Fast Forward In Time - Chapter 15

Monday, June 6th, 2007
The Cottage

When Lucky woke up the next morning Elizabeth was sitting on the opposite end of the couch watching him. She had been sitting there for a few minutes debating wether or not she should wake him. She didn't want their breakfast to get cold, but he looked so sweet.

His eyes slowly opened. "Good morning cutey," she said smiling at him.

Lucky rubbed his stubble and sat up. "How long have you been up?"

She was watching his movements, "Just a little while."

Lucky leaned closer to her, "You ruined my streak."

"What?" she asked confused.

"Every morning since I got you back, I've woke up first and watched you sleep." He reached up and touched her face.

"I'm sorry," she said kissing him. "I just wanted to have your breakfast ready for you."

Lucky flashed his gorgeous smile, "Breakfast?"

"Come on," she took his hand and pulled him off the couch.

Lucky got up and followed her to the eat-in kitchen. When he got to the door he got a clear smell of what was behind it. He turned to her with wide eyes and a silly grin, "Do I smell hot, fresh pretzels?"

Elizabeth laughed at his expression, "Yes you do!"

Lucky pulled on her hand and flew through the door. When he stepped into the kitchen the smell was strong and his mouth began to water. Elizabeth gave him a pretzel that was already smeared with mustard.

"Mmmm Mm Mm!" he said after the first bite. "These taste just like the ones we had in New York. Where did they come from?" he asked between bites.

Elizabeth was happy he couldn't tell and she smiled, "I made them." She picked one up for herself and handed him a glass of milk.

Lucky was surprised. "You did?" She nodded at him. "Wow!"

They sat down at the table in the kitchen in front of the rest of the food that was on the table. There was scrambled eggs, pancakes, french toast, and to drink orange juice, milk and coffee.

Lucky looked at the huge amount of food in front him. "Elizabeth, are you trying to get me fat?" he asked grinning at her and taking the last bite of his pretzel.

Elizabeth smiled sweetly at him. "Well, your body has gotten so big since the last time I saw you that I assumed you needed a lot to eat to fill it up. Besides you're gonna need lots of energy for later." She was teasing him to see how he would react.

Lucky coughed on his milk, "For what?"

Elizabeth looked at him innocently, "Hiking of course!" She watched his face. She knew she saw disappointment there and she smiled at him again.

>>>>>

They hiked the trails behind the cottage leading up on the mountains. Elizabeth was telling him about the flowers and trees, where they come from, their english and latin names, and Lucky couldn't take his eyes off her. He was watching her eyes and her smile as they continued to walk. They could light up the entire sky, and they made him feel so much inside.

When they returned to the cottage it was late afternoon and they were both hungry. They showered and then cooked the meal together, Elizabeth telling him how much of this, and a pinch of that, and they ate it on the porch. Lucky had finished eating first and was sitting there watching her. Elizabeth could feel his eyes on her and looked at him.

"What?" she asked him smiling, "Do I have something on my face?"

Lucky put his elbows on the table with his hands together and laid his chin on them. "Yeah, the most incredible smile I have ever seen."

Her cheeks flushed a little and she smiled even brighter. She laid her fork on her plate never taking her eyes off his, "Would you clean this up?"

"Sure, but where are you going?" he asked sitting back in his chair.

Elizabeths' expression went blank as she looked at him. "I'm going upstairs," she said softly, "And I want you to come up when you're finished."

Lucky cleared his throat, "Okay."

Elizabeth smiled at him and got up from the table. Lucky had an idea of what she was trying to tell him. He sat in his chair for a few minutes after she had went inside before rising to clear the table. He rinsed the dishes, put them in the dishwasher and headed upstairs to meet her. Elizabeth was in the bathroom and he stayed in the bedroom to wait for her. He pulled off his shirt and socks, leaving only his jeans on, and walked to the stereo. He put an old C.D. by Jewel on. It was her second album called ‘Spirit' and it had some songs on it about love and hope that he really liked even after all these years.

As Elizabeth approached the bedroom door she could hear him singing. His incredible voice was filling the room and her soul.

"Deep Water"
...And the cruelty of everyone else
And you wake up to realize
Your standard of living somehow got stuck on survive
When you're standing in deep water
And you're bailing yourself out with a straw
And when you're drowning in deep water
And you wake up making love to a wall
Well it's these little times that help to remind
It's nothing without love...

She leaned her forehead against the door and waited for the butterflies in her stomach to settle down.

