"But Daddy…I just…I just don’t feel like Lucky Spencer is the right kind of person to have in a position of power –

"Stephanie," Evan Davenport sighed. Leaning forward on his daughter’s couch as he shook his head. "I’ve already spoken with the CEO about your – MY concerns," he corrected upon the icy glare she shot his way. "But he thinks Lucky is the best candidate for vice president…Princess, what more can I do?"

"Tell him that he’s a bastard and that –

"Mind your language please, Stephanie" Evan sighed once more. Leaning back now.

In a flash he knew exactly what had brought upon this ‘emergency’ visit with his daughter. The New York Times lay open to the business section on her coffee table and in it - Lucky Spencer stood plastered in a huge color spread of FAO Schwartz. His lips attached to some attractive young brunette.

When Stephanie saw her father reach for the paper, she swatted at his hand. "Daddy, I don’t need a lecture on my vocabulary! I need you to HELP ME! Don’t you want to help me?" She pouted.

"Princess, if this is about the fact that your x-boyfriend has a new flame then –

"She is NOT his new flame! She’s just some little hussy that doesn’t…" Her voice trailed off and she took a deep breath. Smoothing her skirt as she tried to get a hold of herself.

Reminding her self that she couldn’t play it this way. She couldn’t play the jealous x-girlfriend if she intended to play her trump card at some point. And as Jack said…they were quickly running out of options. She couldn’t sabotage any of the opportunities they still had left.

"Stephanie," her father began quietly. Standing to take her hands in his when her bottom lip began to quiver. "Sugarplum, what is it?"

"Oh Daddy…I just…" Looking down at her feet, she squeezed her eyelids shut and eked out a few anemic tears. "I’m not sure I can get into this with you right now…it’s all so fresh in my mind…but I – Daddy," she paused, looking up into his eyes. The eyes she’d always been able to play. "Daddy, I just need you to help me with this….

"I can’t do this," she continued then. Holding up the newspaper now. "I can’t continue to see his face when all it does is bring up bad…bad memories for me," she hiccuped. "I just want him out of my life…and as long as he’s showing up, and I’m running into his girlfriend…I just can’t –

"Wait," Evan interjected. "What do you mean showing up?"

Satisfied that he’d taken the bait, Stephanie turned around towards the wall behind her and sniffled dramatically. "Nothing…I just meant…I just meant in the newspaper…you know – when it gets delivered and he’s in it."

Behind her, Evan nodded in concern. "Oh…ok…as long as it’s nothing else. As long as he’s not giving you a hard time."

Stephanie turned then. "But he IS Daddy…he is – just by traveling in the same circles that I do! And if he gets this promotion…ugh, it will be even worse. People will invite him to the very best parties and events…I’ll never be able to get rid of him…or the memory of him."

His daughter seemed near hysteria over it. Crying so, at the mere thought of running into the man? It boggled Evan’s mind, but he nodded slowly. After a moment, leaning in to hug her.

"Ok Stephanie…I’m going to have another talk with some people at Game One. I’ll see what I can do Princess. Ok?"

"You promise?" She asked. Complete with quivering lip. She’d gotten much better at this then she had been during her time with Lucky. Maybe if she’d been as good of an actress then he would have stuck around.

