Em- hee hee. Well, it sort of bit Liz in the ass, but there's no wedding dress just yet.
Vero- Unfortunately the stress isn't quite over yet, but I promise I will let them enjoy the majority of their vacation.
roswell- Elope! Now why didn't I think of that?

Well, that may be a great solution, but it's not where I want to take this story.
BehrObsession- Hee hee. Yeah, lots of what all your musings mentioned will be in the story...in the future...
begonia- Kidding? Not even a little.
POM- Liz couldn't believe it worked either!

Here's the drama you were waiting for...
Part 19
The next day Max and I woke up to the sounds of Michael and Maria getting ready to go to the boardwalk. I looked at Max's watch on the end table and noticed it was nine-thirty in the morning. Groaning, I rolled over, curled up into Max's side and mumbled, "I hate Mondays!"
I felt the rumble of Max's laughter against my cheek before he said, "We don't have to get up you know."
"I know, but I could have done without the wake up call."
"We'll just have to tell them to be more considerate next time." He rolled us over until we were facing each other. Running his hand up my back he asked, "You still want to go swimming today?"
I nodded, "Um hm. Just not right away. I thought we'd go out around noon or so."
He lifted his head to look at the time before he lowered his head back to his pillow. Smiling he said, "Well, it's half an hour until ten. What should we do with the next two hours?"
I grinned as I saw the sparkle in his eyes, "Maaax! I thought I made it clear that I didn't want to be woken up."
He pouted, "So you just want to sleep?"
I closed my eyes to keep from seeing that pout, "Yes, sleep."
I heard him sigh as he wrapped his arms around me. I leaned into him, intending to go back to sleep, but a few moments later, he'd rolled us over until I was beneath him.
I squeaked as his lips began to nibble my neck, "Max! We're supposed to be sleeping."
Never once stopping his nibbling, he replied, "I've missed you beautiful."
I cupped his face with my hands and lifted it until I could look into his eyes. "I missed you too but we have all week Max."
"It's not enough time to make up for the two weeks of not seeing each other."
"We saw each other."
"Seeing you for fifteen minutes a day during your work breaks doesn't count Liz."
"Well at least we got to see each other, Max. It could have been worse."
He leaned down to kiss me and I sighed against his lips. I let him deepen the kiss, wrapping my arms around his shoulders. But when his lips left mine, traveling down my neck while his hand cupped my breast, I pushed at his shoulders, "Max. Sleep."
He growled, "Come on Liz, I need you." When I shook my head, he pouted again, "Please?"
I rolled my eyes.
He leaned down to kiss my cheek, "Pretty please?"
"No."
His lips moved to my ear and I shuddered as his tongue traced my earlobe as he whispered, "I'll make it worth your while."
I was about to say no again until I felt his tongue lick the spot just behind my ear. I gasped in pleasure as he followed that lick with a soft nibble while leaning the weight of his entire body against mine. As I felt the liquid heat pool between my legs, it occurred to me that Max always knew exactly what to do to make me want him just as badly as he wanted me.
Needless to say, I forgot all about wanting to sleep as I wrapped my legs around his waist, lifted my hips to meet his, and kissed him passionately.
Just as he was about to enter me, there was a knock on the door to the hallway.
It was me who growled in frustration.
Max grinned down at me as he called out, "What Michael?"
Michael's voice sounded through the door, "Maria and I are heading out to the boardwalk now. We'll meet you guys here tonight at seven, okay?"
"Okay. Bye guys."
"Later."
Max leaned down again to kiss me once more and the moment we heard the veranda doors closing, he thrust into me and proceeded to make me very happy for the next couple of hours.
It was actually close to two in the afternoon before we finally made it to the beach. After making love for almost two hours, we had gone back to sleep for an hour nap. When we got up, we took a quick shower, dressed in our swim suits, ate a light lunch, then walked down to the beach.
Max and I spread the blanket out on the sand and sat down on it. He rubbed suntan oil into my shoulders and back, while I rubbed it into my front and legs. Once we were done with me, we repeated the process with him then lay on the blanket on our backs to sun for a while.
