Greenwich Village, New York
Apt. # 915 Horatio St.

"Good morning," Elizabeth mumbled. Grinning as she snuggled closer to his neck. Feeling his heart pump softly through the warm skin that pressed against cheek now. "I didn’t hear you come in last night."

"I didn’t wanna wake you," Lucky said quietly. Staring up at the ceiling as her legs twined with his. Her body soft and inviting against him. Her flesh, warm through the nightshirt that she wore.

HIS shirt that she wore. Who would have thought you’d be happy to have someone stealing from your closet every time you turned your back?

"You looked so peaceful," continued. His eyes never leaving the rust stained ceiling above. He’d have to remember to patch that leak before the next big rain.

"You should have waken me," Elizabeth purred. Pressing a kiss to the base of his neck as she positioned her self a bit more tightly against him. The increase of his heart rate, enough to egg her on.

His silence, however, was enough to get her attention. That and the fact that his arms hadn’t moved from their sides since she’d woken up, and he hadn’t waken her up the night before.

She couldn’t recall a night where Lucky hadn’t waken her up when he’d gotten off of work late. Usually the drill was fairly simple. He’d do that special knock of his on the door, letting her know that he was home. Then he’d come into her room. She’d hear him rustle out of his clothes, and he’d slide into bed with just his underwear on. Moments later they’d come off. And moments later she would come.

It was just the way things went. The way things had gone for about a year now.

"What’s wrong?" Elizabeth asked quietly, propping herself up to look at his face. His beautiful blue eyes glazed over with a turbulent sea of discontent. A storm, beginning to brew beneath the calm waters. "Did something happen at work?"

"No…no," he whispered. Closing his eyes as the guilt rose in his throat like a thick poison.

It was Valentine’s day…and things weren’t as they should have been. Nothing was as it should have been.

This morning had been planned months ago. This morning should have been the beginning of something new…something beautiful. But it wouldn’t be. It wouldn’t be anything like that – thanks to his own idiocy.

"Nothing happened at work," he finished. ‘Maybe ‘cause you weren’t AT work,’ his inner voice chided, making him swallow against the bile once more. His body wasn’t made for this.

Lying made him physically ill.

Elizabeth climbed atop of him. Lying on his chest and staring up into his eyes, as he finally looked down at her. God she was beautiful. "Happy Valentine’s Day," she said sweetly. Pushing upwards to place a gentle kiss on his lips.

He licked them. Tasting her as he brushed his fingers through her hair. Pushing the messy strands away from her forehead. "Happy Valentine’s Day, Sweetie."

"So," Elizabeth began. Sensing somewhere deep in her gut that something was terribly wrong beneath that scrumptious looking canvas, no matter what he said. "You got the entire day off today right?…What did you tell them?" She smiled.

Lucky leaned up a bit and kissed her forehead as he continued to comb his fingers through her hair. "I told them I wanted to spend the day with my girl...I told ‘em the truth."

"Really?" Elizabeth grinned widely. Pulling herself up his long, lean body once more to kiss his lips. A lingering, lazy caress this time. "Well, who is this girl and what exactly are you planning on doing with her?"

Her breath stalled somewhere in her chest for a moment as his eyes clouded with tears right before he kissed her.

"The girl," he began a moment later. Clearing his throat in order to speak around the huge knot that was lodged there. "Is this…stunningly…amazingly…BEAUTIFUL woman that is with me…of all people…for…whatever reason………and the plans were – are…to make this a wonderful, unforgettable day for her…for the both of us."

Elizabeth lay her hand against his cheek. "Baby what’s the matter?"

"Nuthin,’" he said quickly. Looking down at where her other hand lay against his heart. Her ring finger clad with the tiny ring he’d given her years ago on Christmas. A ring that would be residing in that same spot after all. A ring that wouldn’t be replaced today by anything else.

He brought that hand up to his lips and pressed it against his mouth. Covering the ring and the skin around it.

Elizabeth’s heart clenched into a tense ball in her chest. Last year this time, she’d been the one waking up in a weird place. Memories – both good and bad mixing themselves into odd images. But this year, she’d waken in his arms and everything had been as beautiful as the sun that seeped in through the blinds.

Lucky had done that for her.

But his face…He was the one going through something now. Something that he wouldn’t share with her for some reason. Something that hurt his heart…and hers. "Please tell me," she prodded. Her voice nearly inaudible.

