EYA Part 51
“You’re still here,” Liz said with a smile as she walked into the living room and found Maria sitting on the couch that was still pushed up against the wall.
Maria pulled her hair back and glanced up at Liz before speaking. “Yeah, well, I just wanted to make sure that Michael’s alright before I head out. He seemed pretty pissed when he took off earlier,” she paused before finishing tentatively, “I hope he didn’t, uh, interrupt anything?” Her fingers played with the fringe on a throw pillow while she waited for Liz to answer.
Liz laughed. “Nothing major,” she laughed. “If we’d been in the middle of the heat thing then we wouldn’t have been able to answer the door!” she giggled.
Maria relaxed back against the sofa, smiling with her friend. “What does that feel like?” she sighed wistfully.
“Maria!” Liz gasped out.
“No! No, no, no!” she tilted her head thoughtfully for a moment, “Well, yes actually, that too. But what I meant was, how does it feel to have someone who is so totally in love, so focused on you that the rest of the world just goes away?” She leaned forward, eager for Liz’s response.
Liz watched the emotions flitter across Maria’s face and wanted nothing more than to help her. Walking over she quickly enfolded her in a comforting hug and snuggled in beside her. “It’s incredible,” she began, knowing Maria wanted to know. Needed to know. “It’s the most amazing feeling I’ve ever had. When we’re together we’re so filled up with each other that nothing else can get in. I know what he’s feeling because there are no walls between us. The same goes for Max. We’re connected,” Liz paused to playfully swat at Maria who was chortling over the connected part of the story. “Grow up, Maria!” Liz laughed.
“I’m trying!” Maria groaned, “but Michael keeps pushing me away. It’s so confusing. I don’t really know what I want anymore. And it’s hard not knowing if Michael even wants me anymore. I mean he loves me. I know he does. And I love him too, but it’s weird right now with everything that’s been happening it’s hard to know what’s real and what’s only in my head. I want him. I think.” Maria covered her face with her hands and Liz hugged her tighter.
“You love him, right?”
“Yeah,” reluctantly, from behind her fingers.
“He loves you, right?”
“Yeah, I think so,” Maria peeked out at Liz.
Liz pulled Maria’s hands down to look her in the eyes. “I know what’s happening between Max, Michael, and me is really hard on everyone right now. I’m so sorry about that. Max and I will work it out so that Michael won’t be affected. We’ll be together morning, noon, and night if we have to!” she declared with a grin.
“Hardship, huh?” Maria smirked.
Liz tilted an eyebrow and said archly. “Anything for the cause!”
Maria smacked Liz’s arm. “You’re such a goofball! I can’t believe you’re married and going to be a mom!”
Liz sobered, her hand drifting down to her stomach. Her gaze turned inward as she sought a connection with the baby and smiled at the small light inside her.
“I am,” she softly voiced. “I’m going to be a mom.” She focused back on Maria, clutching her for support. “I have no idea what I’m going to do! I’m really scared that I’m going to screw up here. I mean, am I really ready for this? I feel like such a kid right now, not knowing how to do things right. It’s scary.”
Maria’s eyes softened in sympathy and she turned to hug Liz. “You’ll be a great mom!” she asserted staunchly. “You’re great at everything you do and you’ll have lot’s of support from friends and family. There’s no way that you can go wrong with Max by your side and love in your heart for that little baby in there. Anything new and different is scary at first, but you just have to forge past that and let your love guide you. It’s gotten you this far hasn’t it?”
Liz nodded, tears drying on her cheeks. Love had gotten her this far and she really did feel happier now, more complete, than at any time in her past. She was allowed to be scared. Enough weird stuff had happened lately to warrant it, but she knew that with Max beside her and friends like Maria, it would be okay.
“Thanks, Maria,” she said as she swallowed back her tears.
“Anytime, babe.” Maria thought the moment could use a little levity. “So when are you gonna tell me all the good stuff,” she leered, rubbing her hands together briskly.
“Maria! Do you actually want to know this stuff?” Liz could tell Maria was seriously curious.
Maria nodded eagerly. “Spill it, babe! I’m serious. How else am I gonna know what it’d be like with Michael? I mean, if it ever happens. Which I’m not saying it will. Or won’t. Or…whatever,” Maria finished, not liking the direction of her thoughts.
“Michael wants you, Maria,” Liz informed her.
“How do you know? How do you know that it’s really me he wants? It could just be those heat thingy’s and have nothing to actually do with me,” Maria moaned.
“Oh, Maria! I do know that it’s you he wants. The heat thing just makes it more confusing for him. And you, obviously.”
“How do you know, Liz?”
“I…it’s…Okay, when Max was missing and it looked like he wasn’t coming back,” Liz paused to take a breath and choke back her emotion so she could continue, “when it looked like Michael would have to uh…make a donation…I…he…we made a connection. Not on purpose, but I think the urge to protect me and the baby was too strong to be denied and that was the only way he could reach out without betraying what he feels for you. I saw inside of him the conflict that he was having. I don’t know if you can truly understand how strong the urge to be together was. It was something that both of us felt, not in a sexual kind of ‘I want your body’ way, but in an ‘I know I can stop the pain and heal you’ way.” Liz stopped at the hurt look in Maria’s eyes and rubbed her shoulders. “Michael did not ask for this. What I’m trying to say is that even with all of that going on I could feel how much he cares about you. He loves you and he only wants to be with you. It’s why he’s so conflicted right now. He doesn’t want to hurt you or drag you into all this…this mess that we’re all tangled in right now. What I’m saying is that he loves you and only you and he’s just trying not to hurt you right now.”
“You saw all that?”
“Yes.” Liz made sure Maria was looking at her and could see how serious she was. Maria nodded, tears in her eyes.
“I wish he could open up like that to me more often. I really just want to…”
“Maria?” Michael stood in the doorway, shifting from foot to foot. “Can we go someplace and talk for awhile? About us?”
Maria watched him nervously fidgeting in the doorway and wiped her suddenly damp palms over her skirt before standing.
“Sure, Michael. Your place?”
Michael nodded and tentatively reached out for her hand. Maria took his hand and glanced back at her friend mouthing ‘thank you’, before walking out of the house with Michael.
Liz sat in the living room lost in thought for several moments before she felt Max approaching. He appeared in the doorway, leaning casually against the frame, clad in black leather pants and a form-fitting black sweater. Liz’s pupils dilated and she licked her lips unconsciously in anticipation of the mood Max was in.
Max couldn’t take his eyes off of Liz and he closed the distance between them swiftly. He sank down onto the couch in front of her and they leaned together to share a hungry kiss.
“Maria and Michael gone?” Max gasped out, his hands wandering over her silken hair and down her back. Liz nodded, not wanting to break the kiss, her mouth exploring his eagerly. Tongues met hotly to taste and explore before smoothing over hard teeth. Liz suddenly sucked Max’s tongue into her mouth pulling strongly and both felt the hot surge of desire sharpening in the room. Max leaned over Liz and she sank back against the sofa, loving the heavy weight of her lover pressing her into the cushions.
Max’s hand traced down the side of her face tenderly, brushed down the sensitive curve of her neck and down over her shoulder. He continued his journey until his hand slipped under her shirt, meeting tender skin that shivered with anticipation and excitement. His fingers traced slow circles that led in a path toward her straining breast. He gasped into her mouth when he discovered that she had not donned a bra when she had hastily dressed to allow him and Michael time alone to talk. His warm hand enveloped the smooth skin there and massaged until Liz’s short panting breaths accelerated into eager moans of desire. He teased her hard nipple with his fingers, pinching gently and rolling it in small circles. Liz’s back arched off the couch in a bid for more.
“Let’s get the living room back in order first,” Diane’s voice could be heard drifting closer from the hallway.
Max and Liz pulled back simultaneously, expressions of shocked surprise covering their features. Max stood swiftly, holding out his hand for Liz and they silently made their way back up to their apartment unseen, slamming the door closed behind them.
Max moved forward abruptly, backing Liz into the door and took her mouth again in a hungry kiss. His hands moved down over her body to tug at the hem of her shirt. He pulled it up swiftly, breaking the kiss only long enough to sweep the shirt over her head. His hands roamed down to cover her breasts again and he kissed his way down her chest to nibble on her stiff nipples. Liz gasped and held his head close to her body and shock waves of ecstasy coursed through her. Her head rolled back against the door and her hips began to move rhythmically, bumping into his body lightly. He moved his hands lower and disposed of her skirt and underwear.
Max groaned and stood straight again, dragging his sweater over his head, left standing in only tight black leather. Liz’s couldn’t take her eyes off of him. Didn’t want to. His chest heaved and glistened with a light sheen of sweat and the leather bulged out in front of him trying vainly to contain the evidence of his excitement. Her hands moved of their own free will to carefully pull open the button of his pants and slowly draw down the zipper. His erection sprang free as she pulled them over his hips and lowered them down his legs. She knelt in front of him as she removed them from his body and glanced up to meet his eyes as she licked her lips before covering him with her mouth, massaging the defined muscles that were straining under her hands on his thighs.
Max moaned out loud as he tangled his fingers in her hair. Liz alternated between light licks and sucks, to strong pulls and swirling tongue. She loved the taste of him, the feel of his excitement hot in her mouth. Max’s hips began to move against her mouth and she increased her suction. And then Max was emitting a low growling noise and Liz knew he was close. Suddenly he reached down and picked her up under the arms. Her legs wrapped around his waist automatically as his mouth claimed hers harshly and he leaned her back against the door again. He held her with one hand supporting her bottom as his other hand directed his aching erection to her. Liz hissed in a strangled gasp as he plunged into her in one swift long stroke. Her body burned with need and her hips slapped urgently against his with each plunge. Max wrapped one hand around her waist and the other over her shoulders, leaning her back to gain access to her sweet breasts. Liz cried out in need as his mouth did amazing things to her body. She writhed and twisted in his arms, her body searching for release. She peaked suddenly and went stiff and still for a long, drawn out moment as Max sucked her hardened nipple into his mouth and teased it with his tongue. His body continued the motion as her juices flooded over him and he sought to drive her crazy again.
“Max, oh! Max!” Liz’s voice was husky and low, driving Max to the brink with the sexy quality it contained. His breath accelerated until it was coming out in harsh gasps and he sucked on her neck, moving around to her sensitive earlobe. Their bodies ground together, much like in their dancing downstairs earlier, but now with the promise of completion.
“I love you. I love you so much,” Max gritted out, trying to hold out for Liz once more as his body begged for gratification. His strokes became longer, harder, forcing Liz’s body to reach a fever pitch of intense feeling. She slammed herself down against him and screamed as her body rocked with the wave of another intense release. Max growled lowly and thrust several more times against her slick skin before shuddering and leaning into her against the door.
Only the sound of harsh breathing filled the room for several moments before Max pulled back and picked his weak-kneed wife up into his arms. She needed to rest and he would make sure she didn’t leave the bed until morning.
TBC
Everything You Are (CC,M/L, Mature) AN PG 15 5/3/07 [WIP]
Moderators: Anniepoo98, ISLANDGIRL5, truelovepooh, Forum Moderators
EYA Part 52
Michael is nervous. That thought was oddly comforting to Maria as she watched him pace back and forth in front of her where she sat on his couch. A part of her actually wanted to reach out and reassure him that everything was going to be okay, but another more perverse part of her made her sit back and make him come to her for once. It was hard, watching his discomfort while she made herself do nothing. She folded her arms across her body and gritted her teeth. She would not make this any easier for him. He was the one who wanted to talk. He was the one who decided if they were dating or not dating this week. This whole damn year.
Michael stopped at the motion of her arms crossing protectively over her chest. As if it were a signal, a symbol that she felt the need to protect herself from him. His jaw hurt he was clenching it so hard. I did that to her, he thought, angry at himself once again.
“What’s this about, Michael?” Maria could have bitten her tongue off. Just couldn’t keep her mouth shut.
“What is…It’s about…us.” he thought she knew that. “It’s about what we mean to each other and what’s been happening lately. It’s about being closer and letting each other in. It’s about having someone to hold and knowing you want to be there just for each other. It’s about everything.” Michael finished his speech kneeling in front of Maria on the couch. He raised a shaky hand to her cheek and used his thumb to wipe away a surprising tear. Maybe he hadn’t driven her away yet.
“Oh, Michael,” Maria sobbed, throwing her arms around his neck. Michael automatically stiffened at the sudden physical contact. He was more used to holding himself aloof, apart. But this was Maria and he reminded himself harshly that he didn’t have to hold back anymore. He was allowed to form a personal connection with someone that was just for him. His arms crept around her and held on tight, feeling freer that he had in a long time. Free to be himself, free to express himself, free to love…
Michael stroked back her hair and pulled away to look into her beautiful damp eyes. He pressed a sweet kiss over each one and moved to sit behind her, pulling her into the V of his thighs. His hands stroked down her arms and clenched together over her stomach.
“I’ve been a jerk,” he stated into the silence. His hands bumped up and down on her stomach as her laughter rocked her body. She obviously hadn’t expected to hear it. And by the lack of an instant denial, she obviously agreed.
“There’s been so much happening. It’s made me really think about things. About what I really feel and what’s been planted in me. I don’t want you to ever have to doubt that what I feel for you is real. I want you to know when I’m touching you that you are the only one on my mind. Does that make sense?”
Maria nodded her head against his chest and felt his sigh of relief against her ear. “It’s not your fault. What happened to make you feel the way you do about Liz, I mean,” she offered, echoing what Liz had told her earlier.
Another long sigh. “I know. But it’s still part of the problem. I don’t want her,” he said fiercely, willing her to know that it was the truth. He sat up straighter and turned her around. They arranged themselves so they were facing each other, cross-legged. He needed to see her face for the next part. The hardest part.
“I’m glad they made the connection though,” he started, watching the surprise and hurt cross over her lovely features. He took her hands in his, needing her to understand. Her hands were limp and cold. “I’m glad because, as much as I hate what it’s doing to us, they need someone to be there for them. That baby is going to do what I’ve spent my whole life thinking was going to be my job. Our lives are insane, intense, out of control sometimes and that baby is going to need every chance he’s got to get born healthy and well. If something happened to Max…” he choked for a second on that grim thought, “if something happened to him, that baby will live. And Liz will live. Because of something I can do. I’m just glad that if it comes down to it I won’t have to just sit by and do nothing,” one hand raked over his messy hair, “I’ve never been good at sitting back and shutting up while life turns to crap all around me.” Michael smiled when Maria let out a small chuckle at that one.
“With the turkey baster, of course!” Maria couldn’t help herself.
A dull flush settled over one more time as the memories of the embarrassment he had already suffered over that damn turkey baster. But Maria was smiling, so he nodded. “Of course with the turkey baster. I don’t want her that way. {I]You[/I] are the only person I’ve ever wanted to share myself with that way.” He placed her hand over his heart, holding it warmly against his body. “You are the one that I love,” he whispered, meeting her eyes, still unsure of his reception.
