Disclaimer: I do not own the characters within this story. All rights and much respect go to Crown Media, Hallmark, Brian Bird, Michael Landon, Jr., the actors, creators, and writers of the show "When Calls the Heart." Any real people or places noted in the chapter are just there for storyline purposes.

Chapter 6- You'll Always Be Wanted

**Minor Steam Alert**

"Jack, would you like a cup of coffee?" Elizabeth asked as she pulled items from the kitchen cabinets.

"I'd love a cup," he softly replied as he came up from behind her and placed his hands on either side of her hips, resting them on the kitchen counter.

Turning around, Elizabeth smiled, finding him within her space, and feeling quite happy to share.

Jack's palm rested along Elizabeth's cheek as his thumb gently stroked across her soft skin, "You look beautiful this morning."

"I never changed out of my dress," she stated, "But then again, a suit is quite formal for you to sleep in."

Jack leaned in; his lips pressed gently against hers. Leaning back slightly he whispered, "I was afraid to leave you to change for fear that I'd find out last night was a dream." His hands on her waist lifted her to a seated position on the counter.

Seeing the scrapes on his knuckles, Elizabeth pulled his hand to her lips, "I'm sorry…I'm sorry about pushing you into another woman's arms, and I'm sorry that you had to jump in and protect me, but I really do appreciate it."

"You didn't sound like you appreciated it last night," Jack responded.

"I'm sorry. I was mad, and scared and angry. Why is my judgment so skewed when it comes to men?"

"Excuse me…?"

"Sorry, present company excluded."

"Elizabeth, I think you want to see the best in people, and that's a wonderful quality that you have."

"Speaking of seeing the best in people, I can't say that I saw that in Katie. But how was your date?"

"E-liz-a-beth…"

"I'm sorry; but did you have a decent time?"

"She's very nice, but I was so busy watching you and Dr. McCharmer that I can't tell you about anything we talked about…"

"Oh Jack, you can't tell me that you don't remember her offer for the evening."

"I remember, but I hope you know that I never entertained accepting it."

"I believe you, but Jack, she was doing her best to get into my head when I saw her at the pharmacy."

"What are you talking about?"

"Jack, she told me that you'd been spending the last few nights with her, and that…" Elizabeth turned away, unable to look him in the eyes.

"What…? You know it's not true, right?" his finger under her chin turned her head back to face him.

"I know; truly I do, and I completely believe you, but it hurt, especially since I hadn't seen you for days." Taking hold of his hand, her chin lowered, and she looked down.

Glancing upward again, she caught his eyes. She could see the concern in his expression, "I'm just telling you this, because this is what she said, so when you talk about how nice she is, well…"

"What did she say, and before you say anything, I did not stay at her place."

"I know that now, but when she was goading me, she was twisting the knife as hard as she could."

"What did she say?"

"Jack, she told me that you were spending the night at her place, and you were a fabulous lover and knew how to please a woman. In the morning she would wake up in your arms and you two would watch the sunrise together," Elizabeth felt as though she was spilling her guts and didn't quite understand when Jack softly laughed. "What's so funny…?"

"She said I was a fabulous lover?"

"Well, now that I think about it, she may not have said that…"

"But I know how to please a woman…"

Elizabeth's hands on his shoulders pushed him backward, "Well, you aren't pleasing this woman, right now." Elizabeth hopped down from the counter and started to walk away.

Grabbing her hand, he stopped her. Turning her back to face him, his other hand rested along the side of her face, "E-liz-a-beth, you're the only woman I want to please."

Jack's hand slipped behind her head as he slowly stepped forward. Tentatively he leaned closer, not certain that his amorous attention would be welcomed. As his mouth covered hers, her once firmly pursed lips softened almost immediately, welcoming his romantic gesture. "I'm sorry, Elizabeth. I'm a stupid guy, and sometimes I say and do things without thinking. But I can tell you, I don't sleep around, and I am faithful to the woman I'm with."

"But Jack, we weren't together a few days ago. You were free to see anyone you wanted and be with whoever you wanted."

Jack led Elizabeth over to the sofa where they took a seat, "The woman I've wanted is you."

Elizabeth smiled, knowing in her heart that he could be trusted; his word was his bond, and somehow she believed that he would do whatever was necessary to keep from hurting her. "What do you say we go for a walk on the beach with Bella?"

"That sounds perfect, but I need to go back to my place and change."

"Didn't you bring a bag?"

