Thanks again for the amazing feedback. I'm so glad that you're still enjoying this story so much. Now, I KNOW you're expecting the convo from the locked laundry room, and you WILL get that. But it'll be in the next chapter, I promise. I wanted to move the action forward a little. I'm also completely aware that there are still a few loose strings out there that I need to tie up and I will be doing that soon.
Again, thanks for the wonderful support. I hope you enjoy!!!!!Hugs,
Ashton
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~ chapter 30 ~
Her giggle entered the office long before she did.
Sweeping into the room with a girlish sense of carelessness, Liz Parker dropped her purse on the floor next to her desk and released a happy sigh. "God, that was fun. Wasn't that fun?"
Turning to her office companion, Liz's grin deepened at the look of disgust that scrunched Max's face as he glanced down at himself. Head to toe he was covered in every imaginable shade of paint. He looked like he'd been through a vicious paint ball fight, of which he was anything but the victor. "If you consider being attacked by a room full of juvenile delinquents whose only aim is to cover you in a million layers of paint fun..."
Another giggle escaped. "You didn't seem to mind the little paint fight that started all of this."
"That's because I was **your** personal canvass." Max stated as he closed the door behind him and headed toward his desk. A dark eyebrow raised as he gave her a pointed look. "I never intended every child in the room to follow your oh-so-enthusiastic example and take a whack at me."
"Those kids had a blast." Liz beamed at him from across the room as she plopped into her chair. "And you loved every minute of it."
"Only because you were having as much fun as they were." Dropping his keys on the desk and scooting his chair backward, Max's gaze softened as a genuine smile haunted his lips. "I'd suffer it all again just to see you smiling the way you are now."
In that shared moment of silence, Liz's smile deepened as a pretty blush spread like wildfire over her cheeks. In the next instant a gasp echoed in the room and horror shadowed her expression. "Stop." Liz raised her hands in protest as she divined Max's next intention. It hadn't been hard given that Max's posterior was two inches from hitting the seat of his chair. "Your clothes are still wet and I am sooo not taking the blame for you getting that chair messed up."
Standing to his full height, Max glanced behind him, his brows furrowing with confusion. "You didn't have any objections when I was in your car."
"My car is a pile of crap, Max, and that…" Pointing to the chair, Liz shook her head. "…that's a brand new chair. Not to mention the desk and computer." Pushing back from her desk and slipping toward the small supply closet hidden behind a door in the corner of their office, Liz began an earnest search for something yet unnamed.
Max rolled his eyes. "It's not like I can't afford to have it cleaned. Or buy a new one for that matter."
"Spoken like a true blue gazillionaire." Liz shot back, her voice muffled. "You do realize that it's much cheaper to replace a towel than an entire desk, right? Or didn't they teach you that in Corporate Raiding 101?"
"Nah. We didn't get to office equipment until second semester of our second year." Max responded with a hint of teasing in his voice. "Jet Setting 210, however, clearly outlined our obligation to society as getting everything we touch as dirty as possible so the little people can eke out a meager living cleaning up after we, the chosen few."
"Cute." Liz commented followed by sounds of shuffling items. There was a moment of silence then Liz's voice floated back out to him. "You know, I'm surprised you didn't bring a change of clothes like I did."
"I didn't expect to be ambushed..." Max's eyes began to dance with devilish delight as a devious thought flashed through his mind. "…by anything but those luscious lips of yours, that is."
There was a pause. Max could imagine the roll of her eyes, the blush on her cheeks, the way her chest hitched in an effort to calm her racing heart. He hadn't imagined incorrectly. When Liz was sure she could respond with an unwavering voice, she yelled back her response. "You're incorrigible."
"Just the way you like me." Max yelled back distractedly. His hands immediately went to the top button of his shirt. In a matter of seconds, he'd discarded the stiffening material. Without hesitation, his hands dropped to his belt. It was undone in two seconds flat. Shoes were kicked off and pants had been unzipped by the time Liz continued.
"You should have headed straight home to take a shower." Whether she didn't hear Max's comment or she just chose to ignore it wasn't clear. She continued, her distracted gaze shifting around the supply closet where she'd been certain there would be something for him to sit on.
