Elizabeth sighed and stretched as they made their way out into the cool night air. Her stomach full and her heart content. Lucky grinned behind her as he let the door close.

"So what did I tell you, huh?" He smiled. Clasping his hands together and rubbing as he turned to face her on the empty patio. He guessed most people were eating inside due to winter’s quick approach but he could barely feel the cold.

All he felt was…good. Damn good actually…

Rolling her eyes, Elizabeth bit her bottom lip and nodded. "Ok, so it was good."

"Oh please," Lucky countered. Shaking his head. "You know it’s the best chili you’ve ever had. You haven’t had chili like that anywhere in Colorado…and you for damn sure didn’t have any that great in Vegas."

Her mouth dropped open as if she were truly insulted. "I’ll have you know there is some fine cuisine in Vegas."

"The buffet capital of the world? Yes thank you. I have indulged in the 3.99 steak platter at midnight…I’d rather go with Kelly’s chili any day of the week," Lucky cracked.

She had to admit it’d been awhile since she’d had chili and cornbread prepared that well. He was right about her not finding anything that tasty in Las Vegas, but back in Mount Charleston…back at Jillian’s place…wow.

It was times like this when she missed the older woman and her husband. They would have liked Luke and Laura she was sure…they already loved their son. As soon as she got back to New York, she was going to call Jillian and brag about finally coming to her senses.

Elizabeth smiled. "No…I don’t care what you say. There’s something to be said for stuffing yourself continuously. I mean where else in the world can you go and get every kind of food in the same place…..and STILL visit the desert counter for a tasty little napoleon?"

Lucky laughed as he neared her. Her smile was infectious. Slowly he wrapped his arms around her waist. "Admit it. You loved the chili."

She shrugged nonchalantly. "It was ok."

He shook his head. "Oh no ma’am. I want a full confession. Come on," he gestured. Beckoning with his fingers. "Tell me what I wanna hear."

Elizabeth bit the inside of her mouth and tilted her head to the side. Knowing that he wasn’t going to give up until he had his answer. He was completely relentless when it came to being told he was right. He was relentless in everything…and thank God for it.

"Alright, alright…yeah, so it’s pretty good."

"Excellent," Lucky corrected.

Pretending to consider it, Elizabeth shrugged once more and then mumbled. "Excellent."

"Wonderful," he continued. Biting his lip now. "Fabulous."

"Wonderful and fabulous," she admitted. Trying not to giggle as he moved closer. His body suggestively slinking up to hers.

When he wound his arms even tighter around her and pulled her closer, her breath caught in her throat.

"Mouth watering good," he said now staring at her mouth. She suddenly wasn’t so sure he was still talking about the chili. Her teeth sank into her bottom lip and then she nodded. Clearly unable to speak because of his nearness.

"Say it," he whispered. His voice soft and deeper than it had been just seconds before. Something in the back of his mind, softly calling ‘down boy.’

"Mouth…mouth watering g-

Before the final word could slip from her tongue, he slipped his around it. Enveloping her mouth in a kiss spicier than the chili they’d just consumed. Her fingers wound themselves in the hair at the nape of his neck, and she held on. Trying to keep balance.

When he finally pulled back, he panted a bit. "I’ve got tons more to show you," he panted.

Elizabeth licked her lips. "I bet you do."

It was pretty difficult to make him blush, but low and behold there it was. He looked down at his feet and then gazed back up at her. "I meant in the CITY," he emphasized. "But for some reason I can’t seem to think straight at the moment."

That’s right, she thought suddenly as if the thought had just occurred. They’d been sight- seeing when they’d both become hungry and stopped for a bite to eat. But now all she could think of biting was HIM.

"Well maybe," she suggested breathlessly. Easing her hands down his chest. "Maybe we could just get in that car of yours…Mary," she smiled. "And go for a ride…see where we end up."

Lucky smiled and wrapped his fingers around hers. Stilling them for a moment. There was a little hill he could drive her to. A cliff that overlooked the city where they could be completely….’Ah-ah-ah,’ his brain interrupted. ‘Sight-seeing – not BACKSEAT seeing.’

He nodded after a moment. "Yeah that sounds like a good idea."

Jeez, all he could think about today was getting his hands on her…and his mouth…and his……Closing his eyes, Lucky tried to clear his mind of lurid thoughts. Soon – soon – soon.

Not soon enough.

Pulling her close by the collar of her jacket, he molded his mouth to hers once more. Driving all signs of a winter chill out of the air. She moaned into the warmth that she found there and beckoned him in further. Welcoming the heat and passion that he brought with it.

She licked her lips and pulled away at the sound of the door opening behind them. A couple of kids who’d been munching on burgers inside, made their way out into the night. Elizabeth ducked her head and blushed as they giggled.

With an easy finger he tilted her head back up. "You’re so cute when you blush. I mean you’re cute 24 hours a day…but this blushing thing has gotta be the most adorable thing I’ve ever seen."

She rolled her eyes. "Don’t make me hurt you Spencer…besides – you were pretty darn cute yourself a few moments ago."

Lucky shrugged as if he had no idea what she was talking about. He took her hand and led her towards the car. "I wasn’t blushing."

"You SO were."

"No, I wasn’t."

"Yeah you were."

"No…I wasn’t.

