Elizabeth rolled over expecting to see Jack next to her, but he wasn't there. She sniffed the air. "Mmm bacon!" She was famished and he was cooking. She threw her new robe on, tied it around her waist, and went to find the bacon, and Jack of course.

As she entered the kitchen, she giggled, finding him at the stove in his boxers, wearing his mother's pink ruffled apron.

"Good morning, cowboy. Nice apron you have on there."

"Morning. I figured I'd bring it seeing as how you loved it so much the last time I wore it."

She walked over and slipped her arms around his waist. "I remember thinking, "Yep, that's the man I'm going to marry.""

"And you did!"

"Yes I did." He looked at her, well, basically stared. "Jack? Do I look ok? I just thought I would wear…" She looked down, smoothing the robe.

"You look beautiful. In fact, I was thinking I would like you to come a bit closer."

She smiled shyly. "How's this?" She moved an inch.

He wrapped his arm around her waist and pulled her against his side. "Honestly, you can't be too close at this point." He abandoned the French Toast they appeared to be having and decided kissing his new wife was more important. After a few moments of that, he ran his hand slowly down her back to her rear. "Hmm. So Mrs. Thornton, would you like to share whatever is under that robe?"

"Maybe after we eat." She let her own hands travel. "I'm starving. I feel like I've run a marathon or two." She kissed his tempting lips. "Pretty sure that's your fault."

"Maybe but I'm thinking it was a mutual marathon."

"Promise me something," she said quietly.

"Anything."

"Promise that you'll always cook me breakfast in nothing but your boxers and this crazy apron."

"Except in the winter or once our babies start getting old enough to realize their daddy is in his underwear or if we have a houseguest."

She laughed and snatched a piece of bacon from the plate. "I'm going to go over here now."

"Why's that?"

"Because I seem to be a distraction and at this rate, we'll never get to eat."

He couldn't argue with that. She was absolutely a distraction. "We should eat on the deck, hon. It's gorgeous out there this morning. Nothing like seeing the ocean while you're eating breakfast."

"Sounds good."

After breakfast they laid down on the lounge chair by the pool, just enjoying being together. "I think we should stay here all day," she suggested.

"Ok, but maybe we could spend some time inside too…like in the bedroom..maybe?"

She stood up and grabbed his hand. "It's time to share."

"I like sharing. In fact, it's my favorite thing," he told her as he dutifully followed her inside.

"I bet."

A FEW HOURS LATER

Jack was getting something out of the dresser drawer across the room when Elizabeth woke up. "Babe, where are you going?"

"I'm going to take a shower. Want to join me?"

"Mmm…I'll just take one tonight."

"Ok sweetie." He wasn't going to push it…it was a new situation. She was probably still a bit uncomfortable.

She moved to his pillow which smelled like him and fell asleep, smiling as she heard him singing to himself.

Jack came out a bit later and found her sleeping. He decided to let her sleep but he really didn't want to do anything but be with her so he climbed over to her side of the bed and wrapped his arms around her middle, taking a deep breath of her heavenly scent.

THAT EVENING

Elizabeth suggested they have a movie night so they snuggled up on the couch with a bowl of popcorn.

Jack slipped his arm around her shoulders and stared at her. "Hey, beautiful."

"Hi, handsome."

"You are my wife," he said quietly.

"Did you just figure that out?" she asked with a laugh.

"No, but it just hit me that I'm sitting here, in Aruba, with my wife. How crazy is that?"

"Pretty crazy," she admitted. "You know what else is crazy?"

"What's that?"

"That we are in here watching a movie when we could be outside in the pool or in the hot tub."

"Good point." He took off his shirt and started taking off his shorts. "Are you coming, wife?"

"Yes, but I'm going to put my suit on."

"Ok, see you out there." Then he thought of her and her black bikini she had worn in the hot tub at her parents house. "Honey? Are you going to be wearing the black one?" he asked.

"Actually I bought a new one. You like the black one?"

"Yeah." She giggled at him, looking much younger than his 33 years.

"I think you'll like this one too." She winked and walked away.

Oh, he had no doubt he would love it. He walked out on the deck and dove into the pool.

PARADISE HILLS RESORT

Bill knocked on Charlotte's door and waited. "Be right there," he heard her say.

They were headed for a walk on the beach. He couldn't wait. Charlotte Thornton was the woman he couldn't bear to be away from. He'd seen her every day for the last almost two months and it wasn't enough. He felt like a lovesick teenager.

