Firsts / Full Circle /Silk. (Mi/L/M Slash, Adult) (Complete)

[Tasyfa]

Heehee, the :evil: smilie. Posted in 2 parts for length.
hugs, Tas


Chapter 12

Max checked his reflection in the rearview mirror one more time, making sure he looked presentable, before climbing out of the Jeep and entering the house. He'd driven out to the desert after leaving Michael's, just sitting in the sand and watching the sun set. It had been tremendously soothing, and he felt ready to talk to his parents now. Well, as ready as he would ever be to discuss this sort of thing with them, anyway.

Following the sound of the television, Max headed for the living room. His father was engrossed in whatever was on the TV, his mother reading a paperback. They both looked up as he cleared his throat.

"Hi," Max smiled hesitantly.

"Hi," Philip echoed.

"I made a plate for you, it's in the fridge if you're hungry," his mother offered with a neutral smile. Max winced inwardly; she wore what he and Isabel had dubbed her 'smile and nod' face. When their grandfather had died, Diane had gone through all the polite motions with a pleasant smile, and all the while they had known how much she was hurting.

"Thanks, Mom, I'll have it in a bit. Can I talk to you guys for a second?"

Philip muted the sound on the TV and Diane put her book down, both looking at him expectantly. Max came all the way into the room and gingerly sat in the armchair.

"I—first off, I'd like to apologize for yelling at you. That was uncalled for, and I'm sorry," he said firmly.

They both nodded, and Philip added, "We're sorry too, for having gone to Isabel. We shouldn't have done that."

Max half smiled. "Well, that's true, but it doesn't excuse my behavior. I just lost my temper."

"It's been known to happen," Diane said dryly with a genuine, if small, smile.

"Right," Max had to laugh. "Anyway, I guess I'm, extra defensive about this because it's still pretty new and, I know it's a, uh, somewhat unconventional situation. We're still establishing the parameters and everything ourselves, so to talk about it to other people, especially—well, especially my parents…it's just hard. I also, I feel very protective, of Liz and Michael both," he tried to explain.

"We understand that, Max. It's not any easier to talk to your parents about sex when you're our age, you know. Your grandmother will occasionally make a racy comment on the phone about something she misses about Dad and it still makes me cringe," Diane laughed.

"Thanks, Mom, just the mental picture I needed," Max smiled, feeling suddenly at ease—in control of the situation. "Well, at least you know where I'm coming from, then."

"Of course, Max. We were young once too," Philip reminded him. "And while we might not have been involved in such unusual relationships, it's not that difficult to extrapolate."

Max nodded, silent for a long moment. "Thank you, both of you. I'm sorry for blowing up. You've been tremendous, about this whole thing," he said sincerely.

"You're our son, honey. And you're not a child anymore, Max; I'm not sure you ever really were one. You were born old, I think," Diane smiled fondly at him. Inwardly he acknowledged the peculiar truth of that statement; outwardly he merely smiled.

"Right. I'm, uh, I'm going to go eat now, if you don't mind," Max remarked, standing up when they indicated that was fine. He turned to leave as the volume on the television resumed its normal level, when his mother called after him.

"Max? Just one more thing, sweetie. Please tell Michael and Liz both that I expect them to use the front door from now on!"

"Will do, Mom," he grinned then went into the kitchen. After all, Max rationalized to himself, she hadn't said anything about him using the window!

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Liz placed the plate down in front of Max and slid onto the other seat in the booth with a smile.

"I've got five minutes coming to me, so I thought I'd sit with you," she answered his quizzical look.

"Cool," he smiled. She was giving him this weird look, the same one he'd gotten from her off and on all day. "Liz, what's up?"

"Oh, nothing much," she stalled and Max raised his eyebrows meaningfully while he began eating.

"You work till eleven, right?" Liz asked and he nodded. "Well, Michael and I are working close, so we should be done around ten-thirty or so, if you want to come over after your shift."

Max didn't bother concealing his surprise and, mouth full, he gestured towards the upstairs to indicate his question. Liz obviously understood what he meant because she smiled mischievously.

"My Dad just called. He and Mom are spending the night in Albuquerque. The car broke down and won't be ready until tomorrow morning," her dark eyes were full of promises.

"Then I definitely want to come over," Max told her, his insides tightening with instant desire.

Liz laughed. "I thought you might."

That speculative look appeared on her face again and Max couldn't stand it any more. "Liz, what's with the look? You've been looking at me like that all day!"

"Oh. I hadn't realized it was that obvious," she colored slightly. "It's just—I talked to Michael this morning."

That wasn't particularly unusual. "So?"

"Well, he gave me a little more detail than you did. About what happened last night," Liz clarified.

"He did," Max said, surprised. "What did he say?"

"Let's just say that he said enough to pique my interest," she said throatily, and Max's eyes widened as abruptly her little foot was in his lap, kneading his erection. Hastily he leaned forward so that the side of his open jacket would conceal her actions, but apparently not before Maria saw them since she winked saucily at Max.

"Liz!" he hissed. "Anyone can see!"

"I know," she smirked. "I wanted to be sure that you'd be ready for later."

"For you? Always," Max promised huskily.

"So, do you want to know what we talked about after Michael filled in the blanks?" Liz continued, blithely ignoring the possibility of being found out as her foot kept working its magic.

"Sure," Max answered. "Tell me."

Her eyes flared with mirth and desire both. "We listed off ways that we could piss you off."

"You did?" It was getting harder to think now. "But why? I know Michael liked it, but isn't just plain old me enough?"

"Max, that's not what I meant at all," Liz hastened to reassure him, clasping his hand. "We both love you exactly the way you are. You are usually very in control though, and sometimes… Well, the prospect of making you lose that control becomes an irresistible challenge," she winked.

Now, that he could understand! Max smiled slowly, feeling smug as Liz's gaze was trained on his mouth. Deliberately, he licked his lips before speaking, "So does that mean I can expect to be ambushed?"

Liz drew his hand up to her mouth and kissed the inside of his wrist, her lips undoubtedly feeling the pounding of his pulse there. "Absolutely," she breathed.

They stared at each other for a long moment then Liz let go of his hand and withdrew her warm little foot, standing up with a smile.

"Break's over," she explained. "But I'll see you later, right?"

Max looked up at her with a smile. "Later," he nodded, and her smile widened before she turned to go back to work. He watched her hips sway as she walked to the back of the café, appreciating the bare expanse of her legs as always. Later couldn't come soon enough!

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

[Tasyfa]

Finally finished cleaning up in the kitchen, Michael said goodnight to Karen and Gerry as they left. Karen told him that Liz was almost done out front, so as soon as he locked the door behind them he went through the swinging doors, stopping dead when he saw her.

Liz was leaning over the table in one of the booths, reaching all the way to the back. Her uniform, already short, had ridden up with her stretching so that it just barely covered her ass. Quietly Michael walked up behind her.

"Are you aware of how far up this thing rides when you're bent over like that?" he said breathlessly.

"That's why I don't do it when there are still customers here. Or when the blinds are open," Liz laughed, continuing to wipe at a stubborn spot on the table.

"But it's all right if I'm the only one here?" Michael asked rhetorically.

"It's nothing you haven't seen before, Michael. I take it Gerry and Karen are gone? I don't think this is going to come off," she sighed, about to give up and straighten when Michael pressed his hard warmth against her bottom and leaned over her, supporting himself with one elbow on the table. Liz's mouth dried instantly as fire raced through her.

"Yeah, we're all alone. And with a little help, I think it'll come off just fine," Michael murmured, his free hand inching her uniform up. "Do you realize that all I have to do is pull this up just a little, to expose your…shit, Liz, are you not wearing any underwear?" he gasped out as his hand encountered only smooth skin.

"It's a thong, Michael. I'm not commando," she choked out. The garment she had named was soaking wet as Michael reached through her legs to stroke against the fabric. Unable to move much, nevertheless Liz spread her legs wider instinctively, resettling her weight on the table to give him access. Suddenly the fabric parted and Michael yanked off the thong, stuffing it in his pocket. His hand returned to stroking her, his fingers slipping inside her wet passage as he pressed kisses to the nape of her neck.

"Michael! Oh my God," Liz cried out as his hand continued to work her. Michael kissed his way up her neck to her ear, licking the outer shell and nibbling on her ear lobe.

"One thing I didn't mention this morning was that Max told me what you said what you wanted to try," he breathed.

"Michael, I'm not—"

"I know, Liz, you're not ready for that yet. That's not what I meant. I just wanted you to know that I know, and that when you are ready I'll be there, willing and able," he smiled at her unsteady laugh.

"So noted," she said flippantly, shocked when that earned her a smack on her bare bottom. "Michael!"

"God, Liz…I could unzip and slip inside you, right here, right now. Take you in your parents' café. Every time you passed this table you would know that I fucked you on it," Michael declared huskily, making Liz shiver.

"Michael…do it," she pleaded.

"What about Max?" he asked slyly, his fingers still working her.

"M—Max?" Liz quavered.

"We agreed not to do anything major without him, remember?" Michael reminded her as he withdrew his fingers from her body and began stroking her clitoris. He shuddered as her hips started to move against him.

"Right! We need Max," she panted. "But Michael, I don't know if I can wait."

"He should be here any time now," he reassured her, knowing that his incessant stroking wasn't going to help her—or him—hold out but unable to stop himself. She felt too good, her slick skin hot against his hand.

"Actually, he's already here," Max's voice drifted to them and Michael whipped his head around, to see Max framed in the back room doorway. Michael had a momentary panic attack before Max met his eyes. There was no accusation, no anger in Max's face, only love and a fierce desire.

Max had opened the locked back alley door and relocked it behind him, entering through the swinging door in time to hear Michael tell Liz he could take her on the table. He'd frozen in shock at the picture before him, but as the halting conversation continued and he heard that their agreement was still in place, even after the events of Liz's birthday, the shock thawed. Max was humbled and touched that his lovers would be so considerate of him, and he vowed that he wouldn't stand in their way any longer.

Michael watched as Max walked over to them, sliding into the booth as though he were a customer, waiting to order a meal. His eyebrows raised in surprise as Max casually put his feet up on the opposite bench.

Liz smiled as Max came into her field of vision, which was strictly limited at the moment thanks to her position. "This isn't exactly what you expected when I said I'd see you later, I'm betting," she joked.

Max gave her one of those slow smiles that always stopped her heart. "No, not exactly, but I'm not complaining."

She watched as he looked up at Michael, whose hand was still stimulating her. Her sharp anxiety about Max's reaction soothed, the sensation began to crash into Liz again and she moaned.

Michael saw the way Max's eyes glittered and knew it was all right. He was made certain of that when Max murmured, "I believe Liz asked you for something, Michael."

"Yeah," Michael nodded. Max leaned towards him and suddenly, Michael found his pants unzipped and shoved down, allowing his hard cock to spring free. Max gave him a single stroke then leaned back to watch.

Liz felt Michael's hot skin slide along her ass and realized that Max had bared Michael for both their pleasure—for all their pleasure. Knowing that he was more than OK with it combined with Michael's insistent stroking sent her flying, her hands flexing on the table's edges as she climaxed with a soft cry.

Michael brought his cock in to his hand, holding himself at Liz's opening. He pushed in just a little, listening to her ask for more and rock back as best as she could. It was a sweet, sweet feeling, knowing that she wanted him so much, and that while Max might be a sideline participant now, he hadn't instigated it this time. Michael had, and Liz had responded wholeheartedly.

"Michael, now!" Liz demanded, needing him. As if that had been his cue Michael surged inside her, burying himself in her slick heat. She cried out in surprised pleasure.

Max saw her eyes fly open, a stunned look crossing her face. "What?" he asked quickly.

Michael hesitated, still encased in her warmth. Liz smiled and got out, "Michael's just—God, you feel huge from this direction!"

"Are you OK?" Michael asked. "Didn't you know it would feel that way?"

"How would I know? I've never been in this particular position before," she laughed and Michael's eyes snapped to Max. Max nodded slightly, confirming the information, and Michael's desire intensified wickedly. He didn't want to hurt Liz, though, so he repeated, "Sweetheart, are you OK?"

"Oh, I'm good, Michael. I'll be a lot better once you start moving!" was her laughing reply. She waited tensely; it hadn't been painful, merely surprising. And she definitely wanted it all.

Michael withdrew agonizingly slowly, creating the expectation that he would push back in the same way. When he was almost free of her body he slammed into her, rocking her forward against the table.

"Yes!" Liz hissed; that was exactly what she needed from him. Dimly Liz was aware that she would have crease marks on her skin from where the edge of the table dug into her but she didn't care, it didn't matter. All that mattered was that Michael did not stop.

Which he didn't. Intoxicated by the feeling of her tight walls around him and the myriad bits of knowledge surrounding this act, Michael let go and pounded into her small body, spurred on by Liz's loud moans. He couldn't get enough of her.

Unable to do much more than receive, nevertheless Liz never stopped trying to rock back to meet Michael's heavy thrusts. The friction was unbelievable and all too soon she felt her tension spike and nearly screamed, "Michael!"

With his name practically echoing from the rafters of the empty café and Liz's contractions around his cock, Michael came with her, pressing kisses to the nape of her neck as he bent over her completely. They stayed like that for a few minutes, enjoying the closeness, then Michael pulled out and stood back.

"Oh, my. Remind me when we get old that I want a soft surface for this," Liz groaned with a smile as she straightened slowly. Out of the corner of her eye she caught movement just as she heard a zipper and she whipped her head around to look at Max, who bore an adorably guilty expression as he rebuttoned his fly.

Crap, Max thought as he realized she'd seen enough to understand. He hadn't intended to touch himself but they were so wild and beautiful together…he couldn't help it. His own caresses had taken the unbearable edge off the need rising in him, though he hadn't taken it far enough to gain release.

"Max, don't be embarrassed. Michael and I have both done that," Liz said reassuringly. Privately she was thrilled that he'd been affected enough to need release; that was definite progress. Except…her eyes narrowed and she slid onto the table, dropping her shoes on the floor and seeking out his groin with one bare foot. Still rock hard.

"But you didn't take it far enough," she smiled, grinning openly at Max's surprise. Had he thought she'd condemn him for it? He was so naïve in some ways still.

Michael took the bench opposite Max in the booth, only now catching on to what they were talking about. He felt much the same as Liz: Max was making progress. "Hey, that was my introduction to this relationship, so I hardly think it qualifies as breaking the rules, Max," he teased gently. Michael knew that it was a sensitive area for Max so he didn't push.

Max nodded, moving Liz's foot away. The movement spread her legs, making him aware that she was sitting in front of him naked under her uniform. Michael hadn't dried her skin, she'd moved away too fast, and so Max could smell her own arousal and Michael's fluids both. His groin tightened and he looked up at her face then over at Michael.

Liz knew that the two men were communicating silently, and from the searing look Max had given her she was fairly sure she was the subject. Still, it surprised her when Michael grasped her shoulders from behind her and pulled her down to lie flat on the table.

"What—" she started to ask, the question dying away as Max pushed her legs wide apart and dragged his tongue across her wetness, fingers slipping inside her. "Ah!"

