Chapter 13

Emily left not long after and Elizabeth went to bed early knowing she needed to get up with Michael the next morning. Jason was left on his own downstairs to brood over a beer, an unwatchable television program and his state of sexual frustration. He finished his beer and headed upstairs for a long cold shower. However, fantasies of a naked Elizabeth stepping in behind him ruined the effect of the ice cold, needle like spray over his body. Only when his teeth began to chatter and his skin became numb and still his lower region throbbed with need, did he finally admit that the cold shower was going to do nothing for him. He went to bed annoyed and frustrated and was never so happy to see the sun rise.

He was more than usually quiet and watchful over breakfast the following morning. Elizabeth had been her usual happy vibrant self, looking fresh faced and rested. He'd noticed her subtle change towards him lately. She wasn't as open as she used to be, he felt as though she was holding some of herself back from him. So that getting to know her, the real Elizabeth, had kind of ground to a halt. Last night though had been different, she'd actually flirted with him, and despite his resolve to keep things strictly friendly, he'd enjoyed it. To some extent he realized now that he'd invited her flirting, by flirting with her first. But she was obviously oblivious to his games the previous night and Jason couldn't help but resent her sense of calm when he was still worked up. Fed up with himself he ate quickly and headed to the warehouse before Elizabeth left for the hospital.

Later that day he wondered if his day could get any worse. He'd just received a message from the harbor master that a shipment, which was already over due, would be delayed again. It would mean all hands on deck to unload it and get the coffee in to the warehouse. It would also probably mean he'd miss dinner with Elizabeth and Michael's bath and bed ritual for the first time in weeks. He wasn't happy and unable to get a hold of Sonny by phone, he decided to take the short walk to Sonny's office to tell him in person about the shipment and discuss how they could stop delays such as these occurring again. He opened his door just in time to hear Johnny O'Brien crack a joke about Elizabeth and chocolate brownies. He wasn't even sure what he said but Jason saw red at Johnny mentioning her name and threw him against a wall and threatened to shoot him. It took three men and Sonny screaming in Jason's face to calm him down. Now Sonny was pissed with him and so was Johnny. Jason glared at Johnny.

"DON'T EVER MAKE CRACKS ABOUT ELIZABETH LIKE THAT AGAIN" Jason roared.

"Jesus Johnny do you have a death wish?" Sonny ground out.

"NO and I didn't make a crack about Elizabeth" Johnny denied anger rippling off him in waves.

Jason made a move towards him again and Max stopped him "He DIDN'T. It's close to lunch time we were all talking crap about food and Johnny said you can't beat Elizabeth's brownies. There was nothing bad or crude said, I swear boss, Jason, we wouldn't about Elizabeth" Jason glared at Max and then saw the truth of it in his eyes. He really hadn't heard what Johnny had said, but just Elizabeth's name was enough to send him over the edge.

Jason deflated in seconds and shook his head "Sorry sorry" he muttered and stalked back to his office slamming the door with Johnny's accusation "You have a serious problem Morgan" ringing in his ears.

Sonny pointed at Johnny "Don't make it worse. The guy is only just hanging in there. He's a new father, he's just finding his way."

"Yeah Yeah" Johnny muttered, embarrassed over the whole incident "I'm going to Kelly's to eat" and stalked off.

Sonny walked to Jason's door in time to hear a crash, and didn't bother knocking just walked in.

"You need to take a breath and calm down. Where is that legendary cool of yours?" Sonny demanded. "What? No one is even allowed to mention her name now? What has she done to make you so mad?"

"I'm not mad" Jason mumbled.

Sonny looked around the room, Jason had smashed a bottle of whiskey against the wall.

"Did the whiskey piss you off too?" Sonny asked.

"You aren't funny" Jason shot back.

"I'm not trying to be. Why did you smash a perfectly good bottle of 15year old whiskey?" Sonny asked again.

"I didn't mean to smash it, I was trying to open it" Jason replied flopping down to sit at his desk. His head in his hands.

"God!" Sonny gasped "You are a mess. What are we going to do with you?"

"Nothing Sonny. I'm not going to do any thing about her"

"About her? Do you hear yourself? I said what are we going to do about YOU not Elizabeth" Sonny repeated.

Jason shook his head, trying to convey he didn't want to discuss Elizabeth or himself.

