A/N - Thanks for the warm welcome! I appreciate it. I think I have sleep deprivation, but the baby and mommy are doing well.

Chapter 2

About an hour later, Jason threw the ice pack and his plate into the sink and went to get Liz. Surprisingly enough, she cooperated when he rescued her and then he carried her to the porch before putting her down.

"There's only one bedroom and bathroom."

"Does it have a shower?"

"Yes. Do you want to eat first?"

She nodded and followed him inside before sitting at a small table.

He grabbed her a sandwich from the fridge and put that and some water down in front of her. "It gets chilly here at night. I'm going to go chop some wood."

After he left, she quickly ate and then retreated to the bedroom. It isn't fancy, but there is a large bed and she is happy to find a toothbrush, almost doing a double take and then groaning when she saw her unruly curls in the mirror. "I look like I stuck my hand in a socket. If I'm going to sweet talk him, I need to look way more attractive."

She turned on the water in the shower and then moved back into the bedroom and that is when she caught sight of Jason through the window. "Wow." He had just stripped off his shirt and chucked it onto the ground, revealing the most gorgeous chest she had ever seen which narrowed towards his hips in the most glorious muscular definition. "Get it together, Elizabeth," she muttered. "He is the enemy." She saw him pause and dove to the floor, hitting her elbow. "Son of a -"

Jason felt someone watching him and looked up, but no one was there. He wasn't sure what to think of the young woman. It was hard to get a sense of someone when they are under duress. She is a fighter, that is for sure, but there is just something about her when she didn't know you were observing her that told him all of this bad behavior is survival instinct. Not sure why he cared, he tried to push her out of his mind and continued to split the wood as he pondered the situation. This is all Sonny and Carly's fault. If they could stop pissing each other off for more than five minutes, his boss would be able to keep it in his pants and she wouldn't run off to someone who is probably just as bad as her current choice.

Elizabeth rinsed her hair. There were a few times that she caught Jason looking at her that he had actually seemed human. She wondered what had made him so cold. Was it the job or just the way he is? Why did she care? Sure he is hot, but looks aren't everything. He probably is into women like her blonde bimbo of a sister anyway. They all are. She finished up and dried off and then slipped into a pair of jeans and a blouse. At least she got to wear her own clothes.

When she moved into the room, Jason is standing there in a towel, looking like a Greek god and she did her best to look unaffected.

"It's all yours."

He nodded and moved into the bathroom, hoping she didn't make him chase her again. The keys were hidden, so there was no way she'd know where to look and the area around them was booby trapped. When he finished and returned to the living room, thankfully, she is curled up on the couch reading a book.

"Why do you have so many travel books? Have you been to all of these places?"

"Some."

Her eyes lifted and she noted he had the same color clothes on that he had worn before. The man is the definition of simplicity. She wonders if color is his kryptonite and then imagines him in a Hawaiian shirt and almost laughs aloud. "So, what is it you don't like about talking?" It is another thing he seems to have an aversion to.

He shrugged. "When I have something important to say, I will."

"Okay…"

Not wanting to seem like a jerk, he continues. "I'm a listener, mainly."

"I'm a rambler, usually when I'm nervous."

"Are you nervous now?"

"Surprisingly, no."

He sat on the chair next to her. "What do you paint?"

She smirked. "I know what you're doing?"

"What?"

"You're trying to get me to talk so you don't have too."

His facial expression didn't change, but she could see the slight amusement in his eyes.

"I sketch or paint whatever I want. I let my moods dictate it and if I were to paint tonight, it would probably be of Johnny with lots of his blood."

"I would pay top dollar for it."

"Uh—huh. You guys all stick together."

"We do, but he still drives me crazy."

"What do you like to do besides your repetitive dream of killing Johnny and traveling?"

"I have a motorcycle."

She smiled. "Really? I've never been on one."

"Would you ride?"

"Hell yeah. My father always kept me on a short leash, except for when he decides to kidnap his rival's ex-wife slash possible new wife. And why is this Carly person in such high demand anyway? She seems very high maintenance."

"And you're not?"

"Me?" She made a noise and threw her hand in the air. "Give me some paint and a brush and you won't see me for days. I shop when I absolutely have to and I'd rather make love than argue."

His brow quirked and she shrugged.

"So, do you have a girlfriend?"

"No."

"Did your last one have blonde hair or brown?"

"Brown."

He is confused by her surprised expression.

"My sister is blonde with curves in all the right places. Her goal in life is to find some rich schmuck to marry so she can spend his money and not work."

"Maybe that is what she is good at."

Liz grinned. "Do you always find the upside to everything?"

"No. Do you want to get married?" Her sister sounded like someone he didn't want to know.

Her eyes grew sad and he wondered what that was all about.

"I don't know." She had tried and it ended in disaster.

