Manhattan, New York
The Artists Forum Theatre

Lucky removed his coat as she walked out of the theatre. His face, lighting up at the first sight of her. A night full of sitting in front of his computer all alone, suddenly turning into heaven…and she was the first angel he saw.

Her skin simply glowed when the moonlight kissed it. Her cheeks and eyes lit like a Christmas tree. Igniting the urge to kiss her right then and there. The urge to sweep her inside the cab and kiss the living daylights out of her.

He’d fantasized about her since he’d left her that afternoon. Everything in his office, and then everything at home reminding him of her…and those lips.

‘You should probably ask her how rehearsal went first, you horny bastard,’ Lucky thought. Chastising him self silently. He walked towards her and draped his coat around her shoulders, the fall air showing the first signs of crispness. ‘There will be plenty of time for kissin later…’

Of course there would be. Now they could kiss anytime they wanted...and that thought alone had an even wider smile slipping over Lucky's features and revealing his teeth. However, tonight was the only night that she would be able to claim as her first rehearsal for her very first show. That had to come first.

It was her dream come true, and that was more important than anything.

His smile had her grinning and biting her lip. His beauty nearly blinding her on such an already perfect night. "Tell me," he said. Whispering in her ear as his hands slipped away from her shoulders. The mere contact of the sides of his palms against her bare shoulders enough to make her scream in joy.

She watched and tried to remain calm, and cool, and collected as he reached in front of her to open the side door of the cab. Watching him for another long moment before getting inside. Watching the way he moved around the car. The way his body cut through the night – seemed to make everything brighter.

Slowly she slid in against the leather. The coolness of it felt wonderful against her heated skin. When she sighed aloud, Lucky turned to her. Gazing…

"It was great," she said on a sigh. Unaware of the way his eyes lit up again when she glanced up at the roof of the car.

Tearing his eyes away for just a moment, Lucky quickly shouted their address to the driver and turned back to her. "I knew it," he said softly. "Just by the look on your face I could tell…"

With almost giddy excitement she started to remove his coat. Obviously too high on life to feel the early frost.

"Lucky," she sighed. Leaning her head back against the leather as the cab took off towards Broadway. "It was..." her voice trailed away as her head rolled towards him. Their eyes connecting.

Lucky leaned back as well. "The sigh alone says a lot," he said smiling. His voice soft.

God, she was beautiful...more beautiful than he’d ever seen her. At that very moment he knew he wanted to keep her happy for the rest of her life - and for the rest of his.

She reached up to dab at one corner of her left eye, and he wrapped his fingers around hers as they descended. "You’re crying."

Turning to glare at him, she whispered "sue me." And he responded simply by trailing his finger along her cheek to catch an errant tear.

The thing was, she didn't know how to explain it. She didn't even know where to begin. How to say the things she felt fluttering around in her heart. "It was just so…so good. Everything right now is so…good," she finished. Pausing to look at him.

He smiled softly. "Yes, it is."

Elizabeth closed her eyes for a long moment and then opened them slowly. "I just never knew it could be like that…I mean I've always DREAMT about dancing. About doing it for and with people that love it just as much as I do, you know? Who are good at it...and God help me - think that I am too -

"Of course you are," Lucky said. Reaching out to stroke her chin. She smiled softly in response, and he nodded. "But then again, I know it's different when people that are good at what you do - tell you that you are…That’s a whole different feeling."

She sighed again and slowly shook her head. The entire night passing before her eyes. "I've just...I've never been able to concentrate on just the dancing - on just...I mean unless I was dancing at home or something...there's always been something to get in the way. Like someone telling me I couldn't...or telling me I had to take my clothes off first," she giggled ironically.

Even memories of that would not get to her tonight. Not tonight. She wasn't going to let anything spoil THIS day for her. Not a day that had started with his kisses and ended with the beginning of a dream come true.

"So in other words," Lucky smiled. "You kicked ass tonight...without removing one iota of clothing."

She laughed out loud and then covered her mouth. Realizing they weren’t alone. "I think I did."

"You did," he repeated. His voice barely there as their eyes connected once more. The lights of Broadway spirited their way over her glossy face and made him want to touch her so badly that his fingers itched. A newly created part of his brain reminded him that he didn't have to stifle that impulse any longer...so he didn't.

