A Kiss Is Just A Kiss

March 3, 2003

Disclaimer: These characters belong to DPB and Paramount….

Author Notes: As usual my stories don't have much plot. They usually arise out of some emotion I want to see the two of them explore and in this case it was pretty much all about desire--More specifically the magic that can be found in a kiss. This story stands independent of my other stories-I don't try to follow where I left off-so if you read Nothing Stays the Same this is not a sequel. Thanks for reading and any feedback is appreciated at manetjt@aol.com

She couldn't stop thinking about his mouth.

She closed her eyes and imagined his lips just inches from hers. A trembling hesitation--a desire drenched pause. That agonizing moment before he'd kissed her.

Last night, right before he'd gone home, Harm had kissed her.

"Good night, Mac," he'd said, pulling her close.

It had been soft, and gentle, and sweet, and entirely too short, and it claimed her heart in an unexpected way. His mouth hinted at pledges, and his eyes were shining with promises and before she could recover he'd been gone, leaving her breathless and alone.

Mac had spent the night caught somewhere between sleep and dreams that were full of whispered words, longed for embraces and Harm. The weeks they'd spent working together in Afghanistan had only reaffirmed the bond they shared. Their need for each other had always been real even in those times when it was undefined and unmeasured. They had been on the verge of coming to terms with that need when Bud had been injured. All of their attention had shifted to his recovery, but now Bud was going to be okay and they were back where they started, face-to-face, yet still apart.

She'd started the next day feeling achy and out of sorts, and it had less to do with her restless night in bed and more to do with the man who hadn't been in it with her. By the time she stumbled into the break room desperate for coffee, a cheerful Harmon Rabb leaning against the counter was the last thing, or maybe the only thing, she wanted to see.

"Morning, Mac." He greeted her like it was an ordinary day.

"Hi, Harm." She felt unaccountably shy as she scooted past him to grab her mug.

"I've been waiting for you to get here," he scolded her teasingly. "We need to talk about finishing the Cochran case."

"That shouldn't take long," Mac answered finally turning to look at him. "We went over most of it last night."

He leaned toward her slightly and in a soft bedroom voice said, "There were a few things we didn't finish."

Caught in his spell she licked her lips and asked, "Do you think we should work on it again tonight?"

He moved a little closer. "I thought you'd never ask."

The gaze they shared was completely inappropriate.

"Don't you two look cozy?"

Mac jumped and sloshed coffee everywhere.

"Sturgis!" Harm grabbed some paper towels and started wiping the coffee off Mac's hands. "You shouldn't sneak up on people."

"A marching band could have snuck up on you two just now." Sturgis tried to get to the coffee machine but Harm blocked his way.

"Go away, Sturgis." Harm crossed his arms over his chest.

"But, just let me--" Sturgis made a half-hearted attempt to get past him.

"Go away," Harm repeated more adamantly.

"Okay, okay. I can take a hint. Do you want me to hang out a 'Do Not Disturb' sign?" Sturgis was smirking as he turned to go.

"You do that, buddy." Harm put an arm around his shoulder and hurried him to the door.

Turning back to Mac he asked, "Now where were we?"

Mac was still wiping coffee off her skirt but stopped long enough to look up at Harm with a grin. "You can't just throw people out of the break room, Harm."

"I just did," he declared without remorse. He grabbed her hand and looked at it. "Did you burn yourself?"

"No, I'm fine." But she didn't try to pull her hand away from him.

"About tonight," he said. "Your place again? I'll pick up some food, okay?"

"Okay," she'd said, feeling quite certain that she had just agreed to more than a review of the Cochran case.

Getting through the day had been a chore. All she could think about was that kiss from the night before and everything it implied.

She watched him as he walked around the bullpen, openly staring at him like some groupie. She felt sluggish one minute and giddy the next. There was no getting around it--she was lovesick.

Loving Harm was nothing new, but she had learned to tuck those emotions away out of sight. Now one tiny kiss had made her feel raw and exposed. There had been other kisses in the past, but they had always been steeped in complications and ambiguity. Something or someone had always made it possible to ignore the desire that smoldered between them. Those obstacles were gone now, and last night's kiss had been devastating in its simplicity. It had been a declaration of his intent. The dance was over, and the chase was on.

So now they had eaten dinner, and she sat on her couch trying to concentrate on the case they were dutifully reviewing. Harm sat next to her reading something from the report in his hand. She watched him mesmerized, the meaning of his words lost to her. She hadn't pretended to be interested in the case. From the moment she opened her door to find him standing there in a loose black shirt and tight blue jeans it had been pointless to even try.

