It seemed I unfortunately did lose a few readers for "One normal evening" because of how long I haven't updated. And I have the next 2 chapters all finished... Oh, well, at least you received this one, right? *eg*

As always huge thank to just4paws17, jojobevco, Lynnp, jpstar57, carolfd and Michi uk for their lovely reviews. Thanks, guys, you're what keeps me writing.

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Thirty minutes later they were laying on the bed, Harm on his back, Tracy on her front flat on his chest, playing with his chest hair as she occasionally kissed the skin beneath her head while the sheet loosely covered their lower parts.

Harm's heavy arm was around Tracy's slight body, a large hand cupping her tiny shoulder, while his other arm supported his head under his pillow. Unfocused eyes were trained at the ceiling, seeing nothing, as Harm processed the events of the past hour. The biggest worry wasn't how they would define this new relationship once they talked about it, because he knew what the only option he would accept was, or what they'd do about their work situation, it was about something more present, more pressing.

"We forgot something." he sighed with disappointment at himself.

The words, even though softly spoken, shattered the cozy silence in the room, stirring Tracy from her near trance.

Her finger stopped their lazy figures as she engaged her brain again.

"What did we forget?" she frowned, confused. She couldn't think of anything they could've forgotten, her still-tingling body definitely agreed he'd thought of everything.

"Protection." he ran a hand over his face in frustration "I don't have any condoms with me, I definitely didn't expect this... to be getting lucky, but I'm sure I could've gotten them somewhere in the hotel."

"So, you consider yourself lucky?" she grinned against his strong chest as he chuckled, then grunted in affirmative "But don't worry, I've got it covered."

Raising his head Harm looked down at her, an eyebrow raising in curiosity.

"I'm on the pill."

Well, that was anti-climatic... All that worrying, all that anxiety, that could've been simply avoided had he only asked her a lot sooner if she was on anything. Moron was the nicest thing he called himself right then.

Yet, why the hell was she on birth control?

Tracy blushed as she continued "To regulate my periods."

Harm nodded understandingly, slightly embarrassed himself, yet relieved "Good to know. But I still need to ask this: do you do this regularly, jump in bed with men, or was this a fluke, a one time thing? For your sake I hope it's not, because I'm not letting you go."

Other times she would've felt insulted at being asked if she was a slut, but since he didn't know anything about her private life and since she hadn't wasted time in making a move on him, she figured he was entitled to that question.

"Oh?" she raised an eyebrow "Really?"

"Yeah, really. Now that I've had you, you're mine for good. There will be no other man for you, ever again."

Privately it flattered her that he considered her so good he wanted to keep her forever. Making a fist she propped her chin on it to look him in the eyes "Let's put it this way: I'm a long time single, Comma... Harm." giggling at her slip-up she continued, delivering her strongest evidence to support her claim "The last time I was with a man was over 8 years ago. We broke up and I threw myself into work. The next thing I knew I had no idea how to be anything but single anymore, so I didn't even try, I was satisfied with that kind of life. Until now, obviously."

She smiled bashfully at him.

Harm's expression didn't change, save for the incredulous eyebrow, not sure whether to believe her story or not. The idea that such a gorgeous, hot and wonderful woman wouldn't have had anyone for so long was baffling.

"Okay..." Harm drawled, his mind feverishly trying to absorb that tidbit of information, but then decided to focus on the more pressing issue while filing the info for later "But you still didn't answer my question." he reminded her.

Tracy made a frustrated noise in the back of her throat, wondering why was he so unwilling to accept anything but a straight answer, as if he was afraid of reading a woman's signals wrong and making the wrong decision based on a false conclusion. What kind of a bitch had messed with this man so badly, had messed him up so much, that he now distrusted any kind of a signal from a woman, anything at all, but the blunt truth?

"This is not a one-night-stand."

"Good to be on the same page." he responded dryly, but with humor.

Tracy had nothing to say to that, so she found a comfortable place on Harm's chest for her head and returned to her dozing, dreading the time they'd have to get up to face the world even though they were having the strangest pillow talk she'd ever heard of.

That is why, 15 minutes later, Harm's reminder there was a world outside the room, with their jobs and real lives, wasn't warmly welcomed.

"We'll have to stop by the front desk later." he mentioned off-handedly in a lazy tone.

"Why's that?"

"To cancel your room, you won't need it." he gave her a rakish grin, one that sent pleasant shivers down her spine.

