Luck is a Lady

by CJ England

  "Justin?” Diana's voice held an odd tone. She stared at him and her eyes were bright. “Do you realize what we just did?"

  He frowned and held Lara tighter as she shivered. “What are you talking about?"

  "Don't you see?” Diana wrapped her arms around herself in awe. “Justin, we're not on The Lucky Lady."

  He froze in the process of lifting Lara into his arms, staring at the singer. His mind raced at her words. She was right! He'd gone into the water to save Lara, not even thinking of the curse. It wouldn't have let him leave the ship. He would have been stuck on The Lucky Lady, forced to watch the woman he loved ... drown.

  "Oh, my God,” he said hoarsely. “It worked.” He stared at Lara. “You did break the curse, sweetheart. But not like we thought it would be broken."

  "Instead, we're alive,” Diana said brokenly. “It's a miracle."

  "But, Captain,” Charlie frowned. “I thought we were going to heaven."

  Justin held Lara tight against him as he finally realized the reward the gypsy had waiting for him. “I am in heaven, my friend,” he whispered, looking down into Lara's dark eyes. “And I'm holding my very own angel."

  Chapter Nine

  Once on board ship, Justin took Lara straight to her cabin, the other Ethereals following close behind. At his growling command they waited in her room while he carried her shaking body into the bathroom. He stripped them both and climbed into a hot shower.

  "We've got to stop meeting like this,” he muttered.

  Lara's blue lips chattered as he held her under the warm water. “This was not the way I had planned for you to take my dress off."

  His eyes darkened. “I think your dress is a topic better left for another time.” He wrapped his arms around her, warming her with his own body. “But I will say as much as I liked you in it, I love you even more without it."

  She stiffened slightly at his words. “It's okay Justin. You don't have to pretend anymore. The curse is broken."

  He swore aloud. “I never lied to you about loving you, Lara.” He framed her face in his hands. “I swear to you. Once I realized it, I prayed I could have it all. I wanted to stay with you, but I knew I had to break the curse."

  She searched his beautiful eyes looking for the falsehood she knew was there, but all she saw was the same sincerity that filled his face whenever he looked at her. Could it be true? Could he really love her?

  Justin saw the doubt in her face. “I mean it, sweetheart. I do love you. I'm so sorry I didn't tell you everything.” He bent and kissed her, lingering over her now warming lips. “Please, don't let it come between us. Can't you see what we have is something most people only dream of finding?” He rubbed his big hands down her back, pleased to feel the warmth returning.

  "I love you, Lara. And now I'll have a lifetime to prove it to you ... if you'll let me."

  Sighing, she buried her face in his chest. She was so tired and she didn't understand what had happened. But one thing she knew. She hadn't stopped loving him. If only she could trust him again.

  "I don't know, Justin. I do love you, but—"

  He pulled her head back and slanted his mouth over hers, stopping the words before they could be spoken. He held her so tightly, she could hardly breathe. “Give me a chance,” he begged softly when he freed her. “Let me show you, I can be trusted."

  The feel of him, the knowledge he really loved her, warmed her more than any shower ever could. When his lips took hers again, she surrendered, knowing she couldn't fight her feelings anymore.

  Trust may have to be earned, but love was given freely. As they stood there surrounded by heat and steam, she knew the only future she wanted ... was with him.

  * * * *

  Sensing she still had a few doubts, Justin let the conversation go and finished ministering to Lara's shivering form. Once she was clean and dry, he wrapped her in her fluffy robe. Then, to Lara's amusement, he realized his only clothing was in a wet pile on the floor. Where before it would have magically dried itself, now it sat there, a soaking lump of wet fabric. Grumbling under his breath, he shouted at Charlie to go to the gift shop and buy him something to wear.

  Once properly clothed in a pair of gray sweat pants and T-shirt that read, Are You Feeling Lucky?, he carried Lara out to the bed and wrapped her in some blankets.

  Lara's attention was caught by the sight of Diana going through her closets. When the sultry blond saw her looking at her, she shrugged.