>>>>>

The first song on the C.D. was just over when Lucky heard the door open behind him. When he turned around and saw her standing in the doorway he stopped moving. The curtains in the room where pulled closed, but she was standing where the sunlight was escaping around the side. She was illuminated by the beam that was sweeping across the room. She was wearing her hair completely down for the first time since he had come back again and he was overwhelmed by its beauty and length. It was cascading around her face and down her shoulders, reaching her breasts, in soft curls. He had this incredible urge to put his hands in it. She was wearing a long white silk dress that was hugging her slender body. It fit her perfectly. Lucky couldn't believe his eyes. His breath got caught in his throat as he noticed that the dress she was wearing was lace all the way down the front to her tiny waist. He watched the unsteady rise and fall of her breasts.

She smiled nervously at him as he looked her up and down and then made contact with her eyes. She walked towards him and watched his expression. She could tell he was shocked, but she could also tell that he liked what he saw.

She looked like she was floating across the room. She didn't look like that sixteen year old girl he remembered, she looked like a woman. He knew she was waiting for him to do or say something when she stopped a few steps away, but he couldn't even think.

"Lucky," she said slowly, "I have waited a long time to be with you and I don't want to wait any longer." He didn't say anything. She had her hands at her sides nervously playing with her dress as she continued, "After you were gone I vowed that," the tears that had been forming in her eyes let go and slid down her cheeks, "when you came back I would never take another second with you for granted. I love you and I want to show you how much." She stopped and waited for him to speak.

Lucky swallowed hard and found his voice. "Do you have any idea how incredibly beautiful you are? Or how you make me feel?" he asked her through his own tears. "I have waited so long to hear you say those words to me." He placed his hands on his heart, "I've made love to you a million times in my mind and my dreams and you've always looked just like you do right now. You look like an angel who was sent from heaven just for me. God," he said taking a step and bringing them closer to touching, "I want you so much that it scares me to death."

"Show me," she asked him softly. "I want to see it. Please."

Lucky was losing control. "Elizabeth, I love you and I want so desperately to make love to you," he said as he cupped her face and kissed her trembling lips. "My body is telling me to take you in my arms, kiss you all over, and touch you in places I've never even seen, but I want to do this right. My heart is telling me to slow it down." He took her in his arms and held her tight. "I don't even know if I'm making sense." He stepped back from her and looked her up and down, "It's very hard for me to concentrate with you standing there in that dress."

Elizabeth hadn't understood what he meant and turned away from him. "Okay. I'll get rid of it," she said walking towards the door.

"NO! DON'T!" he shouted at her making her spin around. He watched the movement of her hair and her body and shook his head to try to stop his own body from responding so completely to the simple movement. He raked his hands through his hair and looked at her. He squeezed his eyes shut, "Elizabeth, you are killing me." His voice sounded hoarse and tortured.

"But you just said..." she was extremely confused.

Lucky put his finger to his lips, signaling her to stop. "Elizabeth," he said walking towards her and taking her hands in his. "I only meant that I want us to do this slow and you looking like you do is making it hard for me to hold back. I want us to remember this for the rest of our lives." He reached up and touched her face, "I want this." He took a shaky breath, "I want us to make love. I just want it to be slow and beautiful."

Elizabeth leaned in and kissed him softly. She could feel his hands shaking on the sides of her face.

He slightly pulled away from her, "Dance with me?" She nodded to him and he went to the stereo and hit the stop button. He had programmed it to play a few of his favorite songs from the C.D. He hit the program button, and as the first song began he slowly walked towards her and they wrapped their arms around eachother.

"What's Simple Is True" Jewel
Turn to me with frozen lips
Your hands are icy cold

He put his lips against her forehead and they swayed slightly to the music.

Your eyes burn bright against the frost- bit sky
You never seemed more lovely than you do tonight
Pale on the horizon
Like leaves frozen in the snow
Our two shadows merge inseparably
Will time stand still if it's pierced with cold

She ran her hands up and down his bare back, reveling in the feel of his skin.

The more I live
The more I know
What's simple is true
I love you
There's a warmth in my heart
It haunts me when you're gone
Mend me to your side and never let go
Say "Time knows nothing, we'll never grow cold"

Lucky pulled her tighter to him, wrapping his arms around her shoulders.

The more I live
The more I know
What's simple is true
I love you
Twilight descends on our silhouette
How soon spring comes
How soon spring forgets
I wanna hold time, say it'll never begin
Old man winter be our friend
Old man winter be our friend

He sang the last few lines softly against her forehead.

‘Cause the more I live
The more I know
What's simple is true
What's simple is true
I love, I love you.