Michael swiftly unsnapped her uniform and removed her bra, placing it on the seat beside him. His large hands covered her bare breasts, kneading the pliant flesh.

"That was one disadvantage of taking you like that. Your poor breasts got neglected," he told her with a smile, hearing her gasping laugh.

"So, do it on a bed next time. My thighs and abdomen would probably thank you, too," Liz smiled.

Max could hear their conversation and he looked up, seeing the red marks marring the perfection of her exposed skin. He reached up, passing a glowing hand over her and erasing them.

"Thank you—oh!" she exclaimed as his well-lubricated fingers pushed inside her rear passage while his tongue returned to her clitoris.

"What?" Michael asked, his hands pulling at her stiff nipples. He loved the way they stood straight up after being manipulated.

"Max's—hands—inside me," Liz panted. Her hips lifted involuntarily, circling, trying to get closer to Max.

"Both hands?"

"Ah—yes," she moaned.

"And you like that," Michael not quite asked, his voice husky. He could see how it affected her but he wanted to hear it.

"It's amazing, Michael."

Max felt a little strange about being the topic of discussion while he was right there, but admittedly he couldn't contribute anything to the conversation while his mouth was busy pleasuring Liz. He could taste only her juices now but the smell of Michael lingered in his nostrils, and Max couldn't believe how much the mingled scents aroused him. Thinking of how seeing them together had made him feel, he realized that he really was moving past being jealous.

He also realized that Liz was close to the edge and so he carefully sucked her clitoris into his mouth, still licking with the tip of his tongue.

"Oh, my God," Liz breathed out just before the intense caress forced her back to arch and her legs to close around Max as release flooded through her.

Michael watched her face contort, thinking that was another thing he'd missed earlier. She looked gorgeous in the throes of passion.

Max continued his caresses until Liz relaxed then withdrew everything. He sat upright, thinking ruefully that he, at least, was now worse off than when they'd started. What little relief he'd been able to give himself was long gone and his groin ached. A lot. He heard a bit of whispering from the other two then Michael helped Liz sit up.

"I never did get a hello kiss," she teased Max and he laughed, leaning forward. Liz bent down to meet his lips for a lingering kiss. When they pulled apart slowly, she smiled then hopped off the table, grabbing her cloth and giving it a quick wipe. Liz went to re-snap her uniform when Max laid his hand on her arm.

"Leave it," he requested softly. She met his eyes, shivering at the dark desire she saw there. Glancing quickly at Michael, whose mouth quirked in acknowledgement that he wanted it left open too, Liz let her hands drop.

"OK," she acquiesced. "Um, stay here; I'll be back in a sec."

The two men watched while she gathered the ingredients and made two milkshakes, the machine sounding loud in the empty café.

"Didn't she clean that already?" Max asked, thoroughly confused.

"Nah, she always cleans it last. Says she hates it, so she likes having it be last, then she knows she's really finished for the night," Michael explained. "All the glasses and stuff were clean, though, so I don't know what she's up to."

Liz returned to the table, placing one shake in front of each man. "Two Alien Blasts," she said brightly to both, but she looked at Max.

She can't have seen that one, can she? Wouldn't she have said something? Max babbled to himself upon seeing the mischievous gleam in her eyes.

Michael realized that there was something else going on from the nervous look on Max's face. He chuckled inwardly, having a pretty good idea what this was about now, and reached for his shake. Might as well enjoy it!

Liz couldn't believe that she was actually going to go through with this, but she'd seen one of Max's older fantasies once in a flash and now that there was this window of opportunity she wasn't about to let it slide.

"Hi, I'm Liz and I'll be your waitress. I know that you've already eaten," her face reddened but she plunged on, "however, is there some other way I can be of service?"

"Service?" Max squeaked. He glared at Michael when the other man kicked him. "Uh, sure—Liz, is it? What did you have in mind?" Max tried to play along and act nonchalant but he was afraid that his inability to control his breathing acted as a dead giveaway.

"How about the special?" Liz asked, her cheeks burning now. She was afraid to look at Michael for fear that she would collapse in either embarrassment or laughter. But Max was so cute, all flustered and nervous. It was almost as if he were sixteen again and only beginning to court her.

"Yeah, OK, the special. That—that sounds good," Max nodded dazedly, having absolutely no idea what he'd just agreed to. He swallowed hard when Liz gave him a sunny smile and suddenly crouched, crawling under the table. Oh, God, she did see it, was all he could think of as her hands deftly unzipped his pants.

"Uh, Liz?" his voice cracked.

"Just relax, sir. Talk with your friend while I get you the special," came her muffled voice.

Michael raised an eyebrow as Max flushed at the 'sir.' "Interesting, Maxwell," he ribbed.

"Shut up, Michael. I know for a fact that you had the same thought about Maria at that time," Max hissed. He shifted at Liz's silent prompts, allowing her to pull his pants out from underneath him and tug him forward to the edge of the seat. He couldn't think past the fact that she was actually under the table of the booth where he always sat, about to do wicked things to him.

"Touché," Michael admitted. "OK, so what do you want to talk about?"

"What?" Max stared at him uncomprehendingly.

Michael laughed; he was thoroughly enjoying seeing Max so off balance. "Your waitress said to talk, so talk." He sucked on his straw, drinking the milkshake.

"Uh, school!" Max blurted out as Liz's warm mouth engulfed his aching erection. Had it always felt this good? He was sure it had, it was only that he needed her so badly right now. And that she was re-enacting one of his adolescent fantasies in even more erotic detail than he'd been capable of imagining at that point in his life. When he glanced down he could see her dark head bobbing smoothly and the faded vinyl of the bench seat, with Michael's legs beyond her half nude body. Oh, God.

"What about school?" Michael inquired, grinning.

"It's almost over?" Max offered randomly.

"Are we still talking about school, Maxwell?" he asked, seeing how Max radiated heavy arousal. His own cock was beginning to rouse at Max's vivid reactions.

Max clutched the table edge with both hands, his knuckles turning white. "OK, that wasn't part of the original," he declared tightly. His head fell back against the booth as his hips bucked up to meet Liz's mouth and her penetrating fingers.

Liz had remembered that he kept lubricant in his pocket, the memory fresh since he had just used some with her. Deciding to go for broke, she maneuvered it out and spread some on her hand, rocking Max far enough back so she could get leverage.

Michael gave up the pretense of conversation and openly watched Max's face as Liz pleasured him. His groin tightened as Max tossed his head, his lips murmuring soundlessly. Michael noticed the rhythmic way that Max's hands flexed on the table edge and realized it was in response to Liz's actions. From the speed, he guessed that Max was close.

He was right. Max arched, crying out as Liz coaxed him into climax. She swallowed hastily, her fingers still pumping though gentler now, until his body had nothing left to give. Liz carefully withdrew, placing a kiss on Max's abdomen before crawling out from under the table and standing. She grinned at his expression.

"I trust the service was satisfactory?" she inquired coyly, giggling a little when Michael laughed.

Max looked up at Liz, thinking that she had never looked sexier. Her uniform still hung open, exposing her bare skin, and most of her hair had fallen out of the formerly neat bun she'd had it in at the back of her neck. Her lips were reddened and her cheeks flushed, and she was utterly gorgeous.

He slid out of the booth, pulling his pants up enough so they wouldn't puddle to the floor, and caught her in a tight hug then kissed her, slow and sensual. When at last he let her go, Liz blinked at him and he grinned.

"What was that for?" she asked.

"That, Liz Parker, was your tip for exemplary service," Max winked at her and she laughed.

"Why thank you, kind sir," Liz flirted. She became a little more serious. "Why don't you two finish your shakes and clean the table, and I'll do the machine, and then we can—go upstairs."

She smiled as Max and Michael exchanged glances and nodded.

"Sounds good to me," Michael agreed out loud, his gaze drawn to Max as he re-zipped and sat back down.

"Me too," Max echoed, sending her a heated look.

Liz went to clean the milkshake machine with a smile, thinking that no one was likely to get much sleep tonight.

[Tasyfa]

Upstairs, anyone? Posted in 2 parts for length.
hugs, Tas


Chapter 13

"Well, I'll tell you what's going to happen first," Liz announced as she, Max and Michael entered her bedroom. "Michael and I, at least, are having a shower."

"What? Why am I getting picked on?" Michael complained.

"Because you smell like grease from the kitchen, that's why," she told him.

"I don't know, Michael. Liz, naked and wet with soap doesn't sound like you're getting picked on," Max laughed.

Liz hooked her fingers in the front of Max's pants and hauled him closer. "You realize that you're invited, right?"

"Yeah, you smell like that lemon shit from scrubbing the floor," Michael teased him.

"You made him scrub the floor? What did you do?" Liz asked in astonishment.

"Cleaned the table and the booths. People eat there, Liz—normal meals, I mean," he stressed as she laughed.

"Thanks, guys, I appreciate it," Liz smiled as she shrugged out of her open uniform. She rolled her eyes at their somewhat disappointed looks. "Never mind. You've had your fantasies, I want out of my work clothes!"

"No complaints about nudity," Michael remarked. He wrapped his arms around Liz, groaning when she wrinkled her nose. "You didn't seem to mind a little while ago."

"That's because you were behind me, Michael. I couldn't smell you," she giggled, tapping his nose and wriggling out of his arms to go to her bathroom door. Liz turned and struck a pose. "You guys coming or what?"

The two men exchanged a look and hastily began stripping off their clothes, much to Liz's amusement. Although…she had to admit that she liked watching them undress. The way Max undid every button of his shirt, exposing his magnificent chest a little at a time; how Michael's hands carefully unbuckled his leather belt then ripped open his jeans. For all the care they took with different things, they were both as nude as she was in about two minutes flat. She smiled flirtatiously and disappeared into the bathroom, stepping into the tub and starting to run the water.

By the time she had the temperature adjusted to her satisfaction, there were two male bodies crowded in with her and one of them had pulled the shower curtain all the way around the old-fashioned claw foot bathtub. Liz issued a warning before turning on the showerhead and standing up.

"You call this a hot shower?" Michael teased, pulling her closer as Max stepped in behind her.

"No, this is a perfect warm shower, Michael. I don't scald my skin off like I'm sure you do," she stuck her tongue out at him briefly. "I get first dibs because it takes me way longer to wash my hair."

Liz closed her eyes as Michael leaned in close and kissed her gently. As his lips left hers, he murmured, "Let Max."

She twisted to see Max. He looked surprised by the suggestion but there was also a kind of hunger on his face and Liz smiled. "Would you like to?"

He blushed slightly as he nodded, and Liz faced Michael again, moving back until her head was in the stream of water. She hummed in pleasure, eyes closed, as Max's fingers gently combed through her hair, making sure it was all saturated with water before he adjusted the water flow to hit lower on her body and applied shampoo to the wet length.

"Liz, you seem to be out of soap," Michael announced. "Where do you keep it? I'll get some."

"I'm not out, Michael. I don't use soap; I use body wash. It's in the pink bottle," she explained, grinning at his snort of disgust after flipping the cap open.

"We're all going to smell like strawberries," he complained.

"Better that than grease, my love," Liz ribbed him.

"I'm guessing this exploded piece of tutu is supposed to be the sponge?"

Liz laughed. "Yes. It doesn't lather as well but you can just use your hands, Michael."

"I'll keep that in mind," his tone changed, becoming more seductive and Liz shivered as Max redirected the water onto her hair and rinsed out the shampoo. He murmured near her temple, "Why don't you let Michael rinse off before I do the repeat?"

"Mmm, OK," she agreed, turning to kiss Max. "I love the way you do that. It makes me feel so treasured."

Max smiled against her lips. "Because you are, Lizzie. You're an interstellar treasure," his smile broadened as she laughed.

"OK, water hogs, let me in there," Michael ordered. Liz and Max broke apart and moved out of the way, letting him place his body into the stream of water. They smiled at each other but refrained from commenting about the pink lather that was swirling down the drain. Liz handed Max the bottle of body wash and he hastily used it as well, rinsing off after Michael was finished.

She tipped the open bottle over her hand, intending to follow suit with the two men, when Michael took it away from her. "Michael, I would like to get clean too."

"Uh-huh. You will. While Max does your hair, I'll do the rest of you," he smirked at her wide eyes.

Just like for my birthday spa. Except this time I have to try to stay on my feet, Liz remarked wryly to herself. But as Max began massaging her scalp and Michael ran his soapy hands over her back and shoulders, Liz gave herself up to the sensation and trusted that they would not let her fall. Besides, if I crack my head open on the tub Max can always heal me.

Michael watched her eyes drift closed, her lashes seeming extra full from the water clinging to them. She was so unbelievably sexy, especially the way she stood right now. Head tilted back so Max could work on her hair, pink-tipped breasts thrust into the steamy air, thighs parted by her wide-legged stance. He was unable to resist dropping a wet kiss on each hardening nipple, smiling at Liz's soft moans. Then he covered her breasts with his hands, massaging her drenched skin into a rich lather. Slowly Michael rubbed the liquid soap over her torso, enjoying the way her skin slipped through his fingers. It reminded him of how his cock slid against Max right before he pushed inside, all slick with lubricant.

Liz delicately lifted each leg in turn, following Michael's voiceless prompts. In spite of the warm water sluicing over her she felt shivery as he lathered her body, even as Max lathered her hair. Both feet planted on the bottom of the tub again, she opened her eyes as Michael cupped his hand over her mound.

"Michael, not inside," she murmured, her knees weakening at the sight of him kneeling in front of her.

"I know," he reassured her. The soap would irritate her sensitive feminine tissue; definitely not his goal. He carefully massaged all the way around, smiling as her dark curls took on a white cast. Would they go all gray or white like regular hair with age? With an internal laugh, Michael thought that even if they did, by the time Liz's hair was all white he would be in no shape to kneel like this to appreciate it.

His fingers glided lower and it hit Michael that there were all kinds of bad jokes and stereotypes about two guys and a bar of soap for a reason: its slippery nature made it a natural lubricant. Listening to his impulse he made sure his hand was generously covered with lather and gently pushed two fingers inside her rear passage.

"Michael!" she exclaimed in surprise.

"What?" Max murmured, holding her close as he sensed her wobbling. He'd just finished rinsing the last of the conditioner out of her long hair and with one hand reached for the showerhead, directing the spray over her soapy body. Seeing Michael at her feet had a profound effect on him, a sense of rightness that Max didn't want to question overly much.

"I wasn't expecting it, that's all. Though I should have been," Liz's eyes sparkled as she craned her neck back to see him, and Max understood what she meant. He smiled.

"Only because your body is irresistible," he told her before he kissed her, tongue entwining with hers.

"And still full of strawberry lather," Michael's amused voice floated up. Max didn't stop kissing Liz but he did start playing the water over her again, cracking his eyes open to glance down at Michael. He looked as sexy as Liz did, his long hair curling slightly in the damp heat and his face glistening with water. He winked at Max as his fingers tangled in Liz's short curls, rubbing away the soap bubbles.

Max knew that as soon as the soap was gone, Michael would taste Liz. He couldn't fathom either of them being that close to her and not taking advantage of it. So he kept his eyes open that tiny bit and once Michael's rubbing motions had stopped, Max redirected the water down Liz's side so Michael wouldn't drown. Then he stepped even closer to Liz, supporting her torso against his chest, and slid his hands down over her abdomen and further, spreading her petals apart for Michael.

