Chapter 46
An odd look crossed AJ's face at her comment, and Mac wondered about it as she headed into the kitchen to warm up the chili. 'He had to know she was joking, didn't he?' she wondered. 'Oh god what if he didn't? What if he thought I was coming on to him?' How could she face him? And she couldn't even leave because the Private had been her ride out here!
"Are you finding everything alright Mac? Or do you need some help?" AJ called from the living room.
"I'm fine!" she called and got back to getting the meal ready.
Mac brought the food to the table and as both sat down to eat, AJ asked, "What got you out of your hospital bed and brought you racing over here tonight?"
"I woke up, and just knew you were in danger."
"To have got here when you did, you must have woke up just about the time Vicky jabbed me with the needle."
Reaching up, Mac rubbed the upper part of her left arm, AJ watched her and asked, "How did you know that's where she got me?"
"I can't say, but I know the toxin really burned when you were injected," she replied.
"I don't get it. With Harm and Chloe, you could give a general location of where they were, but you're telling me that not only did you know the exact instant I was injected, but you knew where and how it felt."
Realizing what he said was true, and the only reason she could think of for it was because she loved him, she wondered how she was going to answer that without revealing her true feelings, she suggested, "Maybe it was because Vicky was after both of us at that point and our connection in the situation allowed me to tune into you better."
Knowing she was lying, or at the very least not telling him the whole truth, because of the tone in her voice, he said, "I know you better than that by now. What is it you're leaving unsaid Mac?"
Trying to avoid answering him, Mac got up with her bowl in her hand and reached for his, she was going to escape to the kitchen. AJ took hold of her wrist and waited until her eyes met his before he said, "I'm not finished and neither are you."
"I'm through, but if you're not, I can wait to take your bowl."
"I wasn't talking about the chili, and you know it Mac."
She knew she could get away because he was still weak from the toxin, but she allowed him to hold her in place. Staring into the chocolate brown eyes she loved so much, she said, "Do you remember that day in your office when we had the conversation about duty and regulations?"
Knowing instantly the conversation she was talking about, AJ silently nodded for her to continue. "If I say any more, I'll be crossing a line I shouldn't."
"You don't think you crossed that line this morning when you kissed me?"
Mac answered defensively, "I just did it to make Vicky jealous."
"It felt like you were putting more into it than that Mac."
"If I remember correctly, you responded!"
Caught in an uncomfortable moment, AJ dropped her wrist, slid back his chair, picked up his bowl, and headed for the kitchen.
Knowing what he was doing, Mac grabbed hold of his arm to spin him around to face her, saying, "You wouldn't let me get away with walking off…"
She stopped when he stumbled because he was still feeling the aftereffects of the toxin. She reached out to take him in her arms so he wouldn't fall.
Finding her face just inches from his, he whispered, "I'm sorry Sarah. I shouldn't have let my feelings get away from me."
"What feelings would those be?" she asked softly.
Straightening up and taking a step back, he answered, "I think we're at that line again."
Pacing across the room Mac replied, "I'm beginning to hate that line."
"The problem is, once it's crossed, we can never go back."
She stopped, turned to look at him and questioned, "Would that really be so very bad?"
To be continued…..