Michael actually promised Liz, in the beginning of the story when he called after Maria told him, that he wouldn't tell the others. This is basically because Liz doesn't want them, especially Max, thinking that this is the way things are supposed to be, that he's with her cause that's where this relationship is supposed to go. She doesn't want anything to be weird. And basically, she wants nature to be able to take it's course in their relationship, not give it a forced hand.aurorasky wrote:
i mean that micheal was really ok with it-by the way why hasn't he said anything about liz knowing to max and isabel?!
Yeah, you really do have a lot of questions. As for the flashes and the connection, they will come in time...you'll have to wait and see. Liz still has some connection cause she still gets premonitions. Will Liz tell Max the truth? Eventually. Whatever happened to Nacedo, Tess and the dupes? I don't knowforeverdreamer15 wrote: I am wondering why didn't Liz or Max get any flashes when they kissed? Is it coz they don't have their connection yet? Will Liz tell Max the truth?
Whatever happened to Nacedo, Tess and the duplicates? So many questions..
I know that didn't help much, but there it is. Without further ado...Chapter 11. Enjoy! And thanks again for all ya'lls continual feedback and support. I couldn't do it without you.
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Part 11
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
“How about this?”
“Okay Maria, we’re going for sexy, not slutty,” I reply, looking at the barely-there shirt she’s holding up.
“Hey, I bought this for you,” she says, sounding a little put off. I just give her a pointed look. “Are you trying to say that I have slutty tastes?” she asks glaring back at me.
“No, but I do seem to remember you buying me that shirt as a gag gift for Alex and my one year anniversary.”
“Oh yeah,” she says, laughing a little at the memory. “It’s cute though,” she says, looking it over one more time before setting it in the reject pile.
“Yes, but I think it’s more of a clubbing, make your boyfriend jealous while other guys stare at you kind of shirt, not a first date, nice restaurant kind of shirt. I want to give him a good impression.”
“Oh, trust me girl. That shirt makes an impression,” she tells me, wiggling her eyebrows in a suggestive manner, before turning back to my closet to look through more of my clothes.
“Not the kind of impression I want to make,” I say, rolling my eyes. Lately I think if Maria had her way, I’d be going on my date in a string bikini and come hither look, and nothing else. Maybe it’s the hormones.
“Oh really. That’s not what I would have thought last night.”
“Maria, stop,” I warn. “Just help me find something nice to wear that will make him weak in the knees.”
“Ah, so we’re looking for weak in the knees, not hard in the groin.”
“Maria!” I can’t believe her sometimes. “You no what, forget it. I will just find something myself.”
“Relax Lizzie, I’m just teasing you,” she says coming over to where I’m sitting on the bed and standing in front of me. “Why don’t you go take a shower and when you come back I will have picked out something that is both respectable and drool worthy; sexy, but not too revealing. Ok? You have my word.”
I nod my head thankfully. Who would have known that just a little date would make me this nervous? Although, this isn’t just any date. This is my first date with the love of my life. The man who holds the fate of my heart in the palm of his hand.
“Ok. Oh, and there’s some more clothes in that box over there. I didn’t get to that one yet.”
“Why didn’t you tell me earlier?” she asks exasperated. “If I’d have known there were more choices it would have made this so much easier.”
I just laugh a little, heading off to my adjoining bathroom to take a nice long, luxurious bath. Maybe it will help to calm the butterflies in my stomach and the muscles in my shoulders.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
After a nice warm bubble bath with some soothing aromatherapy that, you guessed it, Maria got me, I felt much more relaxed and contented. Somewhere along the line I realized that this was Max, and all I had to do was be myself, and everything would be ok.
Walking into my now empty bedroom, I see the clothes that Maria laid out on the bed for me. Despite my previous misgivings, she actually did a pretty good job. I smiled as I quickly found some undergarments to go with the crushed velvet top and smooth black skirt that Maria had picked, and began to dress.
The shirt was a deep red color, the kind that would make me stand out and get noticed. It was sleeveless with a plunging v-neck showing off a good deal of skin, but not too much. The skirt came down to just above my knees, looking innocent enough, that is, until you saw the slits that made it halfway up my thighs. All in all I must admit that Maria has great taste.