"Yeah…"

~~~~~~~

Manhattan, New York
Lucinda McCloud’s Loft

"Oh God."

Lucinda moaned, as Wallace’s hand slid it’s way up her thigh and squeezed her warming flesh. The pressure only made her yearn for another kind.

She eased that same leg around his. Letting her foot travel down one pant leg and then up under the hem. He growled against her neck and closed his mouth around the flesh that he found there. Intoxicated by the scent. He didn’t know what the Hell perfume she wore…but he liked it. He liked it a lot.

Her eyes blurred as his mouth did something very….oooh jeez….to her neck. Vaguely her eyes focused on the silhouette of the bottle of wine left on the dining room table. It hadn’t even had a chance to be corked yet. The glasses sat next to it, clean and dry. Just waiting to be used.

She’d purchased new candles for tonight. They’d planned on having dinner after work. She’d cook, he’d watch. They’d have dinner, they’d have wine, and maybe some dessert…

It seemed they were both more fond of dessert.

‘What do they always say about the best-laid plans?’ Lucinda questioned internally. And then rethought the use of the word ‘lay’ in her sentence. If things progressed as they were, the preparations on the table weren’t the only things going to be best laid tonight.

Wallace came up for one second of air before diving back in. Half of him devoured her just for passion’s sake. The other half anxious because he knew he’d wake up any minute now. Or Lucky would be cursing at him – telling him to shoot the damn ball already.

He’d been fantasizing so long, that it was almost surreal. Laying here on the couch…actually…making out…with Lucinda.

‘Yes and it’s especially surreal when your first kiss was less than 30 minutes ago isn’t it?’ His thoughts asked silently. Making his head spin all the more. He was dizzy with her kisses now. He needn’t have had any wine to be drunk at the taste of her mouth.

When her slim fingers eased up the back of his shirt, he thought someone would truly have to wake him up soon or he’d have some major embarrassment to deal with at the office or in the middle of doing his laundry.

Disregarding the small voice in the back of his mind that insisted upon this being a dream, Wallace reached out for the small buttons on her white dress shirt. From the moment he’d come to the door, his hands had been itching to touch them…unfasten them. Wanting to see just what the friend he’d been dreaming about for ages looked like beneath all the clothes.

Of course there’d been the pictures to drive him crazy.

From time to time some photographer had thought Lucinda’s bare back on the cover of a magazine was a good idea. He could imagine their thought process: ‘Yes! Let’s torment the entire male population! Yes, it’s fun! Shall we?’ And then they’d do it. And then he, along with every other shmuck in the city would stand around the newsstand in the morning – gawking. Thinking that her deep, come hither eyes, called to them and them alone as she glanced over that sexy bare shoulder.

"Wallace…"

See, he even thought he heard it now.

But when his mouth covered hers and she sighed, his own name into his mouth, he realized she was indeed saying it. That it wasn’t a dream. That his hands were really on her…Oooooh God…

He felt the skin of her shoulders, her stomach, the soft swells hidden beneath white satin, and suddenly knew he’d never feel like sharing at the newsstand again.

Lucinda arched beneath him. Shivering through the heat. Aching for his touch, though knowing it had to stop at some point. Just a few days earlier she’d insisted that they take things slow. INSISTED damn it!

They’d only just kissed a few moments ago for God’s sake…But never in her life had she been attracted to someone like this. Especially not someone like Wallace. Someone she’d only looked to as a friend. Someone who was actually good for her.

Good TO her.

Jeez, it felt like some incredible new thrill ride. A roller coaster that she never wanted to disembark. But putting on the breaks felt like a necessity. She wouldn’t make the same mistake once again. She’d messed up too many times before. No she wasn’t going to rush into things without knowing for sure that he was the one.

And though every nerve ending in her flesh shouted that he was – she had to be smart. She had to use her head this time, or her heart would pay the price. And her heart was bankrupt. Flat out broke at the moment.

Her fingers kneaded themselves into his strong shoulders as he hovered above her. Kissing in that way – the way that had brought all of this on in the first place.

It was a slow melt that turned into the rushing of warm water over her lips. A slow churning of her soul. The kind of kiss that you felt right down to your toes.

Yes, it was his fault that she’d let things get so out of hand so quickly. His fault that a very expensive bottle of wine sit unopened on her dining room table and her candles neared the point of extinction.

The fingers that pressed into his shoulders eased slightly away and pushed against him instead.

"Wall – Wallace," she panted. Trying and failing to get his attention. He murmured something against her that was only clear in its unintelligibility. She could only make out the words ‘not’ and ‘sharing.’

With a sly grin, she tried again. "Wallace…we – we should stop."