She opened the door and smiled. "Hey, Bill." His eyes traveled from her head to her toes. Good grief, she looked good in shorts and flip flops. He handed her a rose, a pink one, to go with her collection. He had given her two red and a white the day before. He planned a yellow for the next day. "Thank you." She stepped forward and kissed him.

She loved being courted or wooed or whatever it was he was doing. He made her feel beautiful and wanted on so many levels.

"Ready to go, Char?"

"Yep." She slid her room card into her pocket and accepted his hand, following him out the door. "Where are we headed?"

"There's a stretch of beach down the road a bit that I heard is beautiful in the moonlight. I thought we'd go there."

"Ok." She thought it was a bit strange to drive to a beach when their hotel was on the beach, but she'd play along.

About ten minutes later, they parked and started walking. She paused a moment and removed her flip flops and then grabbed his fingers again.

"Bill? You seem nervous."

He was but he was also in love, completely, and she constantly made him lose his train of thought and his heart feel like it was going to beat out of his chest. This night was no exception.

He smiled at her and squeezed her hand. Then he stopped. "Char, I love you."

"I love you too, but why do I feel like there's a but? Char, I love you, but I don't think we should see each other anymore?"

"No, no, no. I will never say that."

"That's a relief." She watched him, his fingers fidgeting. "What's on your mind?"

"You. You are always, constantly on my mind, for the last eleven years." He kissed her hand and then finally met her eyes. "Honey, I am so in love with you, I don't even know how to express it." So, he stopped talking and knelt down on his knee. "I feel so grateful to have the chance to love you. I want to spend every single day for as long as we are given, making you feel wanted and needed. Marry me Charlotte?"

She didn't answer right away, she just knelt down in the sand with him and kissed him, holding on tightly to his neck. When they paused to breathe for a moment he looked in her eyes, her beautiful green eyes that reflected the moon.

"Is that a yes?"

She nodded, her tears spilling onto her cheeks. "Yes."

He put his hand in his pocket and pulled out her ring. A white gold band with four diamonds. "I hope you like it. If you don't we can take it back." He slid it gently on her finger.

"Its beautiful."

LATER, BACK AT THE VILLA

"Sweetheart, your phone keeps buzzing." It was across the room. He left it across the room on purpose.

He pulled her further toward him, her head on his chest. "I don't want to move right now. I'll see who it was tomorrow."

"Babe, what if it's important?"

"Nothing is more important than you."

She sighed. "That's very sweet but what if it's an emergency?"

He opened his eyes and looked down at her, agreeing she had a point. He kissed her forehead and pulled his arm out from under her. "I'll be right back."

He walked across the room and looked at his phone. "Three missed calls and two texts from Mom," he muttered.

He opened the text. "Hey, son. I hope I'm not disturbing you and Elizabeth…." He scrolled up and saw a selfie of her and Bill and her hand with a ring on it.

"What is it?" Elizabeth asked.

"Mom and Bill are apparently engaged," he muttered.

"Are you serious? That's great!"

"Is it?" He set his phone down. "I need a moment." She watched him walk out of the bedroom, his shoulders down. She debated whether to follow him or let him stew for a bit. She decided that she could at least sit with him even if he didn't want to talk.

She didn't see him in the house so she wandered outside. He was standing at the deck railing looking at the ocean. She moved to his side and wrapped her arm around his waist. "You ok?" He looked at her but didn't speak. "When you're ready, I'm here."

He put his arm around her and pulled her to his chest, enjoying the feel of her presence. "I don't get it."

"Get what, sweetie?"

"I can't imagine ever loving someone as much as I love you. I thought she and my dad had that too. How does she fall in love with Bill after dating him for two months?"

"I fell in love with you with one kiss, babe. Also, they have known each other for over ten years. He's loved her a long time."

A tear fell down his cheek as he looked down at his father's ring that was on his finger. "I miss him."

"Sweetheart, of course you do."

"I guess it's not really fair to expect her to never meet someone." She didn't agree, she just kissed his cheek.

"Did you text her back?"

"No, I needed to think first."

"It's late, let's go to bed. You can text her in the morning."

THE NEXT MORNING

Elizabeth decided breakfast was her job the next morning. They needed groceries so she debated to wait for Jack or call Julie and ask her to take her.

She decided to wait for Jack so she sat on the deck and watched the sunrise with a cup of coffee and a blanket.

Jack woke up but Elizabeth was not next to him. He pulled on his sweats and a t-shirt and went to go find her.

"Morning, babe," he said as he joined her under the blanket.

"Hey." She snuggled up to him and kissed his neck. "We need groceries. Wanna take me to the store?"

"Sure."

"Did you call your mom?"

