Here's chapter fifteen #Hearties hope you like it...

The following morning, Jack awoke and slowly sat up in his bed. He looked around, momentarily forgetting where he was. He smiled when he realized he was in the guest bedroom at Elizabeth's family home in Boston. His smile grew when he recalled Elizabeth and himself professing their love towards each other the night before. He frowned when his stomach began to grumble. He was starving; he hadn't eaten dinner, he'd been too eager to track down Elizabeth. After telling Elizabeth he loved her, any thought of food had evaporated from his mind. He rolled out of bed and made his way to the bathroom to take a quick shower before heading downstairs to see about getting something to eat.

Elizabeth stepped out of the shower and slipped on her bathrobe. She wrapped her wet hair in a towel. She walked into her room and selected her outfit for the day. Once she was dressed she made her way to Jack's room to see if he was ready. She knocked on his door. There was no answer. "Jack," She called as she knocked on the door a little louder. There was still no answer. "He must be still asleep." She concluded. "I know he was exhausted last night." She slowly opened his bedroom door and crept inside. She was slightly taken aback when she observed his empty unmade bed. Before she had time to react, the door to Jack's bathroom burst open, startling Elizabeth. Jack emerged from the bathroom, only wearing a towel wrapped around the lower half of his body. She gasped.

Jack was surprised. He quickly jerked his head around to observe Elizabeth staring at him. "Elizabeth, what are you doing in here?" He asked.

Elizabeth stood speechless. She couldn't help but notice Jack's shapely body, still wet from his recent shower, with nothing but a towel wrapped around him.

"Elizabeth are you alright?" Jack asked.

"Uh," Elizabeth replied, finally finding her voice. "I… uh… came to check on you and… uh… see if you... uh... slept okay." She took a breath before continuing. "I knocked but you didn't answer so I assumed you were still sleeping." She spun around toward the door. "I'm sorry, I'll let you get dressed."

Jack grabbed her hand and turned her to face him. "It's okay." He whispered. He placed a gentle kiss on her lips. "I slept great! Thanks for coming to check on me." He began slowly caressing her arm.

"I'm a little embarrassed." Elizabeth admitted.

"Why are you embarrassed?" Jack asked with a slight chuckle.

"I wasn't expecting… this." Elizabeth acknowledged his towel.

"You're fully dressed." Jack retorted. "I'm the one who's half naked here. It should be me who's embarrassed."

Elizabeth gazed at the floor grinning slightly.

Jack placed a finger under her chin and lifted her head, so she was once again looking at him. "I love you." He placed his arms around her waist and touched his forehead to hers. "And you have nothing to be embarrassed about."

"I love you too." She whispered, before pulling back. And you definitely have nothing to be embarrassed about. She thought to herself. "I'll let you get dressed. I'll meet you in the kitchen for breakfast. "I'm sure you're hungry."

"Starving," Jack confirmed.

"You know how to get there don't you?" Elizabeth asked.

"I'm sure I can manage." Jack replied.

"I'll see you downstairs then." She turned to leave.

Jack once again grabbed her hand pulling her in for a passionate kiss. "I'm looking forward to it." He whispered before releasing her.

Elizabeth walked out into the hall and closed the door behind her. She leaned against the door and took a deep breath. She knew she would never get the image of Jack wearing nothing but a towel out of her head. "Wow!" She exclaimed in a whisper. "He's so handsome." She began fanning herself with her hand. Suddenly, the door swung open and Elizabeth fell backwards into the room and screamed. Luckily Jack caught her in the nick of time.

"Are you alright?" Jack asked when he returned her to an upright position.

"I'm fine." Elizabeth breathed heavily.

Jack noticed the flushed look on Elizabeth's face. "Are you sure? I thought you said you were going to meet me downstairs."

"I was," Elizabeth confirmed, "But I got a little sidetracked."

"This is even better." Jack confessed. "Now we can go down together." He offered his hand. "Shall we?"

