Elizabeth knocked on Jack's door. "Come in," he called.

He was standing in front of the mirror, messing with his hair. He had just showered and smelled clean and fresh. As she got closer, she noticed his shirt was unbuttoned giving her a glimpse of his finely chiseled chest and stomach.

"Um…my parents and Julie are headed to the Kensington's for dinner."

"So it's just us and a maid and cook?"

"It's Sunday so the help has the night off."

He stepped over toward her, making sure he was close enough but not touching. "It's just us, then?"

"Yeah."

"What should we do?"

"I want to cook you dinner." She stared up at his green eyes.

"And then?"

"I'm sure we'll think of something." He smiled and looked at her lips, which were enticingly close to his right then.

She closed her eyes as he rested his palms on either side of her face, knowing the smooth taste of his lips would soon be hers. Before another second passed, his mouth moved over hers, gently caressing, creating a daze that she wasn't sure she could or wanted to pull out of. She grabbed his shirt, holding on because she was afraid she might fall over from the sheer wonderfulness of it all and she wanted him closer.

Suddenly, she pulled away and blurted, "March 5th."

"What?"

"I think we should get married March 5th."

"Like ten weeks from now March 5th?"

"Yeah." She walked away and then turned back to him. "I don't want to wait longer than that."

He watched her walk off, a little confused. One second they were in the middle of a perfectly steamy kiss and then…then it hit him. He looked down at his shirt, now on the floor, not sure how it had gotten there. He would need to be more careful in the future.

He found her in the kitchen a little later. "Elizabeth?"

She looked at him and blushed. "Hey."

"I'm sorry that I made you uncomfortable." He grabbed her hands. "I don't want you to feel that way."

"I didn't. Trust me, I felt entirely too comfortable."

"Oh." He grinned and hugged her. "March 5th?"

"Yeah. Spring break starts March 3rd. It will give us time to have a honeymoon and get me back for school a few weeks later."

"Ok. Are you sure we can get everything planned by then? Doesn't it take months to get a dress?"

"Clara is a seamstress. When we get back, I will get with her."

"Ok."

"I'd like to get married on the beach at sunset." It was number 25 on her list. She'd had it planned for years.

"In March?"

"Yes, but in Aruba."

"I'm guessing that you've had this planned for years, haven't you?"

"Yes I have." She smiled and kissed his cheek. "I just didn't know who the groom was."

Jack stood back and watched her cook their dinner. She was in her element. "Maybe you should go to culinary school, sweetie."

"Probably not. I made my choice and I'm happy with it."

"There is nothing wrong with exploring other options plus maybe you could do both. You could teach cooking classes."

He reached over and grabbed a carrot she was going to puree. "Hey, almost husband. No stealing food."

"Not technically stealing if I'm going to eat it anyway in a few minutes." She continued chopping and stirring.

"Jack, about having kids…"

"I want five girls that look just like you," he told her, his hand stroking her back.

"I don't want to go on birth control right away. Would you be ok with that?"

"So you want to have a baby immediately?" She nodded. "Why do everything so fast?"

"I don't have a reason except that life is short."

"It is, but, I want a chance to get to know my new wife. If we have kids right away, that might not happen."

She looked at him and nodded. She could tell he was completely serious. "How long do you want to wait?"

"I don't know, a year? I want us to be stable and in a good place."

"I think we are stable," she told him, not sure what he was getting at.

"Our relationship is new. We have only known each other three months. By March, it will be six months. If we wait a year, sweetie, we will know each other much better."

"Look, I know you and I know you are the man I want to be with. If you weren't sure, maybe you should have waited to propose." She glared at him, shoving the roast in the oven and slamming the door.

He watched her walk out and sighed. He would give her a minute and then somehow find her in the giant house they were in.

He found her in her room under the down comforter in her bed. "Hon? Can we talk?"

"I'm sorry I overreacted."

She sniffed and then held her arm out. He walked over and sat on the edge of her bed and held her hand. "I want you to know that I don't regret proposing to you at all. I am sure about us, one thousand percent." She sat up and leaned into his arms. "I guess I'm selfish, and if so, so be it, but I want you to myself for awhile. I want to wake up next to you, sleeping in on Saturdays. I want to make you breakfast in bed and go out late at night to do whatever we want. I want to go on road trips and sleep under the stars. I don't want to share you with anyone else."

She smiled. "That sounds wonderful."

"Doesn't it? I can't wait to start our lives together."

"Jack? Can I be selfish too?"

"Of course."

