Harm’s Apartment
North of Union Station
Friday
1935 Local

Popping open a beer, Harm settled back into his sofa. At least he didn’t have to change out of a uniform. He was tired, but the last couple of days had been doozies, and he was too pumped up with adrenaline to rest.

It had been a surprise to see Beth O’Neill, but a good one. She definitely seemed happier with the CIA than she had with the Navy. She was good-looking, smart, and fun. Too bad her interest lay elsewhere.

He had to laugh at himself. When she’d said ‘Make me an offer’ he’d really panicked. As much as he admired her, he definitely wasn’t about to get involved with her. Fortunately she’d just been yanking his chain. She was pretty good at that.

Yes, she was definitely smart. She’d seen right through his façade of indifference. She didn’t know about Mac, but she sure knew about relationships. Maybe he should take Beth’s advice and talk to Mac. Maybe that was the only way to really move on.

He snorted and took a long gulp of beer. Yeah. Right. Talking to Mac was like talking to a….a…damn it. He’d never really talked with Mac about their relationship. The one time he tried, on the Guadalcanal, she shut him down. It was like hitting a brick wall.

She wouldn’t even listen. She’d just walked out. Irritation grew in him, and he sipped more of his beer to cool it down. Everything always had to be on her agenda. If he wasn’t ready, it was just too damn bad.

Annoyed, he threw the screw top of his beer towards the kitchen. Damn it, he hadn’t been kidding when he’d asked for operating instructions. Women had always been a mystery to him. He never understood how they thought or why they acted the way they did. And Mac, by far, was the worst of the lot.

Ire took hold, and he set the beer down on the table with a slam. Like that damn ferry boat ride in Australia. He’d better step up to the line or she was going to take off. He hadn’t even seen it coming. The next thing he knew she was wearing another guy’s ring.

And what was that on the Admiral’s porch, anyway? Did she want him to declare his love for her on the eve of her engagement party to another man? Did she just want him to beg? He’d practically told he loved her, for Christ’s sake, and she still went in to Mic.

And that crack about him never wanting her unless she had one foot out the door? Like he hadn’t been mooning around over her like a 6 year old for years! Just waiting for one little word from her! Sheez, what a bitch.

And then, when he was desperate to find her. When he gave up everything for her, what does he find? She’d cozied up to Webb! Webb! Holy crap…Clayton Webb! Mr. CIA man himself.

But the worst of it…the worst of it was…the way she just dismissed him. He’d never expected a real thank you from her; they had never worked that way. But some kind of gesture…a token to let him know she understood why he had to come for her…anything.

Instead he got kicked in the teeth. “We’re never going to make it,” He mimicked her out loud. I didn’t want to be on top, Mac. I just wanted to be with you.

God damn it, she doesn’t get to just say that and walk away. She doesn’t get to just crap all over him and walk away. The only way he was going to move on was if he got to have his say. She wasn’t so fucking perfect.

He would talk to her. Tonight. And THEN he would move on. And she would just be left in the dust behind him.

Grabbing his keys, he got up and headed out the door. If she wasn’t home, he’d just wait. This was going to be settled tonight.

Sarah Mackenzie’s Apartment
Georgetown
2010 Local

Standing naked in the bathroom, Mac ran a comb through her wet hair. Trying to relax, she’d taken a long hot bubble bath, but it hadn’t worked. Everything was fine, but she was tense. She’d been tense all day long. Hell, she’d been tense for weeks. She just didn’t know why.

With a sigh, she threw the comb down. She knew why.

It was Harm. Damn him. It was always Harm. If she could have ever figured him out, maybe they could have at least tried. But she never could. Did he ever really want her? Ever?

Sure, he made this grand gesture. He resigned his commission to find her. But he’d done that before for Sergei. And almost done it to find his Father. And he would have done it for Bud, when Bud was injured.

And he acted like such a jerk! Always throwing her past at her, making suggestive nasty remarks about Webb. Like she was going to ever get involved with Webb. Why couldn’t he understand that she felt guilty about Clay? God, she’d listened to him screaming for hours!

And Clay was a great guy. He’d really put himself through hell to protect her. He’d even professed his love for her in no uncertain terms. And after she figured out she and Harm would never work, she’d actually considered it.

But she was who she was, and Webb was…well…Webb. It would never work. And so she told him.

But Harm, damn it, she could never figure him out. He didn’t want her in Australia. But God forbid that Mic did. So then he got to act jealous and snotty about it. And he had Renee, it’s not like he was just waiting around for her.

