Chapter Seventeen

Jason Morgan was known for his ability to remain calm and for his unwavering self-restraint, regardless of the situation. People were known to crack under pressure especially when interrogated by the police, but for Jason he always sat completely indifferent, tight-lipped, and utterly bored, driving anyone at the P.C.P.D. insane, especially Taggert. The same went for the shady part of the Corinthos and Morgan business. He remained silent during all meetings with the Five Families, throwing the occasional glare when he disagreed with something. He remained calm and collected during any hits, his emotions never getting in the way. But at the moment, the enforcer for the Corinthos organization was battling it out with his emotions and all because of one petite brunette.

Elizabeth Webber sat perfectly at ease beside Lil at their usual corner table at Kelly's. Her soft brunette locks today were in classic curls that rested on her chest. She wore barely any makeup, her face fresh and delicate. Her poignant cobalt eyes were focused on his daughter as she helped the four year old cut her chicken cutlets into pieces. Her eyes twinkled as she laughed lightly at something Lil said to Mr. Floppy.

The young nanny looked beautiful today like every other day that she stepped into his view. Jason always noticed the small details of her appearance like the soft touch of blush on her cheeks or the way her blue tops matched her blue eyes. Today, he noticed her appearance more so than usual. There was a change in her trend of outfits. She was in casual wear as always, but not her usual style of attire.

Jason's eyes followed Elizabeth's movements as she separated Lil's cutlets from her French fries and helped his daughter pour ketchup onto her plate. She wore a dark mahogany halter, draped snuggly over her upper body and a short denim skirt that fell right above her knees with a slit up the back, giving Jason small glimpses of the back of her thighs when she walked. The mahogany color of her top contrasted perfectly against her pale skin. Elizabeth looked entirely comfortable in her outfit, but it left Jason feeling anything, but relaxed.

He saw too much flawless alabaster skin. The bodice of her top was low—extremely low with a drawstring under the bust that drew the fabric taut over her breasts. With every movement she made, the fabric of her top shifted, granting him a peak of more skin and an enticing outline of her body. The neckline was nothing compared to the back. The back of Elizabeth's top was Jason's undoing. Two thick strips of fabric tied at the nape of her neck held up her bodice, leaving half her back exposed for his eyes to roam over.

When she had stepped off the penthouse stairs, ready to join him and Lil for lunch, it had taken everything in his willpower not to drag her back to her room. The sight of Elizabeth standing in the middle of his penthouse in her revealing outfit had Jason itching to run his hands over her. It didn't help the state of his body with her subtle, innocent touches in the limousine or when she brushed past him to get something or get by. It all heated his blood.

Being at Kelly's didn't help matters either. The intimate circular table gave him not only a luscious view of her cleavage, but also left him open to the rasping brushes of her bare knees against his jean clad legs.

Jason was perfectly fine lusting after Elizabeth as painful as it was for his body, but what aggravated him the most was the fact that she was completely oblivious to his state of arousal. He had sat stiff in the limousine wanting to keep his distance to keep himself in check. But she intentionally plopped herself down next to him and chatted about a topic he had paid no attention to because of the way she had offhandedly touched him to emphasis her ideas. Even now he was very aware of every movement that she made and her scent—which wasn't her usual lilies and lilacs, but exotic, unfamiliar, and more zesty than sweet.

Clearing his throat roughly—which got him curious glances from Lil and Elizabeth—Jason focused his attention on his lunch or he attempted to. He stared down at his number 7 with pastrami on rye with no onions and a cup of coffee, trying his best to concentrate on the taste of the bread and meat instead of what Elizabeth's lips felt like the day before when he had kissed her without hesitation. She picked that moment to lick her lips with her pink tongue. Swallowing a groan along with his food, Jason shifted stiffly in his seat. He wasn't sure whether he wanted to throttle the woman for tempting him or have his way with her on the nearest flat surface.

Shaking his head, Jason reminded himself that he wasn't going to follow the crazy advice Brenda and Emily had given him and go with the more sensible ideas of Sonny and the Four Stooges. With his mindset, the young father went back to his meal, determined to get through lunch without doing something that he would later regret.

"Daddy?" Lil's soft voice drew his attention to his daughter.

"Yes, Angel?"

She smiled sweetly at him with a twinkle in her eyes that immediately had Jason ready for anything that she would throw at him.

"You're handsome," the four-year old announced.

