| Subject: Some Things are Better off Forgotten 1/ ? |
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CLK
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Date Posted: 21:36:16 11/14/07 Wed
In reply to:
CLK
's message, "Some Things are Better off Forgotten 1/ ?" on 21:30:30 11/14/07 Wed
MIC AND MAC’S ENGAGEMENT PARTY
ADMIRAL CHEGWIDDEN’S HOME
Oh, God. Now what?
The heat of the moment was an excuse that worked in sappy movies and trashy novels. How could she possibly use that to justify falling into the arms of another man? Even if it was Harm. Especially Harm. With him every moment was heated. Just standing beside him now she could feel the warmth of his hand filling her in places that Mic’s touch never reached. Oh, God.
“Congratulations, Colonel.” A sultry voice echoed behind her.
“Oh. Thank you.” Mac sprang forward. The last thing she wanted was to move away. She wanted Harm’s warmth, needed it, but she had no choice. With any luck the redhead who’d come with Gunny hadn’t noticed just how close Mac had been standing to the man she was not marrying. Oh God.
“I just love weddings,” the woman rambled on. “I love engagement parties too. So casual, relaxed. On the big day everyone looks a bit like stick toys, but I love it anyway.”
The big day. Anything else the woman said was lost on Mac. This was it- her wedding. She would be marrying Mic. Standing at the alter, side by side, much like she’d done with Harm not ten minutes ago, only she would vow her undying love and loyalty to Mic. Oh God.
“How long have you known, Colonel?” Harriet interrupted, bubbling like a newly uncorked bottle of champagne.
Known? Known what? That being wrapped in Harm’s arms would send a fire from the top of her hair to her toes. That she’d never felt as alive as she did in his arms? That she has no business marrying a man she doesn’t love with all her heart and soul? Oh God.
“Colonel?”
“Sorry Harriet. What did you want to know?”
“The admiral said you gave him permission to announce my promotion tonight. I was just wondering how long you knew.”
Mac smiled. Okay so maybe it wasn’t written all over her face that she was in love with Harmon Rabb. In love with Harm? She was in love with Harm. She couldn’t deny it, couldn’t hide it any longer. Suddenly the floor seemed to roll beneath her feet like a ship’s deck in a miserable storm. Harriet’s mouth was moving, but no sound was coming out.
“Colonel?” Harriet stared at Mac. Her eyes were glazed and her hand was floundering beside her as though searching for something. “Commander!”
Harm had taken advantage of Gloria’s interruption to move away from Mac. He needed to think. He hadn’t meant to hold her to him, to kiss her. At least not like that. Every nerve in his body was still humming. Never had a woman fit so well, felt so right. It was all so right, and so wrong. She was engaged to another man. The wrong man. He knew that. He’d always known that. It was easy to acknowledge that Mic was all wrong for Mac. Accepting that she was meant for him was another story.
“Commander Rabb!”
The sound of Harriet’s frantic cry couched by an array of gasps dragged Harm’s attention across the room. Several people were hovering by the table.
“Someone call 911!”
Harm had no idea what had happened but a wave of panic rose through him. Mac.
BETHESDA
ONE HOUR LATER
Harriet, like half the people in the room, stood by Mic. “I’m sure she’ll be fine.”
“I’m her fiancé. I should be in there with her. Not pacing out here.”
The admiral glanced in Harm’s direction and it took every inch of naval training for Harm not to flinch. Did he know? Had he somehow seen? Did the admiral blame him for Mac’s collapse?
“You all right, Commander?” AJ abandoned his post at Mic’s side and made it across the room to where Harm had been holding up a wall, watching for the doctor, waiting for news.
“I’m not the one who took a nose dive onto your dining room floor.”
“Lieutenant Sims is right. Any minute now the doctor will come out and tell us it’s nothing more than bridal nerves.”
The woman is a Marine. Marine’s don’t get bridal nerves, but he wasn’t about to say that to the admiral. He was better off saying as little as possible. “Nerves,” he mumbled. Had she eaten anything? Maybe that was it. Mac could eat as much as a platoon of Marines. If she’d skipped meals that could explain her passing out.