Elizabeth smiled as he placed her hand into the comfort of his. The two of them headed to the end of the hall and down the stairs.

Hand in hand Jack and Elizabeth walked into the kitchen. "What do want for breakfast?" Elizabeth asked. She headed to the pantry near the stove and pulled out an apron that said Kiss the Cook across the front and slipped it on.

"Are you going to fix me breakfast?" Jack asked. "Don't most rich people have a cook or something to do that for them?"

Elizabeth chuckled. "Not this family," She admitted. "My family may have money, but we're just like anyone else. We're nothing special."

Jack admired Elizabeth's modesty.

"And I do know how to make a mean pancake." Elizabeth continued.

"I love pancakes." Jack gushed. "But first," He walked toward her, took her in his arms and gave her a passionate kiss.

"What was that for?" Elizabeth questioned, "Not that I'm complaining."

"Your apron," Jack acknowledged. "I'm just being obedient." He kissed her once again. "You should keep the apron on the rest of the day. I could get used to this."

Elizabeth slapped his arm. "Do you want pancakes or not, Mr. Thornton?"

"I'd love pancakes Ms. Thatcher," Jack remarked, "Especially if you're going to make them."

"Have a seat," She gestured toward the kitchen table.

Jack sat down and intently watched Elizabeth. She looked like a natural in front of the stove. He let his mind wander to him coming home from a hard day's work to see his wife standing at the stove preparing dinner for him. He began to smile. "I really could get used to this." He mumbled.

"Did you say something?" Elizabeth asked, as she placed four pancakes on a plate and handed it to Jack. She went to the refrigerator and selected the butter and syrup and returned to the table.

"These pancakes look delicious." Jack offered, trying to change the subject.

"Well dig in." Elizabeth remarked.

Jack took a big bite. "Mm, this is delicious." He took another big bite.

"I told you I make a mean pancake." She boasted as she sat down beside him.

"Well these are the best pancakes I've ever tasted." Jack confessed. "Aren't you going to have any?"

"I'm not really hungry." She replied.

"Oh, no you don't." Jack countered. "As delicious as these are, I can't eat all these myself." He took the fork and placed it to her lips.

Elizabeth kept he mouth closed trying to fight a smile.

"Come on." Jack urged. "You know you want to."

"Nope." Elizabeth turned her head.

"Please," He begged, "For me?" He stuck out his bottom lip.

"Oh alright." She conceded. "I hate to see a grown man beg." She opened her mouth and allowed Jack to feed her.

"That's more like it." He took another bite for himself and offered her another bite which she gladly accepted the second time.

"That really was delicious." He said once they had finished the pancakes.

"You really liked them or are you just saying that?" Elizabeth asked.

"I really enjoyed them." Jack assured.

"Really?"

"Yes, really." Jack took Elizabeth's hand and pulled her into his lap. "I think you should cook for me more often. He learned forward and captured her lips with his own, the syrup from their recent pancake breakfast, still evident on her lips. "They taste even better now." He mumbled into her mouth.

"I love when you kiss me." She whispered.

"It is okay to kiss you right?" Jack questioned. "I know you want to take things slow and you aren't ready for an intimate relationship."

"It's fine." Elizabeth confirmed. "Wonderful actually, it's a little late now, considering how many times we've kissed even before we officially became a couple."

"I know we've shared several kisses. I was just double checking." Jack replied. "I respect your decision to hold off on intimacy. I didn't want to overstep my bounds, but quite frankly I'm glad I still get to kiss you."

"Thank you, Jack" Elizabeth smiled. "That means a lot to me."

"Well you mean a lot to me." Jack replied as he leaned in for one more kiss. "I love you, Elizabeth Thatcher."

"I love you too, Jack Thornton and I'm glad I get to kiss you too." She remarked, before taking charge of the next passionate kiss.

"Ahem."

