Chapter 64

The sun slipped down past the ocean's edge, leaving the sky a hazy shade of purple that gradually faded to black. Having napped on the plane, the kids were all still occupied exploring the house and playing. Jon left Katie on the lanai returning a few moments later with a platter of fruit and refreshed their wine. Eventually Romeo and Jake wandered out looking for a snack. After a quick snack, it was obvious the two youngest were starting to fade fast. Romeo had crawled up into Katie's lap as he munched on a handful of grapes. Jon loved seeing the boys welcome her into their lives so easily. Watching a big yawn escape Romeo, Jon figured it was time for them to turn in.

"Ok, troops, time for bed. Tomorrow will be here soon enough." Jon stood up with Katie following suit, Romeo only slightly whining at the prospect of bed. Jon picked up Romeo and Jake followed as they all proceeded up the wide staircase. Katie left Jon to get the two little ones settled and went to check on Sophia and Brandon. Sophia was on the second floor next to Stephanie's room. She was arranged in her bed with the laptop, chatting away with friends, ear buds in as she listened to music. Katie waved at her and mouthed "Night!" Sophia blew her a kiss and was back to her teenage business. Katie made her way to the end of the hall where she heard muffled yells and cheers. She opened the door to the bedroom and spotted Brandon and Jesse still engrossed in their video games. She waved and said, "Night, boys. See you in the morning." They both pipped, "G'night!" She then went back up to the third floor just as Jon came out of the boys bedroom. He held the door open for her to take a peek. She spotted both boys already out cold. Slowly closing the door, Jon took Katie's hand and led her back down the stairs to the lanai.

They sank into the comfortable chairs once again, "Whew. And quiet reined over the land." Jon sighed.

Katie chuckled as a yawn escaped her own lips. "Yes, only problem is I am too tired to really enjoy it." She admitted.

Jon motioned for her to sit on the end of his lounge chair. Once she settled on the end he straddled the chair and moved closer, laying her hair over her shoulder. He rubbed her shoulders and neck, "It has been a long day." he said as Katie let out a contented sigh."Mmmm......that feels so good."

He massaged the travel tension away, finishing up with a kiss on her neck. "Mmm, thanks, cowboy. That was heavenly." She said, a sleepy smile on her lips.

He leaned back pull her back against his chest. They listened to the waves for a bit until Katie couldn't keep her eyes open any longer.

"Jon, I'm spent. I think I better turn in." she said, finishing with another yawn. Jon nodded, following her inside, closing the sliding doors behind him. He made the rounds closing up as Katie waited at the stairs. At the top of the stairs, Jon thought how he would love nothing more than to take her in his arms and drift off to sleep. But they would be woken early by at least one, if not two, small people. So resigning himself to sleeping alone he kissed her on the lips by the door of the master suite.

"Nite, sweet Kat. We will find some time this week, I promise. One way or another." She laid her head on his chest with a gentle nod.

"No worries, cowboy. Lets get a good night sleep and worry about tomorrow...well, tomorrow." She said, giving him one last kiss on the lips and retired to the bedroom.

Jon watched her as she went into the bedroom, then went to his own room right next door. Katie took the time to find her pajamas and do a quick brushing of teeth, then slipped into the cool sheets. She was asleep before her head hit pillow. Jon, on the other hand, though tired as well, couldn't turn his mind off. He had so many thoughts popping up in his head. He stripped off his t-shirt and kicked off his sneakers. Bare chested and in blue jeans he opened the doors to the balcony just off the bedroom and sat on a wrought iron chair listening to the waves. He breathed in the warm, ocean air. He smiled to himself as he thought about how perfect it felt to be here with her and all the kids. They would see how the rest of the week went, but besides Steph, everyone seemed ready to have a great time. He ran his fingers through his hair as he thought about Stephanie. She was stubborn and independent, just like her mother. She was a tough nut to crack sometimes, he knew. He promised himself he would find some time to take a walk alone with her this week. Eventually he went back into the bedroom and slid out of the snug jeans. He found a pair of boxers in his suitcase and put them on before slipping into the welcoming bed. He lay staring at the ceiling, his hands behind his head, his mind refusing to settle.