"Yes, but I didn't pack any board shorts," he stated as he kissed her forehead and started for the door.

"Hey Jack…"

"Yeah…"

"Why don't you pack up your stuff and come back here to stay?"

"Are you sure?"

"I wouldn't have offered if I wasn't."

Jack left Elizabeth's house and headed up the beach toward his hotel. He had a spring in his step and a smile on his face as he stopped by the pharmacy, stepping inside to purchase a can of shaving cream, feeling the need to keep himself cleanly shaven for her.

Standing at the checkout counter, he had a few moments alone as he waited on the clerk to ring up his singular item. Unsure how the remainder of the vacation would go with Elizabeth, he picked up a small box of condoms, "TROJAN- ULTRA RIBBED- ECSTASY- FEELS LIKE NOTHING'S THERE" that he found hanging by the register. He had no intentions of pushing Elizabeth into anything, as moving into intimacy would be her decision, but he assumed that she'd be appreciative that he'd planned ahead and was prepared with proper birth control.

Okay, let's just stop right here and collectively shake our heads in unison as we all say…" Ohhh, Jack."

Jack cleaned out his hotel room and was back at Elizabeth's house less than two hours later. "Hey, I'm back…"

Elizabeth opened her bedroom door allowing Bella to slip outside. "I'm changing; I'll be out in a minute."

Wearing a pair of boardshorts with a white waistband and dark blue at the hips before changing to orange and then yellow down his legs, Jack sat at the kitchen table waiting on Elizabeth.

As the door opened, he looked down the hall and as she appeared, his heart stopped. Wearing a medium blue bikini with a halter top, Jack was fairly certain that he'd lost all feeling in his lower extremities as he attempted to stand and quickly fell back into the chair.

"Hey, are you ready to go?" she asked as she pulled her white coverup over her head.

"You're beautiful, but thank you…"

"You're thanking me for what?" she asked.

"For putting that white thing on; you're completely distracting without it…"

"Is that a bad thing?"

"It is when we're out in public; we'll save that for when we're alone…"

Feeling sexy for the first time in a while, she felt herself standing taller, with her shoulders back, but with her moderate bust having little impact underneath her coverup.

Although she smiled at his comments, she was also aware that a difficult conversation would be required soon. Little did she know that this needed conversation would loom closer on the horizon than she'd hoped. After all is said and done, will he still feel the same about her once he knows?

Jack took her hand, called Bella and they headed outside for a walk to the beach. Walking along the wet sand, Bella ventured into the water several times, trotting back toward shore before the water had an opportunity to consume her.

"Hey, you two," Katie called out as she walked toward them carrying her surfboard.

Jack squeezed Elizabeth hand gently as Katie approached. Rushing from the water, Bella stood in front, between Jack and Elizabeth, and the next threat she observed to her pawrents.

Barking, Bella drew attention to them as Elizabeth released Jack's hand, squatted down and hugged their four-legged confidant, "It's okay, baby."

"Hi Katie," Jack stated as he stood so close to Elizabeth that his leg was touching her body.

"Jack, you missed some radical waves today. I hope you aren't going to give up surfing while you're here…it would certainly be a shame if you did."

Not sure how to answer, Jack started, "Well, I…"

Elizabeth interjected, "Of course he'll be surfing more, but he's going to be teaching me, right Jack?"

"Uh, right…"

"Well good luck, Elizabeth. But be careful; those waves can be dangerous if you don't know what you're doing."

Katie began to walk away but stopped turned around and announced, "Oh, Elizabeth, a friend of mine sent me a text this morning…there is a morning show opening in Los Angeles…"

"Are you looking to move?" Elizabeth asked, hoping her answer was 'yes.'

"No, of course not. I love Raleigh; I have no desire to cohost a morning show, and I have great old and new (she stepped forward and patted Jack on the shoulder) friends. I have no need to leave. But I thought you may be looking for something new."

"Hmm, I was thinking about the morning show co-host position at WRAL," Elizabeth mentioned.

"I think they've filled those positions. You may want to look into the one in LA; it's a really big market out there."

"Thank you for the information. I'll think about it."

As Katie walked away, Jack took Elizabeth's hand and they continued down the beach. "That was nice of her to tell you about that other job, but you aren't really going to look into it, are you?"

"First of all, Jack, Katie doesn't want me in Raleigh because you're there. Whether you believe me or not, she's still hoping that you two can hook up."

"Elizabeth, I don't believe in hook-ups. But right now, I just want us to forget about her and enjoy our time here," he leaned over and in view of everyone on the beach, covered her lips with his.

