Disappointed

Queen Victoria and King Charles started unpacking the food that Queen Victoria had brought to be cooked over the open fire. She had packed hotdogs, hamburger meat and all the ingredients to make baked beans . And of course all the stuff to make s'mores.

Alex and Lexi busied themselves unpacking all their outdoor cooking gear .Lexi had packed a small cast iron Dutch oven, hotdogs roasters, the baskets to make s'mores with and camp fire burger grillers.

" Alex you seem to be quite knowledgeable about outdoor cooking, you have all the right equipment for it." Queen Victoria commented

Alex chuckled, "yeah we used to come out here with my parents when Jackson and I were younger . My dad loved to camp we didn't have a house or anything we just tent camped and cooked on the open fire."

Queen Victoria chuckled "So its just a normal kitchens that gives you a problem. "

" Something like that." Alex shot back.

Karmen quickly grabbed the small cast iron Dutch oven and the ingredients to make the baked beans .Trying to ignoring the conversation between Alex and Queen Victoria and only think about what Jackson had told her earlier.

Jackson was building a fire in the fire pit when he heard Queen Victoria's comment he quickly stepped over behind her and wrapped his arms around her waist he leaned his head forward and whispered in her ear. " Babe, don't let any of that bother you ,Alex must not be hurt very bad, he wants you to cut him with a knife ."

"No!" She suddenly shrieked out in horror at the thought ,causing everyone to turn around and look in their direction.

Jackson immediately covered up for the outburst ,defusing the situation.

" Babe, calm down, I was just fooling around, I'm not really going to put anything in your baked beans."

He glanced over at Alex who had heard him whispering to Karmen and shrugged his shoulders. Alex was disappointed by her reaction, but still he wasn't ready to give up. Thinking to himself maybe if he ask her later in the week after his hand heals she would be more willing.

After Karmen made the baked beans she tried to keep busy to distract herself from thinking about what Jackson said about Alex wanting her to cut him with a knife.

She showed Lexi how to patty out the hamburgers , but didn't trust her with the seasoning so she done that herself. Then she severed drinks to everyone and placed the potato salad and sliced vegetables out on the table, along with the paper plates, plastic cutlery and napkins .

"After everyone had taken a seat around the camp fire Jackson pulled her into his lap handing her a hotdog roaster. While she cooked the hotdogs over the fire he massaged her back and shoulders to relive the stress and make her relax .

Just as the sun was setting he placed his hands beneath her chin tilting her head up whispering on the sensitive skin right below her ear " I like this sunset better then the first one we shared setting here around the fire pit. Do you know why."

" No," she softly said, her voice not much louder then a whisper.

" Because I'm holding you in my arms." His breath brushed against her neck with each word he spoke making her heart flutter . She leaned her head back onto his chest basking in the tender moment, as the sun dipped below the horizon, her heart fluttering from the warmth until she felt his wicked mischievous grin on her neck.

" Jackson "

" What Babe, I love you " came his not so innocent words.

" I love you too." She mummers before promptly pushing herself up away from his lap ,escaping his torturous and taunting behavior.

"Where you going?"

" To eat our hotdogs, come " she said, glancing towards the three slightly curled charred hotdogs on the end of the roaster. She held her hand out for him, with a little mischievous smile of her own.

They stepped over to the table where everyone else had gathered to eat, taking a seat across from Queen Victoria and King Charles. She was carful to only pick finger foods, so that she could enjoy feeding herself.

The chatter around the table was loud and joyful, as ever meal had been since Lexi's parents arrived. Queen Victoria shared some funny stories about growing up in a nudist camp.

Alex and Jackson was a bit surprised to find out that Lexi's parents met at the nudist camp when King Charles and Karmen's dad booked a weeks stay there on their spring break instead of going to the beach with the rest of the college students.

After dinner they set around the camp fire fire enjoying the light conversation a few drinks and the woodland sounds of crickets, and the occasional hoot of an owl coming from deep in the forest. After the fire had died down they packed everything back up and headed back to the house.