"Oh, I planned on it." Max responded as he glanced at the closet door to gauge her progress. "Then you offered me a ride and…" Shrugging out of his pants, a smirk tilted his lips upward. "…I couldn't resist such a tempting opportunity." He kicked his pants out of the way and stepped toward the closet.
"Opportunity?"
"Yeah." A sly, suggestive smile slipped over his lips. "To convince you to join me. I'm sure I have paint on parts of my body I can't see, let alone name. I'll need help making sure I'm squeaky clean."
Her back to the door, Liz chuckled. "With a line like that you'd have a better chance of convincing Sister Mary Margaret that you and I don't always end up on the floor together."
"You sure about that?"
Gasping, Liz spun at the sound of Max's voice so close to her. Her mouth dropped open. Her eyes grew wide. Her gaze burned him from head to toe then back up again, pausing twice at the black boxers hugging him rather nicely. "Oh. My. God."
"I've gotten that a few times." A wicked gleam dropped from Max's eyes to land on devilishly curved lips. "Though I must say, the compliment has never meant so much before."
"What…what are you…" Stumbling over her words, Liz's entire body was igniting with desire at a frightening rate. Her eyes had darkened to two shiny beads of coal. "Max, you can't…" Chest rising and falling with a erratic breath, Liz pointed to their office. She swallowed hard. She forced a hint of authority into her voice. "Just…go back out there and get dressed."
Chuckling, Max advanced a slow step into the closet. Growing in confidence given their newfound closeness, Max was still hesitant to push her too far, too fast. He kept his tone light, teasing. His movements fluid and suggestive. Non-threatening. Advancing, yet still giving her a path of retreat. A means of control. "Now, why would I want to do that? You won't let me sit with my clothes on. You obviously can't find anything for me to sit on. So, the only other option was…" Spreading his arms, Max glanced down at his nearly naked body. "…this."
"God, Max, this is an office." Taking a step backward, Liz swallowed hard. Her mouth had suddenly turned to cotton. She licked her dry lips and pulled in a ragged breath. It seared her lungs. Trying to avoid looking at the massive expanse of nakedness slyly advancing toward her, Liz's gaze shifted to the door in an effort at protest. The hint of a dark memory flickered in her mind as her gaze shifted around the space closing in on her. "S-someone could walk in here."
"I locked the door." His whisper echoed in the small space. "Besides, there's still a proposition on the table from the other day when we were in Steph's office."
"But…but…" She took another step back. "…that was…that was different." Her back hit a cabinet. The memory flickered again. This time stronger. More clear. The face before her twisted with malice, shadowed by darkness. She struggled to focus on reality. On Max. Dear, sweet, gentle Max. Max, who wouldn't lift a finger of harm against her. Max, who she trusted more than she dared admit. Who she wanted with an intensity so fierce, it grew with every breath she took. Max, who held her time and time again in his protective arms of safety. Her hoarse voice was barely a whisper. "Max, please. Please don't. Not here…"
"Don't what?" Heart rumbling like the hooves of a thousand horses, Max queried as his coal black eyes raked over Liz setting her on fire every place his heated gaze lingered. He took another slow, predatory step forward. The smoothness of his voice didn't betray the electric sparks shooting through his body, turning his insides to jello. "Need you? Want you? Remember exactly how you taste and crave every second to taste you again?"
The force of his words crushed the memory before it rose. The hunger in his eyes challenged the images, pushing them into retreat. But the impression…the impression remained. The loathing. The fear. The overwhelming sense of oppression. She instinctively knew she couldn't do this with Max. Not here. But God help her, she couldn’t resist him. Not with the way he was looking at her. Not when his raspy voice echoed the craving that exploded like a volcano between them. Not when his body was so temptingly close she could feel the heat spiking her temperature.
