Barbara, alisakuya, kiara thanks much for the feedback. Sorry for the delay in getting the rest of this out, but Michael was being difficult and kept trying to go all alpha on me. Containing an alpha Michael is not an easy task along with finding the balance between funny, sexy and sweet. But here were are at the end, although I think I should say this chapter is more of a Mature rating than teen. Like I said in the story about Michael...
how does one restrain a force of nature? You don’t. All one could do was ride out the fury of the storm and pray you made it to the other side.
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New beginnings
“What do you think they’re doing here?” Liz hissed into his ear quietly as Maria and Max’s voices faded down the hall, her body pressed to his back as they crouched, hovering near the curtained entry of their breached sanctuary. Running a hand over her hair to smooth it, her eyes slid over the curve of his neck, licking her lips and wondered what he’d do if she leaned over and pressed her lips against his rapidly beating pulse.
“Who knows what the Candy Heart Crusaders are up to,” Michael replied sardonically, poking his head out to cautiously peer in their direction, breathing a sigh of relief and cocking a curious brow when he saw a familiar head of blonde hair slip into another private room. Well that was interesting. “Do you really care?”
He knew why he had dragged Liz here and it certainly wasn’t so they could have a discussion about rainbows and bunnies. Maybe Max finally grew some balls or got tired of one-on-one sessions with his hand and decided to get a life outside of Liz, leaving the pretty brunette free and clear. One could only hope. Filing that tidbit away for later inspection, he turned back to his companion, his breath quickening when he found her eyeing his neck as if it’d make a tasty snack.
She continued to surprise him tonight. He’d always assumed there was more than met the eye to the quiet brunette, but he had no idea just how much of her quintessential good-girl persona and bumbling innocence was part of a well crafted façade to keep people from seeing the devious mind working behind those Bambi eyes. Flushing slightly when she licked her lips salaciously and finally tore her eyes from his neck, he tried to remember why exactly it was they weren’t currently curled up on the cushion furthering human-alien relations.
He vaguely recalled it had something to do Max and not wanting to get mixed up in what was sure to be a world of emotional hurt if he gave into his feelings, only to have Liz run back to his brother. But he had seen the finality of that relationship written in the horrified gaze that met his when they overheard their exes outside their hideout. And the one thing he had to admit about Liz was that she had never lied to him. Withheld information certainly, but she never out right lied, unlike some people who’d remain nameless.
“No” she shrugged, lips quirking as color infused the crests of his cheeks, her breath growing shallow as smoldering brandy eyes traversed her body slowly before flicking over to the cushions contemplatively. Swallowing thickly, she squirmed when desire-laden irises turned back to her and sent him a wicked grin, cocking her brow.
Michael studied the smirking brunette before him covetously; licking his suddenly dry lips as his gaze latched onto her damp, pink mouth, nearly groaning aloud when she nibbled on the bottom lip. That was so sexy. Shuddering, his eyes flared and breath stilled as the tip of her tongue slid over her lips in a slow, sultry tease, grunting as white-hot tidal wave of desire flooded throughout his body.
Screw it. A couple minutes wouldn’t make a difference. And God, he needed to taste those lips just one more time.
Crawling towards her sinuously, his lips quirked into a sensual half-smile and dark amber burned with predacious light, hooding as her throat convulsed and she drew back against the wall, melted chocolate flicking over him in assessment. Breath caught in her throat, her heart picking up in tempo as he closed in and one hand rose between them, clutching his shirt, although whether it was to ward him off or pull him closer, she wasn’t sure.
“We shouldn’t,” she croaked half-heartedly, her breath coming in shallow pants when he halted long enough to wedge a knee between her legs, nudging them apart and settled between her thighs, continuing his slow advance until their bodies were compressed together, his lips centimeters from hers. Breaths mingling, he hovered over her, heavy caramel eyes flicking over her voraciously, scorching her skin before they pinned hers in challenge, daring her to resist his seduction.
“Don’t really care,” he whispered thickly, lowering his head centimeter by centimeter until his lips barely brushed against soft, wet skin, all the while keeping his eyes trained on hers. Pulling back slightly, his lips quirked when her cheeks flushed, her breath stuttered, and her lashes fluttered shut as he slid a hand over her neck and cupped the back of her head, sinking into warm, parted flesh for a deeper taste. Intoxicating. So damn intoxicating.
Swiping his tongue over her bottom lip, he pried her mouth apart gently, sliding his tongue along hers in a languorous, teasing dance, her soft cry of pleasure sending a spike of heat flowing through his blood and smirked as a shiver enveloped her body. Growling in the back of his throat, the fire in the pit of his stomach erupted when she moved against him restlessly and he slid his other arm around her waist, trapping her against hot, hard planes, his tongue tangling with hers in deep, insistent strokes.
Pulling back, hot breath fanned her face as he slid callused fingers over sweltering skin, splaying them against the slight swell of her stomach, her muscles clenching under his light caress. Sliding his mouth over her jaw, he latched onto her neck, sucking the tender skin into his mouth, nibbling and scraping blunt teeth over her pulse, sending a wave of pure pleasure zinging over her nerves.
Gasping, she tipped her head against the wall, exposing more of her neck to his searing kisses, burying slim fingers into thick, tawny waves, curling in and clutching the silky strands, pressing him closer as a raspy moan bubbled over her lips. He was going to drive her crazy. Swallowing harshly, she jerked slightly when his teeth nipped the delicate skin at the hollow of her throat and murmured his name as liquid fire pooled in her womb.