Jack and Elizabeth quickly pulled apart and she jumped off of Jack's lap.

"Good morning, Dad." Elizabeth cheerfully greeted.

"Good morning, Beth." William kissed his daughter on the cheek. "Jack do you mind leaving us alone for a moment? I'd like to talk to my daughter."

"Certainly… William… sir." He replied, unsure if he should use formalities or not. He slowly stood from his chair and exited the room.

"So, I'm guessing by the display I just witnessed," William began, "That you and Jack are an item."

Elizabeth nodded shyly.

William gripped his daughter's shoulders. "Beth, you're a big girl. You've never needed my approval to do anything. You've always had a good head on those shoulders. You know how to make the right decision."

"Not always," Elizabeth countered with a chuckle.

"Beth, dear," William consoled, "Charles was a family friend. He was a good kid. He fooled all of us. Probably even those parents of his."

"What about Billy?" Elizabeth questioned.

"Hamilton manipulated you to get you to trust him." William replied. "But you realized that before it got too far." He sat down at the table and motioned for Elizabeth to join him. "Now about Jack."

Elizabeth couldn't help the smile that spread across her face.

"That right, there," William acknowledged, "That smile makes all the difference."

"I've never felt this way before," Elizabeth admitted, "Especially so soon after meeting someone."

"I've never seen you so happy either." William confessed. "Now don't you have a tour of Boston to take that man of yours on?"

She smiled and nodded as she jumped out of her chair and started for the door.

"And Beth," William called after her.

Elizabeth whirled back around.

"I want you to know, you don't need my blessing," William continued. "But you have it. Jack is a good man."

"Thank you, Daddy." She knelt down and kissed her father's cheek. "That means a lot to me."

"Where do you want to go first?" Elizabeth asked. "When she and Jack climbed into the car."

"You're the tour guide." Jack remarked.

"Well we definitely have to go to the North End for pasta." Elizabeth suggested.

"Can we at least wait until lunch?" Jack joked. "We just had breakfast."

"I thought you men were always hungry." Elizabeth remarked.

"We are," Jack replied seductively, "But not always for food." He leaned across the seat and captured her lips with his own.

"I've noticed." Elizabeth replied with a chuckle. "But we better get going or we'll never leave."

"Is that a really a bad thing?" Jack asked, his lips mere inches from hers.

"Would you really want to spend the day making out in a car?" Elizabeth asked.

"Sounds good to me." He brushed her lips once more.

"In the driveway of my parents' house?" Elizabeth continued.

Jack backed away slightly, "Well since you put it that way, we better get going." He leaned in once again and gave her another quick kiss, before turning the ignition. "Where to?

"Fenway Park," Jack acknowledged. "I've always wanted to visit here. I love baseball."

"Baseball reminds me of our first date." Elizabeth recalled.

"I do love baseball," Jack stated, "But I'll admit, I wasn't paying much attention to the game that night."

Elizabeth blushed. "Cody will be so disappointed."

"Well let's not tell him." He whispered, before capturing her lips.

"Well we should take in a game while we're here." Elizabeth suggested. She pulled out the phone and pulled up the game schedule for Fenway Park. "We're in luck. The Red Sox are playing the Cubs tonight."

"Can we go?" Jack pleaded.

"Of course, we can." Elizabeth answered.

"I knew I loved you for a reason." Jack remarked excitedly, before giving her a kiss on her cheek.

"Well we better get going." Elizabeth suggested. "I still have places to show you before we come back tonight for the game."

"Okay," Jack reluctantly agreed, "I really wouldn't mind staying right here." He pulled her close. "I've got my girl and my favorite game in close proximity. What more could a man ask for?"

Elizabeth rolled her eyes. "There's no game going on until later tonight, so what you've got now is an empty baseball stadium."

"It's not just any baseball stadium, Elizabeth." Jack countered. "It's Fenway Park, the oldest ballpark in America." He glanced at her lips. They looked rather inviting. "And at the moment I'm kinda glad there's nobody here but us."