The next morning Jon was awoken by two small boys jumping on the side of his bed. He had finally fallen asleep somewhere around 2 a.m. He took a quick peek at the clock, 7:45 a.m. Impressed that they had left him alone that long. He grabbed them both in a fit of giggles and pulled them down on the bed.

After a few minutes of rough housing on the bed, he finally said, "Alright boys, I am starving and will turn into a bear if we don't get some food. Lets see what we have to eat and you can check out the cartoon line up. What do you say?"

They answered with enthusiasm, tumbling down the two flights of stairs to the large kitchen. Jake spotted some cereal on the shelf in the pantry, and asked Jon, "Dad, can we have these? Can you get me a bowl?" Too tired to argue that they should eat something more nutritious, Jon reached for two bowls, and got the boys settled in front of the TV.

He rummaged through the pantry finding coffee. Once he had the coffee maker going he escaped back up to the third floor. The door to the master suite was open a crack. Quietly, Jon opened the door and tiptoed in. Katie was still sound asleep, buried under the covers. He slowly opened the doors to the balcony, letting in the warm morning air. He took one more look at Katie and went back downstairs to find something more than cereal to eat. After a few minutes of perusing the fridge and pantry, Jon found all the ingredients for a real breakfast.

Katie woke up slowly as she felt a gentle breeze on her cheek. She opened her eyes, seeing the ocean through the open balcony doors. She sat up and smiled, enjoying the view. She let herself listen to the birds and the waves in the distance before getting out of bed. Eventually she swung her legs over the edge, then quickly washed up and brushed her teeth. As she entered the hallway the smell of breakfast cooking welcomed her. She was greeted by the sight of Jon shirtless and in boxers flipping pancakes over the stove. The younger boys were in the great room watching TV happily munching on cereal. Before letting Jon know she was there, she watched him for a brief second, thinking how sexy he looked. She then padded quietly into the kitchen and kissed him lightly on his bare back. He jump a bit and turned around, spatula in hand.

"Well, good morning, beautiful." He said, a big smile formed on his lips. "Have a seat and I shall be at your service."

"Morning yourself, gorgeous." She said, her voice low and sultry. "Looks yummy" her eyes not leaving his bare chest.

Jon laughed, "I get the feeling you aren't talking about breakfast." Lord, she could make his thoughts turn dirty in an instant just by the way she looked at him, he thought.

"Well, no. I wasn't talking about breakfast. But I think I will have to settle for breakfast." She teased as she sat down at the marble island.

Jon shook the spatula at her, then set it down to pour her a cup of aromatic coffee. Katie thanked him with a kiss as he set it down in front of her.

She watched him as he got back to business cooking the pancakes and sausage. He occasionally turned around to catch her unabashed gaze on him. He took his own pleasure in admiring her camisole and short pajama set, her tangled hair and cheeks flushed from sleep. He let out a sigh as he turned back to the pancakes. As great of an idea as this week was, he realized it was also going to be torturous in some ways. Katie took care of setting the table as breakfast was almost finished. Brandon and Jesse finally floated down on the scent of eggs, sausage and pancakes. Brandon gave Katie a hug, his arms slung over her shoulders. Katie realized he was just as tall as she was. She tousled his hair affectionately and the boys piled their plates, then joined the younger ones in front of the TV. Jon and Katie sat at the long dining table alone, enjoying the yummy food. The girls wouldn't show up for another couple of hours yet, both having hit the endless sleep of the teenage years. After they finished eating, they cleaned up the dishes and the kitchen.

"Why don't you grab a shower, Jon. I will hang with the boys." She offered.

"You don't mind?" He asked, thinking a shower was just what he needed. "Too bad you can't join me." He whispered. She smiled in answer, planted a quick kiss on his lips and went into the living room area, coffee in hand.

After a quick shower, Jon checked out his reflection in the mirror. Deciding not to shave he went into the bedroom to find clothes. He took the time to unpack his suitcase, then found a pair of khaki cargo shorts, flip flops and worn t-shirt. He picked up a Soul baseball cap on his way out the door. He found Katie and the boys where he had left them, Romeo leaning on Katie's leg. He chuckled to himself at how affectionate Romeo was towards Katie. But then he had always been a very sweet child, loving to cuddle. He joined them, sitting on the sofa next to Katie. Sponge Bob blared on the TV and all four boys dissolved into fits of laughter.