"No. It's early."

Elizabeth stood up and grabbed his hand. "Let's go to the store. Then we can go to the resort and find your mom and Bill."

"Elizabeth, I really don't want to do that."

"We need groceries."

"Not the store. I don't want to see my Mom."

"Babe, you can't avoid it forever. They fly home tomorrow." He knew she was right but he didn't want to admit it. "Just remember, Beth is always right."

THE STORE

Elizabeth pulled up her grocery list on her phone. Jack walked over with two top sirloin steaks, two lobster tails, a couple bottles of wine and strawberries. "Jack, none of those things are on the list."

"I need some chocolate. I'll be back."

Elizabeth walked down the next aisle and picked up flour and sugar. "Got the chocolate?" Jack walked toward her with a grin on his face.

"Got it."

"Want biscuits and gravy for breakfast?"

"Oh, yes please," he told her. His stomach growled as if on cue.

"Can you get butter and sausage please?"

He walked off and got the items but also came back with coffee, creamer, yogurt, cereal, and milk.

"Babe, I can see shopping on a budget is going to be a challenge with you, isn't it?"

"What's a budget?"

"Uh huh."

"Elizabeth, we are on our honeymoon. We should be able to have anything we want."

"When you go grocery shopping normally do you use a list or coupons?"

"Nope. It's all up here," he told her, tapping on his head.

"I have an idea."

"Ok."

"When we get back to the real world, I'll do the grocery shopping and make us a budget. Also, we can put all of the money from my paycheck into a savings account for emergencies for the next year. If we figure out that we can make it on just your income, we will have a nice savings and it won't be hard when we have a baby. That way if I want to take six months or a year off, I can."

"Smart idea, babe. However, now, since we are on our honeymoon, I think we should not worry about money and just have fun."

She wrapped her arms around his waist and stretched to kiss him. She looked over his shoulder to make sure no one was around and then slipped her hands into his back pockets. She smiled as he reacted.

"Babe, we're in public."

"Mmhmm. Your point?"

"I don't even know anymore." He kissed her deeply, running his fingers through her hair.

"You guys know you're in public, right?"

"Julie, as always, your timing is impeccable," Jack said as he released her.

"Thanks. Now, due to health codes, there is a rule about making out in a grocery store." She looked into their cart. "Yum, lobster, steak, wine. Strawberries and chocolate?"

"I'm starving, we should go," he told Elizabeth.

"Me too." She stuck her hand in his back pocket again and smiled. "Bye Jules. See you in a few weeks."

"Bye, Beth. Have a nice honeymoon."

"We are," Elizabeth said loudly. "Oh! We need mushrooms, babe, and potatoes, and sour cream."

BACK AT THE VILLA

Jack chuckled when he emerged from his shower and walked into the kitchen. Elizabeth stood at the stove making brunch in his pink ruffled apron and her sexy red lace underwear and lace tank top combo that was now his favorite thing ever.

"Nice apron, wife. It looks familiar."

She turned with a grin on her face. "You like?"

"Um..yeah, but the red underwear and tank top completes the ensemble."

"Thought you might appreciate that." Even the boot she had on her right leg couldn't detract from the look. He walked over and untied the apron, lifting it over her head. "What are you up to? I have to keep stirring…" She couldn't finish the thought because she was picked up, placed on the counter, and wrapped in his arms before she could even attempt another syllable. "This counter is cold and that's going to burn." He kissed her long and slow and then reached over and stirred the bubbling mixture. She realized she honestly didn't care if it burned. She wrapped her legs around his waist and her arms around his neck and kissed him back.

His phone vibrated on the counter just as things were beginning to escalate. Without thinking, he answered it without looking at the screen. "Yeah?" he said breathlessly as she continued kissing his neck.

"It's me, son."

"Mmm…Mom! Um….Hi!"

Elizabeth giggled as she ran her fingers under the edge of his shirt. He stepped back, backing against the island.

"I'm sorry to call you, but I didn't hear from you and I wanted to make sure you're ok."

"It's really not a good time to talk, Mom." He watched Elizabeth hop gingerly off the counter and continue cooking. "Maybe we can have dinner tonight? The four of us."

Elizabeth turned to look at him and smiled.

"Are you sure? I don't want to keep you guys from anything you may have planned."

"No plans. Why don't you come to the villa? About seven? We'll grill out."

"Ok. We'll bring a salad."

"Alright, see you tonight."

He tossed his phone on the counter and returned to his bride. "Sorry, where were we?"

"Food's done. Let's eat."

"Moment's over?"

"Until after brunch. I'm starved."