| Subject: Worth the Wait- Ch. 12 |
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Grandma JAG
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Date Posted: 23:28:12 10/26/02 Sat
In reply to:
Grandma JAG
's message, "Worth the Wait" on 22:59:22 10/26/02 Sat
Chapter 12
21 April 2002
2200 hours
The reception was just a blur. The receiving line, with all the well-wishers, the hugs and kisses, the congratulations, the endless comments of how beautiful the wedding was, and on and on and on. Mac felt that she had never smiled so much--she now had that same smile permanently etched into her face. The sentimental toast given by Sturgis, the fabulous food that the “O” club had furnished, the tears in her mother’s eyes as she shared a dance with her Uncle Matt. Oh yes, and the first dance with Harm as her husband. Mac would never forget the comments she overheard as she and Harm danced to “Grow Old Along With Me” by Mary Chapin Carpenter. Everyone was commenting on what a perfect couple they were, but as they danced past Lt. Singer, Mac heard someone lean over to Singer and say, “I heard that they haven’t even slept together yet. That they decided to wait until their wedding night.”
“Why am I not surprised?” smirked Singer. “What do you expect when you have Dudley Doright marrying Snow White?” Yes, Mac, you may have your Prince Charming, Singer thought to herself, but can he always protect you?
They had the best time dancing and visiting with friends they hadn’t seen for awhile. Then Harm had grabbed a guitar from one of the band members and serenaded her with “Have I Told You Lately That I Love You?”, much to everyone’s delight, especially Mac’s. The traditional cutting of the cake had been subdued--both Harm and Mac felt they were too “mature” to do the smashing in the face thing. And as much as they both wanted to get their honeymoon started, they were having such a great time that they almost didn’t want to do the final tossing of the bouquet and garter. Chloe caught the bouquet, but Mac wouldn’t let her keep it until she promised that she wouldn’t even think about marriage for at least 10 more years. Sturgis caught the garter, and seemed rather pleased about it, much to Bobbi Latham’s delight. And so, dodging rice and birdseed, Harm and Mac had raced to Harm’s corvette, which Tiner and friends had appropriately decorated, much to Harm’s chagrin.
“It’ll all wash off, Commander, I promise,” Tiner had reassured him.
“That’s not what I’m worried about,” Harm had answered. “It’s driving around town like this. I have a reputation here in Annapolis, you know.”
“Ah, yes, and it’s time that everyone knows that you’re now a married man,” Mac had said, laughing at Harm’s expression. “Hard to believe, isn’t it, flyboy?”
Harm had squeezed her hand as he leaned over and whispered, “Let’s get out of here.”
And so here they were, driving to who-knows-where, each with his or her own thoughts as they savored the past 24 hours.
Mac looked over at Harm, who was deep in thought about something. She reached for his hand as she said, “You know, you still haven’t told me where we’re going on our honeymoon.”
Harm looked over at her and smiled his mischievous grin. “It’s on a ‘need to know’ basis. You packed everything on that list I gave you, didn’t you?”
“Yes, and then some,” replied Mac.
“Well, then, there’s nothing to be concerned about. Tonight we’re staying at the Marriott in Baltimore, and then tomorrow........... well, I’ll just let you know that in the morning.” Harm loved surprising Mac when he had the chance.
They pulled into the parking lot of the Marriott and got out as the parking attendants rushed to open the door for Mac and get their luggage. Harm loved signing “Mr. and Mrs. Harmon Rabb, Jr.” at the registry desk. Arm in arm, they walked to their room. As the bell hop opened their door, Mac gave out a surprised whoop as Harm picked her up to carry her across the threshold. As he tipped the bell hop, Mac walked over to the window to see the beautiful view of the bay. Harm shut the door and walked over to her. Wrapping his arms around her waist, he buried his face in her hair, never tiring of the scent of her shampoo and perfume.
“Well, Mrs. Rabb, what do you think?” he asked.
“Oh, it’ll do, I guess,” Mac teased. “I was expecting the bridal suite, however.”
“Hey, we’re only here one night. We’ll have a suite during the rest of the week,” Harm hinted. “All we need tonight is a king-sized bed.”