Katie looked at Jon and they both shrugged, not understanding the appeal. Katie decided a shower sounded like a very good idea, "I think it is my turn. Be back in a bit?" She said to Jon.

"We'll be here." he said, with a wink and small smirk on his face. Katie ran her fingers around the back of his neck as she walked around the back of the sofa to the stairs. Jon shivered at her touch, wondering how he was going to survive the week without being able to have her all to himself. He vowed to find a way to get some alone time with her.

After Katie was showered and dressed, she joined them back downstairs, finding the girls had finally woken up. They were both sitting at the table, eating pancakes, chatting. Katie greeted Sophia with a kiss on the head, "Morning, girls." Sophia smiled as she chewed. Steph answered with an unexpected chipper, "Good morning!" causing Katie to pause and smile back at her.

She found Jon out on the lanai sitting at a table with his coffee, a newspaper and what looked like magazines. She sat down across from him as he greeted her with a smile, his eyes taking a moment to appreciate the view. She had put on a tank top and flirty floral mini skirt that floated around her shapely legs. "Mmmm, beautiful." He said, before taking a sip of coffee. He noticed pretty red toes peaking out from her sandals. He also noticed a bit of stirring somewhere else, having to shift a bit in his chair. He silently told himself, "Down, boy. Not happening at the moment." Katie noticed his expression, looking a bit uncomfortable.

"You ok?" She inquired.

"Uh, yeah. Just great." He said as he shifted and tried to distract himself with the paper. He handed one of the magazines to her, which ended up being a brochure outlining the offerings of the resort. "Take a look through this and tell me if there is anything you want to do this week. There are tons of activities for the kids and adults. Snorkeling, sailing, anything you want." He offered, relieved things seemed to be settling down. He made a mental note to not go commando this week, not with all the kids around.

Katie looked through the brochure finding just what Jon said, even all day long activities for the younger kids. "Wow, Jon. This is impressive. So this house is part of a resort?"

He nodded, "Yep. There are many houses along this part of the coast and then a main club house, restaurants, a golf course, just about anything you want without having to leave the resort grounds. The place is huge." He said, just as they were joined by the girls.

"Kat, what do you say we take a little walk down to the beach?" Jon asked.

"Sure, will the kids be ok?" she asked, knowing what trouble a 4 and 6 year old could get into. It wasn't that long ago hers were that age.

"I asked Steph to keep her eye on them." Jon informed her as he stood up.

Katie looked at Stephanie, "You sure you don't mind? Sophia can help."

"Nah, I don't mind. I am used to it." Steph said, almost sounding happy.

Katie shrugged her shoulders, "Ok, sure. If the girls don't mind." She said, standing up.

"You have to go, mom! The beach is amazing." Sophia said, pushing them towards the walkway.

"We'll be back in about an hour. I have my phone if you need us." Jon said, then led Katie down the stone path to toward the beach.

They were welcomed with crystal clear azure water as the beach opened up before them. Holding hands they made their way to the water's edge. It had been years since Katie had been to Hawaii, and she had never been to Maui. She took in the beauty of the beach and ocean. Other vacation homes were scattered down the coastline, each separated by long expanses of beach. Katie kicked off her sandals, Jon followed suit. They walked along the edge of the water, the warm waves tickling their feet as they walked. Jon was quiet as they were walking, he was trying to figure out a time when he could be alone with Katie just for a few hours. He didn't want to shove the kids off, since that wasn't the point of the vacation. But he realized when he saw her, how much he has missed her and craved feeling her skin against his. An idea finally came to him. He would ask the girls to babysit one night while he took Katie out to dinner. Normally he would have brought a nanny or hired a sitting service from the resort. But he really wanted this week to be about them all together, and thought a nanny would have made things more difficult, awkward. But he figured one night would be acceptable. He would think on the dinner idea more. Maybe a private dinner on their beach. He smiled, the plan sounding better and better. After all, it was very private down there, not even visible from the house. He would work out the details for tomorrow night, he decided. They continued to walk for a ways. Katie could see Jon was deep in thought, even though he had a smile on his face.