Unfortunately unable to read his daughter’s mind, Evan nodded once more as he sighed. "I promise Sugarplum…I promise."

~~~~~~~

Lucky slipped back into the penthouse just as Elizabeth was hanging up the phone. The huge paper tucked under his arm. He bit his lip at the sight of her, and had to stop in his tracks. Put the paper down.

God, she was beautiful…and in just a few hours…

‘IF you don’t screw it up Spencer,’ he warned himself internally. ‘Don’t get so excited here…I mean this is NOT some kind of guarantee. She could say no! She could very well say NO…Just like she did the first time you asked her to move in here…

‘But she came around,’ another voice countered. ‘She came around, didn’t she?…Yeah, sure but she wanted to be PLATONIC! Well yeah – only after YOU put the stupid thought into her head! There will be no platonomy – Platonomy? Plutonium?…Ah shit, forget it…Just focus on getting through the day.’

"Any luck?" he asked finally. Slipping out of the flip-flops he’d dawned to take the quick trip downstairs.

Elizabeth scrunched her nose and shook her head. Folding her arms as she leaned against the end table behind the couch. Her thoughts getting lost for a moment as she took in his calves just before he moved inside the kitchen and the bar blocked them from her view.

He had GREAT calves.

"No," she answered finally. Thinking of how many times she’d just received Lucinda’s outgoing message. "You think maybe she’s just still mad at me? I mean if I were her –

"Nah," Lucky said, shaking his head in interruption. "I don’t think this is about you or me…it just…" Lucky sighed. "It sounds like – from what you told me about your last conversation with her before you came to Port Charles – like she’d already basically forgiven you…I think this has got something to do with Wallace…and a lot more to do with Jack."

It was Elizabeth’s turn to shake her head. "I can’t believe she still hasn’t talked to Wallace. I mean there’s got to be some good reason that she’s avoiding him like this…but unless she talks to one of us how are we supposed to help or……

"Why don’t YOU try calling her?" Elizabeth suggested then. The idea switching on like a light bulb. She lifted the phone once more. "You two are close."

Lucky looked up from the front cover of the newspaper. "Yeah, but she already knows the code."

Elizabeth’s brow furrowed. "The code?"

"The Code…of bestfriendom," Lucky added then, stunned that someone had never heard of such a thing.

"Excuse me?"

Lucky scratched the back of his head as he flipped open the paper. "You know," he mumbled vaguely. "The Code……Lucinda knows that no matter how tight we are – whatever she tells me will get back to Wallace because of my duties to the code."

Elizabeth rolled her eyes. "Ahhh, I see - whatever you say…I just hope she’s ok. I mean did Wallace try going over –

"He’s tried everything," Lucky sighed, still looking down at the paper. Becoming sidetracked by his name in print, he continued to mumble. "And I’m getting a little worried because I asked her a few days ago, if she’d –

Realizing what he’d been about to say, Lucky lifted his head quickly and grinned. ‘Shit, shit, shit, shit, shit!’

"You asked her what?" Elizabeth asked in confusion. Not following why his sentence had just cut away so abruptly.

Lucky shook his head and looked down. Needing a distraction. Something to take her mind off of his mistake. He quickly turned the page and practically squealed in delight over the gift of ‘distraction.’

"Oh man! Look at this!" Lucky exclaimed. He jogged over to where she stood and displaying the picture in the middle of the page. Holding it open for her.

Elizabeth’s hand flew to her mouth and she took a step back. "Oh my God…is that…is that you and me? Ki –

"Mouth to mouth baby!" Lucky grinned. "Wow," he sighed. "This one’s going in the scrap book for sure……Damn, maybe even a frame," he added. Turning the picture vertically to admire it from all angles.

"I don’t usually hate it when they do this…but this is pretty damn cool."

Elizabeth just stared open mouthed from him to the picture. Alternating back and forth.

"Oh my God…Lucky…."

He turned back to her and his amused grin began to fade. "Hey? What is it? You don’t think we look hot together?…Come on," he prompted in the kind of voice you’d talk to a gurgling baby in. "Look at how cute your tushy looks in this picture."

Her smile was slight but it was there. Yet it wasn’t big enough to make Lucky feel at ease.

Dropping the paper down to the table behind the couch, he draped his arm around her and led her to sit down at a barstool. He noticed how she dragged her feet. When he stood in front of her, he had to nudge her chin upwards so that her eyes would meet his.

"Hey…what is it? Something about that picture just completely blew your mood."

Elizabeth sighed. "If I said it was just because they didn’t get my good side would you believe me?"

"No," Lucky said shaking his head. "Because both of your sides are equally gorgeous," he sighed. Kissing each cheek to prove it. "What’s up Sweetie?"

"It’s the New York Times," she sighed then. Kicking lightly at one of the wooden poles that held up the seat.

At Lucky’s ‘duh’ like grin, she went on. "It’s a huge publication, Lucky…Anyone could read it. I’m sure they’ve even got it in rehab centers all around the world."

Lucky closed his eyes and let his head fall back as realization dawned.

"Shit…Baby, I’m sorry. I didn’t even THINK about that. About you not wanting him to know where you are or –

"No, it’s not that" Elizabeth interjected. "I’m not…I’m not worried about him knowing where I am. I just…As soon as he and my mother get wind that I…I mean that you…that they’re daughter sort of…"

"That their daughter hit the gravy train? Pay dirt? The jackpot?" Lucky filled in, with a slight tug at one corner of his mouth.

Elizabeth bit her lip and then let it out on a sigh. "Yes…I mean it’s bad enough she expects me to pay for his treatment now. Who knows what will happen if she finds out that –

"WAIT," Lucky said then. His voice rising so strongly and sharply that she had to sit back. There was something in his eyes she wasn’t sure she’d seen before. "She expects you to WHAT?"