"Hey man you can't do any better than Elizabeth"

"You've told me that before Sonny"

"Yeah but I don't think you were listening"

"Sonny I KNOW how great she is, I know it all. But the fact remains she could do a hell of a lot better than me"

"Bullshit Jason!" Sonny shot back "And don't you think you should let her make her own mind up about that?"

Jason just glared at Sonny and looked away "I'm going to miss Michael's bath time and dinner with Elizabeth because of this late shipment" Jason admitted.

"and you don't like that?" Sonny nodded.

"No NO NO I don't like that. I need it, it's the only time I can get close to anything like a family" Jason confessed.

"I'm sorry man." Sonny offered "You know you are going to have to come clean with Johnny?"

"Yeah I know" Jason replied.

"Maybe we need to hire a new ships captain. Rotate our crews a bit better" Sonny thought out loud.

"Yeah" Jason agreed.

Sonny shook his head knowing he would get nothing out of his brooding enforcer. He exited the room quietly and left Jason to brood by himself.

Jason kicked the penthouse door shut as he shrugged out of his leather jacket. He hung it over the chair at his desk and headed up stairs. He had pulled more men in and worked them and himself ragged to try and be home in time for Michael and Elizabeth. He'd missed dinner, but he hoped to make it in time for at least part of Michael's bath time. He stopped at his bedroom door and kicked off his boots as the sounds of Elizabeth squealing and Michael's giggles reached him. He smiled and headed for the bathroom.

His smile broadened at the state of the bathroom. Water trickled down the walls and the mirror. Everywhere he looked there was water. Jason's gaze shifted to Elizabeth who was kneeling beside the bath tub. She wore cut off denim shorts and a short tank top that was obviously soaked through. Her hair, which she had piled high on her hair, had collected droplets of water and some ringlets clung to her neck as they'd come out of her make shift hair do. Her arms were immersed in the water holding the slippery squirming body of Michael Morgan in a sitting position, while his little arms flailed water in to the air and his legs kicked the water in to waves.

Jason stepped in to the bathroom and immediately felt water soak through his socks. He stooped to pull them off and said. "Want some help?"

Elizabeth sat back on her heels, turning her head to smile at Jason.

"Yes please I've been trying to get him out with no success" she laughed. "I think he's trying to drown me."

Jason stepped forward and leaned over her kneeling form, to take Michael from her grasp and lift him out of the bath. His legs kicked and his arms waved furiously in protest, but he smiled at Jason with his two front teeth showing and giggled. Elizabeth stood quickly and wrapped his towel around him, pulling him back close to her.

"I'll clean up in here while you get him dressed" Jason offered.

"Thank you" she laughed as she disappeared in to Michael's room.

Jason let the bath water out of the tub, wiped down the mirror and walls and then laid down all the towels to soak up the water on the floor. When he was finished he could hear Michael and Elizabeth giggling, so he headed for Michael's bedroom to join in. What he saw sent his blood racing to his groin and stopped him dead in his tracks.

Elizabeth was bending over the cot to place Michael in the center and was moving some toys in front of him. In Jason's direct line of vision were the rounded swells of Elizabeth's neat backside. Her cutoff denim shorts had ridden up as she bent over, to partially display the rounded globes of her buttocks. Jason's hands itched at the view. He longed to walk over to her and hold her still while he nestled his growing erection against her butt. His eyes half closed and he groaned in reaction.

Startled she turned and saw him staring at her "Jason?" she asked sounding confused.

Jason's eyes shifted from her confused gaze to her chest. She was soaked through alright. The thin material of her tank top was almost transparent and clung to her breasts. He imagined he could see the darker color of her nipples. He felt himself swell and lengthen in reaction, and he gulped.

"No bra" he half moaned and whispered. It wasn't what he meant to say, it was what he was thinking and he was in no fit state to filter what came out of his mouth. He tried to raise his eyes, but they were firmly fixed where the damp material of her tank top clung to her breasts, he was mesmerized.

"Oh sorry" she responded. Then to his amazement he watched as her nipples hardened and puckered beneath the clinging soaked material. His groan was audible this time as he licked his lips, knowing instantly that whether she realized or not she was reacting to him looking at her. She then looked down at herself.

"OH..I must be cold or something" she mumbled as she half turned away and raised her hands to rub her palms over the hardened peaks in an attempt to warm them. "Oh" she sighed as the friction sent a wave of reaction through her causing her nipples to harden even more. Her eyes flew to rest on the bulge in his pants and he saw the realization in her eyes that Jason was aroused.