And what about the engagement party? He kept asking her, do you love him? What the hell did he care? He’d made it plain he didn’t want her, and NOW he’s going to tell her how to live her life? And even then he couldn’t say it. If he actually DID want her, he couldn’t say the words. She could only conclude that he didn’t really want her. He was just sad because he thought their relationship would change.

And of course, he wouldn’t even answer her about Renee on the Guadalcanal. She was the one who was supposed to tell him how she felt. When she was confused and upset. She couldn’t make any sense out of her life, and even less of his intentions. No, how unreasonable of her to expect HIM to tell her what he wants. And then, at the Jagathon, he’s ready to give up. The end. Period. Paragraph.

With a start she realized she was cold. She’d been standing there for nine minutes, staring into the mirror. Sighing, she slipped on her favorite long blue silk robe. It wasn’t the warmest robe in the world, but it certainly made her feel feminine. And she needed that tonight.

Going into the bedroom, she sat on the bed to think.

So for two years she waited around for him. Two freaking years. She offered him a new beginning. She even kissed him under the mistletoe at Christmas. She tried in every way she knew to show him she loved him.

Short of confrontation. Because everyone knows that confrontation or a direct expression of feeling will send Harm running to the hills. God forbid this be easy.

She just couldn’t take it anymore. Even when he rescued her, he told her he was married. Married, for God’s sake. And then said he’d explain later. And when he finally DID explain, after God knows how many nasty remarks towards her, she did the stupid thing. Tried to talk about everything. Put it out on the table.

But, of course, he’d rather ‘table’ the discussion for another time. Typical.

Then, while they were waiting for the cab, she’d felt so alive. All she’d wanted was to enjoy life…to BE alive and joyful. And he just sucked it all out. He couldn’t just be happy they survived. He couldn’t just be happy. At all.

That’s when she knew. On some level, he did want her. Maybe just sexually. God only knew, enough men had wanted that from her. But he didn’t love her. At least not enough. Not enough to just come right out and say so. And he never would.

So she’d done the only thing she could. She’d ended it. Not that there was anything really to end. It was just acceptance that there never would be anything between them.

She felt a twinge of guilt. She’d never said thank you. Not that they had ever worked that way, but still. She could have done something. But everything was just so damn confusing then…happening too fast. Before she had a chance to figure out what was going on they were sniping at each other like 6th graders.

Well, it was too late now. He’d moved on. And she would too. Calling to say thank you now would just be salt in the wound. At least for her. She doubted he would care one way or the other.

A loud knock on the door interrupted her ruminations. Who would be coming by now?

A look through the peephole revealed Harm. A very angry looking Harm. In fact, she’d never seen him look that angry before.

Opening the door, she asked him, “Harm, what’s wrong?”

He really did forget how beautiful she was. Standing there, her hair wet, and a silk robe on, she could have stepped out of one of his fantasies. He couldn’t say a word.

“Harm? Are you all right?”

It was her concerned tone that snapped him back to reality. He was going to have his say and she was going to listen. It didn’t matter what she looked like.

He pushed his way past her and waited as she shut the door.

“Harm?”

Hands on his hips, he pointed a finger at her. “You just be quiet and listen. You’ve had your say, now I get mine.”

A shot of anger went through her at his tone, but she swallowed it down. She’d never seen him like this before. “Fine. Do you want to sit down or do you want to yell at me here?”

His eyes flashed at her sarcasm. “I won’t be here that long, so here is just fine, thank you very much. Oops, maybe I should explain that phrase to you. You obviously are not familiar with it.”

She flushed red and looked away, her irritation overshadowed by guilt.

“I know, I’m sorry, but…”

“Just save it, Mac. If you wanted to say it, you would have said it. Don’t bother now. That wasn’t why I came over.” He crossed his arms over his chest as if she should know why he was there.

“And why are you here?” She could be just as stubborn as he could.

“Because I want to finish this once and for all. You got your licks in, now it’s my turn.”

His statement broke something inside her, but she didn’t give herself a chance to feel it. “Fine. Go ahead.” There was no way she was going to let him know he hurt her. She wouldn’t give him the satisfaction. “Although you got your licks in, as you put it, very well in Paraguay.”

A nerve started to tic in his cheek. “I didn’t get to say anything. You made your pronouncement and then went on your merry way. Back to JAG. Back to the life I had to give up. For you.”

“So you want me to feel guilty? Will that make you happy?” That so unlike him she could hardly believe he was saying it. “Because if it is, you can go now. I feel guilty. I never wanted you to lose JAG.”