Elizabeth blinked hard as she suddenly realized they’d yet to discuss this. They’d gotten so caught up in each other during their stay in Port Charles that they’d neglected to talk about that mysterious envelope that had culminated in her going up to the roof that night with a lighter.

The night she’d realized that until she completely burned him out of her life, she couldn’t fully allow Lucky in.

At her silence, Lucky continued. "Elizabeth, please tell me you’re not –

Her voice was calm and firm when she spoke. "Lucky I have to. My mother doesn’t have the money and he –

"He WHAT?! Elizabeth I can’t believe that after everything that guy did to you, you’re PAYING for his treatment?! Are you INSANE?"

When he threw up his hands and turned away, Elizabeth ran a hand through her hair. Pushing it away from her face. "Don’t be mad at me. I just –

"Mad at you? Mad at you?!" Lucky turned again, facing her with an incredulous expression on his face. He shook his head. "Elizabeth, God I’m not MAD at you! I just…how can you do this? Did she ask this of you? Your mother? When did she………

Lucky’s voice trailed away and he suddenly felt as if he might have been hit by a truck. A huge semi, that rolled over him and then backed up again for good measure…Dear God.

He shook his head for one long, sad moment.

She knew he’d already figured it out in his head, and she looked down. All it would really take was the oral confirmation from her. But she didn’t want his pity. She didn’t want to see THAT look…

Biting down on her lip for a moment, she shrugged and then let it out. "I received a phone call from my mother, not to long after I arrived in Vegas…I was working at McDonald’s…living in my car…and I had just been approached by Gino to come and work for him. It wasn’t even an option at first…but when she called and said they really needed the money…I knew he’d cleaned her out again – stealing the little cash she had for drugs or…whatever," Elizabeth paused. "It’s like everything just snowballed at once.

"I didn’t want to help her," she admitted then. "I wanted to tell her to go to Hell and to take him with her…but she…

"She’s your mother," Lucky filled in quietly. Closing his eyes.

Elizabeth nodded and Lucky asked another soft question. "When did it turn into you paying for his treatment?"

"Well I was only going to lend my mom money that ONE time…I was only going to strip for Gino that ONE time…but you know – money can be so addicting – especially when you don’t have any…and all you really wanna do is be on stage anyway."

Lucky nodded as she continued. "A few months later he swore to her he was going to go into rehab…she called me again – said she needed help paying for it. That it was the BEST place in Colorado…that he promised to get clean.

"I said no."

A twitch of Lucky’s eyebrow had Elizabeth smiling awkwardly. "Yeah I know…the last thing you’d expect from a wimp like me, huh?"

"You are the furthest thing from a wimp that I’ve ever known…or will ever know."

Elizabeth looked down once more and shrugged again. "Well, I felt like a wimp…especially when she started laying the guilt on. Telling me how no matter how I ‘felt’ about him," Elizabeth mocked snidely. "That no matter what ‘misunderstandings’ we’d had…that he’d put a roof over my head, and made sure I hadn’t starved to death."

Lucky wanted to gag.

Where the fuck was he when she’d needed a FATHER? Not some pervert asshole that almost stole every dream she’d ever had.

"So that envelope that Jillian sent from your apartment…the one that you burned that night –

"It wasn’t a letter or anything," Elizabeth responded. "Well it was, but not from him. Just from the rehab center answering my inquiry about changing my payment plan…I made some adjustments before you came back to Vegas. I was already thinking about quitting my job so…you know – I had to make arrangements."

Placing his hands in his pockets, Lucky took a step back and nodded. Trying to put a cap on his anger. This wasn’t the day for it. Today was supposed to be happy…joyous. But since when did anything ever go according to plan?

Even if she said ‘no,’ to his coming question however, he could give her this one thing today…

He turned towards her suddenly and gazed straight into her eyes. "Well you won’t have to worry about that anymore."

"Lucky, I don’t like it…but it’s something I feel I have to do and…Listen, he’ll never get the help he needs without treatment and –

"That’s what I mean…I’ll pay for it."

Elizabeth’s mouth fell open. It took her a moment to process what he was saying. "No…Lucky, it’s a nice offer…but I absolutely can not allow you to –

"It’s NOT an offer. I’m telling you I’ll pay for it……I don’t want his hands anywhere near your money."

Her eyes widened a bit at his tone. "Lucky, I don’t know who you think you’re talking to, but I –

"I think I’m talking to the woman I love! I think I’m talking to the woman that I’m going to –

The sudden ring of the phone shattered his next words before they made it out of his mouth.

Thank God.

Elizabeth sighed as Lucky cursed under his breath and turned to answer the phone. She loved him for wanting to take the burden off of her shoulders, but it was hers to carry – not his.

If he started taking care of her, not only emotionally, but financially as well she’d always wonder if maybe a part of the accusations she’d always heard from her stepfather, in her head would be true.

She looked down. She wasn’t about to let this one issue come between them now. Not after they’d come so far.

He had plans for them tonight, that much she knew. He’d told her numerous times that tonight had to be JUST them, and just the thought of it made her giddy inside. He was so romantic sometimes that it hurt. She wondered how he could possibly make, making love more romantic than he had anything else.

Lucky cleared his throat suddenly and she looked up. The creasing of his brow had her tensing. He was upset. Very upset that she wouldn’t let him help in this way.

"It’s for you," he sighed. Handing the receiver to her. "It’s Louisa"