"So, I guess this makes us 'Fiji official,'" Elizabeth remarked, a takeoff of the typical 'Instagram official.'

"Well, I'm not so sure that 'Fiji official' is a real thing, but it sounds good to me," Jack responded before pulling out two towels from Elizabeth's bag and laying them side by side. He them pulled out a sheet and laid it at their feet for Bella. Then he pulled out a small 'stick in the sand' umbrella which he placed by Bella to keep the sun from baking her.

Elizabeth pulled her coverup over her head and laid down on her stomach on her towel. "Jack, there is a bottle of sun tanning lotion in the bag; will you put some on me?"

"Sure," he stated as he reached into the bag and pulled out the bottle. Removing the top, he squirted some of the lotion into his hand. Although nervous when he touched her skin, he worked the lotion all over her back, shoulders, arms and down the backs of her legs.

Once finished, Jack laid on his back, covered his own body with lotion and took hold of her hand, enjoying the feeling of their bodies touching.

Turning her head to face him, Elizabeth asked, "Hey, can you unhook my top. I hate having tan lines."

Swallowing hard, Jack replied, "Su…re."

As the men around them prayed for a wardrobe malfunction and that Elizabeth would jump up without fastening her top, Jack hovered over her, unable to sleep, making certain that she remained covered.

He needn't have worried, because Elizabeth had been to the beach many times where she'd unsnapped her top to prevent tan lines. As on other occasions, she reached her arms around and reattached her top before sitting up, much to the dismay of the men around her.

Taking the lotion, Elizabeth covered her exposed skin on the front of her body, before asking Jack, "Hey, would you like me to put some stuff on your back?"

Rolling over on his stomach, he smiled when he felt her hands moving across his back. It also didn't hurt that her actions showed to the men around them that she was with him, finally causing them to look elsewhere.

Having laid out for a while, Jack asked, "Do you want to get in the water?"

"Not really…" she replied.

"Aren't you hot?" he rolled over on his side and rested his head on his bent elbow as he stared into her eyes.

"Nope…"

"Elizabeth, you're sweating…"

"Jack, the truth is, I'm scared of sharks."

"Excuse me?"

"I like swimming in pools. I feel like if I look in a pool and see a shark, I know not to go it; but the ocean is so big, and it's their world, not mine."

"Are you serious?"

"What, I can't have things I'm afraid of? Well, just so you know, I'm scared of spiders too."

"Okay, well, I don't care for spiders either, but I can't say I'm afraid of them. But if you don't want to get in the water, why did you tell Katie that I was going to be teaching you how to surf?"

"Well, I just thought maybe we could…" Elizabeth looked up and caught his glance. "Okay, the truth is that Katie told me that you two get up early and surf."

"We did. But we weren't together."

"I know that now, but Jack, she told me how you two would surf in the morning, and how romantic it was to watch the sunrise with you."

"Elizabeth, the sun rose while we were out here, but we didn't stand and watch it," Jack admitted. "If you want me to teach you to surf, I'll be glad to help you, but I won't push."

"Can you promise that there aren't any sharks out there?"

"Uh no…but I've not heard of any sightings, so I believe we're safe."

"Okay, I'll go out in the water with you, and you can teach me how to surf, but I swear if I see a shark…"

"I'll protect you."

Elizabeth smiled, "You are so sweet to give up your life for me…"

"Huh, what are you talking about?"

"Jack, if a shark comes along, you'll have to sacrifice yourself so I can get out of the water," she laughed softly, as his expression showed he was seriously thinking.

"Um, can't I just poke him in the eye?" Jack asked.

"I don't care what you do, but I'd just like to tell you ahead of time that I appreciate you giving up your life for mine," Elizabeth finally burst out laughing.

"Why are you laughing; I just died…"

"Jack, I'm just teasing, but that's why I want you to know that I'm afraid of sharks. People do get killed by them."

"Okay, I guess I've never thought about it before, so I'm sorry if I didn't take your fear seriously."

Seeing Bella panting as the umbrella was no longer providing her with coverage from the sun, Jack and Elizabeth got up, shook out their towels and Bella's sheet and headed home.

Once home, Jack sat their bag on the kitchen counter before pulling Elizabeth close. With his arms around her waist, his skin touching hers, the fire was quickly building between them. "I've had a great day with you, Elizabeth."

"It was enjoyable to be with you too, Jack, knowing that my feelings are out in the open…"

"And mine are too."