"What mischief are you brewing up there, cowboy?" She said, tapping his head with her index finger.

He answered her with a huge grin, then took off running down the beach. She had tossed her sandals on a chair before they had started on their walk, so took off after him at a fast clip. She finally caught up with him, passing him easily as she put on a burst of speed, thinking it was a good thing she had a suit on under her skirt as the wind caught it blowing it around her legs as she ran. Jon effortlessly picked up the pace, closing the gap between then in mere seconds. He grabbed her waist and swung her around over the ocean's edge.

"Don't think you can get away that easily, baby." He said, depositing her in the sand and plopped down beside her.

Katie collapsed in a fit of giggles, laying back in the sand, the waves just hitting their toes. Jon looked down at her with a smile, her face flushed with laughter, her hair spread out around her in the sand. He couldn't resist her any longer. He knew he couldn't do everything he wanted to right now, but he sure could have a taste. Knowing the beach was totally private and secluded, he leaned over covering her mouth with his, her giggles stifled. She returned his kiss, pressing her body into his. He ran his hand over her knee, up her thigh, slowly caressing it. The sun warmed their skin as it slowly climbed up into the sky. Jon kissed her deeply, his lips moving to her cheek, down to her neck, to the edge of her collarbone. Katie gasped at the cool wet trail his tongue left on her flushed skin. She ran her hands up under his t-shirt, over his defined abs and muscular chest. The hot sun and warm waves only added to the heat that rose within each of them. Katie could not think straight as she felt Jon's obvious arousal against her thigh. She finally managed to get her wits about her as she felt him pressing himself against her with more urgency.

"Jon, I think we should take a breather." She whispered as she put her hands on his chest. He came up from kissing her neck, his breath heavy.

"God, baby. I'm sorry. I forgot where we were. You make me drunk." he said, leaning away from her.

"Oh, please. Don't apologize. I want the exact same thing you do, I just don't think its the best time. As you can tell, you do the same thing to me." She admitted, still flushed from the run and the heat from his body pressed against hers. She looked at him, her eyes filled with lust.

"You're right, baby. Totally right. When it comes to you I don't always think with my head." He laughed. He stood up, brushed off his shorts and offered her his hand.

Katie erupted into laughter again as she noticed, "Well, you were using your head, just not the right one." She said, noticing his erection fully visible through the cargo shorts.

Jon looked down, "Geez, Kat. I'm sorry!" he growled, his face red with embarrassment. He then tore his shirt off over his head, tossed it and went running into the surf. Katie followed suit by stepping out of her skirt and pulling her tank top over her head, revealing the black bikini he had not seen since last summer in Maine. She took off into the waves after him. They frolicked in the waves, diving and swimming for a while. At least under the waves Jon didn't have to worry about the effect the black bikini was having on him. Jon looked at his sports watch, realizing the time.

"We better get back in a bit." He said, making his way towards the shore. Katie followed, thankful the water here was warmer than Maine. It didn't matter if one didn't have a towel, the air was so warm. Jon watched her walk back up to the beach as he used his t-shirt to dry off with. He found himself unable to stop staring at her in that damn black bikini, her long hair wet and dripping down her chest and stomach. God, what was he going to do? What was he thinking arranging a beach vacation with all the kids, he thought. Damn, this was going to be hard. Wait, it already was, he laughed to himself. To break the effect she was once again having on him, he took off down the beach again, this time running back toward the house. Katie picked up her things, and sprinted off after him. He kept the pace slow on purpose. She, however, decided she was going to make him work, so again passed him, sticking her tongue out at him as she went by. He wasn't going to let her get away with that, so increased his speed. Katie had picked up so much speed he had to really race to catch her. Back at the house, she stopped, dropping into one of the lounge chairs, her breath heavy as she smiled at him. He sat on the chair next to her, taking his time to catch his breath. He closed his eyes for a bit, trying to calm down the reaction of seeing her run in front of him in that evil bathing suit she was wearing. Finally composing himself he stood up, winked at her and made his way up the path towards the house. Her body was dry by then so she slipped quickly into her tank and skirt, then followed him up.

Chapter 65