Date Posted:05:56:38 06/04/12 Mon Author:Nettie Subject: Smile - June Challenge
Smile
AN: With 11 weeks of my pregnancy to go, my brain is doing all sorts of things on its own accord. Hence, what I'm thinking and what I'm writing doesn't always go hand in hand. That said, this piece is what it is and I hope you enjoy it.
Thanks to Beth!
Mac: "That's a very nice smile, and I'm sure most of the time it gets you what you want . . ."
We the People
June Challenge HBX
It was a Friday evening in late spring as Harm made his way to Mac’s apartment. He’d been trying to talk to her all week but something kept getting in the way. At first he had thought it was just coincidence or circumstance contriving to interrupt them, but, as he thought more about it that morning, he realised it was Mac’s doing.
This had puzzled him all day; he couldn’t fathom why she would put off taking to him. He only wanted to invite her to an out-of-town jazz festival the following weekend. She liked jazz, she liked him, and she liked getaway weekends, so he couldn’t see what the problem was.
Pulling up outside her building, Harm parked the car and made his way up the stairs. Standing outside her door, he could hear music and the sounds of her moving about, so he considered his options. If he knocked and she saw it was him through the peephole, she may not open the door. If he phoned and she saw the caller ID she may not answer.
Deciding he’d take the latter option first, Harm pulled out his cell and called her. It took half a dozen rings before Mac picked up.
“Hi, Harm,” she said standing in the middle of her living room.
“Hey,” he replied, smiling that she actually answered. “Have you got plans for tonight?”
“A quiet night,” she replied. “I’m in desperate need of sleep.”
“Haven’t you been sleeping well?” he asked, with genuine concern.
“Not since I got back from the Ulysses last week,” she replied with a yawn.
“Any particular reason?” he enquired, wondering if her fatigue had something to do with her behaviour this week.
Her momentary pause said ‘yes’ but Mac replied with a considered, “No.”
Figuring he had her distracted, Harm knocked on the door and Mac opened it without checking. The surprise on her face realising it was Harm registered quickly.
“Oh, um...” she said before closing her cell and gesturing for him to enter. “Come on in.” It wasn’t what she wanted but her manners were quicker than her instinct to stay away from him.
Pocketing his cell, Harm stepped in and scanned her apartment. It had been a while since he had been there but nothing looked different. Nothing except for a pile of DVDs by the TV.
“Planning on a movie marathon?” he asked gesturing to the pile.
“Uh, no,” she replied. “Been watching them when I couldn’t sleep.”
“Wanna talk about it?” he asked sitting at the end of the sofa.
“Not really, she said with a shrug before closing the door.
“Did something happen out on the Ulysses?” Harm probed, watching her every move.
“No,” Mac said quickly. “All pretty routine....a bit on the dull side if anything.”
Mac wasn’t lying. It had been a rather mundane, straightforward case, one that would no doubt slip from her memory in the near future. What the issue had been was that the mundane, straightforward case had provided no real stimulation and, without input from a case, her mind was free to wander, especially at night.
And wander it did.
Straight to Harm.
Straight to hot, sultry dreams about Harm.
Night dreams and day dreams.
By the time she had arrived back in DC she was tense and taut and overstimulated all by the man who was currently sitting on her sofa watching her intently.
“So, what is it you’re not telling me?” he asked quietly.
“There’s nothing I’m not telling you,” she said defensively.
“So, is it my imagination that you have been avoiding me or changing topics all week?” he questioned, his voice calm and even.
“Yes,” she said with a quick nod before reconsidering. “Well, maybe not your imagination entirely,” she slowly admitted.
“Have I done something wrong?” he asked, his eyes finally able to lock onto hers. “Because I’ve been wracking my brain and I can’t come up with anything.”
“No,” she said with a slow shake of her head. “It’s not you...it’s me.”
“Come on, Mac, talk to me,” he said with a small smile, hoping to coerce her.
“Ah, no, thanks,” she said hesitantly. “I don’t think that would be wise”
“Why not?” he questioned, standing up and closing the gap between them.
“Because...” was all she could offer.
Harm took another step before reaching out and touching her arm. To his great surprise, Mac flinched before her body stiffened. Usually when it was something other than him causing her anguish or anxiety, she melted into his touch. Her words were definitely not matching her actions.
“It is me,” he stated, not removing his hand or stepping backwards. “Isn’t it?”
“Well, yes, but not how you think,” she said quickly before stepping back and heading to the kitchen.
“Well, tell me how it is then,” he said, following close behind her.
Mac turned to face him, ready to speak but nothing eventuated. Harm took the few moments it provided to really look at her and things began to crystallise. If he hadn’t actually done anything wrong but was still the cause of her sleepless nights and distracted behaviour, could it be something he had done in her dreams? Something to cause the usually squared away marine to be so flustered? So embarrassed?
Taking the chance that his deductions were correct, Harm took a small step forward and Mac took a step backwards, the bench not allowing her to move any further.
“My guess...” he started, his voice low and seductive. “Is that you’ve been dreaming about me...” Mac’s face flushed a bright red and Harm’s suspicions were confirmed.
