:LairaBehr4 -Thanks
. I'm trying to write the new parts - I just have little time to sit down and do it at the moment 
.Alien_Friend (x2) - Thank you
. The Artois Championships started in London yesterday, so hopefully Andy can do better than 1st round this time. Btw, he was a guest on the Jonathan Ross show on the BBC Friday night - great interview, really funny . You can find it here (part 1) and here (part 2) if you're interested .roswell3053 (x2) - Thanks
. begonia9508 - Thanks
. Well, Max is trying to be a bit more civil to Liz, but will it last? As for why Liz left - I'm not gonna say anything right now 
.Tamashii - Thanks
. Despite his anger, I don't think Max can help caring about Liz and that's part of why this is so hard for him.clueless - Sorry, I'm not saying anything either way just yet
.Natalie36 - Perhaps.
Nz_Roswell (x2) - I'm working on it
.Tessa1982 - Thanks
.behrluv32 - Thanks
.Addicted2AmberEyes - Thanks - although I'm not gonna confirm or deny anything at this point in the story
.***
Part Ten
Friday June 22nd 2007
At precisely seven am, Liz was roused from her sleep as her mobile began blaring out Mika’s high-octave ‘Love Today’. With a groan, she buried her face in her soft, feather pillow, before reaching out a hand and fumbling for her phone.
“’Lo?” she mumbled, tiredly, brushing her hair off her face with her free hand.
“Liz? Is that you?” wondered the smooth baritone voice on the other end.
Liz frowned at hearing the male voice, as it took her a moment to place it, but the second she realised who was calling, she sat up straight in bed.
“Martin?” she questioned in surprise.
“It’s me, Liz,” he confirmed.
“Wow, not that it’s not good to hear from you, but did you have to call me at this time in the morning?” she asked, her mind now filled with confusion.
“Sorry, I forgot about the time difference. I just wanted to see how you were doing now that you’re back at home,” replied Martin.
Martin Smith was a twenty-nine year old former investment banker from Birmingham who, at the ripe old age of twenty-six, had decided to pack in the long hours and workplace pressure to emigrate halfway across the world and make a home for himself in the same beach community that Liz had hidden herself away in two years ago. They’d met at the local supermarket just a couple of weeks after Liz had fled Britain and he’d recognised her almost immediately. They’d got to talking in the frozen foods aisle and since they were the only other Brits in the area, they’d arranged to meet up occasionally for a chat.
In the end, Martin had been something of a confidant to Liz during the two years she’d been away from the UK. He knew all about her relationship with Max and what had happened to make her leave both him and her career. However, she hadn’t heard from him since a week or so before she’d told him of her decision to come home and enter Wimbledon again, so his call today was something of a surprise.
“I’m doing okay,” Liz told him, as she tried to hold back a yawn.
“That’s good to hear. How’s the training going? Are you getting back into the swing of things?”
“Well, it’s going,” she stated, with a sigh.
“But not that well, by the sound of it,” he said knowingly.
“The singles training is going pretty well, but it’s just the other part that’s hard,” admitted Liz.
“Does that other part have anything to do with Max Evans?” asked Martin then. “There was a report on the news here about you and he playing together again.”
“Yeah, it’s true,” she sighed. “They wanted us to enter the mixed together, since I was back this year.”
“Let me guess, it’s not going well?” he replied.
“Well, the tennis part is, it’s just the ‘being on the same court again’ part that’s one big, awkward mess.”
“He’s still mad at you?”
“Yeah, and who could blame him?” said Liz sarcastically.
“Well, have you told him the truth yet?”
“No,” she admitted. “Honestly, I don’t think I’m ready to.”
“But, don’t you think telling him could make all the difference?” he suggested. “After all, he has no idea why you left and he’s probably spent the last two years assuming the worst.”
“I know that, I do, but it’s not just about Max, it’s about me too. I’m just not emotionally ready to deal with him knowing the truth.”
Martin sighed on the other end, “Fair enough, I suppose. I know how difficult things have been for you the last couple of years. But for the record, you do know he deserves the truth eventually, don’t you?”
”I know,” she said softly. “I just need a little more time. But, thank you for the advice, Martin.”
“No problem, Liz,” he replied. “Well, I guess I’d better let you go now. I don’t want to interfere with your tough training schedule.”
“Yeah, that’s probably a good idea,” smiled Liz. “But thank you for calling; it was great to hear from you again.”
“It was great talking to you too, and I’ll give you a call if I’m ever in the neighbourhood.”
“Okay,” said Liz. “It would be wonderful to see you again.”