“We can’t…here,” she stammered, trying to recall why it was such a bad idea to give into his heated persuasion, her fingers tightening in his hair as he rocked against her subtly. Mewling as he slid her jacket off her shoulders, effectively yanking her hands down trapping her arms at her sides, she gave up on that elusive thread of reason as his mouth slid down her chest and his all too talented tongue traced the edge of her v-neck sweater. God, she had to stop this before she couldn’t. In a minute. Maybe two. Certainly before any clothes were removed.
“Should have thought of that before you watched me like you were trying to decide what you wanted to snack on first,” he mumbled against silky mocha skin, a sweet heat flooding through his body as his hands slid over her arms to cup her upper back. Drawing her mouth back to his, their mouths fused together as she struggled to pull her arms out of her jacket, wrapping them around his shoulders when she finally broke free.
Michael grunted his approval when her hands raked down his back tauntingly to settle at his waist and crush her to him, then flipped them around to gently lay her half on one of the cushions before he slowly sank into the cradle of her body. Rocking against her languidly, he gasped as her hands slid under his shirt, her fingers sending lines of fire blazing over his spine as she trailed them over contracting muscles. “God, Liz.”
Liz shivered as his hands trailed over her ribs, coming to rest at her waist, digging in slightly as their bodies moved against each other in a lazy, seductive motion, his sinfully soft, full lips coming back to her mouth to tease, tempt and brand. Drawing a shuddering breath, she tried to pull together enough of her shattered thoughts to insert a dose of reason into the situation.
There was nothing more she wanted to do than spend the rest of the night exploring the hot, spicy yet decadent taste of his mouth, and all that smooth, coiled sinew bunching under her fingertips, but a venue change was needed. Arching helplessly against him as his hand slid under her sweater and tank, tracing abstract patterns on her stomach, she broke the kiss long enough to issue a strangled bid for sanity. “Max…Maria…”
“Are busy,” he grunted, capturing her mouth once more to cut off the flow of her words. The last thing he wanted, was to hear that particular name on her lips when he was doing his damnedest to seduce her, even if it was only because she wanted to get away from the royal control freak. Dragging his lips over hers lightly, he dipped his head, desperate to sink into the sweet, vanilla and cinnamon burst flavored lips, when he felt a palm on his chest holding him off. Meeting her eyes, he nearly groaned in frustration as cautious ebony watched him imploringly.
“Michael…” she warned softly, her thick, husky voice doing crazy things to him inside and he nearly broke, desperate to push beyond her discomfort, aching to explore every satin inch of that golden flesh that had been tempting him all night.
“Liz…” he mocked playfully, hoping to get back to what they were doing but that hope quickly went down the drain as she cocked a brow and looked him pointedly. Swallowing his disappointment, he stared at her inviting pink lips longingly and sighed, knowing that they’d get no further there, and even grudgingly admitted, if only to himself, that it really was the wrong time and place given who was just a few doors down. Not that he was quitting by any means, just regrouping. And he had the perfect place for that.
“Fine, let’s get out of here before they remember they’re on a mission” he grumbled, pinning her with a hungry look before rolling his eyes at her resistance, not that it stopped him from dropping a quick, fervent kiss on her pursed lips.
“Thanks,” she smirked, rolling her eyes slightly at his uncharacteristic pouting. You’d think that she’d taken away his favorite toy. Sitting up, her gaze latched onto his red, slightly passion-bruised lips as she slid on her jacket and she ran her tongue over her own swollen flesh, her breath hitching as she wondered if she could entice him into staying with her for a few hours, if not the night. Eyes hooding, her heart palpitated at the thought of his body pressed to hers all night long, all those firm, taut muscles under her hands and mouth, to…okay, lets not go there.
Inhaling sharply, she ripped her gaze away from his mouth, flicking it up to smoldering whiskey and her mouth dried at the low, primal growl that emitted from his throat when their gazes met. Holding her breath as he crowded her once more, pressing his nose to hers as eyes clashed and melded, she squeaked when he thrust her into the wall and muttered in a low, dangerous tone, “You keep looking at me like that, woman, and we aren’t going anywhere.”
“Right,” she responded breathlessly, her brain nearly short-circuiting from the electricity zinging through her blood, and licked her lips nervously, trying to maintain a calm outward appearance as their noses bumped and his hair tickled her cheeks. Dear God, how could anyone exude this level of magnetism? Nodding her head, she pulled back, pushing him away gently before she gave into the temptation to taste those cherry red lips once again. “We need to get out of here.”
“If you insist,” he smirked, his lips quirking with pure male satisfaction at ruffling her feathers and the bright flush cresting her cheeks. Dragging his finger over her bottom lip seductively, his breath hitched as chocolate eyes shimmered with bronze fire and his eyes dropped to the wet, pink flesh under his fingertip, darkening further as desire shot over his nerves, his heart fluttering at the strange turn of events. He’d never dreamed that this was how his night would end.
“The sooner we go,” she whispered, dragging his eyes back to hers, his stomach jumping once more at the unabashed hunger that shone out, he swallowed thickly as she tipped her head and pressed her lips to his ear. Shuddering as warm, damp breath spilled over his flesh enticingly, he bit back a moan as she continued in a low, sultry voice. “The sooner we can…”
“I love the way you think, Parker,” he murmured throatily, cutting off her words as he flicked his eyes over her face hungrily and hastily stood, dragging her with him, yanking the curtain back and striding down the hall quickly, uncaring as to who saw them this time. He was staking his claim tonight. Screw Max. “Let’s get out of here.”
