Playing With Fire, Part 15
Disclaimers and other info in index.
Running trails
1/21/02--Monday
0615
AJ leaned against his truck, waiting for Mac. 'I've got to control myself,' he thought. 'I will not give in to the urge to take her on the backseat of my truck.' Friday night had been wonderful. Risky, though. They really shouldn't talk to each other on the phone when there was no one else around.
He missed her. He didn't realize how lonely his life had become. Even when he and Sydney stopped seeing each other, he didn't feel as lonely. Maybe because he'd never really felt she was part of his life. A woman... yes. Someone to take out or go to functions with... yes. Someone to share his life with... no.
"Maybe I should get a dog!" he said out loud, seeing her car turn into the lot.
Mac climbed out and faced AJ. They stood there for a moment, grinning like fools. This was the first time they'd been alone since she walked out of the elevator at the hotel. And neither one could do anything but smile.
Mac watched as AJ's eyes caressed her face, lingering on her mouth. She licked her lips, making him draw in his breath.
"Let's run," he said, and moved towards the trails at a jog.
"Thank goodness," Mac said, moving up next to him, keeping pace.
"Thank goodness what?" he asked.
"Thank goodness you moved. I was getting ready to pounce on you. Throw you back into your truck and have my way with you."
"Well... hell... we can always go back." He looked at her lasciviously. "I'm feeling distinctly in the mood to be taken advantage of."
"Run, AJ... it's the only way you're gonna work up a sweat this morning!"
Laughing, they made their way down the paths.
JAG Headquarters
1/25/02--Friday
0900
Mac made her way to her office. She had just come from the showers at the gym. She and AJ had taken to getting ready for work at their respective gyms, instead of at home. They were closer to headquarters, so that meant they could spend more time at the trails. More time together.
"Good morning, Harriet," she said as she saw Harriet walking towards her.
"'Morning, ma'am."
"What's wrong? Is little AJ all right? Is Bud all right?" Mac asked, putting her hand on her arm.
Harriet looked like she hadn't slept all night, and her face was devoid of expression. "No... everyone's fine. Everyone but me."
"Come with me." Mac pulled Harriet into her office. Shutting the door, she pulled the blinds, and sat them down in the chairs in front of her desk.
"Okay... what's going on? And in case you need reminding... it's Sarah now. Not Colonel."
Harriet stared at Mac's desk for a moment. "Have you ever felt completely taken for granted?"
Without waiting for an answer, Harriet went on. "I've been married to Bud for four years. I don't know. Maybe we became parents too soon. Then with his new job duties, my diminished ones, and little Sarah." Harriet sighed, then looked directly at Mac.
"I feel like I'm just part of the furniture. Bud used to be so romantic. So... sexual!" She looked sideways at Mac and gave a very... womanly... smirk. "I know he doesn't look it, Sarah. But Bud is the most imaginative, most erotic lover I'd ever had! The things he knows how to do..." She trailed off. "It'd make this sailor blush... if it didn't make me feel so good."
Mac smiled, thinking of her own sailor. 'Maybe it's a course they make you take in the Navy!' she thought, before asking, "So what's different?"
"I don't know. I just know it's different. We make love in the same positions, in the same places. Maybe there's just no spontaneity anymore. Part of that is little AJ, because he might walk in. So we can't very well have sex on the kitchen table anymore. But I can't remember the last time he was so anxious to get me naked we ended up on the floor by the front door!" Harriet laughed. "One time, he had me against the wall and was already inside me before we realized the door was still half open!"
Mac's eyes widened at her last remarks. 'Go, Bud!'
"But... take last night. I bought this new gown. Very racy. The price tag it was attached to weighed more and provided more coverage. He looked at me, said I might want to keep my robe handy in case little AJ woke up and needed me. I seriously considered bodily harm." Harriet's eyes started flashing at the memory, then she calmed down. "I know he's in the middle of a pretty big case. He's your second chair, and it's important to him to do good. But... I'm getting tired of playing second fiddle to a court case. I spent the night lying awake, wondering what's happened to us," Harriet finished morosely.
"Have you told him this?" Mac said.
"Not like I'm telling you. I don't want to hurt him. I don't want him to think he's not enough, because he is. Or at least the man I married is. This new man who's living in my house is not."