“Oh, Michael,” she sighed, “When did our lives get so complicated?”
Michael remembered to exhale. Not rejection yet. Not quite. He thought of anything he could say to reassure her, “I talked to Max. They’re gonna have sex like bunnies so that it won’t happen to me again. You gotta know that it’s hell for me, knowing what it’s doing to you. I hated seeing you like that when Max was missing for so long…”
“Shhhh…Michael, it’s okay,” Maria cupped his face in her hand and leaned in to touch her lips softly to his, effectively stilling his speech. “I know that it was out of your control, and I felt bad knowing that you couldn’t escape it. It just seemed so unfair. And when you said you were connected to Liz when she…when they were doing…that…I just felt really bad about the whole situation. Why should you have to experience that and not have anything for yourself?”
Michael lowered his head into his hand. Heat suffused his face and he was pretty sure that he was going to turn a permanent shade of red. “Maria,” he groaned. “That’s not what this is about. When we connected it was self-preservation, for both of us. We were trying to ease the situation without betraying anyone. It was…it was like…” Michael turned and placed one hand on either side of Maria’s head, asking permission with his eyes. Maria stared at him for a brief moment before nodding her agreement. This was what she had wanted, after all, a deeper connection with Michael. An understanding of what was going on with him.
Their eyes locked and Maria was sucked in.
So hot. When would this end? How would this end? Michael wiped his brow one more time but his eyes remained locked on Liz. She looked like she was in pain. She was writhing on the bed, clutching her stomach. Was the baby in trouble? How much longer could she take this? He had to know. Liz’s miserable eyes opened and met his across the room. He leaned forward and desperately ached to know what was happening inside her. The pull to just give in and just…just…END all this misery was nearly overwhelming. His thoughts screeched to a halt on Maria. He wouldn’t betray her like that. He could make it awhile longer. He looked at Liz again. Could she make it awhile longer? He had to know. He reached out tentatively, his mind searching, questing out to make that connection that would let him know if she was okay. Liz seemed to understand and her end of the connection snapped in with his.
Michael gasped and reeled back with the shock of what he was feeling. Pain. Agony. Desperate fear for the child nestled in her body. Terror at the thought of what had happened to Max out there. Guilt at the thought that she was the reason he was out there today. If she had managed to stay away from Max at least she would know that he was alive right now. Michael fought back against that.
‘Tess would have killed him eventually. He’s coming back. He has to,’ he reassured her as best he could, wishing he wasn’t always so crappy when it came to expressing himself in words.
‘He has to,’ she echoed weakly, taking strange comfort from Michael’s reassurance. She didn’t think he would know that any better than her, but just someone else saying it, and meaning it.
They stayed locked in the connection, Michael trying to ease her discomfort as best he could, attempting to take on her pain. He knew that it wasn’t enough. Only one thing would be enough. But that wasn’t an option, not yet. Not until they knew for sure that it couldn’t go on one second longer.
Michael pulled back with a gasping breath. Reliving that time in his life was far from comfortable. He hadn’t wanted to do it the first time, let alone open himself up to that again. He blinked his eyes clear of the visions and dropped his hands to Maria’s in her lap. She clutched them tightly, closing her eyes against what she had seen. She had known that he had been doing what he could to help. She hadn’t realized the desperate measures he had taken to aid his friends.
“I love you,” she whispered, her voice husky with emotion. Michael’s eyes closed and he savored the moment. She had chosen him. She still wanted him. After everything he had shown her. She had felt the guilty surge of desire that had risen up inside him. She had known his conflict between duty and self. She was choosing him!
“Maria,” he whispered reverently like a prayer. He pulled her close and slowly met her soft lips with his. She felt the slight burn of his five o’clock shadow against her cheek and craved more. She angled her head and deepened the kiss, licking her tongue out to seek permission to enter. Michael groaned into the heat of her mouth and opened his lips to accept her. Heat met heat and the kiss increased in intensity. Michael leaned back and Maria sprawled out on top of him, feeling the evidence of his desire for her. For her. Her hips bumped into him lightly, causing him to groan and gasp at the teasing contact. His hands covered her hips and he began rocking himself up into her. Maria gasped at the new sensations coursing through her. Desire was spiraling out of control and she found that she didn’t mind that. Not one bit.
She used her hands to lean over him and pull his shirt up, moving down to use her mouth on his newly bared skin. Michael arched up into the new sensations. Her hot lips warmed his skin and sent goose bumps trailing over his body. He shivered at the intensity. Her mouth moved lower over his stomach until she reached the barrier of his jeans and she glanced up at him briefly before deliberately moving her hands to the button to release his straining erection.
Michael couldn’t believe this was happening so fast. He’d thought he’d have to beg, make promises; had been prepared and happy to do so. Maria was incredible though. Amazing. His hips arched once again as he felt the button pop open. For the first time he felt Maria pause. She seemed tentative, unsure. Michael reached down and pulled her up so her lips met his again. The kiss was hot. Long. Fantastic.
Gasping he pulled back, knowing they had connected once again. Silent communication passed between them and with a reluctant sigh Maria rolled to the side.
“I hate it when you’re right,” she grumbled against his chest.
“Me too,” Michael said, meaning it.
It was too soon. It should be perfect. They needed time. Time to bond, time to be a couple. Time to know that it was right and good with no regrets, only promises of forever.
They could wait. They just had to learn to practice patience.
Patience sucked.
TBC
Michael is nervous. That thought was oddly comforting to Maria as she watched him pace back and forth in front of her where she sat on his couch. A part of her actually wanted to reach out and reassure him that everything was going to be okay, but another more perverse part of her made her sit back and make him come to her for once. It was hard, watching his discomfort while she made herself do nothing. She folded her arms across her body and gritted her teeth. She would not make this any easier for him. He was the one who wanted to talk. He was the one who decided if they were dating or not dating this week. This whole damn year.
Michael stopped at the motion of her arms crossing protectively over her chest. As if it were a signal, a symbol that she felt the need to protect herself from him. His jaw hurt he was clenching it so hard. I did that to her, he thought, angry at himself once again.
“What’s this about, Michael?” Maria could have bitten her tongue off. Just couldn’t keep her mouth shut.
“What is…It’s about…us.” he thought she knew that. “It’s about what we mean to each other and what’s been happening lately. It’s about being closer and letting each other in. It’s about having someone to hold and knowing you want to be there just for each other. It’s about everything.” Michael finished his speech kneeling in front of Maria on the couch. He raised a shaky hand to her cheek and used his thumb to wipe away a surprising tear. Maybe he hadn’t driven her away yet.
“Oh, Michael,” Maria sobbed, throwing her arms around his neck. Michael automatically stiffened at the sudden physical contact. He was more used to holding himself aloof, apart. But this was Maria and he reminded himself harshly that he didn’t have to hold back anymore. He was allowed to form a personal connection with someone that was just for him. His arms crept around her and held on tight, feeling freer that he had in a long time. Free to be himself, free to express himself, free to love…
Michael stroked back her hair and pulled away to look into her beautiful damp eyes. He pressed a sweet kiss over each one and moved to sit behind her, pulling her into the V of his thighs. His hands stroked down her arms and clenched together over her stomach.
“I’ve been a jerk,” he stated into the silence. His hands bumped up and down on her stomach as her laughter rocked her body. She obviously hadn’t expected to hear it. And by the lack of an instant denial, she obviously agreed.
“There’s been so much happening. It’s made me really think about things. About what I really feel and what’s been planted in me. I don’t want you to ever have to doubt that what I feel for you is real. I want you to know when I’m touching you that you are the only one on my mind. Does that make sense?”
Maria nodded her head against his chest and felt his sigh of relief against her ear. “It’s not your fault. What happened to make you feel the way you do about Liz, I mean,” she offered, echoing what Liz had told her earlier.
Another long sigh. “I know. But it’s still part of the problem. I don’t want her,” he said fiercely, willing her to know that it was the truth. He sat up straighter and turned her around. They arranged themselves so they were facing each other, cross-legged. He needed to see her face for the next part. The hardest part.
“I’m glad they made the connection though,” he started, watching the surprise and hurt cross over her lovely features. He took her hands in his, needing her to understand. Her hands were limp and cold. “I’m glad because, as much as I hate what it’s doing to us, they need someone to be there for them. That baby is going to do what I’ve spent my whole life thinking was going to be my job. Our lives are insane, intense, out of control sometimes and that baby is going to need every chance he’s got to get born healthy and well. If something happened to Max…” he choked for a second on that grim thought, “if something happened to him, that baby will live. And Liz will live. Because of something I can do. I’m just glad that if it comes down to it I won’t have to just sit by and do nothing,” one hand raked over his messy hair, “I’ve never been good at sitting back and shutting up while life turns to crap all around me.” Michael smiled when Maria let out a small chuckle at that one.
“With the turkey baster, of course!” Maria couldn’t help herself.
A dull flush settled over one more time as the memories of the embarrassment he had already suffered over that damn turkey baster. But Maria was smiling, so he nodded. “Of course with the turkey baster. I don’t want her that way. {I]You[/I] are the only person I’ve ever wanted to share myself with that way.” He placed her hand over his heart, holding it warmly against his body. “You are the one that I love,” he whispered, meeting her eyes, still unsure of his reception.
“Oh, Michael,” she sighed, “When did our lives get so complicated?”
Michael remembered to exhale. Not rejection yet. Not quite. He thought of anything he could say to reassure her, “I talked to Max. They’re gonna have sex like bunnies so that it won’t happen to me again. You gotta know that it’s hell for me, knowing what it’s doing to you. I hated seeing you like that when Max was missing for so long…”
“Shhhh…Michael, it’s okay,” Maria cupped his face in her hand and leaned in to touch her lips softly to his, effectively stilling his speech. “I know that it was out of your control, and I felt bad knowing that you couldn’t escape it. It just seemed so unfair. And when you said you were connected to Liz when she…when they were doing…that…I just felt really bad about the whole situation. Why should you have to experience that and not have anything for yourself?”
Michael lowered his head into his hand. Heat suffused his face and he was pretty sure that he was going to turn a permanent shade of red. “Maria,” he groaned. “That’s not what this is about. When we connected it was self-preservation, for both of us. We were trying to ease the situation without betraying anyone. It was…it was like…” Michael turned and placed one hand on either side of Maria’s head, asking permission with his eyes. Maria stared at him for a brief moment before nodding her agreement. This was what she had wanted, after all, a deeper connection with Michael. An understanding of what was going on with him.
Their eyes locked and Maria was sucked in.
So hot. When would this end? How would this end? Michael wiped his brow one more time but his eyes remained locked on Liz. She looked like she was in pain. She was writhing on the bed, clutching her stomach. Was the baby in trouble? How much longer could she take this? He had to know. Liz’s miserable eyes opened and met his across the room. He leaned forward and desperately ached to know what was happening inside her. The pull to just give in and just…just…END all this misery was nearly overwhelming. His thoughts screeched to a halt on Maria. He wouldn’t betray her like that. He could make it awhile longer. He looked at Liz again. Could she make it awhile longer? He had to know. He reached out tentatively, his mind searching, questing out to make that connection that would let him know if she was okay. Liz seemed to understand and her end of the connection snapped in with his.
Michael gasped and reeled back with the shock of what he was feeling. Pain. Agony. Desperate fear for the child nestled in her body. Terror at the thought of what had happened to Max out there. Guilt at the thought that she was the reason he was out there today. If she had managed to stay away from Max at least she would know that he was alive right now. Michael fought back against that.
‘Tess would have killed him eventually. He’s coming back. He has to,’ he reassured her as best he could, wishing he wasn’t always so crappy when it came to expressing himself in words.
‘He has to,’ she echoed weakly, taking strange comfort from Michael’s reassurance. She didn’t think he would know that any better than her, but just someone else saying it, and meaning it.
They stayed locked in the connection, Michael trying to ease her discomfort as best he could, attempting to take on her pain. He knew that it wasn’t enough. Only one thing would be enough. But that wasn’t an option, not yet. Not until they knew for sure that it couldn’t go on one second longer.
Michael pulled back with a gasping breath. Reliving that time in his life was far from comfortable. He hadn’t wanted to do it the first time, let alone open himself up to that again. He blinked his eyes clear of the visions and dropped his hands to Maria’s in her lap. She clutched them tightly, closing her eyes against what she had seen. She had known that he had been doing what he could to help. She hadn’t realized the desperate measures he had taken to aid his friends.
“I love you,” she whispered, her voice husky with emotion. Michael’s eyes closed and he savored the moment. She had chosen him. She still wanted him. After everything he had shown her. She had felt the guilty surge of desire that had risen up inside him. She had known his conflict between duty and self. She was choosing him!
“Maria,” he whispered reverently like a prayer. He pulled her close and slowly met her soft lips with his. She felt the slight burn of his five o’clock shadow against her cheek and craved more. She angled her head and deepened the kiss, licking her tongue out to seek permission to enter. Michael groaned into the heat of her mouth and opened his lips to accept her. Heat met heat and the kiss increased in intensity. Michael leaned back and Maria sprawled out on top of him, feeling the evidence of his desire for her. For her. Her hips bumped into him lightly, causing him to groan and gasp at the teasing contact. His hands covered her hips and he began rocking himself up into her. Maria gasped at the new sensations coursing through her. Desire was spiraling out of control and she found that she didn’t mind that. Not one bit.
She used her hands to lean over him and pull his shirt up, moving down to use her mouth on his newly bared skin. Michael arched up into the new sensations. Her hot lips warmed his skin and sent goose bumps trailing over his body. He shivered at the intensity. Her mouth moved lower over his stomach until she reached the barrier of his jeans and she glanced up at him briefly before deliberately moving her hands to the button to release his straining erection.
Michael couldn’t believe this was happening so fast. He’d thought he’d have to beg, make promises; had been prepared and happy to do so. Maria was incredible though. Amazing. His hips arched once again as he felt the button pop open. For the first time he felt Maria pause. She seemed tentative, unsure. Michael reached down and pulled her up so her lips met his again. The kiss was hot. Long. Fantastic.
Gasping he pulled back, knowing they had connected once again. Silent communication passed between them and with a reluctant sigh Maria rolled to the side.
“I hate it when you’re right,” she grumbled against his chest.
“Me too,” Michael said, meaning it.
It was too soon. It should be perfect. They needed time. Time to bond, time to be a couple. Time to know that it was right and good with no regrets, only promises of forever.
They could wait. They just had to learn to practice patience.
Patience sucked.
TBC
EYA Part 53
“Don’t forget this,” Maria smiled slyly as she handed Liz a bottle of cinnamon flavored massage oil to include with the items already in her suitcase.
Liz blushed prettily, wondering why she bothered to blush anymore now that everyone and their brother knew about her active sex life. She sighed and nestled the small bottle between the lacy underwear and the silk nightie set she had received in a surprise wedding shower that night from the ladies. Max was away at his own surprise party, and Liz was hoping he would be home soon. He still needed to pack for their trip in the morning.