As Jack held her close, Elizabeth could feel the warmth flowing through her body which had nothing to do with the heat from outside. His touch was exciting and had her feeling and wanting things that she'd never wanted before.

Her bottom lip trembled slightly, drawing his attention. Once their lips met, she moaned softly, and Jack felt as though he'd lost all control. The wave of desire was so strong and hit him so hard, so powerful that it took him completely by surprise.

Jack and Elizabeth were each surprised by the power of what they felt, realizing that things may be moving too fast. Elizabeth stepped away, "I'm going to take a shower and change. I'll be out in a little while."

As she disappeared, Jack and Bella stepped outside by the pool. Seeing the outside shower, Jack went inside and grabbed a towel from the linen closet. Walking into his room, he unzipped his bag and found the box of condoms conspicuously sitting on top of his clothes.

Jack sat down on his bed and rubbed his hands roughly over his face, "You should be ashamed of yourself," he whispered. "It's too soon to even be thinking about that step," Jack chastised himself. He reached into his bag, grabbed his clothes and headed outside.

Slipping into a multi-colored halter top which fell to her hips and a pair of black biker shorts, Elizabeth walked out into the house and found Jack and Bella missing.

Stepping outside, she heard Jack's voice, but as she stepped closer she realized that he was singing. Having never heard him sing before, she stepped closer to listen. Walking around the corner, she was the shocked one when she stood face to face with Jack, naked and showering in one of the outdoor showers.

Turning beet red, Elizabeth slammed her eyes shut, "I'm sorry; I'm sorry; I thought you were just out here singing. I promise, I didn't see anything."

Finding her embarrassed look to be quite endearing, he responded, "That's okay." Jack spun around to hide his penis, feeling quite proud that one hand was not enough to cover himself completely, but not realizing that in turning away from her, he left his muscular backside available for viewing.

Although Elizabeth told herself not to look, her heart pounded as her fingers, covering her eyes, "accidentally" separated. She turned around and headed for the house, "I'm sorry, Jack," she yelled as she headed inside with a visual that she was certain would stay with her a lifetime.

Jack laughed as he finished showering, wrapped the towel around his waist, and stepped out of the stall to dress. Stepping back inside with wet hair, but fully dressed in a pair of blue cargo shorts, and a dark grey t-shirt, he found Elizabeth busy straightening up the house. Actually, embarrassed and not knowing what to do, she was cleaning messes that weren't really there.

"Elizabeth…"

She refused to look in his direction, although she did respond, "I'm so sorry Jack…"

"Elizabeth, it's okay," he stated as he walked over, took her hand and walked her outside where they took a seat by the pool.

"Jack, I had no idea you were taking a shower. I mean there are bathrooms in the house; I just never thought that you'd be outside na…"

"Naked…?"

"Uh yeah, but I didn't really see anything," she turned away as she blushed.

"It's okay if you did. I mean, at some point, I'm assuming that we'll see each other naked, so it's nothing to be embarrassed about."

"I suppose so," she admitted, although she was fairly certain that her time frame and his for this momentous occasion would most likely not be the same.

"Are you hungry? Would you like to go out to eat?" he asked.

"Sure, but no place dressy; this is about as dressed up as I want to be," she admitted.

"There's a really good place just down the beach a little way; it's called Bad Dog Café," Jack stated, as Bella sighed and immediately laid down. "I'm not calling you a bad dog, girl. You're the best dog ever…"

Elizabeth slipped into her flip flops as Jack held the door open for her. Taking her hand, they headed down the beach toward a casual night out alone.

"What's your favorite color?" he asked as they sat at the café table, her with a Tequila Sunrise and him with a beer.

"Green, how about you?" she returned the question back to him.

"Blue, like the color of your eyes."

Elizabeth smiled, "Do you always know the right things to say?"

"Obviously not, or you wouldn't have gone out with Blake, and I wouldn't have gone out with Katie," he quickly responded. "I would have told you how I felt, and it would have been you and me on a date."

"Well, we're on a date now," she reminded him as she held up her cocktail. "To Fiji and honesty…" she toasted as they clinked their glasses together.

After eating their Hawaiian pizza and finishing their drinks, Jack took Elizabeth's hand, and they took a walk along the beach. As the sun set, they came upon a single swing erected just inside the usual tide line.

Elizabeth climbed into the swing, and Jack gently pushed her out over the water. Each time she returned back to him, he again placed his hands on her hips and pushed. She finally came to a stop with Jack stepping in front of her and carrying her to dry land.

