Alternate Ending 2 Chapter 6

"There is nothing that I would like more than to someday soon be intimate with you. But I don't want to rush things. You're much too important to me to want to take a chance on spoiling things by rushing them."

"I can always count on you to be a gentleman, even if there were times I wish you wouldn't be!" she sighed. "But I guess if you want us to 'date' then what about going with me to Bud and Harriett's costume party tonight?"

"Are you sure that you want to 'go public', as it were, so soon?" he asked still a bit unsure of her.

"I don't know how much more 'public' we could go than the middle of an isle at Wal-mart!" she giggled.

Laughing he agreed with her, but sadly told her that he didn't have a costume lined up and that on Halloween weekend he was sure it would be too late to rent one.

With a smirk she got up and ran to her bedroom, he could hear several drawers opening and closing as she searched for something, then came running back into the room with something white and silky in her hands. "Chloe gave me this a few years ago when they were in, but she got it two sizes too big so I never wore it. You could be a pirate in it!" she told him holding out the shirt.

Taking it from her hands he held it up to himself and regretfully realized that it would fit. "Try it on!" Mac insisted and started to unbutton the shirt that he had on for him. Once he had the shirt on he saw that it had no buttons, just a leather piece that laced up the top half of the shirt. Mac looking him over yanked the leather out of the shirt and told him to sit down. When he did she tied it around the hair he had let grow longer than he'd ever had before. "Now you really look the part!" she told him.

"But the shirt doesn't close then, Sarah!" he protested.

"That is so the ladies will enjoy your costume too!" she giggled. "But remember that if you go with me you come home with me, buster!"

"Home with you, Sarah?" he questioned softly.

"Yes, I would love for you to come home with me after the party, AJ. I know that you don't want to rush things, but we have waited so long to be together and I could never be more sure of anything than I am of how I feel about you. Would you stay the night with me tonight?"

"Oh, Sarah, how you tempt me. Are you sure that is what you want, darling?"

"Didn't I say I was never more sure of anything in my life? Yes, I want you more than I can say and I don't think that's ever going to change."

"Then I am going to hope that this is the shortest party on record!"

Giggling she told him, "I could always call Harriett and tell her I was sick."

"Yes that's a good plan… but knowing how Harriett is, she will be over here while her party is going on feeding you chicken soup!" AJ laughed.

"Then we'll go and just not stay long. Is that a plan?"

"That sounds fine."

The two of them spent the afternoon going over all of the times they remembered of their years together. Things that had made them love the other more and more as the time passed. Both were surprised at how many of the memories they shared were common ones.

Reactions from their friends were varied, but all seemed pleased for them. Harriett insisted that she had known all along that they were in love and Bud confirmed that she had told him that many times over the years!

The party went well and even though they didn't stay long, Mac did manage to embarrass him a few times by running her hand over the opening in the front of his shirt. However when she did that same thing in the Escalade on the way back to her apartment, his reaction was one of arousal instead of embarrassment.

Leading him into the apartment Mac asked AJ to set up the new coffee maker for morning while she washed off the body paint from her "Aqua Marine" costume. "You know how I like it!" she called out to him as she entered the bedroom.

"No, but I hope to know that before morning!" he called back at her as he set the brew setting for extra strong.

THE END