“No, damn it! I don’t want you to feel guilty! I never wanted that!” Even angrier now, he was almost shouting. “I want my say! So quit trying to turn everything I say around and just listen!”

“Yes SIR!”

If she’d been a man, her sarcasm would have earned her a punch in the nose. As it was, he clenched his fists at his sides and gave her an enraged glare. “You’ve been running this…this…thing between us for years. I’ve always had to dance to your tune and I’m just sick and tired of being blamed for everything that’s ever gone wrong between us. You can just step up and take some of the crap you’ve been giving me.”

Indignation nearly made her eyes pop out of her head. “I’VE been running it? I have?! Since when? You’ve never wanted anything with me badly enough to even step up to the plate!” Every time I even tried to approach you, you ran like a scalded cat!”

“I did not!” Thoroughly irate now, he stepped up and towered over her. “You propositioned me in Australia out of the blue, and I wasn’t about to just have a roll in the hay with you!”

She didn’t allow his height or his anger to intimidate her. She yelled right back in his face. “Propositioned you? What the hell are you talking about? I was acknowledging the fact I wanted to have a relationship with you! I thought, apparently mistakenly, that you felt the same way! I never wanted a one night stand, you idiot!”

He crossed his arms on his chest again and rolled his eyes. “Oh yeah, I really believe that one, Mac. A couple of days later you were practically engaged to Bugme! Yeah, oh I really believe you wanted a relationship.”

“And why wouldn’t I take Mic? YOU didn’t want anything with me! He offered me everything I ever wanted. A home, a life, a family. Things you never even considered with me!” Now she really wanted to punch his lights out. “You were already dating Renee, you obviously chose her over me!” She lowered her voice, trying to control her anger. “Fine, that was your right. But don’t come whining to me about Mic. If you didn’t want me, I had the right to move on.”

She had a point about Renee, but he wasn’t ready to concede. “Renee and I were never serious. Not until you got so cozy with Brumby.” Another thought struck him. “And anyway, if you were so ready to move on with him, what was that at the engagement party? You just pushed and pushed for me to talk to you! Again, I might add, on YOUR schedule, not mine!”

He’d fired her back up with that one. “It was YOU who couldn’t let things go! Yeah, I wanted some closure on us. I admit it. And maybe, if you’d actually wanted me, I would have—” She broke off, not willing to admit that to him. “But you didn’t. You danced all around the issues, giving me ‘hints’ of how you ‘might’ feel. Once again, the brave Harmon Rabb couldn’t say it. Couldn’t admit that he might actually care. So then I knew. You might want me in bed, or you were afraid that our friendship would change, but you never wanted ME.”

He rolled his eyes again at her dramatics, completely unsympathetic. “Oh for Christ’s sake! I wasn’t about to declare my undying love for you when you were marrying another man! And if you thought I would, you have no idea who I really am!”

If he kept rolling his eyes like that she was going to pop him one! “Oh I know who you really are! And there is a lot I admire about you. But don’t try and snow me that you were broken-hearted and pining after me. You consoled yourself well enough with Renee.” Giving him a stern, meaningful look, she added, “And you took care of her.”

For an instant he felt guilt. He HAD put Renee first when Mic left. But he’d had no choice. “I went after you. Yes, I took care of Renee. I had to. But I came after you and you wouldn’t even talk to me!” He thought that last part sounded a little too apologetic, so he added nastily. “As usual. It was on your time table we had to operate.”

“Oh right.” Now it was her turn to roll her eyes. “I only went TAD because I was bored. Not because I was hurt and confused. And tired of explaining and talking to everyone at JAG.” Another thought struck her as it had earlier. “And I did talk to you! You were the one who choked! I asked a simple question, and you couldn’t answer. What the hell was I supposed to think?”

Once again he was as angry as ever, guilt gone. “You were supposed to wait until I answered! You walked out! I did answer you! And then, big surprise, you wouldn’t talk to me at all.”

“And you were just so in love with me, right? So in love that you couldn’t even tell me when you and Renee broke up.” Abruptly she turned and walked into the living room so he couldn’t see her face. “You were the one that said we were at the end.”

He’d forgotten about that. “Yeah, well…I just didn’t see us working out.” He followed her into the living room. “You wouldn’t talk to me. Everything was just screwed up then.” His voice went down as he considered this, comparing it to her situation on the Guadalcanal.

“I offered you a beginning.” She still didn’t turn to face him.

“Yeah, you did.” His voice got louder. “But nothing ever came of it. You never tried to talk to me again about us!”