When I began to roll over onto my stomach about thirty minutes later, I groaned at the stiffness in my legs and hips.
Max turned his head towards me and looked at me over his sunglasses. "Sore?" he asked with a sparkle in his eyes.
I stuck my tongue out at him, "Oh don't look so pleased with yourself!" I retorted.
He chuckled as he rolled onto his stomach, "Why not? I pleased you didn't I?"
I smiled, "Yes. You did."
"Well, then, I don't see why I shouldn't be pleased with myself." He lowered his head onto his folded arms with a smile, "After all, I did what any man would do to make sure his woman was satisfied enough not to want another man's bed."
Laughing I said, "You are such a guy!"
"Yes, but I'm your guy."
I gave him another smile as I took his hand in mine, threading our fingers together. We lay like that for a while before we decided to go for a swim.
In the water, Max and I did a few laps then began to chase each other and tried to dunk each other. Of course, Max won most of those because he was much taller than me and much stronger. Pouting, I dragged myself from the water wailing, "It's not fair! You've got too many advantages over me!"
He chuckled, "Okay, if you come back in, I'll let you win this time."
I turned to him and crossed my arms in front of me, "No Max, that's not the point."
He arched an eyebrow, "What? I thought you wanted to win."
I rolled my eyes, "I do, but I want it to be a fair win, not one that you just let me have." I continued walking back to the blanket, picking up my towel to dry off a bit before I sat down.
As I sat there rubbing oil into my skin again, I watched Max as he did some more laps in the ocean. I couldn't help but admire the way his muscles flexed and bunched as he moved through the water. It still amazed me that someone like him would even be interested in someone like me. I knew I was pretty, but I also knew there were others that were prettier. And Max had once been a model. Didn't someone once say that it wasn't right to date a man prettier than them? Granted, I didn't see Max as being pretty, he was handsome. Very handsome. I always thought that men like Max needed a buxom blond on their arm. I was the complete opposite of that. A brunette with small breasts.
Max walked out of the ocean running his fingers through his hair. My mouth went dry at the sight of him glistening in the sun. Trails of water rolling down his chest to his abs and disappearing into his shorts. Oh yeah, he so looked like a Greek god about to seduce the buxom blond water nymph. I frowned as that thought flitted through my mind. Max picked up his towel and slid it over his body, drying himself off. He noticed me staring at him, still wearing the frown.
"Something wrong?" he asked.
I blinked and shook the negative thoughts out of my head, "No, I'm fine." I said a little too hastily. I tossed the oil to his side of the blanket, "Here, you'll probably want some more."
He watched as I turned onto my stomach again, my head turned away from the temptation. Moments later I felt his hands on my shoulders. I sighed as he began to massage my shoulders, rubbing more oil into them. He continued to do so for my back, arms, and legs. By the time he was done, I was feeling really relaxed and even the last of the soreness seemed to have faded away.
He brushed his lips over my hair and leaned in to whisper in my ear, "I love you, beautiful."
I didn't say anything as he moved away from me and began to put oil on himself. His words kept playing in my head. I still couldn't see what was so beautiful about me. I was not model material. I knew it. Max had spent years surrounded by beautiful women, how could he think I was.
An hour later we picked up and went back to the house to shower and get ready for dinner. I took a shower first, then decided on something to wear. I chose a simple white wrap shirt with a light pink wrap around skirt and sandals. As I sat at the desk blow drying my hair into loose curls, Max came out of the bathroom wearing the white cotton pants he was wearing to dinner. He walked over to me, leaned in and kissed my cheek, and said, "You look beautiful."
As he turned to walk to the bed, where his shirt rested, I said, "You always say that."
He stopped walking and turned back to me, "It's the truth."
I continued to blow dry my hair as he watched me, a frown on his face. He walked back to me and took the hair dryer from my hand turning it off. I snapped my head up, "What are you doing? I'm not done."
He set the dryer on the desk and asked, "What's wrong?"
I rolled my eyes, "I just said I was trying to finish drying my hair."
He folded his arms in front of his chest, "No, something else is bothering you. You haven't said a word to me since before we left the beach."