Ignoring the stunned murmurs and speculative glances of the partygoers, he plowed out the front door and across the lawn and halted only when they reached his bike, smirking at the comments swirling around them. Why not give them something real to talk about? Standing still, he watched her with smoldering intensity as she reached toward his helmet and licking his lips covetously, snaked an arm around her, yanking her into his chest, kissing her fervidly as a good dozen of their classmates looked on with surprise.
Moaning when her lips parted instantly, he buried his other hand into cool, mahogany silk, fusing their mouths together, his teeth nipping at her bottom lip before suckling the vanilla-coated flesh, laving the sting away with a slow, sultry swipe of his tongue. Sinking into depths of her mouth, he curled his tongue around hers, tangling against each other with insistent, demanding strokes, breath hitching when her hands slid over his back to weave into his hair.
He didn’t think he’d ever get used to the way her mouth felt under his or the way her taste clung to his lips; it set his every cell on fire and filled his chest with a sweet ache, rocked him to the very core. In her, he felt irrevocably lost and like he’d come home for the first time. Crushing her against him, he reveled in the tiny whimper clawing its way out of her throat as she pressed herself deeper into his frame.
Sliding her hands under his jacket and over his shoulders, Liz dug her nails into his back, clutching his shirt in her fists as she used it as an anchor, pulling herself into his body, fitting soft curves to taut planes so that not an inch of space remained between them. Meeting his passionate call with an equal fervor, she gasped as he lifted her slightly to get to her mouth better and wrapped her thighs around his hips of her own accord, sliding her back into his shoulder-length waves. God, the things he did to her.
Restraint thoroughly obliterated, she rocked her hips slightly, enjoying the soft groan rumbling over his lips and tugged on his hair as their lips melted together in a kiss that was all fire and unbridled passion, teeth, tongues and scorching, moist lips. Pulling back with a sharp breath as he crushed her further into him, she stared into sultry bourbon, her heart fluttering at the intense heat and something she couldn’t yet identify glowing in that piercing gaze and licked her lips nervously.
“Now everyone really has something to talk about,” he murmured, pressing his forehead to hers, smirking when her eyes widened slightly and her cheeks flushed as she remembered where they were, and he chuckled softly as she pressed her face into his neck self-consciously. Setting her down, he handed her the helmet, climbing onto the bike and waited for her to climb on behind him, feeling slightly smug at the lingering heat coloring her cheeks. “Lets go Parker, we have a lot to talk about.”
Liz licked her lips lightly, her cheeks burning as she looked around at her grinning and whispering classmates, her mind whirling at the implications of their actions just now. Not that she felt either Max or Maria deserved an explanation, but she also didn’t want them to find out this way either. Although, given what they saw this evening, maybe they wouldn’t be as heartbroken as she’d figured.
Tightening her grip on Michael as he pulled out onto the street, she shook the thoughts off her brow pinching as she noticed he turned the opposite direction to town, heading out toward the edge of town and the desert. Waiting until he halted at a stop sign, and tapped him on the shoulder, fixing him with a curious glance as he turned, “Wait, where are you going? This isn’t the way into town.”
“Relax,” he called, a half-smile touching his lips at her confused expression and nodded towards the road stretching out before them with a slight shrug. “I figured we’d take a quick ride first. If we go back now, we risk the chance of the Lovestruck Lollipop Guild tracking us down. But if we wait for another hour or so, they have curfew and we’ll be safe.”
“Hmmm…” she murmured thoughtfully, chewing on her lip as she rolled that over in her head and found she liked the idea. She certainly wasn’t ready for this night to be over quite yet, and it would give her the opportunity to spend a little more time with him. When they had left her house earlier that night, she hadn’t expected to end up here, but she’d be lying if she said she didn’t like where things were headed. And alone with him in the desert, under the stars…her breath caught at the thought, her heart hammering against her chest as a small shiver snaked over her spine.
“Unless you want risk the chance of running into Rome-no or spend the rest of the night listening to the Queen of Denial talk you into how perfect…” He drawled, unfairly playing on her fear of meeting up with Max, but willing to do what was necessary to get her to go along with his plan. It might be slightly manipulative, but he could sense she really wasn’t ready to end the night either.
“No, I’m good,” she assured, another shuddering rippling over her body, but this one of apprehension and alarm at the thought of being tracked down by her ex and having to put him off once more, or worse, his number one cheerleader and being forced to listen to her spout his supposed virtues. Really, Maria should just give it up and admit she was the one who really wanted to date Max. “Let’s go.”
“Figured you’d see it my way,” Michael snickered, turning back to the front, hiding the smile flitting briefly over his face before he continued down the road, heading out to Nasedo’s cave out on the reservation. The cave was remote enough that the Moonstruck Marauders couldn’t stumble on them, not that he really thought they’d think to look there in the first place. No one, not even Isabel or Tess, knew how much time he spent out at the cave after they had discovered it, or that he’d come to view it as a sanctuary.