Fingertips made contact with her skin first. All five of them sliding over her dewy cheeks as he moved closer to her in order to allow his lips to follow his hands lead. When they sunk sweetly into hers, melting like a chocolate kiss, she realized the night wasn't completely over yet.

That there was still the drive home. Still the first moments of stepping into their apartment where they’d have to figure out what do with…how to handle this – this new aspect of their…whatever it was.

It sent shivers of fear over her entire being as his lips tended to hers. The kind of fear that you felt when you knew you wanted to do something…but didn’t quite know if you could.

Lucky eased both of his full lips over her bottom one, sucking it lightly between his as the lights of the city flickered neon through the windows and reflected shadows of things far less awesome than what was going on inside the small confined space and within their hearts.

He felt her fingers slide up the back of his neck and into the bottom strands of his hair. Knowing already that it was something he wanted to feel every day. It made him both anxious and content all at once. A part of him wanting to jump right out of his skin when she did it – the other part of him feeling so incredibly at peace.

His heart was in a permanent state of confusion and he had no desire for that to change.

When he felt her tongue slip slowly, gracefully into his mouth he wanted to cry over the sheer unexpected feel of it. The pure pleasure of feeling her make the first move once again.

He felt so smooth inside. Just like the outside. Just like the sheer satin texture of his skin. Not a blemish felt by her fingertips. Only moist silk found by her tongue. And when his tongue sought hers - it didn't seek to overpower or impress. It only sought to explore - to find out about her. What made her sigh, what made her heart beat a little faster?

Never in her life had a man given any thought as to what her favorite color was, let alone how she wanted to be kissed. And here he was, figuring it all out in the span of a day.

"What was the uh...that uh…address again son?"

True Love. He’d been driving a cab long enough to know it when he saw it. And this was the real thing. True they were all passion and no sense now…but it wouldn’t matter. You could hear the love in the sounds that they made. See it in every time they touched.

He didn’t mean to be a voyeur, but it was kind of hard to keep your eyes away when love stepped into your cab.

Lucky groaned and mumbled around her lips as the driver's voice floated towards them. Catching a glance of Elizabeth before she pulled away – her face already beat red.

"915," he explained quickly. Reaching out for her again.

Elizabeth pursed her lips together and shook her head with a grin. Too embarrassed at the moment to even speak. When he grinned back at her and pulled her towards him, she sighed into his chest. "To be continued."

It amazed her that she’d completely forgotten that someone else was in the front seat. That she and Lucky hadn’t been alone. When she’d stripped in the past, she’d always thought that dancing and the music had allowed her to drown out the voices of leering men, but maybe it hadn’t been the music or the dancing at all…

She was losing herself.