"I think you need to tell him. He can't fix something he doesn't know needs repair. You don't have to be mean or callous. Just tell him what you told me, that you miss the spontaneity, the passion."
Harriet squared her shoulders. "You're right. I know that you are. It just helps hearing someone else say it. Thank you for listening."
"Anytime. And if you need me to do anything, let me know."
Mac watched as Harriet left her office, and hoped she would talk to Bud soon.
Admiral Chegwidden's office
01/28/02
1030
"And then I want you to buy a dog... a big, fluffy poodle. Take it to my personal barber. I'll call ahead and cancel my standing appointment. Have him shave the animal. Then go to the grocery store and get some food coloring so you can dye the dog purple." AJ said all this in his normal voice, but with a puzzled look on his face.
"Aye, sir," Bud replied. He was looking past the Admiral's shoulder, and obviously NOT paying attention.
"Lieutenant Roberts!" he bellowed. Bud's head jerked up and his eyes cleared. "Do you have any idea what I just said?" AJ asked.
"Something about a purple poodle who needs a haircut... sir. I'm sorry, sir. It won't happen again."
AJ looked at Bud. The man was obviously upset. Rising from his desk, he crossed to the door and closed it. Coming back, he sat in the chair next to Bud.
"What's wrong, Bud? Anything you feel like talking about?"
"Permission to speak freely, sir?"
AJ nodded. He truly cared for Bud. Had watched him grow into a sharp, mature, man right before his eyes. He was proud of him. If he could help him in any way he wanted to try.
Bud hesitated, because it was very personal... but... he remembered the dry cleaner's phone message and thought, 'Maybe the Admiral is the right person to talk to after all.'
"It's kind of personal. It's about Harriet...and me. She talked to me over the weekend. About our marriage and our sex life... or lack thereof," he muttered the last, but AJ heard him.
'What have I gotten myself into?' he thought. He considered briefly stopping the conversation, but the sadness on Bud's face stopped him. "And..." he said, prompting Bud to talk again.
"She says that we've fallen into a rut. She feels like I don't want her or need her anymore. She says there's not enough spontaneity, not enough... passion in our sex life anymore. She's not telling me something I don't already know." He paused for a bit. "I just don't know what to do about it."
"Son... do you love her? Do you find her sexually attractive?" AJ asked each question, waiting for Bud to respond before asking the next one.
"Then what in the world is the matter? Is it you? Physically, I mean?"
"No, sir. Things have just fallen into a habit I guess. I used to be pretty good at thinking up stuff that made us... well... you know. Now... it's been months since we've done anything other than routine sex. She said she feels like all I ever want her for is to be a mother to AJ and make sure my uniforms clean and pressed! She wants to feel desired and be romanced!" Bud sounded hurt and a little angry.
AJ seized on one thing he said. "Have you taken her away, even for just a night, since you've had little AJ?" Standing, AJ crossed to the window. "And I mean just the two of you. Trips to visit family... with your family... don't count."
"No. Now that you mention it, we rarely go out without him. That could be a part of the problem," Bud mused.
"Okay... what did you do when you were dating?" At his puzzled look, AJ continued, "Did you eat in fancy restaurants or fast food? Did you make out in public, or was holding hands embarrassing? Did you make love in unusual places, or only in a bed... in the missionary position? Did you follow a sex-by-number system each time, or did you use your imagination?"
Bud thought back. After he got over the initial shyness of making love to someone so beautiful, and finally realized that she loved HIM, every fantasy he'd ever harbored came to mind and he and Harriet had spent many long, wonderful hours pleasuring each other. Remembering, Bud smiled, "I guess I was a little more adventurous than what I am now."
"Then shake it up a little bit!" AJ cut his eyes to Bud. "Do I have YOUR permission to speak freely?"
Bud nodded.
"Get yourself a babysitter. Take Harriet away for the weekend... or at least one night. Take her somewhere romantic. Bring along your imagination, the stuff for a couple of HER wildest fantasies, very little clothing, and enough money to order food in each time you get hungry. Then, Bud..." He waited until he looked up. "Screw her senseless! Make love to her until neither one of you can walk. Don't let her out of bed for any length of time, unless the mood strikes you to try the bathroom or the floor or the balcony off your room! Make her forget she was ever not happy."