"I can walk, Jack…"

"I don't want a shark to get you."

"That's not funny, Jack," she stated as he placed her feet on the sand but refused to release her.

With his arms around her waist, he held her tight, "I'm not making fun of you; I personally just wanted to hold you in my arms."

As her hands moved up his arms and slipped behind his neck, she whispered, "Well, I personally like being here in your arms."

Jack nailed her with a look so sensuous that she felt nearly naked. His lips covered hers with such intensity, much like the devil himself, it was hot, and demanding, and left each one wanting more.

These new feelings for Jack scared her. Never before had she felt so intense about a man, even realizing that her feelings for Ryan paled drastically in comparison, leaving her thankful that he'd walked out, or ran, depending on your visual of the cancelled nuptials.

Once back home, Jack grabbed a bottle of wine and two glasses, carried them outside as he and Elizabeth took a seat on the edge of the pool, each one enjoying the feeling of the warm water covering their dangling legs.

Jack poured the wine as they sat and talked, finding these quiet, personal conversation so enlightening in their quest to learn everything about each other.

"I appreciate your service to the country, Jack, but why did you want to be a pilot?" she asked.

"I've always enjoyed flying, and I had my pilots license before I joined the Navy, so it just seemed logical that I'd pursue being a fighter pilot."

"Did you ever shoot a plane out of the sky?" she inquired.

"Only once; it was during Operation Enduring Freedom," Jack began to explain as he looked out into the darkness, his voice quivering slightly. "The other pilot had locked onto 'Hulk,' a guy in my squadron, and there was no other option. I fired, Hulk banked hard right, and it was over almost before it started."

Jack continued, "Most of the time we were providing close air support to the forces on the ground."

"Did you have a call name?" she asked.

"Boomer…"

"Boomer…does that have something to do with dropping bombs?"

"I wish, well, maybe not. Anyway, I accidentally broke the sound barrier over a small town."

"Yikes…" she laughed. Becoming serious, she asked, "What did you fly? I mean are you allowed to tell me?"

"I flew F/A 18 E/F Super Hornets."

"Do you mind me asking what happened to force you to retire?"

"I was landing on the Nimitz class carrier the Carl Vinson, and let's just say on this occasion I went from 150 mph to zero in a matter of seconds. The plane is supposed to stop by catching a hook on a steel wire connected to giant hydraulic motors underneath the flight deck," Jack tried to explain.

"Let's say that the carrier has to keep about 30 knots of wind across the flight deck to help provide a boost to the aircraft taking off. A giant steam catapult under the deck launches planes up to about 170 mph. So, when the pilots are landing, you need to realize that this 100,000-ton ship is moving at a speed that would get you a ticket on some residential streets."

Jack was obviously in his element as he continued his explanation, "So, not only is the ship moving forward, but it is also surging front to back, swaying side to side, and heaving up and down. So, it would be like landing on the top of a five-story building in an earthquake."

"Well, I've seen landings and takeoffs on TV before and they look really hard and scary, but I had no idea… what happened, Jack?"

"I landed, hooked the wire and something caused it to snap, and not only did the jet stop, but it spun violently," Jack stated as he reached down and ran his hand across his right knee. "I injured my knee and although I'm 100% now, there was a thought that I wouldn't be, so I retired."

"I'm sorry, Jack…"

Jack reached over and took her glass from her hand, setting both of them down on the other side of his body. "Don't be sorry, Elizabeth. Things happen as they are supposed to. If I were still in the military, I wouldn't have met you…I consider myself to be very lucky," he leaned over as his mouth warmly and softly covered hers.

Elizabeth's mouth opened slightly as Jack's tongue pressed against the seam of her lips. His hands rested on either side of her face, and he held her close as their lips fit perfectly together, much like each one was made by God himself with the other one in mind.

One kiss led to another as his tongue ran along the sensitive skin just inside her mouth. French kissing was never something she enjoyed, that is until now; that is until Jack.

The heat between them continued to flourish as one kiss led to another and another. Jack's arms around Elizabeth's waist held her close until Jack shifted to be even closer, and before they knew it, he fell backwards into the pool, pulling Elizabeth on top of him.

Soaking wet, they laughed as the kissing continued. Bella jumped into the pool uncertain whether she needed to save them, keep them from killing one another, or somehow join in with the laughter between them; the last choice being what happened between them.