“No...I haven’t...” she began to protest.
“Oh, I think you have,” he said, a smile now permanently on his face.
Usually Mac loved his smile, but this time the smugness with it was annoying her.
“Harm, I think you should go,” she said, brushing past him.
“I think we should talk,” he said, grabbing her arm and gently pulling her back to him.
“Nothing to say,” she said, not making any attempt to break from his grasp.
“Wouldn’t you like to tell me about those dreams?” he whispered into her ear and Mac couldn’t help her involuntary shudder.
Slowly she shook her head.
“I can tell you about a recent dream I’ve had about you,” he whispered and quickly he had Mac’s full attention. Grinning, he pulled her closer. “The other night, I dreamt you and I were on some tropical beach. We were the only ones there and had taken the opportunity to shed our clothing. The sun was hot and you were straddling me, rubbing sunscreen on my back. Each stroke of your hands caused my desire for you to escalate and by the time you had finished my back I just had to have you. You, on the other hand, decided to play hard to get and as I was trying to turn over, you ran to the water, so I followed. Then with the gentle waves splashing against us we made love in the ocean...it might not sound much but believe me, in the dream it was absolutely incredible.”
“It...um...it sounds good,” Mac said with a nod, her cheeks still flushed.
“Oh, believe me, it was,” he said, his grin widening with the memory. “Your turn.”
Still, Mac shook her head; there were some things she just didn’t want to disclose.
“Please?” he said with a pout.”It will make you feel better...”
“How will it make me feel better?” she countered, his proximity still affecting her senses.
“Well,” he drawled. “It will make me feel better...it will make me realise these feelings aren’t just one-sided.”
Biting down on her lip, Mac considered the future path of this particular conversation. Prior to her trip to the Ulysses, she and Harm had become very close. Closer than they had been in a very long time. There had been looks, glances, far more touching and a very deep sense that this time things were going somewhere. It was also the reason her subsequent dreams were so strong, so vivid, so...so...
“Mac....” His hand was at her face, slowly caressing her cheek.
“In my dream...s... you and I were...happy,” she said slowly and carefully.
“Happy,” he repeated. “Why were we happy?”
“Because we were,” she said her eyes not meeting his.
“In your dreams, did we kiss?” he asked softly and when she nodded, he brushed his lips against her cheek. “Like that?” he whispered.
Mac shook her head before turning her face to him and claiming his lips in a slow and tender kiss. “Like that,” she replied when they had pulled apart.
“I like that,” he said with a grin.
“Me too,” she said with a nod.
“And in your dreams what else did we do?” he probed, his body aching to re-enact anything she had dreamt.
“We danced,” she said and Harm pulled her flush against him, gently moving them to the beat of the music still emanating from the living room.
“Like this?” he questioned, his deep voice reverberating through her body.
“Aha,” she replied, falling into him as his hand moved in small circles on her back.
It took Mac a few moments to remember this wasn’t supposed to be happening. She was supposed to be keeping her distance, keeping her secrets to herself and definitely wasn’t supposed to be so close to Harm she could feel every curve of his body.
“Uh, no,” she said pulling back and dropping her hands. “We shouldn’t be doing this.”
“Why not?” he asked, following her as she fled to the living room.
Stopping in her tracks, Mac considered his question. Why couldn’t they? What was really stopping them? He wanted her. She really wanted him. There was no one else in the picture. Turning around she saw the smile back in place on Harm’s face. God, she loved his smile.
“Why can’t we?” he asked again. When Mac failed to answer, his smile widened. “Come on, Mac,” he prompted, his smile impossibly wide. “You know you want to.”
Realising she had nothing to protest and that the man in front of her was everything she wanted, needed and had dreamt about, Mac capitulated. “I want to,” she said before throwing her arms around him and kissing him deeply once again.
Eventually, needing air, they pulled apart and Mac studied his face. “That’s a nice smile and I’m sure it gets you what you want most of the time.”
“I have used it to my advantage before,” Harm admitted. “But, hand on heart, it never got me what I wanted most of all....until now.” He pulled her close and placed feather light kisses around her face before is lips finally locked with hers.
In the early hours of the following morning, Harm awoke and looked down at the sleeping beauty in his arms. The contented smile on her face, hours after consummating their relationship, was all it took to have him smiling once more. Harm knew that his smile may have gotten him lots of things in life, but by far the most precious thing was the look of happiness on Mac’s face.
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I second that I read it this morning and I just have read it again this afternoon. Thank you Nettie ! -- Laurence, 09:52:05 06/04/12 Mon [1]
Love this story, Nettie, great start to my birthday, the smile is addictive, just ask Mac! Your 11 wks will be over before you know it, then YOU will be all smiles! -- JoyZ or jbz, 08:22:38 06/04/12 Mon [1] 
Loved it. Great wasy to start the week. Hope the next 11 weeks go smoothly. Best of luck. -- marye904, 12:42:17 06/04/12 Mon [1] 
Loved it Nettie can't wait for 11 weeks for your sweet angel to get here. Take care my dear friend -- Beth, 14:19:18 06/04/12 Mon [1]