Lucky bit down on his lip to keep from trying to kiss her again and slowly wrapped both of his arms around her as he closed his eyes. Too tired to keep them open. Too alive and in love to go to sleep.

~~~~~~~

Elizabeth watched awkwardly as Lucky flipped on the light switch near the door. Following him inside when he reached out to clasp her hand in his from behind.

He’d reached for it in the same manner on the way up the front stoop and again inside the elevator, where he'd joked about the silly hat that their cabbie had worn. Funny how neither of them had noticed the bright head accessory until they’d been ready to hop out of the cab.

Yet as they'd stood in one small corner of the elevator, fiddling with each other’s fingers it had seemed the funniest thing ever. And when he’d lifted her hand to his lips to kiss the back of it, Elizabeth knew a decision would have to be made soon.

"Sooo," Lucky said. Smiling as he leaned against the bar. Gazing at her as she stepped up into the kitchen. "It’s been a long day huh?…You tired?"

"A little," Elizabeth grinned weakly. Unable to take her eyes away from his lips. It had been about 15 minutes since they’d last touched hers.

"Yeah," Lucky sighed. His eyes traveling from her eyes to her lips. Pink and bare. "You’re me too – a little…I guess we should try and get some sleep – I realized I’ve treated the whole day like some kind of holiday."

She grinned shyly and looked down. Biting down on her lip again when she looked up into his waiting blue eyes. It did seem like some kind of fairytale day. Something she’d lock away in her memory forever as the best day she’d ever had. The question now was…how would the fairytale end?

"What um.....What are we going to do about sleeping tonight?"

Lucky's eyebrows rose and he scratched the back of his head. "Well traditionally, I lie down and close my eyes. After a few short minutes a sort of unconscious state begins to -

Elizabeth glared menacingly at him. "Oh, you’re cute…but you know exactly what I mean."

He grinned at her and pushed away from the bar. Settling back on the arm of the couch near him. "Yeah," he sighed quietly. "I know exactly what you mean. I was actually thinking about that little...dilemma on the way over."

"You THOUGHT on the way over?" She asked with a giggle. "I didn’t know you could THINK and do that at the same time."

His voice deepened and something like liquid lust shot up her spine. "I can do a lot of things at the same time."

‘God.’ Never, never had this happened before! She couldn’t remember one time in her life where the sound of someone’s voice could turn her on. She never really remembered being ‘turned-on’ by anyone.

He licked his lips and continued. "Yeah…a small thought crossed my mind."

Slowly, tentatively, Elizabeth strolled around the bar. Taking a seat on the barstool across from him. "Spill it."

Once again he was unable to keep his eyes steady. Unable to keep them from roaming and strolling all over the place. She was so exquisitely beautiful.

"I was thinking that maybe we could do things...in the same way that we’ve been doing them. Which is: play it by ear. I mean, the only time we've deliberately slept in the same bed was when we wanted to read together or watch basketball or somethin…right? I mean all those other times were like...

"Accidents," she filled in. Grinning.

"No, no…not accidents," Lucky said shaking his head with a smile. "I prefer to think of them as acts of fate...However - now that things have sort of changed between us we should probably TRY to stay in our own beds if we're gonna take things...slow," he sighed. "But we also shouldn't try to change things you know? I mean what we have here...what we have here is good," Lucky said. Standing slowly.

His fingers trailed lightly over her knees and she looked down. Suddenly nervous again. "But things...I mean things are changing right? I mean they are...different?"

Lucky caught the change in tone instantly. The sudden fear in her voice. He bent at the knees to meet her eyes as she continued to sit. "Yeah...I guess they are. I guess they kinda have to...but - but Elizabeth they don't have to be bad changes - I mean...they're kinda good...right?"

Elizabeth nodded without looking up, and then quickly met his eyes. "Yeah…I mean yes. Of course they are. It's just that...the way things are now - I don't wanna lose what we have…Lucky, for the first time in my life I have a best friend – I’m very afraid of losing that."

"You actually think you’re gonna lose that?" Lucky asked, shaking his head. "I can assure you that you’re not. Listen to me Elizabeth...what we have – it’s more special than anything I've ever felt before. You're my best friend too...and so much more. I would never want to jeopardize that. But by the same token...I’m not willing to risk losing this chance either," he added. His hand cupping her cheek. "I’m not willing to ignore something that’s been building since the first moment I saw you…are you?"

She shook her head slowly as he began to narrow the space between them. Stepping between her legs against the stool. "Good," he sighed almost inaudibly. "Because there ain't no going back," he grinned before brushing his lips against hers. As they slipped along the soft surface of her mouth, his hands slipped slowly from her head down to her waist. Feeling her breath quicken, and her muscles tighten just as his did with their kiss.

It was going to be pure torture taking things ‘slowly,’ but a sweet torture indeed.

When he pulled away he tried not to watch her lick her lips. So he lay his forehead against hers. "So…" he began again on a longsuffering sigh. "I was planning on reading tonight…"

Elizabeth guffawed with laughter and when she threw her head back, he took quick advantage of her neck. Pressing his lips to the pulse point where chin met neck. It took her by surprise and she gasped, but he couldn’t resist that neck any longer.

Her heated blood rushed beneath his lips and he could have licked her there the entire night. "Is that…is that a yes?" He smiled wickedly against her neck.

A shiver ran quickly up her spine at the feel of his teeth lightly grazing her as he talked. She grinned widely, and allowed her fingers to weave their way playfully through his hair. "I don’t believe I heard your exact question."

Another smile tugged at one corner of his lips as he pulled back to stare into the deep sapphire eyes that were filled with the same kind of passion that his were...Sweet torture indeed. What an exercise in self-control this would be.

Wallace had called it a challenge, when what it really was – was a pleasure.

"Oh...so you’re gonna make me ask huh? Gonna make me beg for a little companionship...That's ok," he paused. Raising a hand when she started to speak. "I see how you are...

She laughed as he continued. "Princess Elizabeth," he said pausing to bow in front of her stool now. "Would you do me the honor of the presence of your company...in bed?" He asked, clearing his throat. "While I um...read,"

Playfully, she tilted her head and thought about it before shaking it in opposition to the idea. "Hmm...you know, I already know how the story ends...I think I'll just go to bed," she said with mock seriousness as she hopped down from the stool.

His arms were around her waist before she could take more than half a step away. "Oooh no, you don't...it's your fault. You brought all these darn books here...the study of plants, the study of rocks…the study of plants ON rocks," he said tickling her sides as she giggled loudly.

"Now you have to put up with me wanting to read them...it’s only fair. And it’s also only fair," he added. Moving around her to get a good look at her lips. "Since you let me taste those...that utterly delicious mouth of yours...that you allow me to...taste it…again," he sighed as his bottom lip brushed against hers. "And…Again."

His mouth felt like warm velvet against hers. The plush redness of his lips sliding anxiously and deeply against hers. He was so tender that something in her heart, actually hurt.

When she pulled away breathless, she bit the inside of her lip to keep from kissing him again. She held up one finger and took a slow step backwards. "Give me...10 minutes to hop in the shower and put on my jammies - or yours," she giggled quickly.

"Oh, don’t even go there," Lucky sighed. "If you want to keep this fairytale rated PG, you better wear your own damn clothes."

Laughing out loud, she retreated down the hall. "Ok, 10 minutes," she repeated.

His eyes locked sensuously with hers and she shivered again when he spoke. "10 minutes."

He bit his lip and his eyes swam around like crazy as soon as the door to the bathroom closed behind her. Exactly 10 minutes to get ready…10 minutes…

Quickly he sprinted towards the kitchen.