Once out of the pool, Elizabeth started for the house.

"You aren't leaving now, are you?" Jack called out.

"Jack, I'm soaking wet. I'm going to dry off and change, besides, it's getting late," Elizabeth stated. Feeling the need to cool down the heat between them, she stepped forward, kissed his cheek, "I'll see you in the morning."

As she turned to walk away, Jack held her hand. As both of them dripped water on the concrete surrounding the pool, Jack slipped his hand behind her head and pulled her close

"I don't want to say good night…" he whispered before his lips captured hers, feeling a fire burning through him with the intensity of a summer storm. Jack couldn't deny the effect her body touching his had upon him and turned away hoping to shield the tenting of his shorts from her eyes.

Although he'd love to move into an intimate relationship with Elizabeth, he also knew that it was too soon to expect it. He would never push her, but also couldn't help but to wonder how long she dated Ryan before they first slept together.

Jack had never felt the need to talk with the women he'd dated before as they simply slipped from dating to staying over, but somehow he knew that Elizabeth was different. He knew that they would need to talk about where each one saw their relationship moving, and given the way he felt, that talk would need to come soon.

The following morning, Elizabeth was carrying towels and one of Bella's blankets to Jack's room when she heard the shower running. Although she knocked, she did not expect him to hear her and she slipped inside his room, covering her eyes with her hand, just in case there was another incident like before.

Placing the towels and wash cloth on his bed, she turned to leave and accidentally knocked his bag off the bed, spilling its contents all over the floor. Rushing, she grabbed his clothes and stuffed them back inside his bag along with his comb, shaving kit, wallet and small box of condoms.

Elizabeth stood perfectly still, fairly certain that her feet were now wedged in concrete. Staring at the yellow box labeled "TROJAN- ULTRA RIBBED- ECSTASY- FEELS LIKE NOTHING'S THERE" containing 3 condoms, and although she was surprised, she quickly assumed that she shouldn't be, after all, he was a man.

She heard the water shut off in the shower, picked up the box, and tossed it into his bag as if it were the 'hot potato' of her childhood games. She rushed out of the room, closing the door behind her.

When Jack left his room, he saw the towels on his bed, and his bag where he'd left it. He thought nothing of the condoms in his bag, having bought them on a whim, but quickly decided that the purchase was ill advised, stuffed them down to the bottom of his bag, assuming that Elizabeth would never even know he had them.

Elizabeth was in her room when Jack stepped out into the living area, hoping that today would be the day that they would go surfing together. Finding the living room and backyard empty, Jack walked back to Elizabeth's room and knocked, "Hey are you and Bella in there?"

Without saying a word, Elizabeth cracked the door open to let Bella out, closing the door behind her.

"Elizabeth is something wrong?" he asked, clearly concerned by her actions, but even more so by her silence.

"I'm working on something; I'll be out in a little while…"

Jack and Bella walked back to the kitchen where he fixed himself a cup of coffee, and refreshed Bella's water bowl.

Down the hall, Elizabeth sat on her bed with her favorite two books in hand, her Bible and journal. She was ashamed to say that she didn't go to her Bible as often as she'd cracked open her journal, but, at this moment, she felt the need to read the word of God.

Opening her Bible, she searched for helpful scriptures.

Hebrews 13:4

Let marriage be held in honor among all, and let the marriage bed be undefiled, for God will judge the sexually immoral and adulterous.

1 Thessalonians 4:3-5

For this is the will of God, your sanctification: that you abstain from sexual immorality; that each one of you know how to control his own body in holiness and honor, not in the passion of lust like the Gentiles who do not know God.

Elizabeth closed her Bible and laid it on the bedside table. She'd been taught that her body was her temple and wasn't to be used or abused by her or anyone else. Although she hadn't experienced these feelings before meeting Jack, she couldn't say at this moment that making love to him seemed much like abusing her body, and as such she wasn't completely content with her virgin status quo.

However, she was also aware that this special gift she had for her future husband, whoever he may be, could only be gifted once. Suddenly she realized that waiting, though seemingly difficult at times, would assure that the man she loved; the man who was willing to wait for her, was in fact the man who loved her more than life itself, and was deserving of her.

She also realized what she'd known all along…the word of God was meant to be followed and giving herself to a man for sexual pleasure without the benefit of marriage would go against what she knew to be right and true.

