Sorry for the wait…life, what a pain in the ass. My 92 year old grandfather is in the hospital to have his gallbladder removed, my dad's been in massive pain from his pancreas and whatnot and a hernia I have has decided to wage war against me. I can't promise regularity with posting but will try to do better.

Chapter Twenty-Six

Elizabeth did spend some time thinking about why her first instinct was to hide but she found herself in a quandary. Normally she was able to push everything away and concentrate on her painting but if it wasn't Jason creeping in like a thief in the night, then her newly found father was and then…well, there was something going on with Piph. Elizabeth had watched the woman throughout the years, and not once did she see this new, almost bubbly woman.

Deciding that thinking wasn't going to get her anywhere, Elizabeth pushed open Piph's door, only to slam it closed when she saw a naked Francis tapping his foot at the end of the bed, where, for all intents and purposes, her mother was lounging just as naked.

Flustered and forgetting herself, Elizabeth rushed into the ensuite bathroom and came face to chest with a very wet, very naked, and very aroused Jason. Did she mention, naked Jason…"Oh God! This is just not my morning." Elizabeth said while blushing.

Before she spoke, he was reaching for a towel but it seemed like time slowed down, the earth stopped spinning the moment their eyes locked. In a way, both good and bad, her eyes were having trouble remaining eye contact. He could see the struggle she was waging to keep her eyes from roaming but as the seconds passed; her eyes continued to roam towards his hardness.

"I think this is the first time I have ever felt like a piece of meat." Jason said unabashedly.

"Meat…why? Why Meat?" Elizabeth asked breathily.

"You do realize I have eyes, right, way up here?" Jason asked, gesturing to his face.

"Eyes…yes, very beautiful eyes…" Elizabeth trailed off, her gaze dropping after taking the barest of glances at said eyes.

"Elizabeth? Would you want me to objectify you like this?"

"Eyes…yes, we already mentioned your eyes. My God…you're amazing. Look at the way the water traverses your muscles, down to that carefully trimmed thatch of hair, down to long, strong tapered legs that should be…" Shaking herself out of her stupor, Elizabeth bashfully cast a quick glance at Jason's face.

It was his turn to blush, he couldn't help enjoy the carnal way she perused his body but the breathy desire emanating from her…this was another facet to the complex woman that was Elizabeth. One minute trying to scare him away and the next practically performing some heretofore unheard of sexual act with a simple yet oh so complicated look. A couple years ago, the look itself would have been enough to make him cum, as it was, he was fighting his inner horndog. "Elizabeth, might I have a moment, you know, alone."

"Alone…?" Elizabeth questioned, not fully understanding the request. "You know, I was going to talk to Piph and didn't think I had to knock but that is a mistake I can't make again. No one wants to see their mother figure naked, never mind Francis, although, for a man who is slightly older, he is in great shape…not like your shape, but he has strong thighs, shapely calves, a tapered waist that leads down to a fully groomed…my GOD, how can he conceal that thing. Does he have to have a permission to carry permit for that…no wonder Piph was smiling so big…Can a person be both disgusted and beyond curious at the same time? Like…well, look at you, you know, you are big, actually, huge, considering your overall size and whatnot, I am sure you'd be called well-endowed but, it isn't like you need to strap that thing down when you walk, well…maybe but Francis…he's like…how the hell can it fit. It was almost as long as my arm…and the width…girth…just…holy…wow…" Elizabeth babbled while blushing periodically.

"I think you have broken my penis!" Jason said while trying not to think about anything Elizabeth just told him, it would be safer if he didn't imagine her appreciation for his penis, she wasn't ready, they weren't ready.

"You know, that whole penis envy thing, it might have originated with him…hot damn. I apologize for oversharing; it seems it has been a very odd morning for me. I think it would be best if I just…" Elizabeth said as she cast a not-so-furtive glance back at Jason's not broken penis before fleeing the room.

If any of the Greek sculptors had either of the men she'd seen naked, for inspiration, a millennium of women would be at home with very wet fingers…Elizabeth thought to herself.

Such a strange and invigorating way to start a day. She couldn't remember the last time she was up this early and so awake. Of course, if she woke up next to that 'thing' every morning, she'd definitely become a morning person.

XxXxXxX

Jason watched her walk out of the room and couldn't help but smile. Something about her just seemed to light him up. She was so unlike the women he had met since his accident. Most women were either throwing themselves at him, trying to get into his pants, both figuratively and literally. If it wasn't sex, they were wanting his money or what his name could give them. To meet someone who didn't care about any of that, was in a word, refreshing.

His cold as nails persona was taking a hit but for the life of him, he couldn't seem to care. It was nice; a fairly innocuous word to say the least but in a life full of darkness and death, nice was maybe just what he needed.

He'd met the bar-flys' and the one-night stand's the guys took home and never saw anything wrong with it, until now. A strong woman wasn't a hindrance, like he had first thought. Lily was always kind but she was no-nonsense, she was firm in her beliefs and expected to be treated like a lady. In Jason's opinion, it was a liability to love someone like that, to give them so much power over another but since meeting Elizabeth; he didn't see her as his weakness but his strength.

Realizing he was close to spouting poetry, Jason quickly retreated back to the shower. If he didn't take care of his hard-on now, he'd be suffering the damn thing all day.

Jason's strokes were fast and hard, but no matter how fast he stroked, it was like chasing the white rabbit, always just out of reach. It wasn't until Elizabeth's pouty lips and the lusty look that stole into his mind that he was able to release the last hours' worth of tension. His orgasm washed over him quickly but the pleasure of the moment seemed to seep deeper into his bones. If he hadn't thrown up his hand to brace himself, the pleasure would have knocked him from his feet.

If life continued on like it had been, he was likely to be taking quite a few showers, so many so, that he feared becoming water-logged.

XxXxXxX

Mac sat in his car, his mind bouncing from one thing to another. The fear that this could be his fault was weighing heavily on his mind and conscience. Would his past be just another thing that would keep him out of his daughter's life? Would his past mistakes be what finally proved that your wrong doings will always come back and bite you in the ass?

Tomorrow he would find pictures of every person he had dealings with, if someone from his life had done this to Elizabeth, then they were going to realize just how far a wronged father would go. His actions, whether bad or good, should reflect on him and him alone. If someone had a grievance with him, then they should be man enough to come after him, not an innocent.

Today…while shadowed by what he learned, he wasn't going to let it disrupt what he had planned. One perfect day with his daughter, well, he deserved it, even if he didn't deserve it. The black cloud of grief, doubt and recriminations could all wait.

Taking a deep and cleansing breath, he put his thoughts to the back of his mind. If he didn't get a move on, he'd be later for brunch.

Giving a nod to Marco, Mac stepped on to the elevator.

XxXxXxX