Rubbing the back of his back, "Thank you," he replied, trying his best not to blush. He threw Elizabeth a mock glare when she covered her mouth to hide her smile.

Turning back to his sandwich, Jason got ready to bit into it when Lil spoke again.

"And I think your hair is fine and not messy like Aunt Brenda thinks it is."

The young father threw his nanny a confused frown before replying to his daughter. "Oh, Really?"

"Yup," Lil chirped. "I told her she was wrong and that your hair is pretty the way it is."

"That was very nice of you," Jason murmured, starting to get the feeling his daughter was up to something. Once again he attempted to eat his lunch, but Lil wasn't done with whatever she had set out to do.

"Mr. Floppy thinks the same too," she informed him.

Chuckling, Jason patted the velvet blue bunny's head. "I knew I liked you for a reason," he told the stuffed animal.

Throwing Elizabeth—completely flustered with her hand over her mouth—a questioning glance, the young father set his mind back on finishing his lunch and avoiding any physical contact with his nanny, whose legs just happened to brush his over and over. Jason had barely swallowed a bit when once again the inquisitive four years old spoke.

"Daddy?"

"Yes."

"Will you buy me a pony?" She asked, batting her eyelashes as Elizabeth busted into laughter.

The infamous stoic enforcer gawked at his daughter, utterly dumbfounded. Elizabeth gazed at him with sympathy and amusement in her eyes. "A pony?" Jason parroted.

"Yes," Lil smiled sweetly. "A white pony with a golden mane."

Clearing his throat, Jason asked "And where is this white pony supposed to stay?"

"With us," his daughter announced as if he had just asked the most ridiculous question in the world. "Betsy can stay—"

"Betsy?" he asked.

"My pony," Lil supplied, continuing with her explanation of Betsy's living arrangements. "She can stay in my room and come out when I take her riding. I'll share her with everyone, I promise and I'll take care of her. You and Liz won't have to do anything."

"Is that so?" Jason inquired his daughter still dazed.

She nodded her head confidently. She stared up at him with hopeful cerulean eyes. His eyes.

Sighing heavily, Jason moved his chair back a few inches and patted his thigh. "Come over here, Angel." Lil didn't hesitate and diligently walked around the table and onto her father's lap. Pressing a soft kiss to his daughter' temple, Jason asked. "What will Betsy do when we all go outside?"

"She'll come with us."

"What will we do with her when we go to the island? Or when you start school?" Jason began to rattle off on what would happen to Betsy. "She'll be alone with no one to look after her and I'm pretty sure your teacher won't allow you to bring your pony to school. I think it's unfair if you get Betsy and don't take care of her."

The two adults watched with baited breath as the four year old, contemplated her father's words. Lil stared intently at Mr. Floppy for a few moments, her face set in deep concentration. Finally, the corners of her mouth turned downward as she peered up at her father through unshed tears. "I really wanted a pony."

"I know you did," Jason murmured gently against her soft golden locks. He held her gently against his chest as he ran a soothing hand down her back. He hated to disappoint her, but a pony was out of the question. It wasn't that he didn't have the resources or the money to get her one, she was too young and it wasn't sensible to get her a young horse that wasn't as mature as a fully-grown horse. Pausing suddenly, Jason sat up straight and smiled victoriously.

Elizabeth and Lil both gave him worried glances.

"How about this," Jason proposed. "Once fall comes we'll get you some riding lessons?"

"Riding lessons?" Lil asked, raising a golden eyebrow. "With brown horses like from Dreamer?"

Jason chuckled, vaguely remembering Dreamer with the young girl and her horse. "Yes," He gently flicked her nose. "And if you're a good rider maybe we can get you a horse to visit at her stable whenever you want."

Lil squealed in joy, turning in Jason's lap she wrapped her arms around her father's neck and peppered his face with noisy kisses. "Thank you so much, Daddy."

Pressing a ticklish kiss to the crock of his daughter's neck, Jason murmured, "Anything for you, sweetie."

Hugging her father one last time, she pulled away and looked to Mr. Floppy as Jason held her securely against his chest. "Did you hear that Mr. Floppy?" She told the velvet rabbit. "I'm going to get riding lessons and I promise to take you with me."

Smiling contently, Jason tucked in one of Lil's stray locks and watched her eyes twinkle as she stared up at him happily. "Why don't you go pick out some dessert for us?"