"Why is that?" Elizabeth whispered.

"Because, otherwise, I wouldn't get to do this." He tilted his head and captured her lips with his own, a kiss that Elizabeth felt all the way down to her toes and up again. After several seconds they parted. He touched his forehead to hers. "I love you so much." He whispered.

"I love you too." She replied with a smile. "That was amazing."

"I aim to please." He whispered, before capturing her lips once more.

"As fun as this is," Elizabeth remarked, several distracting seconds later, "We should get going. There is more to Boston than Fenway Park you know."

"I'd go anywhere with you." He took her hand and escorted her back to the car.

Once in the car, Elizabeth glanced at the clock on the dash. "It's 12:30." She announced. "Are you hungry yet?"

"I could eat." Jack replied, rubbing his grumbling tummy.

"Great!" Elizabeth exclaimed. "How about a picnic at the pond in Boston Common?"

"Sounds wonderful." Jack replied. He looked around the inside of the car.

"What are you looking for?" Elizabeth asked.

"We can't have a picnic without food." Jack remarked. "I don't recall either one of us walking out of your house with a picnic basket."

"Don't you worry about that." Elizabeth pulled out her cellphone and began dialing.

"Who are you calling?" Jack asked.

"I'm a Thatcher in Boston." Elizabeth explained. "I have connections." She put the phone to her ear and listened for the ring. "Hello Marianne…"

A little while later, they arrived at Boston Common and made their way to the pond, passing Freedom Trail along the way. When they arrived at the pond, they approached a young woman holding a small picnic basket. "Hello, Elizabeth," the woman greeted.

"Hi, Emma." Elizabeth called. "I'd like to introduce you to my boyfriend Jack Thornton." She acknowledged Jack. "Jack this is Emma Rice. Her mother Marianne runs a Deli in town. She packed this picnic lunch for us."

"Well that was very nice of her." Jack stated with a smile. "It's nice to meet you Emma."

"You too Jack." Emma replied. "Well enjoy your picnic." She handed the basket to Elizabeth. "I have to get back to the deli. Bye Elizabeth."

"Bye, Emma." Elizabeth called. She reached in the basket, relieved that Marianne had remembered to pack a checkered table cloth. She removed the red and white fabric from the basket and handed it to Jack, who spread it on the ground underneath a nearby tree, with a perfect view of the pond.

They sat down on the table cloth and Elizabeth pulled out an assortment of sandwiches from the basket. "These looked delicious." Jack remarked as they began to eat.

"Marianne makes the best sandwiches in town." Elizabeth concurred. "Now eat up."

"If you insist," Jack replied before taking a bite of his sandwich.

"After lunch," Elizabeth suggested, "We should take the swan boat tour."

"Sounds romantic." Jack replied.

Thirty minutes later…

Jack and Elizabeth climbed into the Swan Boat and sat in the very back. He placed his arm around her waist while waiting for other passengers to board the boat. He was hoping to steal a kiss or two during their journey.

"I can get used to this." Jack mumbled when Elizabeth leaned against him and rested her head on his shoulder while they enjoyed the relaxing ride.

The time ticked away and soon, Jack and Elizabeth were on their way back to Fenway Park for the game. Neither seemed to mind that Jack was rooting for the Cubs, while Elizabeth was rooting for the Red Sox. They decided a little rivalry would be good in their relationship. When the game was over, Elizabeth was a little upset when the Cubs won the game, but not for long. She couldn't help but smile noticing how happy Jack was. She even removed the Cubs baseball hat, Jack purchased before the game, from his head and placed it on her own head.

"Are you sure you wanna do that?" Jack asked. "You're a Boston native wearing a Chicago Cubs hat when the Red Sox just lost to them not thirty minutes ago.

"I'll take my chances." Elizabeth remarked. "Just trying to be supportive of my man. And I know if anyone gangs up on me, you'll protect me."

