Mac sat in Mr. Whitfield's living room with Roberts later that afternoon.
She sat on the floor and played with baby AJ while Harriet knitted and Bud
read aloud to them. Baby AJ was happy to play in front of the warm fire
after the long, cold hours of travelling. Truthfully, Mac was almost
content herself. It must have shown on her face because Harriet looked up
from her knitting and was smiling at her.
"What?" Mac asked innocently when she noticed her friend's smile.
Harriet answered, "I can tell, you know."
Mac tried to give her a quizzing look, but knew from Harriet's motherly and knowing tone that she wouldn't be able to fool her. "Is it really that obvious?"
"Only to anyone around you," Bud answered, and Mac blushed.
A few moments later, Harm joined them. He entered the room supported by Mr. Whitfield. His arm was back in its sling, but he still looked formidable and handsome. Mac rose to greet him sternly.
"You should still be in bed, lieutenant," she scolded.
Harm grinned at her, but was prevented in saying anything because Mr. Whitfield spoke, "Miss Mackenzie, I ain't never seen a man heal so quickly as this here soldier."
"He convinced you to bring him down, didn't he?" Mac asked, already knowing the answer. She was right; Mr. Whitfield looked guiltily down at his feet. "Harmon Rabb," she said exasperated. "You ought to know better than to push too hard."
"Come on, Mac," he said playfully, as he sat down in an empty armchair near the fire. "I'm feeling great, and besides, it's dull as tombs up there by myself."
Mac sighed resignedly and sat back down to play with little AJ. Bud and Harriet shared a smile at the exchange, and returned to their activities. Mr. Whitfield looked at the quiet scene in his living room before going back out to work.
Harm shifted in his chair as he watched Mac on the floor with AJ. A deep feeling began to churn in his stomach as he watched her. Her long, wavy hair was tamed into a braided oval at the back of her hear, something he was certain Harriet had done for her. She was actually dressed stylishly; the late Mrs. Whitfield had had good taste. She wore a rich brown wool skirt, a fine white wool shirt, and an open jacket that matched her skirt. Her face was a picture of fulfillment; her eyes were soft as she watch little AJ, and her mouth was formed in a small smile. Something stirred deep in Harm chest, something he'd never felt, and thought he'd never feel.
Sensing his eyes on her, Mac looked up at him. His face was drawn in thoughtful contemplation, and his eyes were deeper than ever. She studied the strong lines of his face, trying to memorize them, knowing that soon she would never see them again. She was shaken from her thoughts when little AJ pulled at her sleeve, and said, "An' Mac, hungee."
She turned her face to his and said, "You're hungry already? You just ate."
The toddler smiled guiltily, and proceeded to pull Mac in the direction of the kitchen. "Oh, all right," she sighed as she rose to her feet, but Harriet was already standing too.
"Come on, you little terror," she said to her small son. Bud had risen as well, and joined his wife in taking AJ into the kitchen for a snack. Mac had a sneaking suspicion that they had been looking for an excuse to leave her along with Harm. When she turned back to look at him, he was on his feet.
Harm crossed the space between them in two long strides. He pulled her firmly too him with his good arm at her back, and, with his hand at the nape of her neck, he bent his head and kissed her soundly. The deep stirring in his chest had plummeted into his stomach as he kissed her, and he knew what it meant.
Mac was surprised by his sudden action, but she leaned into him, supporting him with one hand at his waist and the other cupping his cheek. The room around them disappeared and all she knew, all she wanted to know was Harm. Her pulse raced, and her breath came quickly.
Finally, their hearts pounding against their ribcages, they drew apart, but just enough to look into the other's eyes. Mac looked into the depths of his fathomless eyes, and felt tears fill her own. This was the man, the man she's never known she'd wanted. All her life, she'd been strong and independent, not daring to count on anyone. But now, staring into his eyes, she knew that she would never be that woman again. A single tear fell and rolled gracefully down her cheek.
Harm wiped it away with his thumb and looked at her. So fierce, so brave, so passionate, so vulnerable. This woman was everything a woman could be, and more. With each passing moment, the feeling within him grew more potent. With her in his arms, he knew that everything was right in the world, and the this was his place in it.
"Sarah," he breathed into her hair as he hugged her close to him. He closed his eyes, searching for the words to tell her everything that he felt within him. She seemed to perceive his difficulty because she tilted her face and raised her eyes to his. She smiled and nodded in silent understanding.