Brown hair tousled and eyes wide, he looked up from his place in the crook of her neck. Panting wildly. "Stop?…47^th…my stop."

She smiled and eased a wavy strand away from his forehead. "No…WE should stop."

"Oh," he answered quickly. Licking his dry lips. With elbows planted on either side of her he nodded. "Is it – is it ok if I just…just catch my breath…right here…for a minute?"

Lucinda giggled and caught his face in her hands. Prompting him to look up. "Well I figure that’s the least I can let you do….Considering the fact that I invited you over here for dinner – you proceeded to tell me how famished you were – and then I denied you, your food."

He smiled and let his head fall softly against her chest. "Oh believe me. If I had a choice between starvation and doing…doing well – what we just did - I’d pick the…damn, is it hot in here?"

"Sweltering," she giggled. Carefully easing out from under him. She pulled her blouse closed as she walked slowly towards the thermostat on the wall. Turning it to cool. When she turned around. She quickly pushed a long strand behind her ear. Shaken by the intensity of his gaze. "What?"

Wallace swallowed hard and sat up on the couch. His mouth dropping open once more.

She eased a little closer and dared to ask again. Nerves settling into her voice. "What? What is it?"

Slowly, very slowly his breath began to come back to him. She’d never worn a lot of makeup as far as he could tell. But whatever she had been wearing, had been kissed off in the last half an hour. And she looked…

He licked his lips. "I’m – I’m always hearing about how…how it’s all smoke and mirrors you know?"

When her brow creased in confusion, he continued. "That it’s all make-up and airbrushing and…whatever…but you…" he shook his head. At a complete loss for words for once in his life.

"My God," He finished on a sigh.

He didn’t have to say the words to indicate what he was trying to say, and Lucinda quickly looked down. That sheepish Elvis like grin spreading over her lips slowly. But when she looked back up at him he was so serious that she couldn’t help but respond in the same way.

"Th – thank you."

Wallace shook his head. "Oh no…thank you."

Lucinda did blush this time and grinned when he stood up and made his way around the coffee table and to her lips once more. But this time the kiss was soft – sweet – and utterly sincere. Three s-words she wasn’t familiar with.

When he pulled away, her heart literally went ‘pitter-pat,’ and she suddenly wished she hadn’t put the breaks on their little make-out session.

He reached for his coat behind her and her eyes widened. She turned to face him. "What are you doing? You’re leaving?"

"Yeah," he sighed. Shaking his head as he glanced towards the dining room table. "I know dinner is probably awesome…and I’m sorry…but Sweetheart there’s only one thing that could possibly turn me on more than you already are…and that’s good food. So…I’m gonna be going now. And making a little stop at Taco Bell on my way home."

Her hands had already placed themselves on her hips in defense, but they drifted slowly down to her sides. How the heck could you be mad at a man like this? God, he made her every bone jelly-like.

Lucinda folded her arms and bit her bottom lip as he moved towards the front door. "So…how about if I bring some over for you tomorrow – we’ll have lunch – at your office…I promise I’ll be on my best behavior."

He nodded with a big grin, but it quickly faded.

"What? You don’t want to?" She asked quickly at the rapid change of expression.

"No, I’d love to," he sighed. "I just…well it’s…do YOU want to?"

Her brow creased. Why would she have asked if she didn’t want to –

"Oooh," she said finally. Nodding as realization dawned. "You’re wondering what’ll happen if we run into Jack."

"No if I ran into Jack with a big huge car, I’m pretty sure he’d just go ‘SPLAT,’" Wallace joked, making a flat gesture with his hands.

When she only smirked, he continued. "Listen, you’ve come by a million times to chow down with Lucky and I…but this is -

"It’s different," she finished for him.

"Yeah…it’s different," he responded softly. Nodding.

Lucinda bit the inside of her lip. She hadn’t been keeping things about her relationship with Wallace a secret from Jack, but she hadn’t gone about flaunting it either.

"You know what?" She said finally. "It IS different…and it’s wonderfully different…and I don’t know about you, but I’m not really big on keeping my mouth shut about things that are wonderfully different in my life…So, Mr. McKenzie if you’ve got no problem with me coming by your office tomorrow afternoon with lunch, than I’ve got no problem with it. And if the BOTH of us have no problem with it…well then – everyone we know is just gonna have to deal with it. That includes a certain ratbastard that we both know."

Wallace grinned and nodded vigorously as he reached for the doorknob. "Damn…there’s only one thing that turns me on more than the way you look right now, and a good meal…and that’s the way you just said ‘ratbastard’……so now I really gotta go."

She grabbed him quickly to kiss his cheek on the way out. One hand on his face and the other still holding her shirt closed. "Bye," she giggled. Leaning against the door.

He turned only once. Gesturing for her to go inside and get dressed. "Bye," he called. Already standing in the elevator.

When the door closed she leaned against it and said the words again on a dreamy sigh. "Bye."

