Here's the rest of the last chapter which I didn't get the chance to finish yesterday.
RATED M – STEAM ALERT! You've been warned … skip to the next chapter if this isn't your thing!
(29/9/2018)
CHAPTER 45
It had been two weeks. Two whole weeks and now the torture was unbearable. From the kiss Elizabeth left him with, to the frequent touches that had been happening between them all afternoon, Jack didn't know if he could make it much longer.
He had offered to help with dinner, which was a huge mistake. As he stood there cutting up vegetables, Elizabeth had been standing next to him unstacking the dishwasher, bending down in her tights to pick up the plates. He averted his eyes but each time she bent over, he was drawn back to watch her.
When she was done, she brushed up against him, running her fingers across his back. He almost cut his finger off with the knife with the jolt of electricity that ran through him as a result. When he sat down to eat dinner, she ran her hand over his neck and shoulders as she went to sit down. He stared at her, trying to communicate what he was feeling. Please … just … stop.
"Is everything okay, Jack?"
"No."
"What's wrong?" she asked, concerned.
"You know what" he said abruptly.
"I don't …" Elizabeth trailed off, possibly realising what he meant. She stared at him for a moment before turning her attention to Eve, who had just dropped her forkful of noodles into her lap by accident.
"Eve, sweetie, you need to lean over your plate. I've told you that before."
"Yes, Mommy" she said as Elizabeth cleaned her up.
As soon as they were finished, Elizabeth collected their plates.
"Can we watch a movie?" Halley asked.
Before Elizabeth could respond, Jack answered. "No. It's bed time in thirty minutes. I will read you a book."
Elizabeth glanced at the clock. It was barely 7 pm, which was early for bedtime, especially on a Saturday night but one look at Jack and she realised what was happening.
"You heard your father" she said amidst the groans. "Let's hurry up and get ready for bed and you can each pick a book."
Jack held up his finger to her. One.
Elizabeth shook her head back and held up her fingers. Three. Trust me, she mouthed.
If there was only one book, the girls ended up fighting and not being able to decide on a single book. It turned out quicker to let them have three.
As the girls traipsed upstairs, Elizabeth felt Jack tug her back to him. Before she could speak, his lips were on hers, kissing her hurriedly. His hands slid up and under her singlet, the warmth of the his fingers setting her skin alight. Her hands wrapped around his neck and he held her closer, the gap between their bodies now non-existent.
"Mommy!" Gracie's voice sang out from the top of the stairs.
"Yes?" she said pulling her lips away, but Jack's lips went straight to her neck instead.
"Are you coming?
Elizabeth was feeling faint as the heat from Jack's attentions was beginning to overwhelm her.
"Mommy are you coming?!" Gracie yelled.
"Yes!"
Elizabeth pushed herself away from Jack and didn't look back.
Elizabeth read books to Gracie and Eve and when she was finished, she kissed each of them goodnight and moved Eve to her own bed. She tucked her in and sat with her for a few minutes until she was settled.
Elizabeth could hear Jack still reading to Halley. She could even pick the book and knew Halley had picked a long one. She couldn't help but smile, thinking of Jack's frustration, when he realised how long the book was.
Once Eve was asleep, she closed her door and went back to check on Gracie who was also asleep. Jack was still reading.
Elizabeth went into their room and headed for the shower. She peeled off her tights, sports bra and singlet and slipped under the hot stream of water. Pulling her hair from the elastic, she put her head back, letting the water run through it.
When Halley was finally asleep, Jack closed her door before double checking Gracie and Eve. He ran downstairs to turn off all the lights before coming back to their bedroom. Jack could hear the water running and sighed with relief that Elizabeth hadn't fallen asleep again. Tonight he would have woken her anyway. He heard the water shut off and as he walked into the bathroom, Elizabeth had just wrapped herself in a towel.
"Are they all asleep?"
He stepped toward her, pulling his shirt over his head and already undoing his belt, letting his jeans fall to the ground. He pulled his legs out and watched a smile playing on her lips. Elizabeth stood still and by the time he reached her, he had discarded all of his clothes.
He put his hand out to cover her hand, which was holding up the towel. She released her grip and instead he took the corner of the towel, pulling it away from her and dropping it to the floor.
"Finally" he said, as his hands slid over her waist, drawing her closer to him.
"Finally" she repeated, as he kissed her slowly, before lifting her up and carrying her back to the bed.
Elizabeth woke up in the early morning, the need to relieve the pressure on her bladder was paramount. She slipped out from Jack's arms but he groaned in his sleep as she left their bed. By the time she returned and slid back under the covers, he was awake reaching for her.
She lay on her side facing him as his hands slid back over her body, resting in place, before she leant in to kiss him. It was still pitch black outside so she figured it must still be early. As her lips lingered on his, his hand slid along her waist and down her leg slowly before brushing back up the inside.
"What do you think you're doing, mister?"
"Nothing" he said, unconvincingly.
"Jack, you can't still want more?"
"I always want more of you."
Elizabeth thought for a moment.
"Okay, well I'm going to make you a deal here" she whispered.
Jack looked at her uncertainly.
"No more getting angry, yelling or fighting … promise?"
"Or what?"
"Promise?"
"What's the deal though?"