"Honestly the last thing I want is to be living with your mom as newlyweds." She laughed and turned dark pink.

"Yeah, me either. We'll have to talk to her." He tucked her hair behind her ears.

"You're so beautiful. I am so lucky."

She moved closer and kissed him. "I want a family with you so badly. I guess I just need to be patient."

"Later, I think we should try out the hot tub," he told her.

"Um, sweetheart, I don't know if you've noticed but it's fifteen degrees outside."

"Haven't you ever been in the hot tub in the winter? It's so fun, especially if it's snowing."

She thought it sounded crazy but she was willing to try almost anything at his suggestion. "Ok. Hot tub after dinner."

Dinner was ready around seven so Jack lit a few candles and then when the food was on the table, he dimmed the lights.

Elizabeth took the seat next to him and held his hand as he prayed. They chatted as they ate, Jack raving about her food. After dinner, he found a song on his phone and asked her to dance.

As the music played, he sang the words in her ear, holding her close.

"Are you sure I haven't loved you somewhere before?

In another time, another place, on some distant shore

You know me so well, better than I know myself

And you'll love me tonight

Like you've loved me all my life, all my life

And with the touch of your hand

You took me farther than I've never been

You'll love me like, you've loved me all my life

Love like we made could have taken a lifetime to find

But you found the way to my heart in a moment of time

You know how to care just like you've always been there

And you'll love me tonight?"

"Jack, this is a beautiful song. I had no idea you could sing like that."

"One of mom's favorite singers is Kenny Rogers. When I heard this song, I thought of us."

"This could be our song."

"That's what I was thinking."

He hugged her, burying his face in her neck. He was so completely in love with her, wanting nothing but to just hold her as close as possible.

"I should do the dishes," Elizabeth said quietly.

"I'll help you." Something as mundane and domestic as doing the dishes was made important by him offering to help.

"You don't need to help, Jack."

"I want to." He winked and then started picking up the dishes.

As she washed, he dried. "Ah! Oh, owww, ow!" Elizabeth pulled her hand out of the water, blood dripping down her finger onto her wrist and mixing with the soapy water.

Jack grabbed a towel. "Oh, sweetie. Let me see." He pressed the towel against her finger for a moment to help stop the bleeding. When he unwrapped it he could see the cut, about an inch long. "I don't think it's too deep," he told her. "What did you cut it on?"

"I think there's a knife in there. I didn't see it."

"Where's your first aid kit?"

"In that cupboard, above the dishwasher." He walked over and found it and brought it back, setting it on the counter where she was standing. She watched as he cleaned it again and dried it carefully, not wanting to hurt her more. He was concentrating hard and she found it to be the most adorable thing in the world. He put ointment on the cut, wrapped her finger in a bandage, and then kissed her forehead. "I don't think you'll lose it," he teased.

"I hope not," she laughed, nudging him. "Thank you for helping."

"It's no big deal."

"Sure it is." She stepped close and kissed his cheek. "I'm kinda glad my super handsome cowboy fiancé is also an EMT. I might have lost that finger."

A HALF HOUR LATER

Jack waited in the hot tub, staring up into the sky, letting snowflakes fall on his face and melt. Elizabeth watched him through the window, a smile on her face and a towel wrapped around herself.

She was nervous. The thought of being close to a shirtless Jack made her heart pound. However, the idea of him seeing her in her swimsuit was even more nerve wracking.

"Are you coming in or are you just going to stand there staring at me all night?"

"Patience, Jack." She took a deep breath, left the towel inside and walked out quickly into the freezing air. "It's so cold! This is crazy!"

"Just get in, you'll be fine."

"This is your ploy to get me sick with pneumonia so you can take care of me, isn't it?"

"Yeah, that's it." He watched her climb in in her black bikini and perfect body.

"Good Lord in heaven," he thought to himself. She gasped and sighed, slipping into the steamy water, sitting across from him. "Are you going to sit way over there?"

"At the moment, yes." She kept her gaze focused in the water instead of on him.

"Nervous, sweetheart?"

"No." She was though. Good grief he was gorgeous.

"So, you wouldn't mind if I came over there?" She watched as he slowly made his way over to her and sat next to her. She felt his hand grab hers under the water. "Elizabeth, you look beautiful." She blushed and smiled.

"So do you." They both laughed as she thought about what she said. "You know what I mean."

"Yeah." He squeezed her hand and laid back, closing his eyes.

"Jack?"

"Yeah?"

"Kiss me," she whispered. "Please."