~~~~~~~

"I can’t believe you’ve never done this before," Lucky sighed. Shaking his head as he built a cozy fire for two, a few yards away from the old boxcar that had been there for as long as he could remember.

"Never done what?" Elizabeth shrugged. "Burned marshmallows? Lucky we could do that in the house. I don’t know why you’re so fired up to do it out here in the cold."

He glanced over his shoulder at the way she shivered. "Fired up is exactly right," he quipped. The fire igniting in front of him. The flicker of the flame in his eyes, made Elizabeth’s breath catch for a moment.

Indigo fire.

"There was no way I was gonna let you get away with saying you’d never went camping before, when Port Charles has got all this great natural habitat," he sighed. Sitting down next to her on the thick sleeping bag he’d gotten from home.

They’d been talking about Mount Charleston and how beautiful it was, how Lucky thought they should camp out there when they visited next time, when she’d admitted that she was more of a ‘lodge’ kind of girl. That had been the end of the conversation. Without another thought he’d swung Mary around on the highway, dropped by his parent’s house to pick up some gear and they’d headed out here.

She grumbled quietly the whole way, but he knew she’d wind up loving it. Everyone did. And evening under a silent blanket of stars…who could resist that? Or maybe it was simply him who couldn’t resist a chance to be alone with her.

Yes, family was great…but things were already getting a little too cozy for his taste. They’d be going home soon – that much was certain.

Quietly he settled in behind her, and in spite of herself she leaned back into his chest. "So now we’re out here…in the cold…now what?"

The tickle of her hair beneath his nose didn’t leave any question as to what HE thought their outdoor activities should include first. Right then he could only think of one thing. Hell, all DAY he could only think of one thing.

"Well there are a number of things that come to mind," he lied. "But I’m thinking we can’t do any of those until we have the all important," he paused. Turning to dig into his backpack. "S’mores."

Food was a good distraction right? Especially chocolate?

Any look of irritation on her face, disappeared when she saw the huge Hershey bar. One of those economy size ones that those evil people in Pennsylvania shouldn’t have been allowed to manufacture. Evil, evil people…

She reached for it and he yanked it backwards. "Ah, ah, ah…these are for the s’mores."

Elizabeth pouted. "Well let’s make ‘em now!"

Her giddiness had him smiling and he turned them both towards the fire. Gathering all of the ingredients. Lucky laughed at the timid way in which she held the marshmallow and the precarious way in which it hung from the end of the long stick.

"Oooh, Elizabeth it might fall off if –

When her marshmallow fell into the flame, he had to laugh, and suffered an elbow because of it. She laughed after a moment as well though.

"Well help me!" She continued. Laughing so hard her stomach hurt. "I told you I’ve never done this before and now you want to make fun!"

Lucky licked his lips and got another marshmallow for her. This time pushing it a bit more securely onto it as he eased his hands over her arms.

"Ok," he whispered in her ear. "You should be all set now."

He said the words just as the wind licked up a bit at the same time. She caught a shiver so intensely sexual that she nearly dropped the soft, white bit into the grass this time.

When she failed to look away from his eyes, he uttered the words softly again. "Ok…I think – I think it’s ready. You can go ahead and put it…put it in the fire."

She suddenly felt like SHE was the one on fire.

Licking her lips, she slowly turned back and inserted the marshmallow into the flame. But the heat behind her had her true attention. And her eyes floated back to his. It was only the removal of his stick from the fire that brought her focus back to her own poor marshmallow. Now thoroughly charred.

Lucky bit down on his bottom lip. Embarrassed that he’d been too fascinated with the smell of her hair to notice the fact that she was burning her marshmallow. He looked at it now and grinned. "You know…some of the best s’mores I’ve ever had have been burnt. But…since this is your first, I think I’ll just loan you mine."

Elizabeth grinned as he put her s’more together with his perfectly bronzed marshmallow. "You’d do that for me?"

He looked at her with a sly grin. "Oh there isn’t much I wouldn’t do for you Princess Elizabeth."

She grinned and took a bite when he offered her the small treat. Her eyes rolled skyward the minute that she tasted the chocolatey gooey dessert slide against her tongue.

Lucky watched her chew, and the way she kept closing her eyes. As if in ecstasy. As if…no that wasn’t quite the face she made when she…when she came…

Memories of the couch in their apartment came flooding back. No, the look on her face now wasn’t even close to that. Not even close to the ecstasy he’d been able to bring her to there. To the ecstasy that still awaited her.

He bit his own lip and scooted just a bit away from her. Taking a deep breath to calm himself as he turned his gaze to his own s’more. His hands now busily set about making another.

Yet turning away from her didn’t serve it’s desired purpose – not when she started moaning in satisfaction.

"God, this is so good," she sighed. Easing her hand inside the bag for another marshmallow. "You’ve been holding out on me. We could have been making these on the stove in the apartment."

Jeez Louise, he was trying to FORGET about the apartment! When he thought about it, all he thought about was sex – or lack there of – and his own damn issues with making sex ‘perfect.’

Making love to her…perfectly.

"Yeah," he sighed finally turning back to her as he handed her another square of chocolate. She placed it on a gram cracker and eased the marshmallow into the fire once more.

The heat of his gaze however, called to her more than the flicker of the flame did once more. After locking eyes for a moment, she turned back to the task at hand. Removing the marshmallow. She eased it between the two crackers and turned towards him. Beckoning him closer.

"Open up."

Lucky grinned at the way she held it out for him and timidly closed the distance between them, sitting cross-legged in front of her. The only sounds to be heard that of his own racing heart and the crickets that chirped in tune to it. A desperate hoot from an owl nearby made him feel like they could do anything out here…anything and no one would see.

Finally doing as he was told, and trying to wipe the thoughts clean from his head, Lucky opened his mouth and bit into the treat she held in her hands. He chewed and she waited for him to take the next bite. But this time, when his tongue made it’s way out of the warm depths of his mouth, he took her fingers inside instead.

‘Yeah…good one Spencer. Clean thoughts…that’s why you’re tonguing her fingers…perfect.’

"Do I…do I have chocolate on my fingers?" She asked breathily. Moving a bit closer when she felt that intense tug in her chest. The one that he was only capable of creating.

She fidgeted against the sleeping bag as he took her fingers a bit deeper into the wet depths of his mouth.

"You do…" he answered. His voice nearly hoarse with desire. Wrapping his fingers gently around her wrist continued to use his mouth to arouse her every sense.

Somewhere in the back of her throat she found her voice again. It sounded foreign to her just then. "Do you…you think you can…you can get it off?"