~~~~~~~

~10 minutes later ~

Her breath moved backwards into her lungs when the room came into view. All darkness and candle flicker. Nothing to see but him – holding two champagne flutes filled to the brim with what she could only assume was cherry coke.

"It's not much," Lucky began quietly as her form came into view in the doorway. "But I couldn't let another day pass without celebrating the fact that you got your first show...and that we - well, sorta took a new…step in our relationship…here."

She didn’t move. Didn’t speak.

"I wish we had some champagne or something…but we didn’t. I tried again at making Jillian’s brownies while you were gone this evening. I’m surprised you didn’t smell ‘em right away when you walked in…though – maybe that’s a bad sign," he smiled nervously. Cocking his head towards the huge plate of covered dessert.

When her eyes followed and then floated towards the brownie that sat on the bar with a candle in it, she nearly cried. Her voice came out hushed when she finally spoke. "You didn’t…you didn’t have to do this."

He nodded his head. "Yes I did…and there’s more to come. This was just a completely last minute deal – nothing compared to what I have planned."

She closed her eyes. "It’s already perfect."

He bit his lip and walked forward. Placing one flute in her hand. Slowly, he led her to the fold out bed where he had a dinner tray set out for them. Turning back to the bar to grab her brownie and set it down on the flat surface.

Quietly she folded her legs beneath her, sitting in front of the tray for a moment before turning her gaze back to his.

"Oh man…two bouts of tears in one night…I’m sorry," he sighed.

Elizabeth rolled her eyes. "No you’re not…this is the exact reaction you wanted," she said grinning through tears. She quickly wiped them away. Turning back towards the burning candle, she was suddenly unable to think of one thing to wish for.

At the moment, it felt like she had everything.

"Go ahead," he whispered. Sitting down next to her. "Make a wish…anything you want."

He was going to try desperately to make them all come true. When she closed her eyes and blew the small flame out, his eyes were closed too. Hoping that whatever it were, was within his power to help her get.

She sniffled and turned to lift her glass once more. "So…what are we toasting to?"

When the aqua-marine sea of his eyes washed over hers, she held her breath. "How about – to dreams coming true."

Her smile lit up the dark room as she nodded. Their glasses clinking softly before each of them took a long drink. He wrapped his arm around her a moment later. Pulling her close as they settled back to read a little before bed.

They both started laughing at the very same instant. The words of the book too shrouded in darkness to see even the cross of a ‘t.’

"You know," he said through laughter. "The candlelight REALLY seemed like a good idea at the time…"

She nodded and continued to giggle. "Of course…just not conducive to reading……We could always throw on some lights."