I reached out for the dryer, but Max yanked it out of my reach. I glared at him, "We're going to be late, Max."
"No we won't."
I sighed and turned to face the wall.
Seconds passed and Max spoke, "Talk to me, beautiful."
I closed my eyes, "Why do you say that?"
"Say what?"
"Call me that. I'm not, you know."
"You are to me." I felt his hand running through my hair.
I turned to look at him. He was kneeling next to me, looking up into my eyes. "Max, I'm not." He opened his mouth to speak, but I shook my head, interrupting him, "No. I know I'm pretty, but I'm not what you think. I know I'm not. I mean, you were a model Max. You know there are other women out there who are much more prettier than me. I could never be like them. Even Isabel is like them, but not me."
Max sighed, "What they are is superficial, Liz."
"Max..."
He cupped my cheek, "No, listen to me. Their beauty is mostly on the outside. You on the other hand are a true beauty. You're beautiful inside and out. And the thing is, everyone can see the beauty inside of you. Because it shines through you. That's what makes you more beautiful than all of them. You have it all."
"But I'm not built like them Max." I looked into his eyes as he gave me a puzzled look, "I mean, I'm not blond or tall or leggy. And I don't have boobs for days or a body to die for."
His eyes went wide, "And you think that's what I want? A tall, leggy blond with big tits and a body to die for?"
I rolled my eyes at his teasing smile, "Don't mock me, Mr. Tall, dark, and gorgeous!"
He pouted, "So, that's all you see me as? A tall, leggy, dark haired model with a broad chest and a body to die for?"
I huffed, "No! That's not fair Max!" He laughed at the look of horror on my face. I crossed my arms in front of me, "I just don't understand what it is you see in me. Especially since I know you could have any woman you wanted."
His laughter died as he stared at me, "I don't want any woman, Liz. I want you."
"Why?"
"Because I love you."
I sighed, "That's not an answer Max."
He gave an exasperated sigh and stood up throwing his arms wide, "What do you want me to say? huh? What can I say to make you understand that I love you. Only you. You're real Liz. You know what my life is like. What I've had to deal with. You know how hard it still is for me to open up to people. I took that chance with you. And you didn't judge me. You accepted me as I was. No one ever did that before. If you spent your entire life surrounded by people who only liked you for your money, wouldn't you grab on to the first person who liked you for yourself? I did. I grabbed and held on for dear life. With you I can be myself. Why would I let that go? Why wouldn't I love you for what you've given me?"
"There are others who did that for you Max. Isabel did that."
"I'm not in love with her."
"But you could have been! She accepted you for who you are and she's beautiful Max."
He growled, "Would you stop with the modeling thing!"
I looked up at him, "I can't. I just think..."
"No, don't finish that." He snapped. "Just tell me what is really on your mind because this 'You're too gorgeous to give me the time of day' line is just that! It's a cover up for whatever it is that's really bothering you."
I lowered my gaze to the floor, "It's not a line Max."
He didn't move. Silence stretched between us for a few minutes before he finally spoke, "If that's true, then I was wrong. I thought you liked me for who I am, not for what I am. Guess all you wanted was to be able to tell your friends you got to fuck a tall, dark, and gorgeous model. Well, you got your wish." With that he snatched his shirt from the bed and disappeared into the bathroom, slamming the door shut behind him.
Dinner was awkward to say the least. After we'd all met up in the living room at seven, we took Maria's car down to the boardwalk to a nice Mexican restaurant with a wonderful view of the ocean. We were shown to a table near one of the windows and sat with Michael across from me and next to Maria who was on my right. Max said on the other side of me.
We gave our orders to the waitress and Maria began to fill me in on what she and Michael had done that day. She told me about the different stores that were along the boardwalk. Many of them were stores that sold beach clothes and souvenirs, but there were a few familiar stores like The Gap and American Eagle Outfitters. There were also plenty of restaurants, cafes, and dessert places to choose from. As the waitress returned with our food, Maria explained how she and Michael had even stopped at some of the game rooms and booths and won some interesting prizes too.