Bud's eyes widened at the words coming out of his CO's mouth. 'I wanted his advice, though,' he thought, turning his attention back to what he was saying.
"And don't stop once you get back home. Send her erotic love notes and e-mail. I know it's hard to be spontaneous with a small child... but do it! Have a neighbor you trust keep AJ for a while one afternoon, so when you walk in the door you can attack her in the kitchen, and make love in the hallway... simply because you can't wait to get her to the bedroom. Go out without your son once in a while... stop somewhere on the way home... make love in the backseat of your mini-van! Take her out to lunch and have her be the main course!" He flashed a stern look at Bud. "Don't do anything stupid in the office, son, but do you see where I'm going with this?"
"Yes... sir. I do. Why didn't I think of this stuff?! I used to do stuff like this for us all the time!" he wondered aloud.
"Because real life gets in the way of even the most committed and loving marriages. You didn't see the forest for the trees, Bud. You love your wife, you DESIRE your wife, you want to make her happy. That's all that matters."
"Thank you, sir. I mean really. I can't really talk to my dad about anything, but especially about stuff like this. And I didn't feel comfortable talking to Commander Rabb or anyone else here."
AJ smirked, "But you just talked to me, Bud. And I'd think you'd be more hesitant to talk to a senior officer about personal things like this."
Bud looked at AJ and all his respect and admiration was plain to see. "You care, sir. You care about all of your staff. You were instrumental in keeping Harriet here after we were married, and I don't think I ever told you how much that meant to us. You delivered our son, for goodness' sake! I respect you... and I trust you to keep any confidences secret."
Bud picked up his notes again and looked at AJ, a smile on his face and his eyes not worried any longer. "Now... what exactly did I miss, sir? Did the poodle need the haircut already or was it already done and just need dying?" Bud looked at his case file. "I didn't even know the defendant had a dog!"
AJ laughed and went back behind his desk, and they got on with their meeting.
Running Trails
2/01/02
0615
Mac and AJ were on the walking part of their morning workouts, when Mac brought up a conversation she'd had with Harriet the night before.
"So apparently she and Bud are going to a bed and breakfast for the night, and asked me to stay with little AJ." Mac was really happy. It seemed Harriet's talk was bringing about some changes. "She's so excited. Apparently this is the first time since he's been born, they've gone away together."
"I know. That's what Bud said." AJ was happy too, then he realized what he said... 'oh, hell, did I break a confidence?'
"Bud talked to you about how routine their sex life was?!" Mac was incredulous. She didn't think he'd talk to anyone about things like that!
AJ glanced at Mac. "Did Harriet talk to you?" At her nod, he felt a bit better about his slip. "I talked to him a bit; he asked for some advice."
Mac smirked. "I told you! After hearing about that quilt, the men have been dying to talk to you about YOUR sex life! I'm surprised Harm and Sturgis haven't found reasons to broach that subject!"
They laughed and walked for a bit, before Mac asked, "What did you tell him?"
"I can't tell you the whole conversation. But I'll tell you what it basically boiled down to. Okay?"
She nodded.
"Basically, I told him he needed to screw his wife senseless."
Mac laughed so hard she had to stop walking. AJ backed up to where she'd stopped. "What's so funny? I think it sounds like exactly what they need."
"No... no. It's not that! I'm just surprised Bud didn't drop his teeth when he heard your advice! I'm really surprised he's still looking you in the face." Mac broke into giggles again.
Ignoring her laughter, AJ continued to run. "When are they planning to go?"
"February 23rd. Harriet said everything he tried for the next couple of weeks is booked because of Valentine's Day. They are going out that night, though; Bud said somewhere romantic, but Harriet didn't know where. She said it was a surprise." Mac broke off and ran a couple of steps. Remembering Harriet's comment about how uninhibited Bud really was, she looked at AJ. "So... do they have a sex basic training in the Navy?"
"What?!"
"Harriet told me some... steamy... stuff about Bud. I was just wondering if it was something all Navy men had to go through."
AJ grinned, "No... just us shy, retiring types! Navy has a reputation to keep, after all... girl in every port, and all that! If you're too afraid to look at breast, much less touch them. Well! The whole Navy mystique would just be shot!"