They said their goodbyes and ended the conversation. However, instead of placing her mobile back on the bedside table, Liz found herself simply staring at it in her hand. Martin was right about telling Max the real reason she left, but how on Earth was she going to be able to do that when just the thought of someone else knowing scared the shit out of her?
***
An hour and a half later, Liz arrived at the tennis club to find Max and his coach partaking in some singles training on one of the courts close to the clubhouse. It appeared that David had not arrived yet, so she slipped into the clubhouse coffee bar unnoticed and took a seat at one of the windows that looked out over the courts.
As much as she tried to concentrate on anything but Max, Liz couldn’t help her attention and gaze from drifting down to him. However, as she watched him returning shot after shot across the net, a swell of pride began to rise in her chest. With all the drama and awkwardness of the last two weeks, she hadn’t actually had the chance to just sit back and watch him play… and, wow, was he good!
In fact, he seemed to be playing better than he had when they’d been together. No wonder he’d managed to win the other three Grand Slam tournaments in the last few months. During her time away from the UK, she’d heard he’d gone through a bad patch… one that she was afraid had something to do with her disappearance… but in the last year, he’d managed to pick things up again and was now doing much better. More than better, in fact; he was now ranked at number one in the world, although from his behaviour, he apparently wasn’t too comfortable with all the media coverage that came with it.
Liz watched his progress on court for a few more minutes, until David arrived and approached her table from behind, watching silently for a moment before alerting her to his presence.
“He’s good, isn’t he?”
Liz jumped in surprise at the unexpected voice as she turned to face her coach. She offered his a smile in greeting before glancing back out at the courts again.
“Yeah, he is,” she murmured. “He’s really good. Even better than when we were together.”
“Well, I hear he’s been putting in a lot of work recently,” said David.
“I can tell.”
“So, how are you two doing now?” he asked then. “You’re certainly playing very well together at the moment and I think you’re just about ready for the tournament next week.”
“Yeah,” Liz nodded in agreement, as she let out a small sigh. “I think so.”
“But?”
“I just don’t know where we stand with each other,” she admitted. “He’s obviously still mad at me, but I just can’t bring myself to talk to him and make things right.”
“Look,” started David softly, as he took a seat next to her. “I don’t need to tell you that you’re doing the wrong thing by bottling everything up and not being honest with him, but I do know how hard this is for you; you’re scared and I understand that. But think of how much Max meant to you back then and how much he cared for you. You were part of each other’s lives for so long and from what I remember, you always used to be completely honest with each other. Maybe admitting the truth will lift that weight on your shoulders and clear the air between you?”
“Maybe,” murmured Liz, thoughtfully. “But it’s just not as easy as it sounds. When I left, I pretty much destroyed that closeness forever, and I don’t think we’ll ever get close to it again.”
***
Saturday 6th July 2002 – Mixed Doubles Final, Wimbledon 2002, London
“Well, this is it, match point - the moment of truth,” stated John McEnroe from the commentator’s box on Centre court. “Could Evans and Parker be the first all-British mixed pair to win Wimbledon since Bates and Durie in 1987? They’re at 6 games to 4 in the third and final set of this year’s final, with three match points at their disposal. Let’s hope they make the most of this advantage over the French.”
“Indeed, John,” replied his fellow commentator, John Lloyd. “And I think if anyone can pull it off, it’s these two fine players in front of us. After a good, but average start in the mixed last week, they seem to have picked up steam in the last couple of matches. In fact, I don’t think we’ve seen them on playing this well together before. After Parker’s disappointing match earlier this week, we were all worried that the mixed would suffer too, but something has obviously happened to boost their confidence since then.”
“You’re right,” agreed McEnroe. “It’s almost like a force has taken over the two of them in the last couple of days and all I can say is that they should keep doing whatever it is that has them on top form right now… Okay, here we go, Evans is getting ready to serve for the match…”
***
Out on court, Liz shifted from foot to foot almost nervously. Behind her, she heard Max bouncing the ball a couple of times, in preparation for his serve and a sudden burst of adrenaline burst through her. She and Max had been playing so well this week: so well, in fact, that they had actually made it to the final and the only explanation she could think of for her sudden turnaround was Max and the changes that had occurred between them in the last few days.
Despite the tense atmosphere right now, Liz couldn’t help but smile at the thought of their new relationship. The last few days had been absolutely wonderful, as she and Max discovered all kinds of new things about each other. Max served for the match and also the championship, Liz felt a wave of anticipation and excitement flow through her, as the ball went sailing over the net and she prepared for the return shot. The next few seconds were tense as the rally continued, their opposition obviously not wishing to give up without a fight; however, a moment later, Max surprised everyone, Liz herself included, by diving for an unlikely shot and placing it just outside either their opponent’s reach.