"Girlfriend, you have got to get Max to play the basketball hoop game so he can win this cute little green alien man for you. It's the cutest thing. And Michael did mention that Max is great at basketball."
I grinned, "I don't think I need a little green alien Maria."
"Of course you do! Who doesn't need a cute alien to add to their collection." She turned to Max who was sullenly poking at his food, "Tell her Max, you'd love to win an alien for Liz to add to her collection, right?"
He shrugged and continued to push his dinner around his plate, "Why not? She loves adding things like that to her collection so people can gawk at them, isn't that right Liz?"
I glanced at him and saw the hurt in his eyes before I turned back to Maria, "I don't need an alien, Maria."
"No. Especially not a cute one. It would be better if it was an ugly monster, at least then she wouldn't run from it." Max replied.
I frowned, but said nothing.
Michael looked from Max, to me, and back to Max before leaning in to his brother and whispering, "What's up with the sarcasm, bro?"
"Nothing." He dropped his fork onto his plate and began to stand up, "I'm going out for a smoke."
"Max, wait!" Michael stood up and glanced at Maria, "We'll be back."
Maria nodded and waited for the guys to disappear before turning to pin me with narrowed eyes, "Okay, what is going on girlfriend? And don't say nothing because Michael and I have both noticed how the two of you have barely said a word to each other all evening, much less even touched each other. And believe me Liz, I know that's a record for Max."
I sighed, "I said some things that hurt him. Things I shouldn't have."
"Like what?"
"I asked him what it was that he ever saw in me."
"What?"
I nodded and told Maria the rest of the conversation we'd had right before coming to dinner.
She sighed, "So, was he right? About you using that line as an excuse for the real reason you haven't told him?"
I nodded, "Yes. You know I don't have a problem with him. I know what he feels for me is real and I'm not in the least bit worried that he'd leave me for a so called beautiful woman. After everything Max has been through, he wouldn't do something like that."
Maria frowned, "Yet from what I just heard him say, he's thinking you only wanted him so you could love him, leave him, then brag about it."
I closed my eyes and nodded.
"Oh girlfriend! How could you do that to him?"
I grimaced, "I don't know Maria. I didn't mean any of those things. All I could think about was how lucky I was to have someone like him and then I went back to thinking about the wedding and Kyle and my family. I mean, here I am, finally happy and yet I can't be because I'm supposed to be with someone else that's supposed to be perfect for me. But Max is perfect for me and if I'm supposed to be with Kyle then isn't Max supposed to be with someone perfect for him? And that's got to be someone beautiful, like a model, you know. I'm the perfect woman to be on Kyle's arm, so Max needs a perfect leggy big breasted blond bimbo to be on his arm!"
I was vaguely aware that my voice had been rising in pitch when Maria grabbed my head in her hands, "Girlfriend! Calm down. You're drawing attention to us!"
I swallowed, "Right," I took a deep breath, "Calming down."
Maria gave me a sympathetic smile and took my hands in hers, giving them a light squeeze. "Okay, listen Liz. You hurt Max, we know that. But on the good side, he's still here and he knows you were using that as a line for what's really bothering you despite his last words. So, you can work with that."
I frowned, "What are you talking about Maria? I hurt Max."
She nodded, "I know, but he hasn't left has he? No, so what you need to do is talk to him." As I began to shake my head, she continued, "Yes Liz, talk to him. Tell him what's really bothering you. That's why we arranged for this week right? So you and Max could talk about your parents insane plans and find a way to get you out of them."
I nodded and looked up at her, "But Maria, they're not just plans anymore. My parents and Kyle's are now making the arrangements. They already have the church lined up. And are in the process of making the guest list and choosing the invitations!"
Her eyes went wide, "Oh you have got to be kidding me!"
I shook my head, "Mom was on the phone just before you arrived to pick me up arranging a time for the next day to meet with Mrs. Valenti so they could go pick out invitations."
Maria shut her eyes, "Ouch." She sighed and looked back at me, "You have to tell him Liz. The sooner the better. Do you really want to spend the rest of this week with him angry at you for something you didn't mean? Or do you want to spend it in his arms trying to find a way to spend the future with him?"