After I finish dressing, I start with drying my hair, before moving on to do my makeup. Soon, I hear a knock on my bedroom door, and I’m not surprised to find that it’s Maria.
“So, you like what I picked out?” she asked, noticing my clothes.
“Yeah, good job. I knew you could do it, once you got past trying to make me look like a cheap whore.”
“I would do no such thing,” she said, affronted. I just laughed.
“I know. I was just teasing. But you must admit, you do have a knack for picking out the most revealing of my wardrobe.”
“What can I say? It never hurts to be a little on the revealing side every once in a while. You never know whose attention you may attract.”
“That’s exactly what I’m worried about. I really don’t want any more attention then I’ve already got.”
Maria just seems to stare at me, smiling, after that. “What?” I finally ask, starting to feel uncomfortable.
“Nothing. I was just thinking about how happy you’re going to make Max one day…and that he sure as hell better deserve you.”
I smile at her. “Oh, he does Maria. Cause he makes me just as happy.”
“Good,” she says, still not moving her eyes from me. “Well, you better get going. Lover boy is waiting in the living room.”
“He’s here already? But, I’m still supposed to have like ten minutes.”
“Don’t worry. You’re fine. You can’t get mad at the man for being early, and neither can he be mad at you for being fashionably late. So let’s get on with your hair and make-up and you’ll be on your way.”
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
I take a deep breath before stepping out into the living room. This is it. After this, there’s no turning back. Not that I really want to turn back, but after this I dive head first into the alien abyss. But I’m determined that things aren’t going to end up like they did last time.
Surveying the room that I just entered, I find Maria and Isabel talking quietly on the sofa before my eyes meet Max’s from where he’s standing across the room talking to Michael. I smile softly and I find him smiling back.
Michael soon realizes that Max’s inattentiveness to the conversation and looks over his shoulder. He smiles, then pats Max on the back and says something I can’t hear. Soon, Max is walking over to me, our eyes never parting.
“Hi,” he says once he’s standing in front of me.
“Hi,” I say in return. For some reason I can’t think of anything else to say. My mind is blank and all I can do is stand there and stare into his eyes.
“You look…gorgeous,” he says after a breath, as if he was searching for the right words.
“Thank you,” I smile. “So do you,” I reply and that was not just politeness talking. He was dressed simply in black trousers and a button down, dark forest green shirt. His hair was still slightly damp from his shower and his bangs fell softly onto his forehead in that way that I love. He looked absolutely scrumptious.
“I uh…I brought these for you,” he says and it wasn’t until then that I noticed the bouquet of flowers that he held in his hand.
“Thank you,” I smile again, taking the beautiful gift from his hand. “They’re beautiful,” I say, biting my lip as I notice they are white roses, my favorite.
“Not as beautiful as you,” he declares immediately, not skipping a beat, and I can’t help but blush. Only he can make me this shy.
I lean up to kiss him lightly on the lips in thanks, keeping it short knowing that everyone is watching. “I’m just going to go put these in some water, then we can get going,” I say once we break apart.
“Ah, I’ll do that for you,” Maria offered quickly. I thanked her and then turned back to Max.
“You ready?” he asked, and I couldn’t help but smile even brighter.
“Ready,” I reply as he leads me towards the door, his hand on the small of my back sending shivers up my spine.
“Have fun you two,” I hear Maria call from behind us as we step out the door. “We won’t wait up.”
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
“So where are we going?” I ask once we’re in the car.
“Somewhere,” he replies smirking, his eyes not leaving the road in front of him.
“You’re not going to tell me,” I state more then ask. My lip sticks out in a pout hoping that it may get me an answer. Hey, it works on my dad!
“It’s a surprise.”
“I hate surprises,” I reply haughtily. I don’t really…I’m just impatient.
“Well you better get used to them, because I’m full of surprises,” he says teasingly, and I can’t help but think how true that statement is.
“Oh really, like what?” I ask and he laughs.
“Ha ha. You’re not going to get me that easily,” he says, grabbing my hand from where it lay by his side and taking it in his own. It’s such a simple gesture, but I can’t help but smile at it.
“Well, you can’t blame a girl for trying,” I reply off-handed. Now I’m starting to become more and more excited about what this surprise might be. He told me we’d be going out to dinner, but refused to divulge anything else.
