Chapter 27

(Jack and Elizabeth's journey continues, as they bump along in the coach back to Coal Valley….)

Elizabeth poked her finger into Jack's shoulder, "And another thing, you said my dress was tight around the waist, just how did you know that?" She asked.

"I notice things, that's what I do…"

"I know that, but a Mountie's job is not to notice someone's dress being short or tight," she said.

The corner of Jack's mouth twitched, "Well, I'll tell you," he rested his face on her shoulder to whisper in her ear, "how could I not notice, you're a very attractive woman and you have a nice…a good…shape."

She pulled away, "Jack! What a thing to say!"

"What? It's true, physical attraction means a lot, don't you think?"

"I suppose it does…but really, it's not something that is discussed..."

Jack chuckled, "Why? Does that embarrass you? It shouldn't, you're a beautiful woman." He leaned to kiss her, but she pulled away.

"That's a private thing Jack."

"I know that, I didn't yell it from a rooftop. I'm just telling you, I find you very physically attractive," he shrugged his shoulders, "sorry if that offends you." He leaned toward the window.

"Well….I'm flattered but it's a bit embarrassing," she moved closer to him, "Jack?"

He looked at her, "Hmm?"

"I find you that way too," she whispered.

"What way?" He wanted her to state it.

"Attractive," she ran her finger down his arm, "in a physical sense."

"Like what?"

"Jack, don't be difficult…"

Jack grabbed her hand, "Okay…" he pulled her into his arms and kissed her passionately, running his hands up and down her back. Elizabeth held his face in her hands, keeping him close.

Jack finally pulled away, "Great, barely twenty miles into the trip and this…"

Elizabeth snuggled against him, "It's okay…no more kissing."

Jack laughed, "Okay….let's see how we do with that."

Elizabeth re-positioned herself, sitting up straight, "Let's talk…"

"Talk? Okay…" Jack folded his arms across his chest.

"So, do you remember that night you came to dinner at Abigail's?"

"Yes, of course, you had that nice shiner…" he smiled remembering.

Her mouth opened, surprised he remembered. "Not that you cared."

"I did care. You told me later that James hit you accidentally."

"He did, but you didn't care," she repeated.

"Maybe not that much, but if that happened now, no one would get away with it, I promise you that."

"Thank you…"

Jack leaned his head on her shoulder, "I knew you cared about me…."

"I did not care about you, I was infuriated with you."

"No, you mean infatuated…you were infatuated with me."

"I was not."

"Was too."

Elizabeth sighed, "This is going to be a long ride…"

As the day progressed on, Elizabeth read and Jack napped on her shoulder. She loved the closeness of him and several times she placed a light kiss on his head. Finally at dusk the driver pulled off the road.

"Miss Elizabeth, we best bed down here for the night, horses need a rest," Vernon, the driver, said.

"Here? What, in the middle of nowhere?"

"City is too far away Miss."

Jack woke up, "Where are we?"

"We've stopped, in the middle of the woods," Elizabeth said, straining to look out the window.

"It's fine, we did this on the way out," Jack opened the door, "this is perfect."

"Perfect?" Elizabeth said.

"The horses need a rest. It will be fine, don't worry," Jack put his hand up to assist her from the coach.

She looked at his hand and then at him.

"Come on, don't be afraid," Jack said.

Elizabeth grasped his hand, "I am not afraid…"

When she stepped down from the coach next to Jack he whispered, "I'm here, I'll protect you."

She blushed and looked away.

Jack and Vernon set up a campsite, Elizabeth gathered sticks for a fire. Vernon then took the horses to the creek nearby.

"It's safe here…" Elizabeth looked around, "isn't it?" She dropped the sticks in a pile.

Jack unrolled blankets, "Should be… Why don't you get that picnic basket." He thought keeping her busy would help her not worry.

The three sat and ate by the fire and then Vernon excused himself, "I really need to stretch out….I will go camp out on the other side of the coach, good evening folks."

"Have a good rest and thank you." Elizabeth said.

"Good night Vernon," Jack said and glanced at Elizabeth.

"Can we walk a bit, I need to move after all that sitting," Elizabeth said.

"Sure, let me add to this fire…" Jack piled more sticks onto the flames and stood and offered Elizabeth his arm. The two walked toward the creek. "I'd say let's get our feet wet, but there's too many rocks…you'd probably fall."

She tugged his arm, "Fall? I wouldn't fall."

"Oh don't act like you've never fallen before."

"Well it's a good thing you were there to catch me isn't it?" She leaned against him.

He rubbed his hand up and down her arm as he held her close. "I'll always be here to catch you."