“How’d your talk go with Michael last night?” Liz asked curiously, sitting down on the bed beside her friend. It was the first chance they’d had to talk alone since ‘the discussion’ and Liz wanted to make sure they had resolved their differences.
Maria collapsed back onto the bed and blew out a frustrated breath. “We decided to wait,” she told Liz with obvious reluctance in her tone.
“Wait? You mean wait to have sex?” Liz hadn’t really thought that sex was an issue yet between them. She knew that they loved each other, but was inordinately relieved that they’d decided to hold back.
Maria nodded, her face covered by her hand. She rolled to face Liz, propped up on one elbow. “We’ve decided to take it one step at a time. Do you think he finds me unattractive? Cuz I totally threw myself at him and he made us stop.” A faint worry line appeared between her brows.
“Maria! You know he finds you attractive, and I think it says a lot for Michael that he held back like that even though you wanted more. I have to say though, that I’m kinda glad you waited. Max and I didn’t and now I’m pregnant. Are you ready to handle that kind of responsibility if you know you can avoid it?” Liz watched Maria’s face carefully to gauge her reaction.
“Uhgg! No! That’s the thing. I know it was the right decision to wait, but I’ve got all these hormones raging through me right now that I just want to throw Michael on the floor and jump him sometimes, you know?” Maria looked so desperately serious that Liz tried to hold back the laugh that was bubbling up inside her at the image Maria had presented.
Her eyes danced with mirth and she covered her mouth with her hand, but the laugh came out anyway. “Nope, I cannot understand why anyone would want to jump Michael!” she laughed out.
Maria grabbed the nearest pillow and started swinging. Liz was doubled over in laughter and it hampered her escape. Maria got in a series of good blows before Liz could duck for cover and grab another pillow. They chased each other around the room, landing blow after blow until they both collapsed, panting, on the bed. Maria smiled over at Liz. “I’ll miss you when you’re gone,” she said on a sigh.
“It’s only a week, but I know what you mean. I’ll miss you too,” Liz rolled over and gave her a hug.
They lay quietly side-by-side for a few moments. “Do you really think I’d get pregnant like you? I mean, I thought that was specially coded for you and Max because of the prophecy or something.”
“I don’t know, Maria. It’s something everyone should think about though. Accidents happen, and I don’t want to see you pregnant before it’s your decision, you know?”
“I know. It’s just so hard!” Maria rolled her eyes as Liz started laughing again. She wasn’t acting like a pregnant married lady tonight, she was acting like they were still in junior high, and it lifted Maria’s spirits to witness it. She half-heartedly whacked her with the pillow one more time. “Waiting is hard you child! I didn’t realize that I would ever feel this way.”
Liz straightened out her expression and tried to be more serious. She knew what Maria was going through. It had taken her and Max a long time to work through their relationship issues and get to where they were now. “I know what you mean. I remember wanting Max so bad some nights while we were apart that I actually ached with it and couldn’t go to sleep.”
“And now? What’s it like for you now?” Maria stared at Liz, intent on absorbing every word.
“It’s great, Maria. You know that,” Liz answered evasively.
“Wow! I am totally in awe of the way you just paint a picture with words like that. The details are so startlingly real in my mind that I can just see…” Maria was interrupted by a pillow smacked into her face.
“Fine! I get it!” Liz laughed. “I can’t even describe it. When we make love, we are so connected on every level that I can’t tell us apart. His pleasure is my pleasure and vice-versa. He knows exactly where to touch me, exactly what to do to my body to make me scream, and I do the same for him. It’s powerful, or empowering if you think about it. He is mine and I am his and there’s no doubt. Total trust. It’s calming and soothing and crazy all at the same time. It’s addictive. Instinctive. Primal because it is the deepest part of us that seems to recognize the other,” Liz paused for breath, noting the glazed expression on Maria’s face. “Does that make any sense at all?”
“Yes! But now I want him even more! I want that kind of a connection. I want to feel his every thought and fulfill his every fantasy. Does that make me crazy?”
“No, that makes you in love,” Liz answered decisively, pulling herself up off the bed to resume packing. She checked her watch. Max would be back soon. They had a feeding to attend to within the next hour.
“Loverboy due home soon?” Maria asked, noticing Liz checking the time.
Liz nodded, chewing her lip. All this talk about making love was making her warm. Not feverish, just pleasant anticipation.
“Well let’s finish this packing so that it’ll be out of the way when he does get here.” Maria heaved herself off the bed and randomly began opening drawers to see what was available. Rejecting and approving various garments before placing the final selections on the bed. “What’s the weather in Cancun this time of year?” she asked, knowing that Liz wouldn’t have been able to help herself from checking out all the details.
“The average high temperature during the day is in the low eighties. The lows get into the thirties sometimes overnight though.” Liz was scanning Maria’s selections and noted that everything she had chosen was either sheer or tiny. She debated for a moment before scooping it all into the suitcase. Sheer and tiny worked for her on her honeymoon. She carefully reserved the other half of the suitcase for Max, scooting her clothes to the side. She smiled when she carefully folded his leather pants and placed them in the bottom of the case. Wouldn’t want him to forget those!
Liz inhaled deeply, turning to the door. Max was on his way. It was weird how she could detect his spicy scent across the room now. A smile was already painting her face and Maria noticed her abrupt attention on the door. That was her cue.
“Well, that’s it, I guess,” Maria hugged Liz warmly and stepped back to look into her happy face. “Have a great trip. See you in a week.” She backed up toward the door and Liz walked with her.
Max burst through the door, sensing Liz’s heightened awareness of him and crossed the room quickly to embrace her. He kissed her thoroughly in front of a bemused Maria before tearing himself away to smile at her. “Hi, Maria,” he greeted warmly, slightly out of breath.
Maria just waved her hand and smiled, already headed out the door. “Bye, Maria,” he waved back as she closed the door behind her. He turned back to his wife.
“You’ve been having sexy thoughts,” he murmured into her ear. “I could feel you heating up as we pulled into the driveway.” He placed small kisses over her cheeks and down to her ear, where he nibbled for a bit, inciting a breathless moan. He licked at the sensitive spot behind her ear and was pleased by the small shiver that raced down her body.
“Mmhmm,” she answered. “Very sexy,” she sighed. “I was talking to Maria about how hot Michael is.”
Max pulled back abruptly. “Michael? What the…”
Liz laughed and pulled him back in. “You are so easy,” she purred, laughing lightly, nipping at his neck because it was all she could reach.
“Easy? You want easy?” Max pulled her into the bedroom and began stripping off his clothes until he was completely exposed. He lay flat out on the bed, legs slightly parted and arms held out to the side. He gave her a wicked grin. “Take me, I’m all yours,” his silky voice dripped sex.
Liz’s mouth had gone dry and her hands shook as she removed her own clothing. She crawled across the bed to him and paused to lick up his chest toward a dark nipple. His spicy scent was driving her crazy and she had a sudden inspiration. Backing off the bed quickly she rummaged in the suitcase and came back triumphantly with a bottle of massage oil in her hand.
Max’s eyes widened and then closed at the thought of the pleasure to come. Liz poured a generous amount of the cinnamon oil into her palm and warmed it between her hands. She slowly smoothed it over his bronze skin, enjoying the silky feel of him under the slick oil. Max moaned and arched up into her touch, reaching his hands around to embrace her.
“Uh uh, no hands. You’re all mine, remember? Now lay still, I’ve got a lot of work to do here.” Liz ran her hands down his chest, pausing before she touched his hardened member. Smoothing her hands back up she angled them over his arms, slicking the area and massaging deeply with her fingers until Max groaned with the pleasure of it. She continued her sinuous motions until his upper body glistened in the dim light of the room. She moved down his body and started at his feet with more oil. She worked her way up his strong calves, over his knees, continuing her motions over his outer thighs. His legs were rock-hard under her touch as he alternately tensed and relaxed. She paused to drip more oil into her palm and moved to his inner thighs, enjoying the soft hiss of breath he was forced to take at the new contact. She worked her way up his thighs in small circular motions that did not miss an inch. A small sexy smile graced her mouth when Max began unconsciously bucking his hips forward, silently begging for more.
Max was on fire! His body burned with the contact of her strong sexy hands covering his body. He was not sure he could take much more of this sweet torment, but he wouldn’t ask her to stop for anything! He felt his hips moving under her hands and couldn’t stop himself. His erection strained against his stomach and he longed to just grab her and roll over and take her. Right here. Right now. His breath whistled through his clenched jaw as she finally, finally wrapped her freshly oiled fingers around his hardness. Max bucked his hips up into her hand, but Liz stopped his motion with a firm hold on this hip, keeping him down. She took her time, slowly coating his heated skin, careful to leave no part unattended to. Her hand trailed down and traced over his perineum, and finally cupped his silken sack in her hands, gently rolling them and coating them with the oil. Max’s back arched off the bed and he moaned her name loudly in a desperate plea.
Liz sat back on her heels and studied her handiwork. Max glowed with oiled highlights, defining every muscle, glinting in the soft light of the bedside lamp. She leaned over him and inhaled deeply. “I love that smell,” she whispered. Max raised his hands again and pulled her up his body. She slid against him easily and they shared a hungry kiss. She pulled away with an effort of will and regarded him with hooded eyes. “Did I mention that this is cinnamon flavored oil?” Liz grinned wickedly at Max’s shocked look and slid back down his body. She licked her lips, anticipating the feast before her. “I didn’t eat much at dinner. I’m positively starving!” She lowered her head and enveloped his hard length in one swift movement, using her tongue to roll over him and wash him free of the oil. She took him into her mouth as far as she could, loving the feel of his hands clenched into her hair and the panting acceleration of his breath as his body heaved under her hands. She carefully licked over the head, running her tongue around the rim. She slowly licked down to the base of his shaft and finally cleaned the oil from his hyper-sensitive balls.
“Liz, I’m going to…You have to…Now!” Max could no longer complete a coherent sentence.
Liz quickly moved up his body and slid herself down onto him, impaling herself to the hilt. Her head fell back on her neck and her hair rained down her back in a dark, rippling wave as she rocked herself onto him in a steady motion. She was so stimulated by what she had done, and the sight and feel of Max so turned on that her orgasm pulled her over in time with his. Max’s hands on her hips held her steady as he pumped up into her heat strongly, milking the last strains of pleasure from their bodies.
Liz lay exhausted on top of Max and he ran his hands over her back and through her hair.
“Let me guess. A gift from Maria?” Max panted.
Liz nodded weakly against his chest, trying to catch her breath.
“Michael gave me strawberry,” he revealed in a sexy whisper, rolling her over to see her expression.
TBC
“Don’t forget this,” Maria smiled slyly as she handed Liz a bottle of cinnamon flavored massage oil to include with the items already in her suitcase.
Liz blushed prettily, wondering why she bothered to blush anymore now that everyone and their brother knew about her active sex life. She sighed and nestled the small bottle between the lacy underwear and the silk nightie set she had received in a surprise wedding shower that night from the ladies. Max was away at his own surprise party, and Liz was hoping he would be home soon. He still needed to pack for their trip in the morning.
“How’d your talk go with Michael last night?” Liz asked curiously, sitting down on the bed beside her friend. It was the first chance they’d had to talk alone since ‘the discussion’ and Liz wanted to make sure they had resolved their differences.
Maria collapsed back onto the bed and blew out a frustrated breath. “We decided to wait,” she told Liz with obvious reluctance in her tone.
“Wait? You mean wait to have sex?” Liz hadn’t really thought that sex was an issue yet between them. She knew that they loved each other, but was inordinately relieved that they’d decided to hold back.
Maria nodded, her face covered by her hand. She rolled to face Liz, propped up on one elbow. “We’ve decided to take it one step at a time. Do you think he finds me unattractive? Cuz I totally threw myself at him and he made us stop.” A faint worry line appeared between her brows.
“Maria! You know he finds you attractive, and I think it says a lot for Michael that he held back like that even though you wanted more. I have to say though, that I’m kinda glad you waited. Max and I didn’t and now I’m pregnant. Are you ready to handle that kind of responsibility if you know you can avoid it?” Liz watched Maria’s face carefully to gauge her reaction.
“Uhgg! No! That’s the thing. I know it was the right decision to wait, but I’ve got all these hormones raging through me right now that I just want to throw Michael on the floor and jump him sometimes, you know?” Maria looked so desperately serious that Liz tried to hold back the laugh that was bubbling up inside her at the image Maria had presented.
Her eyes danced with mirth and she covered her mouth with her hand, but the laugh came out anyway. “Nope, I cannot understand why anyone would want to jump Michael!” she laughed out.
Maria grabbed the nearest pillow and started swinging. Liz was doubled over in laughter and it hampered her escape. Maria got in a series of good blows before Liz could duck for cover and grab another pillow. They chased each other around the room, landing blow after blow until they both collapsed, panting, on the bed. Maria smiled over at Liz. “I’ll miss you when you’re gone,” she said on a sigh.
“It’s only a week, but I know what you mean. I’ll miss you too,” Liz rolled over and gave her a hug.
They lay quietly side-by-side for a few moments. “Do you really think I’d get pregnant like you? I mean, I thought that was specially coded for you and Max because of the prophecy or something.”
“I don’t know, Maria. It’s something everyone should think about though. Accidents happen, and I don’t want to see you pregnant before it’s your decision, you know?”
“I know. It’s just so hard!” Maria rolled her eyes as Liz started laughing again. She wasn’t acting like a pregnant married lady tonight, she was acting like they were still in junior high, and it lifted Maria’s spirits to witness it. She half-heartedly whacked her with the pillow one more time. “Waiting is hard you child! I didn’t realize that I would ever feel this way.”
Liz straightened out her expression and tried to be more serious. She knew what Maria was going through. It had taken her and Max a long time to work through their relationship issues and get to where they were now. “I know what you mean. I remember wanting Max so bad some nights while we were apart that I actually ached with it and couldn’t go to sleep.”
“And now? What’s it like for you now?” Maria stared at Liz, intent on absorbing every word.
“It’s great, Maria. You know that,” Liz answered evasively.
“Wow! I am totally in awe of the way you just paint a picture with words like that. The details are so startlingly real in my mind that I can just see…” Maria was interrupted by a pillow smacked into her face.
“Fine! I get it!” Liz laughed. “I can’t even describe it. When we make love, we are so connected on every level that I can’t tell us apart. His pleasure is my pleasure and vice-versa. He knows exactly where to touch me, exactly what to do to my body to make me scream, and I do the same for him. It’s powerful, or empowering if you think about it. He is mine and I am his and there’s no doubt. Total trust. It’s calming and soothing and crazy all at the same time. It’s addictive. Instinctive. Primal because it is the deepest part of us that seems to recognize the other,” Liz paused for breath, noting the glazed expression on Maria’s face. “Does that make any sense at all?”