There’s a comfortable silence that follows my statement. I take this moment to run my eyes over his features, trying to commit him to memory. It’s been so long since I’ve seen him like this, too long. So innocent…and pure. In the other time he was so ragged, so world weary…every year adding another ten to his features.
Well, not literally. He still looked way too gorgeous for words, and didn’t look a day older then he was…but his eyes. It was his eyes that held so much more sadness, so much more worry.
“Did I mention how beautiful you look?” he says suddenly, breaking my thoughts. I smile.
“Yes, but I don’t mind hearing it again.”
“Good, cause I’m sure it will come spilling out of my mouth a few more times tonight before I can stop it.”
I blush at this comment, amazed that after all this time he can still make me so flustered.
“Flatterer,” I mutter, and he just smiles.
We spend a time in companionable silence; the soft sounds of the radio the only thing filtering through the car. I’m so absorbed in the soft sounds and just being in the moment that I hardly notice when we stop.
Once the car is parked, Max turns to me and smiles. “I’m very reluctant to let you out of the car Miss Parker. I’m almost tempted to just screw everything and keep you here for myself.”
I chuckle at the grin on his face. Leaning over the arm rest, I give Max a quick kiss, letting my lips linger just long enough to be tempting, but pulling away before it can go too far. I almost think that I hear a groan from him as I pull away, but it could just be my imagination.
“Come on. You promised me a nice dinner and I’m hungry.”
He laughs as we get out of the car, him reaching my side before I’m even halfway out of the car, helping me out. How did he get over here so fast?
We walked hand in hand towards the front doors of the restaurant, my thoughts completely wrapped up in the feeling of being here…with him. It just felt so good, so right, but at the same time I felt that there was something about him that was different then before. Like he was always holding back, never completely letting go.
But I guess when I think about it, it all makes sense. I mean, there is a vital part of himself that he’s holding back from me…at least for now. I just hope that we can eventually get back to the way things should be, but sometimes I have my doubts. It will never be the same while we both hold secrets from each other.
My thoughts are stripped away from me as we enter the lavish restaurant. It was a large open room, crystal chandeliers hanging sporadically through the room radiating a soft glow. The only other lights in the room came from the candles burning brightly from each table, creating a dim, romantic atmosphere that was just too perfect for words.
Too perfect for my words at least, as I found anything I tried to say lost in my throat before I could even mutter a sound.
“So, what do you think?” I hear Max ask beside me. It’s only now that I turn to him and realize that he’s probably been waiting for my reaction all this time, while I just stood here gawking.
“Max…it’s…it’s…gorgeous! But it’s too much. Don’t get me wrong, I love it really…but this place must cost a fortune.”
Max smiles. “Nothing’s too much for you.”
“I…” I start again, but he hushes me with a finger to my lips. Oh, how I wish that was his lips instead of his finger!
“Just hush now. You can badger me about it all you want once we get to our table.”
I nod dumbfounded as he takes my hand and leads me up to the hostess who’s waiting patiently.
“Reservation for Max Evans, please.”
“Of course Mr. Evans,” she replies, looking over the book quickly. “Right this way.”
She leads us to a secluded table in the back, a circular shaped booth that allows us to sit closely together but still have plenty of room. There is a window behind the table that looks out into Boston Harbor.
“Max this place is beautiful,” I say looking at the twinkling lights shining at us from across the darkening waters. It was just after sunset, the sky still turned beautiful shades of red and orange. Sometimes I have to wonder if he has some power that I don’t know about that allows him to make the sun set at just the perfect time and the colors paint the sky in such a perfect light…cause he just always seems to have the best timing.
“You know, you didn’t have to go to so much trouble. I really don’t need a big expensive dinner, honest,” I say after a moment of just enjoying the magnificent view.
“I know, but I wanted to make our first date special…memorable,” he replies, a sheepish grin on his face.
“It’s already going to be special Max, as long as I’m here with you,” I say honestly, trying to convey with my eyes that just being here with him is what makes this occasion memorable.
Max just stares at me in silence for a while, both of us caught up in the near perfect moment. He looks like he’s about to say something when he’s interrupted by the waiter asking for our drink orders. We both order iced tea, and the waiter leaves, but the moment is gone.
