Author's Note: There is a serious steam alert at the end of this chapter. IF that is not your thing, skip to the next chapter. it is marked.

Chapter 242 – Three Little Words

After their meeting, Wynn and Abigail went to the cafe. Jacobs was checking on things around town since he hadn't been in the meeting. He didn't feel that it was needed as this wasn't his town. David and Andrew went to pack up their stuff and then we're going to find out about taking a ride around the area.

Wynn sat in the kitchen and visited with Abigail, Ann, Patty and his wife. When they had a mid-morning rush, he got up and helped, surprising Abigail how well he knew his way around the kitchen. Just as the rush died down, Frank came in.

"I was just going to take a break." Abigail said. "Care to join me?"

"I would love to." Frank said. "But I can't, I come in looking for Dee. I promised I would help when the supply wagons for the mining office got here. I just needed to talk to Dee before I forgot."

"We still on for a later supper, then?" Abigail asked.

Frank walked over to Abigail, took her in his arms and kissed her head.

"I am looking forward to it." Frank said. "I will be back to work on the addition after lunch."

"Thank you." Abigail said, lingering in his arms for a moment.

Everyone else in the kitchen watched the scene and wondered how long until a wedding for those two.

"Dee was finishing up some paperwork at Abigail's office." Wynn said. "Tell him it is fine and he should get out and enjoy the sunshine."

"I will." Frank said. "Abigail, in that case, can I borrow Smokey for a bit."

"Sure." Abigail said. "I told you anytime you want you can ride him. Or have him pull a wagon."

"Thank you." Frank said. "Maybe Dee and I can go for a short ride and talk."

"Tell him it is an order." Wynn said. "I don't think that the supply wagons will be here until closer to lunch."

"Got it." Frank said.

He gave Abigail another kiss on her forehead and then let her go. He waved to the others before he went out the side door and headed to find Dee. Abigail watched him all the way to the office.

When she finally took her cup of tea and sat at the table, both Elizabeth Rose and Patty teased her about Frank. Abigail blushed and ducked her head. In ways she felt like a schoolgirl again, then she remembered she was a widow and would be forty in a few short weeks. Ann saw the look on Abigail's face and gave Elizabeth Rose and Patty a sharp look. They immediately stopped.

"Sorry, Abigail." Patty said.

"Yes, sorry." Elizabeth Rose said. "We didn't mean to upset you."

Abigail took a moment and sipped her tea.

"You didn't." Abigail said. "I was just thinking and can't always hide when a memory pops up."

"We all understand." Patty said.

Wynn took his mug of coffee and moved over closer to Abigail.

"You are questioning if it is too soon." Wynn said. "Only you can answer that, but it is obvious to all of us just how much you two love each other."

"Am I crazy?" Abigail said. "I am going to be forty in less than a month and I am taking on two orphans. Not to mention my mayoral duties and running this place."

"You have enough capital to hire someone else if needed." Wynn said. "So don't worry about that. I am fifty-four and if it wasn't for my job, I would have considered taking one of the orphaned children. I just didn't feel it was fair to take them so far away from the other people they know. But trust me, I thought about it."

"And you are sure Frank feels the same way?" Abigail asked.

"Speaking as a man, who is deeply in love himself." Wynn said. "That man would marry you tonight if he thought you would agree."

"I want to, but then when I get the courage to broach the topic." Abigail said. "Someone needs something and I chicken out. I do want to be with him, but at the same time, I am afraid."

"Why?" Wynn said. "What are you afraid of?"

"Forgetting Noah and Peter." Abigail said.

"You will never forget them." Wynn said. "I have friends who lost a spouse years ago and since remarried and they still talk about and honor their first spouse. As long as Frank is okay with you sharing stories, they will never really be gone. I bet if you asked him, he would even be okay with their photos out if you had some."

"You think so." Abigail said.

"All you have to do is ask." Frank said from the doorway.

Abigail turned around and saw Frank and Dee standing there.

Frank and Abigail moved toward each other and then embraced.

"If you need or want to talk about Noah and Peter." Frank said. "I am perfectly okay with it. I am secure enough in our love that their memories are not a threat."

Abigail moved back enough to see Frank's face. She saw the love in his eyes and smiled.

"And yes, Abigail Stanton." Frank said. "I love you. Not how I planned to say it for the first time, but so be it. It is out there."

Abigail hugged him tightly and uttered the words he had waited months to hear. They were barely above a whisper, but he heard them. Frank held her for a moment until they heard the bell over the door and Abigail moved away, wiping her eyes before going to greet her latest customer. Still Frank was ecstatic.

