It was very quiet after Taggert and Mac left. Lucky turned to look at Elizabeth. Tears were running down her face. Terror was in her eyes.
“Elizabeth, you know I have to go with them,” Lucky held her and wiped away her tears. “You know I do.”
“I know, Lucky. But I can’t stand the thought of you being in danger again. I can’t go through losing you again. I know I’m being selfish,” Liz tried to stop crying.
“And I love that you are still selfish where I’m concerned,” Lucky looked deep into her eyes and kind of grinned. “You always did try to mother me.”
“I did not. I just tried to take care of you, especially when you wouldn’t take care of yourself,” Liz managed a little smile.
Lucky was beginning to feel the effects of the day. He was exhausted. “It’s getting late. We better get some sleep. I’ll take the floor.” He began to look around for extra blankets. “In a hotel this fancy, you’d think they’d have extra blankets.”
Elizabeth walked tentatively over to Lucky. “Share the bed with me?” She held her hand out to him and he followed her over to the bed. Together they turned it back. Slowly, tentatively, they kicked off their shoes and climbed in. Lucky pulled Elizabeth to him and buried his face in her hair. How good it felt to lie next to her! Elizabeth snuggled in next to him.
“Good night,” she whispered. “I’m so glad you’re home. I love you.”
Lucky looked down at her, then pulled her mouth to his and kissed her with all the passion he had felt over the past months. He felt her body respond to him. He pulled her closer, and kissed her harder. She held him as if her life depended on it. She couldn’t believe how suddenly hungry for him she became. All she wanted was to feel his mouth on hers, his body next to her. Lucky never wanted to stop, but finally he pulled away. “You OK?” he asked breathlessly.
“Yeah. You OK?” Elizabeth’s mind wandered back to the other times they had asked each other that question. Then she jumped to the conversation she’d had with Bobbie about being sorry they hadn’t had sex in New York. Lucky could tell that she had something on her mind.
“Want to talk about it?” he asked gently.
Liz, still breathless, felt suddenly shy. “With all that’s happened, did you ever regret that we didn’t make love when we were in New York?”
“Yeah, sometimes. Especially when I thought about how that would be the only chance I’d ever have to make love to you. How about you?”
“Yeah, I felt the same way. I wanted my first real time to be with you. I was sick when I thought I’d chickened out of the only chance I’d have at that…” Liz’s voice trailed off.
“We have a second chance now…” Lucky wasn’t ready for that night to be their second chance, but more than that he wanted Elizabeth to be happy.
“Yeah…” Somehow Elizabeth didn’t feel ready either. They’d experienced so much tonight already. But she wanted to do whatever Lucky wanted.
Lucky was relieved to feel her hesitation. “But if its OK with you, I’d still like to hold out for a special place and keeping it sacred,” Lucky watched as a look of relief came over Elizabeth’s face. Again they were together on this. All he could think was how much he loved this beautiful girl. He got a mischievous grin on his face. “Am I too goopy to live?”
Elizabeth grinned back, “No. You’re perfect.” What a relief that he still felt the same way about sex that she did! She wrapped her arms around him and this time it was Elizabeth that kissed Lucky.
Lucky pulled back before things got too carried away. He brushed the hair from Elizabeth’s face. His face had turned serious. “I promise you; here; tonight. Our first time will be special. It will be sacred. I swear it.”
Elizabeth smiled at him. “I know,” she whispered as she snuggled in next to the only boy she would ever love. “I love you, Lucky.”
“I love you too. Good night.”