“Yes! But now I want him even more! I want that kind of a connection. I want to feel his every thought and fulfill his every fantasy. Does that make me crazy?”
“No, that makes you in love,” Liz answered decisively, pulling herself up off the bed to resume packing. She checked her watch. Max would be back soon. They had a feeding to attend to within the next hour.
“Loverboy due home soon?” Maria asked, noticing Liz checking the time.
Liz nodded, chewing her lip. All this talk about making love was making her warm. Not feverish, just pleasant anticipation.
“Well let’s finish this packing so that it’ll be out of the way when he does get here.” Maria heaved herself off the bed and randomly began opening drawers to see what was available. Rejecting and approving various garments before placing the final selections on the bed. “What’s the weather in Cancun this time of year?” she asked, knowing that Liz wouldn’t have been able to help herself from checking out all the details.
“The average high temperature during the day is in the low eighties. The lows get into the thirties sometimes overnight though.” Liz was scanning Maria’s selections and noted that everything she had chosen was either sheer or tiny. She debated for a moment before scooping it all into the suitcase. Sheer and tiny worked for her on her honeymoon. She carefully reserved the other half of the suitcase for Max, scooting her clothes to the side. She smiled when she carefully folded his leather pants and placed them in the bottom of the case. Wouldn’t want him to forget those!
Liz inhaled deeply, turning to the door. Max was on his way. It was weird how she could detect his spicy scent across the room now. A smile was already painting her face and Maria noticed her abrupt attention on the door. That was her cue.
“Well, that’s it, I guess,” Maria hugged Liz warmly and stepped back to look into her happy face. “Have a great trip. See you in a week.” She backed up toward the door and Liz walked with her.
Max burst through the door, sensing Liz’s heightened awareness of him and crossed the room quickly to embrace her. He kissed her thoroughly in front of a bemused Maria before tearing himself away to smile at her. “Hi, Maria,” he greeted warmly, slightly out of breath.
Maria just waved her hand and smiled, already headed out the door. “Bye, Maria,” he waved back as she closed the door behind her. He turned back to his wife.
“You’ve been having sexy thoughts,” he murmured into her ear. “I could feel you heating up as we pulled into the driveway.” He placed small kisses over her cheeks and down to her ear, where he nibbled for a bit, inciting a breathless moan. He licked at the sensitive spot behind her ear and was pleased by the small shiver that raced down her body.
“Mmhmm,” she answered. “Very sexy,” she sighed. “I was talking to Maria about how hot Michael is.”
Max pulled back abruptly. “Michael? What the…”
Liz laughed and pulled him back in. “You are so easy,” she purred, laughing lightly, nipping at his neck because it was all she could reach.
“Easy? You want easy?” Max pulled her into the bedroom and began stripping off his clothes until he was completely exposed. He lay flat out on the bed, legs slightly parted and arms held out to the side. He gave her a wicked grin. “Take me, I’m all yours,” his silky voice dripped sex.
Liz’s mouth had gone dry and her hands shook as she removed her own clothing. She crawled across the bed to him and paused to lick up his chest toward a dark nipple. His spicy scent was driving her crazy and she had a sudden inspiration. Backing off the bed quickly she rummaged in the suitcase and came back triumphantly with a bottle of massage oil in her hand.
Max’s eyes widened and then closed at the thought of the pleasure to come. Liz poured a generous amount of the cinnamon oil into her palm and warmed it between her hands. She slowly smoothed it over his bronze skin, enjoying the silky feel of him under the slick oil. Max moaned and arched up into her touch, reaching his hands around to embrace her.
“Uh uh, no hands. You’re all mine, remember? Now lay still, I’ve got a lot of work to do here.” Liz ran her hands down his chest, pausing before she touched his hardened member. Smoothing her hands back up she angled them over his arms, slicking the area and massaging deeply with her fingers until Max groaned with the pleasure of it. She continued her sinuous motions until his upper body glistened in the dim light of the room. She moved down his body and started at his feet with more oil. She worked her way up his strong calves, over his knees, continuing her motions over his outer thighs. His legs were rock-hard under her touch as he alternately tensed and relaxed. She paused to drip more oil into her palm and moved to his inner thighs, enjoying the soft hiss of breath he was forced to take at the new contact. She worked her way up his thighs in small circular motions that did not miss an inch. A small sexy smile graced her mouth when Max began unconsciously bucking his hips forward, silently begging for more.
Max was on fire! His body burned with the contact of her strong sexy hands covering his body. He was not sure he could take much more of this sweet torment, but he wouldn’t ask her to stop for anything! He felt his hips moving under her hands and couldn’t stop himself. His erection strained against his stomach and he longed to just grab her and roll over and take her. Right here. Right now. His breath whistled through his clenched jaw as she finally, finally wrapped her freshly oiled fingers around his hardness. Max bucked his hips up into her hand, but Liz stopped his motion with a firm hold on this hip, keeping him down. She took her time, slowly coating his heated skin, careful to leave no part unattended to. Her hand trailed down and traced over his perineum, and finally cupped his silken sack in her hands, gently rolling them and coating them with the oil. Max’s back arched off the bed and he moaned her name loudly in a desperate plea.
Liz sat back on her heels and studied her handiwork. Max glowed with oiled highlights, defining every muscle, glinting in the soft light of the bedside lamp. She leaned over him and inhaled deeply. “I love that smell,” she whispered. Max raised his hands again and pulled her up his body. She slid against him easily and they shared a hungry kiss. She pulled away with an effort of will and regarded him with hooded eyes. “Did I mention that this is cinnamon flavored oil?” Liz grinned wickedly at Max’s shocked look and slid back down his body. She licked her lips, anticipating the feast before her. “I didn’t eat much at dinner. I’m positively starving!” She lowered her head and enveloped his hard length in one swift movement, using her tongue to roll over him and wash him free of the oil. She took him into her mouth as far as she could, loving the feel of his hands clenched into her hair and the panting acceleration of his breath as his body heaved under her hands. She carefully licked over the head, running her tongue around the rim. She slowly licked down to the base of his shaft and finally cleaned the oil from his hyper-sensitive balls.
“Liz, I’m going to…You have to…Now!” Max could no longer complete a coherent sentence.
Liz quickly moved up his body and slid herself down onto him, impaling herself to the hilt. Her head fell back on her neck and her hair rained down her back in a dark, rippling wave as she rocked herself onto him in a steady motion. She was so stimulated by what she had done, and the sight and feel of Max so turned on that her orgasm pulled her over in time with his. Max’s hands on her hips held her steady as he pumped up into her heat strongly, milking the last strains of pleasure from their bodies.
Liz lay exhausted on top of Max and he ran his hands over her back and through her hair.
“Let me guess. A gift from Maria?” Max panted.
Liz nodded weakly against his chest, trying to catch her breath.
“Michael gave me strawberry,” he revealed in a sexy whisper, rolling her over to see her expression.
TBC
EYA Part 54
“I can’t believe it!” Liz exclaimed in excitement. Her eyes sparkled and she had a hard time sitting still so she squeezed Max’s hand harder and played with his fingers. Max just shook his head and smiled at her obvious glee. This would be their first vacation together alone. Their first time out in the world as a regular married couple that would not be looked at with curiosity or derision. They were together.
“Flight 426 to Las Vegas with a connection to Cancun, Mexico is now boarding at gate 5. All passengers please prepare to board.” The announcement blazed over the PA system, and they got up to join the line.
“Vegas,” Max muttered under his breath. He shook his head at the irony. Roswell’s airport was not big enough to fly directly to Mexico, so they had a four-hour layover in Las Vegas before their connecting flight took off. They had discussed earlier if they should use this time to search for Tess or just give themselves a vacation. Being Max and Liz they decided they should use every opportunity that presented itself to pursue their enemy. They’d already choreographed a plan to utilize their time to its best advantage during their stop.
Liz rubbed his shoulder with her free hand as they gave over their passes and boarded the plane.
^ ^ ^ ^ ^
“Are you sure you want to do this?” Max asked Liz for the second time in five minutes. Liz just nodded and proceeded to the nearest phone booth. They had scoped out the cheapest hotels along the highway’s route from Roswell to Las Vegas. Liz held out her hand for the change they had brought along for this purpose and Max took his station at the adjoining phone booth. Liz took one page and Max took the second page of hotel names and they methodically began calling through the directories listings asking about a girl of Tess’ description that may have checked in recently.
Each was starting to get discouraged as they neared the end of their respective pages when finally one clerk remembered a strange young woman that had driven a vehicle of that description who had come in and requested a room. The clerk had thought that maybe she was injured or drunk because of the way she moved and spoke, and he could have sworn he’d seen marks on her skin, but when he’d looked closer they were gone.
“Is she still there?” Liz asked eagerly, meeting Max’s gaze excitedly.
“No? Oh, well do you know what room she stayed in? Could we come over and take a look at it? We’re very worried about our friend,” Liz tried to say that sincerely. “Great! Thanks! We’ll be right there!” Liz hung up the phone with a satisfying click. “She was there. At least it sounds like it was her! We have to get over there and see if we can get any vibes off her room!”
Liz grabbed her shoulder bag and started for the nearest exit. They only had three hours left and she wanted to use it to their advantage. Max hurried to catch up with her and took her hand in his again. He squeezed it as much for comfort as for reassurance.
^ ^ ^ ^ ^
“This is it.” The young clerk opened the door. “She stayed in here for a few days, and checked out night before last. She never came out, but I think I saw pizza delivered a couple times.”
Max walked into the room first. The clerk was starting to get nervous about letting them into the room. He walked right in behind them and watched as they scanned for any clues.
Liz gave him her most innocent expression, widening her eyes and smiling that sweet, slow smile she had.
“Thank you so much for letting us in here. We really want to make sure our friend is okay. She’s been through a lot lately and we really need to find her,” Liz said sweetly, taking the man’s arm and guiding him to the door. “We’ll only be a minute, okay?” The door started to swing closed behind him before he realized that he was on the other side of it.
Max shook his head at his wife mouthing, “You’re so bad!”
Liz just smiled and brushed her hands together. Mission accomplished. Her expression turned more serious as she gazed around the room. It had obviously already been cleaned. Too bad. Not as personal this way. She consciously began to bring forth her powers, attempting to stoke them to life, bringing on the feelings that she had experienced each time she had a vision. Her eyes closed as she let the power roll through her.
Max watched her expression turn inward even as he felt her through the connection attaining the zone. Liz walked slowly toward the bed placing both her palms flat atop the bedspread. Lingering flashes of past occupants swept past at lightening pace. Electric heat shot through her palms as visions of the hundreds of people who had touched this comforter whizzed through her at hyper speed. She gasped and paled at the intensity and speed of the visions.
Max reached out and wrenched her heated hands off the bed. Liz gasped and swayed and Max pulled her in close, cradling her against his chest. “Sshhh…it’s okay now. I’ve got you. I’ve got you. You’re okay,” he whispered into her hair, kissing the soft strands and letting his warm voice roll through her scattered thoughts. Her breathing evened out until she felt strong enough to lean away. Fear shadowed her eyes, she’d let the power take over. She’d been out of control, and for her that was unacceptable. “It’s okay, baby. We don’t have to do this. We should go.” Max began leading her from the room.
“No,” Liz decided emphatically. “She’s not going to win. Not this time. I just need to get some control over this.” She rubbed her forehead, the pangs of a headache made it difficult to think. “If we could just find something that only she has touched.” She looked around the bare room. Phone. Chair. Bed. Table. She shook her head. Garbage can. She walked over and looked inside. Empty. Damn.
“Don’t touch anything without me here with you, okay?” Max asked waiting patiently until Liz nodded her agreement. Max went into the bathroom and pulled open the two drawers. Nothing. The garbage there was empty too. He scanned the floor and got down to look at the baseboards. Nothing. He brushed off the knees of his jeans as he stood and shook his head at Liz’s inquiring look.
“Maybe there’s nothing here,” he finally told her. She still looked pale. She shouldn’t have to go through this. Not in her condition. Not ever. He had to find Tess and eliminate the threat to his family.
Liz was on her knees looking under the bed, careful not to let her hands touch the short carpet. He felt the exact second when she found it. Her excitement peaked and he rushed to her side.
“What? What is it?” Max lifted the bedspread and saw what had Liz so animated all of a sudden. A pill bottle. Empty. Caught behind the foot of the bed and overlooked by housekeeping. Of course they had no way of knowing that it was hers, but why not? They deserved a little luck didn’t they? Max stood up and grabbed a pen off the table. Kneeling down again he inserted the pen into the open bottle and lifted it carefully from under the bed. He didn’t want to touch it himself and make the vibes more confusing for Liz. Pain reliever. Extra-strength. Over-the-counter. Yeah, she’d definitely need that, and she would never have been able to go to a doctor, being what she was.
Max’s eyes met Liz’s as her hand slowly reached out for the bottle.
A rattling noise at the door made them both turn quickly and Max quickly dumped the bottle into the purse that Liz held open for him.
“Everything okay in here?” The clerk looked relieved that the room appeared unharmed.
“Um, yeah. Fine. We didn’t find anything though. I guess we’ll just keep looking.” Max tried to sound authoritative and convincing. The clerk just nodded and held the door for them as they exited the room.
Max kept his arm around Liz, hating the slight tremor in her body as they left the hotel. She was still shaken by the force of the visions earlier, and he could tell that she was mad about her lack of control over her ‘gift’. And she was still too damn pale. She shouldn’t have to deal with this.
“Stop it, Max,” Liz scolded him gently, trying to force back her headache. Her serious eyes turned to meet his anguished ones and she stopped their progress to the waiting cab. “You and Isabel did everything you could, and feeling guilty about her now isn’t helping. I’m still learning about this new power and it’s going to take some experimenting to get it right. Now I know not to open myself up like that in a room that’s seen so much activity…” Her hand unconsciously scrubbed at her temple, trying to force the pain back.
Max lifted his hands to each side of her head and pulled his fingers through the baby fine strands of hair. Soothing waves of liquid heat began flowing through her throbbing temples, replacing the pain with pleasurable tingling. He leaned forward, still framing her face with his hands and placed a small kiss on her forehead.
“I’m sorry. You know I can’t help it. I just wish you didn’t have to be hurt by this.”
“I am involved in this. Up to my neck,” she told him in exasperation. “And I’ll do anything in my power to make sure we stay safe. This is hard. And exciting. And a pain in the butt right now, but I’m fine. Do you hear me? Fine. I wouldn’t do anything to hurt our son and if I feel like I can’t handle something, I’ll let you know. I can’t not be involved right now. Sitting around and waiting for something to happen would kill me. I don’t need that kind of stress, I need action, it’s the only thing that will keep me sane. Got it?”
Max saluted, ruining the effect with a grin. “Yes, ma’am!” His hand snapped back down to his side and she grabbed it, grinning with him. She pulled him over to the cab and scooted across the seat to make room for him.
“Let’s wait till we get to our hotel before we see if that bottle’s hers, okay?”