Then she turned, glaring. “Why would I? The few times I ever tried before, you ran! You denied! I tried waiting for you, but you just got farther and farther away. You never talked to me anymore! Sergei left- I found out from Sturgis!” The remembered hurt only added fuel to the fire. “I was investigating Singer’s pregnancy, and I never knew you were too! I only found out when you were in the brig! From a damn NCIS investigator!”

That particular memory burned him up. “Maybe I should have told you about that. Maybe I should have done a lot of things! But I wouldn’t have left you sitting alone in the brig, no matter what!”

He was gratified to see guilt flash across her face. “I didn’t want to! But the Admiral…”

He cut her off. “It would never have stopped you before! You were always there for me before! I could come to you with anything! You hid me out when I escaped from the brig before! You went with me to Russia!” He stopped as he considered all that and said softly, “You were always there, and then suddenly you weren’t. It hurt, Mac. It hurt a lot.”

That little mean part of him was glad to see a sheen of tears in those stormy brown eyes. “I couldn’t this time, Harm. I wanted to; you’ve no idea how I wanted to.” For the first time she reached out a hand to him, but he wouldn’t allow her to touch him. He stepped back. “If I got involved, it would only have made things worse for you. It would have looked like I was protecting you- like you were guilty.” Her arms hugged her waist. “You couldn’t see it, but if anyone at JAG had stepped up to the bat for you, NCIS would have been even more convinced you were guilty.”

Looking away, he thought about what she said. He didn’t really believe it, but he could see that she did. He felt himself softening until he remembered the night she left. “Maybe, Mac. But I wouldn’t have left you alone like that.” The hurt hit him full force. “You left, Mac, to go to Paraguay after hitting me with that line. How could you do that?”

Shamefaced, she couldn’t look at him. “I’m sorry for that, too. It just came out. Here I was, going away, and you pull that little boy lost act that tears my heart out. And, as usual, I had to go.” She got angry again thinking about it. “It wasn’t nice of me to say it then, but it was true. The only time you EVER express interest in me is when I can’t do anything back!”

“Oh bullshit!” The rage was back. “I’ve done nothing but express interest in you for 2 years! I’ve been there, done that, bought the damn T-shirt! Maybe I didn’t confide everything in you, but I couldn’t help it! You weren’t there all the time, damn it! I had to deal with things on my own.”

Once the anger started going again, he couldn’t shut it down. “And, little miss perfect, do you remember trying to get me removed from a case? The first one I ever was assigned as a judge? You weren’t exactly all sweetness and light! Jesus, Mac, that was a killer!”

The sarcastic tone set her off again. “Oh right. Because you were so fair to me. Slapping me down if I so much as opened my mouth during the trial!” Her eyes narrowed as she reminded him of something else. “Remember how lovely you were when I was a judge? You were as nasty as you could be!”

He started to speak but she was off before he could get started. “And if that was your way of expressing interest in me—as a woman—then I’m flabbergasted!”

That familiar rush of righteous anger was running through him again, but he let her finish.

“THAT’s how you showed Jordan you were interested, right? And Bobbi? And Renee? And everyone else you were ever involved with? Working dinners and keeping your hands to yourself?” She gave a bitter, sarcastic laugh. “I don’t believe that for a second.” That feeling of rejection, long buried, loosened her tongue a little too much. “Jordan filled us in, Harm. Oh how she bragged about your prowess in bed. So don’t expect me to believe that you’re a virgin, or you were saving yourself for marriage!”

He was thoroughly insulted now. “I treated you with respect! I was waiting for you to be ready for us!” Embarrassed as he realized what she said about Jordan, he hit back below the belt. “And what the hell were you doing talking to Jordan about that anyway? Weren’t you getting any then?”

Incensed at his low blow, she fired back at him sarcastically. “Oh no, Harm. I wanted to hear every juicy little detail of your sex life. I just wanted to live vicariously through Jordan.” She smirked at him, meaning to provoke him even more. “Carolyn was pumping her for information, you jerk. I was just an unwilling listener. Do you really think I wanted to hear what you did in bed? What kind of idiot are you?”

“I’ll tell you what kind of idiot I am! I’m the kind of idiot that thought he loved you! I’m the kind of idiot that gave up everything I had, as you put it, to get to you when you were in danger.” He started out angrily, but then his shoulders slumped. “I’m the kind of idiot that watches you go to other men without even thinking about me.”