Elizabeth’s brow knitted together as she reached for the phone. Louisa? Why would she be calling now? She had to be busy with…

Wow, Elizabeth thought. The show had opened a couple of days ago and she hadn’t even thought about it. It hadn’t even been on her mind. It had been the same night as the Road Fury tournament at FAO Schwartz…and it hadn’t even been on her mind.

He had been.

She gave him a soft, smile then. Not wanting to fight with him about anything – especially someone as unworthy as her stepfather. Just as she started to speak to Louisa, Lucky reached out to brush a strand of hair behind her ears in response.

They smiled at one another and he kissed her forehead before walking backwards and taking a seat upon the edge of the couch.

"Hello," she said, clearing her throat. "Louisa?…Hi…what’s – what’s going on?"

Lucky watched as her face changed. Concern lacing her features. He suddenly felt like picking up the other extension in the bedroom and listening in on the conversation. He hoped Louisa wasn’t giving Elizabeth a hard time about having dropped out of the show.

It was his fault anyway. He sighed as Elizabeth nodded and ‘mmhhhmed, and ‘uhuhed,’ to whatever the choreographer was saying.

"Oh my gosh…you can’t be serious," Elizabeth said then.

Watching every animated expression of her face – he gazed. When she was surprised or shocked, it was so obvious. There was this huge shift of every muscle in her face.

He wondered slightly if it would be that face that she wore tonight when he finally asked her the question he’d been dying to. Or if maybe he’d miscalculated and she’d wear a mask of horror instead.

Lucky closed his eyes and tried to will the panic away. He wasn’t crazy. He KNEW he wasn’t crazy. He hadn’t been crazy when he’d asked her to move in with him! That had turned out WONDERFULLY! So he had to trust his instincts. Instincts had never misled him in the past. He wouldn’t fight them now.

Things between them weren’t perfect – obviously. But he didn’t know any couples that were. The only thing that felt perfect was his love for her and hers for him…and that was all he needed.

At her sudden gasp Lucky shot up from the couch. His eyes widened in panic as she covered her mouth with one trembling hand.

"Baby what is it?" He whispered. Reaching for her hand. Elizabeth shook her head and continued to listen to whatever Louisa said.

"I don’t – I don’t understand…are you sure? Are you certain that you can’t find…Oh my God…YES! No – of course! YES! YES! Thank you – YES!"

The widest smile he’d ever seen suddenly broke out on her face and he didn’t know how to react. What the Hell was going on!

Elizabeth locked eyes with him then as if she knew something. As if she had some secret he wasn’t aware of and he grinned back at her when tears started to fill her eyes. What the heck…they were happy tears – that much he could gather.

She nodded quietly and said a few more soft words to Louisa, after her storm of excitement. Then just as quickly as the conversation began – it was over. Elizabeth pushed the ‘end,’ button on the phone and sat it to the side of her on the bar.

She looked down at her hands to catch her breath and then slowly, she began to shake her head.

"You…you are SO amazing."

Confused, Lucky shook his head. "Huh? What was that conversation about? What’s going on?!" He chuckled nervously.

Continuing on in disbelief, Elizabeth still shook her head slowly back and forth. She stood, so that her feet were propped up on the cross bar of the stool. When he moved closer as if to catch her, she wrapped her arms around his neck and laid her head against his shoulder.

"You are so wonderful."

Lucky shrugged. "Well thank you…but I don’t believe I know what I did to get called wonderful today."

"Oh you were BORN wonderful," she sighed. "It doesn’t matter what you did today or yesterday…what you’ve done for a lifetime is what counts."

Blushing just a tad, Lucky cupped the back of her head and smiled. "Thank you Baby…but I don’t know what you’re talking about."

"Oh don’t play dumb with me Lucky Spencer," she said. Pulling back just a bit to see his face. "You know exactly what you did…this is so…" her voice faded away because the lump in her throat blocked it. She suddenly could no longer speak and the tears that had brimmed her eyes, fell.

He pulled back even further. "Sweetie, honestly…I don’t know what’s going on. I’m dying here…put me out of my misery."

Elizabeth bit her lip. He didn’t lie. He’d admit to it, if he’d done this. A slow expression of confusion creased her brow.

"You’re right – you couldn’t have arranged that the lead solo dancer got a horrible case of the flu, and you couldn’t have arranged that her understudy twisted her ankle yesterday…but you…You must have called Louisa and –

"Elizabeth, for God’s SAKE what’s going on!" Lucky said then. Excitement getting the better of him. "Elizabeth, what did Louisa just say to you?!"

And suddenly she knew that he’d had nothing to do with it at all. That Louisa had called her simply because…well just…simply because she wanted her…and she wanted her…simply because…because she was good.

Because she was good.

The thought made Elizabeth bite down hard on her lip to keep from crying out. "They need a replacement for the lead dancer at the show tonight…and she…and she asked… ME."

Lucky’s mouth dropped open and before he could even speak a word, Elizabeth found herself swooped up into his arms, and flung from stool. He spun around with her in the middle of their living room. Woohoooing at the top of his lungs!

When he finally sat her down on her feet and the shock began to subside, Elizabeth really began to shake. "Oh my God!!!! Lucky, OH MY GOD!!!!"

He lifted her again and spun her around.

"Wait, wait…I’m getting dizzy – wait," she giggled. Her fingers dug deep into his shoulders. Panting, he set her back down with the widest of grins on his face and they both burst out laughing.

Through his laughter, he managed words. "My God," he panted. Shaking his head. "Elizabeth do you have any clue what this means? I mean this is IT – this is like MAJOR."