“Yeah, I can wait,” Liz sighed as she leaned her head on his shoulder, thinking about what the bottle would tell them.
TBC
“I can’t believe it!” Liz exclaimed in excitement. Her eyes sparkled and she had a hard time sitting still so she squeezed Max’s hand harder and played with his fingers. Max just shook his head and smiled at her obvious glee. This would be their first vacation together alone. Their first time out in the world as a regular married couple that would not be looked at with curiosity or derision. They were together.
“Flight 426 to Las Vegas with a connection to Cancun, Mexico is now boarding at gate 5. All passengers please prepare to board.” The announcement blazed over the PA system, and they got up to join the line.
“Vegas,” Max muttered under his breath. He shook his head at the irony. Roswell’s airport was not big enough to fly directly to Mexico, so they had a four-hour layover in Las Vegas before their connecting flight took off. They had discussed earlier if they should use this time to search for Tess or just give themselves a vacation. Being Max and Liz they decided they should use every opportunity that presented itself to pursue their enemy. They’d already choreographed a plan to utilize their time to its best advantage during their stop.
Liz rubbed his shoulder with her free hand as they gave over their passes and boarded the plane.
^ ^ ^ ^ ^
“Are you sure you want to do this?” Max asked Liz for the second time in five minutes. Liz just nodded and proceeded to the nearest phone booth. They had scoped out the cheapest hotels along the highway’s route from Roswell to Las Vegas. Liz held out her hand for the change they had brought along for this purpose and Max took his station at the adjoining phone booth. Liz took one page and Max took the second page of hotel names and they methodically began calling through the directories listings asking about a girl of Tess’ description that may have checked in recently.
Each was starting to get discouraged as they neared the end of their respective pages when finally one clerk remembered a strange young woman that had driven a vehicle of that description who had come in and requested a room. The clerk had thought that maybe she was injured or drunk because of the way she moved and spoke, and he could have sworn he’d seen marks on her skin, but when he’d looked closer they were gone.
“Is she still there?” Liz asked eagerly, meeting Max’s gaze excitedly.
“No? Oh, well do you know what room she stayed in? Could we come over and take a look at it? We’re very worried about our friend,” Liz tried to say that sincerely. “Great! Thanks! We’ll be right there!” Liz hung up the phone with a satisfying click. “She was there. At least it sounds like it was her! We have to get over there and see if we can get any vibes off her room!”
Liz grabbed her shoulder bag and started for the nearest exit. They only had three hours left and she wanted to use it to their advantage. Max hurried to catch up with her and took her hand in his again. He squeezed it as much for comfort as for reassurance.
^ ^ ^ ^ ^
“This is it.” The young clerk opened the door. “She stayed in here for a few days, and checked out night before last. She never came out, but I think I saw pizza delivered a couple times.”
Max walked into the room first. The clerk was starting to get nervous about letting them into the room. He walked right in behind them and watched as they scanned for any clues.
Liz gave him her most innocent expression, widening her eyes and smiling that sweet, slow smile she had.
“Thank you so much for letting us in here. We really want to make sure our friend is okay. She’s been through a lot lately and we really need to find her,” Liz said sweetly, taking the man’s arm and guiding him to the door. “We’ll only be a minute, okay?” The door started to swing closed behind him before he realized that he was on the other side of it.
Max shook his head at his wife mouthing, “You’re so bad!”
Liz just smiled and brushed her hands together. Mission accomplished. Her expression turned more serious as she gazed around the room. It had obviously already been cleaned. Too bad. Not as personal this way. She consciously began to bring forth her powers, attempting to stoke them to life, bringing on the feelings that she had experienced each time she had a vision. Her eyes closed as she let the power roll through her.
Max watched her expression turn inward even as he felt her through the connection attaining the zone. Liz walked slowly toward the bed placing both her palms flat atop the bedspread. Lingering flashes of past occupants swept past at lightening pace. Electric heat shot through her palms as visions of the hundreds of people who had touched this comforter whizzed through her at hyper speed. She gasped and paled at the intensity and speed of the visions.
Max reached out and wrenched her heated hands off the bed. Liz gasped and swayed and Max pulled her in close, cradling her against his chest. “Sshhh…it’s okay now. I’ve got you. I’ve got you. You’re okay,” he whispered into her hair, kissing the soft strands and letting his warm voice roll through her scattered thoughts. Her breathing evened out until she felt strong enough to lean away. Fear shadowed her eyes, she’d let the power take over. She’d been out of control, and for her that was unacceptable. “It’s okay, baby. We don’t have to do this. We should go.” Max began leading her from the room.
“No,” Liz decided emphatically. “She’s not going to win. Not this time. I just need to get some control over this.” She rubbed her forehead, the pangs of a headache made it difficult to think. “If we could just find something that only she has touched.” She looked around the bare room. Phone. Chair. Bed. Table. She shook her head. Garbage can. She walked over and looked inside. Empty. Damn.
“Don’t touch anything without me here with you, okay?” Max asked waiting patiently until Liz nodded her agreement. Max went into the bathroom and pulled open the two drawers. Nothing. The garbage there was empty too. He scanned the floor and got down to look at the baseboards. Nothing. He brushed off the knees of his jeans as he stood and shook his head at Liz’s inquiring look.
“Maybe there’s nothing here,” he finally told her. She still looked pale. She shouldn’t have to go through this. Not in her condition. Not ever. He had to find Tess and eliminate the threat to his family.
Liz was on her knees looking under the bed, careful not to let her hands touch the short carpet. He felt the exact second when she found it. Her excitement peaked and he rushed to her side.
“What? What is it?” Max lifted the bedspread and saw what had Liz so animated all of a sudden. A pill bottle. Empty. Caught behind the foot of the bed and overlooked by housekeeping. Of course they had no way of knowing that it was hers, but why not? They deserved a little luck didn’t they? Max stood up and grabbed a pen off the table. Kneeling down again he inserted the pen into the open bottle and lifted it carefully from under the bed. He didn’t want to touch it himself and make the vibes more confusing for Liz. Pain reliever. Extra-strength. Over-the-counter. Yeah, she’d definitely need that, and she would never have been able to go to a doctor, being what she was.
Max’s eyes met Liz’s as her hand slowly reached out for the bottle.
A rattling noise at the door made them both turn quickly and Max quickly dumped the bottle into the purse that Liz held open for him.
“Everything okay in here?” The clerk looked relieved that the room appeared unharmed.
“Um, yeah. Fine. We didn’t find anything though. I guess we’ll just keep looking.” Max tried to sound authoritative and convincing. The clerk just nodded and held the door for them as they exited the room.
Max kept his arm around Liz, hating the slight tremor in her body as they left the hotel. She was still shaken by the force of the visions earlier, and he could tell that she was mad about her lack of control over her ‘gift’. And she was still too damn pale. She shouldn’t have to deal with this.
“Stop it, Max,” Liz scolded him gently, trying to force back her headache. Her serious eyes turned to meet his anguished ones and she stopped their progress to the waiting cab. “You and Isabel did everything you could, and feeling guilty about her now isn’t helping. I’m still learning about this new power and it’s going to take some experimenting to get it right. Now I know not to open myself up like that in a room that’s seen so much activity…” Her hand unconsciously scrubbed at her temple, trying to force the pain back.
Max lifted his hands to each side of her head and pulled his fingers through the baby fine strands of hair. Soothing waves of liquid heat began flowing through her throbbing temples, replacing the pain with pleasurable tingling. He leaned forward, still framing her face with his hands and placed a small kiss on her forehead.
“I’m sorry. You know I can’t help it. I just wish you didn’t have to be hurt by this.”
“I am involved in this. Up to my neck,” she told him in exasperation. “And I’ll do anything in my power to make sure we stay safe. This is hard. And exciting. And a pain in the butt right now, but I’m fine. Do you hear me? Fine. I wouldn’t do anything to hurt our son and if I feel like I can’t handle something, I’ll let you know. I can’t not be involved right now. Sitting around and waiting for something to happen would kill me. I don’t need that kind of stress, I need action, it’s the only thing that will keep me sane. Got it?”
Max saluted, ruining the effect with a grin. “Yes, ma’am!” His hand snapped back down to his side and she grabbed it, grinning with him. She pulled him over to the cab and scooted across the seat to make room for him.
“Let’s wait till we get to our hotel before we see if that bottle’s hers, okay?”
“Yeah, I can wait,” Liz sighed as she leaned her head on his shoulder, thinking about what the bottle would tell them.
TBC
EYA Part 55
“Are you okay?” Max’s worried eyes hadn’t left Liz’s pale, drawn face since they had arrived back at the airport to await their flight to Mexico.
Liz nodded bravely, knowing Max would worry anyway. She rested her face against his chest so she wouldn’t have to see the anxiety dimming his expressive features. She sighed as his magical hands ran over her hair and soothingly down her back. She felt content just to lie there and enjoy his healing touch. The weight of the visions had seriously drained her. Her mind felt compelled to try to sort through the masses of information that had been forced on her, but the blur of images wouldn’t allow it. Logically she knew that it was impossible and not even productive to attempt the task. It had created a tug-of-war between instinct and knowledge. It had created a monster headache.
She let her hand trail up his chest covering his heart, inhaling his scent and allowing it to wash over her. She tried to block out everything but the smooth path of his fingers over her tense body. Her eyes closed as she felt the tension and pressure to sort through the mess in her mind ease back for the moment. Her muscles relaxed limply as Max’s hands passed over. The ache that had invaded her mind subsided dully to the background and a small sigh escaped as languor enveloped her delicate frame.
Max continued to stroke and soothe even after he knew she had fallen asleep. His lips rested in her hair and he closed his eyes briefly in thanks that he had been able to call her back from the dark place in her mind. Her gift was a dangerous one. The message in the cave had told them that. Max had assumed that they had meant that foretelling the future would put a tremendous strain on the present and cause conflict. Now he understood that there were other, more immediate dangers. Liz had been on overload. Out of control and not knowing how to rein it back in. Her instincts screamed at her to make logical sense of the images she had received even as her mind had contradictorily made her stop trying. It was impossible.
Max’s own head reeled with ways to spare her this pain. There had to be a way to control this. They’d start small and plan it out. They’d experiment with familiar things to try to build her skills, hone them until she only saw what she was searching for. That was possible. Right? Of course they could. Max allowed no room for doubt. They’d start small. And they’d wait until after their honeymoon. There was no reason to agonize over this during the only time they’d ever been given just for themselves.
Satisfied with his plan for now, Max settled more comfortably back in the hard chair and watched his love breathe until the flight was called.
^ ^ ^ ^ ^
“I thought you’d sleep through the whole flight,” Max’s soft voice washed over her as her eyes blinked open. She vaguely recalled being awakened to board the plane. And she definitely recalled Max putting up the armrest that came between their seats and laying her head gently down in his lap so she could continue her rest on the plane. His hands pulled gently through her hair while his voice rumbled deeply as he argued quietly with the flight attendant to leave them alone, his wife wasn’t feeling well, and if this plane was going down then what difference would a seat belt make? A small smile flirted across her features even as she succumbed to the insistent tug of sleep. He had obviously won the argument.
Her sleep flushed face was so beautiful that Max couldn’t resist a small kiss against her rosy lips. Liz’s mouth opened under his, unexpectedly deepening the kiss and urging a small moan from Max. Heat suffused his body and he pulled back from her in realization. Liz’s eyes widened even as she pulled him over for another round. Panting breaths escaped her lips and she reached her hands down to the hem of his T-shirt. If she could just touch his skin. She gasped at the first contact of her hands against hard muscle and tilted her head for a better angle to deepen the kiss.
The plane rocked in the air pulling them apart. Max’s shocked expression matched Liz’s. He grabbed her hand and stood shakily as the plane rocked again under his feet.
Ding!
“All passengers please fasten your seatbelts. We seem to be experiencing some slight turbulence. Thank you.”
Ding
Max pulled Liz down the aisle, not heeding the warning.
“Sir! Sir! You have to go back to your seats. You have to fasten your seatbelts!”
Hands. Hands were on his arm, holding him back from where he needed to go. Go. He needed to go right now with his Liz and…and…Yeah, he had to go. His glazed eyes looked down at the person detaining his progress.
“We have to go,” he stated simply, leaning to the side so he could pass.
“Sir, you don’t understand. It’s not safe to walk around the cabin right now. You need to go back to your seats.” The last was said to Liz, hoping for an ally. No luck there.
“She’s not feeling well. She’s really hot. I need to cool her down.” Max tried to sound as sane as he could while his blood was boiling and this…this person was impeding his progress.
The flight attendant noted the flushed features on both the passengers and thought for the first time that maybe they really were ill. The man had already stepped past her, pulling along his companion and she shrugged her shoulders helplessly at the inquiring look from her co-worker. Maybe they did just need to cool off. She moved back into her own seat and strapped herself in.
The door clicked closed behind them and Max captured her lips with his once more, only satisfied when mouths opened and tongues met, slicking over heated surfaces and fulfilling only a small fraction of the desire he had to be within her. His hands unsnapped her jeans and struggled with the zipper as they shook with want. Liz’s own hands kept bumping into his, slowing their progress unintentionally, as she attempted to help him out of his own tight jeans. Max pulled her pants down the long length of her legs and she balanced against him as she stepped out of them before helping him to wrench his own pants down over his hips.
Liz tugged down his boxers and a rasping cry escaped his lips when she wrapped her hand around his thick, rigid length. She stroked down over him with long, hard pulls that made him throw his head back and groan out loud. The sound echoed in the small space and rolled through Liz with the force of a hurricane. She needed him. Now. His sex spat pre-cum over her fingers and she smoothed it over his silky hardness.
Completely in accord with her renewed urgency, Max looked around the tiny room desperately to try to work out the logistics of making love in an undersized airplane lavatory. Not left with many options, Max lifted her swiftly to the counter in front of the sink and stepped between her legs. She wrapped tawny thighs around his waist and pulled him closer, angling her hips impatiently toward his eager sex.
She whimpered when his fingers traveled over her wet curls, and her head fell back, throat arching enticingly as he plunged two fingers into her without warning. His long fingers did magical things within her and she squirmed closer. Her hands moved over his chest and down into the coarser patch of hair surrounding his sex until she had her fingers wrapped around him guiding him avidly to her.
Small emptiness as his fingers left her body. Huge sigh of fulfillment as his body joined with hers, moving immediately with a stong rhythm. Her breath panted in eager puffs against his chest, changing into low moans as her release built within her. Max smoothed his thumb over her lips, vaguely remembering that they should contain the noise. His gasp echoed around them as she pulled his thumb into her mouth, her hot tongue massaging it as she sucked it strongly. Unbelievable waves of pleasure rolled through him at the new stimulus. So, yeah, just like that, hot. Oh, just a little…bit…more…
Max strained to hold back his pleasure, desperately pumping into her tight body. Liz released his thumb and pulled his lips back to hers. His mouth covered hers and one hand moved to grasp her hip and hold her steady while his other gripped her shoulder as his body rocked hotly into hers. The floor beneath his feet bucked suddenly in turbulence, throwing him roughly into her. A low keening wail of want was muted by his mouth and her slick heat tightened spasmodically around him, pulsating with the rhythm of her pleasure. Max thrust into her desperately, at last allowing his own pleasure to swamp his body and roll into her. The shared enjoyment rocked through them simultaneously and Liz’s fingers slipped over his sweat-dampened skin, nails scratching for purchase.