"I'd love to," she proclaimed, claiming off her father's lap and skipping to the counter, her ponytails bouncing with each skip. She looked absolutely adorable today in her green sundress and white flip-flops. She was simply innocent.

Shifting his attention back to the table, Jason found Elizabeth smiling at him with an ambiguous expression on her face. Growing unusually self-conscious, the enforcer said "What? What is it?" He touched his face expecting to find ketchup somewhere on his face.

"Nothing," Elizabeth murmured, still gazing at him with mysterious eyes.

Looking around skeptically, he ran a tissue across his lips to make sure there was nothing there. "You sure there's nothing wrong with my face?"

She laughed lightly, the twinkle in her eyes brightening. Pushing aside her classic curled brunette locks; Elizabeth leaned closer to him. Resting her chin on one hand, she watched him with admiring eyes. "I love how you make sure that everyone is happy, especially your daughter."

Smiling slightly, Jason dipped his head, feeling the heat color his cheeks from her words. Slowly, covering her smaller softer one with his larger calloused hand, he raised his cerulean eyes to lock with her cobalt ones. "I try my best," he whispered, linking their hands.

Mesmerized by the silky texture of her skin, Jason stroked her palm with his thumb, his gaze riveted on their twined hands. Releasing his grip, he opened her hand onto the tabletop and ran a single long finger down her thumb to her open palm. He heard her breath hitch at his ministrations making him smirk in satisfaction, but he didn't stop instead he began tracing her hand. Her hand grew warm under his touch, sending tingling down his spine.

The rest of the world faded away as he leisurely trailed his finger up her wrist to her forearm. He didn't stop there, he continued upwards, his gaze rising to meet hers across the table as his hand moved further up to her bare creamy shoulder. She stared back at him with wide blue orbs glazed over with desire. Her lips were parted slightly as she took in quick breaths. Her skin was flushed a crimson hue. She looked delectable.

Wetting his lips, Jason reached her shoulder to wrap his finger around a fallen lock. Wrapping the lock taut around his finger, he rubbed it with his thumb. Tugging he released the lock, it bounced coming to rest on her face, her eyes closely simultaneously as the hair fell onto her face. Swallowing roughly, Jason raised his hand to trail his finger down the lock that had fallen against her face as a high joyous scream reached their ears.

Immediately coming back to reality, they both looked towards the door as a dark haired young woman jumped into an equally happy Adam's arms. They both watched as the young guard twirled the young woman in the middle of Kelly's courtyard. Setting her down, they both watched as Adam instantly pulled her into his arms and planted a kiss on her. One that the brunette responded to without hesitation.

Both of them tore their gaze away from the happily reunited couple.

Taking in a deep breath, Elizabeth tucked in her hair behind her ear and meet Jason's gaze. "You were behind that weren't you?"

Trying to get a hold of the emotions running through him, Jason shrugged nonchalantly. "Sonny was behind in his plans so I took the initiative and got Amanda on the jet as soon as possible." Turning back to look at the couple again, he muttered, "I couldn't stand Adam's sad pouts anymore."

Elizabeth laughed at his comment. "You're a good friend."

"Like I said, I try my best to make everyone happy." He shrugged again, brushing aside her appraisal.

Grasping his hand this time, Elizabeth looked him directly in the eye before uttering, "Thank you." She squeezed his hand gently, but firmly. "Thank you for making sure that everyone is taken care of. You're a wonderful person. Very few people are selfless like you are. You're one of a kind and you should never be ashamed of that."

Something fluttered in his heart as he stared back at her, her kind words sinking into his mind. He saw the sincerity reflected in her eyes as she gazed at him with a Mona Lisa smile that took his breathe away. He couldn't tear his eyes away from her as it all came clear to him. There was something about Elizabeth Webber. Something that drew him to her. Something that made his heart skip. It was more than a physical attraction, he knew that from the start, but there was something aside from that that made him long to have her in his life forever.

The sound of a door shutting drew their attention to the entrance of the small diner. He felt Elizabeth's grasp loosen on his hand as she gawked past him. Her face was full of shock as her jaw fell open and she simply stared. Slowly the shock fell away as did her hand from over his. Her lips broke into wide smile and her expressive cobalt eyes danced with joy.

Within moments, Elizabeth was gone from across from him and running to the entrance and into the arms of a dark haired figure.