Black flush against the cabinet, Liz swallowed hard. "Stop…" Her dazed gaze dropped to the smooth, tone chest of bronze just inches from her face. Her fingers itched to touch him. To feel the silky hardness of his muscles. To run through his hair. Trace every contour of his face. Instead, she clenched her fists at her side. "…stop being…" Her eyes drifted closed as she tried to concentrate on the reasons he shouldn't be standing in front of her in nothing but his boxers. "…so damn…"
Unclenching her hands, Max deliberately placed each one on his chest before his electric fingers lightly ran from her hands up her exposed arms, over her shoulder, grazing her neck, then burying in the thick strands of hair that had long ago fallen from the confines of her ponytail. That action alone prompted a helpless sound from the back of her throat. Her lips parted in a breathless sigh. "…irresistible."
Standing toe to toe with Liz, Max leaned in till his bare chest was brushing against hers as it heaved up and down. "I will…" Max's promise was breathed lightly into her ear before raking his lips along her jawline. Feeling Liz body tremble against his, Max brushed her lips with an airy kiss before heading to her other ear for an equally breathless whisper. "…if you will."
Max pulled back. Their eyes met. His, full of blazing hunger. Hers, full of intense longing.
And overwhelming uncertainty. Insecurity. Fear.
A thin sheen of tears brightened her eyes unexpectedly. "Max..." Her lips began to tremble. "…I…can't."
Reading her with unerring accuracy, Max dropped his hands and stepped back as a hint of hurt and doubt raced through his eyes. "I did something wrong, didn't I?"
The mirror image of her own doubts standing in front of her, Liz responded immediately. "Max, no…" Her eyes filled with emotion as she shook her head and silently reached out to him.
But it was too late.
In the silence, a sound exploded.
Liz and Max jumped and turned toward the sound. Chest heaving and cheeks flushed, Liz's eyes grew wide. "What was that?"
"I don't know." Max answered breathlessly. Putting a restraining hand on Liz's shoulder, Max was instantly alert. "Wait here."
He took a step forward. Liz pulled back on his arm. "Wait! You can't go out there like that!"
Having forgotten his state of undress, Max's eyes clouded with confusion. "What are you talking…"
Liz glanced down at his boxers then back up at him with an upraised eyebrow. Stepping in front of him, Liz glanced at the door. "I'll see what it is. You just…stay here. I'll…" Skittishly inching toward the door, a hint of relief filled her eyes. "…I'll find something for you to wear till you get home."
"But…"
Placing a finger against his lips, Liz shook her head, her lashes wet with unshed tears. Her response, an answer to a much deeper question still hanging between them. "It's not you, Max. I promise its not." Stepping up to him, she gently brushed her lips against his before pulling back with a plea whispering through her eyes. "Please understand."
Before he got a chance to answer, Liz spun on her heels and disappeared through the door.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Wallowing had never been Max Evans' thing.
He was a man of action. If there was a problem, he solved it. If there was an obstacle to be moved, he moved it. If there was a hill to be climbed, he didn't stop until he was at the top, arms outstretched, self-proclaimed King of the Mountain. Conqueror of the world.
But for a few moments that late December afternoon, Max Evans made an exception.
Not only did he have to deal with the physical ramifications of desires unfulfilled, Max had a huge heaping of disappointment to swallow. It wasn't because he and Liz hadn't fully acted on mutual urges. On cravings so palpable he could still feel the ache in his gut. It wasn't even that she'd practically run from him at the first opportunity. Things had been going so good between them that he'd half expected it. The level of trust required for the intimacy, the commitment that Max Evans craved wasn't something that Liz Parker could fully embrace with open arms. Not yet. Not without fear. Not without pain.
Nothing had made that more clear than her reaction to his advances in the supply closet. That she wanted him wasn't in question. He'd felt her entire body trembling with desire. Seen the passion igniting in her fathomless eyes. Practically tasted the hunger hanging in the air between them. But something had triggered her hesitancy. Something…painful. Fearful.
Something that had Chris Santoro written all over it.
Max struggled once again against a past he didn't fully know or understand. And, once again, he was reminded that only Liz Parker had the power to enlighten him. Oh, he could investigate, research, dig and find out the truth on his own. But then where would be his victory? Where would be the satisfaction of Liz's complete and open trust when she came to him of her own free will and shared her life. Present. Future. And past.