Michael looked up, startled, to see Max smile at him as he broke from Liz's mouth and began kissing her neck and shoulders. There was a slight feeling of reminiscence, reminding Michael of the first time he'd seen Liz naked, at that party. When Max had held her open for only his eyes and Michael hadn't been allowed to taste. Things had changed so much since then. Max had changed, and Michael wondered if he and Liz really appreciated how hard it had been for Max.

They could show him, later.

Liz gasped as Michael's tongue touched her, the sound threaded with a smile because the first place he licked was Max's fingers. She had long since stopped being amazed at how they communicated somehow with each other when their shared goal was her pleasure and simply enjoyed it. Like she was now, as Michael traced her with his tongue then settled into a rhythm that was designed to drive her over the edge fast, especially with the gentle thrusting of his fingers, still encased in her sudsy bottom.

It didn't take long for Liz's body to yield to Michael's relentless rhythm and she climaxed with a soft cry. He withdrew mouth and hands and so did Max, helping her to stand upright. Liz smiled down at Michael and gave Max a quick kiss before exchanging places with him. She rinsed the remaining soap from her and kissed Michael once he too stood up.

"I'm going to step out now. You two still need to wash your hair," Liz smiled, plucking at one of Michael's long locks. "I'll meet you in my room."

And with that she was gone, leaving them alone in the steamy bathtub. Hesitantly Max picked up the bottle of shampoo. "Um, I could do yours, too," he offered, not meeting the other man's eyes. Somehow it felt considerably more vulnerable to admit that he enjoyed Michael's hair as well as Liz's.

"Fetishist," Michael teased gently, moving forward. Max opened his mouth to protest, only to find it sealed by Michael's lips. He relaxed into the kiss, understanding that Michael didn't mind his minor obsession either. Both his lovers accepted him the way he was, slightly off center urges and all.

"Didn't Liz tell you, that's partly why I let my hair grow?" Michael muttered against Max's neck amidst soft bites and kisses.

"I thought it was just you being lazy," Max teased breathlessly, arching his head back under Michael's caresses.

"It was, at first. The longer it got the more you had your hands in it, though, and I like that Maxwell. I like your hands on me, period," Michael said huskily, running his own hands over Max's wet skin. He hauled Max closer, rubbing their erections together, delighted with his low moans at the friction. Fleetingly he thought about taking Max now; watching his reactions while Liz had been under the table had lit a fire in Michael. But with a 360° shower curtain and no wall, he could wait a little longer. Until they were all in Liz's bed, with Liz.

"Better do the hair before we get carried away," he murmured raggedly and pulled away from Max.

"Right," Max agreed, trying to control his breathing. He rapidly washed his own hair then lingered a little over Michael's, conveying love through his fingertips. Finally they were both completely clean and he shut off the water as Michael opened the curtain.

[Tasyfa]

Liz turned on her side as she heard them enter her room, smiling at their tousled appearance. Obviously they had both simply towel-dried their hair and skipped any acquaintance with a comb. It made them look younger, Max especially.

"I was beginning to think you'd gotten lost," she teased.

"We were only in the next room," Max smiled at her, sitting on the edge of the bed.

"Lost in each other," Liz clarified and he leaned in to kiss her.

"Not with you waiting out here."

"Although if your shower had a solid wall, Max might have found himself spread-eagled against it," Michael said candidly, appreciating the flush that colored Max's cheeks at that statement. He eased onto the bed behind Liz and watched her kiss Max again before she lay flat, resting in between the two men.

"So, what's the plan for today?" she asked with a mischievous smile.

"Plan?" Max shook his head and stretched out beside her.

"Yeah, plan. Usually when we end up all together, you two have some pre-arranged idea of how things are supposed to go," Liz's smile widened at their chagrined expressions.

"No plan this time," Max confessed obliquely.

"I was thinking, we could all simply pile naked on the bed and reach for whatever we felt like touching," Michael commented. Liz looked at him, raising her eyebrows.

"So if I felt like doing this, say, then I'd just do it," she slid her hands down both their torsos, grasping an erection in each hand.

"Pretty much," Michael agreed, bending closer to kiss her. His tongue flickered into her mouth and Liz relished the faint taste of herself on his lips. Tugging Max with her in spite of his laughing protests, she pushed Michael onto his back, still kissing him and fondling them both.

"Liz, this is just slightly awkward," Max chuckled. She felt him shift over her, one knee sliding between her legs in an attempt to balance himself and she couldn't help giggling. Max bent over her, licking her ear.

"I can't stay like this much longer without falling over, Lizzie. Use both hands on Michael; there's something I want to do," he breathed, heavy promise in his voice. Liz withdrew her mouth from Michael's and twisted to kiss Max as she let go of his rigid cock.

"All right," she acquiesced, returning his smile. Max captured her lips before she turned her head, his tongue rubbing against hers lovingly. Then he kissed her cheek and carefully backed away, his warmth receding from her back and legs as he found a steadiness. Liz didn't have much of a chance to think about what his words had meant as Michael pulled her down and reclaimed her mouth. Liz switched hands, bracing herself with her newly freed elbow while her attention focused on the feel of Michael's taut skin sliding through the tight ring of her fingers.

Freed from the entangling position, Max knew exactly where he wanted to be. Despite his earlier sampling downstairs in the café, seeing Michael kneeling in front of Liz had reawakened his desire to taste her. Moving slowly, he lay on his back and slid upwards on the bed, his head passing between Liz's knees and underneath her. Lifting up as his hands wound around her thighs for support, he licked at her wet center.

"Hrmph!" Liz gave a startled exclamation into Michael's mouth and he pulled back to see her eyes widen. "What?"

"Max is under me," she murmured, clearly shocked. Michael peeked through her cleavage and smiled; having seen Max's expression in the shower, he wasn't particularly surprised at his current location.

"He's going to need a neck brace if you stay like that. Spread your knees, Liz," he instructed.

"What?" she stared at him uncomprehendingly and Michael chuckled.

"He needs you closer to the bed so he doesn't get a hernia. So, spread 'em," his eyes sparkled at her.

"I don't want to suffocate him," she protested. Michael thought it was cute that she seemed a little nervous.

"Trust me, I'll tell you when to stop. I can see fine. Besides, he'd die happy," he smirked. Liz smiled and began moving her knees farther apart, stopping once Michael indicated to do so.

She closed her eyes briefly as Max resumed licking her, his tongue burrowing into her and caressing her thoroughly. It felt different with him underneath her, though she couldn't really explain how. More vulnerable, if nothing else. Liz was aware of each small movement that Max made against her skin and she felt exposed in a way that was more profound than when she lay on her back to receive such intimate kisses.

Michael's brown eyes watched her with concern. "You OK? Because we can change positions if you're uncomfortable. Max won't mind."

"No, I'm fine. It feels…I don't know how to explain it exactly, but I feel more naked."

"Ah. Go with it, sweetheart. Max is good with extra levels of nakedness," he leered at her and Liz laughed, reassured because she knew that Michael wasn't talking about a clothing-free state any more than she had been.

"Speaking of Max," she kissed Michael lingeringly, "I thought you wanted him."

"All in good time, although you can help me with something," he kissed her back, pressing a familiar object into her hand. Liz smiled and applied a generous coating of the lubricant to his straining cock, her smile broadening when he removed her hands from him afterwards.

"I won't last if you keep that up," Michael licked her delectable lips and began to move, slipping out from under her torso. He smiled as he saw how Liz supported herself on her elbows once he was gone; Max's caresses were obviously affecting her even more than she let on. Time to up the ante.

He knelt over Max and inched his knees up until they were hard against Max's biceps. Then Michael bent forward, fitting his body to Liz's, keenly aware that his slicked cock nestled perfectly in the cleft between her buttocks. He heard Liz gasp.

Max fought and conquered a wave of jealousy at what he thought was going on. He'd heard Liz and Michael talking but only their voices had been clear, none of the words. Max had sensed her hesitation but when she had not asked him to move, he'd returned to his tasting, drawing it out as long as possible. He'd felt as though he were waiting for something else to happen and it hit him that Michael's action was it.

"Michael," Liz panted. "I'm not sure I'm ready for that."

"Relax, sweetheart," he spoke right into her ear, his breath making her shiver. "No penetration, I promise. I just want to tease you, get you used to the idea. OK?"

"OK," she agreed. "I trust you."

"Mmm, good. Because I wouldn't hurt you," he murmured before he scattered kisses and bites on her back and shoulders and then, ever so slowly, Michael began to move his hips against hers. The sensation was indescribable as his hard length pressed right against her, especially when coupled with the warm glow that the slow strokes of Max's lips and tongue continued to create within her. A kind of pressure started to build and Liz was helpless to control her moans.

Max clued in that Michael only intended to tease her, though he was slightly puzzled as to why. Unless it hadn't been her idea at all, but Michael taking chances as he was wont to do. A confused welter of feelings rose in him as Michael moved farther down, his body sliding along Max's.

Michael kissed his way down Liz's spine, letting his weight fall on Max as he shifted. Eventually he pulled his knees up for more support, kneeling over Max's chest as Michael grasped Liz's hips and continued the slow slide of his mouth over her back.

Liz was shaking a little with the intensity of everything that flooded through her. She abruptly realized that Michael's descent wasn't stopping. He couldn't mean to kiss her there, could he? Wouldn't he find that gross?

Michael licked the delicate skin between her buttocks, heading inexorably for his goal. He rimmed her, his tongue tracing around her opening, then plunging inside.

"Michael!" his name was full of emotion, surprise and desire and a little alarm. He smiled as he raised his head. "It's OK, Liz. You taste like strawberry soap."

"Is that why—" she left the sentence hanging, remembering his lathered hands on her body.

"No. I'm just taking advantage of my unintentional foresight," Liz heard the smile in Michael's voice and had to laugh. At least until his mouth reprised its position, alternately licking and sucking at her somewhere she'd never even imagined being touched like that. For all her lack of imagination, she couldn't deny that it felt good. Really good.

Max finally understood what was going on, a low moan rising from his own throat as he realized that Liz was accepting and enjoying a different kind of intimate kiss. He moved down a little, speaking quietly, "Michael."

Michael lowered his head, seeing Max gazing up at him with hungry eyes and lips shining with Liz's moisture. He dipped his head further, capturing those lips in a deep kiss that left them both breathless. Drawing Max's tongue out to play, he knew he didn't want to wait any longer.

Liz felt the two men kissing, so close to her and it made her dizzy to think that they were exchanging her flavors. Thus far Max's caresses had been slow and unspecific, designed to keep her at a high level of arousal without pushing her over the edge. But with Michael's mouth inciting fire, too, she didn't think she'd be able to hold out much longer.

"Keep it slow until I tell you," Michael whispered to Max and he murmured agreement, not asking why. Max started his feathery licks again, using the lightest amount of pressure on Liz's sensitive skin as he felt Michael move, lifting off of him. He had a moment to wonder before he moaned loudly as Michael pushed inside him. Liz had slicked his cock for Max, not for herself. He waited, feeling each heavy thrust, as Michael repositioned himself and just before he touched his mouth to Liz again, Michael whispered, "You can speed up now."

Liz felt Max's arms flex against the back of her thighs as he rocked forward and instantly she divined the reason, even as her skin vibrated with his moan. The flame that knowing Michael was making love to Max engendered flared into a near inferno as Michael began rimming her again and Max's imprecise kisses became focused and determined. She was completely, gloriously exposed between them and the not-so-gentle rhythm of Michael's thrusts raised the experience to yet another level as she shattered.

Michael stilled his hips and held onto Liz as she shook with the force of her climax. Only when the shaking stopped did he withdraw his mouth, hearing her giggle as he pressed a kiss to each buttock. Then he watched Max unwind his arms from her legs, letting her move aside. Before Max had a chance to wipe his mouth Michael kissed him, lapping up the moisture.

Max lost himself in that kiss, his hands pulling at Michael to keep thrusting. He groaned in triumph as Michael rammed into him, all thought of gentleness erased in the consuming need.

Liz watched them for a little while, beginning to ache in renewed desire at their fierce motion. God, they were beautiful together! She smiled as an idea occurred to her and moved closer.

"Michael, sit up," she instructed. He lifted his head and smiled at her, a little sheepishly. Max's face mirrored the same expression and she guessed they were flustered at having become so involved with each other. Liz merely bestowed a dazzling smile on them and Michael hastily sat up.

Just as she'd suspected, Max was still rock hard, his cock jutting into the air. Liz leaned over to place a quick kiss on Max's lips then straddled him, facing Michael. She inched forward until she could grasp Max's cock and guide him inside her. Frustratingly, she couldn't move any farther forward and her balance wasn't good enough to really do anything but sit there. As good as it felt to have Max inside her, neither one of them would be satisfied by that.

Michael must have seen her frustration because he reached out, holding her under her arms. "Here, unfold your legs and wrap them around me." Comprehension flooded her and she followed his direction then, succumbing to impulse, Liz lay back against Max's chest, gazing up at Michael.

Max caught on before Michael did; maybe the unparalleled sensation of being the middle link in their chain made it easier for him. "Michael, you thrust for both of us."

Michael looked down at them, his two beautiful dark-haired lovers, and understood. His motion would lift Max's hips, pushing him into Liz. It was as close as he would ever be able to get to making love to them both at the same time. Foregoing any further conversation, Michael leaned forward, bracing himself on his hands to get good leverage, and began to pump into Max's body, fascinated when the mechanics worked perfectly. He could see Max thrusting up into Liz, spurred by his own movements, and the rush was intoxicating.

Max rocked to the rhythm that Michael set, finding it difficult to breathe for the extreme double pleasure. He raised his hands and massaged Liz's breasts, murmuring to her, "I think we neglected these before."

Liz laughed at his facetious comment, although her pulse beat faster at the thick, husky sound of his voice. She remembered the intensity of their first time all together, when they had penetrated her one after the other, and knew that what Max experienced now was even more powerful. It was so clear from his harsh breathing in her ear, the fine tremors running through him, the way his hands weren't as steady as usual as he caressed her. And Michael's expression was almost more telling, with incredible love for them both virtually shining from him. Later, Liz would probably tease Max about being so distracted. But she wouldn't tell Michael how utterly open he had been, or how seeing him like that had pierced right through her soul.

Michael felt the tension building and avidly watched the other two for signs that they felt the same. He smiled at Max's expression, his stomach tightening at his lover's obvious pleasure. Liz was harder to read but he bent closer as she beckoned him and she raised enough to kiss his lips.

"It's OK, Michael; I'm good," she winked at him and he chuckled, somewhat breathlessly. He wasn't sure what she meant by that precisely, except that he wasn't to worry about her, so he concentrated on Max, thrusting a little harder.

Max knew his moans were getting louder. He hoped that Liz didn't mind his voice in her ears because there wasn't a damn thing he could do about it. The tension was already unbearable and still climbing. Mindlessly, he murmured Liz and Michael's names then the world dissolved in a sensory explosion.