  "You don't mind, do you?” She brushed at her peach frock with disgust. “I've been wearing this for a hundred years. I could definitely use a change of wardrobe."

  Laughing weakly, Lara shook her head. “Go ahead. We're about the same size."

  "Captain,” Charlie began hesitantly. “Can you tell us what happened? Why aren't we dead?

  Justin sat down on the bed, pulling Lara against him. “I'm not sure of anything, Charlie, but this I know. The curse is broken."

  "I did it,” Lara whispered.

  "Your love for Justin saved us all,” murmured Lottie. Her eyes welled up with tears and Sir Malcolm handed her his ever present handkerchief.

  "What about this?” Diana stood with one of Lara's sundresses against her. When she saw their exasperated looks, she rolled her eyes. “For God's sakes. We're alive. That's all that matters. Now we can have some fun.” She flounced toward the bathroom door. “I'm going to try this on."

  "But how, sir?” Charlie questioned again, once she was gone. “How did we get alive again?"

  Justin kissed the top of Lara's damp head, breathing in the familiar jasmine scent. The memory of her limp body still made up shudder. “I think it was the light. I remember feeling something go through me when we first saw it."

  "But it killed Bridget.” Sir Malcolm tucked Lottie's hand into his arm, patting it gently. “Not that the old girl didn't deserve it."

  Justin nodded. “I think the white light saved us because the curse was evil. We weren't meant to die yet. The red light took Bridget and destroyed her because of what she was and what she tried to do."

  "She was wicked.” Lara rested her head on Justin's chest. “It's hard to believe I came from such a horrible woman."

  "You made everything right, dearie,” Lottie sniffed. “Just as it was meant to be."

  "I wonder if part of the curse was all the trouble I had before I came here,” Lara mused. “If I hadn't been so angry with my life, I might not have worked so hard to make this all happen."

  Pulling her against him, Justin nodded. “It could be. The gypsy had a long reach."

  "I'm glad to be alive, Captain,” put in Charlie. “I just always thought going to our reward meant we were dead."

  "I don't think so,” mused Justin. “I think the curse caught us in some sort of limbo. Not dead, but not really alive either.” He looked down at Lara. “It was more than just a chance the gypsy gave us. She could tell the future. She knew I would fall in love with Lara and her with me. So she crafted her spell to reflect that."

  "And our rewards would be coming back to life.” Sir Malcolm shook his head. “I'd forgotten how pleasant breathing could be.” Then he chuckled. “Or how creaky these old bones could feel."

  They all laughed. Diana chose that moment to reappear from the bathroom. She twirled in a circle, her hazel eyes bright with pleasure. The yellow and green dress swirled above her knees.

  "What do you think?"

  The men in the room were struck speechless. Finally, Charlie blurted out. “Miss Diana ... you've got legs!"

  Lara and Diana both burst out laughing.

  Lottie looked only a bit less scandalized. “Oh my goodness.” She looked at the younger woman. “That will ... take some getting used to."

  Lara wiped the tears of laughter away. “You look great, Diana. Keep it. Looks better on you than it ever did on me."

  "I prefer you naked, anyway,” Justin muttered in her ear.

  She blushed, even though no one else could hear.

  "Knowing we
are part of the world again will take some getting used to,” Lottie said. “Being an Ethereal was easier in a way."

  "You mustn't worry,” Lara said quickly. “You can all stay here for as long as you want to. In fact I can't imagine The Lucky Lady without you. That is,” she glanced up at the disheveled man holding her, “if it's okay with the co-owner here."

  Justin's eyes darkened and he held her tighter. His jaw clenched with emotion. “Are you sure sweetheart? I'd understand if you changed your mind. It's different now."

  She blinked up at him. “I don't see any difference. The Lucky Lady belonged to you then and it should belong to you now.” She gave a little grin. “But now ... you have a partner."

  Diana snorted. “Oh, you two are gonna have some great fights!"

  Lara giggled at Justin's raised eyebrows. “Oh no, Diana. Didn't you know? Justin is the mildest of men."

  Everyone burst out laughing. The captain's temper was infamous.