She held her face in her hands and almost groaned. Her face had turned red from all the excitement. "Can you believe this? I mean…this is incredible. Never in my wildest dreams would I have thought that she would call me. I mean ME!"

"Why not YOU?" Lucky smiled, the laughter finally extinguished. "Obviously she thinks you’re more talented than anybody who’s actually IN her show."

"Oh wow…wow…wow…"

"I KNOW!" Lucky exclaimed. Following her as she started to pace around the room.

She turned to face him suddenly. "But Lucky, I mean they’re all gonna be pissed at me. I dropped out of the show. Everybody’s gonna hate me because it’s so unfair after how hard they worked and –

"Elizabeth you only dropped out a week ago. It’s not like you didn’t go through all the rehearsals," Lucky said quickly. He looked her straight in the eye. "Elizabeth you DESERVE this…this is what you EARNED."

She had to sit down…slowly she walked back to the bar and took a seat upon one of the stools. Needing his help for a boost up when her legs shook.

"Wow," she sighed again.

Lucky grinned at the expression of shock on her face again…she was so beautiful. But just as that thought took root, so did another.

He cleared his throat. "Um…when exactly does she need you to do this? Tomor –

"Tonight," Elizabeth said, looking up with wide eyes. "Lucky I’m in the show TONIGHT!"

"Oh," Lucky responded quietly. Trying not to let his disappointment show.

He’d planned tonight down to the ‘T.’ It was supposed to be just them. Just the two of them – alone. He’d gotten the guy to put a rush on the ring and everything. The thing with the book was planned and -

‘You ASS – look at her…this HER night! How dare you be even the slightest bit disappointed in that,’ Lucky thought angrily at himself.

He’d simply have to plan it for another time. That was all there was to it. Tonight he’d get to watch her dance…and she’d look like the same angel that he’d seen the first time.

Having not noticed the turmoil that passed through his eyes, Elizabeth finally responded. "Yeah…’oh,’ is right…I can’t believe this. I mean I’ve been such a slacker! I haven’t stretched in 2 days or –

Before her true panic could totally set in, he cut her off with a deep kiss. Catching her face in his hands as he leaned forward to capture her lips. When he finally pulled back her eyes were closed. No longer wide-eyed and surprised, but sated and warm when they fluttered heavily open at last.

"You’re going to be fantastic. You’re going to be the best anyone in that theatre has ever seen."

Elizabeth closed her eyes and tried to believe that. Tried to soak in his confidence. "Do you promise?"

"Cross my heart and hope to die…stick a thousand needles in my eye."

Her mouth spread into a small smile. "That sounds painful…Why don’t I try and make that all better for you," she whispered. Before propping herself up on the stool and closing the distance between them. He shut his eyes and she pressed her lips to both lids. And then ever so slowly…took his mouth.

Lucky’s hands gravitated down to her waist and then around to her back. Meeting there to lock his fingers together – to lock her in. She kissed him long and hard and he felt him self, falling all over again. Figuratively and literally as he moved closer and closer, causing her to lean back. Her dangling legs came up to wrap around his waist and he was pulled closer still.

A groan emerged from his gut, and he roughly pushed the stool that she sat on out of the way. Replacing its presence against her butt, with his hands.

Elizabeth felt herself lifted a bit and then felt the slippery surface of the counter top slide beneath her. Overwhelmed all of a sudden, she lay back. Gasping when his lips left hers and surfaced again on her neck.

When they left her neck she almost cried out in protest, but she was laughing out loud a second later. Guffawing as he climbed up on the counter with her.

"I just thought…just thought I’d join ya," Lucky chuckled. And the laughter seemed to come from some deep gruff place in his belly. Elizabeth shivered at the sound of it and wrapped her arms around his neck as he claimed her mouth once more. "Couldn’t have you…couldn’t have you crawlin’ away…"

"Wow," he sighed a few moments later. Moving his mouth down her to neck once more and slowly working his way down to the buttons on the soft sweater she wore.

"Maybe we should start actually eating breakfast at this bar……Things sure do taste good here….and here…" he paused. Licking the spot that lay open with the unfastening of 3 buttons. "And here…"

Closing her eyes, Elizabeth buried her fingers in his newly cut locks. He’d suddenly had some pressing need for a haircut the night before, and he’d asked HER to give him one……she’d done a damn good job.

The feel of it between her fingers made her even hotter as his mouth moved down to her jeans, and she knew before she opened her eyes that her fingers created a ‘just woken up’ look in his hair.

She opened them and sucked in her bottom lip when he gazed up at her at the same time. Grinning like the cat that ate the canary right before he actually DID. He used his long, thick fingers to pull the zipper on her jeans down and she closed her eyes once more.

When she felt him hesitate, she opened her eyes and fidgeted a bit against the cool counter beneath her. She wasn’t afraid.

He remembered a time – months ago when they’d tried this. When she’d wanted it, but wouldn’t allow herself to have it. There was not a trace of fear in her eyes and the wiggling of her hips that came with the freedom he saw there, was all the push he needed. All his fingers needed to complete their task.

Slowly he pried the waistband of denim away from her hips and Elizabeth eased her arms over her head. Using the cool surface beneath her to bring down the temperature as it suddenly heated her skin and the very air around her.

Sighing, she lifted her hips to help him get her jeans out of the way. They only made it to her mid thigh before his mouth descended on the already moist panties that covered her.

On instinct, her hips clamped together, but he knew it was only that first jolt of electricity that had caused it.