Liz heard his broken mumbles, bits and pieces of her and Michael's names all strung together incoherently and mixed with Max's heartfelt moans. The sound floored her for more than its ability to arouse her—for the fact that it meant that Max had given over control. He wasn't even aware of what he was saying, she was sure of that, and made absolutely certain of it when his hands tightened almost painfully on her breasts as he cried out in the grip of orgasm. The very chaos of his reaction sent her with him.

Michael watched them both, his lovers' bodies coaxing each other to an incredible climax and he could hold out no longer, finding his own pinnacle with them. He pumped a little longer and then almost collapsed, barely holding himself up over top of the joined pair beneath him. Michael kissed Liz's stomach gently, matching her smile, and summoned enough energy to withdraw. His smile grew to a grin as Liz pried Max's hands off her and reached out for Michael to help her sit up. He pulled her to her knees and she carefully moved off Max, who had yet to move or say anything.

Liz knelt by Max's head and peered at him. "Are you all right?"

"Hmm? No, I think I passed 'all right' while we were still downstairs, Lizzie. I don't even have the vocabulary for how I feel now," he half smiled and Liz laughed. Max continued, "Your parents aren't coming home tonight, right?"

"Right. Why?"

"Good. Because I think I'd have trouble getting my clothes on, never mind walking home. The weird thing is, I also feel like I should be attracting metal filings, like I'm totally charged," Max said in confusion.

Michael narrowed his eyes. "Try your shield."

"You want me to use my powers now? Are you nuts?"

Michael couldn't help but laugh at the real amusement in Max's voice. It felt good, seeing him joke. However, Michael was serious. "Yeah. Really, try it. I'll hold your arm up if you're that incapacitated."

Max chuckled. "I can manage, thanks." Not expecting much of a reaction, he held out his hand and concentrated. Immediately an expanse of shimmering green formed over the room, much larger than Max had intended to make it. With a muttered oath he dissolved the shield.

"Wow, you weren't kidding about being charged," Liz commented. "Michael, what made you think of that?"

He sighed. "I've occasionally had to control the urge to destroy something, after—not necessarily when it was all three of us, but after it's been…particularly good," he admitted slowly, searching for the least embarrassing way to phrase it.

"You have," Max stated uncertainly, his tone slightly accusatory. Michael knew the question that was left unspoken.

"Yeah. I thought it was just me, you know? Strong stuff frequently gives me that urge," he avoided the word, 'feelings.'

"Max, have you ever noticed it before? Feeling charged, that is," Liz clarified with a smile. Inwardly she felt like cheering, which sounded absurd even to herself. But it seemed that something that she, Liz Parker, did had a direct effect on her alien lovers' powers and that was tremendously exciting. It's not like trying to have great sex with either one of them is much of a chore.

"Not specifically, but my powers work pretty differently than Michael's. I'm never possessed with a sudden urge to heal someone," he said wryly. "What about you?"

"Me? I'm not an alien," Liz protested at the way they both looked at her.

"No you're not, but you might feel differently in some way. Do you?" Michael prodded.

She considered it, trying to compare her afterglows. It was well nigh impossible. "I don't think so. I feel closer to you, both of you, but I think that's normal."

"OK, well I guess I'll just have to pay more attention from here on in," Max smiled as he finally moved, crawling up to lay his head on Liz's pillow. "Right now, I vote we get a couple of hours of sleep before Michael and I have to go home."

"I second that motion," Michael nestled in behind Max and Liz pulled the blankets up over them before sliding in between them. When it came to sleeping, Max was slightly claustrophobic about being in the middle.

Max turned to face Liz, brushing her hair back from her face with a tender smile. "You're amazing, you know that? It doesn't even faze you that you might be linked to our powers somehow."

"Actually, I think it's kind of cool," she said shyly. Liz smiled as Michael moved in closer, kissing the tip of her ear where it poked out from her hair.

"I was going to say brave and beautiful, but amazing will do," he murmured with an audible smile. "Thank you for trusting me."

"Always, Michael. I love you," she turned her head to try to see him and he kissed her cheek.

"Same here," Michael replied softly.

"Guess that makes three of us," Max added his piece and they relaxed in each other's arms. The puzzle could wait.

[Tasyfa]

Chapter 14

"I think that is the most disgusting thing I have ever seen."

"Your point being?" Michael kept right on with what he was doing.

"That I have absolutely no intention of going anywhere near it. Max, do you have more popcorn? Plain popcorn, that hasn't been desecrated?" Liz inquired, sticking her tongue out at Michael when he made a gagging sound.

"Sure," Max laughed. "I'll stick another package in the microwave. I'll even steal one of Izzy's 'Light' ones for you."

"Thank you," Liz said emphatically. "Hey, Michael, wash your hands before eating that stuff, please."

Michael withdrew the hand hovering over the bowl of reddish popcorn, the color courtesy of the blend of cayenne pepper and cinnamon sugar he'd tossed with the snack food. He regarded his nails with a scowl. "I thought I got it all."

"Got all of what?" Max asked.

"Clay. We're finishing the sculpture section in art class this week, so we can do the final next week. The little nail brushes they've got in the classroom don't work for shit, though," he explained, using the brush at the Evanses' kitchen sink to scrub at his fingernails.

"What did you sculpt?" Liz asked, inspecting his hands and pronouncing them clean enough.

"Well, we're supposed to be doing the human form, so I did this sort of generic female. Then he tells us that it has to have a face too. I couldn't get the lips to look half decent unless they were like huge, so I told him it was supposed to be Maria," Michael snorted. He noticed Liz's brow crease at her friend's name and added, "Wouldn't have been safe to do either of you."

Her face smoothed into a smile. "Too bad. I think Max would look awesome immortalized in art."

"I agree, but I wasn't about to explain how I know what his butt looks like. Besides, I'm not very good at it yet," Michael snagged a handful of popcorn and dropped it into his mouth, enjoying the flavor. He grinned when Liz shuddered dramatically.

"Ugh. Thanks," she directed at Max as he placed a bowl of plain popcorn in her hand. The three of them proceeded to the living room and Max went to put a videotape in the VCR.

"What are we watching again?" Michael inquired as he sat on the floor in front of the couch. Liz settled in front of him, wiggling backwards until she sat flush against his body. He wrapped an arm around her waist and she tilted her head back for a kiss.

"I don't know. All Isabel said was that she hadn't seen it but heard it was really good, and that we should watch it," Max shrugged as he picked up the remote controls and came over to where Liz and Michael had seated themselves. Liz patted the floor in front of her and he smiled, turning to sit between her legs.

Max leaned back, feeling Liz's breasts flatten against his shoulder blades, and requested, "Can I get some of the good stuff?"

"Absolutely," Michael's hand came into view with a few kernels folded in his palm. He opened his hand and they drifted into Max's open mouth. Max crunched them and stretched up to reach Michael's fingers before he moved away, licking off the extra topping.

"Mmm," he murmured around his mouthful.

"Max, quit it. You're making it very uncomfortable to sit here," Liz teased exasperatedly.

"What do you mean?" he let Michael remove his hand.

"I mean the piece of wood sticking into my back that wasn't there a few minutes ago."

Max laughed and reached behind him, his arm snaking around Liz to grab Michael. "I can do something about that if you'd like."

"Max?"

He jerked his arm back and sat up straight, looking towards the sound of the voice. Standing in the doorway, her blue eyes wide, was his mother.

"Mom! I thought you and Dad went to that dinner theater thing," he blurted out.

"We are going. I left the tickets on top of the refrigerator. Come with me to get them, please," her tone left no room for refusal. Max swallowed and stood up, glancing apprehensively at his lovers. Liz gave him a tiny smile of encouragement; Michael just looked scared. Max followed his mother into the kitchen, where she retrieved the theater tickets before turning to look at him.

"Would you care to explain what I just witnessed?"

He met her eyes squarely. "You already know the answer to that. I'm with both of them."

"But you failed to mention that they are also with each other," she pointed out gently.

If she said anything derogatory about Liz…Max didn't know what he would say, but he wouldn't tolerate it, that much was sure. "It's not exactly the easiest thing to talk about. And I didn't want you to think differently about Liz."

"Because she's involved with both you and Michael? I don't think differently about you, why would I about her? Or Michael, for that matter?" Diane canted her head to one side.

Max flushed. Maybe he was the one overly aware of the stereotypes here. On the other hand, he was the only one who was her child, so it wasn't unreasonable to think that she might consider him differently than the other two. "Well, a lot of people would and I guess I didn't want to take the chance."

She smiled, a bit condescendingly, and Max automatically bristled but held his tongue when she spoke. "Max, your father and I have bent over backwards to be supportive of you and your choices. You and Isabel have never been typical children so we expected that some things would be…unusual."

He narrowed his eyes. That was a loaded comment if he'd ever heard one. Unfortunately Max had no specific idea as to what she might be talking about. "So, you're okay with this?"

"I won't lie and say that I'm not surprised, but it doesn't change anything, no. Max," she searched his face carefully. "How, uh, how are you handling Liz and Michael being together? Alone together, that is?"

At this point, Max would honestly not have been surprised if the next words out of his mother's mouth had been, "By the way, heard from Antar lately?" He shook off his disbelief. "It's getting easier. They've been careful to take things slowly."

Diane nodded. "I'm glad. They obviously feel the same about you as you do about them."

"Yeah," Max said slowly, not sure what she was getting at.

"Does anyone else know the truth?"

"Our closest friends, that's it. Iz included of course."

"Of course," she echoed, and hesitated for a long moment. "It's long-term, isn't it? Have the three of you thought much about the future?"

Marriage, children… She didn't say the words but Max understood. Sometimes they haunted him, too. "Right now we're working on getting through high school, Mom. After that, I don't know. We'll have to make some decisions. We have some time yet. Things are complicated enough without adding in the big life questions."

"I guess they would be," Diane smiled.

This conversation was getting stranger by the second. "Mom, this really doesn't bother you?"

"Max, I learned a long time ago that love is love. It happens how and when and with whom it wants to. Maybe I'm more tolerant because you and Isabel are adopted. I've often thought I love you both even more than I would if I'd given birth to you, because you've been such a gift in my life," she reached out and ruffled his hair. "No, it doesn't bother me honey, as long as you're happy. That's all I care about."

Max's throat tightened as he stepped forward and pulled his mother into a hug. "Thanks," he whispered hoarsely.

"You're welcome," Diane laughed. "Your father is probably wondering what's taking me so long, so I'm going to take my tickets and go. And Max, I don't know how late we'll be, so—nothing in the living room, OK?"

"You got it," he promised. She patted his cheek and went out the front door, leaving him to face the barrage of questions that got fired at him the instant he reappeared in the living room. Max fielded them, telling Liz and Michael the gist of the exchange.

"Your parents are certifiable, Maxwell," Michael told him.

"I vote that we don't look the gift horse in the mouth and watch the movie," Liz proclaimed firmly.

"I agree," Max folded his legs and sank down into his former position in front of her. "My parents have known that something was different about me and Isabel for practically our entire lives. They've just stopped asking about it and are trusting us like I asked Mom to do. We can't expect their acceptance to be the norm."

"Yeah, the norm would be better exemplified by oh, say, my parents. My dad would blow a gasket and my mom would get all guilt-trippy," Liz sighed.

Max reached back and squeezed her leg, feeling Michael's arms wrap around her. "It's OK, Lizzie. We're being really careful. There's only a couple more weeks of school and then we can have a little freedom."

"We should celebrate the end of the school year," Michael suggested. "I for one am grateful that it's almost over."

"Yeah. We could get everyone together and have a picnic out in the desert or something. Somewhere secluded so we can just be ourselves," Max added.

"Could we postpone that for a bit? The day after my last exam, my parents are dragging me on a family vacation for three weeks," Liz complained.

"You've got to be kidding me," Michael exclaimed.

"I wish I were. The son of my dad's best friend from college is getting married in California somewhere, and Mom decided it would be fun to go and stay there for a while. My protests fell on deaf ears."

Max twisted around and kissed her gently. "We'll miss you."

Liz initiated a second kiss and murmured, "I'll miss you too. The two of you." She leaned back and Michael obliged, his lips caressing hers. Max smiled and turned to face the television. He picked up the remote control and pressed play.

Solid blue sputtered to life on the screen and Michael asked, "Is this a home movie or something?"

"I got the impression that it was something Iz taped off the TV late at night," Max answered vaguely. "Maybe she taped over an older tape. Better hope it wasn't a home movie; Mom will kill her."

The blue abruptly disappeared, replaced by the swirl of colors created when the camera was too close to its subject. The focus improved and the colors separated into lines—literally. They seemed to be looking at a suspiciously familiar-appearing plaid.

"Doesn't that look like—oh my God, it is," Max breathed in horror as the camera pulled out of the intense zoom, stopping at a distance that provided a very good close up of Max's bed.

"That's your room," Michael observed blankly.

"No shit, Sherlock."

"She must have fixed the camera to the top of the window over your desk. You don't move the curtains much on that one, since Michael uses the other one," Liz's smile was audible.

"Funny girl," Michael shot at her, and then they all quieted as people entered the frame.

Onscreen, Liz flung herself onto the bed with an exaggerated groan. "I am so glad that I don't have to work tonight. I don't think I could deal with an entire shift of being nice to customers."

"Where's your mom, Max? She's usually here already," Michael asked.

"She's working late. Dad's car is in the shop so she said she'd stay and pick him up around six o'clock. I think Iz went home with Alex, so it's just us, I guess."

Liz propped herself up on her elbows. "We're all alone in the house for a couple of hours?" she smiled devilishly. Max crawled up beside her and returned her smile. "Looks like. Why, you got something in mind?"

Back in the living room, Max, Liz and Michael watched as a recent shared memory played out before their eyes. It was…disconcerting, to say the least. Max tilted his head sideways, trying to see what was going on properly.

"That's not really what that looks like, is it?" he asked doubtfully.

"It's pretty accurate, yeah. Well, why wouldn't it be?" Liz giggled.

"That's unfortunate. It's rather unattractive," he frowned, head still tilted.

"Forget it, Maxwell, it's sexy as hell. I love watching you blow me," Michael disagreed.

"I have to go with Michael on that one," Liz nodded firmly as Max turned briefly to face them, seeing that they were sincere. He shrugged.

"Okay. I don't normally have to look at it so if you two are happy, who cares what I think?"

They continued to watch as the positions changed, and suddenly Liz was the one protesting. "Oh my God, is that actually that messy? I had no idea!"

Max coughed, grinning, as Michael replied appreciatively, "Oh, yeah."

Max added, "It's like everything narrows to your taste and smell and the way you feel. It's amazing."

He lifted his shoulder to kiss the back of Liz's hand as she rubbed him. "I'm well aware—and very grateful—that you like it. How do you not like drown or something, though?"

The two men spoke in unison, "Practice!"

"You know, it's probably a good thing that I don't remember being the one doing all the work here," Max chuckled.

"Ah, that's because Michael's off screen. He was standing at the end of the bed," Liz smiled audibly. Max abruptly recalled the specifics as he noticed the way his body rocked rhythmically.

"Right," he nodded with a little shiver of pleasure.

