Chapter 3
Jason stood there motionless for the longest time. Elizabeth knew he wasn't breathing because she didn't feel the soothing rise and fall of his chest and his heart was racing against her ear which told her that at least something was indeed moving within him. She was so afraid to open her eyes and look up at him, afraid to see what might be there that she hid her face deeper into his chest. Her slender arms tightened about his waist and she held to him, the rock in a life that had suddenly become little more than one huge storm. She was beginning to get worried about his lack of breathing when finally he released a shaky breath.
While Jason might have been quiet on the outside, inside his mind was a mess of movement. Over the course of the last few minutes since she'd last spoken, Jason had gone over her words at least a thousand times. The question of who was the father didn't even enter his mind, if it was anyone else's but his she wouldn't be here now obviously scared out of her mind. He knew he should be comforting her, easing her fear by telling her everything was going to be okay but how could he? He'd made a vow to her long ago to never lie to her, no matter the circumstances and if he told her that everything would be okay, it would be a rather large lie. Everything wasn't going to be okay. She was still married to Lucky, a man who, as far as he knew, had no clue that Elizabeth had ever slept with him. And he was still in love with Sam, despite everything that had gone on between her and Ric.
Elizabeth's quiet sob broke through to his racing mind and his arms immediately tightened around him. Whatever happened in the next few days Elizabeth was going to need him to be there for her... and the child she now carried. That was a thought that nearly brought him to his knees. Elizabeth Webber, the woman he'd always loved but knew he'd never have, was pregnant with his child. When she'd come back the day after their affair and told him that she'd decided to stay with Lucky even though she believed the marriage itself was over, he'd given up any last remaining hope that they'd have a chance together. It was stupid to even allow himself to dream of a life with her and her son. She'd made it perfectly clear that his lifestyle was something she couldn't afford to allow her son to be around and he fully agreed. Theirs was a love that just wasn't enough and he'd thought he'd accept it in time, despite the dreams of having her in his arms, having her lips against his and the feel of being buried deep within her body.
Elizabeth leaned back against his arms bringing Jason out of his thoughts. Ice blue eyes gazed down into a tearful blue and he could already read the apology in her eyes before she tried to form the words on her lips. A shake of his head silenced her and he lowered the hand that had before rested on her silk chocolate curls to caress her face with such aching tenderness that Elizabeth couldn't help but lean into his touch. Tears fell onto his wrist and Jason felt each one like a burn on his skin. He knew she was waiting for him to say something, anything to ease the pain that was so evident on her beautiful face but he just didn't know what words to use. Elizabeth on the other hand knew a lot of words she wanted to use she was just afraid of upsetting him further than she already had. Deciding to at least try she took a shaky breath and forced herself to speak past the sobs that threatened to escape her.
"I'm so sorry Jason, I don't know how this happened. I mean I know -how- it happened just not..." she paused to try again missing the amusement that had entered Jason's gaze. "Look what I'm trying to say is that I...I don't expect anything from you. I just... I couldn't not tell you. I couldn't be someone to hurt you again over a child. I know I could have just said it was Lucky's and you'd never have to know but I...I care too much about you to even allow that to enter my mind. I won't keep you from the child, you know I'd never do that but...but ..." she tried to continue but the sobs that had threatened to escape her before she'd started rambling finally took control and left her a wracking, sobbing mess. She didn't even feel the earth move under her feet as Jason bent and picked her up easily within his arms. She weighed so little in his arms and was so small that it was hard for him to imagine her being able to carry a child but Cameron was living proof that she was able.
Jason eased onto his sofa and nestled her safely within his lap, his arms circling around her small frame and brushed his lips tenderly against her temple. And while she was distracted he buried his nose within her hair and inhaled the scent that was completely Elizabeth. He began whispering the necessary words within her ear that would ease her, knowing it wasn't really his words but the tone he used when voicing them. He rubbed her back in slow gentle circles until finally the sobs ebbed and she lifted her tear stained face from his neck and he offered her a small encouraging smile. Tenderly he raised his hand to brush back the strands of silken hair that had fallen into her perfect face, his fingers then lowering to brush away those sparkling tears that hurt him far more than any bullets that had ever been lodged in his body. Her lips that he knew tasted like the sweetest of berries were trembling from the effort it was taking her to hold back her tears and before he knew what he was doing he was lowering his head to gently brush his lips against hers in a chaste yet meaningful kiss.
Jason had been afraid that she'd push him away or lean back and Elizabeth was afraid he'd stop. She couldn't stand his gentle touches, his caring ice blue eyes or the way that just the brush of his lips caused longing to fill her body until it hurt her. Not because she didn't want them, but because she wanted them too much, wanted him too much and yet just like that night when he'd become her lover, she couldn't deny either of them the pleasure they both received when with each other. She raised her hands to cup his face and deepen the kiss, a soft sigh escaping past her lips to be swallowed up by his. His arm about her waist tightened and she felt herself being pressed up as tightly against him as was possible. Her hands slipped from his face to hold him about the waist, urging herself up against him even tighter, if that were possible. The kiss had gone from chaste to passionate in the span of a breath and neither of them felt the need to halt it, at least not yet. Finally though, lungs painfully longing for air drove their lips apart and heavy breaths fluttered against each others lips.
Jason leaned down to rest his forehead against hers and closed his eyes for the briefest of moments. He thought over everything that was going to come next once they left the shelter of his penthouse. She'd return home to tell Lucky that she was pregnant with another mans child. Sam would find out somehow and he knew she'd make Elizabeth's life hell. Lucky's brother and his sister would then discover the truth and all hell would break out. He'd continue to run the business for Sonny and soon...soon others would find out that he had a child and said child and its mother would become targets. Jason's heart raced frantically in his chest at that thought. Above all else he couldn't allow Elizabeth, Cameron or their unborn child to be at risk and he couldn't protect them while he lived the life he lived. In his mind there was only one solution, he just had to convince the fierce little woman curled in his lap of that.
"Come away with me Elizabeth. Let's take Cameron, and just go. It won't be running away, there would have to be something to run away from for it to be considered running away. We can go to Italy or anywhere else in the world you want to go...please."