From the doorway, Harriet and Bud watched with widening smiles on their faces.
"What?" Mac asked innocently when she noticed her friend's smile.
Harriet answered, "I can tell, you know."
Mac tried to give her a quizzing look, but knew from Harriet's motherly and knowing tone that she wouldn't be able to fool her. "Is it really that obvious?"
"Only to anyone around you," Bud answered, and Mac blushed.
A few moments later, Harm joined them. He entered the room supported by Mr. Whitfield. His arm was back in its sling, but he still looked formidable and handsome. Mac rose to greet him sternly.
"You should still be in bed, lieutenant," she scolded.
Harm grinned at her, but was prevented in saying anything because Mr. Whitfield spoke, "Miss Mackenzie, I ain't never seen a man heal so quickly as this here soldier."
"He convinced you to bring him down, didn't he?" Mac asked, already knowing the answer. She was right; Mr. Whitfield looked guiltily down at his feet. "Harmon Rabb," she said exasperated. "You ought to know better than to push too hard."
"Come on, Mac," he said playfully, as he sat down in an empty armchair near the fire. "I'm feeling great, and besides, it's dull as tombs up there by myself."
Mac sighed resignedly and sat back down to play with little AJ. Bud and Harriet shared a smile at the exchange, and returned to their activities. Mr. Whitfield looked at the quiet scene in his living room before going back out to work.
Harm shifted in his chair as he watched Mac on the floor with AJ. A deep feeling began to churn in his stomach as he watched her. Her long, wavy hair was tamed into a braided oval at the back of her hear, something he was certain Harriet had done for her. She was actually dressed stylishly; the late Mrs. Whitfield had had good taste. She wore a rich brown wool skirt, a fine white wool shirt, and an open jacket that matched her skirt. Her face was a picture of fulfillment; her eyes were soft as she watch little AJ, and her mouth was formed in a small smile. Something stirred deep in Harm chest, something he'd never felt, and thought he'd never feel.
Sensing his eyes on her, Mac looked up at him. His face was drawn in thoughtful contemplation, and his eyes were deeper than ever. She studied the strong lines of his face, trying to memorize them, knowing that soon she would never see them again. She was shaken from her thoughts when little AJ pulled at her sleeve, and said, "An' Mac, hungee."
She turned her face to his and said, "You're hungry already? You just ate."
The toddler smiled guiltily, and proceeded to pull Mac in the direction of the kitchen. "Oh, all right," she sighed as she rose to her feet, but Harriet was already standing too.
"Come on, you little terror," she said to her small son. Bud had risen as well, and joined his wife in taking AJ into the kitchen for a snack. Mac had a sneaking suspicion that they had been looking for an excuse to leave her along with Harm. When she turned back to look at him, he was on his feet.
Harm crossed the space between them in two long strides. He pulled her firmly too him with his good arm at her back, and, with his hand at the nape of her neck, he bent his head and kissed her soundly. The deep stirring in his chest had plummeted into his stomach as he kissed her, and he knew what it meant.
Mac was surprised by his sudden action, but she leaned into him, supporting him with one hand at his waist and the other cupping his cheek. The room around them disappeared and all she knew, all she wanted to know was Harm. Her pulse raced, and her breath came quickly.
Finally, their hearts pounding against their ribcages, they drew apart, but just enough to look into the other's eyes. Mac looked into the depths of his fathomless eyes, and felt tears fill her own. This was the man, the man she's never known she'd wanted. All her life, she'd been strong and independent, not daring to count on anyone. But now, staring into his eyes, she knew that she would never be that woman again. A single tear fell and rolled gracefully down her cheek.
Harm wiped it away with his thumb and looked at her. So fierce, so brave, so passionate, so vulnerable. This woman was everything a woman could be, and more. With each passing moment, the feeling within him grew more potent. With her in his arms, he knew that everything was right in the world, and the this was his place in it.
"Sarah," he breathed into her hair as he hugged her close to him. He closed his eyes, searching for the words to tell her everything that he felt within him. She seemed to perceive his difficulty because she tilted her face and raised her eyes to his. She smiled and nodded in silent understanding.
From the doorway, Harriet and Bud watched with widening smiles on their faces.