I sighed and nodded. Maria was right, I wanted this perfect week with Max. Even if it was the only week I'd ever get with him, I still wanted it to be a really good memory I could keep locked inside of me to take out whenever I needed a pick me up.
Max and Michael returned to their seats soon afterwards. Dinner continued to be an awkward affair and when we left, Michael asked if we should just call it a night, but Maria and I said we wanted to go dancing. Max had just shrugged and we'd all gotten into the car to drive farther down the way to a club that had two dance floors. One DJ played alternative and dance music inside and in the back, outside on the sand was another DJ playing island flavored music.
As soon as we entered, Maria dragged me to the dance floor where we spent the next few songs dancing together. Max and Michael found a table near the dance floor and had drinks waiting for us by the time we finally came to join them.
Maria dragged Michael out to dance with her a few songs later, but when I asked Max to go dance with me, he shook his head and said he didn't feel like dancing. I nodded in understanding, I knew he was still upset especially since I noticed how he seemed to be going through his drinks and cigarettes like there was no tomorrow. I'd only known him go through a pack of cigarettes like that once before, the night he had heard my father and I talking outside Horizons. After he had dropped Isabel and I off, he'd returned home and thoughts of that conversation and worries of me leaving him for Kyle had made him pace and chain smoke. I had ignored the ashtray full of cigarette butts and the way the apartment reeked of smoke in favor of reassuring him that I wasn't leaving him for Kyle.
When Maria and Michael returned, I made conversation with the both of them for a while until Maria was ready to go dance again. This time I joined both of them dancing while Max remained at the table. Despite the fact that Max was still sulking, even when I'd tried to talk to him and get him to dance with me, I still tried to enjoy myself with Maria and Michael. As we had Michael sandwiched between us, all of us laughed at the good time we were having.
It was that way for most of the night and when I felt someone tap me on the shoulder, my first thought was that Max had finally decided to join in the fun. I turned around and my smile faltered as I realized it was another guy. He leaned in slightly and spoke to be heard over the music, "Would you mind dancing with me?"
I was about to say no, but he leaned in and whispered in my ear, "Please, I'm trying to make my girlfriend jealous so she'll come dance with me."
I laughed at that and nodded. As I slipped my arms over his shoulders I asked, "Which one's your girlfriend?"
He leaned in again and wrapped his arms around my waist, "Don't let her know you know, but she's sitting at the bar. Towards the middle, in the black halter top and tan leather skirt."
From under lowered lashes, I looked in that direction and saw the woman in question. With long brown hair that boasted blond highlights, long legs, and ample breasts she was definitely a woman to lust after. And currently she was glaring daggers at my dance partner's back.
I turned my head slightly, making it look like I was kissing his neck as I spoke to him, "Well, you'll be happy to know I think this is working. She's giving you a death glare."
He chuckled and tightened his arms around me, pulling me even closer to him. "God, I hope you're right."
A few minutes later I was right. I had lifted my leg to wrap around his legs and whispered into his ear to bend me back and hold me by the ass as he dipped his head to my breasts. As he started to do that, she was out of the stool instantly and stomping her way to the dance floor. But before she had even made it to where we were, my partner was jerked from me and I nearly went sprawling to the floor if Maria hadn't steadied me.
I looked up to find Max glaring at me. "You couldn't even wait until I was out of the picture could you?"
"What?" I looked at the guy next to me before turning back to Max, "It's not what you think Max."
The girlfriend walked up to my partner and hit his arm, "Okay, you jerk it worked! Touch her again and I'll rip your arms off!"
He grinned at me and nodded, mouthing the word thanks as he let his girlfriend drag him off.
I turned back to Max, my grin fading at his look, "See? He just wanted me to help me make his girlfriend jealous so she would dance with him. See?" I said again, pointing in the direction where the two of them were now locked in a heated embrace on the dance floor.
Maria laughed as soon as she saw them, "Damn, talk about killing two birds with one stone."
Michael gave her a puzzled look, "What?"
Maria inclined her head towards Max, "Not only did Liz succeed in helping that guy make his girlfriend jealous, but she succeeded in making her own boyfriend jealous too."