“So…” Max starts, after another slight pause. “How is that job in the lab going, with…which professor was it?”
“Dr. Conners. He works in neuronal development. It’s really interesting, and it’s been great working with him. He’s got me working on my own project, helping one of the grad students in his lab with some of their work. It’s so much fun…” I trail off a little, noticing the grin on his face. I blush realizing that I’ve been babbling excitedly and that he probably doesn’t care about it that much. He was just looking for conversation.
“I’m sorry,” I start. “I tend to get carried away sometimes…”
“No,” he says, interrupting me. “It’s good to hear you talking so passionately about something. It’s refreshing really. There’s too many people that are just going through the motions, just here to get the degree and not really caring about it.”
I smile and we continue talking comfortably for a while. Soon the waiter comes back with our drinks and takes our order. I hear light music filter in from the other room and turn my head to see couples dancing.
“Would you like to dance?” Max asks. He must have caught my stare.
I smile brightly and nod my head, Max and my first date from another time coming back to me.
“Ask a girl to dance with you.”
“Is that really what is says?”
“It depends on your answer.”
He leads me over to the dance floor, and soon his arms are wrapped around me tightly. I sigh in contentment as we slowly sway to the music. I could spend forever, just like this, in his arms. My head drops to his shoulder and my eyes close just trying to take in every sensation. I never want to forget the moment.
“Don’t fall asleep on me now,” he says after a moment, chuckling.
I open my eyes to see his face looking down at me. “I wasn’t. I was just enjoying the moment…committing it to memory.”
He smiles and nods, accepting my explanation. We’re silent for another moment, just swaying to the soft tune, when he interrupts it again.
“You know what would make the moment better?” Max asks, the familiar twinkle in his eye.
“What?”
“This,” he says quickly, before his lips descend on mine slowly, tentatively, as if he wasn’t sure at first if this was the right move. I respond immediately, my mind buzzing with the feel of his lips pressed firmly against mind, an unbridled passion burning just beneath the surface.
His tongue sweeps out, and I gladly grant him entrance, but just for a moment before pulling away slightly. Breathing heavily, I look up into his eyes.
“We’re still in public you know,” I say, my senses having come back to me.
“I know,” he says, catching his own breath, “but suddenly, I don’t care.”
I laugh and give him a quick kiss before suggesting that we head back to our seats before our dinner gets there without us.
After a delicious meal, interrupted with more casual conversation, and the occasional quick kiss when we just couldn’t help ourselves, I ask Max if he wants to dance again.
“Actually, if we don’t leave soon, we’re going to be late.”
“Late for what?” I ask curiously, as Max puts his credit card down to pay for the bill.
“It’s a surprise.”
“Not another one!” I groan, and Max laughs again. He seems to be doing it a lot tonight, and I can’t seem to stop looking for opportunities to make him continue. The sound of his laughter is something that has been lost on me for so long. I can’t remember the last time I heard him laugh this much, or seen him this carefree.
“Come on, you’ll find out soon enough,” he says, and I sit back pouting. This better be good for all the anguish he’s putting me through.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
“Oh my god Max! You’re kidding!”
“No. I swear, I’m very serious.”
“But when did you? How did you? Where did you get these on such short notice? They’ve been sold out for months!”
“I have my ways,” he says grinning. I stare down at the Gomez tickets once again, in shock. If he wasn’t driving right now, I’d be kissing him mad. Where does this boy get this stuff?
“You’re going to spoil me,” I say, still looking at the tickets in awe.
“I can’t think of a better person to spoil.”
I roll my eyes at him, but can’t resist the urge to bring his right hand, the one that is entwined with mine, up to my lips, kissing the knuckles. “Thank you,” I say sincerely, and he just turns to me quickly and smiles.
“You’re welcome. Although I must say, your reaction alone was more than worth it.”
I smile to myself. It’s actually kind of ironic when you think about it. In how many timelines is Max going to try to take me to one of these things?
“You’re just hoping for a big goodnight kiss as a thank-you for all this,” I state teasingly.
“Hell yeah I am!” Max replies and I can’t help but burst out laughing.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
“Oh, wow! That was amazing,” I say as we stumble out of the building, souvenir shirt held tightly in my hand and our ears still slightly ringing from the volume.