Of course, he’d have to go by a different route because he didn’t really want her guessing where they were until he had gotten her out there and it was too late for her to do anything because they were ‘stuck’ out there. He knew that the cave and pod chamber’s held bad memories for her with everything that had gone down with their dupes, especially when they had found out Rath and Lonnie had held Alex out here to translate the book when they all thought he was in Sweden. If they hadn’t found him when they did…well he chose not to think of that. As sickening as it had been to watch Alex and Isabel, it was much better than the alternative.
Besides, he wanted her to see it from his eyes and maybe instill some better memories than the last time they’d all trekked out there. Turning onto the open road, he sped up just a touch, enjoying the freedom the desert allowed him and his heart stuttered, his lips curving slightly as her arms tightened around him, her body pressing against him. He could definitely get used to this. Closing his eyes for a mere second, he breathed in the cool night air and let the tension and pretenses slide off his shoulders before opening them and squeezing her knee gently, then flashing her a grin over his shoulder, speeding up.
Liz smiled at his mischievous look and tightened her arms around him, snuggling further into his back as he picked up the speed and her heart raced, the wind ripping around her erasing the tensions she’d been holding onto all day. Inhaling the crisp, clear desert air, she was almost disappointed to be wearing a helmet, as she’d love to feel the wind flowing through her hair. She never realized just how freeing riding might be and could see the appeal for Michael.
Relaxing into his body, she let her thoughts drift mindlessly as they rode through the night, rock formations she didn’t quite recognize in the dark, flashing past them as they rode along for several minutes, the night silent except for the rhythmic thrum of the motor. Closing her eyes, she dreaded the thought of going back to her apartment and losing this feeling of freedom, to being constricted by the role she’d been playing for the past two years, a vision that no longer fit the person she was becoming.
Sighing, she startled slightly when she felt the bike slowing and Michael maneuvering to the side of the road, her stomach clenching at the thought that their peaceful ride would come to an end soon and that they’d have to figure out where they stood exactly. Was this just a bout of Valentine madness that would be forgotten and ignored come morning? Frowning at that thought, she looked out at the rock formations and started to pull into herself, missing her companion’s careful regard of her as he halted.
Michael felt the change in her mood almost as soon as he slowed down and wondered what was going on behind those carefully guarded eyes. Halting the bike, he had a moment’s uncertainty now that they were out here; what if he had read her wrong? Shaking his thoughts off, he lowered the kick stand and climbed off the bike, meeting her questioning gaze briefly, thankful that it was dark and she had the helmet on so she wouldn’t see what he was going to do next.
“What are you doing?” she asked quietly, her voice filled with confusion as he strode to the front of the bike and carefully climbed off of it as he stooped as if to inspect the front wheel. Turning her back, she pulled the helmet off and set it on the seat. Watching her from the corner of his eye, Michael took that moment to wave his hand over the wheel and bit back a smirk as the air started to leak out slowly.
“Something didn’t feel right, so I pulled over to check it out,” he responded, scratching at his brow as he began to play his part and then gestured at the bike helplessly as she walked over to him and grunted as if annoyed. Liz looked down, a flash of alarm tingling over her spine as she stared at the deflating tire as he continued emotionlessly. “It’s a good thing too; we would have been toast if we were still moving.”
“Okay, so what’s wrong?” She asked brusquely, running a distracted hand through her hair as her mind whirled with her earlier unwanted thoughts and wondered why he was just staring at the tire rather than doing something so they could get back into town. Not that she was worried about her parents since they were gone for the next couple of days, but it was getting cold and she hadn’t dressed for the desert, not to mention her brief descent into reality had set her on edge. She needed some time alone to assess her feelings.
“Flat,” he muttered, scratching his eyebrow as he continued to stare at the wheel while he tried to figure out a plausible reason why they couldn’t get back to civilization since Liz was hardly the sort to just accept anything without analyzing it to death. Flicking his eyes to her clouded face, he mentally cursed as he saw the momentary doubts fill it and strengthened his resolve. She was close to running and he didn’t need that happening.
“Thank you Captain Obvious,” she replied, slightly exasperated as she fixed him with a droll expression. Like she couldn’t determine that one on her own. Swallowing thickly, she startled when he stood suddenly, looming over her and smirked, sending the faintest prickle of irritation simmering through blood. “I think I figured that one out for myself by the flattened rubber pooling on the road. What I meant, is what are you waiting for?”
“Well, Miss Impatient, I don’t have a phone, do you?” he sneered, pretending irritation to snap her out of whatever funk she’d sunk into as he turned to her, cocking a brow in askance. Waving his hand impatiently, he tipped his chin defensively and barely quelled the urge to laugh, as she glared at him and played right into his hands. This was a Liz he could handle. Flicking his eyes over her contemplatively, he did grin when her cheeks flushed and she bit her lip at that comment.
God, that was so sexy. He couldn’t count the number of times he’d barely refrained from pushing her against the counter at work when he’d seen her nibbling on that lip. Taking a rasping breath, he quickly tore his eyes away from her mouth, belatedly realizing he’d been staring and was about to grab her and nibble on the soft, pink flesh himself. Somehow he doubted she’d be open to a make-out session just yet. Time to play his role.
“Uh…Damn,” she whispered, looking off into the distance for a moment as she rolled that information around in her head. She had purposely left her phone behind because she didn’t want to deal with multiple calls from Max and Maria and she should have known better than to think Michael would have one since he barely used the regular phone. Fidgeting, she sunk her teeth further into her lip, missing his pained expression as her eyes skittered away nervously.