"Absolutely," Jack concurred kissing her cheek. "Does this mean you're a Cubs fan now?" He asked, liking that Elizabeth had referred to him as 'her man'.

"Not on your life, Thornton."

"It was worth a shot." Jack replied with a chuckle.

"Are you ready to go home?" Elizabeth asked, once they were back in the car.

"I thought you said we could go to the North End for pasta." Jack suggested.

Elizabeth glanced at the time on her phone. "I guess we can go for a late dinner." They climbed in the car and made their way to the North End.

"Wow!" Jack exclaimed, when he and Elizabeth climbed out of their car and traveled the streets of the North End on foot. "When you said we should go to the North End for pasta, you weren't kidding."

"The North End is known for the Italian eateries." Elizabeth chuckled. "Any pasta concoction you can think of, you're guaranteed to find it in at least one of these places."

"Which one do you recommend?" Jack asked. "Do you have a favorite?"

"I do actually." Elizabeth confirmed, taking his hand. "Let's go!"

Soon, Jack and Elizabeth walked into Terramia Ristorante, and we're seated at a table near the back of the restaurant. Jack looked around, admiring the quaint, romantic atmosphere of the place. "This is nice." He commented.

"Wait until you try the food." Elizabeth replied.

"Looking forward to it." Jack remarked.

"Well what do you think?" Elizabeth asked when the waiter delivered their entrees.

Jack took a bite of his Spaghetti con Pomodoro before answering. "Mu be-er dan cef-bo-ardee." Jack answered, his mouth still full.

"What was that?" Elizabeth asked with a chuckle.

"So-wy." Jack swallowed before continuing. "I said it's much better than Chef Boyardee. He repeated.

"You doubted?" Elizabeth asked.

"Of course not." Jack countered. He took another a bite. "It's delicious. I think this is the best pasta I've ever eaten."

"I'm glad you like it here." Elizabeth smiled.

"It's wonderful," Jack admitted, "But I like the company better." He squeezed her hand and brought it to her lips.

Elizabeth blushed and stared at her plate of Linguine alle Vongole.

"You really need to learn to take compliments." Jack remarked. "You are beautiful."

The crimson color in Elizabeth's cheeks intensified.

"But I love making you blush." He continued with a wink. He leaned over and kissed her cheek. "You wanna get out of here?" He whispered once they finished their meal.

"Let's go!" Elizabeth agreed.

After much deliberation, Jack allowed Elizabeth to pay the bill after she insisted he was her guest and it was her idea for the tour of Boston anyway. Jack reluctantly gave in when Elizabeth looked at him with a smile and began batting her eyelashes with her tongue between her teeth. He knew he'd never be able to refuse her anything. When the bill was paid, the two of them stepped out of the restaurant onto the street.

Jack and Elizabeth were so engrossed in each other, that they didn't even notice the older couple approaching them. They passed by the couple nearly bumping into them.

"Excuse me." The man said.

"My apologies." Jack stepped aside.

"Elizabeth?" The woman said, acknowledging her. "Elizabeth Thatcher? Is that you?"

"Eleanor?" Elizabeth replied looking up at the woman.

"It's so good to see you." Eleanor wrapped Elizabeth into an awkward hug. She glanced in Jack's direction. "And who have we here?"

Elizabeth quickly pulled back. "This is Jack Thornton," She introduced, "My boyfriend," She emphasized.

"Hello," Eleanor greeted Jack with a forced smile.

"Hi," Jack smiled cordially.

"Jack, this is Eleanor Kensington and her husband, "Charles Kensington Senior."

To be continued…

Shoutout to CherylinBoston for her help in giving me a virtual tour of Boston in this chapter. I hope to visit one day but I've never been to Boston myself so I hope I did it justice. If not I hope any of my readers who have actually been to Boston or live in Boston forgive me. It is fiction after all. 😉