For a moment, Liz just stood still, her racket still poised in her hand, before she realised what had just happened and her mouth dropped open.
They had won!!
She and Max had won their first Wimbledon title!
Before she had time to blink, Liz found herself being lifted off the floor as Max wrapped his arms around her in a huge hug.
“We did it, Lizzie!” he cried ecstatically. “We actually did it. I can’t believe it.”
“Oh my God!” she gasped, as the reality began to really sink in. “Oh my God, Max! We won!”
She and Max continued to cling to each other in celebration, until one of the ball boys tapped Max on the shoulder, indicating that the Wimbledon officials were ready to begin the trophy presentation. With a grin, Max released Liz and they moved to congratulate their opponents, before making their way to the centre of the court hand-in-hand.
The next hour passed in a blur for Liz; she and Max were first accosted by the press for post-match interviews and then by their families for hugs and congratulations. After a good half-hour of mingling in the VIP rooms at the All England club, everyone headed back to Max and Liz’s hotel for a celebratory party that was being thrown for all of the day’s championship winners.
Liz couldn’t stop smiling and sharing glances with Max the entire evening.
***
“Wow, I still can’t believe it really happened,” exclaimed Liz to Max, as they entered her hotel room just after two am. Downstairs, the party was drawing to a close and Max had offered to walk Liz back to her room on the way to his own.
However, when they arrived at her door, Liz didn’t hesitate to invite him in and Max eagerly complied.
“Well, it definitely did,” Max assured her with a grin as he slipped his arms around her waist and she lifted her head to look up at him. “We’re Wimbledon champions now.”
Liz shook her head. “It’s like a dream come true,” she murmured in wonderment.
Max chuckled at her words, before gently lowering his head towards hers and capturing her lips in a soft kiss. Liz sucked in a breath at the sudden contact, but relaxed into Max’s kiss almost immediately. They’d only been together for a five days, but those five days had given them plenty of opportunity to get to know each other in the more-than-just-friends sense.
“Mmm,” she murmured against Max’s lips, her arms coming up to circle around his neck.
In response, Max simply let one hand drift up her back and tangle in her hair as he gently cupped her neck. A contented smile tugged at Liz’s lips as she deepened the kiss, pressing her body more fully against him. At the added contact, Max muttered something unintelligible, tightening his arms around her as he began to walk Liz backwards towards the queen-size bed that stood in the middle of the room.
However, the moment Liz’s legs hit the end of the bed, Max broke their embrace and pulled back to look down into her eyes as Liz turned her gaze up to him in confusion.
“Why d’you stop?” she wondered, curling her fingers into the hair at the nape of his neck. “I was enjoying that.”
“I just…” Max started, getting caught up in her eyes and momentarily forgetting what he wanted to say.
“Max? What’s up?”
“Nothing,” he shook his head and sending her a quick, genuine smile. “I just wanted to savour the moment.”
“Okay,” she murmured with a small chuckle. “Are you done yet?”
“Just a minute,” he replied, snaking his fingers round from the back of her neck to gently caress her cheek. “Okay, I’m done.”
“Great,” murmured Liz with a grin, as their lips met once more.
This time, their kisses were deep and more intense than any they’d shared in the past few days. It was like she couldn’t get enough of him. Her hands slid down from his neck, exploring every inch of his back before coming to rest on his lower back, her fingers slipping beneath the material of his shirt to gently stroke the warm skin there.
Encouraged by her movements, Max nuzzled at her neck as his hands wound around her back, gently easing her down onto the bed. Liz’s eyes fluttered open when she felt the mattress beneath her and she found herself staring up into Max’s questioning gaze. With an almost imperceptible nod, she smiled up at him, making the immediate decision that she was ready for this, despite the fact that their new relationship was less than a week old.
In fact, there was nothing more in the world that she wanted more than to make love to Max Evans right now. If she was honest with herself, she knew that secretly she’d wanted this since the first time she’d laid eyes on him – she just hadn’t admitted it to herself until a few days ago. At her nod of consent, Max smiled and lowered his mouth to hers again as he ran his hands down her sides. Liz sighed into his mouth, allowing his tongue to tangle with hers as she slid her hands further beneath his shirt, urging it upwards. Max quickly got the hint and shifted to allow her to divest him of the offending article.
Liz felt Max’s eyes on her as she ran her fingers over his bare chest, almost in awe. Of course, she’d seen his upper body before during training, but there was something different about seeing him like this right now.
