Alternate Ending 2 Chapter 3

Authors Note: At this point if you don't remember chapters 1 and 2 you might want to go back and reread them.

Their lips were almost touching when AJ realized that he couldn't do that, so he answered her question by saying, "Yes, Sarah," and brought their lips into contact. The kiss was tentative at first, they were both exploring, testing, tasting.

Mac was reacting to the tickle of the man's mustache. His breath was clean, that was a big plus, his lips were soft, but firm, his mouth didn't devour her, it was tender and exploring, his tongue gently traced her lips, politely asking for entrance. As her mind's eye pictured AJ instead of the stranger she gladly parted her lips and allowed the man she loved in. Their tongues met shyly at first, slowly touching and then sliding against each other.

As the intensity of the kiss rose, neither of them was aware of the reaction of other Wal-mart patrons. The young man who 'hooted' and said, "Go man!" The little old lady that snorted and stuck her nose into the air, then huffing, "Some people!" Or the two teenage girls that just stood there watching and sighing. No, the two lost in the kiss saw or heard none of that.

Mac's hand left his cheek and wrapped around the back of his neck, it was joined by her other hand so she could pull him closer to her.

AJ's arms wrapped around her waist almost lifting her off her feet as he to tried to bring her closer to him. He couldn't help himself, he had the woman he loved in his arms and he felt himself start to harden. He tried as hard as he could to keep himself under control, but it wasn't happening. Because they were plastered together there was no way she couldn't feel it happening.

Mac was not really surprised to feel his erection pressing against her, and if only this had really been AJ she would have been so happy for that reaction. But this man wasn't AJ and even though he had called her 'Sarah' as she had always wanted AJ to do, this man…wait a minute! She hadn't told this man her name! So how did he know? A feeling of dread as she began to analyze… He was as tall as AJ. He sounded like AJ, except for an odd accent. His shoulders were as broad as AJ's. Those warm kind considerate chocolate brown eyes were like AJ's. Good God! Could this BE AJ?

He didn't want the kiss to end, but both of them needed air to breathe before they passed out in the aisle. Slowly reluctantly he raised his head.

Both were gasping as their eyes met, taking her courage in her hands, she said, "AJ?" as she reached up to remove his ball cap.

"Yes, Sarah," he said softly taking the cap from her and putting it in his back pocket.

"You sound so different," she stated in puzzled voice.

With a wry smile he said, "Yes, Francesca teased me about picking up her Italian accent."

"Oh…then it really IS you!" Mac exclaimed as she began to back away from him.

Reaching out he caught her hand and said, "Yes it's me…why are you leaving?"

"I'm so sorry! I embarrassed you. I would never have said those things if I'd known it was you!"

"Then I'm glad that you didn't know!"

"Why? Why would you say that?"

"Because I've always had feelings for you too Sarah. I just never could act on them because of regulations."

"You're just saying that to make me feel better."

"Is that what my kiss said to you?"

"But the kiss was just because I asked you to! You were just being kind to a pitiful lovesick fool!"

"And why I almost kissed you all those years ago?"

She couldn't think of a reason for that 'almost kiss'. She stood there looking into his eyes trying to read the truth there. What she saw shocked her! She saw the same look that stared back at her from the mirror whenever she thought of him.

"What do you see, Sarah?"

Still unsure and afraid to be wrong, she decided to try and distract him. "Why do you call me, Sarah?"

"Because that's who lives in my heart. Colonel Mackenzie was my Chief of Staff. Mac was my friend…" he hesitated to finally reveal his heart to her, just a bit unsure himself…but then he remembered how this all started and continued, "But Sarah was my love…the woman I could never have, but who would always fill my heart."

To be continued…