“Well I’m glad you liked it,” he says smiling as we head back to the car.
“I loved it! But I’m still wondering how you got tickets though.”
“It was actually just a huge stroke of luck. A buddy of mine from work called me today saying that his girlfriend was sick so they couldn’t go, and asked if I’d like to buy them off him since he knew I liked them.”
“Wow. Tell him to thank his girlfriend for getting sick,” I said jokingly. “I’ve wanted to see them play for ages.”
“Me too,” he says laughing. “I uh…I actually got tickets back when they came to Roswell in high school. I thought of asking you to go with me a hundred times,” he says quietly, and I swear I notice a slight blush on his cheeks.
“You should of,” I say smiling. “I would have said yes.” He looks at me curiously and I smile. “Who did you go with then, anyway?”
“I didn’t,” he says matter-of-factly. “I gave the tickets to Isabel.”
I nod my head a little at this and we stay silent for a few moments, before Max breaks the silence again.
“So when you say that you would have said yes,” he starts, running his hand along the back of his neck, his eyes turned downward as if trying not to look at me. “Do you mean that you would have liked to go to the concert or…”
I interrupt him before he can continue, realizing what he’s getting at. “I mean that I would have liked to go with you. I had the biggest crush on you back then,” I add candidly. For some reason I get the feeling he needs some reassurance of my feelings for him.
His smiles and nods his head, turning away from me to look determinedly in the direction we were moving. I try to hide my own smile at the grin plastered across my face.
I reach for his hand entwining his fingers with mine, effectively bringing my body closer to his. He looks down at me with a smile, but says nothing.
Soon we reach the car, and Max holds the door open for me, helping me in before walking around the car to get in himself. He catches the slight yawn that I try to hide as he gets in.
“Tired?” he asks, and I nod.
“A little. But I don’t think that I could sleep now if I tried. I’m still wired,” I smile. Looking at the clock I notice its 12:30 am. Wow, where did the time go?
“How about we get some coffee then?”
“Cause that’s going to help me calm down,” I say laughing.
“Or tea or hot cocoa,” he says. “You don’t have to have coffee,” he finishes, rolling his eyes.
I laugh. “I was just kidding. That sounds like a great idea.”
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
“You’re kidding me!” I say laughing, as we walk up the stairs towards mine and Isabel’s apartment.
“No, no. It was…not really a sight I care to remember, but it still makes a funny story. Just promise me you won’t tell Michael or Maria that I told you.”
“I promise,” I say, still smiling as we come to a stop beside the door. “So I uh…I had a great time tonight,” I say, looking up at him somewhat shyly. Why do I feel shy all of a sudden? This is Max!
“Yeah, me too.”
“I’d uh…I’d invite you in, but Michael and Maria…”
“Yeah, I know. They’re sleeping on the couch.”
“Right,” I say, the shyness peaking through again. What is wrong with me? “So, Michael and Maria are leaving tomorrow. You should come over and, ya know, see them off. Then maybe we could do something afterwards,” I add, blushing.
He smiles. “Yeah, that sounds good.” There is a short silence that takes over us, before Max speaks again. “Well, I guess this is goodnight then.”
“ Well then I guess I owe you a goodnight kiss,” I say smirking.
Max grins, stepping up to me. “As a matter of fact…you do.”
I laugh slightly, letting my arms come around his neck as his wrap around my waist. He leans into me slowly, letting his lips descend on mine in what soon turns out to be a passionate kiss.
We pull apart when the burning in my lungs begins to be too much. We take a moment, our foreheads leaning together as we attempt to catch our breath. I smile, and lean up to him again, as we hear a giggling coming from one of the neighbors stumbling up the stairs.
This seems to sober us and we’re able to pull ourselves out of the fog encasing our minds.
“I better go,” Max says, letting out a long breath.
“Right,” I say shortly, not really wanting him to go.
“So, I’ll see you tomorrow,” he says, looking deep into my eyes, and I find myself lost in those eyes.
“Tomorrow,” I repeat dumbly.
“Goodnight,” he says, kissing me lightly one last time before finally pulling himself away.
“Night,” I call after him as I watch him slowly walk down the hall before turning to the apartment door and making my way inside. All the while I can’t help but think about how much I love that man.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*