Instead of making her soften, his apparent despair only infuriated her further. “Oh right. Poor, mistreated, ignored Harm. Always loving the terrible Jezebel from afar.” She threw her hands in the air, then pointed a finger at his chest. “For your information, hot shot, since Mic left, I’ve not been involved with anyone. Certainly not Clayton Webb, in spite of what you think.”

He wasn’t letting her get away with it. He’s seen it with his own eyes. “OK, Mac. Fine. Whatever you say. I’ll just ignore the way you kissed him in front of me in Paraguay. And the way you hovered over him, buttering his toast.” He made that sound dirty the way he said it. “The way you were playing footsie in front of me at the hospital.”

“For your information, Harm, I had been listening to him scream for hours while they tortured him. And then he declares that he loves me.” She hesitated, but decided to hell with it. “I didn’t know exactly how I felt about him then, but I sure as hell couldn’t back away. He could have been dying!”

“And what about later? You were all over him later! Nurse Mackenzie to the rescue!” His sarcastic tone sent her into another bout of rage.

“He was hurt, damn you.” Another thought struck her. “Of course, when you think about it, that’s par for the course for me, isn’t it? I mean, after all, I’m the kiss of death to whoever I get involved with.”

“Mac…” He realized he’d gone a little too far when he made those comments.

“Maybe that’s why you always back away from me. You’re scared the Mackenzie Curse will strike.”

“Mac, stop…”

“No, that’s it. That’s why the Admiral wouldn’t reinstate you. You showed a little too much caring when you resigned to save me, and you got clobbered by the Mackenzie Curse. It’s a good thing you escaped while you’re still alive.”

“Damn it, shut up about that. You know I don’t believe any of that. I was just angry, and trying to hurt you.” Guilt ate at the edges of his conscience.

“I don’t know, Harm. It explains everything. Fear for your life kept you from actually trying anything with me.”

She wasn’t going to let that go, was she? But he wasn’t going to allow her to wallow in that crap. “Get real, Mac. You know I was just waiting for you to be ready. That’s all. Bottom line, yes, I was scared. Scared to lose you altogether.”

“Well look where that got us,” she taunted sarcastically. “Face it, Harm, the real reason there never was an ‘us’ is because you just didn’t want it badly enough. Do I believe you cared about me? Sure, I’m not an idiot. But you never wanted anything from me badly enough to actually DO something about it. You can sugarcoat it anyway you want, but THAT’S the bottom line!”

Incensed, he yelled, “For once in your life will you just listen? God damn it, I DID want you! I always did! It just never seemed like the right time for us!”

She walked right up to him and looked him in the eye. “If that’s the case, Harm, then you’re a coward.” She poked him in the chest. “A chicken shit coward.”

She turned to stalk away, but he grabbed her arm. Pulling her up close to him, he said in a low voice, “I’m many things, Mac, but I’m not a coward.”

Unafraid, she glared at him. “Let go of me.”

In years to come, he would still be unable to believe his next action.

“I don’t think so.” And then he jerked her flush against him and kissed her.

It was not a gentle or tender kiss. It was a kiss meant to conquer, to punish. In his entire life he had never kissed a woman that way. He hadn’t even known he could.

He felt her stunned surprise as she did nothing at first. Her arms were pressed up against his chest, and he felt it the moment she began to struggle, to push away from him. But he wouldn’t allow it. She’d driven him to the very edge. His hand tangled in her hair, forcing her mouth to his.

It was only the sound of her voice that shocked him back to reality. “Harm,” she gasped out, just managing to turn her head away from him.

Horrified at his loss of control, he released her. She took a wobbly step back and stared at him, eyes wide.

Silence prevailed as they gazed at one another in shock.

Then, as one, they came together in a heated rush of passion and temper. Mouth’s fused, hand exploring, that one kiss ignited a smoldering fire that had been banked far too long.

From the start of it, it was a fight. She tried to guide him to the bedroom; he was pushing her towards the couch. And through it all, they never stopped kissing. The result was a crazy sort of staggering dance around the room that cleared off her desk, knocked over an end table (including a lamp and assorted accessories), ending only when they crashed into the wall together.

“Umph,” was Mac’s comment, as she was the one who hit the wall first. “Bedroom,” she managed to rasp out as his mouth traveled down her neck in a dizzying trail of love bites.

“Couch,” he mumbled at the same time, intent on getting her robe open. Not an easy task as she was struggling to remove his shirt at the same time.