And she would. In time. Of that he was convinced. After last night, even Liz Parker knew there was no turning back to the way things had been.
Though Max was a dreamer, he was equally a realist. Years of abuse simply couldn't be erased in a few weeks. And though they had certainly made strides, they still had a way to go. Max knew that. He embraced it as his challenge. Looked toward it as his goal. In the constant up and down of his relationship with Liz, none of those things had enough impact to really knock him off his game. No, it was none of the complicated issues between them or even her seeming rejection of him that threw a wet blanket on his good mood.
It was lousing timing that depressed him.
Just when he was making good, steady progress with Liz, just when she was beginning to trust him…to open up, let him into her life…he had to leave. The conversation he'd just had with Steve confirmed to Max that Fate certainly was against him in this ongoing quest of his.
"I just got your message. What's up?" Max wasn't quite ready for the answer his innocent question prompted.
"We have to call off the Tess-Chris meeting."
"What? Why?" Sinking down into his chair, Max's brows furrowed.
"Because Chris took a huge risk that didn't pan out and landed himself in solitary." Steve's information was delivered with the weight it deserved.
"You're kidding." Max's voice tensed with alarm. "What did he do?"
"Details are sketchy, but apparently he's been running some kind of illegal racket from the inside. Word got out and…let's just say an inmate of his won't be talking about it. Ever again."
"He killed someone? In prison?" Horror laced every word.
"There's no proof." Steve cautioned.
"Oh, of course not." The disdain in Max's voice couldn't be masked if he tried.
"Everyone suspected got tossed into the hole, guilty or not."
Max sighed into the phone. "How long is he in there?"
"Till the investigation is completed in two weeks." Steve paused. "Max, there's no way we can keep Tess under wraps that long."
"I know. Just…" Leaning back in his chair, Max let out a sigh and closed his eyes as his mind began to whirl. "…let me think for a second." Of all the people to have to deal with, Tess was the least appealing at the moment. "Alright. Let's go over our options."
"Ok." Steve responded eagerly.
"We obviously can't turn her over to the Feds since the whole reason we're 'holding' her is cooked up. Knowing the government like we do, they'll probably toss our sorry butts in jail for falsifying documents and impersonating agents while they let her roam free. Which, as you know, is not good for Liz."
"Right."
"And we can't just let her go." Max commented. "First thing she'll do is run to daddy, which has serious blow-up-in-our-faces potential."
"That's what Duke and I figured." Steve agreed readily.
"We can't keep her." Max ticked off the last and most obvious option.
"Hell no." Steve's voice was full of disdain. "The woman is a full-fledged lunatic, Max. If you ask me, she should be in the loony bin with all those delusions she has. Did you know she actually told us that you two were engaged to be married? Which I figured was just a lie to manipulate us, right? But she actually seems to believe it…"
Max sat up, instantly alert. His eyes began to shine with a plan. "That's it."
"What's it?"
Instead of answering, he asked a question in turn. "Are you still friendly with that psychiatrist in Geneva?"
"Magdalena?" Steve's tone was uncertain. "Yeah. Why?"
Max began to grin. "Does she still take cases on the side? Say…a young, female patient suffering from delusions?"
As if a light went on in Steve's brain, he began to chuckle. "You are devious."
"Thank you." Max paused as a wicked grin danced in his eyes. "You think she'll do it? Think she'll take Tess in for psychiatric testing that'll take say…a really long time?"
"Yeah. Yeah, I think she'll take our little problem off our hands for a while." Steve answered readily. A new thought hit him. "Given Tess' belief that you're working on her release, Max, you'll need to be front and center on this if it's going to work. Which means…"
Letting out a sigh of resignation, Max sank back into his chair. "…I'll have to leave here for a few days."
There was a pause in which both men were thinking the same thing. Steve was the first to voice the question. "Do you think she'll stay put without you being there or is she still a huge flight risk?"