“Didn’t think so,” he snorted, repressing a sigh of relief and biting back a groan at her continued gnashing of her lip. If she didn’t stop that now, she was going to be in for a hell of a surprise as he thrust her against the rocks and worried it himself. Shaking his head to clear his Liz-induced haze, he was relieved she hadn’t brought her cell. It would have seriously foiled his plans if she’d busted one out. “So, unless you’ve suddenly developed telepathic abilities, we’re screwed.”
“Can’t you just…I don’t know…waggle your fingers over it and inflate the tire or something?” she spluttered, waving her hand towards the bike, wiggling her fingers as if she were sprinkling pixie dust over the tire to illustrate her point, forcing another snort from the man standing next to her. Sending him a quelling glance, she huffed and quieted, running a hand through her hair.
“Only if you want to risk getting blown up,” he smirked derisively, shaking his head slightly as he watched her, slowly closing the distance between them. His smirk widened wolfishly as her breath stuttered and she licked her lips, looking around nervously as the realization struck that she was alone in the desert with him, with nothing to distract her from the inevitable. Brushing against her softly, he trailed his forefinger over her neck, her pulse jumping under the light caress as he whispered seductively. “I’m not exactly known for my control, Parker.”
“So we’re stuck out here?” she murmured breathlessly, taking a couple of steps backward to put some distance between them, her throat convulsing and heart thrumming a staccato rhythm as he captured a few strands of her hair to keep her from moving too far. Stepping back once more, they continued their backward dance until she was flush against a rock wall, trapped with only inches between their bodies, his hands pressed to the bedrock on either side of her head.
“Looks like,” he mumbled, shrugging his shoulders nonchalantly as he crowded her further, his lips hovering just above hers, their breaths mingling as intense whiskey eyes drifted over her upturned face. Licking his suddenly dry lips, he swallowed thickly as her body shifted against his enticingly and he closed his eyes, pressing his hips forward, biting back a moan as stiff skin slid against the soft swell of her stomach.
“Great. This is…just great. All I wanted to do tonight was take a hot bath and forget today,” she rasped huskily, her voice thin and thready, heart pounding erratically as he slid a hand up her arm slowly, his fingers tracing over the gentle slope of her shoulder to cup the nape of her neck, eliciting a delicious, sensual shiver along her spine and cutting her words off momentarily.
Inhaling deeply, his mouth dried as her soft scent filled his nose and he smirked at her uncharacteristic babble and knowing he was getting to her, tangled his fingers into the cool, silky locks gathered at the base, gently tugging her head back. Fixing warm brandy eyes onto soft pink lips, he lifted his other hand and cupping her jaw, framed the delicate lines of her face, rubbing the soft pink flesh that held his attention with the pad of his thumb. Beautiful.
“B-but no, instead I spend the en…tire night fleeing my delusional ex and his c-clueless sidekick, who also happens to be…to be my best friend, with her ex,” she stammered breathlessly, finding her voice once more and continuing her Maria-esque ramble to distract herself from the full, velvet mouth closing in on her. “Who g-gets us stranded in the middle of nowhere with…without a d-damn cell phone. Perfect…just… ”
Trapping her head between his hands, Michael captured her lips, cutting off her words and crushing their bodies together; her mouth was like fire against his, spilling liquid flames into his mouth and its intoxicating lines spread over his body like a lava flow, the heat of those hot damp folds branding each and every cell in his body. Her taste was so damn addicting – vanilla and cinnamon, honey and mint and pure, hot, rich spices so exotic, he couldn’t name them.
It was a pure, unadulterated bliss as he’d never dreamed it; never thought was possible, but yet the hot, hungry suck of her lips told him otherwise. Heaven. How could he have lived his life this long without knowing what real desire and love was? And to think, he almost missed what had been staring him in the face.
Sighing, she melted against his body, giving up every pretense of resistance; with Michael there was no reluctance, no playing it safe, no desire to hold back. She couldn’t even if she wanted to; after all, how does one restrain a force of nature? You don’t. All one could do was ride out the fury of the storm and pray you made it to the other side.
His lips sunk against hers; a hot, velvet press that she wanted to get lost in for the rest of her life, a sweet, smoky spice she wanted to savor indefinitely and an addiction she didn’t feel the need to overcome. Electricity flared over her nerves, setting fire to places in her body and heart that had gone cold, untouched for far too long and she embraced the resulting firestorm unleashed by that far too soft, far too sinful flesh.
How had she lived without his light?
Lips played softly, devouring, mating with a voracious need that threatened to spiral out of control and drag them both down into a vortex of heat, flame and passion; to sear them from the inside out and leave them spent, drowning in rapture. Hands molded, touched, stroked, buried in silken waves as bodies pressed, brushed enticingly and breath grew short, hearts pounded, knees weakened, and thoughts grew foggy, distant and unnecessary as sensation ruled.
Parting reluctantly, each gasped at the air ravenously, their searing lungs dragging in the life giving force as he pressed his forehead to hers, eyes still closed and breaths mingling, both a little shaken by the sheer ferocity of emotion singing through their bloodstreams.
“That was to shut you up, so I can think,” he smirked, his breath labored as he stared down into dazed chocolate irises, biting back a groan as she swiped her tongue over her lips to savor the last, lingering drops of him on her lips. Brushing his lips over hers, he breathed deeply, a low sweet burn rippling through his body. God, these small tastes would never be enough, could never sate the hunger that went beyond simple lust.