Closing his eyes, he tasted both the sweetness of the chocolate and her flesh and thought to himself that he could definitely ‘get off,’ on all of it. In fact in just a few moments…

He pulled back after a moment and watched as her eyes open wide. The blue having turned to a blazing sapphire. Maybe it was the flames that cast shadows and light across her skin, or maybe it was something else completely. Maybe it was the merciless desire he felt brewing in the pit of his own stomach.

Every muscle in his body seemed to tighten as he watched her. "You tired?" he asked softly now. His voice merely a whisper. If she was tired, they could just go to bed. If she was sleepy…well that was a saving grace. But it wasn’t that late and he knew she’d shake her head before she even did it.

Never taking her eyes away from his, she followed when he rose before her. "I would like to warm up though…maybe get in the sleeping bag."

She tossed a glance over her shoulder then. "And it’s just this one sleeping bag…right?"

When that sly smile crept across her face, he knew she knew that he hadn’t had sleeping in mind when he’d thought of coming out here.

"Yeah," he answered. Going for innocence. "You know…it’s pretty cold out tonight…I thought maybe we could keep each other warm in there."

With her hands on her hips, Elizabeth let her eyes roam over his body. Settling on the erection that was just beginning. The silhouette cast by shadows of the dancing flame to the side of them. She’d seen him excited before, but something about it right then – made her excited. Made her entire body tingle.

"Actually," she sighed. "I’m pretty warm all of a sudden…but I think I’d still enjoy your company."

Lucky watched in quiet, turbulent awe as she reached for the hem of her sweater and pulled it up and over her head. The white lace bra that encased breasts leaving not a lot to the imagination in the orange glow of light. He immediately hardened to the point of ridiculousness.

If he’d been unable to find his voice then, it was even more difficult to uncover when she reached for the top button of her jeans and then the next, and then the next. They sat on the ground in a jumbled blue heap before he could even swallow against the dryness in his throat.

Every fantasy he’d ever had of her taking off her clothes in anticipation for him, spun through his mind at once. And the flames that were supposed to have been for cooking – for keeping him warm – were now nothing compared to the ones that sparked inside of him.

She eyed him with slight bewilderment over what to do next. If there was one thing she’d never been confused about, it was how to turn a man on…and he was turned on – that much she could tell. But there were no hoots and no hollers for the girl that now stood in her bra and her underwear. He stood there, completely quiet. Completely…

What was the word she was looking for? She didn’t know. She’d never seen such a look on a man’s face before. Maybe she didn’t have the vocabulary to describe it, but she knew…she knew that what ever it was – it tugged at her heart so profoundly that it had her moving back towards the sleeping bag, and signaling him with one tempting finger.

Lucky licked his lips and took one slow step forward. Then willed his muscles to take another. She was already sitting down upon the large sleeping bag before he met her. When he lowered himself to sit in front of her, her hands slowly eased up his chest and then down again. Silently telling him what she wanted.

Taking the hint, Lucky lowered his own hands and pulled his sweater upwards. He’d worn a T-shirt under it to keep warm, but now all it did was annoy them both. He was sweltering. The white T-shirt came off quickly as well. And as soon as it did, her mouth took its place against his skin.

He gasped as her hot tongue slid against his even hotter skin. Slicking its way over every line and nuance of his flesh. Down and then up, as her lips pressed into taut flesh. His hands reached for the back of her head, and his fingers tangled themselves in soft brown tresses as she tended to each and every centimeter of skin.

"Thank you…" she sighed breathlessly. "Thank you for loving me."

And though he knew she wouldn’t say it. Knew she wouldn’t say the words back because she hadn’t been able to – truly – since that first time a few days ago, right then it was all he needed to hear. He closed his eyes and thought about how hard it was for her to even think the word, let alone actually saying it.

He was guiding her down to lay beneath him in the next instant. Their eyes connected, even as he used one hand to pull back the opening of the sleeping bag. She eased inside of it and lay there in the gleaming light of the fire as he stood to remove his pants.

His breath caught almost violently in his chest at the sight of her stretching in the shadows. Half naked, creamy skin in the firelight did something funny to his stomach.

And to hers.

She watched in rapt fascination as his pants fell from his body. Long firm, thighs giving way to finely sculpted knees and calves. Legs that played basketball almost every weekend and danced with her even when they didn’t want to. She loved those legs.

But more than anything she loved, those hip bones. The ones that jutted just a bit above the line of his black boxer briefs. She wanted to touch them, kiss them…

God, he hadn’t even touched her and yet she was already breathless.

When he came to her, she was already so hot that it nearly scorched both of them as skin touched skin. Her legs wrapped around him instantly and his mouth wasted not a moment in moving from her neck down to the lusciously covered breasts beneath the lace.

He licked and she shivered. He sucked and she jolted beneath him. The jewel between her legs already wet and wanting as his hips thrust that first time into hers.

Lucky literally felt the moan come from deep inside her as his body pressed against hers. As his mouth molded itself to lace that was now wet, that now outlined excited shivering nipples.

Absently he reached behind him to pull the top of the sleeping bag up and over his shoulders as he ground his body into hers once more. Pumping once and then stopping as she started to writhe beneath him.

He buried his head in the crook of her neck when he did it again. Breathing her in and kissing her shoulder as his body tried to keep tight control. As he tried not to remove the flimsy barriers between them and drown himself inside of her.