Finally getting the sash of her robe untied, he used both hands to massage her breasts. Unable to resist, he bent down and took an already taut nipple in his mouth, sucking and biting. God, he couldn’t get enough of her. He was a starving man that had a buffet laid out before him, and he didn’t know where to begin. She moaned as he mirrored his actions with his hand on the other nipple.

Her hands had not been idle. Abandoning the struggle for shirt removal, she unbuckled his belt and opened his jeans. When her fingers closed around him, stroking and fondling, he had to stop suckling at her breasts, enjoyable as it was.

He braced both his arms on the wall on either side of her, and resumed kissing her tempting mouth, their tongues tangling. “Maaaac….” He groaned against her mouth as her hand continued to torment him.

She knelt in front of him, pushing his jeans and boxers down around his ankles in one smooth move. And then…then…she took his cock in her mouth. Her warm, wet mouth with the swirling tongue. Using both hands, she caressed his balls and circled the base of his shaft with the other. She sucked him until he thought he would explode.

Afraid it would be over too soon, he pulled her up. “Not so fast, Sarah.”

Once again his mouth plundered hers ruthlessly, but this time one hand found its way to the juncture of her thighs. He could feel the nub of her clit, prominently raised, and gentled his touch, circling it.

He was gratified when she moaned his name. “Harm…Oh God.” When he felt her knees buckle, he propped her up against the wall with his body, never ceasing that tormenting, teasing touch. He allowed his fingers to travel until one, then two were inside her. Jesus, she was so wet!

He couldn’t resist, and brought his fingers to his lips, tasting her sexual juice. Gazing into her eyes, he licked his fingers clean.
“Delicious.” He thought he saw her shiver, but her next move took him completely by surprise.

Gathering her strength after his last assault, she reached up and grabbed his shirt and ripped it open, buttons flying everywhere. “Naked, Harm.” Pushing the shirt off his shoulders, she gave a hot lustful glance. “I want you buck naked.”

Who was he to deny a lady what she wanted? In an instant he toed off his shoes and kicked his pants and boxers away. Before he could take any further action, she was pressed against him, her gloriously full breasts pushed against his chest, her hands roaming over his arms and back. “I want you. Inside me, Harm. Now.”

With an oath he tore away her robe and crushed her to him. “You’ve got it, baby; cuz there’s no place I’d rather be.” His hands slid down her back to her buttocks, curving around them. With one easy lift she was on him, her legs wrapped around him.

“Where?” Damn it, he couldn’t think. All he could feel was her body, close against him. And, oh God, her tongue in his ear.

“Don’t care where. Just fuck me, Harm. Please.” Her begging whisper was driving him crazy, the soft breath against his ear.

Frantic now, he cast about for a place, anywhere, damn it. He saw the desk, the top cleaned of all items in their earlier frenzy, and got there in record time. Setting her down on it, he pushed her until she was lying down on it.

Pulling her legs up over his shoulders, he guided his cock into her, sinking into the hot wet velvet of her.

Bracing himself with his arms on either side of her, he pumped in and out, relishing the feel of her sexual core. He’d waited for this for so long….yearned for it….dreamed of it.

Eyes closed, her breasts thrust up as she neared orgasm. She was panting heavily and moaning, squirming against him as he moved. “Yes, Harm, you feel so good. Oh yes, harder…harder…” Leaning down, he sucked one rosy nipple as he pushed into her.

Damn, she was making it difficult to hold on. “Mac…baby…come on…give it to me baby…let me feel you come…” He could feel her muscles inside working him, clenching tighter and tighter.

He thrust harder against her, glorying in it all. When she lost control, hips pumping wildly against him, screaming his name as she went over the edge, he went with her. His back arched uncontrollably as he came, emptying every last ounce he had in him.

He collapsed on top of her, both of them panting hard; their sweat-slick bodies sticking together. He couldn’t move.

Her arms cradled him. When he finally got enough strength, he lifted himself up and gazed into her beautiful eyes. He could see the anxiety there, and he could feel it in himself.

It was her smile that relaxed him. “Well, I guess we could have saved ourselves a lot of heartache if we’d just done this in Paraguay.”

His smile mirrored hers. “We should have done it years ago. Right in the Rose Garden.”

Leaning down, he kissed her tenderly. The words he’d found so hard to say fell easily from his lips. “I love you, Mac.”

To his surprise, her eyes welled up with tears. “I love you too, Harm.”

“Hey, I didn’t mean to make you cry.” Gently he wiped the tears away. “Whatever happens, we stick together, from now on. JAG or no JAG. Deal?”

She pulled him down to her, hugging him close. “Deal.”

The End.

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