  "Well,” he growled as he pulled a still chuckling Lara into his lap. “One thing I do know is making up will be great!"

  They all laughed again at Lara's reddened cheeks.

  "I don't know about you all,” Diana said excitedly, “but we still have a few minutes left of this party cruise and I'm going to go have some fun.” Her eyes brightened. “Maybe they will let me sing a number."

  Lara smiled. “Tell them I sent you."

  "I think it's time we all departed.” Sir Malcolm pulled Lottie to her feet. “Let's leave these love birds alone."

  "First round is on me,” Diana cried. She hooked her arm through Charlie's. “And even you get a drink. You may be only nineteen, but having lived a hundred years in limbo makes you way past any silly drinking age."

  They all laughed again as they made their way out of the room. As she passed through the door, Diana turned back and gave them a wink.

  "Don't do anything I wouldn't do."

  As the door shut behind her, Justin snorted. “That leaves a lot of open ground."

  "Be nice.” Lara stared at the closed door. “She's been through so much. Let her have her fun. She's smart. She'll be okay."

  "I don't really care about Diana just this moment.” Justin rolled to lay prone on the bed, pulling her with him. “I care more about the woman I'm holding in my arms."

  Lara snuggled against him. “I do love you, Justin."

  He rolled again, so she lay beneath him. “Enough to forgive me? To give us a chance together?"

  She stared up at him. He looked so vulnerable, her heart softened. She threaded her fingers through his messy hair. “I do. It may take a while for me to fully trust you again, but I promise ... I'll try."

  They were both suddenly aware of those same words he'd spoken to her in the office, so long ago. Bending, he kissed her gently. “That's all I ask, sweetheart. I swear I'll prove my love for you a hundred times over."

  She smiled and moved against him gently. “Then you better get cracking."

  Justin's body hardened in a glorious rush. “Are you sure? You've been through a lot tonight."

  Lara reached up and bit him gently on the chin. “I'm still cold inside. I need you to warm me up."

  He gave her a slow, sexy smile. “Well ... I'm just what the doctor ordered then. Because I'm hotter then hell for you."

  She giggled, lifting her arms to encircle his neck. “Show me."

  "Yes, ma'am!"

  He slanted his lips over hers in a hungry kiss that showed her exactly how he really felt about her. She could feel the emotions pouring from him as he held her close. Desire, need, passion and now she recognized another sensation she'd seen in him before.

  Love.

  He did love her. It had been hidden with all the other emotions, but it was there, just like it had been there before.

  Tears filled her eyes and any reservations she may have had slipped away. He loved. She loved. It was perfect.

  She moaned as he kissed down her neck, loosening her robe as he did so. Spreading it apart, he feasted his eyes on her naked body. All at once, he was overcome with the thought of how close he'd been to losing her.

  Burying his head in her stomach, he held her close. “I almost lost you. God ... I was so scared."

  Lara wrapped her arms around his dark head. She didn't remember much after the light had exploded. Her only clear memory was of Justin's anguished face leaning over her. “But you didn't,” she whispered. “I'm here now, and I love you."

  He shuddered one more time. When he raised his head, his eyes were wet. “I love you."

  "I love you, too."

  He bent his head back to her stomach and kissed her again. His tongue swirled into her bellybutton and she gasped. Gently he continued down, kissing each hip, before rubbing his bearded face softly over her curly mound.

  "Justin,” she moaned.

  "Easy, sweetheart,” he said hoarsely. Her scent made him throb with his own need. “Let me love you. I want to."

  Surrendering to his dark gravelly voice, she lay back. Her hands clutched at the sheets as his mouth trailed kisses down the insides of her soft thighs. She moaned again and he burned even hotter.

  Gently, he moved so he lay between her legs. Using his elbows, he carefully spread them further apart, leaving her exposed to his hungry gaze.

  "So beautiful,” he growled.

  Lara bit her lip. She could feel her juices trickling down her leg, she wanted him that much. She watched him, her breath quickening as he used a finger to wipe at the liquid and then bring it to his lips. He tasted her, his nostrils flaring with arousal.