"Feel free to ramble."

"You're so kind. Why do you want to know about my screwed up life anyway?"

He shrugged. "It passes the time. I'll tell you my pathetic story if you tell me yours." They are both thinking that it's better to know your enemy.

She pondered for a moment and then licked her lips, drawing his attention there. "My mother died when we were younger—car bomb."

"I'm sorry."

"Yeah, me too. My father was pretty messed up and he eventually tried to raise us the best he could. Sarah was wild and because of that, I couldn't do anything. I'm surprised that he let me tie my own shoes."

He rested his feet on the coffee table.

"A few years ago, I was engaged and I caught my fiance with his pants down in my sister's bedroom."

"Ouch."

"Exactly. I kind of lost my temper and let's just say, he's probably still walking funny with a permanent scar."

Jason winced at the memory of her doing it to him, making him almost shudder.

"Sorry about that. I was just doing what my dad always taught me. My ex is lucky though. I was heading back from the kitchen with a knife which dad wrestled from my hands, but I got the last laugh."

"What did you do?"

She smiled slyly. "I cut Sarah's hair off while she slept."

Jason is thankful his hair is already short.

"Don't worry, your spikes are safe with me. I've mellowed out since then."

He gave her a look and she laughed.

"Seriously… The rage lasted almost a year. My paintings were rather dark for a while. My agent called them my man hate series and suggested lots of drugs and psychotherapy, but I got over it."

He shook his head. She is something else. "I'm sorry that they hurt you."

"Me too. I'm not a mean person. I was always the bubbly one who maybe was a little mischievous, but I tried to be compassionate and see the good in people. In the end, I refused to ruin my countenance over the likes of those two. So to really answer your question, yes, someday I want to get married and maybe even pop out a kid, but usually my father is a deal breaker."

"He is a pain in the ass."

She laughed.

"Where is your sister now?"

"Why? Do you want to date her?"

"I don't think she's my type."

Good answer. "Right now, she's in NYC, spending my dad's money on facials, alcohol, and clothes. And she's my half-sister, by the way. My dad had a brief relationship before he met my mom. Okay, it's your turn." She wasn't even opening that can of worms.

"When I started college, I jumped into my brother's car to stop him from driving because he was drunk and he crashed into a tree and I was thrown and hit my head."

"Oh my God. What happened?"

"I was in coma and had brain damage. When I woke up, I didn't remember anything or anyone. It was a nightmare."

"Wow."

"I had to learn everything all over again like saying thank you and how to interact with people. I remembered some of my studies, but not much else."

"Jason, that's horrible."

"It's hard for me to see pictures and maps and I don't process things like most people, nor do I dream. I can't feel temperature unless it's extreme. They said I would never really feel things, only mimic people."

"Well that's a lousy thing to tell someone. They're wrong you know."

"How would you know that?"

"Because there have been a few times when you let down your guard. Your eyes say a lot more than your mouth does."

"Maybe."

"Well, you won."

"I didn't know this was a contest."

"It's not, but it reminds me not to complain because what happened to me might have sucked, but it was nothing near what you experienced. How did your family cope with all of that?"

"They are crazy and ended up pushing me away because I couldn't be him."

"That's sad. Do they accept you now?"

"I tolerate them. It's hard when there is no connection."

"I can't even imagine that situation. You're very brave."

He averted his gaze.

"You are because it takes a strong person to rise above everything you described. And here you are kidnapping poor, defenseless women now."

His eyes snapped to hers and was relieved to see a smile.

"Gotcha."

He smiled and she thought her heart melted on the spot, knowing that he rarely did meant even more to her. He watches her smack herself in the head almost too hard and frowns.

"It has to be Stockholm syndrome," she mutters. "I've turned into freaking Patty Hearst. Next thing you know, I'll be holding up banks for Sonny and driving the get-away car."

"What?"

"Nothing. Did I mention that I sometimes mumble to myself?"

"No." God, she is crazy, but so beautiful.

The next hour, Elizabeth let down her guard and they talked about all sorts of things as he memorized her expressions. Gone was the bratty girl who kneed him in the balls and in her place was a funny, self-depreciating, idealistic dreamer who didn't let life get her down.

"Your mother would be really proud of you." The words had slipped from his lips before he could sensor them and he wanted to take them back the instant she blinked away her tears. "I didn't mean—"

"No, please don't take it back. I think about her every day and hope that she is watching over me and likes my art and the woman I have become."

"I think anyone would be crazy not to see how great you are."

"Do you give everyone compliments?"

"No. I don't talk much, but I don't lie either."

She could tell he is being sincere. "Thank you."

He nodded and then went into the kitchen and started fussing while Elizabeth was left to chew on her lip and wonder how things had shifted between them so fast.

