Rating:
Summary: What we didn’t see on screen
“I love you.” The words were barely out when his lips descended gently, fully on hers.
Wrapping her arms around his neck, Mac finally allowed the smoldering heat that had been simmering slowly during their short conversation to come to a full boil. Every nerve was tingling with sensation. His soft tongue teasing, dancing with hers, was sending shock waves through her entire body that she could no longer ignore.
Letting one hand drop down to his shirt, she quickly undid the top button. Unwilling to spend any time undoing more buttons, Mac’s fingers slipped between his shirt and skin, delighted to discover no undershirt.
Swallowing hard, not once but three times, Harm gave up on controlling the burning need filling every corner and crevice of his body. The feel of her warm fingers against his now heaving chest was almost more than he could stand. How would he be able to control himself at the feel of her soft curves against his bare skin?
“I...Oh, Mac...” Harm tried to pull away, to go back to the simple conversation. He wanted her so badly, but he needed to know if this was what she wanted also, or if they needed to settle their fates first. “I’ve always wanted you,” he somehow managed to mumble. The feel of her lips slowly nibbling at the base of his chin was twisting his insides with desire. “But if we need to figure things out first, tell me now, before I carry you off and show you exactly how much I’ve wanted you all these years.”
“Haven’t we waited long enough?” It wasn’t a question she expected answered with words, and she was right. Within seconds, Harm’s lips crashed against hers. His arms scooping underneath her and smashing her up close against his pounding heart.
When he walked past the open door, a small ray of reality crept into his thoughts as he forced himself to pause and close it. Setting her momentarily on her feet, not willing to totally release his hold on her, he swung the door nearly closed with his hand, then backed Mac up against the door to close it tightly and turn the lock.
Impatient with the temporary detour, Mac reached up and pulled Harm down for another searing kiss, her hands fiddling with more buttons, her hips swaying softly against his.
Knowing how close they were to fulfilling his every dream of her, the feel of her lower extremities nearly grinding against his already aching arousal was seriously tempting him to skip the rest of the distance and fill her, here and now, until he could feel her kidneys. It took everything in him to discard the idea and carry her off to be loved the way she deserved, slowly, gently, and very thoroughly.
Squeezing Mac’s bare shoulder tightly against him, Harm breathed in the wonderful scent of his fiancée. His fiancée. That thought alone gave him a sense of euphoria he’d never known. When he’d first seen Mac standing in his doorway, the last thing he thought was they’d wind up less than an hour later in his bed.
Happily snuggling into his arms, Mac indulged in the lethargic feeling that comes with having had the best sex of your life. If she’d had any idea what she’d been missing all these years, she would have given Harm a deadline much sooner.
“We’ve only got 11 hours left. We’re going to have to make some decisions.” Harm kissed the top of her head. It had never occurred to him that the smell of vanilla and almonds could be so arousing, but then again, anything about Mac was intoxicating.
“Ten hours and 48 minutes.”
Harm rolled his eyes, “I don’t suppose when we get married, you’ll tell me how you do that?”
“I honestly don’t know,” she grinned. “I’ve just always been able to, and I’m rarely off by more than 20 seconds.”
Smiling broadly at her, he returned to the all important topic of conversation, “Okay, do we still agree to leave the choice up to fate?”
“We do,” Mac nodded.
“A coin toss it is.” Harm squeezed Mac tightly again. He wasn’t sure if he would be able to stop doing that anytime soon. His mind simply couldn’t get around the reality that she was finally really his.
“Who’s going to flip for it? You or me?” Mac buried her head in the crook of his shoulder. At this point she didn’t give a flying flip about her career. This was what she’d always wanted, and without Harm her career wouldn’t be worth a damn.
“I think we should pick someone neutral.”
“Who?”
Already fine tuning their uncanny ability to read each other’s minds. “Bud,” the two voices echoed simultaneously.
Without another word, Harm turned slightly, reaching for the phone.
Her ear resting against him, she listened to the soothing rumble of his chest as he explained everything to Bud. His entire body roared when he laughed, the movement sending warm waves of contentment rippling through her. Never mind San Diego or London, she wanted to spend the rest of her life in this bed, in his arms.
“Thanks, Bud. You guys are the best.” Harm clicked off the cordless phone, but kept the phone in his hand. “I’m going to call Sturgis and Coates.”
“Sturgis?”
“Yeah,” Harm smiled playfully. “I think we’ve managed to come to an ...understanding.” Harm dialed the number from memory. “Anyone else we want to invite?” he asked as the phone rang. Harriet and Bud would be meeting them at McMurphy’s for the official Coin Tossing Ceremony. Harm wasn’t sure whose idea it had been. Somewhere between kisses it was decided they would make this a formal event, well at least for them, and invite their closest friends.
“It might be a good move to include the...”
“General,” Harm finished for her
“Yeah.” This mind reading thing just might prove better than telling time, Mac grinned resting her head back on Harm’s chest again.
As soon as he was done inviting Sturgis, he dialed Jennifer’s number. Giving her a direct order to make sure the General came to their little surprise, Harm disconnected the line and let the phone drop to the floor.
“If we’re going to actually be at McMurphy’s before everyone else, we’re going to have to get moving.” The entire time he’d been on the phone, Harm had been swirling the fingers of his free hand in small swooping motions across her bare shoulder, enjoying the tickling sensations of her breath teasing his chest hair. He wasn’t sure who he was trying to convince, Mac or himself.
“Mm,” Mac mumbled against him.
“I love you,” he whispered into her hair.
“I love you, too.”
“Mac?”
“Mm?”
“How lucky are you feeling tonight?”
Concerned by the odd question, Mac snapped her head sharply and stared into his eyes. “What do you mean?”