"Are you kidding me?" He asked. Raising his eyebrows. "That would completely spoil the mood I’ve got going here."

"Oh, my bad," she said responding with a smile. Their eyes met quietly after a moment. She suddenly didn’t want to read anymore. "You know…there are other things…that we could do – in the dark."

Lucky’s eyebrows rose once more in mock surprise. His voice, low. "There are?"

Elizabeth shrugged. "Of course. I mean there must be some…sort of…activity that we can both do…"

He grinned. This would be fun. "Watch TV?" He asked. Glancing towards it.

"Hmm," she said. Pretending to think. "Nah."

"Nah, you’re right…what ELSE is there," he questioned. Staring up at the ceiling as he pretended to think as well. "Video games?"

Her mouth twisted into a disinterested grimace. "There’s that black and white collection you’ve got going…I fell asleep on it last time, but –

"No…no," Lucky said. Reaching behind him to scratch the back of his head. She watched with rapt attention. Wanting to devour him when he did that. "However, I DO like the idea of doing something…silent," he said. One eyebrow jumping up suggestively.

"Silent, huh?" Elizabeth asked. Turning towards him as a grin tried to spread itself ridiculously over her features. She slowly pushed their book off of his legs and then down to the floor. Hearing a loud thump when it fell.

Foster raised his head from his place by the door. What the Hell was going on over there…

Lucky held his breath. Her hand having come dangerously close to waking his sleeping friend – and he didn’t mean Foster.

Her voice was breathy as she continued. Moving closer and closer to him. "Well…I remember that thing… that game…the one we played last night – with our mouths?…Remember?"

Leaning back, Lucky bit his lip. ‘Damn…’

"Oh…right…yeah," he sighed. "Silent – but we use our mouths."

"Well," Elizabeth said, eyeing him. "It was virtually…silent."

Lucky held his breath as she inched her way closer to him on the bed. "You mean…th-that," he said. Stammering something crazy when she pressed her lips to the base of his throat. "You mean all that…that kissin stuff we did."

When she pulled back, her eyes were nearly afire. Burning with something he knew was already brewing hot inside his gut. When she only nodded and rose to her knees to press her lips against his, he gave back to her. Reciprocating the slow heat of it.

He felt her move to straddle him and nearly went berserk. The increase in pressure on his lap and against his lips nearly too much to handle without warning. Too much to handle in those little shorts that she wore. And though he’d made a pact with his body that he’d hold back…he wasn’t a fool.

His hands slipped slowly up her lower back. Eager as they were to wrap around that luscious toned ass of hers, they would learn to be disciplined when it came to Elizabeth. So disciplined that the first sensation of her soft chestnut strands slipping through his fingertips was like water to a thirsty man.

And when he lowered his head to drink from the skin on her neck, his lips nearly burned from the heat of her flesh.

The soft whimpering that he’d heard the night before, returned as he watched her face slip from expression to expression in the flickering light. As his hands moved from her head to her shoulders and then back again.

It was different, yet the same. The same mouth – same body. But everything felt different than it had the night before.

There was a little less control, and it was both scary and exhilarating all at once.

Elizabeth’s fingers moved up his chest with guarded fascination. Running themselves over the contours covered by his white t-shirt and then back to his face. He felt so good. So warm and strong everywhere. And when his arms were around her, she wanted nothing more than to stay there forever.

She suddenly longed to see him. To touch the skin that had plagued her fantasies from the very first night they’d spent together in this apartment. Her brain wondering back even now to the image of him in those black boxerbriefs. She remembered the wonderfully outlined form…she felt it now as she sat atop his lap. Felt it burn against her core, and for the first time in her life was unafraid of it.

Her fingers dug firmly into his shoulders as she continued to kiss him. To let him suck gently on her bottom lip as she started to push at him. Wanting him to lie down. Wanting to feel everything.

The strong yet gentle hands that splayed against her upper back began to pull her closer, and she went with him as he lay back against the bed. Her legs still secured around his waist as she lay cradled in his arms atop his pounding chest.

Lucky felt him self hardening, as her body tightly over his. As her kisses began to rain down from his lips to his chin to his collarbone and then to the center of his chest. As she began to lower herself farther down his body. Her lips pressing through the cotton of his shirt and into his abdominal muscles.