They watched the rest of the video, making acidic comments and teasing each other good-naturedly. When it was over, Max rewound the tape and popped it out of the VCR.

"I guess the big question is, do we destroy it?" he wiggled the tape in his hand.

"The potential humiliation factor is high, but there's nothing that tags you guys as aliens. Even Max wiping his face," Liz wrinkled her nose and he smiled broadly at her.

"I say keep it for a while anyway. Maybe later on we can make a sequel, only without Isabel's help," Michael voted with a grin.

Liz turned to look at him. "Are you serious? You'd really want to tape us, on purpose?"

Michael gazed intently at her. "I'd love to capture you and Max on tape. You don't think it would turn you on to have Max pleasuring you and me hovering close with a video camera, occasionally touching you?"

"When you put it like that…" she trailed off and lifted her face for a kiss. Max rolled his eyes and put the tape back into the cardboard sleeve then left for a minute to put it in a safe place in his room. When he returned, they were still kissing. He sat down on the couch, behind Michael, and watched them with a small smile. At last Max cleared his throat.

"You know, I did promise my mom, no sex would happen in the living room."

"Last I checked we weren't having sex, Maxwell," Michael needled him.

"True, but you're heading in that direction if the groping is any indication," he stuck his tongue out. Max's brow furrowed in puzzlement as Liz nudged Michael out of the way, moving closer. His puzzlement faded when she reached for his jeans fly.

"Liz," he protested.

"This isn't sex, technically," she smiled as she worked his jeans and boxers past his hips, allowing his erection to spring free. "Looks like our little movie turned you on."

"Yeah. Any occasion where I see you and Michael naked turns me on," he laughed. Max sucked in a breath when Liz immediately engulfed his cock in her warm mouth.

"I'm not tired of seeing that variation, either," Michael breathed, taking a seat beside Max. He leaned in, pressing his lips to the other man's, and Max automatically opened to him. Michael's tongue invaded his mouth, aggressively tasting him. Max moaned and threaded one hand in Michael's hair, holding him close. With his other hand he clutched at Liz's long tresses, fighting to keep control as both of his lovers' hands roamed his bare skin, pushing aside the barrier of his clothing. All too soon Max found himself at the brink, and then over it, his body spasming in ecstasy.

"What was that about?" he asked huskily when Michael relinquished his mouth.

"Nothing. Your promise inspired me," Liz waggled her eyebrows and Max had to laugh.

"Right. We should—" he halted at the sound of the front door opening and hastily stood, doing his jeans back up in record time and waving a hand over his face. Michael smoothed his own signs of passion, and the three of them arranged themselves comfortably on the couch.

"Hi everyone," Diane smiled as she entered the room. "The power went out in the restaurant so they postponed tonight's show. We didn't get past the appetizers. Liz, Michael, do you want to stay for dinner? Philip's just going to order us some pizza."

"Sure, Mrs. E," Michael nodded.

"Yeah, I'll just call home," Liz agreed.

Max simply smiled back at his mother, his heart pounding in supreme gratitude that she hadn't showed up five minutes earlier.

[Tasyfa]

Sorry, guys; got sidetracked. There's a musical discussion in this chapter that may not make complete sense if you've never heard the song, Lightning Crashes by Live. Try and have a listen before you read.
hugs, Tas

Chapter 15

"Hey, Mom, I'm out of here. I'll see you tomorrow sometime; I'm staying at Michael's," Max commented offhandedly as he tied up his shoes, seated at the kitchen table.

"Overnight?" she remarked, one eyebrow lifting.

He straightened and looked right at her, almost daring her to say something. "Yeah."

Diane nodded. "All right, thanks for letting me know." She returned her attention to washing dishes, a slight smile on her face. Max rolled his eyes. It was really nice to be able to just be honest with his parents, alien origins aside, but he would swear that his mother intentionally kept him off balance sometimes. What was it that inspired that urge in all the women in his life? Oh well. Another year and a bit and he would be moving out anyway, going to college. Or whatever.

He shook off the potential bad humor and kissed his mother's cheek then drove over to Michael's. They'd both been a little moody lately, with Liz away on vacation, and had been spending all their spare time together. Nice as it was, it wasn't quite the same without the third member of their circle.

"What do you want to watch?" was the first question out of Michael's mouth when Max walked in the door.

"What?"

"I got a bunch of DVDs out. Which one do you want to see first?" Michael repeated impatiently.

"Anything but Braveheart," Max grinned. He held up one hand to forestall Michael's angry retort. "I've seen it like a hundred times, Michael, and I'm just not in the mood for it tonight."

"Okay, how about the Lethal Weapon movies? Or the first one, if no more. It's a classic," he defended his choice.

Max chuckled as he sat down. "Our relationship puts a whole new spin on your love of Mel Gibson movies, you know that."

Michael punched his shoulder and Max laughed outright. "Maxwell, if you want to wear a kilt and flash me, I'm all for it. You own my favorite ass."

"Thank you," Max batted his eyelashes and they both grinned. "Okay, fine, we'll do the Lethal Weapon series. They're funny at least."

"Great!" Michael leaned over and bestowed a passionate kiss on Max. Then they settled in to watch Riggs and Murtaugh do their thing.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

"How's the boom box working out?" Max waved at the small stereo on Michael's dresser while he undressed.

"Great. The one in the living room is too far away to use the remote on, but this is perfect," he enthused, slipping under the covers. "See?"

Michael picked up a small remote control from the bedside table and turned on the stereo. Music wafted from the integrated speakers while Max climbed into the bed.

"Ah, I love this song. You've got to listen to the words, Maxwell," Michael closed his eyes with a slight smile as he spoke, and Max turned on his side to look at Michael's face. He smiled at Michael's expression of pleasure then his smile dimmed as he heard the first lyrics.



Lightning crashes, a new mother cries
her placenta falls to the floor
the angel opens her eyes
the confusion sets in
before the doctor can even close the door



"Placenta, Michael? What the hell kind of song talks about placenta?" he asked in surprise.

"It's about soul transference, Maxwell; about one person dying and another one being born. Seeing as we're reincarnated aliens with a human soul mate, I kind of thought it was topical," came the acid response. Jeez, sensitive much? Max thought to himself. His smile righted itself and deepened; he couldn't resist teasing Michael now.

"I suppose," he drawled. "Beats some of the other stuff you listen to. Who's it by?"

"It's Live," Michael told him, his eyes remaining closed.

Max listened for a moment, puzzled. "It doesn't sound live."

"Not a live recording, doofus, the band's name is Live," Michael said exasperatedly.

"Oh. That's cool. Still doesn't make me want to listen to a song that contains the word placenta, though," he needled Michael.

"Jesus, Max, is it all that hard to just shut up and listen? It's not like it's something I ask you to do all the time," Michael finally opened his eyes and turned towards Max, his face stormy.

"Sorry, man, I was yanking your chain. It's not often I get to do that," Max grinned.

"Whatever," Michael brushed off his apology in annoyance.

"Now you know how I felt when you told me that all flowers were as stupid and useless as dandelions," Max smirked.

"We were twelve, Maxwell! Let it go already!"

"I did, Michael. I was just pointing out that it pissed me off when you didn't understand about the roses for my mom, much like my lack of appreciation for your music pisses you off," Max said loftily.

Michael rolled his eyes then smiled mischievously. "Yeah, you know, that should have tipped me off back then that you had gay tendencies."

"What? You are so going to die for that, Guerin," Max laughed as he rolled onto Michael, pinning him against the bed. They wrestled for a moment, each trying to get the upper hand and kicking all the blankets off the bed in the process. Michael ended up on top, his hands holding Max's wrists flat above his head.

"You didn't used to be able to pin me," Max panted, drawn to the glitter in Michael's eyes.

"You didn't used to get rock hard when we wrestled, either," Michael shot back. He rubbed his own erection along Max's, obviously enjoying the way Max moaned.

"Neither did you. Things change," Max retorted. He felt a slow heat building as Michael's hand slipped down his body, only to widen his eyes in astonishment when instead of caressing him, Michael ripped Max's boxers off.

"On your knees, Maxwell," he commanded, a wicked smile appearing on his face at Max's shock and confusion.

"Excuse me?"

"You heard me. On your knees, in the middle of the bed," he repeated. Max stared up at him, wondering what was going through Michael's head but his face gave little away. Only the gleam of desire in his eyes and the promise in his smile, but that was enough to make Max feel weak and fevered. As Michael moved off of him, Max slowly rose and knelt in the center of the mattress.

A moment later Michael was kneeling behind him, pressing kisses to Max's neck and shoulders. Max shivered, tilting his head, then did a double take as Michael's slick hand slid between his legs, rubbing the cool gel on his delicate skin. He gave Max's cock one quick, hard stroke, leaving him glistening with lubricant.

"Dispensing with foreplay, Michael?" Max inquired flippantly, trying to control the pounding of his heart. Every movement Michael made was deliberate; focused, and it was driving him crazy.

"Spread 'em," was Michael's only response, and helplessly Max did, moving his knees farther apart. He started when Michael's hand pressed between his shoulder blades, pushing him down until he was on his hands and knees in front of Michael. Max felt unbelievably exposed in this pose and tried to say something.

"Michael, I feel like a stere—ooo," he trailed off into a moan as Michael thrust inside him. Max tried again, "Type. A stereotype."

"Do you care?" Michael asked, thrusting again as he bent over Max, kissing and licking his shoulders and the back of his neck. Max could feel his warm breath and as Michael thrust inside him a third time he realized it didn't matter. It felt way too incredible to stop.

"I—not particularly," he admitted breathlessly.

"Good," Michael murmured. "This is what you're going to do, Maxwell. You're going to listen, and you're going to feel the music."

"What are you talking about?" Max gasped. He suddenly understood exactly what Michael meant as the Live song began again at a much higher volume, the bass reverberating through his body. "Michael, I—"

"Shut up and feel, Max," Michael whispered against his skin, and Max subsided as Michael started a slow rhythm inside him, in perfect time with the music.



Lightning crashes, an old mother dies
her intentions fall to the floor
the angel closes her eyes
the confusion that was hers
belongs now, to the baby down the hall

Oh now feel it coming back again
like a roll of thunder chasing the wind
forces pulling from the center of the earth again
I can feel it



"Can you feel it yet, Max?" Michael sighed.

Max murmured an incoherent agreement. "I feel you, Michael."

"Not good enough," Michael declared softly as the bass picked up, thrumming back and forth between them when the singer's throaty voice rose again.



Lightning crashes, a new mother cries
this moment she's been waiting for
the angel opens her eyes
pale blue colored iris
presents the circle
and puts the glory out to hide, hide

Oh now feel it coming back again
like a roll of thunder chasing the wind
forces pulling from the center of the earth again
I can feel it
I can feel it
Ah-ah



As the song re-entered the chorus, its tempo increased dramatically and Max cried out as Michael matched it, his cock pressing harder inside Max. Max thought wildly that Michael must be the force the song was referring to, and himself the center of the earth as the singer's voice bled away into heavy instrumentals, bass and percussion rumbling against his hands and knees from the bed and on through the rest of him. The sensual husky quality of the lyrics returned as the music made way for the singer, his voice crashing through Max's body.



I can feel it coming back again
like a roll of thunder chasing the wind
forces pulling from the center of the earth again
I can feel it



Again the tempo increased, and Michael slammed into Max in sexual synchronization. Max hung his head, gulping in air as he grasped exactly how hard Michael was thrusting. He could see Michael's thighs flexing between his own legs and the gleam of his slick cock every time Michael withdrew before plunging back in. Max stared, mesmerized, as the song continued to crescendo.



I can feel it coming back again
like a roll of thunder chasing the wind
forces pulling from the center of the earth again
I can feel it



"How about now, Maxwell? Do you feel it?" Michael demanded, his mouth hot on Max's skin.

"I—Michael, I—"



I can feel it coming back again
like a roll of thunder chasing the wind
forces pulling from the center of the earth again
I can feel it



"Yes, Michael!" he groaned.



I can feel it



"I can feel it," Max panted.

"Song's almost over, Maxwell," Michael teased, a smile in his voice.

"Michael, don't you fucking dare stop," Max cried.



I can feel it



"I was hoping you'd say that," he laughed. "Maxwell…brace yourself."

Brace myself? Max wondered, and then the music changed. He didn't know the song's name but he recognized the band as Metallica and then he registered the blindingly fast pace of the song. Oh, God, he's not seriously going to…

He was. Michael wrapped one arm around Max's hips to keep him steady and then…launched himself, was the only word Max could think of to describe the impossibly swift way Michael pounded into him. Max felt as though he might fly apart at the seams and he dropped down to his elbows, spreading his hands flat on the mattress for support. The sound ripped through him, inseparable from the feel of Michael's solid cock ramming into him and now Michael's free hand was closing around Max's cock. Rough, hard strokes in time with his thrusts and Max found himself helping, rearing back to meet Michael's hips, forcing his cock through the tight ring of Michael's fingers.

"Oh, God, Michael," he moaned. "Harder, Michael, please!"

Michael nipped at his back, sinking his teeth into Max's shoulder. "I knew it would get into your blood," he said triumphantly as he pulled harder in answer to Max's plea. With a shuddering cry Max found his release, spurting through Michael's hand as Michael groaned and bit him again. Max felt the heat race through him as Michael came inside him, and both men collapsed onto the bed, bodies still entwined.

Michael rolled them to one side, slipping out of Max and holding him close. He groped around for the remote control and turned down the volume on the stereo considerably before dropping it on the floor.

"You are devious," Max told him, as he comprehended how the songs had changed so fast.

"I just wanted you to understand," Michael said softly, idly stroking Max's chest. "We've known each other forever, and you never really understood what music meant to me, how it frees me."

"I think I do now," Max smiled, turning in Michael's arms to face him. He kissed Michael gently. "I'm absolutely positive that I'll never think of Metallica the same way!"

They laughed together then Michael rescued the blankets from the floor while Max evaporated the wet spots on the bed. Cozy now, Michael curled around Max's sated body and they fell asleep, the stereo still emitting the faint sounds of a pounding rhythm that was in both their blood, now.

[Tasyfa]

Chapter 16


"Max, you got the potato salad?" Liz called from the front door.

"Yeah, hang on a sec, I need to get the case of soda," he yelled back. Where the hell did it go?

"It's already in the cooler in the Jeep. We just need the salad," she poked her head around the corner with a smile. "It was great of your parents to give us stuff for the picnic."

"Yeah," he agreed, pulling sealed plastic containers from the refrigerator. "You know my mother, any excuse to make food for people."

"Right," Liz laughed. "Well, come on. It's just you and me, Michael's going in the Jetta with Maria because she needs help with carrying the stuff from the Crashdown, and the others are taking Mr. Whitman's Sunrunner."

"I'm ready," Max handed her the containers and locked the door while she put them into the cooler with the soda. They both climbed into the Jeep and Max revved the engine, peeling out of the driveway.

"In a hurry?" she teased.

"Yes. If I were still there when Mom got home, she'd try to talk me into waiting until she made something else. As it is there are four different kinds of salad."

"Well, so far Michael and I have been over for dinner at the same time twice and the first time we ordered in," Liz laughed.