He remembered the first time – the way her thighs had moved restlessly back and forth when he’d brought her to that first, exquisite end. That first orgasm.

That would always be the first…but it’d be nothing compared to this. He smiled at the thought of a celebratory orgasm of sorts.

This time he’d use the cotton panties that already cloaked her to help him give her the pleasure he so desperately wanted to give – and the pleasure that he now knew she desperately wanted to receive.

His tongue lapped gently at first, but the writhing from her body and the twisting of her fingers through his hair pushed him over the edge very quickly. The strong pink muscle in his mouth worked quickly. Easing back and forth through the feminine flower that he could feel even beneath the cotton. Her gentle softness releasing nectar like a flower.

His very own water lily, blossoming for him.

Lucky’s short locks were no longer substantial enough to hold on to, and Elizabeth quickly grabbed the sides of the counter. It was a phenomenon so strange she couldn’t understand it – but she felt herself pushing her body up the counter. Sliding away from him even when it felt so incredibly – insanely – wonderfully good.

So much sensation – so much pleasure must have caused the body a great amount of confusion. Unable to handle the burn between her thighs, Elizabeth tried to turn away, but he wouldn’t let her – couldn’t let her, now that his mouth had tasted, had gotten a peak of things to come.

No, no, now he had to feast and she wanted to be feasted upon. Lucky held her thighs open and the quivering that moved through his hands made him so hard that he knew he’d have to get her there soon.

If he could just get her to come, he could back off…back off and jump into a frigid shower.

As if hearing his need, though not spoken, Elizabeth started to come undone. Bit, by bit sanity was chipped away like old paint. Ready to be replaced by something new and shimmery. Vibrant and clean.

With an open palm she pounded against the counter as she cried out. Calling his name so loudly that somewhere in the building, a few people glanced up. Wondering what the Hell was happening up in the penthouse.

Neither of them paid any mind as Foster circled the bar. Whimpering in turn with Elizabeth…panting much like Elizabeth did. But for very different reasons as he pranced around with a concerned look on his big face.

Lucky groaned as he looked up at her. Her head turning back and forth. Her eyes shut and a line of terrific intensity splitting her brow. She was coming down now…but he didn’t want her to. Not yet.

"Try for another," he panted. Going down on her again.

Elizabeth shook her head as tears slipped from the corners of her eyes. It was too much, she couldn’t even think straight or talk or…anything!

"I can’t…I can’t…

"Yes you can," Lucky managed against her. The sound muffled. "God, Elizabeth you taste so good…even through your panties…I can’t imagine what…what you’ll taste like when I finally get you naked – when I finally get you alone, and –

"Ah! AH! AH!" Elizabeth cried out in rapid succession the second wave ripping through her like a storm that crushed everything in its path as she pounded against the counter.

He looked up and watched with the delight of a child as her chest heaved. As she tried to catch just the smallest amount of breath. She reached up with both hands to brush her hair away from her eyes. Even her hands – weak as she fumbled with the lightest strands of hair.

Her thighs began to close when Lucky eased closer to her again. "Not yet Baby…Third times the charm."

Damn! He didn’t know where it was coming from, or how his body was able to hold back from coming all over the place, but he had to see it again – had to feel her again. Had to take her – at least with his mouth – again.

His tongue barely touched her this time before she whimpered and bucked against him. Riding his mouth as he lifted her hips with splayed hands against her buttocks.

"Lu – Lucky…Lucky…"

And just like that her voice trailed away into nothingness. Into sharp intakes of breath – shallow, pleading gasps. Lucky grinned and slowly slid up her body. Caressing her soft thighs now as she trembled beneath him.

She sighed so loudly that he grinned wider still. Her slowly emerging smile making him so happy inside that it hurt.

Well – more than that hurt right about now…but that he would deal with in a second. Right then, he couldn’t get enough of just…touching her.

Elizabeth reached up to push hair away again, but he did it for her. She caught his eyes and smiled.

"My God…where did that – how did that…"

"We’re all out of champagne and it was too last minute to get any of those balloons that say congrats," Lucky panted. "I had to improvise."

Elizabeth laughed and even her laugh was sated – weak. "Thank Goodness it was last minute. I don’t think I ever want a fucking balloon again in my life."

Lucky laughed and smoothed her hair out of the way. "Mmmm…" he said soberly. Kissing her moist neck. "You liked that huh?"

She eased her legs along the backs of his. "God, do you even have to ask?"

"Just checkin," he grinned. "There’s more where that came from…much more."

"When?" She asked on a long sigh.

Lucky looked up at her and his eyes seemed to sparkle. They usually did…but this – this was a different kind. Something she’d never seen before.

"Maybe sooner than you think."

He nearly fell off of the bar when Elizabeth shot upwards. "What does that mean?! When? Tonight?!"

Lucky bit his lip to keep from grinning. "Maybe."

"What does that mean?!…Maybe? Maybe? Do you know how long I’ve been –

Grabbing her hand, he pressed it against his stiff crotch and she closed her eyes. "Bout as long as I have."

They locked eyes when hers opened and she was forced to catch her breath once more. "Oh."

He kissed her then. With both hands on her face and so deeply that she tasted what must have been…herself. It actually…it actually turned her on…a little bit.

Wow, what was happening to her?

Slowly, Lucky drew himself away from her lips. "Just dance tonight…" he mumbled against her lips. "Just dance like the angel you are…and we’ll see what happens after that."