Max swallowed hard. "I don't know, Steve." Despite the confidence Max could now claim, there was still one fear that hadn't yet been tested. His eyes drifted close as uncertainty gripped his heart like a vise. "I just…don't know…
Ten minutes later, he still wasn’t sure.
If she would give him a sign. Just one sign was all he needed. One promise would secure his confidence. He could leave on his trip without fear of her absence when he returned. Then again, the last time there was an imminent departure on the horizon, she'd promised to marry him. He certainly knew how that had turned out.
But things had changed. Dramatically, in fact. He wasn't just imagining her new-found openness. The trust beginning to light her eyes. The closeness that each touch, every lingering look, or the string of heated kisses proved beyond question. Maybe it was time to stop questioning her trust in him and just…trust her first.
Having made a decision, Max grabbed the phone and dialed a familiar number. As soon as he heard the gruff voice on the other end of the phone, Max began his inquiry without precursor. "Judd, it's Max. How's the project coming?"
"Finished."
Used to Judd's often brief and brisk answers, Max moved on. "And everything is set to my specifications?"
"Down to the last wire."
Nodding once, Max pursed his lips. "Good. So if I need it as soon as tomorrow…"
"It's all set, boss." Judd's tone rang with a note of pride. "Best work I've ever done, if I may say so myself."
"You may." Max's lips haunted with a smile. "Though your bonus is still determined by **my** saying so."
Judd cleared his throat. "Understood."
"I'll call once I've inspected everything." Max added.
"Yes, sir." Sufficiently chastened, Judd offered one last bit of information. "I'll leave the key and security instructions with Mrs. Jorgen. She can answer any questions you might have…"
After a few more housekeeping details, Max hung up from his call to Judd with a satisfied sigh. He glanced toward the still closed office door gauging how much time he had before Liz returned. Punching in another familiar number, Max figured he had time to hazard another covert phone call.
He waited till the ring was answered by his mother's voice. "Hey, mom."
"Hi, sweetheart." Diane Evans answered as she put a sheet of cookies into the oven and closed the door. "Which one do you need?"
"Which one what?" Max asked, his eyes clouding with confusion.
"Well…" Wiping her hands on a kitchen cloth, Diane spoke into the phone as she nodded to Angel who had just entered the kitchen. "…whenever you call anymore you either want to talk to Angel or Jaedan." She paused. "So. Which one?"
Max winced at the truth of his mother's words. "Mom, I…"
Chuckling into the phone, Diane rolled her eyes. "It's ok, Max. I'm no longer the primary female figure in your life. I haven't been for a very long time. I get that. I also get that you've got a lot going on trying to win the heart of a pretty special woman. Jaedan and Angel are key figures in that quest. So, how's that coming?"
Relieved his mother wasn't hurt by his obvious neglect, Max smiled into the phone. "Better than I'd expected. Actually…despite a minor setback…pretty darn good right now." His voice softened with a precious confession. "In fact…I think we had a major break through last night."
"That's wonderful, honey." Diane's smile could be felt through the phone. "Now, I assume you have something up your sleeve…"
"Uh…yeah." Max answered unsure how his mother had picked up on that particular point of fact. "How did you…"
Diane laughed again. "You never were one to let an opportunity pass you by, Max. You have a special knack for capitalizing on your successes and from the sound of it, you just had a major one. So it makes sense that you have something planned to keep the momentum going." Sighing into the phone, Diane's grin deepened. "Would you spill already? Which one do you need?"
Max laughed at his mother's impatience. "Uh…I need Angel."
"Good choice." Diane answered.
"Why?" Curious, Max's brows furrowed.
"Because your Sleeping Beauty's taking a nap right now."
"Ah." Max answered with a grin. "I'll just have to call her later then."
"Good. She's missed talking to you." Diane nodded to Angel. "Alright, here's Angel…"
Angel took the phone from Diane. "Ok, Mr. Prince Charming, what do you have for me?"
Leaning back in his chair, Max propped his feet up on the desk. A playful grin spread over his lips. "Get everything packed, Angel. It's time to fly…"
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~`
Shaky hands dialed a familiar number. She waited till she heard his voice. "Vaughn. It's me."