They shared a sweet kiss in the moonlight and walked back to their campsite.

Jack checked on Vernon who was fast asleep on the far side of the coach.

Elizabeth sat on her blankets untying her shoes. Jack tossed his hat on the ground and stretched out on his own blankets. He purposely placed her blankets about six feet away from his. He turned and watched her. She pulled both shoes off, lifted her skirt to her knees, rolled off her stockings, stretched her legs out and wiggled her toes.

"Feel good to have your toes free?" Jack laughed softly.

"Oh," she yanked down her skirt and covered her feet, "I didn't think you were watching."

Jack laid back and looked above, "It's okay, not scandalous to look at your feet."

"Oh really," she playfully yanked up her skirt, "then you will notice no stubbed toes here!"

Jack laughed and put his hat over his face.

A little later, Elizabeth woke up and wandered off for privacy.

The fire crackled waking Jack, he glanced over to Elizabeth and sat up noticing she was gone. He got up, "Elizabeth?" He walked to the coach, suspecting she may have gone to sleep in the carriage. She wasn't there. He walked to the other side and checked on Vernon who was still sound asleep.

Meanwhile, Elizabeth accomplished her chore, returned and crawled back between her blankets.

Jack walked back around the coach toward the camp and saw her stretched out. He shook his head realizing what she must have done and got back into his blankets.

He fell back asleep until a little later, "Jack? Jack?" He opened his eyes to see Elizabeth sitting next to him, he propped himself up on his elbows, "Elizabeth, what is it?"

Her eyes scanned the area, "I heard something…."

Jack listened a moment, "What?"

"I'm cold…" She changed her tactic, not willing to admit she was scared.

Jack looked over to see her blankets crumpled in the grass. "Ahh, okay…" He went, retrieved her blankets and laid them next to his, thinking it would be okay if she were securely in her own blankets. "Here you go." His eyes grew wide as she moved the bedding closer to him, shimmied in between the blankets and her skirt raised higher and higher up her bare leg. He couldn't look away. He jumped when she touched his face.

"Thank you Jack," she kissed his cheek innocently.

"Ahh, you're welcome," he said, blinking away his daydream.

He stretched out and didn't move as she wiggled closer to him, "Elizabeth, are you comfortable?"

"Yes, I'm very comfortable now, aren't you?"

"Oh yeah…real…comfortable," he swallowed hoping he would fall asleep fast. He cringed with every movement she made, aware of her being only inches away. He put his hands under his head and stared up at the stars, talking himself into being the protector, keeping the woman he loved safely by his side and resisting the urge to pull her into his embrace and kiss her repeatedly. When she finally stopped moving he glanced at her, her hands under her face she looked peaceful and so beautiful. He leaned in to kiss her, but stopped himself knowing it wasn't a good idea. She exhaled and moved, exposing her knee from under the blanket. He growled and rolled onto his side, facing away from her, taking several deep breaths. He thought maybe if he just didn't look at her, pretended she wasn't there, he would just fall asleep and morning would come…quickly.

Elizabeth opened her eyes, seeing the back of Jack's head. She moved a bit closer and couldn't help but reach out and sweep her hand across his strong broad shoulders. She suspected he knew that she was afraid and was glad he didn't resist her moving so close to him where she felt safe. She couldn't resist running her hand down his back, touching the soft fabric of his blue shirt.

Jack woke at her touch but remained still for a moment enjoying the feel of her hand on his shoulder, thinking that was all she would do - hoping that was all she would do. His jaw clenched as her hand moved lower and lower on his back. When she cupped her hand on his waist it tickled and he rolled onto his back and faced her. The sleepy look in her eyes captivated him and he didn't move, just looked at her. When the corners of her mouth formed a smile, that soft sweet smile that he loved to see, he moved and captured her lips with his, tasting her sweetness.

Elizabeth welcomed him by running her hand through his hair, returning his passionate kiss and moving her hand firmly across his shoulder and pulling him closer. Jack moved over her, forcing her to lie flat on her back. He continued kissing her lips while Elizabeth ran her hands up his back squeezing his muscles and grasping his shoulders. He pressed himself against her, finally touching her, sliding a hand under her back pressing his fingers into her skin, her soft sounds enticing him as he kissed her ear and her neck. She raised her shoulder, feeling the fire of his lips through the fabric of her dress as he kissed his way to her shoulder. She turned her face to his hair and inhaled, why did he have to smell so good, drawing her in, she wondered.