“Right,” she retorted breathlessly when their lips parted again, her face shading with a touch of disbelief as she stared into the bright, molten caramel pools that kept sucking her into his fiery abyss. Shivering slightly at the heat simmering in their depths, her stomach jumped when an unexpected emotion flit through his eyes before he pulled away.
“Come with me,” he whispered, tucking a delicate hand in his as he walked towards the rock formations in front of him, leading her over the broken, rocky terrain carefully and smiling as she looked around curiously, trying to figure out where they were headed. Not that he expected her to recognize it, as he was taking her in the back way.
“What?” she murmured, flicking a hesitant glance to the dark shadows ahead and wondering why they were moving away from the street. Did he see or know of something that she didn’t? Glancing around curiously, a sense of déjà vu tugged at her senses but she couldn’t place when she’d been here. “Where are we going?”
“You’ll see,” he replied cryptically, snorting when she huffed at his less than forth coming answer and knew that it was probably driving that logical, overly analytical mind of hers crazy and relished that she was slightly off her game. Sometimes she thought too deeply on things and he liked shaking up her controlled, neat little world.
“What is it with aliens and being cryptic?” she griped, struggling to keep up with his longer strides as the shadows wrapped around them, making sight difficult. Praying she didn’t stumble over anything in the dark, she gasped when he held out his hand, a slight glow emanating from his palm and lighting their path.
“What is it with humans and being nosy?” he countered, snickering when she growled at him under her breath and tried to pull away. Clasping her hand tighter so she had no choice but to follow him deeper into the shadows, he slid around a corner and halted, pulling her to his side. Releasing her hand, he pressed a finger to her lips, before brushing a light kiss over her lips. “Wait right here.”
“Where are you going?” she asked, panicking slightly as he moved away, the darkness enveloping her completely and she swallowed harshly, heart pounding as he moved to what looked like a fissure in the wall. Wrapping her arms around herself to combat the night chill, she shivered as his words floated through the air.
“I’m going to grab something. I’ll be right back,” he replied patiently, slipping into the cave entrance, the faint glow of his palm eaten up by the cold, dank, dark walls and plunging her into absolute darkness. Clenching her hands, she held her breath until the glow came back into view, an indistinguishable shape in his other hand. Halting in front of her, he handed her a sleeping bag as he slid a backpack over his shoulder. “Come on, I want to show you something.”
Taking her hand once more, he lead her up a small, well worn path she hadn’t even seen in the dark, that wound around to a flat top, careful to keep his pace slow and even so she didn’t slip and fall onto the sharp rocks. Taking the sleeping bag out of her hand and tossing it aside, he pulled her to the top. Standing back, he watched as she turned in a circle, her eyes widening with appreciation as she took in the glow of city lights in the distance as well as the occasional smattering of light around them.
Licking her lips, Liz tipped her head up and gasped in surprise, marveling at the millions of stars she’d never had the opportunity to observe before with the naked eye due to the glare of lights in Roswell proper. Michael smiled as her eyes danced over the star-laced heavens and set about shaking out the sleeping bag and setting up a small camp as she drank her fill. Delving into his bag, he pulled out a striker and quickly built up a fire with some wood and kindling he hid in one of the crevices, laying the sleeping bag near the fire.
“Michael, it’s so beautiful,” she whispered reverently, still staring at the skies as if she’d never seen them before as he sat down on the sleeping bag, content to watch her reaction to his private sanctuary. He’d breached her sanctuary on more than one occasion, so it was only fair that he shared his. “Do you come here often?”
“Occasionally, when I need to get away,” he husked as she turned to face him, wonder and something he couldn’t quite place shimmering in those fathomless ebony eyes. Swallowing thickly, he ducked his head slightly, staring at the ground as he quietly confessed. “Especially before…I got my apartment.”
She watched him quietly, understanding flashing through her eyes as the rest of that thought remained unspoken – he’d come here when things had gotten to bad with Hank and he couldn’t go to Max because they were fighting. Suddenly his familiarity with the terrain and the supplies made perfect sense, though it made her wonder about their convenient break down. Licking her lips, she glanced away to keep him from feeling uncomfortable, rubbing her arms unconsciously as the wind began to bite through her jacket.
“Come here,” he offered quietly, holding out a hand to her as he noticed her body shiver slightly under the rapidly cooling desert air. Walking over to him slowly, she gently placed her hand his and sank to her knees, bracing her other hand on his upright knee. Scooting between his legs, she cupped his cheek and stroked his skin softly, the slight rasp of hair tickling her fingers. Sighing contentedly, he pressed his cheek into her palm, covering the delicate appendage with his own large hand.
“Thank you,” she whispered, tipping his jaw so she could meet his eyes, her fingers tracing over his features lightly, traveling over sharp, high cheek bones, memorizing the strong, aquiline nose, brushing over the full lines of his mouth. Running her fingers through the dark, tawny waves at his temple, she choked back the slight lump in her throat as she realized what this place meant to him.
“For?” he whispered back, his pulse racing as she moved closer, their bodies swaying together softly as if drawn like magnets. Closing his eyes, he moaned softly when her fingers tangled in his hair, running through it soothingly and slid his hands around her waist, pulling her deeper into his body, praying this wasn’t a long involved dream that he’d eventually awaken from cold and alone. Was this really happening?