"Navy mystique, my eye! So...what were you? Top of your class?"
"Hell, no! I barely passed it--dead last, if you must know." AJ grinned.
"Dead last! So... look... any of these other men I might know? Any of them still single?" Mac yelped when he tried to grab her and they both finished their run laughing.
Mac's office
02/14/02--Thursday
1000
'This is going to be a long day,' Mac thought, watching another florist delivery go by.
Harriet had arrived, looking rosier than the flowers that graced her desk. She and Bud had made love in the stairwell on the way out of their apartment this morning, and she looked like a woman lost in a sexual haze.
Loren walked in, trailing a bunch of balloons and sporting a beautiful pair of earrings. 'Marc the stockbroker must be working out!' Seeing the two different colored shoes on her feet, Mac grinned. 'Must be working her out too!'
Tiner showed up at her door with an absolutely huge bouquet of flowers. Mac's smile was wide and beautiful, and it took Tiner a moment to remember why he was there. "Here, Colonel. These just arrived for you."
Mac had Tiner place them on her desk and she wondered how she'd ever get them home! The body of the arrangement was pink camellias, and right in the center of it was one large red camellia. Mac opened the card.
Forty-three days since I've touched you.
Forty-two camellias that let you know I long for you.
One camellia lets you know you're still burning in me.
Bending close, she buried her face in the flowers. She didn't hear Harriet come in.
"Are they from HIM?" she asked, gaping at the arrangement.
Mac nodded, but didn't trust herself to speak.
"Are you going to do him today... I mean, see him today?" Harriet blushed at what she said, but Mac laughed.
"There was no plan to see each other today, but right now I wish I could get a hold of him to change that plan!" Mac said.
"Then why don't you?" Harriet asked softly. The longing on Mac's face was evident.
Leaving her to her thoughts, Harriet left, closing the door after her.
Admiral Chegwidden's office
02/14/02--Thursday
1230
"Sir, Colonel Mackenzie to see you," Tiner's voice announced over the intercom.
"Send her in." Looking at the door expectantly, he wondered what she was up to.
"Sir."
"Have a seat, Colonel." He noted she had not shut the door.
"Not necessary, Sir. I know this is short notice, but I was wondering if I could have the rest of the afternoon off." Because Tiner was sitting outside the door, Mac's face and tone gave nothing away.
Raising his eyebrow, AJ looked at her. "Do you mind if I ask what this is about, Colonel?"
Her eyes smiling, Mac said, "I just received word about some friends who need my help, sir. Something's not been handled well for a while, and now the problem is out of control. They liken it to a wildfire, and things could get pretty hot for them. I'd like to help out where I can." Mac was smiling broadly now at the look on AJ's face.
His puzzlement had changed slightly. He still had no idea what she was talking about, but the look in her eye told him the 'friends' in question were them. And that she had something up her sleeve.
"I thought you had a full afternoon, Colonel."
"I've cleared my calendar for the remainder of today. What couldn't be pushed to tomorrow has already been handled."
AJ studied her for a moment. "Fine... permission granted."
"Sir, here is the Guth file you requested," Mac said, handing him the manila folder.
AJ knew he'd not requested anything of her, but took the folder anyway.
"Thank you, Colonel. Dismissed." AJ felt himself stir as Mac winked at him and turned to leave the office. 'Watching that woman walk should be made an illegal activity,' he thought, watching her hips sway slightly.
Once the door was closed, he opened the file. Inside was an envelope. On the front, it read "AJ's Treasure Hunt." Opening it, he pulled out her note.
43 days is 42 days too long.
Come find me.
You'll get driving directions from the car rental agency.
Wear clothing and shoes comfortable enough for walking.
AJ grinned, and looked at the rest of the envelope's contents. There was a plane ticket out Dulles going to Norfolk for 5:30 this afternoon, and a confirmation number for a rental car.
He crossed to the window just in time to see her pull out of the parking lot. Smiling, he sat back down at his desk. He wanted to finish on time today, if not a bit early. He had to get home and change before his plane took off tonight.
'And I thought this was going to be a long, miserable day!' he thought, turning his attention to the papers in front of him.