Lucky closed his eyes and took a deep breath. He couldn’t bear to see her this upset on any day, let alone a day that should have been filled with nothing but joy. The air shuttered a bit as it exited his body. "I wanted…there was something that I wanted to do this year…something that I wasn’t able to make happen…"

Various thoughts swirled through her head upon his words. "You mean for today? For Valentine’s day?"

He nodded silently and looked down.

"Oh, Lucky…you know that I don’t need anything big. I just wanted to spend the day with you…that’s all. Baby, that’s all I need…I couldn’t ask for anything more than that.

"You have made this day profound and beautiful Lucky… and it will ALWAYS be that …no matter what."

She kept talking, at his unconvinced expression. "Baby…most guys would see this as a HUGE opportunity…You see, I am essentially letting you off the hook here," She laughed when he cocked his head to the side.

"You’ve already covered every Valentine’s day to come…With those vows in our church…Lucky, I’m never ever going to need another huge Valentine’s gift like that…You’ve done it. You have managed to give me the perfect gift…and the gift that just keeps on giving, no matter what: your love."

Lucky sighed and shook his head slowly. What did he ever do to deserve this? To deserve her? It must have been something from a past life, because he for damn sure couldn’t remember anything from this one.

"You know what I wanna do?" She asked suddenly. A girlish giddiness entering her voice as she slid her leg up his.

"What?" He asked. The beginnings of a wicked grin pulling at one corner of his mouth.

"Not that…..not yet," she finished seductively. Guessing his unsaid idea.

He smiled as she finished her thought. "I want to make those brownies we made last year…the ones with the pink icing…and the sprinkles."

Lucky smiled at her and wrapped his arms around her. And she was glad for it. Laying her head against his chest.

"Ok," he said softly right before placing a kiss on the top of her head. Her silky mane smoothing against his chin as he pulled away. "But there’s something we have to do before that…we can have those for dinner."

"Oooh," she smiled against him. "So what do we have to do before that?"

"Well, number one we have to get out of this bed."

"Aaah Lucky do we halfta?" She whined in mock annoyance.

"Fraid So," he answered, tickling her sides. "Then," he continued, pulling his fingers away before they got smacked. "You have to put some really warm clothes on…and get those…THINGS from your closet."

"What ‘THINGS’?" She asked, looking up at him again with a bewildered grin.

"They lace up…and there are blades at the bottom."

"Eeek!!!!" Elizabeth squealed shooting up in bed. Her legs straddling his lap. She bounced on him a bit and he suddenly wished he hadn’t mentioned anything about getting out of bed. "We’re going skating!?!…Are you serious!? I thought you never, ever wanted to go ice skating as long as you lived and breathed natural air?!"

"So, I exaggerated a bit," Lucky grinned, sitting up before her giddy bouncing on him made it so he couldn’t move an inch. "Besides," he paused. "After the reward I got last year…..

He guffawed with laughter when she socked him playfully in the shoulder. "That wasn’t a reward," she smiled. Bringing his fingertips up to her lips to kiss. "That was a gift from God…for the both of us."

"You got that right," he sighed, clasping her face in his hands and kissing her slowly.

For the first time in weeks he felt…ok. Like things WERE going to be alright. Like he would find the money that he needed to pay off his debts, and have the money that he needed for that ring one day soon. Not today…but one day. Soon. He was still going to make it happen.

Still going to make this woman his wife one day in the not too distant future.

Elizabeth leaned back on her heals and licked her lips. He tasted better than an entire BOX of chocolates. "Lucky…Will you be my Valentine?"

"I’ll always be your valentine," he whispered. Sealing the deal with a kiss before releasing her to get ready for what wouldn’t be the day that he wanted it to be…but a good day none the less. A day that he would spend with the love of his life, doing just that…loving.

"Just hold on to me," Elizabeth giggled as Lucky moved slowly behind her on the ice. His gloved hands holding tightly to her sides.

"I am," he mumbled. Stumbling a bit as she sped up. "Oh man, you’re gonna get it when we get home."

Elizabeth turned and made an ‘o’ with her lips. "Oooh…promises, promises," she teased, turning to face him. She skated backwards and curled her finger. Beckoning him towards her. "Come and get me Lucky."

He narrowed his eyes and pushed forward on the rickety things beneath him. How anyone was supposed to skate on these things, he had no idea. "You better be glad we still have these skates on…because once we’re in regular shoes again…Oh man…You can run – but you can’t hide."

She giggled as she skated farther away. And that seductive laugh that made every nerve in his body tingle jumped to attention. He took the challenge and sped up slightly. Remembering to keep his weight even. Balance…balance was the key.