He opened his eyes and leaned over, slipping his arm around her. With his other hand, her caressed her cheek, bringing her lips to his, letting his lips linger on hers for just a moment. "How's that?" She smiled and then, surprising both of them, she slipped onto his lap. "Hi."

"Hi," she whispered back. She stared at his mouth and then kissed him this time, sending him into another universe.

"Not nervous anymore?" he managed to croak out. She laughed and then kissed him again, blissfully unaware what she was doing to him and that there was someone watching them from the doorway.

"Ahem," Julie cleared her throat. "Uh, Beth?"

Elizabeth quickly moved off Jack's lap, making him groan. "Julie, your timing," Jack mumbled.

"Sorry. I just wanted to let you both know that we are home."

"Thank you," Elizabeth and Jack said in unison before they burst out laughing.

Elizabeth stood up to leave but he stopped her. "Hey, stay please. Just a bit longer."

"Jack my parents are home. I'm not going to make out with you when they could see us at any moment."

"Ok, no kissing. Just stay."

"That won't work."

"Why?"

"Because I won't be able to stop myself from kissing you."

"I'll sit way over here."

"Let's put it this way, sweetie, you in clothes are just crazy hot, but you with no shirt…I don't even have words."

She stood up again, ran into the house, and wrapped the towel around herself. Jack followed her in a moment later.

He wrapped his towel around his waist and then grabbed her hand. "Honey, your bandage got wet."

"Well, I guess my super handsome cowboy fiancé EMT will need to do something about that."

William walked into the kitchen as Jack slowly attended to Elizabeth's cut for the second time. He watched them for a moment.

Elizabeth sat on the counter in her swimsuit, wrapped in a towel. Jack stood in front of her, also wrapped in a towel, cleaning and tending to her finger. William recognized the look in Elizabeth's eyes. Grace used to get that same look when they first fell in love. He also realized he had never seen that look in his daughter's eyes when she dated Charles. Not once in five years.

"Thank you, honey," Elizabeth said quietly.

"You're welcome." Elizabeth wrapped her arms around Jack's neck and kissed him. They were still completely unaware he was there.

"Enjoy the hot tub, you two?"

Jack stepped back abruptly and turned. "Yes, it was nice. Sir. Mr. Thatcher. Sir."

Elizabeth nudged him and giggled and slid off the counter. "Did you have a nice dinner, Dad?"

William watched as Elizabeth slid her fingers in between Jack's. "It was fine. Everyone wondered where you were."

"What did you tell them?"

"That you were at home." William grabbed a mug from the cupboard and filled it with hot water and a tea bag. "Charles wants to come for dinner tomorrow night."

"That's fine. He is your partner, Dad."

"He wants a chance to speak with you, Beth."

"Jack and I have plans."

"Change them. The Kensington's are our oldest friends. There is no reason why you can't find time to see them while you are in town." Elizabeth hated when he did that, leaving no room for negotiation.

Jack squeezed her hand. She looked up at him. "It's ok, Elizabeth. We can go out the next night."

She sighed. "Fine. Tomorrow night it is."

She started walking away, pulling Jack behind her by the hand. "Where are you going?" William asked.

"To bed. It's late. Good night."

William stepped into the foyer. "By the way, I don't think it's appropriate for you to be staying in rooms next to each other. Jack will stay in the guestroom next to ours."

"Dad, I understand this is your home, but Jack and I are adults and we are engaged."

"Agreed, however, as you pointed out, this is my home."

She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. Jack smiled and kissed her forehead. "Goodnight, sweetheart. See you in the morning."

"Ok."

In her room, Elizabeth slipped into her pajamas and pulled out her phone.

"Hey," she texted.

"Hi," he responded.

"I'm going 2 come over there, Jack."

"I don't think that's a good plan."

"Y?"

"We are in his house and if he found us together, I'll never b able to get him 2 approve of us."

"I miss U and btw, what was with that kiss on the forehead?"

"I miss U 2, and I wasn't going 2 kiss u in front of him."

When she didn't respond after a few moments, he figured she must have fallen asleep so he set his phone down and turned off the lamp next to his bed.

He looked up as the door opened and shut. "It's just me," she whispered.

"What are you doing? What if they find us here?" She climbed under the covers and faced him.

"What if they do? We are going to be married soon."

"This rebellious Elizabeth is very interesting."

"Good interesting?"

"Kinda hot."

She laughed. "Really?"

"Yeah."

"In that case, I need a proper kiss good night."