The coiled spring of restraint inside of him wound tightly, and seemed to tremble when her fingers reached for his hips, and trailed along the skin that she found there. Massaging from front to back. From his pelvis to his butt and then back again.

Technically, this was only the second time that they’d been this close. Skin rubbing against skin. Friction creating more friction. He couldn’t take it as far as his body needed it to be taken.

She needed this. She needed to feel wanted. To feel desired…but to feel as if he would wait for her forever if he had to. Because she was worth it. Because she meant more to him than anything in the world.

She needed that, and damned if he wasn’t going to give it to her. Even as his body screamed in protest.

To ease the throbbing ache he pushed against her again. Feeling her heels lock around his waist. Tightening the non-existent space between them. She cried out at the feeling of pressure against her own aching body. Whispered something he couldn’t quite make out as his hands slid down the sides of her body, and back up again. Cupping and rubbing her heaving chest.

She’d been so cold when they’d first gotten here. So against camping…but this – yes she liked camping now. It made her shoulders shiver at the sudden bursts of air that came from outside as the bag shifted around them, the rest of her was burning…and he was too.

Her fingers kneaded themselves into the cool flesh of his shoulders now pulling him closer. Tighter as their bodies met over and over again. The cloth between them beginning to frustrate her. But she felt him, stiff and hard against her and knew that he felt it too.

Not only the heat and the passion – but the beginnings of will power slipping slowly away.

But she’d waited this long to make love right? To be with a man that set her entire body ablaze? Didn’t that mean she could wait until they both knew it was right? Until she knew for sure that when she let him take her completely that it wouldn’t send her into a tailspin.

"Oh God," she moaned as his fingers pressed into hips, pulling her down to meet him. As close as she could possibly be without him being inside her.

The rise and fall of her chest against his, her breathless panting in his ear…all of it forced him closer to her. His hips stroking against hers with every breath he took now. Faster as his heart rate neared the point of impossibility.

Even through his own briefs and her lacy lingerie he could feel it – how close she was. How incredibly close he was to once again – coming in his pants.

If it weren’t so fucking crazy, he would have laughed right there. If he hadn’t have had his lips busy in the valley between her breasts, tasting her sweet glistening skin he probably would have found things quite humorous.

But he was too busy to laugh. His hands were to busy with her body to stop for even a second. And when her satiny calf slid up the back of his, he nearly lost it right then.

Lucky knew he couldn’t hold out much longer and silently prayed that this time it would be easy for her to get there. That the excitement he felt in her every breath would give way to the whimpers and cries of ecstasy only if she was completely relaxed.

Though the muscles that tightened around his waist like a vice, felt anything but relaxed.

Her voice was deep and breathy as he ground against her again. A moan of pure pleasure escaped her as he searched for relief. Only adding to the insane amount of pressure that built between her thighs. Her breath caught and held when he stilled against her. Caught again when he moved once more.

And then it came, the soft whimpers in the back of her throat that he knew from minimal experience was the beginning for her. The beginning of a delicious end.

Holding himself back for a moment while she caught her breath, he thrust against her once more. His stiffness agitating the slick lace between them and pushing the same sound out of her throat once more. This time drawing it out until he groaned in sheer agony himself.

He couldn’t wait anymore. Not another second. He was breathy and near pleading when he said the words. "Come with me Elizabeth…come…"

When his hand slid up the back of her leg and curled around her knee, easing it upwards as he pressed himself against her, a jolt so amazing ricocheted through her entire body that she cried out. Eyes watering as she looked up to the sky and the heavens above.

The vibration that quaked through her entire body set his to trembling as well. Creating a climax so strong, that her buried his face in her neck to get through it. Holding her hips securely in place as his body continued to jolt long after the first eruption.

The relaxation that he’d been thinking she needed just moments ago flooded through her all at once, and every muscle in her body went lax. Her legs sliding down from around him. Her arms limp as they eased slowly down his shoulders to his biceps. Holding him lightly as his body went taut and then slack against her. Taut and then slack…

Lucky panted harshly against her skin. His chest slick against hers as he tried to ease his weight off of her.

"No," she sighed breathlessly. Reaching out for him, to bring him back. "Just lie here with me…I want you here," she added. Trying to wind her weak legs around him again. "I don’t ever want you to go anywhere…please."

Because there was something that sounded almost sad in her voice, he lifted his head from her neck to look at her. Gazing into the eyes still lit by fire. He drew his fingers through the moist hair at her temples.

"I’m not going anywhere…Baby, what is it? Are you ok?"

He didn’t want this to happen again. Didn’t want her to feel bad about feeling good.

A soft, crooked grin tugged at one side of her mouth and her eyes quickly filled with more tears. If anyone weren’t ‘ok,’ it was him. He was the one having to sacrifice simply because he wanted some ‘perfect,’ fairy tale love making to happen between them.

If she really were being fair to him, she would have told him that she didn’t want to wait anymore. That she didn’t need the fairy tale. That he could have taken her right here and now. When instead she’d let him torture himself by simply trying to take care of her.

"I’m ok," she whispered. "I’m sorry Lucky. I’m sorry for making you wait. I’m sorry for –

"What are you talking about?" He asked. Interrupting as he lifted himself to his elbows. "Elizabeth it was my idea to wait remember?"