"Was there something you needed?" Elizabeth Rose asked.

"We just wanted to let you know we are going for a ride." Frank said. "If we are not back in time, please let Joe know that we are sorry."

Wynn walked over to his son and looked at him in the eyes, studying what he saw.

"Take as long as you need." Wynn said. "Joe will understand. You need this. I know there is something bothering you and if talking to Frank helps, then we will figure it out."

"Thanks Dad." Dee said. "Joe should be back anytime. He told Bill he was doing rounds and checking on the outlying farms."

"Got it." Wynn said. "Please be careful and take a rifle along. As well as standard saddlebag equipment."

"Yes, Sir." Dee said.

With that Dee and Frank left. Elizabeth Rose came over and wrapped her arm around her husband's waist.

"He will be alright." She said. "As much as you want him to talk to you, maybe this is better. Frank wasn't involved in what happened and it will also be easier for him to be objective."

Wynn nodded and gave his wife a squeeze. He knew she was right, but that didn't make it easy. It was Wynn's nature to fix things and if he couldn't fix things for his own children then what good was he. He had felt so helpless when his children had been injured and all he wanted then and now was to make things better for them. At the same time, Wynn saw the wisdom in his son speaking to the pastor. He knew that Dee hadn't really opened up to anyone since he had been hurt with the exception of Jack and even by his own admission, they didn't talk a lot about what had happened.

(Serious Steam Alert)

After Joe and Doug left, Jack went over to Elizabeth.

"Why don't you put the pot on the back burner." Jack said. "I will lock the front door and we can head upstairs. Doug will be gone for at least a couple hours."

Jack smiled and wiggled his eyebrows. Elizabeth shook her head and giggled.

"Jackson Thornton." She said. "You are incorrigible. But it does sound nice."

Jack put a hand on her baby bump and leaned in to kiss her.

"I just can't seem to get enough of you." Jack whispered. "Seeing you carry my child is a huge turn on for me."

Elizabeth went to move the pot back on the stove. Jack let the guard know they were laying down and locking the front door. Then Jack and Elizabeth went upstairs together. They had barely gotten to their room when Jack started to undo her blouse. As he slipped it from her shoulders she pulled his henley over his head. Jack then kissed Elizabeth as she undid his pants and pushed them down. She then undid her skirt allowing it to fall to the floor.

As Elizabeth went to remove her knickers, she brushed Jack's manhood, causing it to twitch and Jack gasp. Elizabeth giggled and danced her fingers light around his manhood causing Jack to moan. He pulled her close and kissed her, hard as he backed her up to the bed, his manhood pressing against her body.

Once in bed, Jack started playing with her breast as they had started to fill out a little more. As he was doing that, he slipped his fingers between her legs and between her sensitive folds. Elizabeth moaned and arched her back. She also let her legs fall open giving him more access. As Jack teased her, she reached over and grasped his manhood, stroking it. The action caused Jack's whole body to shudder and he quickly moved over Elizabeth. A desperation in his eyes.

Elizabeth moaned and let her eyes roll back as Jack entered her, trusting hard and deep. It only took a minute for them to fall into the bliss, but Jack kept going pushing them both deeper and deeper into the bliss. Finally spent, Jack rolled off Elizabeth and fell to the bed beside her, breathing hard. Elizabeth was so far into the bliss and pleasure that swept over her body, she couldn't move.

As they lay there, trying to regain some composure, Elizabeth reached over to put her hand on Jack and landed on his manhood that was still quite hard to her touch. Jack's body twitched under Elizabeth's touch. He could feel his body again building the fire that he was trying to put out.

"Elizabeth." Jack rasped.

She turned and faced him.

"I need a break." He rasped.

That was when she saw him struggling to catch his breath. She stopped and took her hand off his body. She quickly sat up, got out of bed and moved around the side to help him sit up. As she helped Jack sit up, his face came into contact with her breast, causing her to gasp.

"Sorry." Jack rasped.

"It is okay." Elizabeth said.

Once she had him sitting, she took a seat beside him.

"I am sorry." Elizabeth said. "I didn't realize you were struggling like this."

Jack just nodded his head. They sat there side by side, their bodies touching. It did nothing to calm the fire that had been raging in both of them. Once Jack had his breathing under control, he moved his hand to Elizabeth's leg and let the fire consume them again. It only took a few moments for them to be deep in their passion again. Elizabeth scooted back on the bed and Jack carefully moved so as not to hurt his hip. They again climbed the mountain of passion and fell over the edge together. After that, they laid back, Jack pulled the covers up over them and they both fell asleep for some much needed rest.