As their breathing evened out to normal they each stared at each other before hastily pulling their clothes back over skin now chilled by the air-conditioned space. Liz splashed water over her face and dampened some paper towels to hand to Max. He swabbed them over his neck, enjoying the clean feeling, even as he suddenly found the floor fascinating. Liz noted his abrupt preoccupation with his feet and tried to ease the situation.
“I guess we just joined the mile-high club, huh?” she teased him gently.
Max dared to meet her gaze and nodded sheepishly.
“Are you okay?”
Liz nodded. “I’m with you.”
TBC
“Are you okay?” Max’s worried eyes hadn’t left Liz’s pale, drawn face since they had arrived back at the airport to await their flight to Mexico.
Liz nodded bravely, knowing Max would worry anyway. She rested her face against his chest so she wouldn’t have to see the anxiety dimming his expressive features. She sighed as his magical hands ran over her hair and soothingly down her back. She felt content just to lie there and enjoy his healing touch. The weight of the visions had seriously drained her. Her mind felt compelled to try to sort through the masses of information that had been forced on her, but the blur of images wouldn’t allow it. Logically she knew that it was impossible and not even productive to attempt the task. It had created a tug-of-war between instinct and knowledge. It had created a monster headache.
She let her hand trail up his chest covering his heart, inhaling his scent and allowing it to wash over her. She tried to block out everything but the smooth path of his fingers over her tense body. Her eyes closed as she felt the tension and pressure to sort through the mess in her mind ease back for the moment. Her muscles relaxed limply as Max’s hands passed over. The ache that had invaded her mind subsided dully to the background and a small sigh escaped as languor enveloped her delicate frame.
Max continued to stroke and soothe even after he knew she had fallen asleep. His lips rested in her hair and he closed his eyes briefly in thanks that he had been able to call her back from the dark place in her mind. Her gift was a dangerous one. The message in the cave had told them that. Max had assumed that they had meant that foretelling the future would put a tremendous strain on the present and cause conflict. Now he understood that there were other, more immediate dangers. Liz had been on overload. Out of control and not knowing how to rein it back in. Her instincts screamed at her to make logical sense of the images she had received even as her mind had contradictorily made her stop trying. It was impossible.
Max’s own head reeled with ways to spare her this pain. There had to be a way to control this. They’d start small and plan it out. They’d experiment with familiar things to try to build her skills, hone them until she only saw what she was searching for. That was possible. Right? Of course they could. Max allowed no room for doubt. They’d start small. And they’d wait until after their honeymoon. There was no reason to agonize over this during the only time they’d ever been given just for themselves.
Satisfied with his plan for now, Max settled more comfortably back in the hard chair and watched his love breathe until the flight was called.
^ ^ ^ ^ ^
“I thought you’d sleep through the whole flight,” Max’s soft voice washed over her as her eyes blinked open. She vaguely recalled being awakened to board the plane. And she definitely recalled Max putting up the armrest that came between their seats and laying her head gently down in his lap so she could continue her rest on the plane. His hands pulled gently through her hair while his voice rumbled deeply as he argued quietly with the flight attendant to leave them alone, his wife wasn’t feeling well, and if this plane was going down then what difference would a seat belt make? A small smile flirted across her features even as she succumbed to the insistent tug of sleep. He had obviously won the argument.
Her sleep flushed face was so beautiful that Max couldn’t resist a small kiss against her rosy lips. Liz’s mouth opened under his, unexpectedly deepening the kiss and urging a small moan from Max. Heat suffused his body and he pulled back from her in realization. Liz’s eyes widened even as she pulled him over for another round. Panting breaths escaped her lips and she reached her hands down to the hem of his T-shirt. If she could just touch his skin. She gasped at the first contact of her hands against hard muscle and tilted her head for a better angle to deepen the kiss.
The plane rocked in the air pulling them apart. Max’s shocked expression matched Liz’s. He grabbed her hand and stood shakily as the plane rocked again under his feet.
Ding!
“All passengers please fasten your seatbelts. We seem to be experiencing some slight turbulence. Thank you.”
Ding
Max pulled Liz down the aisle, not heeding the warning.
“Sir! Sir! You have to go back to your seats. You have to fasten your seatbelts!”
Hands. Hands were on his arm, holding him back from where he needed to go. Go. He needed to go right now with his Liz and…and…Yeah, he had to go. His glazed eyes looked down at the person detaining his progress.
“We have to go,” he stated simply, leaning to the side so he could pass.
“Sir, you don’t understand. It’s not safe to walk around the cabin right now. You need to go back to your seats.” The last was said to Liz, hoping for an ally. No luck there.
“She’s not feeling well. She’s really hot. I need to cool her down.” Max tried to sound as sane as he could while his blood was boiling and this…this person was impeding his progress.
The flight attendant noted the flushed features on both the passengers and thought for the first time that maybe they really were ill. The man had already stepped past her, pulling along his companion and she shrugged her shoulders helplessly at the inquiring look from her co-worker. Maybe they did just need to cool off. She moved back into her own seat and strapped herself in.
The door clicked closed behind them and Max captured her lips with his once more, only satisfied when mouths opened and tongues met, slicking over heated surfaces and fulfilling only a small fraction of the desire he had to be within her. His hands unsnapped her jeans and struggled with the zipper as they shook with want. Liz’s own hands kept bumping into his, slowing their progress unintentionally, as she attempted to help him out of his own tight jeans. Max pulled her pants down the long length of her legs and she balanced against him as she stepped out of them before helping him to wrench his own pants down over his hips.
Liz tugged down his boxers and a rasping cry escaped his lips when she wrapped her hand around his thick, rigid length. She stroked down over him with long, hard pulls that made him throw his head back and groan out loud. The sound echoed in the small space and rolled through Liz with the force of a hurricane. She needed him. Now. His sex spat pre-cum over her fingers and she smoothed it over his silky hardness.
Completely in accord with her renewed urgency, Max looked around the tiny room desperately to try to work out the logistics of making love in an undersized airplane lavatory. Not left with many options, Max lifted her swiftly to the counter in front of the sink and stepped between her legs. She wrapped tawny thighs around his waist and pulled him closer, angling her hips impatiently toward his eager sex.
She whimpered when his fingers traveled over her wet curls, and her head fell back, throat arching enticingly as he plunged two fingers into her without warning. His long fingers did magical things within her and she squirmed closer. Her hands moved over his chest and down into the coarser patch of hair surrounding his sex until she had her fingers wrapped around him guiding him avidly to her.
Small emptiness as his fingers left her body. Huge sigh of fulfillment as his body joined with hers, moving immediately with a stong rhythm. Her breath panted in eager puffs against his chest, changing into low moans as her release built within her. Max smoothed his thumb over her lips, vaguely remembering that they should contain the noise. His gasp echoed around them as she pulled his thumb into her mouth, her hot tongue massaging it as she sucked it strongly. Unbelievable waves of pleasure rolled through him at the new stimulus. So, yeah, just like that, hot. Oh, just a little…bit…more…
Max strained to hold back his pleasure, desperately pumping into her tight body. Liz released his thumb and pulled his lips back to hers. His mouth covered hers and one hand moved to grasp her hip and hold her steady while his other gripped her shoulder as his body rocked hotly into hers. The floor beneath his feet bucked suddenly in turbulence, throwing him roughly into her. A low keening wail of want was muted by his mouth and her slick heat tightened spasmodically around him, pulsating with the rhythm of her pleasure. Max thrust into her desperately, at last allowing his own pleasure to swamp his body and roll into her. The shared enjoyment rocked through them simultaneously and Liz’s fingers slipped over his sweat-dampened skin, nails scratching for purchase.
As their breathing evened out to normal they each stared at each other before hastily pulling their clothes back over skin now chilled by the air-conditioned space. Liz splashed water over her face and dampened some paper towels to hand to Max. He swabbed them over his neck, enjoying the clean feeling, even as he suddenly found the floor fascinating. Liz noted his abrupt preoccupation with his feet and tried to ease the situation.
“I guess we just joined the mile-high club, huh?” she teased him gently.
Max dared to meet her gaze and nodded sheepishly.
“Are you okay?”
Liz nodded. “I’m with you.”
TBC
EYA Part 56
Liz fumbled with the hotel key card, laughing so hard that she could barely get the key into the slot. The light on the door finally flashed green and she tumbled into the room, overbalanced by the weight of a laughing Max. He reached out his arms to prevent her from falling and she turned her joyful face up to his, panting for enough breath to form a coherent sentence.
“Did…did you see her…” she gasped, “…her face?!” Liz gasped out at last.
“Yeah! There’s no way she didn’t…She totally knew what we were doing in there!” Max wiped at his eyes, now streaming with tears of mirth.
“That…that look she gave us! That was classic! I can’t believe we did that! I mean, on the plane!” Liz laughed.
“Don’t worry. We’ll never see…what was her name again?”
“Judy,” Liz answered, knowing she would never forget it.
“Judy. We’ll never see Judy again, so who cares what she thinks! We’re just lucky we didn’t get arrested or something!”
“Yeah.” Liz did a little dance, practically giddy at being alone with Max for an entire week. “Shouldn’t there be a T-shirt or something for joining the mile-high club?” she joked.
“I bet there is!” Max picked up the phone. “I’m gonna call Judy right now and demand our Mile High shirts,” he pretended to dial, glancing at Liz. “I bet they even have decoder rings and a secret handshake!”
Liz sidled up beside him, running her hands up his arms and across his shoulders seductively. “I think I know the secret handshake,” she whispered huskily into his ear.
Click
The phone was cradled decisively and Max turned into the circle of her arms. His hands wrapped around her hips and pulled her closer as he widened his stance and lowered his head for a slow, hot kiss. Liz made her herself comfortable standing between his legs and let one hand wrap around his neck to deepen the kiss while the other hand got busy releasing the buttons on his shirt. She sighed her pleasure into his mouth as the smooth, tanned expanse of his muscled torso was revealed as her fingers progressed down his shirt. Her task complete, she pressed both hands flat against his chest and pushed the shirt over his shoulders where it fell soundlessly to the floor.
Liz pulled away from the kiss to take in the sight of her husband’s chest rapidly expanding and contracting with his now labored breathing. Her fingers trailed over his taut skin and a faint smile crossed her lips as he shivered and goose-bumps scattered across his chest. She unconsciously smoothed her tongue over suddenly dry lips and moved closer to his heaving chest. Her breath fanned across his skin deliciously, spreading a thrilling chill throughout his body. Her tongue licked out to taste the salty tang of his skin and she inhaled in pleasure, loving the cinnamon scent that he seemed to exude all the time now. Lucky he doesn’t smell like garlic or onions! The errant thought brought another smile to her lips just as his hands gripped her shoulders and pulled her back to look into her face.
“Are you hungry?” he asked solicitously.
Liz gave him a curious look and then decided that yes she was hungry. She nodded and moved in for another bite.
Max held her back again.
“Are you craving pizza or something?” he persisted, looking vaguely worried.
Pizza? Liz wrinkled her nose. What was Max going on about pizza for at a time like this? They had serious business to attend to here!
“Nooo,” she answered in a soft drawl. Her fingers reached out of their own accord to trail down the center of his chest. “Why would you think that?”
Max’s brow furrowed. “Uh, I thought you were thinking about onions and garlic, but if it’s not pizza, I’m sure we can find something else wi…hmmmph!” Max grabbed his chest as Liz playfully pushed him backwards until he stumbled and fell back onto the bed.
“What?” he exclaimed. He just wanted to make sure she had everything she craved!
“Mind reading is not an exact science!” Liz chided him gently. “That’s what you get for only reading half the story!” Liz turned and walked away, picking up her suitcase and pulling it further into the room
Max lay stunned. How could she turn it off like that? He got back to his feet and pulled the suitcase out of her hands, peeking at her from under his lashes to see if she was truly mad that he’d invaded her privacy. She let him take the case because it was heavy and picked up her purse and overnight bag to take into the bathroom.
“Um, Liz honey?” Max called sweetly into the bathroom. The door clicked shut in his face. He stood there, shocked. Now he’d done it!
“Baby? I’m sorry for invading your privacy like that,” he called timidly through the door, trying not to do it again by probing for her true emotions like he really wanted to do.
“You are?” she called back, sounding unsure.
“Yeah, sweetie,” he replied earnestly, one hand on the door, “Really sorry.”
He stepped back in haste as the door was flung back open and Liz hurled herself into his arms with a huge grin. Her long slender legs wrapped around him and her face tilted into his, kissing him through her smile.
“You could make it up to me,” she nibbled on his ear, loving the soft moan he couldn’t suppress and the strong hands that now cupped her butt to hold her up. She wriggled back into his hands and he gripped her firm skin convulsively. He needed to touch her.
“Anything,” he mumbled, head tilted back, eyes closed, blissful expression covering his classic features. “Anything to make it up to you,” he murmured, lowering his face into her hair. Wow! She smelled good!
Liz leaned away from him, freeing her arms from his shoulders. Max kept one hand on her rear and moved his other hand under her shirt to support her bare back as she leaned away from him. She crossed her arms in front of her body and gripped the hem of her shirt. Slowly she peeled the shirt up over her body and dropped it to the floor. Max’s breath caught in his throat as he watched the seductive play of emotions dance across her face. He could watch her pleasure all day every day if the world would only let him.
Liz wrapped her arms back around him and pulled herself flush against his chest. Twin gasps were heard as the skin-to-skin contact caused electric sparks to ignite their passion.
“You were just playing with me, right?” Max gasped out, needing to be sure.
“Oh yeah.” Liz answer was muffled because it was hard to talk and nibble Max’s shoulder at the same time. “I really like to play with you,” she reassured him.
“ ‘Kay,” he answered, one hand roaming up and down her back because he knew she enjoyed it and he liked the way it made her shiver into his embrace. He walked with her back to the bed and laid her down gently on the mattress. Her feet dangled just above the floor as she lay back and stared up at him. His back was to the large window and the sun was blazing behind him, casting his features into dark shadows with a nimbus of light all around him. He was golden. Her eyes darkened with desire as he leaned down and pulled her jeans open. The button popped open with the flick of one hand and the zipper was slowly, carefully drawn down in painful degrees. Liz couldn’t help it, her hips started moving, bucking upward rhythmically in her desire. Max used both hands to pull the pants free of her body and let them lay where they dropped. He made sure her eyes followed the progress of his hands as he straightened to his full height and popped his own button open.