  "Justin,” she choked out. “Please."

  Smiling, he bent his head to her again. He ran his tongue up the outside of her moist nether lips. When she cried out, bucking against him, he chuckled.

  "So responsive. I like that in my lady."

  She grabbed at his head, but he ignored her, nuzzling the soft hair until he had moved the wet lips apart. His tongue snaked out, lapping at her, tickling up one fold and then the other. Slowly, he licked at her, tasting her essence, making the heat rise in her body.

  Then, using his fingers, he widened the now swollen folds. His tongue darted inside to tickle her clit. She moaned again, her body jerking against his hold. Unmercifully, he licked her, teasing the throbbing bud with his tongue and lips.

  Lara writhed beneath him, her body already out of control. Her breasts throbbed and sharp tendrils of heat danced in her belly. She felt like she was dancing on the edge of a sword, the need and pleasure warring with each other.

  Without warning, he speared his tongue deep into her hot, wet channel. Over and over again he plunged it deep inside of her. She screamed as the heat in her body all shot to her groin. Her toes tingled and her breasts swelled and when he suddenly sucked hard on her throbbing clit, she exploded, screaming his name as pleasure like she'd never felt before swamped her.

  She convulsed against him, her body jerking in climax. Justin groaned as his cock throbbed hard against the sheets. Suddenly, he too, was close to coming. Sliding up her still shuddering form, he eased himself inside her, groaning as her yoni clenched down on him.

  He moved slowly inside of her, their eyes fixed on each other. Wild with need, his sea-blue eyes were darkened to the color of a storm. He saw in hers, mysteries he wanted to spend a lifetime exploring. Bending down, he kissed her, showing her again without words just what she meant to him.

  He wanted to make it last, but the feeling of her hot tight channel was too much for him. Giving into his body's needs, he began to move strongly against her. Incredibly, she tightened even more around him as she wrapped her legs around his hips.

  Justin groaned as their bodies pressed even closer together. He couldn't tell where she stopped and he began. “I ... need you,” he muttered, his powerful strokes bringing himself and her to the edge of the cliff.

  Her whispered reply of “I love you,” was all it took to send them both over. The same white light that had brought them back
from limbo exploded around them. They both cried out as the sensations rocked through their bodies. As they climaxed, love, desire, passion and need enveloped them. Shaking wildly, they gave themselves over to it, knowing they had found what they'd been searching for their whole lives.

  True love.

  Epilogue

  Lara stood in the corner of the noisy casino, a satisfied smile on her lovely face. Everything was going wonderfully. People had talked about the fantastic time they'd had on the Halloween cruise and afterwards they had close to sell out crowds every night.

  Since they'd decided The Lucky Lady was more of a specialized casino cruise, they didn't make it free, like so many others were. They charged a small boarding fee, but then immediately gave most of it back with free drink tickets. It gave their ship a kind of elegant ambiance some of the others didn't have.

  They had two shows nightly in the lounge, plus gambling and all the free food you could eat. Charlie had come up with the idea of having tours of the ship, using its haunted history as the premise. Since he knew the stories ... intimately, he was in charge of that aspect of the business.

  He had decided to stay on The Lucky Lady, as had Lottie and Sir Malcolm. Grumbling about space, yet not meaning a bit of it, Justin had renovated the lower portion of the ship into more cabins.

  But only two. Giggling like a couple of teenagers, Lottie and Sir Malcolm had announced their engagement only a day after the Halloween curse had been lifted. As soon as Lara had found someone to make fake identifications for them all, they dragged their adopted family down to the courthouse to make it legal. Seemed they both thought a hundred years of courting was plenty.

  Justin hadn't wasted any time himself. He'd proposed to Lara immediately. He even jumped up on the bar during the middle of a cruise to do it. He'd thoroughly embarrassed himself and her, but she loved him all the more for it. And of course she'd said yes.

  "Merrow?” A colorful bundle of fur leapt up on the slot machine next to her.

  "Gypsy!” Lara scolded rubbing the feline's multi-colored head. “How did you get in here? Charlie let you out again?"