Chapter 43 Missing Each Other

Nathan and Elizabeth are busy through the week and while they see each other there is no time for any one on one time. Nathan walks Allie to and from school so he does see Elizabeth, but neither of them are satisfied with the amount of time, both are busy with projects for Christmas and the Christmas stroll. Nathan has people helping him every night in his workshop with the ornament project and Elizabeth has been busy pulling together the Christmas concert. Both have told Rosemary they will have gingerbread houses made for the Christmas stroll. Nathan has asked Opal's mom to make one of the jail and she has agreed.

By Thursday night Elizabeth decided that she had enough of missing Nathan. Getting Laura to stay with Little Jack she goes over to Nathan's. Allie is there working on her Christmas projects and lets her in. Elizabeth has made scones and gives one to Allie as she goes out to the workshop. The project helpers have just left and Nathan's back is to the door and he is working on a machine when he hears the door open. He thinks its Allie and says "Allie I'll be done in a minute." There is total silence as Elizabeth loses all her speech as she sees Nathan in his thermals with his muscles flexing somewhat as he works on the wood project.

Concerned Nathan turns around and sees Elizabeth and his eyes light up with happiness. "Honey I didn't know you were here, you should have told me." Nathan says. Without speaking Elizabeth approaches him and wraps herself around him, feeling his muscles. She pulls his head down and initiates a kiss that is strong and passionate. Nathan pulls back a little and then goes all in enjoying the experience. Minutes later they pull apart breathless and Elizabeth curls into him, with her cheeks burning. Lifting her face so he can see, Nathan says" Elizabeth?" with a question. She says "Nathan I was missing you so much and then when I saw you and what you were doing" and she trails off. With a little smile "He says Elizabeth do not be embarrassed, I am thrilled you desire me as much as I desire you—please never be afraid to show your affection. It was wonderful and it's wonderful to hold you in my arms again. I have missed you too".

They kiss again and reluctantly Nathan says "I should go in and check on Allie, please come." They go inside and Allie is just getting ready to go up and read and with a quick kiss to Dad and a hug to Miss Elizabeth she is off. Elizabeth and Nathan sit quietly enjoying the scones and some tea and they chat. Nathan tells her about the Christmas ornaments they have made and idly says "Jesse has been here to help, but Hickam has been here every night with that new girl Victoria". Elizabeth perks right up and wants all the details and Nathan says "I am not Rosemary; I don't know what is going on. I do know she has volunteered to paint the ornaments when they are finished". Elizabeth says "Nathan you are so naïve of course there must be something going on." "Elizabeth I am not getting into it—I had enough to do to talk to Bill," he admits. Immediately he regrets this as he sees Elizabeth's eyes narrow.

"Nathan" she says slowly drawing out his name. "Ok, OK, I had to take something to his office and he was really aggravated and started talking about Julia not making any sense. I tried to dodge the conversation and eventually had to remind him I am her nephew," Nathan says

"Exactly" Bill said "Then you know how unreasonable she is about all this court filings. She's off to Cape Fullerton to do it and she kept asking what she should do and got huffy when I didn't give her exact answers". Nathan relays to Elizabeth that he then said to Bill, "I don't know what's going on with you both, but you need to understand that Julia is softer than she seems." Bill then asked Nathan, "We aren't talking about the court cases are we?" and when I said "I don't think so he" kicked me out of his office.

It reminded me very much of a conversation I had with him about the windstorm and then he told me you were stronger than you seem and that you looked before you leaped. Elizabeth is totally engrossed in this whole story. Nathan finishes with "That's when I finally figured out I needed to tell you how I felt and I went to your house that night." Elizabeth said, "Bill helped you with this?" Nathan confesses "Well we really kind of talked in code and then I had to think about it (they both smile at each other) and then I decided to go to your house apologize and tell you how I felt. You know I must have walked around my house and the pond for about an hour before I got up my nerve to do it. Then when you opened the door and you looked so beautiful I almost lost all my words." "Oh Nathan, when I saw you there I didn't know what to think and when you told me I mattered to you—I was so happy, but so scared I had no words" Elizabeth cries. Nathan pulls her into an embrace and says "Thank God we finally figured this out and when the time was right we finally made our connection". He looks down at her and says "I'm not letting you go now". Elizabeth just smiles at him and kisses him

Elizabeth then says "I wonder what Bill will do now?' Nathan cautions "Don't start Elizabeth. Bill and my aunt I just try not to think about it" She tries to convince saying "OH Nathan it would be wonderful for both of them". "Great I am happy for them, I just don't want to be involved in their romance" he says with a twisted face. She says softly "Oh, Nathan you are so soft and loving you just can't admit it—you are a romantic too" "Elizabeth" he says in a stern voice, "I need my Mountie face" She just laughs and says "We all know how loving you are anyway." They both laugh, but Nathan says "Not a word to Rosemary—let her figure it out."