"Liz, what's wrong?" Michael Vaughn was instantly alert to the tears he heard in Liz's voice.
Swallowing back a lump of emotion, Liz's eyes drifted closed as she broke a promise she'd made to herself years ago. "I…I want to do it. I want to…remember. To help you get what you need."
"What?" Vaughn blinked in disbelief as his gaze shifted to the woman sitting across from him.
"My life. With him." The words were cold and stilted. The pronoun, harsh with loathing. "I need…I need to remember…everything."
"Liz, what's happened?" Worry laced every word.
A silent tear slipped down her cheek. "It's…it's the least Max deserves."
"Max?" Letting out a sigh, Michael's voice tightened. "Great. What did he do now?"
Shaking her head, Liz's voice was earnest and sincere. "He didn't do anything. I just…I need to do this. For him. For me. For…us." She paused in an effort to gather strength to actually say the words. "Michael, I want to undergo hypnosis." She paused to pull in a ragged breath. "And I want Max to be there with me."
Michael's green eyes widened. "Max knows you want to do this?"
"No." Liz reassured quickly. "He doesn't have a clue. But I plan on telling him." She paused. "Vaughn. Can he be there?"
Releasing a sigh of resignation, Vaughn nodded. "Yeah, Liz. He can be there." As soon as the words were out of his mouth, Vaughn regretted them. "Liz."
"Yeah?"
"Think about what you're doing ok?" The caution of a good friend was unmistakable. "I know…I know I'm the one that asked you to do this, but you don't have to. We can find other ways to get what we need on Darian. In fact, we've already started. I just don't want you doing anything that will…" Unable to find the words to describe the utter horror she was opening herself to, Vaughn released another sigh. "Just think about it first, ok?"
A bittersweet smile touched her lips as Vaughn's words melted her heart. "I have been thinking about it. Ever since last night."
"Last night? What happened last night?"
"Max went into his past for me, Mike." Gaze softening, Liz's voice was as full of emotion as her words were cryptic. "Now it's my turn to do the same for him…"
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Ten minutes later, Liz re-entered the office to a drastic change of tone.
"Damnit, Barbara, I wanted this one." Max's tone was terse with frustration. "Is there no way to salvage it?" He paused to listen. "Well, why didn't you let me know before it got to this point?" Another pause. "Last night? No. My phone…" He paused before creatively describing what had indeed happened to his cell phone. "…malfunctioned."
Liz stepped into the office and closed the door quietly behind her. "No, I didn't get the message. I didn't get home till really early this morning. Well, you could have paged…" Obviously cut off, Max halted his instruction. "Right. I didn't." Voice softening with acknowledgement, Max nodded. "I know. Yes, I know." His tone tightened with authority. "Alright, Barbara, I got the point." Letting out a sigh of resignation, Max lowered his head. "Look, it's alright. There'll be another chance."
Responding to an obvious question, Max gazed out the window, his mind already beginning to plan a counter attack. "Because Graham can't possibly know what to do with a company that size. He barely knows how to manage the divisions Edwin has handed over to him." Another pause. "No, it has nothing to do with Kendall. You know as well as I do that this deal was in the works long before I met her."
Sighing, Max leaned back in his chair. "I know. Yes, I know. I know. Look, this is strictly business. I'm not out to take something from him because they had a past. I'm not that vindictive." Voice tense with sarcasm, Max's profile was hard. "Well, thank you for giving me the benefit of the doubt." Passing his hand over his eyes, Max hung his head. "Look, I'm sorry I snapped. I just have a lot going on right now."
A small smile echoed in his voice. "You keep me straight better than anyone I know, Barbara. How could I ever be mad at you?" The warmth in his voice returned. "I know we'll get 'em next time. Alright. I'll talk to you later."
Max replaced the handset with a slump of his shoulders.
A heart full of regret instantly went out to him. Approaching slowly, Liz's question reached Max before she did. "It's my fault, isn't it?"
Max spun his chair to face her as a smile instantly brightened his clouded expression. "Hey." His smile disappeared the instant he saw the storm darkening her eyes. "What's wrong? What was that noise we heard?"