He'd come in with his briefcase in one hand and a grocery bag in the other. "Hey, Mac," he said as he looked her up and down. "Are you hungry?" He grinned wolfishly, intentionally teasing her with his double meaning.

"I'm starving, Harm." She grabbed for the bag, but he swatted her hand away.

"Not so fast. I'm going to cook," he said proudly. He put his briefcase down and headed toward the kitchen. "Someone needs to make you eat something besides take out and junk food."

Following him, she tried to see into the bag again. "Oh really. And do you think you're man enough to do it?"

"I think I'm just the man to do it," he said as he set the bag down then trapped her between his arms and the counter.

"We'll see about that," she said with a challenging grin.

His only answer was that very nice knowing smile that would have had a lesser woman launching herself into his arms, but she'd had years of practice resisting this man's charms. She was made of sterner stuff.

Pushing herself away from the counter, she deliberately let her body brush against his. "It looks like you're all talk and no action, mister." She watched with satisfaction as his eyes darkened with desire. "The pots and pans are in the cabinet by the stove so get busy and feed me."

He laughed as she moved away and began getting out plates and silverware. "Yes, ma'am."

Her knees felt a little wobbly as she got two glasses off the shelf. He was such a flirt, and she had long ago learned to take it in stride. But this was different. Harm wasn't just flirting. He was trying to seduce her. The very thought made her breathless.

They had eaten dinner sitting side by side on the couch. She had been aware of every inch that separated her body from his as she oohed and aahed over his clam linguini. He had been inordinately pleased that she liked the food. He had beamed like a proud papa when she asked for seconds then watched as she ate every bite. Finally, when she was finished he leaned over and took her empty plate from her hand and set it on the coffee table in front of them.

"You know what we have to do now, Mac?" he asked with a gleam in his eye.

"No." She had a few ideas.

"We have to review the Cochran case."

Well, that hadn't been one of them, but she made a quick recovery. "Good idea, Harm."

He grabbed his brief case and pulled out the file. It was fortunate that they had done most of the work on this case the night before because Mac was completely useless. She couldn't decide if it was Harm's overly developed sense of honor that made him feel the need to go over the case since that had been his excuse for coming over tonight--or if it was because he knew exactly what he was doing to her by making her wait. They both knew where this night was heading, and the anticipation was killing her.

"Well, Mac, I think that wraps it up, don't you?" Harm glanced up from the file only to find her staring at him.

"I think so, Harm," she said looking away quickly.

Gathering up the plates from their dinner and carrying them into the kitchen, she allowed herself a moment to compose herself. Things would be different after tonight. Of that she was certain. For better or worse, what they were to each other would never be the same. Once again they found themselves about to cross that proverbial bridge and for the first time they seemed to be ready to cross it together. She took a deep breath and walked back out to face her future.

When she returned he was putting the files away.

"Are you leaving?" she asked as she sat back down beside him on the sofa.

"Why? Are you trying to get rid of me?" He asked with a smile.

"Yes," she said then at his surprised expression continued teasingly, "No. I mean I'm just trying to get to the part where you say goodnight."

His smile got wider as he leaned closer. His eyes searched hers as he asked softly, "So, you don't want me to leave, but you want me to say goodnight?"

She could easily lose herself in his smile and find herself in his eyes.

"Uh huh," she murmured as his mouth descended onto hers.

After the barest hint of contact he pulled back and whispered, "Good night, Mac."

"It is now," she sighed.

The kiss that followed was neither gentle nor sweet. While last night's kiss had wooed her with its promise of devotion, this kiss offered nothing safe and everything dangerous. Kissing him felt like a sin. He kissed her with such ferocity, such hunger that her answer was simple surrender.

He leaned back against the cushions, dragging her with him-- arranging her for his pleasure. His fingers burrowed through her hair, holding her still for his assault. Each time his lips settled on hers another long-standing barrier fell. Ancient borders were renegotiated as he wrapped her in his arms.

She was into uncharted territory as she fumbled with the buttons on his shirt. The need to touch him tore at her as she ran her fingers across his bare chest. Passion robbed her of clear thought as she opened herself up to this man who had been everything to her except a lover.

Reaching the limits of her control she whispered his name. "Harm, I want--"

He grew still at the sound of his name on her lips. With his eyes closed he asked with heartbreaking need, "What do you want, Mac?"

She answered plainly, "I want you, Harm."

He opened his eyes and whispered fiercely, "You have me forever, Mac."

Then he paused with his mouth just inches from hers. A trembling hesitation--a desire drenched pause. That agonizing moment before he kissed her--that unforgettable moment where love and desire mingle, and two become one.

The End