"I know that, but you’re only doing it because you think I need it. Because you think I want some fairy tale. And that’s ok Lucky. I know fairy tales are just make believe. When you’re ready – we can make love right here and -

He let his forehead fall against hers. Knowing that she meant every word. As soon as they were back in Manhattan, there some calls he needed to make. Somebody he needed to see. Somebody that had a world of hurt coming.

She quieted at his sober expression and he tried his best to put his emotions into words.

"When I touch you," he said finally. Trailing his fingers through the moist strands of hair at her temples "When I feel you tremble beneath me like that and I’m lying inside your arms…Elizabeth, I don’t feel like it’s all make believe. I feel like this is the realest thing I’ve ever experienced…and I don’t wanna rush it. As much as I want you with every single breath I take – I don’t wanna rush through this. I wanna savor every moment…even if that means waiting a little while longer. Even if that means believing that fairy tales do exist…believing that you and I can have everything that we want."

The tears that had been about to fall from her eyes fell then. But for an entirely different reason now. She’d never been so happy in her life and the happiness – the happiness literally made her hurt inside. Her body wasn’t used to such emotion.

Because she could think of nothing to say, and the fairy tales she’d dreamed of as a little girl had failed her once before, she said the one thing she could say with absolute clarity. "I believe in you."

Lucky leaned towards her and their lips met in a soft, tender kiss. "Well that’s good to know," he whispered. "But one of these days missy…one of these days you’re gonna believe that anything can happen…"

He rose a bit then and reached for the backpack a few inches away from them. Pulling the familiar green book from inside its depths.

Her mouth dropped open when she saw the book of fairy tales. "You brought that with you?"

Lucky continued to stare at it for a moment as it lay next to them now. "I guess when I was getting ready to leave, there was a part of me that still needed to believe in fantasy…in us," he looked at her then. "And whadya know? It paid off."

She smiled sheepishly as he pulled her close and shifted their positions. Easing a pillow behind his head as she lay her head on his chest. Warmed by the weight of his arm around her, as he held the book with the other hand.

"So where were we?" He asked. Flipping to the title page for Water Lily.

Elizabeth bit her lip and wrapped her arm around his waist. He was hopeless. "The maiden got the raven to find the prince and the prince sent a message back with the raven saying that he’d come to her and rescue her on the ninth night."

Lucky smiled and leaned back. Finding the page. "You know for someone who always rolls her eyes when I pull his book out, you sure do have a detailed recollection."

She grinned and fidgeted against him as a breeze blew by. Almost having forgotten that she was half-naked. When he reached to pull the sleeping back up more securely over her shoulders she snuggled deeper into his chest. "It’s only because I’ve read it a few hundred times."

"Oh right," he answered with a nod. Humoring the cynical side of the woman he loved. A woman who no longer believed in fairy tales but by her own admission had read this one…a few hundred times. "Well thank you for remembering for my benefit," he added. Clearing his throat as he began.

"By and by the coming dawn loosened the tongues of all the birds, and had the prince only known what they were saying, or the maiden had been listening, they might have been spared much sorrow, but they were thinking only of each other, and when they came out of the forest the sun was high in the heavens."

There were lots of differences of course, but this maiden always made him think of his own. The one that lay in his arms. And though the sun did not shine, the stars did and they sparkled against the heaven’s like a thousand little nightlights made especially for them.

"Your turn," Lucky smiled. Determined not to let her fall asleep before she read a few lines. He grinned at the sound of her barely there – sleepy – voice.

Elizabeth yawned and narrowed her eyes to focus on the words in the dim firelight. Here came the part that she’d always hated as a little girl. The part where everything went bad. She wondered how Lucky would feel about his fairy tale now.

"Next morning," she began. "When the youngest girl did not come to her work, the old woman asked where she was. The sisters pretended not to know, but the old woman easily guessed what had happened, and as she was in reality a wicked witch, determined to punish the fugitives. Accordingly, she collected nine different kinds of enchanters’ nightshade, added some salt, which she first bewitched, and doing it all up in a cloth into the shape of a fluffy ball, sent it after them on the wings of the wind, saying: Whirlwind! Mother of the wind! Lend they aid ‘gainst her who sinned! Carry with thee this magic ball. Cast her from his arms forever, bury her in the rippling river."

She yawned and Lucky’s eyes narrowed. This part kind of sucked. What the heck happened to the happy part? Wasn’t the prince supposed to get his girl now?

Wasn’t the maiden supposed to live happily ever after with him? Man, they needed to hurry up and get to the end. Even as a kid, he’d always wanted his mother to hurry and skip to the good part. But he held back.

"You read now," she yawned once more. Lucky drew his fingers through her hair and repeated the action slowly. Her hand having begun it’s dance along his forearm.

He closed his eyes for a minute. Reveling in the sensation. It’d been so long since he’d felt it. Or at least it seemed like forever.

Lucky lowered his voice when he began to read again. It’d been a long day for the both of them, but he was wide-awake. Riding the high of having her in his arms again. Riding the high of having felt her orgasm spirit through his own body. It felt so good to see her so free. To see her allow herself to feel pleasure – to be pleasured.