It took everything he had to bring her back to his mouth. Hauling her upwards by her upper arms in one swift motion as he panted for breath. Things had taken on a mind of their own in the span of just a few minutes. He had to keep his wits about him. Had to be able to think straight.

He wanted so badly to let her lead. To let her make all the first moves, but with the way his body was reacting to hers, he knew that if he allowed her to stay in control – there’d be no way for him to be sensible. No way for him to keep the pact he’d made with himself or with her.

He didn’t want to be like Gino. Or whoever had hurt her. He wanted to be different. He didn’t want her to wake up tomorrow morning and regret having gone so far, so fast. He wanted so desperately to do right by her. To be the one she could give herself to completely – with more than just her body. And he wanted to give her the same.

When he rolled her beneath him it was as much an act of self-preservation as it was passion. But even so, when her leg slid up the side of his he couldn’t help but touch it. Couldn’t help to let his hand slide up the rise and fall of her smooth dancer’s leg. He wondered if every, single part of her felt so toned and satin-like.

The wonderment had him forcing his fingers down into the bed linens beneath them and propping himself up a bit. Lifting himself to a near push-up position as he trapped her breath at the back of her throat with his own mouth.

Neither of them came up for an ounce of their own air now. Giving it only to each other as they began to devour one another. He groaned from some deep down, longing place when her tongue swept anxiously and eagerly against his.

What exactly did ‘taking things slow,’ mean? And what the Hell was ‘taking things too fast,’ when it all felt so damn good? More than he even realized it would.

He couldn’t go by regular standards could he? This wasn’t exactly a typical relationship. Regular ground rules didn’t apply. They seemed to be making up everything as they went along.

‘Yes,’ he thought as he lowered himself once more to her neck. They’d simply have to learn as they went, and hope that they didn’t make any monumental mistakes that couldn’t be fixed. He’d have to hope that letting his tongue trail across her exposed collar bone was…ok. Taking her earlobe inside his mouth…was ok.

From the sound of the moan that escaped her it was. And God, she tasted of pure sugar. How his sweet-tooth ached for her.

When she began to arch beneath him, he held his breath and tried to inhale deeply. Tried to calm his body from the route it so intensely wanted to take. His hands slipped up her thighs, as he lay between them, and then slowly up to her hips. Grasping them lightly as he held her in place and kissed her neck once more. Lowering his lips ever so slowly to her chest and stopping the motion of his mouth upon reaching the swell of the breast he craved.

Her fingers reached upwards to rake through his hair and then back down. Up and down his back until finally the urge to feel his skin, became so great she could no longer resist. He nearly jumped when the pads of her cool fingertips inched their way beneath the cotton shirt he wore and onto the sweltering flesh. Trailing along the waistline of his pants and just slightly above it.

She felt the muscles in the small of his back clench and bunch as he continued to nibble on her neck and her ears. She hissed through her teeth and dug her nails into the flesh of his back. Beginning to push roughly at the shirt. Wanting it off in a way that she never imagined wanting to undress a man.

Never in her life had she wanted someone. She couldn’t think of a time when she actually ached. Actually hurt for someone. When her core jolted with anticipation with every move from the man on top of her.

It was so powerful that the sensation itself felt alive. She could feel it breathing within her. Like something wakened after a long, fitful slumber.

His weight, his size, his strength…everything about him sent electrical charges throughout her entire body, and she wanted him. God help her, she wanted him.

Lucky lifted his arms just long enough for her to drag his shirt over his head and quickly return his mouth to hers. Groaning when she sat up slightly and placed her full lips against his bare shoulder. It felt like being branded, and he wanted the sensation again.

Wanted her touch…wanted her lips…wanted her tongue, her mouth, her hands…everywhere.

And the mere intensity of it, had him opening his eyes and forcing himself to stare at the wall behind her head. Panting through the desire, trying to clear his eyes of the blinding passion.

Things were moving rapidly from ‘taking it slow’ to ‘taking it for a nice brisk jog.’ And every part of his body wanted to break out into a full sprint.

He felt her short nails dig into his now moist skin and he bit down on his lip. He wanted to feel her like she felt him. He wanted to see her. Wanted that shirt of hers completely off…

God help him, he wanted to see what he hadn’t seen the night he’d first laid eyes on her. The beautiful body he’d imagined naked and wanting during various hours of the day. The body that had sauntered around this apartment for weeks now always coming just close enough to leave him breathless. To leave him wondering.