Liz licked her lips again. She’d have to invest in Chapstick stock if Max kept this seduction up any longer. Her eyes were riveted to the progress of his zipper as it slowly descended, revealing the paler, firm skin and light dusting of hair leading into his underwear. Liz wanted more. Needed more. And the best part was that she knew she’d get more. Whenever, however she wanted it. They were just like that. In tune. Inseparable. One in every sense that mattered.
Max pushed his pants and boxer-briefs down in one smooth motion and stood tall again, nudging her knees apart to stand between her legs. Liz let her hands massage over the hard muscles of his outer thighs, rising to sit up right in front of him. This put her in the perfect position to do something else. Her wide, dark eyes smiled into his as she licked her lips again and took him into her mouth. Max groaned and fisted her hair in his hands, trying not to move and push himself further into her throat. Her tongue was doing amazing things to his body and he shivered with the glory of it. The suction was incredible. Her mouth moved over his straining member slickly and easily, while her tongue swirled and licked the sensitive underside. She held firmly to his hips to keep him still until she felt his tension peak. Max tried to pull away from her, knowing what was going to happen, but Liz would not allow it. She retained a firm hold on his hips and redoubled her efforts, her body heating just from his gasping moans. Max had never felt anything so incredible as the warm, wet, suction pulling the pleasure from his sex. His head fell back as his hands tightly tangled in her hair and his orgasm ripped through his body, spilling his seed down the back of her throat. His body jerked convulsively several times as the waves rolled over him and his hoarse breathing was the only sound in the room.
Liz pulled back and licked her lips, savoring the taste of Max on her tongue. She’d wanted to do that for a long time. This was their time to fulfill their fantasies, and now seemed like the perfect time to start.
Max lowered his forehead down her hers, capturing her mouth in a slow kiss that explored her mouth thoroughly. He tasted himself on her tongue and that turned him on even more, that she would do that for him. That she had loved doing that for him.
“I’ve wanted to do that for a long time,” she confessed out loud.
“Really?” he asked in surprise. It had been a long time fantasy of his own, but he would never have asked it of her.
“Oh yeah,” she smiled. “We just never really had a good opportunity until now,” she elaborated. She patted her stomach, over the baby. “Didn’t want to waste it, you know?”
“Yeah,” Max nuzzled his face down over their son, kissing the spot under which he lay. “Wouldn’t want to waste it,” he agreed.
“Of course,” Liz teased, tugging on his hair so he would look at her. “You could always make more…to, uh…feed the baby.”
She loved the way his eyes widened every time she said something shocking. Sweet little Liz had a wild side!
“Yeah, I’ll just…I’ll make more,” Max whispered against the sensitized skin of her stomach and nuzzled his face lower. His fingers gently parted her legs and softly brushed over her most sensitive nerves. His warm breath washed over the newly exposed skin and Liz shivered in anticipation. The slow puffs of air were driving her insane as his fingers trailed lightly over her inner thighs, avoiding the area he knew she most wanted him to touch. Long slow minutes of teasing touches and hot breaths followed until Liz’s hips rose of their own accord into the air demanding more.
“Max! Ahhh, please!”
“Anything you want, baby,” Max answered against her soft skin. He gently let his tongue brush over her inner thigh, satisfied with the shivering response. He kissed a path closer to her aching center and at last, at last!, closed his lips over the stiffened nub. Liz’s hips arched off the bed and an anguished cry escaped her lips. Her moans filled the room as the pleasure rippled over her. She tried to muffle her cries until she realized that she didn’t have to, and when had that really ever worked for them anyway? Max’s hands pulled her hips closer as he sucked harder and used the tip of his tongue to draw every last drop of pleasure out of her. As the last crest washed through her he stood again and pulled her hips to the very edge of the bed before plunging his newly hardened member into her still quivering passage.
Liz screamed again and arched her back at the new stimulation. Her hands sought purchase on anything that would hold her down and found only the bed sheets, fisting them in both hands and pulling them toward her. Her head tossed from side to side and she was lost again in the powerful sensations that only Max could incite in her. His hips pumped smoothly, steadily into her and he couldn’t take his eyes off the gorgeous sight of his wife writhing in pleasure beneath him. His pleasure peaked and he slammed into her tight passage several more times before collapsing onto the bed beside her.
“We’re going to have the fattest baby in the history of man,” Liz observed into the silence.
“Isn’t it great?” Max sounded happy.
TBC
Liz fumbled with the hotel key card, laughing so hard that she could barely get the key into the slot. The light on the door finally flashed green and she tumbled into the room, overbalanced by the weight of a laughing Max. He reached out his arms to prevent her from falling and she turned her joyful face up to his, panting for enough breath to form a coherent sentence.
“Did…did you see her…” she gasped, “…her face?!” Liz gasped out at last.
“Yeah! There’s no way she didn’t…She totally knew what we were doing in there!” Max wiped at his eyes, now streaming with tears of mirth.
“That…that look she gave us! That was classic! I can’t believe we did that! I mean, on the plane!” Liz laughed.
“Don’t worry. We’ll never see…what was her name again?”
“Judy,” Liz answered, knowing she would never forget it.
“Judy. We’ll never see Judy again, so who cares what she thinks! We’re just lucky we didn’t get arrested or something!”
“Yeah.” Liz did a little dance, practically giddy at being alone with Max for an entire week. “Shouldn’t there be a T-shirt or something for joining the mile-high club?” she joked.
“I bet there is!” Max picked up the phone. “I’m gonna call Judy right now and demand our Mile High shirts,” he pretended to dial, glancing at Liz. “I bet they even have decoder rings and a secret handshake!”
Liz sidled up beside him, running her hands up his arms and across his shoulders seductively. “I think I know the secret handshake,” she whispered huskily into his ear.
Click
The phone was cradled decisively and Max turned into the circle of her arms. His hands wrapped around her hips and pulled her closer as he widened his stance and lowered his head for a slow, hot kiss. Liz made her herself comfortable standing between his legs and let one hand wrap around his neck to deepen the kiss while the other hand got busy releasing the buttons on his shirt. She sighed her pleasure into his mouth as the smooth, tanned expanse of his muscled torso was revealed as her fingers progressed down his shirt. Her task complete, she pressed both hands flat against his chest and pushed the shirt over his shoulders where it fell soundlessly to the floor.
Liz pulled away from the kiss to take in the sight of her husband’s chest rapidly expanding and contracting with his now labored breathing. Her fingers trailed over his taut skin and a faint smile crossed her lips as he shivered and goose-bumps scattered across his chest. She unconsciously smoothed her tongue over suddenly dry lips and moved closer to his heaving chest. Her breath fanned across his skin deliciously, spreading a thrilling chill throughout his body. Her tongue licked out to taste the salty tang of his skin and she inhaled in pleasure, loving the cinnamon scent that he seemed to exude all the time now. Lucky he doesn’t smell like garlic or onions! The errant thought brought another smile to her lips just as his hands gripped her shoulders and pulled her back to look into her face.
“Are you hungry?” he asked solicitously.
Liz gave him a curious look and then decided that yes she was hungry. She nodded and moved in for another bite.
Max held her back again.
“Are you craving pizza or something?” he persisted, looking vaguely worried.
Pizza? Liz wrinkled her nose. What was Max going on about pizza for at a time like this? They had serious business to attend to here!
“Nooo,” she answered in a soft drawl. Her fingers reached out of their own accord to trail down the center of his chest. “Why would you think that?”
Max’s brow furrowed. “Uh, I thought you were thinking about onions and garlic, but if it’s not pizza, I’m sure we can find something else wi…hmmmph!” Max grabbed his chest as Liz playfully pushed him backwards until he stumbled and fell back onto the bed.
“What?” he exclaimed. He just wanted to make sure she had everything she craved!
“Mind reading is not an exact science!” Liz chided him gently. “That’s what you get for only reading half the story!” Liz turned and walked away, picking up her suitcase and pulling it further into the room
Max lay stunned. How could she turn it off like that? He got back to his feet and pulled the suitcase out of her hands, peeking at her from under his lashes to see if she was truly mad that he’d invaded her privacy. She let him take the case because it was heavy and picked up her purse and overnight bag to take into the bathroom.
“Um, Liz honey?” Max called sweetly into the bathroom. The door clicked shut in his face. He stood there, shocked. Now he’d done it!
“Baby? I’m sorry for invading your privacy like that,” he called timidly through the door, trying not to do it again by probing for her true emotions like he really wanted to do.
“You are?” she called back, sounding unsure.
“Yeah, sweetie,” he replied earnestly, one hand on the door, “Really sorry.”
He stepped back in haste as the door was flung back open and Liz hurled herself into his arms with a huge grin. Her long slender legs wrapped around him and her face tilted into his, kissing him through her smile.
“You could make it up to me,” she nibbled on his ear, loving the soft moan he couldn’t suppress and the strong hands that now cupped her butt to hold her up. She wriggled back into his hands and he gripped her firm skin convulsively. He needed to touch her.
“Anything,” he mumbled, head tilted back, eyes closed, blissful expression covering his classic features. “Anything to make it up to you,” he murmured, lowering his face into her hair. Wow! She smelled good!
Liz leaned away from him, freeing her arms from his shoulders. Max kept one hand on her rear and moved his other hand under her shirt to support her bare back as she leaned away from him. She crossed her arms in front of her body and gripped the hem of her shirt. Slowly she peeled the shirt up over her body and dropped it to the floor. Max’s breath caught in his throat as he watched the seductive play of emotions dance across her face. He could watch her pleasure all day every day if the world would only let him.
Liz wrapped her arms back around him and pulled herself flush against his chest. Twin gasps were heard as the skin-to-skin contact caused electric sparks to ignite their passion.
“You were just playing with me, right?” Max gasped out, needing to be sure.
“Oh yeah.” Liz answer was muffled because it was hard to talk and nibble Max’s shoulder at the same time. “I really like to play with you,” she reassured him.
“ ‘Kay,” he answered, one hand roaming up and down her back because he knew she enjoyed it and he liked the way it made her shiver into his embrace. He walked with her back to the bed and laid her down gently on the mattress. Her feet dangled just above the floor as she lay back and stared up at him. His back was to the large window and the sun was blazing behind him, casting his features into dark shadows with a nimbus of light all around him. He was golden. Her eyes darkened with desire as he leaned down and pulled her jeans open. The button popped open with the flick of one hand and the zipper was slowly, carefully drawn down in painful degrees. Liz couldn’t help it, her hips started moving, bucking upward rhythmically in her desire. Max used both hands to pull the pants free of her body and let them lay where they dropped. He made sure her eyes followed the progress of his hands as he straightened to his full height and popped his own button open.
Liz licked her lips again. She’d have to invest in Chapstick stock if Max kept this seduction up any longer. Her eyes were riveted to the progress of his zipper as it slowly descended, revealing the paler, firm skin and light dusting of hair leading into his underwear. Liz wanted more. Needed more. And the best part was that she knew she’d get more. Whenever, however she wanted it. They were just like that. In tune. Inseparable. One in every sense that mattered.
Max pushed his pants and boxer-briefs down in one smooth motion and stood tall again, nudging her knees apart to stand between her legs. Liz let her hands massage over the hard muscles of his outer thighs, rising to sit up right in front of him. This put her in the perfect position to do something else. Her wide, dark eyes smiled into his as she licked her lips again and took him into her mouth. Max groaned and fisted her hair in his hands, trying not to move and push himself further into her throat. Her tongue was doing amazing things to his body and he shivered with the glory of it. The suction was incredible. Her mouth moved over his straining member slickly and easily, while her tongue swirled and licked the sensitive underside. She held firmly to his hips to keep him still until she felt his tension peak. Max tried to pull away from her, knowing what was going to happen, but Liz would not allow it. She retained a firm hold on his hips and redoubled her efforts, her body heating just from his gasping moans. Max had never felt anything so incredible as the warm, wet, suction pulling the pleasure from his sex. His head fell back as his hands tightly tangled in her hair and his orgasm ripped through his body, spilling his seed down the back of her throat. His body jerked convulsively several times as the waves rolled over him and his hoarse breathing was the only sound in the room.
Liz pulled back and licked her lips, savoring the taste of Max on her tongue. She’d wanted to do that for a long time. This was their time to fulfill their fantasies, and now seemed like the perfect time to start.
Max lowered his forehead down her hers, capturing her mouth in a slow kiss that explored her mouth thoroughly. He tasted himself on her tongue and that turned him on even more, that she would do that for him. That she had loved doing that for him.
“I’ve wanted to do that for a long time,” she confessed out loud.
“Really?” he asked in surprise. It had been a long time fantasy of his own, but he would never have asked it of her.
“Oh yeah,” she smiled. “We just never really had a good opportunity until now,” she elaborated. She patted her stomach, over the baby. “Didn’t want to waste it, you know?”
“Yeah,” Max nuzzled his face down over their son, kissing the spot under which he lay. “Wouldn’t want to waste it,” he agreed.
“Of course,” Liz teased, tugging on his hair so he would look at her. “You could always make more…to, uh…feed the baby.”
She loved the way his eyes widened every time she said something shocking. Sweet little Liz had a wild side!
“Yeah, I’ll just…I’ll make more,” Max whispered against the sensitized skin of her stomach and nuzzled his face lower. His fingers gently parted her legs and softly brushed over her most sensitive nerves. His warm breath washed over the newly exposed skin and Liz shivered in anticipation. The slow puffs of air were driving her insane as his fingers trailed lightly over her inner thighs, avoiding the area he knew she most wanted him to touch. Long slow minutes of teasing touches and hot breaths followed until Liz’s hips rose of their own accord into the air demanding more.
“Max! Ahhh, please!”
“Anything you want, baby,” Max answered against her soft skin. He gently let his tongue brush over her inner thigh, satisfied with the shivering response. He kissed a path closer to her aching center and at last, at last!, closed his lips over the stiffened nub. Liz’s hips arched off the bed and an anguished cry escaped her lips. Her moans filled the room as the pleasure rippled over her. She tried to muffle her cries until she realized that she didn’t have to, and when had that really ever worked for them anyway? Max’s hands pulled her hips closer as he sucked harder and used the tip of his tongue to draw every last drop of pleasure out of her. As the last crest washed through her he stood again and pulled her hips to the very edge of the bed before plunging his newly hardened member into her still quivering passage.
Liz screamed again and arched her back at the new stimulation. Her hands sought purchase on anything that would hold her down and found only the bed sheets, fisting them in both hands and pulling them toward her. Her head tossed from side to side and she was lost again in the powerful sensations that only Max could incite in her. His hips pumped smoothly, steadily into her and he couldn’t take his eyes off the gorgeous sight of his wife writhing in pleasure beneath him. His pleasure peaked and he slammed into her tight passage several more times before collapsing onto the bed beside her.
“We’re going to have the fattest baby in the history of man,” Liz observed into the silence.
“Isn’t it great?” Max sounded happy.
TBC
EYA Part 57
“No.”
“What if I just…” reaching for it.