~~~~~~~

She couldn’t remember having put on her costume or her makeup. She was quite certain someone had to have helped her into both, considering she had absolutely no recollection of doing either one.

How she made it to the entrance of the stage was beyond her. She vaguely remembered hearing the stage manager call places, somewhere in the back of her mind. It had only been minutes ago, but now…now it felt like years.

Nerves soared through her body at such a lightening pace that she shook from head to toe.

"Stop it," she instructed herself quietly as she heard another call from the stage manager come over the low speaker next to her. The only thing she could make out was the word ‘blackout’ and the resulting hush of the audience just in front of the curtain.

Dear God, what had she gotten herself into?! She couldn’t do this! She wasn’t ready for this! She wasn’t experienced enough! She wasn’t a dancer! She was just some stripper who happened to end up in New York City…happened to end up in an ensemble cast…ENSEMBLE not LEAD! NOT LEAD!

How could Louisa do this to her?! Just call her and say ‘HEY! I need you tonight! Be ready!’ Like it was that easy? Like she could just ‘BE READY’?"

Elizabeth reached up to cover her face. She couldn’t do this. She had to turn around and just – just NOT do this. She’d make something up. She’d become ill or –

"But you’re NOT ill," she said suddenly. A weird sensation sprinkled over her like pixie dust. No she wasn’t ill. Not this time.

Her stomach wasn’t upset – not like that first time. The first time she’d danced on this stage and had to leave because of her stomach…because of HIS voice. But she wasn’t sick tonight, and his voice was nowhere…he wasn’t lurking in the shadows, and he wasn’t even skulking about in her head. He was…

He was gone.

Elizabeth closed her eyes at the slow realization. And the only thing she heard then was her music. Music that for tonight – she would own – and the only voice that spoke to her was small…but there.

It was Lucky’s and it whispered to her that she danced like an angel. That the very first time he’d seen her dance he’d fallen in love. And that love patted her back from behind now, like an encouraging nudge towards the stage.

The world became invisible, and even if she had been able to see the audience through the darkness, they wouldn’t have bothered her. She retreated into a world that was just hers. A world filled with music and love, and a peace that she’d only found in two places.

Dancing…and his arms.

She knew he was out there somewhere watching. Louisa had promised her he’d gotten a good seat somewhere.

But she didn’t think of any of that now. In fact she didn’t think at all…only felt.

Felt every beat of the music, every turn, every sway of her body. Every pivot and pirouette. She was a dancer down to her fingertips and she knew that the warmth she was feeling, came from somewhere out in the audience. That his eyes sent it to her…that his heart pumped it towards her.

Elizabeth smiled as the music changed and the dance did as well. The tempo picking up as her feet left the ground and then returned. As she slid towards it in a split and then twisted around to hug both her legs up tightly to her chest.

The routine came to her like breathing. She no longer had to think of the moves they simply flowed from her, like air. Like she actually was – breathing – living the way she’d been meant to. Created to.

And slowly, after movements of purity – moments of simplicity …the music slowed once more and she knew her time in the spotlight that followed her every tip-toe was coming to an end. She would savor the last few seconds…take them and make them a part of her for the rest of her life.

She knew not, whether an experience like this would come her way again…but if there was one thing she’d learned during the last few months it was that you could take nothing for granted. Not a feeling, not a touch, not one single moment of beauty.

It rippled through her as it ended, and she fought the urge to cry.

It had been a day full of unexplainable highs and she closed her eyes as the final note of the song played. Her exit was simple…it was the journey that had been difficult.