The body that danced and stretched luxuriously to music with the stereo at full blast.

His fingers itched with want. With the need to remove the cotton barrier that she wore over the soft swells that brushed gently against his pulsing chest. When his fingers tentatively slid up the side of her body and drifted lazily over the sides of her breasts, he felt her purr against his throbbing neck. His whole body shuddering in response to her.

When he did it again, he felt another part of him throb incessantly in time with the sound that she made. A sound that continued as the back of his hand sifted over the rounded peaks beneath her nightshirt. Her moan became louder when he covered her mouth with his own. The center of his body pressing against hers.

He captured the sounds she made inside the moist recesses of his mouth and his tongue responded with unadulterated joy.

Something about knowing those sounds were for him. That those small whimpers and sighs represented what he’d been feeling for her since the day they’d met. That she was feeling it too.

It was ridiculous. It was insane – the indescribable sensation that coursed it’s way through his veins and his every movement. His muscles were on fire with it, tensing under the weight of trying to contain it.

‘No,’ Lucky thought blindly. ‘What’s ridiculous and insane is you thinking you can just stop this anytime you want…just hold out until…until what?’

Another part of his consciousness answered the question in a millisecond. ‘Until you can say what’s on your mind…until she can say the same.

‘I love you, I love you, I love you…’

And though he wanted to blurt the words out. Or at the very least, whisper them softly in her ear, he knew it wasn’t the right time for her. That the words would upset her. That she wouldn’t be able to return them.

It was that knowledge that had him pulling back.

"Eliza…Elizabeth," he panted wildly. His hands still on her face as he tried to disengage their mouths. "Swee - Sweetie…"

"It’s ok," she panted. Wanting to continue for the first time in her life. Wanting to feel his lips and hands against her in a way that she’d never felt before. "We don’t have to stop…we can…keep…going," she added. Their lips connecting once more.

Lucky deepened the kiss for just a moment before breaking away. His senses floating back to him. "No," he whispered breathlessly. Dizzily. "Sweetie…we do…we should."

But her hands slid down his chest down towards the elastic band of his pajama pants. When he reached down to still her wandering hand, the startled look that passed before her eyes had him wanting to kick himself.

"We can’t," he sighed quickly. Lifting him self from the bed in an effort to keep from kissing her again. He glanced around at anything and everything but her. Breathing harshly through his mouth.

Elizabeth bit her lip and sat up. Pulling her legs towards her. When he turned towards her, the sorrowful look in her eyes had him returning. Lowering himself to his knees at the side of the bed.

She was so beautiful it hurt to look at her. "I want you," he whispered. Gazing into her eyes. "But this…we’re supposed to be taking things slow…right?"

Nervously she licked her lips. "Who says we have to? I mean…we don’t…we don’t have to – if you don’t want."

Taking a deep breath, Lucky closed his eyes. "Elizabeth I would love nothing more than to make lo…

His voice trailed away at the first sign of a grimace to twist over her features. Realizing instantaneously that he’d pulled away for the right reason. That until she could hear the words…until she could say the words…he couldn’t do this.

He ran a hand through the front of his hair and tried to calm his breathing. "I want us both to be sure," he said breathlessly.

"But I am," she said looking at him. If she was so sure, why did she look so sad all of a sudden? Why were her eyes clouded with tears? And why had the statement sounded more like a question.

She bit down on her lip when he reached out to take her face in his hands. Running his thumbs gently along her cheeks. "Elizabeth," he said softly. "You’re not…I don’t want to have sex with you…I want to make love to you – and you can’t even stand it when I say the words can you?"

Though she wanted to deny it. She wanted to say tell him everything she felt in her heart, she couldn’t. Why did this have to be so hard? Such a big deal? Couldn’t they just…

What if they didn’t have sex? What then? How could he be with someone and wait for so long?

"We don’t have to," she countered awkwardly. Crawling towards him. "What does it matter if we say the words or not?…I don’t need to hear them Lucky."

"I do…………and so do you. Even if you don’t know it yet."