“Bringing me here,” she murmured, sliding her hands back down over his face as she kissed his brow, her nose pressed to his hair and inhaled the warm, earthy scent of his skin, mixed with the musk of his sweat and the lingering trace of shampoo. Cupping his jaw, she pulled back and smiled softly. “For sharing your special place with me.”
Dipping her head, she brushed her lips over his, one hand snaking around to bury into the soft hair kissing the nape of his neck and hummed with pleasure when his tongue lightly traced her bottom lip, seeking entrance into her mouth. Parting her lips invitingly, she moaned when his legs straightened and his hands slipped over her hips, to her thighs, guiding her into a straddling position. Sinking onto his lap, she let their tongues tangle for another moment before pulling back to stare at him in wonder.
“Umm..sure,” he replied unsteadily, wrapping his arms around her back and cradling her against his chest, stroking her through her jacket, desperately wishing her could feel her skin against his palms. That was the only had thing about getting her out here rather than his apartment. It limited skin on skin contact. Which actually, come to think of it, was probably a good thing. He didn’t think he’d have the willpower to stop if they’d gone to his apartment. “I know it wasn’t what you had planned…”
“It’s perfect,” she reassured softly, sliding off his lap and shrugging out of her jacket as the fire (and the man in front of her) warmed her up considerably, laying it at the head of the sleeping bag as an impromptu pillow. Watching her carefully, Michael slowly shed his own jacket, adding it to hers as she unzipped her boots and set them aside and laid back against the sleeping bag, tucking her feet into the bottom.
Swallowing thickly, he drank her in, his eyes drifting over her lithe form reverently, her golden skin glowing in the low flickering light and his heart began to pound, breath catching in his throat as their eyes met, sable irises awash with smoky desire. His mouth dried and he licked his lips unconsciously when she crooked a finger at him, a soft, sensual smile teasing her lips. Breath choppy, he stretched out next her, resting his hand on her stomach, his fingers tracing, teasing the sliver of skin that had been taunting him since she’d put on the damn shirt.
Liz studied him through heavy eyes, her pulse racing, thrumming steadily as her eyes lazily caressed the lines of his face, his hair forming a halo in the firelight and her breath hitched as she sunk her teeth into her lip, nibbling absently. He was so beautiful. Reaching up, she tugged on his sweater, pulling his face within inches of hers and tangled her fingers into his hair, bringing their lips together in a slow, sweet tease.
Lowering his upper body against hers carefully, Michael pillowed her head against one arm, weaving his fingers through thick molasses strands, the taste and feel of her lips sending a heady rush of desire through his body, igniting the still smoldering embers burning in his gut. God, she was captivating. Sinking deeper into her mouth as her lips parted softly, inviting his slow, sensual invasion, he traced the folds of her mouth, this kiss softer and sweeter than the ones they’d shared earlier but no less passionate, teasing her mouth with sweet caresses that deepened in intensity with every stroke of tongue and press of lips.
Brushing his lips over hers, he startled when her tongue wrapped around his, scraping her teeth over it, sending a flare of heat through his body and changing their slow sweet kisses to fiery in the space of seconds. Rocking against her, he tangled his finger in her hair, drawing her into a devouring kiss and startled when his head swum dizzily, a connection stronger than any he’d felt before opened and flashes flowed between them.
Gasping as she felt a well known tingling, Liz’s head hazed over, pleasure rippling through her blood as a vision took hold, superimposing itself unexpectedly across her mind as their bodies flowed into and fused together. Lost in the sensations his lips and tongue were invoking, she tipped her head back and drew back from his mouth, sighing when his lips latched onto her neck and the vision came into focus.
*flash*
Shaking his thoughts off, he lowered the kick stand and climbed off the bike, meeting her questioning gaze briefly, thankful that it was dark and she had the helmet on so she wouldn’t see what he was going to do next. Watching her from the corner of his eye, Michael took that moment to wave his hand over the wheel and bit back a smirk as the air started to leak out slowly.
*flash*
Shaking her head to clear it, she pulled away, her breath hitching at the passion and raw emotion in his eyes, drawing air into her constricted lungs as the flash crashed over her senses and she made sense of the flowing images. He’d given them a flat on purpose. Biting back a grin at his sneakiness, she pressed a halting hand on his chest and stared at him seriously, her lips quirking when he watched her with confusion.
“You lied,” she accused huskily, cocking a brow at him as she played with the waves framing his face, wrapping a silky strand around her finger and smirked at his cautious gaze. Stroking his check softly, she watched the emotions flick through his eyes as he tried to figure out what she might have seen in the flash.
“About?” he asked warily, propping himself on his elbow and searching her face for any hint of what might have flowed past her eyes when they connected, although she didn’t seem too upset. Tracing her lips, he inhaled sharply when she kissed his fingertip.
“About the tire,” she replied, fixing him with a knowing glance, giggling when a light flush spread across the crest of his cheeks and he rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly, knowing he’d been caught. Snorting at his weak grin, she smiled back at him, unable to be annoyed with him after the connection they had shared. “You did that on purpose.”
“Oh, um…well…yeah,” he stammered, stumbling over his words as he stroked her stomach absently and shrugged nonchalantly, not bothering to deny her conclusion as he smirked unrepentantly. “I just wanted some uninterrupted time with you, and if we went back to your place or mine, one of the Sapid Swains would have stumbled on us for sure.”