"And why not, Commander?" she found the energy to tease him a little.

"Coz don't think I'll be letting you out of my sight for a while."

They'd already talked about this and she didn't have any objections this second time either, but the teasing nature this time around had taken on, convinced Tracy to play along.

"Oh, yeah?" she murmured, stretching on top of him, making Harm grunt as her sharp elbow dug into his gut. Giving him an apologetic smile and soothing the afflicted spot with a kiss she inquired "And how long do you plan on keeping me?"

"Indefinitely, I think." he took a few seconds to think it through "Yeah, that sounds about right."

"That's a long time." she commented idly, a smile making her beautiful face even prettier.

"Yeah, it is," agreed Harm "but it's feasible."

"And how do you plan on pulling that off? What if that's too long for me?" she teased him and he knew it. Raising on her elbows on his chest she met his gaze, curious how he would answer.

"Oh, I have my ways." a cocky smile settled on his face as he boasted.

"Besides," he shrugged carelessly with grin "you don't have a say in it."

"I don't?" she pretended to pout, as if put out by his claim on her, while in reality she was thrilled. If he had a claim on her that also meant SHE had a claim on HIM. And having a claim on Harmon Rabb, Jr. was a heady knowledge and experience in it's own right. She would milk this to other women, especially to one brunette Marine.

"Having a hearing problem, are we? Forgot to clean your ears earlier?" the cheeky grin took away all the sting of his words, then the grin turned suggestive "We could have a shower together to make sure they're really clean this time."

Tracy gasped in fake shock over his audacity.

"And LtCol MacKenzie said you are a prude..." she mentioned, clucking her tongue in fake disappointment "Shows how little she knows."

The comment was thrown out lightly, but while still in flight it suddenly developed the weight of an 18-wheeler. The truth in those words was just too great, something Harm confirmed after silent 15 seconds, during which Tracy was looking at him fearfully, terrified she'd said something to destroy what she'd just managed to get for herself.

"Mac never knew me." Harm's voice was dead serious as he said that.

"Or wanted to." It was spoken with the finality only the absolute, undeniable truths are said.

Since they were already talking about Mac, and Tracy knew the topic of Mac was something they'd have to clear up ASAP if their relationship had any chance of succeeding, she took a deep breath and plunged right in.

"What about LtCol MacKenzie?"

The question hung in the air between them like a pink elephant trying to climb a rope.

"That's history." Harm finally answered "Has been for a while."

"Has it?" the cautious hope and doubt was open in her expression.

What with her secret mission she knew better than anyone about the endless Rabb-MacKenzie dance. It was like a black hole, it sucked in other people and then destroyed them as the black hole tears matter apart. Tracy didn't want to get destroyed by it and would rather cut losses and bail out of a relationship with Harm before it had even begun, rather than fall in love with him, deepening the crush she'd developed on him when she'd first met him, and be destroyed later on.

Speaking of her assignment... if they went ahead with a relationship she would have to tell him about it sooner rather than later. This wasn't something that should ever be kept secret from him because if it came out later she would lose his trust and never regain it.

"Yes, it has." Harm made sure to keep an eye contact to let Tracy see the truth in his eyes as she searched them with hers.

Satisfied with what she found there she smiled, nodded and laid her head back down on his chest, her fingers once again tracing shapes in the hard muscles.

"Oh no, you don't." Harm chastised at that, slapping her on her tight butt soundly, then pinching it; getting as a reward a loud squeal, that then turned into giggling.

"No rest for the wicked... or should I say for the too damn hot, we've got an appointment to keep. "

He rose from the bed, taking even her weight with him, no matter how much she protested or tried to stop him.

In the end she had to give in, knowing he was right, and she did that with a grumble, making sure he knew of her displeasure.

Seeing his unrepentant grin she scowled at him, sending him a dirty look, before stalking to her suitcase, dragging it into the bathroom.

Realizing her intent Harm's smile dropped and he complained loudly as the door slammed close "Aw, come on! That's not fair!"

When, 5 seconds later, there still hadn't been the click of a lock, Harm's smile widened and, whistling, he joined his girlfriend in the shower.

x

Just as he'd promised himself, a few days later, after they'd solved the case, Harm was enjoying the warm Mediterranean sun on a Calabrian beach far away from work, annoying co-workers and anything else to do with the US Navy.

Contrary to his first plan, however, he wasn't there by himself.

x

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