As she disappeared from the stage, and was swallowed by the curtain she wondered if Lucky had fallen in love again. For at that moment, she was in love with the world.

~~~~~~~

Elizabeth couldn’t remember another time when she’d left the stage for the last time in an evening and not wanted to immediately remove her costume and makeup. But she’d done it. Or at least half of it.

The costume wasn’t hers…she took it off and gazed at it for awhile on the wrack. It wasn’t like any of her old ones. It wasn’t skimpy. It wasn’t sequined. There wasn’t a pasty to be found. A smirk crossed her lips as she reached out to touch the soft material.

It looked like a flower, and had felt like petals against her skin. When she turned towards the mirror behind her she smiled. The make-up was still there, but she wouldn’t be taking it off yet. Maybe she’d wait until they got home. Or at least until Lucky arrived backstage…

It suddenly struck her as odd that he hadn’t been backstage yet. That practically all the girls had called it a night and he hadn’t come backstage with the rest of the boyfriends, husbands, family members and friends with passes.

Her brow knitted together as she heard the last of the stagehands cleaning up. The prop master locking up the huge rolling locker, for the night.

Louisa suddenly appeared in the doorway, and Elizabeth turned towards her. She shook her head.

"I don’t know how I can ever thank you for this opportunity. This was…this was beyond me –

Shaking her head, the choreographer cut her off and moved towards her. Hugging the girl hard.

"I THANK YOU…you completely saved me tonight…and Elizabeth, people had absolutely wonderful things to say about you," at the girls’ blush she continued. "Listen to me this was…this was huge. You saved my ass and promoted your own at the same time."

Elizabeth laughed and bit her lip. "I was really good?"

Louisa waved her off. "See now you’re just fishing……Listen, I’m gonna get out of here…But do me a favor and just lock up when your done," she finished quickly. Tossing her keys towards Elizabeth before she even had a chance to ask what she meant by….done.

She thought she was already pretty…done. Ready to go home, if she could only find Lucky.

Maybe he waited outside…he’d probably done something entirely too much and gotten them a limo to ride home in or something. The thought brought a smile to her face.

Closing the keys in her fist, Elizabeth picked up her makeup case and headed out of the dressing room. Moving through the dimly lit halls and back out to the house. The house lights should have been on – but they weren’t.

Instead the spotlight, shown down on center of the stage, as bright as the moon, reflecting in a velvet night sky. And in the circle…stood Lucky.

"I decided to wait for you here instead," he spoke suddenly. Catching her off guard as he extended a hand to her. He watched as bewilderment crossed her face. "The limo’s waiting outside though."

He must have read her thoughts, but…but what was he doing? He wore a tuxedo and…yes, there had been a show, but this wasn’t Broadway and it wasn’t opening night – no one had come formally dressed.

Yet he stood there in the middle of an empty theatre looking deliciously handsome. Like an actor on an abandoned stage. Elizabeth shook her head.

"Lucky what are we –

"Come ‘ere," he grinned. Gesturing for her to take his hand again.

Slowly she bent to place her makeup case on the floor, and walked towards him in somewhat of a daze. When her hands joined with his, she grinned and shook his head at the way he gazed at her.

"Lucky, Louisa wants me to lock up and –

He hushed her with a gentle finger placed against her lip. "You looked…Elizabeth, to describe how you look would only cheapen the reality…Sitting out – watching you…I couldn’t breathe."

A soft smile spread across her lips and she blushed.

"Don’t blush," he sighed. Tilting her chin up. "You’ve got no reason to be modest about anything. You’re wonderful…and I’ve known since the very first moment I ever saw you on stage…" he paused and pressed a hand to her heart. "There’s magic in here Elizabeth."

Her lip began to tremble. He was the one that looked like an angel. The light making his hair shine like a halo.

"Thank you," she sighed.

Stepping back, he lifted the back of her hand and pressed a soft kiss to the back of it. "Thank YOU.

"There’s only one problem I have though," he sighed suddenly.

Her eyes widened. "What? What is it? Did I miss a step? Ugh, I knew it…I was so caught up in –

In the very next second all she found herself caught up in was his kiss. Sharp and deep, and shooting tingles down to her toes. She was too dazed to ramble when he pulled away.

"My only problem," he repeated. "Is the fact that I’m a little obsessed with the star of the show…and I’d really like to dance with her."

Music emerged then, from the sound system above them. Feeling their eyes with the softest melody. The old standard made her grin…It was so very – Lucky.

He started to sing with the tune and she giggled.

She smiled when he bent down a bit. Pressing his cheek to hers as he swooped her up into the air. Dancing with her, though her feet weren’t touching the ground.

Lucky placed her down on her feet and gazed into her eyes as they traveled around the stage. Watching as the dress she wore, spun around her legs when he twirled her about.

She gazed up at him in wonder. Wondering why he’d done this for her? Why he went to so much trouble all the time when she could have honestly been happy never getting another gift or surprise from him in her life. He’d already done more for her than he’d ever know.

Elizabeth sighed as his hands left hers and he wound his arms around her waist instead. They felt so good there. They felt good anywhere…

Lucky took her hand on the next stanza and twirled her around one final time. Raising his arm to let her pass underneath before he passed around her and dropped softly to his knee.

Somewhere, someone lessened the volume of the music and Elizabeth halted in her steps. Standing before him as he knelt in front of her.

Down…on one knee.

She stepped back immediately and covered her mouth with both hands when he reached into his pocket and presented a small blue box. Tiffany blue.

Lucky heard her gasp when he opened it and hoped it was a good gasp. Prayed it was a GREAT gasp.

The diamond was elegantly small – princess cut, but it shown in the light so much that it nearly blinded her. Its gleam shook her to the soles of her feet.

Licking his lips very quickly as he tried to catch his breath from dancing. From the excitement that coursed through his veins right along with his blood.

And finally…finally he asked the question.

"Elizabeth…Elizabeth Webber, would you do me the honor of dancing with me – and only me…forever?"