“You don’t suppose?” Carolyn Ime’s voice filtered across the room. She was smiling at Mic as though having Mac keel over was a good thing.
Suppose? Suppose what? Oh no. She couldn’t be. Not now. Not Mic. Harm watched as a huge grin spread across Mic’s face. Shit. There was no way he could ever convince Mac she was meant for him and not Mic if she was pregnant with Mic’s child. Damn.
“Are all of you here for Colonel MacKenzie?”
AJ stepped forward. “I’m her commanding officer.”
“And I’m her fiancé,” Mic added elbowing his way between AJ and the doctor.
The doctor turned to face Mic. “Your name wouldn’t be Harm by any chance?”
“That would be me.” Harm moved next to AJ and the doctor, ignoring the glare Mic shot in his direction.
“She’s been awake and asking for you. We wanted to wait for a few test results before we let her have visitors but she can be rather forceful. If you’ll follow me.” The doctor turned his back and walked away.
“Now see here,” Mic bellowed.
AJ stepped between Harm and Mic, staring down at the shorter Aussie. “Not now, Commander. Not now.”
EMERGENCY ROOM
BETHESDA
“Hey, sailor.” Mac grinned up from the tiny cubicle.
“You scared several years off our lives, Marine.”
Mac shrugged a shoulder. “Sorry.”
“Did you eat anything at all today?”
She nodded. “I think I ate all those little meatballs myself. They were incredible.”
Damn. He didn’t care if Mac was pregnant with Attila the Hun’s baby, he’d love any child that was Mac’s, but he knew Mac well enough to know she would try to work things out with the father first. Damn. “Any word on why you passed out?”
“Stress.”
“Stress?” Harm pulled the chair up to Mac’s side, wrapped her hand in his, and sat with his elbows leaning on her bed. “You mean you’re not...”
Mac turned to face him, her brows buckled in confusion. “Not what?”
“Carolyn thought that maybe... I mean that you might be... Mic thought...”
“Harm, spit it out.”
“Pregnant.”
“Pregnant?”
Harm nodded, Mac gawked at him as though he’d sprouted wings.
“So now everyone thinks I’m pregnant?” She blew out a heavy sigh and leaned back against her pillow. “Great. Just great.”
“I’m sorry, Brumby seemed to think it was a possibility.”
“Why would he know?”
“Excuse me?”
“Why the hell is Mic making assumptions about my personal life?”
Harm knew he must look like a startled fool, but Mac wasn’t making sense. “Your fiancé is the most logical person, besides yourself, to know something like that.”
“Fiancé!!” Mac shot up from the bed.
“Mac, take it easy.” Harm nudged her back against the pillow.
“Take it easy. How you can you say take it easy? You of all people should be furious with him for lying.”
“Lying? Mac, did the doctor’s say if you hit your head?”
“What?”
“You’re head. Did you hit the table or something when you collapsed?”
“No. My head is fine. Just stress. And why aren’t you mad at Mic?”
“Mac, what’s the last thing you remember?”
“We were at the admiral’s. He was giving a party for... for.... Funny. I don’t remember who the party was for. Oh yes, Harriet’s promotion.”
Harm raked his fingers through his hair. At least she was half right. “Harriet did get promoted, but that wasn’t what the party was for. What else do you remember?”
Her expression changed from one of confusion and irritation to warmth and contentment. “You kissed me. Rather soundly.”
Harm couldn’t help but grin. Though it might be better for both of them if they could forget it ever happened, he was glad now it had.
“Second thoughts?” Mac was still gazing at him with a softness he’d never noticed, but he could see a hint of apprehension taking over.
“Never. But I think we have a problem.”
“I know our careers, but we can work it out. I know we can.”
“Mac, the party was for you and Brumby. The wedding is in a few weeks. The invitations have gone out.” Harm lifted her left hand. “You are engaged to Mic.”
“You’re lying!” Mac yanked her hand back and stared at the diamond solitaire. “Aren’t you?”
He shook his head, and tightened his hold on her other hand. “I wish I were. God I wish I were.”
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