“Liz,” murmured Max, sucking in a breath as her fingers drifted down the centre of his torso towards his belly button.
She lifted her head to look up at him, only for her breath to catch in her throat at the intensity in his eyes.
“Make love to me?” he questioned roughly.
With a soft smile, she nodded, “Of course.”
Max broke into a grin and he kissed her deeply before moving his hands to the hem of her top. They undressed each other slowly, taking the time to get to know each other’s bodies. For Liz, the whole experience was serene. She had to admit that almost all of her previous sexual encounters had been hurried and frantic – they’d been about having fun and feeling good. But this was different; for the first time, she actually felt special, cherished and it was the most wonderful feeling in the world.
Max took his time, gently running his hands across her warm skin, pressing soft kisses along her collarbone before unhurriedly working down to her chest. Liz let out a gasp as he cupped one breast in his hand, before lowering his lips to the other. Her hands drifted to the back of his head, her fingers tangling in his short hair. They were both still wearing underwear, but Liz was very aware of Max’s hips nestled between her legs, his arousal pressing against her centre and she couldn’t help but fidget beneath him in an attempt to ease the building pressure.
However, if he noticed her discomfort, he didn’t show it; instead he simply continued to worship her body with his hands and with his mouth. His hands slid lower, his mouth following as he kissed a trail down to her belly. Liz let out a gasp as his fingers dipped beneath the elastic of her knickers, causing Max to lift his head to look at her. She gave him a lazy smile and a nod, to indicate that he should continue, before lowering her head to the pillows.
Her stomach tightened as he hooked his fingers into her underwear and gently eased them down over her hips. A small moan escaped her lips as he began to gently caress her with his fingers and when he finally touched his tongue to her hot centre, her breathing became shallow and ragged and she arched up off the bed, her fingers clutching at his hair.
Nothing had ever felt this good and no one had ever made her feel this way before. Max ran his hands up and down her legs as he kissed and licked at her sensitive skin until she was begging for release, but before she could reach it, he pulled back and slid up her body again.
“Wha-?” she muttered, almost incoherently. “Max?”
“Shh,” he murmured softly. “Be patient.”
Before Liz knew what was happening, he had climbed off the bed and was rummaging through his wallet. She frowned for a moment before relaxing when she realised what was going on. Instead, she simply lay back and watched Max as he pulled the small, square packet out of his wallet and then slipped his boxers off.
Her eyes widened as she took in the view before her. He was… perfect… and the sight of his naked body turned her on more than anything ever had before. With their protection in his hand, Max smiled down at her as he lowered his body onto hers once more. They kissed softly for a few moments, before Liz began to feel impatient and rocked her hips against him. With a quick nod, Max wasted no time in opening the small packet and rolling the condom into place.
“Max,” gasped Liz as he entered her, gently rocking his hips to allow her to get used to him. “God.”
She felt his sharp intake of breath when he sank further into her and closed her eyes at the sensations he was causing in her body. They made love tenderly, yet still fervently, pouring every feeling and emotion into worshipping each other. As Liz neared her peak, she felt like she was flying; making love to Max Evans was better than anything else in the world.
She clung to him as the first waves of orgasm washed over her, gasping in his ear at the sensations. She felt him smile against her neck as he continued to thrust in and out of her, his release fast approaching. Soon, he stiffened above her with a cry as he came, before collapsing against Liz.
They lay together as one for several moments as they tried to catch their breath and make sense of the emotions they were experiencing.
“Wow,” breathed Liz. “That was…”
“I know,” murmured Max, as he kissed her neck.
“I think…” she started.
“You think what?” Max lifted his head.
“I think I might be falling in love with you, Max Evans,” she confessed.
“Really?” he wondered, his expression awed.
She nodded, “Yeah, I think I am.”
He grinned, rolling them so that they lay side by side, “Well, you know what? I think I might just be falling in love with you too, Liz Parker.”
This time, it was Liz’s turn to grin. They remained in that position, just staring into each other’s eyes for a few minutes, until Max noticed that she was beginning to shiver.
“Cold?” he asked.
Liz nodded, “A little.”
Max slid off the bed, disposing of the condom before holding his hand out to her in invitation. She took it, getting off the bed so that he could pull back the covers. They settled together beneath the duvet, Liz cuddled against Max’s chest, as Max’s arms encircled her, holding her close.
As they lay together on the verge of sleep, Liz murmured one last thought, “I’m so happy, Max.”
“Me too, Lizzie, me too.”
TBC…
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