IiIiIiIiIiIiIiIiIiIiI

Carly watched as Lorenzo taught Michael how to fish and prayed that her son didn't actually hook the man because they were too far from a hospital and she hated the sight of blood.

"You sure you don't want to try?"

The look she gave him made her son laugh and Lorenzo chuckled knowingly.

"Where is your sense of adventure?"

"Oh, I'm plenty adventurous, but I don't do slimy."

"Come on, mom!"

"I'm fine right over here."

Michael squealed. "I got one!"

Lorenzo helped him reel it in and unfortunately, Michael spun around and the fish hit his mother right upside her head.

Carly's mouth dropped open and she screamed as she held her hands up in front of her as water dripped down her face.

Michael looked at Lorenzo and said, "Run."

They dropped the fishing line and ran inside with Carly hot on their heels.

IiIiIiIiIiIiIiIiIiIiI

Liz sipped some wine. "You're a lot nicer after a few beers."

"Isn't everyone?"

"No. My Uncle Luis is a mean drunk."

"He's mean when he's not drunk."

"Not to me. He's just—misunderstood."

Jason's face contorted, making her laugh.

"I want to sketch you."

"Does it hurt?"

She cracked up making him smile. He decided that he loves her laugh and the way her face lights up when she's happy.

"Would you let me?"

"I'll think about it."

"Have you ever done nude modeling?"

Jason choked on his beer.

"Come on, you have a great body. People would pay to draw you."

His eyes narrowed. "You pay people to pose nude for you?"

She shrugged. "It's the only way to learn. It's just a body."

"Fine, then I'll draw you nude."

She smirked. "You wish."

"So, you're the only one allowed to do the drawing?"

"Exactly."

"That's kind of hypocritical."

"Maybe, but it is what it is."

He took another swig of his beer wondering why she was suddenly flirtatious. "If I can't draw you nude, then the deals off."

Her eyes narrowed. "Why would you want to see me nude?"

"Because I'm a guy."

She rolled her eyes. "Do you play cards?"

"Yeah."

"Then we'll play strip poker. Whoever ends up nude, poses."

Jason didn't know how he held his expression, but he did. He could care less if she saw him naked, but he had a sneaky suspicion that she is going to back down. Getting up, he made his way over to a desk and pulled out a deck and faced her, not sure what to make of her wicked little grin.

IiIiIiIiIiIiIiIiIiIiI

Carly's face bunched up, making Lorenzo and Michael laugh. "This is disgusting," she said looking at the half-eaten piece of calamari that Michael had dared her to eat. Unbelievably, he liked it. She is convinced it is because he's dousing it in a ridiculous amount of sauce and pissed because she didn't think of it.

"Mom, you have no sense of adventure."

"Oh I have plenty, but I draw the line at slimy things."

Michael told Lorenzo about the time he had put slime in his mom's shoe and she was so disgusted that she fell off the bed trying to get her foot out.

Lorenzo grinned. "Slime is cool."

"Yeah, mom."

Carly grabbed a piece of bread and then sipped on some wine as she listened to them go back and forth. Lo is so handsome and she loves it when he speaks Spanish. The man is so sexy and refined. While she loved Sonny, they were toxic and she was tired of endlessly battling with him. Lorenzo appreciated her fieriness and made her feel respected. Besides, Sonny had never pursued her like this. They had started the worst possible way—betrayal.

"Want to watch a movie?" her son asked.

"Sure."

"It can't be girlie."

Carly rolled her eyes. "Whatever."

They sat on the couch and Michael purposely sat in between them. About an hour later, she followed Lorenzo as he carried him to his room. Once he was all tucked in, they went back upstairs.

"And where am I sleeping?"

"With me."

"That's very presumptuous."

He grabbed her and shoved her against the wall and kissed the hell out of her. When he pulled back, his eyes practically smoldered. "I will never force you to do anything, but I want you, Carly. I'm not going to apologize for it. I didn't kidnap you to talk about the weather." His lips practically kissed her earlobe as he whispered. "I want you everywhere in our room, against the door, wall, in the shower." His hand eased its way up her side. "Tell me you don't want my lips on you and I'll stop. Make me believe that you don't like how I feel when I'm surging inside of you and I'll fly you home right now."

If she bit her lip any harder, she'd be bleeding. Dear Lord, she is already wet. Taking a deep breath, she used all her strength to wiggle away from him.

"If you think a few words and feeling me up is going to get me back into your bed, you're wrong. You need to give me some space so I can make a decision."

His eyes twinkled as he watched her walk the wrong way. "It's the other door."

Her eyes narrowed. "Smart ass."

"But you love my ass and everything else it's attached to."

She almost dove into the hallway to escape him and shut the door behind her. Not even a cold shower will take away the ache between her thighs and the thing that pissed her off the most, is that he knows it.