‘Easier said then done,’ he thought silently and she flew around the rink.

"It sure is empty here today!" She called out from the other side.

"Of course it is," he muttered under his breath.

"What?!" She shouted, before setting herself up for some sort of fancy jump that she’d learned as a kid.

"I said, ‘Yeah, it does!" He answered. Calling across the ice.

The truth was, he had arranged for it to be this empty. Arranged for the owners of the rink to close it down. Opening for only them today. Not that he had any need for privacy now. The entire free world could come here now and it wouldn’t matter.

When he had the money he’d pay the guy for his trouble. He’d closed down the rink and lost good business for something that wasn’t even going to happen now.

He heard the sounds of her blades cutting the ice as she skated over to him and wrapped her arms around his neck. Nearly knocking him over. "Hey…let’s go."

"What?" Lucky asked, taken aback by the mere idea. She must have picked up on his mood. ‘Stop acting like a jerk and skate with her you dumbass,’ he thought silently. "No, we ain’t leavin’ yet…Are ya crazy?…I’m just getting warmed up."

"Lucky," Elizabeth grinned, taking his hands in hers as she pulled him towards the center of the rink. "We can go home now…really.…I know this isn’t exactly your cup of tea."

Lucky smiled and leaned in to kiss her. Careful not to fall on his face. "Anything that involves you, and that cute little red nose of yours…is my cup of tea."

Elizabeth grinned shyly and ducked her head before he clasped her face in his hands and kissed her. They drifted slowly along the ice and the kiss deepened.

Intensifying to the point of distraction. To the point of losing balance.

When they fell, their first reaction wasn’t that of pain, or embarrassment, but laughter. Sheer, unadulterated laughter emerging from both of them as Lucky wrapped his arms around her waist and brought her closer on the ice. Her lips pink, and lipstick free. The warmest part of her body as he kissed her the same way he had the first time they’d come here. When they’d gone back to the apartment and made love for the very first time.

She smiled widely as she slid closer to him. Her rear, feeling the cold ice beneath her. But, her entire body heating up under the fire of his kiss. He pulled her closer taking her mouth on a passionate journey with his. She moaned when he finally pulled away moments later.

But she was quick to smile. The single white rose he pulled from somewhere inside his jacket, unable to cause her any other expression. "Lucky…" she sighed.

He watched as she teared up at the sight of the flower that he held. "Happy Valentine’s Day, Elizabeth…I love you."

"I love you too," she mumbled. The lump in her throat monumental when she removed it from his hands. Holding it to her nose in order to sniff its sweet scent.

She gazed into his eyes and dropped her hand to her thigh. "Now, can we go home?"

"Elizabeth…come on, I’m having a good time…Really."

She smiled and knew that a part of him really was. "I know you are…but I want to go home now." She continued, pressing her lips to the small portion of his neck that was revealed by his turtleneck. "If you catch my drift."

Lucky swallowed hard and took her hand in his. "Drift caught…Let’s go home."