"Oh, it was…" Waving his concern away with a brush of her hand, Liz shrugged. "…Gabe was screwing around and a display fell against one of the windows in the conference room." Biting her lower lip, Liz slipped onto the edge of the desk and gazed down at Max. "You lost a deal because of me, didn't you? Because you were with me last night…"
"Hey." Realizing Liz must have heard the bulk of his conversation, Max shook his head and reached out to take Liz's hand in his. "If there's anyone to blame for losing this deal, it's me. I'm the one who didn't check my messages."
"But I'm the one that broke your phone…" Liz protested, her eyes full of guilty acknowledgment.
"True." Max grinned as his eyes began to dance with laughter. "And I wouldn't have missed it for the world."
"Max…"
"I mean it." Expression sobering, Max gently pulled Liz from the desk onto his lap. Reaching up to tuck a stray strand of hair behind her ear, Max gazed into her eyes so full of concern and guilt. "Don't you know yet?" As his heated fingers lingered against the smooth skin of her neck, a soft smile darkened his eyes. "You're the most important thing in my life. All the wheeling and dealing in the world couldn't possibly give me what you give me every day. And if my entire fortune rested on whether I was with you or not last night…" Max's smile deepened as his voice dropped to a whisper. "…you, my dear, would be sitting in the lap of a pauper."
Eyes misting with tears, Liz's lips trembled as she wrapped her arms around Max's neck and laid her head against his shoulder. "I'm so sorry, Max."
Wrapping his arms around her waist, Max pulled her into him as he smiled and brushed his lips against her forehead. "For what?"
There was silence. Liz swallowed hard. Her breath whispered against his bare skin. "I'm sorry for earlier. You know…when I…couldn't…"
"Baby, you have nothing to be sorry for." Max pulled back to look down at her. Tilting her chin till her misty eyes met his, Max's gentle smile softened his eyes. "If you're not ready, you're not ready."
Dark doe eyes gazed up at him so full of pain and regret it literally broke Max's heart. "But you obviously **are** ready and I just…"
"Honey. Stop." Placing a silencing finger against Liz's lips, Max shook his head slightly. "I don't want you to do anything you don't want to…anything you're not ready for. When it's our time, we'll both know it. Until then…" Brushing his lips against her forehead, Max smiled down at her. "…I can wait." His reassuring smile deepened. "Ok?"
Biting down on her lower lip, Liz nodded solemnly. Her gaze shifted to her hand as it rested gently against Max's strong, steady, beautiful heart. A tear slipped unbidden down her cheek. The struggle she'd been living since the day she met him resurfaced with a vengeance.
To tell or not to tell. To let him in. To shut him out.
This man never stopped amazing her. With his patience. His understanding. His reassurances. From day one, he'd brought into her life a light that was blinding. A warmth that was unmistakable. An inner joy that was unquenched. No matter what she'd thrown at him, his confidence in himself, his faith in her was…undiminished. She longed to live up to that faith.
She was so tired. Of struggling. Of questioning. Of trying to protect everyone around her. Of carrying the weight of the world on her shoulders…alone. Once…just once…she wanted to be at rest. Protected and safe. Without fear. Without regret. One half of a perfect whole.
The way she'd been last night. The way she was now.
Sitting in the comfort of his arms, safe and loved, Liz knew only one thing. She wanted Max Evans to know the woman he held in his arms. She need him to embrace the real Liz Parker. Rapidly blinking the tears out of her eyes, Liz's voice sounded so small, so vulnerable. "Max. I need…I need you to know…why I'm so…"
Feeling the intensity of his gaze as it colored her cheeks, Liz swallowed hard and continued, her voice barely a whisper. "Jaedan's father…" Eyes misting with a renewed film of tears, Liz tried to talk around the growing lump in her throat. "Max, he was…cruel. Cruel…in ways…" Her eyes drifted shut as her chest hitched with an inner sob. Her lips began to tremble. Another tear fell.