Max turned his glare towards Maria as he growled, "Michael do you have money for a cab?"
Michael nodded, "Yeah, but why do we need a cab? We've got Maria's car."
"Because I'm taking my girlfriend home right now. You and Maria can stay here."
"Oh, right. Okay."
As Max grabbed my arm and dragged me off the dance floor, I turned my head to look at Maria. She mouthed the words talk to him and I nodded in response before Max dragged me out of the club.
The entire ride back to the house was made in silence with the exception of Max slamming car doors and the doors to the house. Once we were in the bedroom and he'd slammed that door too, he turned to me and shouted, "What is wrong with you? You tell me these things about how I belong with someone else and then you go and pretend that never happened and then the first guy that flirts with you, you're all over! I don't get what is going on with you? You want me, then you don't, then you do again! Make up your mind!"
I frowned and crossed my arms over my chest, "You know, I could say the same thing about you Max."
He narrowed his eyes, "I never stopped wanting you Liz."
I lifted my chin, "Oh no? Well, when I tried to get you to dance with me you said you weren't in the mood and we both know you love to dance."
"What does dancing have to do with it?"
"You didn't want to dance with me!"
"You're the one who said you didn't want to be with me!" he shouted.
"I never said that Max! You put words into my mouth!" I shouted back.
"You said I didn't belong with you!"
"And you said that I got what I wanted! A great fuck from a gorgeous model!"
We both stood in shock as my heated words floated around us. Max looked like he'd just been slapped. I shut my eyes as I chastised myself for doing it again. I let my mouth get out of control. I began to wonder if I was ever going to be able to get myself out of this mess I'd made.
Taking a deep breath, I opened my eyes to see Max walking to the closet. He began to pull out his bags and set them on the bed. Panic set in as I grabbed his wrist, "What are you doing?"
Lowering his eyes to my hand on his wrist he answered, "I think I should leave. You guys can stay here and enjoy your break, I'm just gonna go home."
"Max. I wanted to spend my break with you!"
"Could have fooled me."
"God Max, I haven't stopped wanting you either! How could you think that?"
He looked into my eyes, "Gee, let me think, it could have been the moment you said we didn't belong together."
I frowned, "I didn't say that Max. You're still putting words into my mouth." As he opened his mouth to argue, I held up my hand, "No wait, before you say anything and we get into it again and I say more stuff I never meant in the first place, I need to apologize to you."
He frowned, "For what?"
"For saying all of that in the first place. You were right Max. It was all just a line, to hide what was really bothering me. Everything I said to you I never meant, but the words just kept coming and I couldn't stop them. I know I hurt you and I don't blame you for being upset with me, but I need to tell you what was really bothering me before you leave. Can you just let me do that?"
He stared at me for a moment before he walked over to the chair and sat down. Crossing his arms over his chest he said, "Talk."
I sighed and began to tell him my so called good news. "I'm getting married in June."
He sat up straighter and let his hands fall into his lap, "Tell me that's another line."
I shook my head and watched his eyes fill up with tears.
"To Kyle," he stated in a voice that was a barely above a whisper.
I nodded as I filled him in, "My parents have been making the arrangements. I told them I had no intention of going through with it Max. They know I don't want to do this. And they are insisting that I go to the prom with Kyle too. I've been telling Kyle and my parents over and over again that I'm not doing either of them with him." I paused as Max closed his eyes before I continued to tell him everything that my parents had been doing. I told him about the confrontations I'd been having with Kyle and I told him that my parents were already working closely with Kyle's parents to make the wedding a reality.
Max never said a word as I finished telling him everything I needed him to know. He just sat there with his head bowed and listened to me. Until I was done and silence filled the space between us again. By that time my throat hurt like hell from trying not to cry at the lost look on Max's face. I couldn't breathe for fear of what he would say to this.
Swallowing the lump in my throat I whispered, "Max. Say something."
"What do you want me to say Liz? You're marrying Kyle."
"I don't want to Max."
"But you're parents are making you."
I curled my hands into fists, "Yes! That's what they want me to do, but I'm not going to! That's not what I want!"
