.
"Okay Mac," he breathed a little unsteadily, trying hard not to look at her. "Truce."
Sarah MacKenzie was also flustered. Having him so teasingly near had definitely shattered her normal cool demeanor. She cast a sideways glance at him and sighed. "Okay, truce."
He walked up to the tee, addressed the ball and knocked it expertly through the curled chute into the cup.
"Nice going." Mac smiled at him and then walked up to the tee. She started to address the ball, when Harm came up behind her. She tensed momentarily as he put her arms around her.
"Easy Marine," He said softly as he guided her arms, "I'm just trying to help your aim."
Having him this close, being able to smell the scent of his shaving cream, his chest against her back, it was almost more than she could stand. "I don't need any help with my aim-"
"Just relax, Mac and go with it." She closed her eyes, reveling in this closeness. Oh Harm, if you only knew-
What you were doing to me-Harm swallowed, trying to fight the rising desire as he felt her six against his lower body. Her perfume, the smell of her hair, and the softness of her skin—it was maddening.
Thwack!
The ball caromed through the chute and shot into the cup. Kathunk! A hole in one.
She looked at him, desire burning fiercely in her eyes. She bit her lower lip. "Um, thanks."
He was equally consumed. All he could see was her. "Yeah, you want to…."
She looked into his blue eyes and smiled. "Yeah."
They walked hand in hand to the attendant to turn in their putters.
An older couple watched as the two made their way to the attendant's booth.
"Beatrice, have you ever seen such a display?"
"Oh Claude, give it a rest, they're just young and in love."
"They're not that young."
"I seem to remember a certain Romeo that taught me that way."
"I wasn't that obvious, was I?"
"You were and it was the best time I ever had playing golf."
The two watched as the man walked the woman over to the car, his hand gently touching her lower back. He opened the door for her and she smiled a dazzling smile at him, as she slid in. He returned the smile and closed the door then walked around to the driver's side and got in. In a moment, they were backing out of the parking space, headlights flipping on as they pulled out into the traffic.
-TBC….