"Please don't do this." Max's soft request was whispered against Liz's skin just moments before Max kissed away her tears. His gentle fingers cupped her face as he rested his forehead against hers. "Please, sweetie. Let it go for now."
"But you...you need to know, Max...you did nothing wrong." Catching a sob in the middle of her chest, Liz's eyes implored him to understand. "I...I want so much to explain..."
"I know, honey. I know you do." His gentle smile darkened the gold flecks in his eyes to a deep, blazing amber. His heart thrilled with her willingness to open up to him and sank with the knowledge there simply wasn't enough time to deal with all the ramifications of her confessions. "But not now, ok? Let's wait till I get back."
"Back?" Her own temporary struggles forgotten, worry creased Liz's forehead as her brows furrowed. "What…what do you mean?"
Max lazily played with the strands of hair brushing against Liz's shoulder. Taking a deep breath, he made an announcement that he obviously regretted. "I have to leave."
Alarmed, Liz sat up. "What?"
Regret etched Max's expression. "There are a few things I need to take care of and unfortunately, I can't do it from here. So…"
Blinking rapidly, Liz swallowed hard. "W--when?"
"Tomorrow morning." Max answered quietly, his eyes narrowing with growing interest.
Heart beginning to race with panic, Liz's breathless question was barely a whisper. Her grip around his neck tightened unconsciously. "How…how long will you be gone?"
"Just a few days." Max's smile of reassurance caused the gold flecks in his eyes to blaze with satisfaction at her obviously unsettled reaction. "Not nearly long enough for you to miss me properly."
"But…" She shifted in his lap, her entire focus on what appeared to be her latest crisis. "…but you are coming back, right?"
Max openly grinned. "Of course I am. That's not a question you'll ever have to ask again." His expression sobered as his eyes darkened with a hint of fear. Taking a deep breath, Max's gaze lowered as his thumb unconsciously caressed the side of Liz's face. "I guess…I guess the real question is…" His gaze slowly raised to meet hers. Open. Full of emotion. Vulnerable. "…will you be here when I get back?"
The flicker of emotion in the depths of Liz's eyes prompted a volley of promises that tumbled one right after the other. "Because you know, if you run, I'll just find you again. It makes no difference to me where it is…where we live. You could run to Antartica for all I care, I'll still follow you. There's no place in the world you can hide from me. Because…I think we have the start of something…amazing. Bigger than life. Something once in a lifetime. And there's no way I'm letting it go. Ever. So if you get the crazy notion in your head that you can take my absence as the perfect opportunity to just ditch me…well, think aga…"
Without warning, Liz pulled Max into a kiss as her fingers laced through his hair. Deep, slow, lingering, Liz poured every ounce of emotion into that kiss. Lips sliding over lips, passion was evident but in the background. Front and center was a silent promise. And Liz's overwhelming openness. Compliant. Submissive. Yielding. As she slowly broke away, Liz rested her forehead against his and whispered her answer against his lips. "I'll be here."
"You will?" A slow smile began to spread over Max's lips as he pulled back to look into her eyes. Gauging the truth of her words. Finding the promise of a future in her eyes.
"While leading you on a wild goose chase might be fun…" Her teasing smile was just as slow. She scrunched up her nose in disgust. "…Antartica's not my thing."
Max chuckled as his head lowered. When his gaze met hers, his smile disappeared as his eyes softened with gratefulness. "Have dinner with me tonight. My place. I'll cook and you…" Letting out a sigh, Max tucked a strand of hair behind Liz's ear. "…you can give me something to remember while I'm away."
Liz didn't hesitate. "Ok."
"Ok?" Surprised it had been that easy, a dark eyebrow raised.
Nodding, Liz's beaming smile nearly blinded him. "Ok." She held up a finger of teasing hesitation. "On one condition."
Gauging the devious gleam in her eyes, Max's eyes narrowed skeptically. "What condition?"
"You, my Mr. Prince Charming…" Her devilish grin brightened the room. "…now have to wear…" Liz wiggled her eyebrows as she held up a massive pile of black material. "…**whatever**…I choose…"
tbc…
I hope this had ended on a hopeful note as any true Dreamer would want!