Suddenly he skated just fine.

~~~~~~~

Elizabeth stifled a giggle when she heard Lucky huff behind her. Obviously not having had FOOD on his mind when she’d said she wanted to come home. If truth be told, she hadn’t been thinking of food either. But the moment she’d spotted the brownie mix on the countertop it had just looked TOO good not to eat.

Skating made her hungry.

"Want me to do that?" Lucky asked quickly. A slight edge of impatience hedging his voice as he eyed the way she mixed the pink frosting. Taking her time as the brownies baked in the oven. She stirred like a turtle.

"No," she giggled, turning slightly to look at him as he inspected her work. "I’m perfectly capable of mixing frosting, Mr. Supervisor Man."

"I know that…I just…"

Elizabeth stopped churning and turned around to face him. "I know…you just…" she sighed seductively. Rising on her tip-toes to kiss him on the chin.

"I’m almost done….Why don’t you," she paused. Turning back around to dip her finger into the sugary sweet mixture. "Try it out for me…tell me if it’s ok."

Lucky licked his lips and grinned when she held her pink finger up to his lips for inspection. He reached out slowly. His eyes on hers as he wrapped his hands around her wrist, pulling her closer to him. Close enough so that his tongue could slither out and lick lightly at her fingertip. Then close enough to take the top portion of her finger into his mouth.

Elizabeth bit her lip and fidgeted a bit, against the counter as he took her small finger farther into his depths. The warmth of his tongue and graze of his teeth, turning her on like nothing else. "Does it taste ok?" She managed breathily.

"It tastes…heavenly," he sighed, as he slowly released the digit from his mouth. The icing removed from her flesh. "Just like the rest of you," he finished.

With a seductive grin lacing her features, she turned back to her chore of mixing. ‘Oh, no you don’t,’ he thought wickedly to himself. Wrapping his arms around her waist from behind. ‘You started it.’

She sighed and allowed her wooden spoon to thud against the side of the bowl when she felt his hardness press against her from behind.

Watching as the spoon slid along the edge of the dish and into the icing. Unable to make any move as he pressed her even closer to the ledge of the counter. His hands moving up her thigh and stopping when it got level with the countertop. She leaned into him, wondering what he might do. Fascinated by what he might do.

His exquisitely designed fingers reached out for the bowl. Bringing it closer to the edge. They dipped inside the bowl. Removing a thick, heap of the bright pink concoction. She licked her lips at the sight of it coating his fingers. "I think you should taste it too," he whispered in her ear.

The mere feel and sound of his voice caused her to quiver and moisten at her most sensitive part. She opened her mouth to him as he fed her the icing. Allowing it to coat her tongue. Allowing her tongue to slide along each one of his fingers at a slow, torturous pace. He let go of her waist and moved in front of her. Eager to watch her.

She watched him as well. His eyes darkening a few shades as she ministered to each long, smooth finger.

Lucky hissed through his teeth, as hers grazed his skin. She sucked lightly on one of his digits and he returned to lean against the counter. His legs suddenly a bit weak. God, she had the power to make feel like jelly.

Like jelly in some places…like steel in others.

That other place – the steel place - throbbed and ached for her now. She knew that all too well, and used one capable hand to unzip his jeans. Her lips released his fingers and he wanted to taste her again. Wanted to taste her while she started to tease him beneath the denim that covered him.

He shuddered a bit as her hand made it’s way inside his boxer briefs. Her other hand gripping his hip as she pressed him against the counter. Sucking in his breath, he reached to his side and dipped one finger into the creamy dessert once more. This time using that same finger to smooth the pink color all over her lips.

It was like lipstick. Only a lipstick he would take tremendous joy in eating off of her. He began to do just that. Wrapping his hands around her face. His thumbs pressed eagerly into her cheeks as he began to kiss her deeply. Licking and sucking her bottom lip and then her top as he switched between the inside of her mouth and the outside. She was equally delicious in both places.

Elizabeth tasted the icing, tasted him. Felt him in her hands. Felt him pulsating between her fingers as he kissed her long and hard and deep. Before she knew it there was icing on her neck. And his lips were there now. Licking her as if he were trying to bathe her.

She leaned back to give him better access and she could no longer concentrate on pumping him within her hands. He reached out to her, reminding her quickly of his need. Her fingers circled around his shaft once more as his began to unbutton the top that she wore. Each small piece of plastic, being unfastened at record pace. Her fist began to pick up the same quickened pace that he set.

Lucky swore under his breath as one of her buttons hitched and her tiny, powerful hand tightened around him. "Come with me," he half pleaded, half commanded. Grabbing her hand from his pants and leading her down the hallway, faster than she knew how to respond to.

She followed him. Her feet, barely touching the carpet as they padded through the apartment. She noticed he carried the bowl of icing in his other hand, and wicked, passionate thoughts raced through her mind at lightening speed.

Her clothes were off, seemingly within an instant as soon as they hit the bathroom. She stood there, naked before him as one of his hands caressed everything there was to touch, and the other turned the knobs of the shower behind her. He was suddenly naked too and the bowl of icing sat discarded near the sink. The contents of it smeared all over her like paint. Like she was a canvas.

Reaching for the bowl, it clattered to the floor as he kissed her neck. Kissed her breasts. Her stomach…lower. Throwing her entire system of balance off. His hands and lips were everywhere.