"And both times everyone was excruciatingly polite. I don't think I've engaged in so much meaningless small talk in my life."

"Then you're not spending enough time with Maria," she giggled.

"That's true, actually. Michael and I were pretty much left alone while you were gone," Max admitted.

"How come?"

"Apparently we weren't pleasant company," he smiled and glanced over, reaching for her hand. "We missed you."

"Mmm, me too," Liz kissed his palm. "At least you two had each other."

"Right," Max nodded, his face growing warmer at the implications of her statement.

"Although, I wasn't entirely without…entertainment," she looked sideways at him, her eyes partially veiled by her lashes. "Maria took me on a shopping expedition before I left. Said letting me borrow her vibrator for half an hour was okay, but three weeks was out of the question."

She giggled at how his eyes rounded. "Maria bought you a vibrator?"

"Well, I paid for my own stuff, she just helped me pick 'em out."

"Them. You got more than one?" he squeaked.

Suddenly nervous to be discussing this, Liz disseminated, "Only one of—those. I got a few other things too. They're staying in my drawer until I feel more comfortable, though. Sort of like the whole videotaping adventure that I'm not ready for, even if Isabel set us up for one video already. Michael may be into the idea, but her original purpose was just to prove to us how loud we are. She wasn't even in the house, she just knew your parents would be late and set the timer, assuming we'd be predictable."

"Right," Max nodded dumbly. He was completely stuck on the fact that Liz had actually purchased sex toys. Maria was getting a big hug the minute he saw her. "Did you like the—you know?"

"It was good," she nodded, letting her hair curtain her rosy cheeks.

"That's—that's good. Customer satisfaction is important." Max kicked himself. Had he really said that?

Liz smiled. Clearly Max's reactions mirrored her own: excited and embarrassed both. To break the awkwardness, she flicked on the radio, searching for a good song. There was nothing. Liz noticed the new equipment.

"Hey, when did you get a CD player in this?"

"Oh, yeah. That's mine and Isabel's passing present."

"Your what?"

He smiled. "Every year when we both get our grades and they're still straight As, our parents get us something to celebrate. That's actually how we got the Jeep, just before Isabel was old enough to drive. This year it was a CD player for the Jeep."

"Very cool. I get a family vacation and you get electronics. It doesn't seem fair," she laughed.

"Well, this one sort of extends to you, I guess, since you spend a lot of time in this vehicle," Max teased.

"True. How's it sound?" she asked as she figured out the controls and pressed play.

"Good, it—Liz you might want to change that first," he waved at her in vain and heavy music blared from the speakers. Liz turned it down quickly and ejected the CD.

"Michael's going to be pissed if he sees you with his Metallica CDs," she warned.

Max glanced over, feeling his face flush as he told her, "It's not Michael's, it's mine. I bought it last week."

"It's yours?" she echoed. She noticed his red face and her eyes narrowed speculatively.

"Pull over," Liz demanded. Startled, Max did as she wanted, coasting to a stop on the shoulder of the road. He put the Jeep in park and looked at her quizzically.

"What's up, Liz?"

"I want to hear about this," she gestured at the stereo. She released her seatbelt and turned towards Max, one leg curling underneath her. His eyes tracked the movement, noticing the expanse of her thigh that was exposed when her skirt rode up.

"Oh," Max reddened even more and Liz smiled.

"Now I really want to hear about it! Tell me, Max," her voice lowered seductively.

"Uh, it's nothing much. Michael and I were just fooling around, no I mean goofing around," he corrected himself hastily. "He wanted me to listen to the song that was playing, and I teased him about the lyrics and stuff and suddenly we were, things were getting heated, and he wanted me to understand so he, you know, kind of went with the music."

Liz regarded him through narrowed eyes, a smile playing about her lips; both facts made Max nervous. She reached out and released his seatbelt then climbed over the gearshift and planted herself in his lap, straddling him.

"I have this feeling that I'm not getting the whole story, Max. That wouldn't have made you blush," she said mischievously, tracing his lips with her finger. "Tell me everything. I'll make it worth your while."

"Oh, you will?" Max chuckled. He sucked in a breath as she pinched his nipple through the thin fabric of his T-shirt. Liz leaned over and licked his ear, whispering, "Yes."

"OK. Um, it was intense," he admitted. "It was while you were away, and I spent the—ah!"

She soothed away the sting of the bite on his neck with her tongue and Max continued talking, tilting his head so she could reach him better.

"Anyway, so I stayed over and we had this quasi-argument, like I said, and he, tore my shorts off," he moaned as Liz's hands began to roam, charting his torso delicately. "Then, he wanted me to kneel, in the middle of the bed, like that."

Liz pulled her mouth away from his neck, her hands stilling on his chest as she looked at Max. Her pupils were dilated until her normally dark eyes appeared black and stormy with desire. "And just like that, he took you? Kneeling like that?"

"Not—not—almost," Max whispered, caught by her hungry gaze. "He—hands. I was on my hands and knees."

Liz leaned closer, murmuring throatily at his lips, "Michael tore your clothes off and pushed you down in front of him, then ripped into you with his cock in time to his music, is that what you're telling me?"

Max closed his eyes, wondering if Liz thought he should be ashamed of how such raw sex had made him feel. Despite that, he answered her, "Yes."

"Damn, I wish I'd seen it," Liz said raggedly. She laughed, a wild sound, at Max's look of astonishment. "You don't understand any more than Michael does. The two of you together…seeing you does wicked things to me, Max."

"I like doing wicked things to you," he chuckled, kissing her bruisingly hard. His voice was rough as he finished the thought, "And God, do I want you right now!"

"Then take me," Liz offered, grinding her hips into him.

"What, here?" he exclaimed, glancing around. There weren't any other cars in sight but it wasn't going to stay this empty.

"Yes, Max. Here. Now," she rubbed against him with every word and Max groaned.

"Liz, we're almost there," he protested half-heartedly.

"Max, I'm not wearing anything under my skirt. Unzip already," she ordered with a grin.

She's not… Max's hand slid under Liz's white denim skirt, encountering only smooth, bare skin. Unerringly he headed for the junction of her thighs, finding her wet and ready as his fingers slipped inside her. She threw her head back with a cry.

"Max, I need you, please!" Liz wrestled with the zipper on his fly, finally yanking it down and taking his khakis and boxers with it. As Max's erection sprang free of the confines of the fabric he withdrew his fingers from her and Liz rose higher on her knees, giving herself enough room to move her hips forward and down. She began to lower herself onto Max's cock when suddenly he thrust up into her and she gasped.

"I need you too," Max murmured, smiling at her breathless laughter. They kissed as Liz found a rhythm and he clamped one arm around her firm buttocks, helping her move up and down. With his other hand he reached between them, his thumb locating her clitoris and stimulating her gently. Her kisses grew more frenzied as his caresses and their lovemaking brought her closer to orgasm and Max thrilled at her responsiveness, at the knowledge that hearing about him and Michael together had made Liz spin out of control. It was all tangled up with his own feelings about what had happened and he realized that he didn't need to sort it out; it didn't matter what part came from which person, they all drove each other crazy!

"Ah, Liz, I'm going to," he got out between kisses. Her hands were everywhere, tugging on his tight nipples, in his hair, squeezing his shoulders. Now she cupped his face in a mirror image of his own habitual gesture.

"Yes," she growled, and the sound was so primal and fiercely possessive that it propelled Max over the edge and he exploded, white hot release speeding through his body into hers. Liz worked him, her inner muscles pulling on his cock, keeping him hard inside her and Max thought he might go mad from the intensity of the sensation. His mouth traveled down her neck, laving her throat and nipping at her ear lobes while his thumb kept massaging her clitoris. Finally Liz dragged his lips back to hers to catch her cries in his throat as she shattered in his arms.

"God, I missed you so much," Max whispered, holding her close, motion stilled now.

"Back at you," she murmured. "What a nice welcome home."

He laughed. "And that was only half a welcome home. You still have one cranky alien to cheer up."

"I know. I can't wait to see Michael for more than two minutes across a crowded room," Liz sighed. "Was he really that cranky? Maria wouldn't even say anything, just rolled her eyes melodramatically and kept repeating how glad she was that I was home."

"He didn't take it well. It's the first time you've been separated since we started this. And Michael gets irritable when he's worrying, or when he can't escape his feelings, you know that," Max said gently.

"Yeah, I do know. Sex didn't calm him down?" she half smiled to show that she was kidding.

"Um, we didn't really—we just kind of hung out a lot. Talking, not talking, movies, Playstation, whatever," he shrugged. "I think that's partly why the music thing really stuck in my mind, because it was the one really physical night."

Liz stared at Max, realizing that he was serious. She couldn't quite wrap her mind around it. "You only made love once, the entire time I was gone?"

"Twice, actually. And we fooled around some, but it wasn't the same without you." He leaned in and kissed her cheek. "Does it disappoint you to find out that we're not the sex-crazed teenage boys you thought we were?"

"Not disappointed, no. A little surprised," Liz admitted honestly. "I'd kind of expected you to be all over each other. Neither of you is shy about following your desires anymore."

"I guess," Max smiled. "And I know that Michael and I do tend to be physical when you're not in the mood, or not available, but…it's different when you're gone. There was this awareness that something was missing. It's like, even when you're not being an active participant, you're sort of there, spiritually or whatever, but when you were away… It's just not—complete—without all three of us anymore."

"I can understand that," she murmured, stroking his jaw. His words touched Liz deeper than she wanted to think about at this moment. She kissed his lips and regretfully lifted up, letting his limp cock slip out of her body. "We should get to the picnic before everyone starts wondering where we are."

"Yeah, I don't think I'd care to explain that you were so hot for me that you rode me practically on the highway," Max teased as soon as she had settled back into her own seat.

"Asshole," Liz laughed, slapping his arm while he turned on the ignition and shifted into drive. "Clearly having two lovers has inflated your ego to gargantuan proportions."

"Beats the pea size it used to be," he muttered under his breath. Liz heard him and squeezed his hand on top of the gearshift.

"I agree," she told him, smiling at his double take. "I like seeing you all confident about yourself. It's a definite turn-on."

Max glanced sideways at her and brought her hand to his lips. "Thanks."

"Anytime. I love you."

"Love you too," he smiled. "Let's go find Michael and the others."

[Tasyfa]

Interestingly, my muse seems to enjoy the new house, despite the fact that I'm not fully moving in until next month. Or maybe it's my bedside table, which has been the keeper of my journal for many, many years but has been in storage since the summer. LOL whatever, here is the latest, new, and last chapter of Full Circle. Posted in 3 parts for length, with an author's note to follow.
hugs, Tas

*****NEW Chapter 17: CONCLUSION*****

Liz’s feet didn’t even get a chance to touch the ground as she stepped out of the Jeep into Michael’s waiting arms.

“I missed you, too,” she whispered against his chest, acutely aware of his towering height. Every so often Michael would make some gesture, like this one, that reminded Liz how much taller he was than her, or than Max even.

“You feel good.” Michael’s reply was muffled by Liz’s hair. He nuzzled her ear. “And you smell like Max.”

She flushed. “Michael, I—”

“Don’t apologize.” There was definitely a smile in his voice. “I wouldn’t have waited either, if I’d had you somewhere alone.”

“Oh,” Liz breathed, and his arms tightened around her.

After a long moment of comfortable silence, Michael finally allowed Liz to stand on her own.

“Come on. We’re in dire need of the soda you guys brought; Maria only snagged two bottles of water and they’re long gone.” He smiled at her and went to help Max with the cooler.

Liz wandered over to where Maria, Tess and Isabel were setting out food under a brilliantly colored umbrella. “Were we planning on being here for the next week? I think we’d have enough food!”

“Yes, indeedy,” Maria agreed.

“Even the Sheriff pitched in,” Tess giggled. “He gave us cash instead of food, but it’s the thought that counts.”

Isabel sighed exaggeratedly. “I’m sure my mother would have provided even more, if it was guaranteed to make Max smile again. Those two boys have been suffering serious withdrawal symptoms.”

“Hear, hear,” Alex joined in, putting another box beside the blanket.

Kyle placed his box beside Alex’s and straightened, smirking. “Liz, I hope you’re prepared to fuck their brains out, because they were not happy campers while you were gone.”

“Kyle!” He laughed when Tess swatted him. Liz blushed but decided the best answer would be to ignore his remarks altogether. Max and Michael finally joined the group, lugging the cooler filled with ice and soda between them, and the conversation turned to summer plans and weather discussions.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

“I feel like I should eat more, but I just can’t.”

“You sure? I think we could find you something else if you really wanted it. Of course, it would involve walking to the car, but for you…” Michael winked impudently.

Isabel slipped out of her sandal and threw it at him. He laughed when it bounced harmlessly off his knee. “I’ll take that as a ‘no.’”

“Only if you plan to be the target of the contents of my stomach after I add to them,” she teased back, smiling her thanks at Alex for returning her shoe.

“I believe that this is the portion of the evening where we are supposed to bow to Maria’s foresight in bringing a battery-operated CD player,” Alex intoned solemnly.

“You realize that I can play CDs without machinery,” Isabel countered.

“Yes, but then I wouldn’t have the pleasure of your undivided attention on the dance floor,” he winked. She shrugged and stood, moving away from the blanket towards where Tess had already dragged Kyle.

Maria fiddled with the CD player until soft music emerged, floating into the desert sky as it flushed with the beginning of sunset. The two couples embracing on the sand began to sway.

Vaguely uncomfortable now, Michael dismantled the beach umbrella then came back to the blanket, intending to watch the sun go down. Before he could plant himself, Liz caught his hand.

“I didn’t spend time teaching you to dance so you could sit on your ass,” she declared with a grin.

He thought about protesting, he really did. Despite the periodic lessons, Michael wasn’t that confident, nor was he jonesing for public humiliation. But he could not pass up the chance to hold Liz close so he nodded his acquiescence, and enfolded her in his arms.

I can feel the magic floating in the air
Being with you gets me that way
I watch the sunlight dance across your face and I've
Never been this swept away

“Might as well get comfy, girlfriend. I am in no shape to dance.” Maria patted her stomach and Max laughed, settling in beside her.

“Yeah, I hear you.”

Reclining, watching the dancers, Max gradually became aware that Maria watched him instead. “What?”

“It doesn’t bother you anymore, does it?” she stated.

“Huh?”

She pointed with her chin towards Liz and Michael. Max smiled. “No, it doesn’t.”

All my thoughts just seem to settle on the breeze
When I'm lying wrapped up in your arms
The whole world just fades away
The only thing I hear
Is the beating of your heart

Liz rested her head against Michael’s chest, intensely aware of his warmth. She felt almost delicate with the way he surrounded her physically. Once, this sense of total safety had been invoked only by Max. Now she knew better—knew Michael better. Well enough to know the difference between the face he showed the world, and the man he was inside, who loved her so much.

‘Cause I can feel you breathe
It's washing over me
Suddenly I'm melting into you
There's nothing left to prove
Baby all we need is just to be
Caught up in the touch
The slow and steady rush
Baby, isn't that the way that love's supposed to be
I can feel you breathe
Just breathe

“So, did you come to this state of grace because Liz was gone for weeks on end?”