"At mid-day the prince and his men came to a deep river, spanned by so narrow a bridge that only one rider could cross at a time. The horse on which the prince and the maiden were riding had just reached the middle when the magic ball flew by. The horse in its fright suddenly reared, and before any one could stop it flung the maiden into the swift current below. The prince tried to jump in after her, but his men held him back, and in spite of his struggles led him home, where for six weeks he shut himself up in a secret chamber, and would neither eat nor drink, so great was his grief…"

Suddenly not feeling much like reading anymore, Lucky trailed off. He didn’t want to hear about the prince’s grief. The struggle for his own maiden was coming to and end, and only good things lay ahead now. He didn’t quite feel like reading about gloom and doom tonight.

Not with the stars so bright. Not with her softness curled around him like a beautiful cloud.

Placing the book down to the side of them, Lucky gathered a sleeping Elizabeth closer and eased his sweater over her head. She woke just enough to slip her hands inside the sleeves and then slip them back around his waist.

Sleep came quicker than he thought it would. Having her in his arms made a world of difference.

~~~~~~~

Leslie walked ahead of Robert on their way up to the porch. Needing a moment to collect her thoughts. A moment to decide exactly how she was going to handle this situation. It called for the exact right pre-emptive strike.

Yes, she wanted to be his girlfriend again, but she didn’t know if she should kiss him. Technically, if they weren’t together anymore than this hadn’t really been a ‘date – date.’ It had just been an outing. Just a dance. Just a blip in their adolescence as it were.

She glanced down at her corsage. He had gotten THAT exactly right. The dainty flowers glittered in the moonlight. And he was a great dancer…and she’d had a great time.

When she got to the first step of the porch she turned towards him and watched as he swallowed hard. Was he nervous? Nervous just like her?

‘Oh no Leslie,’ an inner voice countered. ‘You are so NOT nervous. You don’t get nervous about little kisses and all fluttery over corsages. Just lean in and kiss him if you want to – just go for it.’

Wearily, Robert stepped up on the porch next to her. Remembering the threat he’d received from her older brother that evening. He wasn’t supposed to have too good of a time…but he HAD had a good time. A really good time. He wondered glumly if Leslie felt the same. Some times it was hard to tell with her.

Robert forced a smile down and regarded her soberly. "Leslie I had a great time."

Peaking around the side of the house just to be sure, Leslie smiled. "It’s ok Robert. My brother’s car isn’t here…and my Dad is probably just asleep on the couch."

A sigh of relief seemed to escape him, and he finally smiled. "Ok then…well then I had a really, really great time Leslie Lu."

Though the plan had been to play it cool, a smile so wide broke out of her face that she had to look down. Knowing the blush would follow the smile. She hated that. It made her seem like a little girl. She bit down on her lip after a moment and nodded.

"Thank you, I did too."

Nervously, Robert fiddled with his bow tie. "You know…I was wondering – if you’re not still mad at me…if maybe – maybe we could try again – you know…try again at being a couple."

Though butterflies flew in all kinds of crazy directions and collided inside her stomach, Leslie cleared her throat calmly and shifted her weight to her left heel. Each of her feet killing her. She couldn’t WAIT to be out of them!

"You – you want to be my boyfriend again?"

Robert nodded. "Very much so……If – if you want – I mean."

Pretending to think it over for a second – a girl couldn’t be too anxious – Leslie let her eyes glance to the side and bit the inside of her lip, as if she were actually contemplating the request.

But she couldn’t help it. She couldn’t contain the giddiness that rose in her for more than a split second. Oh my God! Oh my God! Oh my God!

"Ok!"

The smile that had threatened before, broke wildly over Robert’s face and he took one more step towards her. Hesitating for a moment when she licked her lips and moved closer as well.

Man, she had great lips.

He’d had the thought before of course, but tonight – in the moonlight – she just looked extra beautiful.

Before he even had a chance to make another move, the lips he’d just been admiring smashed into his and her hands linked tightly around his neck.

Robert nearly lost his balance as she kissed him. Getting it together just long enough to kiss her back for a split-second before she pulled away. Damn…

He shoved his hands in his pockets as she smiled that smile of hers and took a step backward towards her front door.

"Ok," she grinned. "I’m going inside now…I had a great time Robert. Thank you."

He nodded vigorously. His voice still caught somewhere in the bottom of his stomach. "Y – yeah…me too. I’ll – I’ll see you at school – on Monday."

"Call me tomorrow," she said quickly. Gripping the doorknob in her slightly sweaty palm. When he nodded once more, she watched as he turned to walk back out to the cab that still waited at the curb.

When the door shut and he pulled away, she pushed her front door open. Her eyes connecting with her mother’s from inside the living room.

Laura stood up from the couch where her husband was fast asleep. The dreamy sort of smile on her daughter’s face silenced her before she even asked the question. Whatever had just happened, she didn’t want to spoil the moment by asking her too much about it too quickly.

She merely smiled in return. "I’ll talk to you tomorrow morning?"

Leslie bit her lip and nodded. "Yeah…I’m gonna go to bed now."

Her mother only nodded. Her daughter’s giddiness palpable. "Ok…night Sweetheart."

"Night Mom."

~~~~~~~

Elizabeth jolted out of the dream and quickly cleared her eyes. Taking a deep breath to calm down. Knowing that if she trembled he’d wake up.

"You’re ok," she whispered to herself. Placing her head back down on his chest. She closed her eyes at the sound of his heartbeat. "Everything’s gonna be ok."

She pressed a kiss to his heart and smoothed her hand across his chest on its way up to his shoulder.

"I love you," she said softly. Feeling it down to her toes.

Her eyes closed, and his opened. God, he loved her too.