Mac glanced over at the bed and suddenly felt very shy. But this is what she had been waiting for, wasn’t it? After denying each other for so long, she had almost forgotten what to do next. “So......... I guess I’ll go get into something more comfortable,” she said teasingly.
Harm pulled her close to him and gave her a long, luscious kiss and whispered in her ear, “Don’t take too long.”
Mac went to her suitcase and got out the negligee that she had planned for this first night. Retreating to the bathroom with her overnight case, Harm stood there and smiled at her sudden shyness. He could hardly believe that they were finally going to be together after all this time. He hoped that they hadn’t built this night up in their minds so much that they would be disappointed. Nah, never happen, he thought, they loved each other too much to let anything spoil it. He busied himself with turning down the bed, lighting candles he had brought, and getting undressed himself. Clad only in silk boxers, he sat on the edge of the bed, wondering where he should be when she came out. Should he climb into the bed? Or stand by the bathroom door? While he was the contemplating where he should be, the bathroom door slowly opened.
Harm’s mouth dropped open as Mac walked toward him, wearing a floor-length white gown that shaped her curves like frosting on a cake. Held up by two thin spaghetti straps, the gown floated around her legs as she walked. He walked toward her and took her in his arms, as they pressed their bodies together in a passionate embrace. Harm kissed her along her neck, sending chills down her spine. Taking the two straps, he moved them off her shoulders and let the gown drop to the floor, revealing the most beautiful body he had ever seen. Pressing against his firm chest, Mac let her hands slide toward the waistband of his boxers.
In a husky voice, she said, “Mind if I strip it down?”
“Just as long as you mean me this time, and not my gun,” Harm responded, barely able to contain himself.
They fell onto the bed together, as their bodies melded together like they were meant to be. All the anticipation gone, they were free to fully express their love for each other.
As they lay in the afterglow of their lovemaking, her head on Harm’s shoulder, Mac sighed, “Well, what do you think, sailor? Was it worth the wait?”
Harm kissed the top of her head as he replied, “Definitely worth the wait. You know, when you first said that you wanted us to wait, I was skeptical. It seemed only natural to want you in every way possible. We’d each had other relationships, so sex wasn’t a new thing. But that’s exactly what it was with the others-- just physical sex. Tonight, with you, after the promises we made to each other-- that was lovemaking, pure and simple, and the way God designed it to be. An extension of our love for each other, to be shared by no one else.”
“Mmm--- I love you, Harm.” Mac nestled deeper into her husband’s arms. “But I’m exhausted!”
“It’s been a busy day, ninja-girl. And tomorrow will be even busier!” Harm held her tight. Now that he had her, he didn’t want to let her go.
“Sweet dreams, my love,” Mac said, as she turned to give him one last kiss good night. And they fell asleep, content, in each other’s arms.
22 April 2002
Baltimore Marriott
0800 hours
Mac awakened to find herself still in Harm’s arms. She didn’t think either of them had moved all night. She couldn’t remember when she had felt so refreshed after a night’s sleep. She turned to look at Harm, only to find him wide awake, staring down at her.
“How long have you been awake?” she asked sleepily.
“Oh, about 20 minutes. I’ve just been lying here watching you sleep so peacefully,” Harm smiled at his bride. “You know something? Even your morning breath is sweet!”
Mac playfully elbowed him in the side. “I can’t say the same about yours.”
“Think how much worse it would be if I still smoked cigars,” Harm retorted.
“True, very true. Now, I think I’ll go soak in a nice, hot bubble bath,” Mac said, rolling over to wrap her arms around his neck.
“Want some company?” Harm asked, to which Mac started giggling hysterically. “What’s so funny?”
“Just the thought of your six foot four inch frame trying to fold itself into a bathtub with me conjures up all sorts of pictures in my mind,” Mac laughed.
“Yeah, I guess you’re right. Maybe I should stick to showers,” Harm said, disappointedly.
“On second thought, maybe I’ll take a shower, too. There’s this one spot on my back that I can never reach. Can you help me out?” Mac teased.