He nodded and slowly stood up, "Right. Well, it doesn't seem to matter what you want does it? No more than it matters what I want."
I stared at him as he made his way back to his bags on the bed. Stunned I watched him start to pack his things, "Did you not hear what I said! I'm not getting married to him if I can help it!"
Max turned to look at me, "Answer me this. These lines you were feeding me earlier, were you thinking they would hurt me less than telling me you're going to marry Kyle?"
I shut my eyes, "I don't know what I was thinking Max. I wasn't trying to push you away if that's what you think."
"Then what were you trying to do, Liz?"
"I don't know. God Max, I don't want to lose you."
He glared at me, "Did you think I'd stand aside and watch you marry Kyle then be satisfied while you had an affair with me behind your husbands back?" He roared, "Is that it? You want your cake and eat it too!"
I stepped back from his hurt anger, "No Max, that's not it."
"Then what the fuck do you want from me Liz?"
"I need you to help me find a way to get out of this marriage Max. So I can go to college and do the things I want to do. You said you'd help me with anything I needed remember?"
He shut his eyes as he straightened up, "Why would you want me to help you? Just marry the guy and everyone will be happy."
"I won't."
He turned to look at me, "Why wouldn't you? I'm sure you could convince daddy or your new husband to let you go to college if you're a good girl. Besides, when you're out of daddy's house I'm sure it'll be easier for you to divorce your husband." I stared at him slack jawed as he continued with a shrug, "Think about it. Do you really want to let go of all that money? You've never had to live without it before. Take it from someone who's been there, it's not easy to go from being surrounded by money to absolutely nothing in record time."
"It's not about the money Max! How could you even think it was about that!"
He arched a brow, "You say that now, but like I said, you've never had to do without it before."
I growled, "I'm not refusing to marry Kyle because I want to go to college Max! I'm refusing to marry Kyle because I want to be with you!"
"Oh, so I'm just the lesser of two evils then?"
"What?"
"Well, with me not only do you still get money, but you also get a college tuition, and a great roll in the hay whenever the mood strikes."
"I can't believe you are saying this! I'm not after you for the money Max! When did I ever say I wanted your money? You know I just want you!" I yelled.
He crossed his arms in front of his chest, "Still don't understand why you would want me. You say you don't want me for my money or for the fact that I could help you through college. So, that leaves the great roll in the hay!"
"No Max!"
"Then what else do I have to offer Liz?" He yelled, his voice continuing to rise. "Tell me why you want me so badly!"
"Because I love you!" I screamed.
His arms fell to his sides as tears began to flow down my cheeks, "What?" he whispered, shock written all over his face.
My lips trembled for a moment before I gave a shaky laugh, "Oh don't look so shocked! You knew that was coming." I looked into his eyes and realized that it wasn't true. Max had no idea that I'd even felt that way about him. In that instant I realized he must have thought he really was a passing phase for me.
I closed my eyes, "Oh Max. I'm so sorry." I looked into his eyes again as I continued, "I never wanted to hurt you. I never did. You have to know, I do love you. I always have. Just like you said, you knew when I took that risk and went out with you. I loved you before that." I gave him a smile as I said, "I loved you the moment our eyes met for the first time across the crowded sidewalk. I tried to tell myself that the look you gave me just made me nervous, but the truth was that it opened up something inside of me. That night, I lay in my bed thinking of what it was about your eyes that had me feeling all nervous like that. But I now know that wasn't it. I looked into your eyes and saw your soul. The moment my soul saw yours, that was it. I fell in love with you. I was just too naive and clueless to realize it then."
Max stared at me, "Liz. God, I never thought you'd say that to me."
"I know." I walked over to him and wrapped my arms around his waist. Laying my head against his chest I said, "I love you Max. I've always loved you."
Trembling, Max wrapped his arms around my shoulders. We stood there for a few moments before I felt his arms tightening more, crushing me to him. He buried a hand in my hair just as he did the same with his face. I heard him whisper against my hair, "I love you too, beautiful."
TBC....

And I had wanted this story to be a light, fluffy piece.

Finicky muse!