Max chuckled. “Pretty much, yeah.”

Maria sighed exasperatedly when he said nothing else. “Elaborate, Max! I need details.”

He sighed, groping for words. “I guess you could say that it made me internalize that our relationship is three-fold. You know, that it doesn’t quite work when it isn’t all of us together.”

She hummed in understanding. “But you know it won’t always be all three of you together at the same time. And I’m not even talking about bedroom time, just normal logistics.”

“Right, the two-plus-one thing.”

“Exactly.”

In a way I know my heart is waking up
As all the walls come tumbling down
I’m closer than I've ever felt before
And I know
And you know
There's no need for words right now

Michael squeezed Liz briefly, skimming the top of her head with his lips in a feathery kiss. He couldn’t help smiling at her muffled giggle, or repeating the caress.

She was like a small bird in his embrace, so light and beautiful. The setting sun sparked copper glints from her dark hair, falling sleekly and swinging ever so slightly with their motion.

He could see Max talking and laughing with Maria, and the last of the residual pressure in his chest relaxed. Max was fine. Better than fine. The ache of Liz’s absence had shown them both that none of the three of them was indispensable; they each had a role to play.

Feeling Liz pressed close in his arms and hearing Max’s carefree laughter, Michael knew, in a way that threatened to swamp him, that this was the happiest he’d ever been. He wouldn’t say it, obviously, but he could feel it and know it for truth.

Caught up in the touch
The slow and steady rush
Baby, isn't that the way that love's supposed to be
I can feel you breathe
Just breathe

Max pondered the comment. “I think what really hit me is that two-plus-one is not the same as two.”

“That’s basic math, Max.” Maria laughed at the dirty look he shot her.

“Yes, I know that. I’m not talking empirically, Maria. Like, they’re over there dancing, and I’m over here, but it’s a two-plus-one situation. It has nothing to do with me being able to see them, either. It’s that I’m not being excluded from the two of them together. That’s what makes me the plus-one right now.”

“Okay, so the circumstances with Liz being away did exclude her, so it was only you and Michael. Just a two without the plus-one,” she speculated.

“Right.”

“Then what changed was that you learned how to be the plus-one, without worrying about them being the two and excluding you.” She shook her head. “This sounds ridiculous.”

“It does, yeah,” he smiled. “But basically that’s it. I might be physically removed from Michael and Liz but I’m not outside the relationship. Which I knew up here,” he tapped his forehead, “but I was having a hard time really feeling it.”

“And now you’re not.” He nodded then laughed as Maria beamed and dragged him close for a hug.

I can feel the magic floating in the air
Being with you gets me that way

Reluctantly Liz stepped back as the music ended, figuring she shouldn’t push her luck. Although with the descent of dusk it was becoming difficult to see well enough to keep good balance on the shifting sand, so it was probably for the best that they sit down, anyway. She laughed at Michael’s exaggerated sigh of relief when she tugged him back over to where Max and Maria sat, knowing it was all hot air.

She stretched out on the blanket and allowed the joy of being bracketed by Max and Michael to seep through her. It held such a deep sense of rightness; more even than before she’d gone away.

It was as if, in her absence, her soul had reached out across the miles; found anchor and nourishment in the bond between her lovers. She felt rooted now, and deeply so. The unusual relationship that had blossomed among the three of them had used their time apart to attain its full maturity.

It felt damned good to be home.

“Michael, I am impressed. Liz’s toes seem to be all intact,” Maria quipped with a friendly smile.

He laughed, and Liz felt the swift pass of his hand along her hip as he returned, “Maybe if your room had a sand floor, yours would’ve been too.”

Maria merely stuck her tongue out at him in retort. Then the four of them fell quiet to watch the last of the sun’s journey below the horizon.

It flooded the purpling sky with streaks of crimson that slowly faded until the stars gleamed against the inky velvet of night.

The music, too, came to a stop with the end of the sunlight and the two couples that had still been swaying in the sand joined the others.

“I suppose we should go soon,” Tess sighed, the regret in her voice speaking for all of them. “Kyle has practice in the morning.”

“It’s the summer!” Alex protested.

Kyle grunted. “Tell that to my coach.”

“I’ll take you,” Maria offered, standing.

“Thanks, Maria.” Tess helped her gather her things, and the first carload was gone.

“Yeah, we should be going, too,” Alex commented, putting his arm around Isabel theatrically and winking. They laughed.

“Whitman, we don’t want to know about it,” Michael informed him. “See ya.”

And then there were three. As Liz tried to sit up, she realized that Max had slumped against her, dead asleep.

“Uh, Max?”

“I’m up, I’m up.” He cracked his eyes open and stumbled towards the Jeep.

Michael laughed. “I guess I’m driving.”

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

By the time they reached Michael’s apartment, a not so light snoring emitted from the back seat. Liz helped Michael pull Max out of the Jeep and together they half-carried their exhausted lover into the living room, where he promptly curled up on the couch.

Liz watched him for a moment, her lips curving. “Everyone’s been complaining about you being a grump. I guess no one else noticed that Max hasn’t been sleeping.”

“Why would they?” Michael pointed out logically. “He’s spent most nights here.”

She turned to lay her head on his chest, sighing when Michael’s arms came up around her. “Does it help to know that I was absolutely miserable, too?”

Michael paused, inhaling the fragrance of her hair. The way its scent followed her, and how he followed it, had been one of his earliest clues that he was falling for her. “Some,” he admitted.

“At least you had each other. I was totally alone.” Liz winced inwardly at the petulant tone that crept into her voice.

“Yeah, but it’s not the same.” Michael struggled to explain. “It’s not even just not the same, it’s…it’s not enough. Not anymore.”

“That’s what Max said,” she whispered, her throat tight. Somewhere in her middle a balance shifted and snapped into its rightful place. Like she’d been running uphill for the last while and only now, surrounded by Michael and Max, did the road flatten out like it was supposed to.

“He’s a smart guy sometimes,” Michael smiled.

“Liz?”

She looked at Michael, her mouth twitching in amusement, and crouched beside the couch. “I’m here, Max.”

“Missed you,” he slurred.

“Me, too.”

Max scrunched up his nose. “Sorry to sack out on you like this, but—”

“Michael told me. I don’t mind if you sleep.” Liz brushed a kiss across his forehead. “I can still look at you.”

“Funny girl.”

“Do you want to take the bed? You might sleep better.”

He shook his head. “No, there’s one out here and two in there. I’m fine where I am.”

Those beautiful hazel eyes, clouded with fatigue, told her that Max’s words meant far more than the obvious. Whatever doubts and insecurities had plagued him since the beginning of this relationship had been resolved. Liz offered him a big, beautiful smile.

“Yeah. I like that.” He reached to trace the contours of her mouth. She nibbled on his fingertips, enjoying his smile, then tucked the afghan that was normally slung across the couch arm around his body.

Michael smoothed Max’s hair away from his face and watched the other man smile again and drift back to sleep. He helped Liz to her feet. “So, it’s just us. Think you can handle it?”

Liz laughed and wound her arms around his neck. “I’ve been looking forward to it.”

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

[Tasyfa]

Bold words aside, Liz found that once they’d undressed and climbed into bed, they just kept talking. Lying close together, wrapped in Michael’s arms and listening to him, was a luxury she’d had little experience with and she loved it. She’d come to understand how difficult it was for him to be this unguarded, and so she treasured those moments when he felt comfortable enough to just be.

A quiet click sounded as the CD changed. Liz began to laugh as she recognized the decidedly unromantic strains.

“What?”

She turned to face Michael, nuzzling up to his chest, her hands idly playing across his body. “I never though that Metallica would be, like, seduction music for me. But this will be the second time today that it’s been part of the, uh, moment.”

“Max took one of my CDs?”

Liz snorted in amusement. “No, Michael. He bought his own.”

“Oh,” he responded quietly, wonder stirring in his eyes. “He told you.”

Her caresses grew bolder. “Yeah. I coaxed the story of his music appreciation lesson out of him.”

“Would that have been the kind of coaxing that resulted in him knowing that you didn’t wear underwear today?” he chuckled.

“As a matter of fact, yes,” she replied loftily. Her expression became mischievous and she rolled away from him, landing on all fours.. “I heard alllll about this.”

Blood pounded in an unexpected, violent rush through Michael’s system as Liz…presented, was the only word he could think of. Thickly he ordered, “Move closer to the headboard.”

Startled, Liz glanced back and shivered when she read the dark need in his face, feeling the shift in mood tingle all along her skin. She crawled farther up the bed.

Heat spread along her backside as Michael bent over her, pressing his chest to her back. The hard length of his cock nestled against her bottom. Would he take her like he had Max—exactly as he’d taken Max? Would she experience that tonight? His hands started to move on her and she moaned, not caring about the answer so long as he didn’t stop touching her.

Michael kneaded her breasts to an aching tenderness—to the point where the slightest tug on a stiff nipple brought her pleasure so bright it hurt, and liquid trailed down her thigh in helpless thrall. And then in one smooth motion, Michael grasped her hands and pulled her arms up, fastening her fingers around the wrought iron railings in the headboard.

“Don’t let go,” he told her, watching as she nodded agreement. He didn’t think Liz had noticed yet, but the same height difference that allowed him to bend over her like this, far enough to be able to suck on her neck, would make it basically impossible to make love in this position. At least, until he made some minor adjustments.

“God, you’re so ready for me,” he breathed fervently as his fingers plunged inside her, feeling how drenched she was.

“Yes! Oh, Michael. I want you.” Wanted, needed; was there a difference anymore? Liz rode his hand but it wasn’t enough for her harsh desire. “Michael, please.”

“Just like that, no foreplay?”

She laughed breathlessly. “You’ve been with Max too long. You’re becoming a tease.”

Michael withdrew his fingers and closed his hands around her sensitive breasts, sinking his teeth into her ear lobe. He listened to her whimper with a surge of intense lust, then nearly growled at her. “I want you hot and wet around me, Liz. Now.”

He straightened and pulled her buttocks apart with his hands, clamping his fingers on her hips while his thumbs settled against her puckered rear opening, forming a barrier. A fierce smile flashed at Liz’s shocked inhalation, but he didn’t pause. Michael used his grip to lift her body off the bed until the tip of his cock met with her soaked entrance and he thrust in, all the way.

“Ah!” Liz could hardly breathe for the intensity when Michael began to pump steadily. The way his hands held her open made her feel almost split in half, like he was possessing her in two places. She felt full to the brim, in danger of spilling, fulfilled in a way she’d longed for the entire time she’d been away.

She tightened her grip, fuzzily aware that with her legs dangling and her feet unable to secure purchase on the smooth surface of the sheets, her only support was her hands on the headboard rails, and Michael’s thick cock pressing hard inside her. Liz fought a wild giggle at the stray thought that both ends of her were being held up by iron rods.

Michael couldn’t get enough of her. Nothing hit him deeper in the gut than the uninhibited sounds that emerged from Liz when he pleasured her, in any fashion. Holding her in place while he slammed into her, driving them both insane, had him on the edge of control. He wanted more.

He would take more.

Liz gasped as Michael hiked her pelvis up farther, changing the angle of his penetration. The savage action of his hips meant that each time he filled her, the sac that concealed his testicles thudded against her, stimulating the sensitive skin around her clitoris. Starbursts shot through her system with every contact, leaving a tightening spiral of tension in her belly that would rapidly demand release.

“Michael! I need you to—I need you soon,” she panted.

He understood: this time, it would play backwards. He would come first and then he would send her flying.

To that end, Michael sped up, thrusting into Liz in abandon. He didn’t need to hold on and wait for her; he didn’t need to worry that she wasn’t enjoying their current activity, not when he could hear her hiss in need. And he knew that she would not remain in this state of aching potential because he would take care of her immediately afterwards. He was completely free to experience the sensual overload of her body.

“Yeah, sweetheart, I’ve got you,” he rejoined huskily, forcing the words out through the haze.

Trusting him, Liz gave herself up to the experience of being the receptacle for Michael’s total lack of control. Her breath came faster with his continued assault on her senses. She could feel his mouth hot on her back, the trailing ends of his hair tickling along her sides. The quick bite of teeth, scraping along her spine. The brightness spun higher and higher as her core accepted thrust after thrust, drilling into her soul.

Michael’s thighs trembled with effort but he refused to slow down. No, he was incapable of slowing, or stopping. Liz held him in a vice of fascination and ecstasy. He pushed on and then abruptly, the universe tore open in a flash of heat and light as he exploded.

Slowly, his cheek brushing her shoulder blade, Michael lowered Liz’s hips, letting her knees settle firmly onto the mattress before he released her. Long red finger marks had imprinted on her skin but he didn’t worry about them, knowing Max could heal any lingering discomfort tomorrow.

Resting on her own knees with Michael growing soft inside her, Liz felt less supported than she had only moments ago. But she didn’t care about her current position, or the vague soreness where his hands had been. She was incoherent with a stunning hunger for Michael to finish what he’d started, as he’d promised.

He hadn’t forgotten. Slipping out of Liz, Michael used his powers to dry her off a little and then spread her knees wide.

“Michael! What—” She didn’t get a chance to finish the question as he slid underneath her, his mouth latching onto her clitoris. “Oh, my God.”

Coating his hand with her abundant moisture, Michael inserted his fingers into her rear entrance, shoving hard, listening to Liz moan. He sucked aggressively on her ultra sensitive skin. This wasn’t about romance and flowers and soft words of love, not anymore. This was possession.

Liz rocked her hips, meeting his hand, spreading her legs wider to nestle closer to his mouth. She didn’t care about Michael’s possible need for air. With as wild as he’d made her, he could damn well learn to breathe underwater for the time it took to satisfy her.

Michael groaned, her motion telling him that she was a slave to his actions at this moment. Liz needed what he could give her, and so he gave.

His teeth nipped carefully at her bundle of nerves inside his mouth and he unfolded another wetted finger, pressing, pushing, penetrating deep.

Liz let out a choked cry. It was all so bright and keen; she balanced on the knife edge between pleasure and pain. Endlessly, it seemed like, and then shocked fire ran through her as Michael reached up and twisted a stiffened nipple.

The surprise move shot her over that edge into glory.

He didn’t stop this time, either, using his hands and mouth on her body to bring her back up to the line and pushing her over, past all endurance, until she could take no more and collapsed in sensuous exhaustion. Michael managed to move fast enough to miss being smothered, but he did need to extricate his arm from beneath her spent form.

[Tasyfa]

He used a corner of the sheet to wipe his face, unable to refrain from smiling when Liz heaved a sigh. But when he went to clean the rest of himself, Michael’s hand never made it past his waist as a warm tongue began to lick his cock.

“Do you mind?” Max asked softly, looking vulnerable when Michael propped his head up to look at him.

“Never,” he answered, returning Max’s smile. “I thought you were out for the night, you were so tired.”

“I thought I was too. But I kept dreaming, or something. I could feel you two…” he trailed off in confusion. “I don’t know what. Maybe my imagination was running overtime. Whatever. I wanted to—to be with you guys, just to sleep even. I heard you, Michael, and I thought that it would be okay to come in after you, um.” Max shrugged, color rising in his face. “You weren’t quite finished, but I stayed anyway.”