“The Navy is at your service, Marine,” Harm replied.
After their shower, which took longer than usual because, well, um, you know........ Mac put on the sun dress that Harm had picked out for her to wear to wherever it was they were going today. They ate a leisurely breakfast on the balcony, watching the sea gulls fighting over the crumbs that had been left behind.
After checking out, they drove along the water, silently watching as each wave pounded the beach, matching the pounding they felt in their hearts as they looked at each other.
“I never get tired of the ocean,” Mac said, dreamily, as they pulled into a huge parking lot next to a cruise ship.
“I’m very glad to hear you say that,” Harm said, smiling, “because we are about to spend the next week on that ship, sailing around the Caribbean.”
Mac couldn’t help but laugh at the irony. “We spend most of our careers on ships, and now we’re spending our honeymoon on one?” Harm looked hurt. “Oh, I’m just teasing, Harm. This is unlike any ship we’ve ever been on, and we’ll be treated unlike any way we’ve ever experienced on a naval vessel! And the Caribbean----- that’s one place we haven’t been! I love it!”
Harm relaxed as he saw how pleased she was. “At least we know we won’t get seasick! Come on, let’s get our gear and get aboard.”
As they got settled in their cabin ---- and yes, it was a suite! ----- Mac unpacked the different negligees she had brought.
“How many of those did you bring?” queried Harm.
“One for each night of our honeymoon. And each night’s selection uses less material than the one before,” Mac said, giving him a sexy look.
“That makes me actually look forward to our last night!” Harm joked. “How about modeling one for me right now?”
“Hey, we haven’t even left port yet,” Mac laughed. “Come on, I’ve always wanted to be one of those people who wave good-bye when the ship sets sail.” Mac grabbed Harm’s hand and pulled him toward the door.
“But we don’t even know anybody to wave to!” Harm cried in mock protest.
“We can pretend, can’t we?” Mac said, enthusiastically.
Later, after the ship set sail, they walked hand-in-hand around the luxurious ship, checking out all the amenities. They found the workout rooms, the six pools, the many shops and casinos, and the dining area. They saw that they were to sit at the captain’s table for dinner that evening. Their itinerary included Key West, Cozumel, Belize, CocoCay, and Nassau, before returning to Baltimore. They would dock at each city overnight, with lots of time to sight-see and shop. Mac was anxious to see the pyramids at Cozumel, and of course, Harm wanted to do some sailing in Nassau, where they would spend two days. It looked to be the perfect trip.
Changing into their jogging clothes, they decided to go for a jog before getting ready for dinner. Jogging alongside her husband with the sea air blowing in her face, Mac could not imagine anything more perfect. She had the man she had dreamed about, all her needs met, the career of her dreams, what more could she ask for?
Later that evening while they were dressing for dinner, Mac asked Harm, “What made you decide on this trip for our honeymoon?”
“I don’t know, exactly,” Harm answered. “I knew we both loved the ocean, and I thought it would be fun to be pampered on a ship for a change. And neither of us had ever been to the Caribbean, so I thought, why not? You like?”
“I like. It’s perfect, just like you. How do I look?” Mac twirled around in her low cut black and gold evening gown, with a slit up one side.
“Perfect,” Harm said, as he pulled her close. “Now help me with this tie. I’m not used to wearing civilian clothes.”
“It’s kind of nice to be out of uniform, isn’t it?” Mac tied his tie and stepped back to nod her approval. Arm in arm, they walked out the door and up to the dining area.
The captain rose to greet them as they approached his table. “Commander and Mrs. Rabb, welcome,” the captain said, formally.
“Please, sir, call me Harm. And this is my wife, Mac--um, Sarah. Thank you for inviting us to your table.”
“Well, any friend of Admiral Chegwidden is a friend of mine,” the captain replied. “And call me Jim.”
“You know the Admiral?” Mac looked surprised. It seems like everyone knows the Admiral.
“Why do you look so surprised?” teased the captain. “Yes, I was actually a Navy SEAL before I retired and took this job, much to A.J.’s chagrin. But I enjoy it. It keeps me on the ocean which I love, I get great food, and I get to visit with all kinds of people, like you folks.”