She managed to reach it, and took the last of what there was in her trembling hands. Her whole body, shaking with want for him. His unbelievably hard erection pressed against her thigh and her teeth sunk into his shoulder when he hoisted her up and into the shower.

Lucky pressed her against the wall of the shower. Immediately lowering himself once more to lick at the icing that coated each of her nipples. To taste and then suck it off. She moaned loudly and her wet thigh slid up his leg. "Not yet Elizabeth…" he panted. Pulling away for just a moment.

He wanted to taste her first. Taste her everywhere there was to taste.

Elizabeth reached down between them, and let her fingers once again reach out and take hold of his masculinity. This time, trailing the sticky, pink sweetness all over him. Upon completing the task, she pushed him away from her breast and reversed their positions before he could protest. Before she could.

The water poured over his head and he reached up to slick his hair back away from his face. The mere action of it, sending her to her knees before him. She imagined doing this in the rain one day. Making love outside in the rain. It would happen one day…one day.

But for now the shower was enough as she took him in her mouth. More than enough.

She heard him gasp and thrust towards her, and she wanted to smile. But simply took him farther into his depths. His saltiness mixing with that of the icing’s sweetness to form a purely orgasmic taste.

He’d been hard and thick for quite some time and she knew it wouldn’t be long for him. That he’d come within her mouth in mere moments. She longed for it and rubbed her hands along his thighs to further stimulate his end. She raised higher on her knees as his fingers twisted her hair into knots and then let go, over and over again.

Lucky’s mind swam. The vision of her on her knees. The feel of his dick in her mouth. The sensation of how she tasted, coated with icing all ricocheting back and forth against each other like pin-balls in his brain. "Come ‘ere," he panted, smoothing his hands through her drenched hair. "Come ‘ere."

Elizabeth moaned, not wanting to leave him. But when he hauled her up by her shoulders and kissed the living hell out of her, she could no longer protest. Couldn’t think of anything else but how wildly he was kissing her. How she tasted him and how he must have been, tasting himself on her. It excited her beyond belief.

God how had this happened to her? How had she become this free? How was it that she could make love to this man, in this way, on THIS day without reservation or fear? Without hesitation or sadness? Just relish. Pure, unbridled relish - in every touch, caress and stroke.

How had this happened?

‘He happened,’ she answered herself. Holding on to him as he lifted her against the wall and entered her in one long, smooth stroke. She closed her eyes and took every inch that he had to give. He had entered not only her body, but also her soul. He had made all the pain and hurt go away because he was Lucky. And he was hers. The first thing in all her life that she could call her own.

She would never understand why he loved her so, but he did. With every beat of his heart, he did.

Other girls probably got hearts and candies, jewelry and flowers on this day. But she…she got the love of a man that did nothing better than that…love. He did it with all his heart.

He did it when he took off of work to be with her. Knowing that they needed every penny that they could get their hands on. He did it when he secretly wanted this day to be something else…something bigger – and it hadn’t been. He did it when he went ice-skating, even though he hated ice-skating. He did it when he made brownies with her, when all he really wanted to do was make love.

Elizabeth writhed against him, as his lips covered her neck and then her chest, and then her breast. Licking away the last remnants of pink. And she wondered if he hadn’t been the inventor of making love. Did other people even know what it was? Or was she now the only member of some exclusive club? She had to be. She couldn’t imagine that anyone else knew what it was like to be made love to this exquisitely. How could they when the inventor of it himself, had only given himself to her?

They didn’t. They couldn’t.

Lucky moved within her slowly. Holding on to her thighs as he buried himself inside her body. Where he was safe.

While his movements had been fast and furious earlier…they were slow and controlled now. Driving her to the hilt of passion, only to take her down a few paces as he pulled away. Her breath catching every time he pushed deeper and then deeper still.

He wanted to come so badly that it hurt, but he fought against it. Wanting to give her at least this today. At least love making that teetered on the edges of agony and ecstasy. Her head turned this way and that and she jerked beneath him as she shouted his name. Coming like crazy as her hips thrust against his over and over again. His name pushed from her lips every time their bodies met each other.

He’d make love to her just like this for the rest of the day. While they ate plain, burnt brownies in bed, and talked about the future. Watched old movies, and made corny jokes. Shared dreams that they had. Places they would go, and things they’d accomplish together.

And he would know before he closed his eyes that night, as she curled up at his side, that it was ok that he hadn’t gotten her that ring. That the feat was still possible, but maybe not as important as he’d thought. That the only things in life that mattered begun and ended with the name Elizabeth Webber. And that one day he would ask her to marry him, and she would say yes. And they’d be man and wife, not only in their own eyes and God’s eyes, but in the eyes of her family, and of anyone else who cared to question it.

Though that day wouldn’t come as soon as he wanted it to. It would come.

As sure as he came now inside her body and whispered I love you more times that he could count. It would come.

"Happy Valentine’s Day Elizabeth…"

"Happy Valentine’s day Lucky…"

Happy Valentine’s Day to you guys! I know GH doesn’t think it means much anymore…but for us true blue Lucky and Liz fans this will always be a day to remember. Pop in a tape and remember the good times. Luv ya! J

Brandy