Jack was totally absorbed with her and when she moved her leg against him, he shifted his weight, covering her leg with his own. Her hands roamed down and across his back, pulling him closer as she felt her shoulders lift responding to his lips across her shoulder. He shifted more of his weight onto her, freeing his other hand and when she moved and her leg rubbed up against his thigh, he reached down and touched her knee, caressing it softly. Elizabeth sighed and his lips crushed against hers, smothering his own sounds. He never felt like this before, his passion for her so overpowering, his heart was pounding at her every move. She squirmed beneath him from the feel of his hand moving up her thigh. She was lost in the moment, in the darkness, they were alone and she loved him so much.

"Marry me, right now…" Jack's voice was deep, his words full of meaning in her ear.

Hearing his voice Elizabeth opened her eyes and clamped her hand on her thigh, covering his hand, "Jack..."

Her voice snapped him out of the moment and he pulled up and looked at her, her lips wet from his kisses. He stared at her for a moment before rolling off her catching his breath and finally sitting up. He watched her move her leg under the blanket and cover her lips with the back of her hand as she faced away from him, her breathing just as fast and hard as his. He stood and walked into the woods toward the creek. Elizabeth quickly moved her sleeping bag several feet away from his and covered herself, fighting the feelings of their romantic interlude.

Jack walked to the water and thought about jumping in, but instead bent down and splashed water on his face. He was angry with himself for losing control after promising himself he wouldn't. How was he going to handle this trip, alone with Elizabeth? He tossed some rocks into the water thinking about kissing her, touching her, surprised that she didn't slap him, he deserved that. He never should have touched her leg that was wrong of him, he knew that. He would apologize. He turned to head back, but stopped when Elizabeth approached.

"Jack, I'm sorry," she looked away for a moment trying to maintain her composure, "I shouldn't have let it get that far…it's my fault."

Jack just stared, "You're right, it is your fault."

While she knew he was right, she was taken aback by the strength of his statement. "I'm sorry…"

Jack put his hand up, "We discussed this and you purposely moved closer….and …." he shook his head and looked away. He tried to calm down, "I'm sorry Elizabeth, I told you this wouldn't happen, but …well, it did."

She started to walk towards him.

He put his hands up, "No, no…let's just go back and go to sleep." He walked past her to the campsite. He slammed more sticks onto the fire and watched as she moved her blankets further away and then crawled between them.

"Good night," he said.

"Good night," she replied and then pressed her hand against her mouth, fighting back her tears, she couldn't speak. She felt terrible that Jack was angry when it was her that welcomed him into her arms, against her body. How could she have done that? She vowed never to do it again.

Morning came fast and the sound of the coach door shutting woke Elizabeth, she peeked out from under the blanket and saw Jack by the coach talking with Vernon. She sat up, grabbed her stockings and shoes and walked off into the woods.

Jack noticed Elizabeth get up and head into the woods. He was glad to give her privacy and not have to talk to her.

Elizabeth took a deep breath and headed back to the camp. Jack was at the fire, he poured a cup of coffee and handed it to her.

"Thank you," she accepted the cup and was a bit surprised when he walked away.

Vernon walked over and poured himself another cup. "Morning Miss Elizabeth," he offered her a biscuit.

"Thank you," she whispered.

"We'll be leaving shortly, as soon as you're ready," he tipped his hat and headed back to the coach.

Elizabeth sat on her blanket, sipped her coffee and ate the biscuit, watching Jack as he climbed in and out of the coach arranging items.

Vernon walked back over, rinsed out the coffee pot and extinguished the fire. Elizabeth handed him her coffee cup, folded her blanket and walked to the coach. Jack was sitting on the opposite seat, his red serge folded neatly at his side. She climbed in and sat opposite him. he didn't acknowledge her or even look at her. She reached in one of her bags and pulled out a hairbrush and attempted to fix her hair.

Jack finally looked at her, watched her brush her hair as she stared out the window. He felt sick, "Elizabeth…"

She looked at him.

"I'm sorry…" he said softly.

She wanted to say something to him, but didn't know what to say, she looked out the window again.

"Okay, you have a right to be angry with me," he sighed.

She looked at him, "I'm not angry with you Jack. I'm disappointed in myself, I shouldn't have….you know," she looked out the window again for a moment.

"I shouldn't have said it was your fault, I'm the one who..." Jack started to say.

Elizabeth put her hand up, "It's okay, I don't think we have to talk about it…not now. We just won't let that happen again."

"Okay…right." He knew this wasn't good and vowed to make it right. He didn't know how, but he would not let his emotions overpower him anymore, even if it meant he wouldn't touch her. He laid his head back on the seat and mumbled to himself, "Yeah, good luck with that Jack…"