“Ever think of just simply asking me?” she snorted, shaking her head merrily when he looked surprised at the suggestion. No, not Michael; he’d rather devise an elaborate plot to get his way as opposed to simply asking and potentially facing rejection. It was actually kind of sweet that he went through the trouble, not that she’d tell him that. No sense bringing more attention to the fact.
“Uh…not really my strong suit,” he admitted, scratching his eyebrow thoughtfully and shrugging his shoulders, still having trouble believing that this wasn’t just a drawn out dream. Settling onto the sleeping bag on his side, his breath snagged when she faced him, snuggling against his chest and closed his eyes, running his fingers over her hair. She was real. He didn’t know how this was even possible, but for once in his life he refused to question it.
“Obviously,” she murmured chidingly, raising her head slightly as he slipped an arm to pillow her head, his other arm draping around her waist, and tucking her into his chest. Meeting his eyes with a touch of humor, she pressed her lips to his softly, purring in the back of her throat as smoke and rain danced in her mouth as their tongues glided together languorously, teasing lazily. Pulling back, she watched him with sleepy, desire-laden eyes, asking breathlessly. “Anything else you want to tell me?”
Michael watched her quietly as he stroked his hand over her hair and along her back, his face blanking for a moment as he tried to decide how much of his heart he was willing to lay on the line tonight. Without a doubt, the events of the night changed things between them. He could never go back to just being on the fringes of her life. Not when he finally had a taste of heaven.
Tracing the delicate lines of her face, he smiled when her lips curved softly, something that had been missing from her face for the past two years. His heart welled knowing that he was the one behind that gentle smile. Tracing the soft, pick flesh with his thumb, his heart skipped a beat when she opened her eyes and he saw love shining in their depths.
Okay Guerin, be a man and just get it over with.
“Liz, about earlier, in your room,” he began hesitantly; clearing his throat as he absently toyed with a strand of her hair, staring over her shoulder as he tried to pull his thoughts together. Licking his lips nervously, his heart pounded in his ears as he flicked stoic caramel to curious coffee-tinted irises and he took a deep breath, hoping he wasn’t making the biggest mistake of his life. What if she wasn’t interested?
“Yeah,” she prompted when he fell quiet, her heart speeding up as his gaze met hers and something flickered behind the inscrutable expression he was desperately trying to hold onto. Nibbling on her bottom lip, she waited for him to continue and hoped he wasn’t about to tell her that they couldn’t do this because it’d hurt too many people. She was well aware that it was going to be difficult, but she was willing to put everything on the line for him. She couldn’t imagine going back to casual acquaintances.
“I wasn’t quite truthful,” he blurted, his words falling in a tumble as he forced them past his lips and looked away staring at the crackling flames as he tried to calm his breathing and rapidly pounding heart. Running a shaking hand through his hair, he looked at her, his mouth dry and body breaking out into a cold sweat. Why was this so hard to say? This was Liz. She wasn’t the sort to stomp all over a man’s heart even if she didn’t feel the same.
“About?” she asked quietly, her eyes dancing over his face questioningly, her heart and stomach fluttering as his emotion-laden eyes met hers and, her lips quirking slightly as a warm hopeful glow spread over her limbs.
“I wasn’t hiding from Maria,” he said quietly, touching her cheek gently as he rolled them over so that he was looking down on her intently and swallowed thickly, a small shiver wracking his body as her body naturally fit to his. God, please let her feel the same because he had no idea how he was going to manage to forget how she felt pressed to him, how she tasted and the way his name sounded on her lips.
“No?” she whispered hoarsely, her heart thrumming a staccato rhythm as their bodies pressed together and she barely refrained from closing her eyes to revel in the feel of him, sensing that he really needed her undivided attention. Shuddering as his body unconsciously rocked against hers, she sucked in a strangled breath and tried to focus. “What were you doing then?
“I was looking for you,” he confessed, holding his breath as he waited for her reaction, a small sliver of fear snaking over his back as he finally got the words out. That was it. No going back now. He’d laid his cards on the table and now it was up to her where they went from this point on. If she didn’t want to pursue anything, he wouldn’t force her. But damn, he hoped that wasn’t the case. “I was, have always been, waiting for you.”
Liz’s eyes widened slightly, the irises flaring as a blinding smile split across her face and she gave an incredulous laugh, joy bubbling out of her heart and she pulled him down to her, kissing him soundly. Michael gasped slightly in surprise as her lips met his, but smiled against her mouth when he realized he had his answer. She wanted him too. Pulling back, he pressed his forehead to hers, smiling softly.
“Michael?” she said, humming in the back of her throat as his hands caressed her neck, the callused tips sending tiny shivers of pleasure through her body, his hands becoming bolder as they skimmed her body. Gasping quietly, she tangled her fingers into his hair, pulling their lips together for a sweet, slow kiss that had her blood burning through her veins and set her body on fire. How had she lived without this passion, without him?
“Yeah?” he murmured, sliding kisses along her jaw line and over the sweet, vanilla-scented curve of her neck as he reached for the sleeping bag cover, zipping it up and cocooning them in its warmth before pulling back to study her silently, running his fingers through her hair. What had he done to deserve this, to deserve her?
“I’ve been looking for you too,” she whispered, smiling when his face lit up and he leaned down to press his lips to hers, and she sent a silent thank you to whatever force set them on the path to each other because while this wasn’t where she expected to end up, there was no place she’d rather be than with him in this moment, underneath the stars.
I have to admit I had a lot of fun writing this story. It's always nice to write a short, hopefully funny, fluff piece.