At her silence, he let go of her face and prayed that he hadn’t hurt her. That she understood what he meant when he said he couldn’t sleep with her now…even though he wanted to. Wanted it desperately. Hoped that she wouldn’t get tired of the waiting.

"Come on," he whispered suddenly. Pulling her to her feet. She’d lived with him for weeks and he’d yet to show her the most beautiful spot in the building. "I wanna show you something."

The change in his voice came so quickly, that she wasn’t sure what to make of it as he abruptly pulled her off of the bed and tugged her towards the door. Grabbing his coat from behind it on the way out.

~~~~~~~

~~ A few minutes later…On the roof ~~

You can depend on certainty
Count it out and weigh it up again

Lucky took a deep breath and wrapped his coat more securely around her from behind. Hunching over her with his arms slung around her waist as she moved out onto the roof.

"I’ve been wanting to bring you out here," he sighed. Puffs of air sifting from his mouth. "Glad I remembered before it got too cold."

Taken by the beauty of the stars already, Elizabeth simply nodded. Wondering how it was possible to even see them with all the lights of the city shooting into the sky. It seemed anything was possible these days. Even stars in the city sky.

She leaned into him when she felt him tighten his arms.

His voice was quiet, and as patient as it always was when it came again. More patient than she deserved. "Is the Desert Flower ready for her first New York winter?"

The feel of his breath against her cheek and ear made her shiver more than the cool air. A shiver that brought warmth and a sense of security instead of cold. Security, a sensation that if she hadn’t been certain she was awake, she would have thought a dream.

She laughed a little when he rested his head atop of hers. "I’m from Colorado originally remember?…I’m ready…and if not – Well, I’ll just have to get you to buy me some really nice sweaters."

He steered her over to the bench that sat in the center of the roof with a grin on his face. The perfect bench for stargazing…among other things.

"I’ve got a better idea you know?" He began softly as he gestured for her to sit. "On how to keep you warm through the winter…and we can practice right now."

"Really?" She asked. "How’s that?" As she settled back against his chest. Pulling her legs up as if lying back on a comfortable couch instead of his chest. She could feel his heart beat through the jacket he’d put her in and was already warm.

Lucky buried his nose in her hair and inhaled the scent of flowers that he loved. The faint scent of honey that her lips tasted of whenever they kissed. "Just by doing this," he whispered. Tightening his arms around her again and bringing her closer.

"I like this," she sighed. Closing her eyes as she rest her head against his shoulder.

"That’s a relief," he sighed. "Because I’d really like to stay like this forever."

And he sincerely wished that they could. Wished that there was nothing to worry about, and that they could just make love right here underneath the stars.

‘One day,’ he thought to himself. Closing his eyes as well.

When she sighed and turned to him, they opened and lingered on one another’s for a long moment before she spoke. "One way or another, I keep…making you stay up at night…you must be sick of it, huh?"

Lucky licked his lips and leaned back. Bringing her with him. She giggled when her head hit his chest. Her eyes focused on the sky now and nothing else. The rumble of his voice in his chest sent an extra wave of warmth through her body.

"I like it when you keep me up."

When she turned to face him. Her chest to his, he reached up automatically. Pressing his lips to hers in the sweetest of kisses. The most barely there kiss she’d ever felt.

The intensity built slowly. His mouth, tender and slow. Less rushed than it had been before. But leaving beauty in its wake – just the same. And when he pulled away, she could have sworn she saw every star in the sky reflected in his blue eyes.

"Besides," he sighed, reaching up to push her hair out of her face. "I wanna stay out here, and look at these stars, and look at you…"

"And what?" She asked. Their eyes locking once more as she gazed down at him. He answered her question without words, but with his lips as he brought her head down to meet his.

It felt like the night before. Slow and new…Fresh and gentle. Free of expectations.

And though a part of his heart hurt at the realization, Lucky knew that was what he would have to do for now. That it was what she needed. That he would have to hold back the expectations, and just love her.

Show her and not tell her. Make her feel it, instead of hear it. Gift wrap his heart and hand it to her, hoping she wouldn’t break it.

He wasn’t sure he could succeed at holding back everything he felt for her. But if that’s what she needed for now – that’s what she’d get.

Until the day she loved to hear the words ‘I love you,’ until she knew he meant them when he said them. Until she could say them back to him…without fear.

That would be the day their bodies made love, right along with their mouths.