Elizabeth grabbed her journal and opened it to the next blank page. Realizing that she'd be just as close to God whether she spoke or wrote her prayer, she closed her journal, kneeled beside her bed, clasped her hands, bowed her head and began to pray…

"Dear Lord,

I'm sorry for not coming to you before now. Even knowing that whatever I say, or feel in my heart is kept between us, this is still a difficult conversation. I'd like to be able to justify the desires I have, those feelings I've never really had before, but I also know that fornication is a sin, and I can't disregard that.

But why does it seem as though sex is the goal of all men? They push to get us into bed before moving on to their next conquest. Not only is marriage not involved, but love seems totally lost in their desire to simply satisfy their physical needs. They tell us what they think we need to hear, anything to get what they want, but I don't believe that I was simply placed on this Earth to meet a man's sexual needs. My feelings should be just as important as his. Yet most of the men I've met are quick to ridicule me for my beliefs, as they run in the opposite direction away from me, unwilling to take into consideration my morals and values."

Elizabeth, initially expressing a look of disappointment, took a deep breath, and smiled softly, an expression of understanding covered her face…

"Hmm, just as I say that; I realize that those who are unwilling to consider my morals and values are not worthy of my time, my love, or my body. The man who is worthy of me will be willing to wait and will understand my need to remain pure prior to marriage. He will forego his own needs to satisfy mine, and his love for me will be evident as he considers our life, long term and not simply for the night. Amen…"

Elizabeth went into her bathroom, freshened her face, and pulled her hair back into a ponytail before heading down the hall and a conversation with Jack that she wasn't looking forward to, but knew was needed.

Jack was laying in the floor with Bella when Elizabeth walked into the room. "Hey, look at this, Bella has entered witness protection," Jack laughed as he placed a purple wig he'd found on the counter on top of her head. "Funny, huh…?"

Elizabeth had to admit it was funny, but not funny enough to rid her mind of the visual of the condom box in his bag. "Yeah, that's funny." She took a seat on the sofa, "Hey do you have time for a talk?"

She'd barely finished her question when Jack was on his feet and heading for the sofa.

"Is something wrong?" he asked.

"I don't really know how to start…"

Jack took a seat beside her on the sofa and held her hand, "This sounds ominous. Just tell me…"

"Jack, I came into your room to bring you towels…"

"I saw, thank you. You must have brought them when I was in the shower. Is that what you want to talk about? I mean, it was nothing like the surprise the other day; we didn't see each other unless…"

"No, no I didn't see you in the shower. But Jack, when I turned to leave, I knocked your bag off the bed, spilling everything you had onto the floor."

"Honey, that's okay. That's nothing to get so upset about," he assured her. "You must have picked everything up because nothing was on the floor."

"I did, and that's what I need to talk to you about."

"Okay…you're concerning me Elizabeth, what could be so bad that you can't talk to me about it?"

"Jack, I found a box of…"

"Condoms," Jack blurted out, hoping that it would help Elizabeth for him to bring up the apparent uncomfortable topic.

"Uh, right. I just need to ask…"

"Go ahead…"

"Jack did you bring them with you to Fiji in case you got lucky; did you buy them here hoping you'd get lucky, or did you get them after we talked, assuming you'd get lucky?" she asked, unsure which scenario he would admit to, but wishing it were none of the three.

"Elizabeth," Jack's voice was gentle yet firm as he stood, assuming he could speak easier from his heart as he walked. Finding the need to be close to her, he returned to his seat beside her. "Elizabeth, I didn't bring them with me, I bought them after we talked, but not because I was expecting anything."

"Jack…"

"No, please let me explain… E-liz-a-beth, I won't apologize for how I feel about you, and yes, I want to be closer to you, but the decision to move what we have to the next level will always be in your hands. I'd never push you into anything you weren't ready for."

"Why do men seem to feel that we're supposed to feel thankful that they just want us for sex…? I mean, I'm a person too, with feelings and emotions, but sometimes it feels like all men think about is sex."

"Is that what you think of me?" he asked, obviously hurt by the thought.

"No, I didn't, but Jack, I just don't know. I've had it happen too many times."

"Well, I can't speak for other men, but that's not me. If all I wanted was a roll in the sack, according to you, I could have had several boxes worth with Katie." He stepped closer, "But Elizabeth, she's not the woman I'm interested in; she's not the woman I want to develop a relationship with, she's not the woman I think about constantly when she's not around, and she's certainly not the woman I care about."

Jack took a deep breath before continuing, "In case you still don't know who I'm referring to, it's you. E-liz-a-beth," he swept several strands of hair behind her ear, "It's been you for a really long time, I just didn't realize it."