Liz managed to crawl over to the edge of the bed to smile at Max. “You’re always welcome. You know that.”

“I know.” He stroked her hair back. “I had my time with you earlier. You and Michael deserved the same solitude.”

She studied his face, feeling his sincerity. Her instinct at his previous words when they had left him to sleep had been correct: Max was no longer haunted by the specter of jealousy. The last barrier among the three of them had been dissolved.

“I love you,” Liz stated quietly.

Max cupped her cheek, knowing she understood what he’d been trying to say. “I love you too, Lizzie.”

Michael started to feel somewhat absurd, with his lovers sharing a moment over his naked groin. He didn’t want to interrupt, having tuned in to the part that wasn’t being spoken, but embarrassment was beginning to set in. Just a little bit.

Max noticed Michael’s discomfort at the same time Liz did and grinned at her dancing eyes. Instead of saying anything, though, he gave her one last tender touch then bent his head. Opening his mouth wide, he moved down, taking Michael’s cock inside.

A delightful shiver ran down Liz’s spine as she watched that long, lovely throat distend and smooth out rhythmically. She hadn’t thought anything would be able to arouse her right now, not after all Michael had taken, but a weak spurt pierced her stomach at the concentration in Max’s face.

Despite himself, Michael’s eyes drifted closed to better focus on Max’s suction. There were no distracting caresses, nothing to divide his attention, only warm hands holding his hips steady and a hot mouth pulling hard.

Gently Liz took hold of Max’s closest hand and turned it up. With the tip of her middle finger, she scratched lightly across the center of his palm, from the heel of his hand straight up to the first knuckle of his middle finger.

Max’s gaze snapped to hers, understanding the gesture. I want to fuck you. The hidden meaning had made the rounds at school and it had become a discreet way for each of them to relate their desires. It was amazing how such a simple little thing could take on such meaning, and induce an immediate physical reaction.

However, he was kind of busy at the moment with something that he definitely wanted to finish. Max glanced down at Michael’s groin then back up at Liz, raising his eyebrows in what he hoped was a meaningful manner. Since she smiled and mouthed, “Later,” he could only assume that she’d understood.

Michael grunted as Liz settled atop him, his eyes fluttering open. “Didn’t I wear you out?” he teased.

“Pretty much, yeah,” she agreed, slipping her arms underneath his until her inner elbows met the inside of his upper arms. “But I still want to stay close, and I think I was making Max uncomfortable watching so closely.”

He laughed, rubbing her shoulders. “Yeah, I seem to recall that he thought it didn’t look sexy.”

“He was wrong.” Declaration made, Liz lowered her mouth to Michael’s, kissing him tenderly.

“Mmm. What’s that for?”

“Because I missed it, and I like it.” She smiled at him before beginning a series of languid kisses that comforted as much as they stimulated.

This was home. The three of them, together like this. The smooth satin of Liz’s mouth moving on his, with the delicate tracing of her tongue. The sharp pull of Max’s lips on his cock. Everything Michael hadn’t known he’d needed was right here, with the two people that he loved.

Max swallowed, trying desperately not to smile at the contented sigh that accompanied Michael’s release. He didn’t think the other man was even aware that he’d made a noise, and Max wasn’t about to call his attention to it. Instead, he lifted his head and pressed a kiss to Michael’s abdomen, then ran his middle finger down the center of Liz’s foot, reciprocating her gesture. And, just because he could, and for her earlier comment about watching him, he lightly smacked her ass.

Her eyes rounded at her personal interpretation of Max’s actions, prompting Michael to look at her quizzically. She leaned in close to his ear and whispered, “I think Max wants to…I mean…make love.”

“Not really a surprise, Liz, so what’s with the face?”

“No! I mean, as if I were you. Like, elsewhere.”

“Uh-huh.” Well, that explained her expression. Michael openly scrutinized her as he asked, “What do you want?” While she thought about it, he closed his legs around Max as Max stood up, preventing him from moving away. His lover looked puzzled but willingly stayed put.

Max had no idea what they were discussing, but Michael had been clear on one point so he figured the rest would be forthcoming soon enough. Standing between Michael’s legs at the edge of the bed, he noticed the bruises running along Liz’s hips and stepped a little closer, placing his hands over the marks to heal them. The change in position brought his erection in contact with her skin and he forcibly calmed his breathing, reaching for his power.

Liz felt Max press close and gasped at the sudden current running through her. She buried her face against Michael’s neck. “I want to.”

Lust uncurled in Michael’s stomach at her husky tone. He reached up with one hand, grabbing for a pillow, and reached down with the other to grasp Max’s cock.

It startled Max and tossed him out of the healing connection. His first glance was at the skin under his hands, which had returned to its normal smooth ivory. His second, incredulous look was at Michael. “What?” Then he noticed both the angle at which Michael held his cock, and the pillow he held out with a challenge in his eyes, and Max’s knees started to tremble. “Liz? Are you sure?”

She nodded, but quickly realized he couldn’t see that. “Yes. Please.”

“Okay then.” He helped Michael to slide the pillow underneath her, lifting her hips farther into the air. Seeing her spread out that way, knowing why, excited him unbearably. This first time wouldn’t be them alone; Michael would share in it, just by being there.

Liz felt his hands rubbing cool slickness onto her exposed skin and she braced herself. Sure as she was, she couldn’t help being nervous, or afraid that it would be painful. She was a lot smaller than Michael. What if—

“Relax, sweetheart.” Michael touched her shoulder soothingly. “It’ll be better if you’re not so tense.”

“I know, but…”

“Would Max hurt you?”

The question had her muscles loosening from the bone-deep knowledge that Max would not. She smiled her gratitude.

Max felt her tension dissipate and his fingers began to stroke between her buttocks, pressing lightly. When his thumb reached her puckered opening, he massaged around it, eventually using both thumbs while the rest of his fingers held her open. Every so often, he inserted only the very tip of a finger, teasing her mercilessly. He could hear Liz breathing now, the sound escalating, spurring him on.

Michael witnessed the changes in her face, seeing her eyelids droop and her lips part in pleasure as Max continued. There was nothing sexier than watching her come undone.

Liz sealed her eyes shut, unable to keep eye contact with Michael when she could see how her own expression affected him. Her hands flexed convulsively in Michael’s hair as finally, Max thrust a finger inside her.

It was his thumb, actually, and carefully Max slid the other one in too, using the same massaging motions to push out against her ring of muscle, getting Liz used to a presence there.

So gradually that she didn’t notice, Liz’s hips began to move in response to Max’s hands. His caresses were building a hunger in her and her body wanted it satisfied.

When at last she rocked back in an attempt to move closer, Max knew Liz was ready. He pressed a kiss to the small of her back then stood, bringing his slicked cock to her rear entrance, and gently slipped inside her, just a little bit.

“Ohhhh.” It felt incredible, right up until he stopped. Liz mentally rolled her eyes. “There isn’t even anything to break this time! Michael, push me.”

The abrupt command had Michael blinking in confusion. “Huh?”

“I can’t get any leverage, and Max is going too slow. Push me down.” She opened her eyes to gauge his response: behind the surprise there was definite interest. Liz leaned down and softly kissed him. “Please.”

“On your head be it,” Michael answered. His mouth quirked up. “Or in your ass, as the case may be.”

“Michael!” she laughed. Only for a moment, though, as Michael’s gaze darkened and his hands clasped her hips. Liz stared down at him, suspended in need, and he propelled her back as asked, impaling her on Max’s cock.

“Oh my fucking God,” Max gasped out. He found himself bent double over Liz, his mouth shoved against her shoulder blade, with his erection completely buried in her body. The shock of his assisted penetration sent wild desire pounding through him, enough to take him straight to the edge of orgasm. He teetered precariously for a moment, but as Liz stayed still, Max slowly regained a measure of control. “Are you okay?”

“I’m good,” Liz managed. ‘Good’ didn’t begin to cover it, actually.

Michael asked, “No pain, discomfort?”

She thought about it. “I feel kind of stretched, but not in a bad way. I think maybe there’s too much lubricant, though. It feels…I don’t know, weird.”

Michael laughed. “Better too much than not enough, believe me. Course, it could be something else, like Max coming on the spot.”

“Ha. I’d laugh if that weren’t damned close to being the truth,” Max admitted haltingly.

“It’s that good for you?” Liz wanted to know, surprised.

“That unexpected. I wasn’t—I didn’t want to hurt you, Lizzie. Sometimes the bottom person isn’t as ready as either one thinks, so I…” he trailed off, embarrassed now. “Sorry. I know you prefer to rip band-aids.”

She balanced herself on Michael, reaching back for Max’s hand and bringing it to her lips to kiss his fingers. “No, don’t apologize, Max. I love that you were looking out for me. I didn’t know about that.”

“It’s all good, Maxwell. Going by our girl’s face, very, very good,” Michael winked.

He smiled and nuzzled Liz’s spine. “I think I can move now, if you—”

“Yes.”

Despite the conversation, Max started slowly, needing that respite even if Liz did not. He picked up speed as she moaned until his hips worked ceaselessly, thrusting deep inside her. Only then did he realize that the pressure against his thigh came from Michael’s erection.

Liz no longer felt self-conscious about Michael watching her; she was too busy feeling intense pleasure unlike anything she’d known. And yet, there was something missing. While Max’s steady rhythm forced husky vocalizations from her throat, she had the sense that there wouldn’t be a finish line for her this way. Something none of them could have anticipated.

Michael’s breathing became more and more erratic as he served witness to his lovers’ union, and he became aware that his body was responding to the two of them. Helpless to move out from underneath Liz, he hoped that certain important parts didn’t get in the way.

“Lift up a little,” Max instructed Liz. When she blindly obeyed, he reached down and took hold of Michael’s erection, pulling up until his fingers could guide the tip inside her.

“I can’t! I can’t hold you both. There isn’t room!” Her voice held an edge of hysteria.

Michael rubbed her sides, attempting to reassure her. He couldn’t breathe for the possibility of being part of this—a complete partner, not just an assistant. The very first time he’d made love to Liz had been an experience in serial penetration: he and Max taking turns bathing in her wet heat. Now Max explored a different kind of lovemaking with her, one she and Michael would experience in due time, but it could be so much more. It could be all of them together. “I’ll stop the second you say it’s not good, sweetheart.”

“So will I,” Max panted, halting all movement.

Liz remembered what she’d said to Max during the events of her birthday: there was nowhere he had touched that hadn’t felt amazing. She’d trusted him that day—trusted both men, and all of what had followed had left her forever in love, irrevocably bound to their circle.

She would trust them again today. “Okay. Okay, just be careful, please.”

“Always, love,” Max promised.

“I trust you, but I’m scared,” Liz whispered to Michael.

He kissed her tenderly. “The absolute second, Liz, I swear.”

She nodded, then scrunched up her face in a fit of nerves and waited.

More cautiously than he had ever done so, Michael pushed past the ineffective barrier of her labia and on inside, feeling the scalding heat of her inner walls close about his cock in fractions of inches. He shook with the effort to hold back, all of his attention focused on Liz.

She felt the achingly slow glide of Michael’s erection, twinned with Max’s deep motionless penetration. If there was pain, it went unnoticed in the instant flash of release. “Oh, sweet mercy.” Liz’s head dropped to Michael’s shoulder and her hands moved down swiftly to press against his hips in entreaty. “Go!”

A laugh bubbled up in Max’s throat at her heartfelt tone and he shared a relieved look with Michael that quickly grew heated. He recalled vividly the time that he had been in a position akin to Liz’s; it was part of why he’d thought of this doubling up when he’d felt Michael’s excitement. Max shifted to clasp fingers with Michael, pressing their hands flat against the bed as he began to move inside Liz.

Joined with both Liz and Max now, Michael followed Max’s rhythm, pushing harder and harder as they rocked Liz back and forth between them, feeling pressure against his cock within her vaginal walls that he hadn’t felt before. Knowing that the addition to her trembling contractions was Max, on the other side.

Liz quickly lost track of who was where and what it meant as the insistent double stroking kept her spinning in and out like a yo-yo, on the edge of climax and through it into shuddering orgasm and back again. Just as she couldn’t stand any more from one direction, it would recede and the other would thrust forward, the cycle beginning anew.

Max could feel Liz’s quivering and it broke him, his body caving to sensation and surging into oblivion.

Michael might have started later but seeing his lovers find release, feeling their spasms, sent him to his own ecstasy.

Max spoke first, his lack of silence dictated by the growing weakness in his legs. “I think I need to sit down.”

Liz giggled. “That sounds good. Horizontal sounds even better.” At Michael’s snort, she clarified, “Unattached horizontal.”

Max cleaned them all off with his powers then collapsed onto the bed near Michael.

Gingerly, Liz moved to lay flat on her back between the two men. She stared straight up and started to laugh.

“What?” Michael asked, turning on his side to face her.

“I feel like I’ve just finished the full-body sexual equivalent of the Boston Marathon, and yet, this is the first time in weeks that I’ve seen your ceiling. So much for the missionary position.”

Michael grinned. “Yeah I guess it is at that. Complaints?”

“No way. I would like to request a twenty-four hour recess, though!”

“Liz, if you’re that sore—” Max quieted when she kissed his cheek where it rested close to hers.

“I feel that way because you made love to me, Max, you and Michael. I missed you guys so much and I don’t want to rush through any part of this experience. Even the sore parts,” she smiled.

Max leaned in to kiss her, his tongue lingering along her lips. “I love you. I’m glad you’re home.”

“Me, too,” Liz replied.

“Man, I will definitely admit to that feeling,” Michael commented facetiously, and they all laughed.

“Really, Lizzie, as long as you’re okay then I am, too,” Max told her, trying to convey how he felt about what had happened without coming out and saying it in so many words. He could see in Liz’s softening expression that she understood. She always did.

“I’m quite a bit better than ‘okay,’ Max. In fact, I’d venture to say that you can definitely add me to the future hit list.”

“What about my hit list?” Michael mock whined. He knew intimately that Liz had had no problems with their activities once they’d started; he’d watched it all play out on her face. Max hadn’t had that advantage, though. Besides, he was a born worrier. The best thing to do was to head it off before Max’s worrying got serious.

Liz smiled when Michael turned her so that her bottom cuddled up to his quiescent penis in the kind of pointed, non-verbal remark he was so good at. “Yes, yours too. Maybe even yours first.”

“I should hope so,” he teased.

Max shifted closer, cupping Liz’s cheek, and then reached over her to hold onto Michael. “Only seems fair, right, Liz?” His mouth twitched. “I like sharing with Michael.”

Liz fitted her body more comfortably between her men, knowing that it didn’t matter whether anyone else ever understood this strange relationship. The important thing was that it worked, against all conventional wisdom, and that each loved the others and would until the day they died. The enforced distance these past few weeks had proven that.

“Uh-huh,” she agreed softly, feeling at last like she was truly home. “As long as—”

“Right,” Max interrupted.

“Yeah,” Michael echoed.

Liz laughed and finished her thought anyway. “As long as it’s the three of us together, anything is possible. Anything.”


THE END