“I was just thinking there’s only one more thing could make this more perfect.”
Mac’s eyes softened immediately at the vulnerability she saw reflected in his eyes, her mind scrambling to follow him.
“We’re a year late, but I’d still like to try.” His voice was achingly low.
It took several long seconds before Mac realized what he was saying. “Oh, Harm.” She couldn’t find the right words. He was right, that would make an already beautiful situation more perfect. It would be downright miraculous.
“Ssh. I know you think it’s not possible, but a week ago I would have sworn it wasn’t possible for us to be here in each other’s arms about to get married.”
Mac swallowed the lump in her throat. “I’d like that,” she replied softly. “Very much.”
“Good. That leaves us with two choices: working on the four percent, or getting dressed and meeting our friends in an hour.”
“Ohhhh. Did you have to put that way?” Dragging herself away from his embrace, Mac slipped out from under the sheets. Her lean body giving Harm second thoughts about the need for an official coin tossing ceremony. Maybe he could just flip a quarter...later.
Stepping into his boxers, and sighing heavily, Harm wondered how was he ever going to get anything done, ever again. All he wanted was to stay in bed with his soon to be wife for the rest of their lives.
In just over an hour, Mac managed to make it back to her apartment, don her sexiest red dress, and prance into McMurphy’s, and the arms of the man she loved. Making every effort not to break into a full gallop, she could hardly wait to be in his arms again. It had always been such an effort to love the other men in her life. She had to work to feel love for Clay, and it had taken her ten months to convince herself she felt enough love for Mic to accept his proposal. There was no need to force anything now. If anything, she had to find a way to slow the rising tide. She finally felt the lyrics, ‘how can I breathe without you.’
As soon as she walked through the door, Harm could feel her presence. He’d always known he loved Mac more than he could ever love anyone else, but he had no idea how much stronger it would grow after only a few short hours together.
Within a few minutes, everyone who meant anything to them in DC was there to share the good news. Harriet beamed with excitement. She’d always hoped, but lately had given up on the idea of her two favorite officers every really finding each other.
As Bud prepared to toss the special coin, Harm’s eyes fell on those of his gorgeous fiancée. His one hand rested lightly on her hip, her sensuous body, and flat tummy pressed snuggly against him. If only, he wished before turning his eyes up to follow the twisting of the coin.
Resting her head against his shoulder for a reassuring moment before Bud explained the history of the all important coin, Mac couldn’t help thinking back for just a moment to their brief comments about the baby deal. How much did it mean to Harm? How far was he willing to go to have a child with his or her looks and brains? Straightening up, and glancing at her friends, maybe she’d been focusing on the wrong thing.
All eyes moved upwards as the coin tumbled and twirled, high in mid air.
“Maybe we should reconsider this?” Mac whispered quickly into Harm’s ear.
Stiffening like stone, Harm’s eyes dropped frantically reading hers.
Instantly picking up on his changed demeanor. “I don’t mean getting married, I mean the coin toss.” Mac turned her head to face Harm. “If you meant what you said about a baby, maybe we need to really discuss this further.”
At the same moment her last words came out, the tinkering sound of the coin wavering on the ground resonated thunderously through the room.
“Tails!” Bud called out enthusiastically. “Looks like sunny skies and sandy beaches.”
“What are you saying?” Harm lowered his voice dramatically.
“How am I going to take over a brand new program, never mind new command, dedicate the time, and energy required, and still work on starting a family? It’s not going to come easily like it does to most people. This could involve doctors, tests, medical procedures, rest, limited stress, just to name a few. None of those go well with the schedule of a Marine CO.”
Neither had noticed the total silence that had befallen the group at the recognition of the seriousness of the conversation the soon to be newlyweds were quietly engaged in. Without conscious effort or agreement, all the friends took a few distancing steps from the obviously important conversation.
“Mac, I’m not making any assumptions here. What exactly are you suggesting?” Harm hadn’t even heard Bud’s announcement of tails. His entire world had come to a complete stop at the sound of the words: ‘maybe we should reconsider this.’
“I’m saying if you really want to try and have a baby, I’m not getting any younger and my...condition isn’t going to get any better. It might make more sense for us to go to England. You concentrate on being the next JAG and I’ll concentrate on becoming a mommy. Even if I can’t get pregnant, if we do decide to adopt, I still don’t think I want to spend the amount of time away from the baby that would be required of a command position.” Mac surprised herself at how thoroughly she had managed to think this through in the few seconds she had to observe the fateful coin spinning in space.
“Are you sure? I don’t want to go into this with any regrets.” Harm tenderly kissed the top of her head.
“It’s no different than if the coin lands heads. I’d still go with you willingly, only now I have a doubly good reason: you and our child.” Mac too was oblivious to the landing of the coin and scattering of their friends.
“If you’re sure.”
“I am.”
Turning to notice everyone huddled by the juke box, Harm chuckled, “I guess I didn’t realize JAG encouraged music aficionados.”
“Excuse me,” Harm called across the room. “If you’d care to join us, we have an additional announcement.”
Five pairs of eyes scanned back and forth before moving closer to the couple at the bar.
“It seems we’ve decided we’re going to England.”
“That’s wonderful, sir. Congratulations.” Bud wondered if they’d even noticed the coin landing on the ground.
“I’d probably only get sunburned in San Diego anyhow,” Coates scrunched her nose playfully.
“If you can handle the London fog, I’d be happy to have you aboard.” Harm tilted his head, accentuating the offer.
“Thank you, sir.” Jen would have to think about that one.
Raising his glass, Harm’s expression turned momentarily serious, “To the best friends a man, or woman, could ask for, and to many more years to come.”
“Here, here. To friendship, fair winds, and following seas.” Maybe Bud could talk Harriet into changing his mind if he really tried....
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