Elizabeth rolled onto her back, pushing the sheets down and stretching her hands up over her head. "You can have me whenever you want."
"Whenever?"
"When-ever" she said, annunciating the word clearly.
"Every night?"
"Mmm hmm."
"Okay, I promise" he said immediately as he rolled over her and she began giggling as he covered her neck in kisses.
Jack woke to hear steady rain falling on the roof. He didn't remember waking up to that sound in a long time but it always brought him peace. Now he lay there feeling calm and content with everything around him.
His wife lay beside him, still asleep, as his mind drifted over the events of the last few days. He just wished he and Elizabeth were at the point where things would begin to get easier. The last few months had been full on.
He heard a knock at the door and he pulled his pyjamas on before going to the door.
"Daddy" Eve said, putting her hands up.
"Hi baby." Jack closed the bedroom door behind him. "What are we doing today?"
"I don't know."
"Maybe we should go to Abigail's for breakfast when Mommy wakes up."
"Yay!"
"Let's get you dressed and see if your sisters want to do that too."
By the time Elizabeth stirred, he was sitting beside her running his hand through her hair.
"Hey" she said as her eyes adjusted on him.
"Hey sleepyhead."
"What time is it?"
"9."
"9? Are you serious?" she said sitting up. "I can't believe I slept in so late."
"It's okay. The girls are ready to go to Abigail's for breakfast. Do you want to come or would you rather I took them?"
"I can come. You'll have to give me a few minutes though."
"That's okay" he said, leaning in to give her a kiss before leaving the bedroom.
Elizabeth sat there for a moment trying to wake-up. Honestly, she was still exhausted even though she had a decent amount of sleep.
She rolled out of bed slowly, feeling a bit dizzy, but by the time she reached the bathroom she was awake and ten minutes later she was walking downstairs ready to go.
By the time they reached Abigail's, the girls were excited and ran ahead of Jack and Elizabeth. Jack took her hand and led her inside. The girls were all sitting in their customary seats talking to Abigail.
"Hi you two."
"Hi Abigail."
"Family breakfast today?"
"Yes."
"Give me a wave when you're all ready to order."
The girls ordered pancakes. Elizabeth wasn't sure what she felt like. Nothing was really calling her name so she just ordered a coffee.
"Just a coffee? What are you going to eat, Beth?" Jack asked.
"I don't know what I feel like. I'll have coffee first then I'll decide."
Jack gave her a strange look before making sure the girls ordered all of their food.
When the pancakes arrived, the girls dived in but just watching them made Elizabeth glad that she hadn't ordered any food.
"And here's your coffee, Elizabeth. Just the way you like it."
Elizabeth took a long sip and already she started to feel better.
"Are you sure you're okay?" Jack asked, full of concern.
"Yeah, I'm just tired from last night. I needed coffee."
"That's all it is."
"Yes Jack. I'm feeling better already."
Jack turned his attention back to his bacon and eggs.
As they were leaving Abigail's, Jack's phone began ringing.
"Who is it?"
Jack looked at the screen. "Shane."
"He's probably worried about you from yesterday. You should answer."
Elizabeth helped the girls into the car while Jack took the car.
"Hi Shane."
Elizabeth listened to the one side of the conversation.
"I'm fine, thanks."
"Today?"
"I'll just check."
Jack pulled the phone from his ear. "Shane's asked us over for lunch. Are we doing anything?"
"No, that's fine."
Jack spoke into the phone again. "Sounds good Shane. We'll see you soon."
Lunch at Shane and Katy's was always relaxed and much like being at home. The kids all entertained each other, Shane and Jack were able to have a chat, while Elizabeth and Katy helped prepare the food.
"How was Jack last night?" Katy asked as she cut up some tomatoes and threw them into a salad bowl.
"Furious."
"Shane said he was very angry. The other guy was beaten up badly too."
"Jack fought him?"
"Yeah. Shane said he was throwing punches left and right. Probably broke the guy's nose amidst other things."
Elizabeth hadn't even thought about how Charles had fared.
"Well, he deserved it from what Jack said."
"You knew the guy?"
"Yes, he was an old acquaintance from my rowing days. He just moved back here and I keep running into him everywhere." Elizabeth was buttering the bread rolls as she spoke.
"What did he say to rile Jack up?"
"That he kissed me."
"Wow" Katy said slowly. "And Jack believed him?"
"Well, it was actually the truth."
"You're kidding?" Katy said, her mouth hanging open.
"No" Elizabeth said slowly before filling Katy in on what happened the week before with Charles.
"What a slime ball!"
Elizabeth burst out laughing.
"What?" Katy said confused.
"Slime ball? I haven't heard that in years! What are you 12?" she said laughing.
Katy began laughing too. "I've learnt to modify my language in front of the kids. You know that!"
Elizabeth was still laughing at Katy's expense.
"So how did you get Jack to calm down? He seems pretty relaxed today."
"Oh, I have my ways" Elizabeth said with a grin.
Katy looked at her sideways before burst out laughing. "You are hilarious. That actually worked?"
"Yeah and I don't think he will be getting upset again for a while."
"Why?"
"We made a deal."
"What kind of deal?"
"Let's just say it is in his best interest in the bedroom if he behaves himself."
Katy roared with laughter.