"I should go get changed. Could you watch Michael?" she mumbled. Then she ran out of the room slamming her own door.

Jason walked awkwardly to the rocking chair in the room and sat down, willing his erection to go down. So it was mutual, and now they both knew. What the hell could he do now? He couldn't deny it, didn't want to deny it. But what the hell did he do about it? Nothing! Absolutely nothing, because she deserved better than him. She was too good, too beautiful. Not like him.

"Fuck" he swore silently, and stormed out of the room and into his own to change, he'd go to Jakes.

Jason stalked in to Jakes and spotted Sam leaning against the bar. Without hesitation he walked over to her grabbed her by the arm and started to drag her upstairs.

"Upstairs now" he growled.

"Whoa tiger you in hurry or something?" She giggled.

"Something like that." he replied, definitely not in the mood to talk. He was in a state of confusion and arousal caused by one petite brunette and he was determined that another brunette would fix it. Only now that he had hold of a willing woman, he felt his arousal die and he frowned. He opened the door of the room Jake kept exclusively for him. He shoved Sam inside, as he leaned back against the door to shut it.

"Strip" he ordered.

"Mmmm Jason I like this side of you" she sighed as she peeled off her leather jacket revealing a black tank top. She dropped the leather jacket on the floor and pulled her tank top over her head dropping it on top of the leather jacket. Jason studied her overwhelming fake boobs squished into a too small black lace bra without any reaction.

Sam's hands deftly undid the button on her jeans and then moved to the zipper lowering it, loving Jason's eyes on her but wondering why he hadn't moved to take his own cloths off. As she pushed her jeans down over her hips she checked to see how aroused her was, and found no evidence that he was in to her strip tease.

"What's the matter baby? Tough day?" she simpered as she kicked her jeans off and sauntered over to cup him through his jeans. "Baby you're not hard"

For the first time since the incident with Sarah, Jason felt no reaction whatsoever to having a woman's hand on his cock. She was wrong the wrong brunette, her skin wasn't soft and creamy. He knew from experience it was rough and over tanned. He grimaced with distaste.

"It's okay Sam can help with that little problem. I got a mouth like a vacuum baby you'll be hard in no time" she promised as she dropped to her knees. But Jason grabbed at her groping hands.

"I made a mistake" he mumbled.

"What?" she asked confused.

"I don't want this, I don't want you" Jason told her, his eyes glaring at her.

"What?" she asked incredulously "Look obviously something has you worked up, you came here looking for me, you found me, we are in your room. Lets not waste anymore time" she cajoled "You got me all hot baby, I need it now." She coaxed him.

"I was wrong" he told her again. At that moment all he could see was an image of Elizabeth, so innocent in her silly nightshirt bouncing up and down as she defended some cartoon character. It was so wrong to want Elizabeth so much and yet be here with this woman.

"Wrong? Wrong about what?" She asked confused. "Jason obviously you are stressed about something, let me take the edge off for you I can get you hard I promise" she attempted to free her hands from his grasp but he only firmed his grip.

"No! I don't want you touching me, not now, not ever again." he stated calmly.

"What? You were the one who dragged me up here, what the fuck has gotten in to you?" She demanded.

"Put your cloths back on Sam and get the fuck out. I'm not interested" he told her coldly.

"YOU ASSHOLE! I'm not leaving now. You got me all worked up for nothing?" she roared.

"You can get dressed and leave, or I'll shove your used up ass out the door like you are and toss your cloths out after you" he warned.

"You'll regret this Jason. Next time you come looking for a quick fuck I won't be available. You remember that" she roared as she shoved her jeans and tank top back on and headed for the door.

"There won't be a next time." he told her as the door slammed in her wake.

"I'm so screwed." He walked in to the bathroom and splashed cold water on his face and stared at his reflection.

"Your days of chasing ass at Jakes are over" he told his reflection. He just wanted to be home with Elizabeth and Michael. He locked the door of his room behind him and headed down the stairs wondering what on earth he was going to do about Elizabeth and his feelings for her. He wasn't even sure how she felt about him. She was attracted to him, tonight proved that for him. Whether she realized it or not she was attracted to him. He knew the one thing he hated to do, was what he needed to do in order to sort it out. He needed to talk to Elizabeth about how he was feeling. But he was so bad with words, it could be a disaster. He was much better with actions. But Elizabeth being Elizabeth he'd need to find the words from somewhere.

"Oh shit! I'm so screwed" he muttered as he swung his leg over his bike.