The captain continued to talk about his Navy days as course after course was brought to the table. Mac had never seen so much food, and was enjoying every minute of it. She was going to have to jog double-time tomorrow to make up for this, she thought.
Later as she and Harm walked along the deck, gazing at the full moon, Harm asked, “Have you ever thought about what you and I will do when we retire?”
“That’s a long way away still, sailor. You still have many more tomcats to fly and many more trials to try. Hey, I could write a song, what do ya think?” Mac smiled.
Harm smiled at her attempt to rhyme. “Don’t quit your day job. Seriously, the Navy has been my whole life, I can’t imagine what it would be like to be a civilian.”
“The nice thing about the Navy is that it has trained you so well so that you have so many options,” Mac said. “I feel the same way about the Marines, but I think my career will be much shorter now.”
Puzzled, Harm looked at her. “Why?”
“Well, I’m not getting any younger, and my biological clock is ticking, you know,” Mac teased.
“You mean, starting a family? Already?” Harm didn’t know how to react.
“We’ve talked about it, although we haven’t said when, exactly,” Mac continued. “But when the time does come, I think I want to be a stay-at-home mom, and then maybe start my own law practice out of our home.”
“You’ve really been thinking about this, haven’t you?” Harm looked at his new wife with wonder. “You are incredible, you know that? You have always known exactly what you want, and you’ve gone after it!”
“Well, not always. And I didn’t always make wise choices. But I know what I want right now,” Mac said, as she pulled him close to her.
“What’s that?” Harm smiled, as if he didn’t know.
“Let’s pretend like we’re starting our family tonight. Besides, I have a modeling job for you, remember?” Mac ran her fingers along the back of his neck.
“I think we better get to our cabin in a hurry!” Harm exclaimed, as he practically carried her down the stairs to their deck.
25 April 2002
Off the coast of Belize
0700 hours
Harm awoke dreamily and reached over for Mac. Not feeling her there beside him, he sat up, suddenly awake. There, pinned to her pillow, was a note.
“You were sleeping like a baby and I didn’t want to wake you. I went out for an early morning jog. Be back by breakfast at 0730.”
Relieved, Harm lay back down on his pillow. These last few days had been unbelievable! Snorkeling at Key West, hiking up the pyramids at Cozumel, shopping in Belize, every day was another adventure. Every night was another treat with Mac modeling another of her negligees, to which Harm teasingly told her, “I don’t know why you spent all that money on something that only stays on you for two minutes!”
Their lovemaking was incredible, each time more intense than the time before. They truly had become like one, and they knew what each other was thinking even without speaking. The strong bond they had was growing even stronger, and Harm knew that nothing would ever come between them.
All of a sudden, the ship rocked with what sounded like an explosion.
“What was that?” cried Harm, as he jumped up out of bed. Grabbing a pair of pants, Harm ran into the hallway. “Mac!” he yelled. People starting opening doors, looking questioningly at this man running down the hall.
“What was that?” asked one elderly man, his frightened wife standing behind him.
“I don’t know, but I’m going to try and find out,” responded Harm, trying to stay calm. “Have you seen my wife?” Shaking their heads, the elderly couple retreated to their cabin.
Running up the stairs to the upper deck, Harm was greeted by one of the ship’s stewards. “Sir, I’m going to have to ask you to return to your cabin until we assess the situation. The captain has ordered everyone to remain on the deck where they are.”
“But my wife is out jogging. I have to find her,” Harm cried.
“I’m sure she is in a safe place, sir. Now please return to your cabin and I will get word to you when I find out where she is.” The steward led Harm back to his cabin.
Not content to just sit there, Harm paced back and forth, trying to figure out a way to get to Mac. Suddenly, it was like he could hear her voice. “I’m okay, Harm, just relax and do what they say.” He sat down on the edge of the bed and started to pray.
As he listened for Mac’s voice in his head, he was suddenly aware that his feet were wet. Looking up, he saw water coming under the door! At that moment, the ship’s alarms went off.
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