"Jack, I'm sorry, but I've had this conversation quite a few times before and it always ends the same way…men looking for sex, and that's all."

"Elizabeth, I don't want just sex. When the time is right, and you decide that, I want to make love to you."

"But Jack, it could be a really long time before that happens."

Feeling his heart pounding in his chest, he could barely hear her words or the snoring coming from Bella who was asleep on the floor. "Okay, well, I don't understand…"

"You've heard the term virgin before, right?"

Jack didn't mean too but he snickered. Seeing her expression, he quickly realized that this was no joking matter. "I'm sorry. I know what a virgin is, but I don't know that I've ever met any."

"What does that mean?"

"Elizabeth, it's not something that I think a woman says when she first meets a man… 'Hi, I'm so and so, and I'm a virgin.'"

Elizabeth thought for a moment, realizing that he seemed to understand the sensitive nature of the subject. "Well, Hello, I'm Elizabeth Grace Thatcher, and I'm a virgin…"

"Okay…" he replied.

"Okay, all you have to say is okay?"

"Elizabeth, what am I supposed to say? I didn't expect it, but I admire you standing firm for your morals and values. Not many people do that nowadays."

"Jack, I'm giving you the option to leave; I'm used to it…" she stated as she released his hand and wiped her eyes. "Actually, most men run as soon as they find out, or like Ryan, he had a girlfriend on the side that he introduced as his cousin. Man, what a chump I was…"

Taking her hand again in his, his free hand, wiped the perfect little droplets that slipped down her cheeks. "Did you honestly think that I would walk away?" he leaned in and whispered.

"Actually, I assumed that you'd run…"

"Elizabeth, the only thing worse than making assumptions, is believing them. If you aren't sure about something, please ask me. We've had enough with miscommunication, and I don't want to go backward."

"So, you don't want to end this…whatever this is?"

"No, I don't want to end this," he stated as he pressed his lips to her forehead. He wanted to tell her that he fell in love with her years ago when they met in the park. Bella obviously loved her too, but sadly back then he assumed she was taken.

Elizabeth smiled at the gentle, romantic gesture.

"Thank you for being honest with me," Jack stated. He smiled but glanced off in the distance, obviously thinking about something.

"Is something wrong?" she asked.

"No," he responded. Turning in his seat to face her more directly, he continued, "I was remembering an occasion where my parents sat me down for a talk. I can't say that I really understood their point at the time, but right now, it's like a lightbulb has gone off in my head and I believe I understand what they meant."

"What was the talk about…that is if you don't mind me asking," her thumb brushed across the top of his hand which held hers.

"My mom once told me to find a woman who dances with God, that he'll always let the right man cut in. Then my dad added, if you treat her with respect, and you love her more than life itself, like the way I love your mom, you'll be the man who God allows her to dance with."

Feeling comfortable that her recent prayer had been so quickly answered, she stood and held out her hand, "Jack, will you dance with me?"

"I'd love to…more than you'll ever know," he responded as he took her hand, pulled his phone from his pocket, and found the perfect song.

"Wanted" by Hunter Hayes began to play through Jack's iPhone speaker as his arms held her close…

You know I'd fall apart without you
I don't know how you do what you do
'Cause everything that don't make sense about me
Makes sense when I'm with you

Like everythin' that's green, girl, I need you
But it's more than one and one makes two
Put aside the math and the logic of it
You gotta know you're wanted too

'Cause I wanna wrap you up
Wanna kiss your lips
I wanna make you feel wanted
And I wanna call you mine
Wanna hold your hand forever
And never let you forget it
Yeah, I wanna make you feel wanted

Anyone can tell you you're pretty
You get that all the time, I know you do
But your beauty's deeper than the make-up
And I wanna show you what I see tonight

When I wrap you up
When I kiss your lips
I wanna make you feel wanted
And I wanna call you mine
Wanna hold your hand forever
And never let you forget it
'Cause, baby, I wanna make you feel wanted

As good as you make me feel
I wanna make you feel better
Better than your fairy tales
Better than your best dreams
You're more than everything I need
You're all I ever wanted
All I ever wanted

And I just wanna wrap you up
Wanna kiss your lips
I wanna make you feel wanted
And I wanna call you mine
Wanna hold your hand forever
And never let you forget it
Yeah, I wanna make you feel wanted
Baby, I wanna make you feel wanted

You'll always be wanted

To be continued…