“No.” His hand covered hers to stop her progress.
“Maax,” wheedling tone and puppy dog eyes.
“No.” He stared hard at the wall behind her. Can’t give in to the sad eyes.
“Come on, Max!” She caressed his face with both her hands and pulled his eyes down to meet hers. Contact! Gotcha!! Brief flare of triumph as she saw him wavering to her petulant expression.
He glanced down, wavered, back up again, meeting her eyes stoically. “No.”
Liz huffed an exasperated breath and turned away. The sad eyes always work! She turned back to face him. “Why not?” She demanded, serious again.
“Liz, you saw what it did to you before! I don’t want you to go through that again. Not until we have more control over your power. It drained you so much that the baby demanded a feeding three hours before he should have. Three hours Liz! That can’t be good for you or the baby! We made love on the plane, Liz! I still can’t even wrap my mind around that! We are the stable, responsible ones in our little circle of friends and that was so out of control I still can’t believe we did it! Do you really think it’s in anyone’s best interests to touch that pill bottle right now?” Max’s eyes searched hers for understanding.
Liz’s arms wrapped around her middle at the reminder of the precipitous conditions that led directly to their spankin’ new membership to the mile-high club. She tried to contain a mild tremor in her hands at the thought of what her power could do to their son.
“You know I would never do anything to harm our son,” Liz mumbled, reaching instinctively for Max’s strong arms.
He pulled her close and she inhaled shakily against his white T-shirt, smoothing a wrinkle over his chest. His scent calmed her and she thought she could hear the steady beat of his heart.
“I know that, Liz. Of course I know that! I just want us to enjoy our time together here. I want us to be normal for the entire week we’ve been given and forget that we’re supposed to be responsible. It’s soon enough when we get back. When we have more control over the situation and we can monitor your reactions. Is that too much to ask?” Max’s hands smoothed up and down her arms, unconsciously trying to warm up her cool skin.
Liz took a stabilizing breath and nodded. “It’s not too much to ask. I’m sorry. I didn’t realize you felt so strongly about it. We don’t have to do this right away. I just thought that we should do something while the trail it still hot, you know?”
Max leaned back and looked into her eyes, now sad and glistening with unshed tears. His thumb rubbed over her temple and he smiled hoping she would smile back. “I know. The real world will come back to bite us soon enough though. Let’s just let this week be about us, okay?” Liz’s trembling smile and shaky nod was answer enough. He sighed with relief. She had no idea how scared he had been when she spun out of control in that hotel room. If he hadn’t been there…No. That thought was unacceptable. He would always be there. And later, when they’d gone into heat right on the plane…the plane! for goodness sakes! What if they hadn’t had a place to go? Liz and his son would have suffered for the entire flight! No. Liz didn’t need any more stress right now to weigh her down after the day she had already endured.
Max sat back on the bed and Liz climbed into his lap, curling into his strong arms and enjoying the sensation of him wrapped around her as it was meant to be. Her eyes strayed to the purse she had placed on her bedside table that still contained the pill bottle. Her instincts screamed at her to just find out the information hidden there, but the logical part of her mind accepted that maybe Max was right. Maybe she’d already been through enough today. It was late, and she was exhausted, she finally admitted to herself. Her eyes drifted closed and she vaguely felt Max removing her shoes and shorts before tugging her shirt over her head. The cool sheets drifted over her as Max covered her naked form and she sighed into her pillow feeling lost without his touch as she listened to the soft rustle of Max removing his own clothing. The room was dropped into darkness with the click of the bedside lamp and the bed dipped behind her as Max joined her. His warm arms wrapped around her, one hand hugging her waist as the other curled under her pillow. She snuggled back against him, her bottom a sweet crush against his groin. Max sighed, a soft breath of air over her ear and whispered, “I love you. Sweet dreams,” as he pressed a kiss behind her ear.
“Love you,” she breathed faintly, already drifting into dreams.
“NO!” She struggled fruitlessly against the bonds that snagged her wrists and ankles. Pain shot through her skin as the metal bit into her tender flesh.
“You’ll only harm yourself,” a cool, patient voice intoned, maddeningly calm in the face of her struggles. His dispassionate gaze roamed over her naked form and he place a proprietary hand just above her knee, squeezing familiarly.
New panic washed over her at her vulnerable position and she froze in fright. She was staked out on the table, completely open and naked and this man could do anything to her. Anything.
His fingers rubbed over the tender skin of her inner thigh and his mouth quirked up in amusement at the fear in her eyes. He leaned in closer and his hot breath caused a wave of nausea to roll sickeningly through her stomach. What did he want from her? Where is Max!? Her eyes jerked away and took in the white walls of the room, the white floor and ceiling, the shiny surface of one wall that she knew, absolutely knew, contained people behind it. Watching them. Watching her.
“Wha…what d-do you want from me?” She stuttered out, swinging her gaze back and forcing herself to meet this man’s eyes levelly. Mud. His eyes were the color of mud, and he looked so…normal. How was it possible that he could look so average? This man who had stolen her away and ripped her from her life? From Max.
“Just some tests. No need to panic,” his voice reflected his satisfaction at her fear and his hand slid up her leg, over her hip and rested against her still flat stomach. He leaned closer, his mouth almost touching her ear. “We know, Liz,” he hissed, his hot breath making her gag.
Liz jerked up in the bed gasping for air. Her hands flew to her stomach and wrapped around herself protectively. Her purse clattered to the floor unnoticed in her fright. She jerked violently when Max’s arms went around her and she jabbed him in the chest with her elbow as hard as she could to get away. Max’s breath exited his lungs with a harsh whoosh sound and he struggled to turn her to face him, trying to breathe.
“It’s me, Liz! It’s Max!” He took her chin in his hands and forced their connection. Her eyes were wild and he almost couldn’t cut through the raw fear boiling inside her mind. She struggled against his hold and his grip tightened over her shoulder and chin. “It’s Max, Liz! Look at me!” His familiar voice cut through her panic and he saw the exact moment when her eyes registered that she was safe. That it was Max who was holding her close. Her breath rushed out in stuttered jolts and Max feared she would hyperventilate. Liz reached one trembling hand to touch his precious face and allowed the connection. Relief rolled through her as her body slumped against his. She tried to catch her breath, but bile rose in her throat and Max let her go as she stumbled out of the bed and ran for the bathroom.
He followed her quickly and held her hair back as she knelt in front of the toilet and retched viciously into it. His hand smoothed up and down her back as his mind tried to process the nightmare they had shared. He helped her to stand when the gagging subsided and sat her on the edge of the tub as he ran a fresh washcloth under warm water and cleaned her face. He kneeled in front of her, between her legs, and framed her face with his large, strong hands. Small kisses rained over her temple and forehead as he murmured nonsensical reassurances to her, knowing the sound of his voice was anchoring her, taking her further away from their nightmare. His thumb smoothed over her trembling lips as he refreshed her mouth, taking away the sharp, acrid taste of vomit and wishing he could remove the memory of its cause as easily.
“Sshhh…” his calm voice rolled over her, not an accurate reflection of the guilt and panic that roiled inside him. “I’m sorry, baby. I’m sorry.” He gathered her into his arms and carried her unresisting form back to the bed. He cuddled her close and rocked her in the circle of his arms. “It’s all my fault. I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to give you nightmares. I haven’t had any on the nights that we’re together. I didn’t know it could transfer to you like that. I’m so sorry.” The rocking motion was soothing, but as his words started to penetrate through to her she struggled to sit up and face his tortured face. Her hand smoothed over his cheek and she pulled him down for a small sweet kiss. Their lips barely brushed and she pulled away to look into his eyes, not liking the sick guilt that rolled through their connection and leaped from his eyes.
“It wasn’t you. I was the one in the White Room. You didn’t transfer that dream to me. It’s not your fault,” she whispered in a voice raspy from the torture of vomiting so violently moments before.
“But I…” Liz’s fingers covered his mouth to stop his speech.
“I think I was just worried about you. I always wondered what had happened to you there, and now that I know…and it’s so much worse than I ever... I…I just think that now that we’re so close I just put myself in your place. Helpless and alone.” Her words washed over him and he closed his eyes. Maybe he hadn’t projected that dream to her, but it was still his fault. He’s the one who had shown her all he had endured. He’s the one who had put such sickening images into her mind.
“Stop it,” Liz’s tried to imbue her voice with strength. Her eyes flashed fire. She would not let them win! “I won’t let them steal away our precious time here,” she continued with certainty. “It’s over, and we have to forget it. They can’t take another minute of our happiness if we don’t let them, okay?” She waited for his response. He stared back at her, ready to protest. She shook his shoulder in her steady grip. “Okay?” She asked with more insistence in her tone. She waited again, staring him down. Daring him to let this ruin their time alone together.
“Okay,” he whispered, at long last. She relaxed back into his embrace and they spent the remainder of the night holding each other protectively close and listening for the reassurance of each other’s steady breathing in the darkness.
The moon washed curious shadows over the room as the night progressed and highlighted the spilled contents of Liz’s purse, glinting off the shiny white surface of the empty pill bottle that had rolled free when Liz’s hand had swept it off the table as she wakened from her fright.
TBC
“No.”
“What if I just…” reaching for it.
“No.” His hand covered hers to stop her progress.
“Maax,” wheedling tone and puppy dog eyes.
“No.” He stared hard at the wall behind her. Can’t give in to the sad eyes.
“Come on, Max!” She caressed his face with both her hands and pulled his eyes down to meet hers. Contact! Gotcha!! Brief flare of triumph as she saw him wavering to her petulant expression.
He glanced down, wavered, back up again, meeting her eyes stoically. “No.”
Liz huffed an exasperated breath and turned away. The sad eyes always work! She turned back to face him. “Why not?” She demanded, serious again.
“Liz, you saw what it did to you before! I don’t want you to go through that again. Not until we have more control over your power. It drained you so much that the baby demanded a feeding three hours before he should have. Three hours Liz! That can’t be good for you or the baby! We made love on the plane, Liz! I still can’t even wrap my mind around that! We are the stable, responsible ones in our little circle of friends and that was so out of control I still can’t believe we did it! Do you really think it’s in anyone’s best interests to touch that pill bottle right now?” Max’s eyes searched hers for understanding.
Liz’s arms wrapped around her middle at the reminder of the precipitous conditions that led directly to their spankin’ new membership to the mile-high club. She tried to contain a mild tremor in her hands at the thought of what her power could do to their son.
“You know I would never do anything to harm our son,” Liz mumbled, reaching instinctively for Max’s strong arms.
He pulled her close and she inhaled shakily against his white T-shirt, smoothing a wrinkle over his chest. His scent calmed her and she thought she could hear the steady beat of his heart.
“I know that, Liz. Of course I know that! I just want us to enjoy our time together here. I want us to be normal for the entire week we’ve been given and forget that we’re supposed to be responsible. It’s soon enough when we get back. When we have more control over the situation and we can monitor your reactions. Is that too much to ask?” Max’s hands smoothed up and down her arms, unconsciously trying to warm up her cool skin.
Liz took a stabilizing breath and nodded. “It’s not too much to ask. I’m sorry. I didn’t realize you felt so strongly about it. We don’t have to do this right away. I just thought that we should do something while the trail it still hot, you know?”
Max leaned back and looked into her eyes, now sad and glistening with unshed tears. His thumb rubbed over her temple and he smiled hoping she would smile back. “I know. The real world will come back to bite us soon enough though. Let’s just let this week be about us, okay?” Liz’s trembling smile and shaky nod was answer enough. He sighed with relief. She had no idea how scared he had been when she spun out of control in that hotel room. If he hadn’t been there…No. That thought was unacceptable. He would always be there. And later, when they’d gone into heat right on the plane…the plane! for goodness sakes! What if they hadn’t had a place to go? Liz and his son would have suffered for the entire flight! No. Liz didn’t need any more stress right now to weigh her down after the day she had already endured.
Max sat back on the bed and Liz climbed into his lap, curling into his strong arms and enjoying the sensation of him wrapped around her as it was meant to be. Her eyes strayed to the purse she had placed on her bedside table that still contained the pill bottle. Her instincts screamed at her to just find out the information hidden there, but the logical part of her mind accepted that maybe Max was right. Maybe she’d already been through enough today. It was late, and she was exhausted, she finally admitted to herself. Her eyes drifted closed and she vaguely felt Max removing her shoes and shorts before tugging her shirt over her head. The cool sheets drifted over her as Max covered her naked form and she sighed into her pillow feeling lost without his touch as she listened to the soft rustle of Max removing his own clothing. The room was dropped into darkness with the click of the bedside lamp and the bed dipped behind her as Max joined her. His warm arms wrapped around her, one hand hugging her waist as the other curled under her pillow. She snuggled back against him, her bottom a sweet crush against his groin. Max sighed, a soft breath of air over her ear and whispered, “I love you. Sweet dreams,” as he pressed a kiss behind her ear.
“Love you,” she breathed faintly, already drifting into dreams.
“NO!” She struggled fruitlessly against the bonds that snagged her wrists and ankles. Pain shot through her skin as the metal bit into her tender flesh.
“You’ll only harm yourself,” a cool, patient voice intoned, maddeningly calm in the face of her struggles. His dispassionate gaze roamed over her naked form and he place a proprietary hand just above her knee, squeezing familiarly.
New panic washed over her at her vulnerable position and she froze in fright. She was staked out on the table, completely open and naked and this man could do anything to her. Anything.
His fingers rubbed over the tender skin of her inner thigh and his mouth quirked up in amusement at the fear in her eyes. He leaned in closer and his hot breath caused a wave of nausea to roll sickeningly through her stomach. What did he want from her? Where is Max!? Her eyes jerked away and took in the white walls of the room, the white floor and ceiling, the shiny surface of one wall that she knew, absolutely knew, contained people behind it. Watching them. Watching her.
“Wha…what d-do you want from me?” She stuttered out, swinging her gaze back and forcing herself to meet this man’s eyes levelly. Mud. His eyes were the color of mud, and he looked so…normal. How was it possible that he could look so average? This man who had stolen her away and ripped her from her life? From Max.
“Just some tests. No need to panic,” his voice reflected his satisfaction at her fear and his hand slid up her leg, over her hip and rested against her still flat stomach. He leaned closer, his mouth almost touching her ear. “We know, Liz,” he hissed, his hot breath making her gag.
Liz jerked up in the bed gasping for air. Her hands flew to her stomach and wrapped around herself protectively. Her purse clattered to the floor unnoticed in her fright. She jerked violently when Max’s arms went around her and she jabbed him in the chest with her elbow as hard as she could to get away. Max’s breath exited his lungs with a harsh whoosh sound and he struggled to turn her to face him, trying to breathe.
“It’s me, Liz! It’s Max!” He took her chin in his hands and forced their connection. Her eyes were wild and he almost couldn’t cut through the raw fear boiling inside her mind. She struggled against his hold and his grip tightened over her shoulder and chin. “It’s Max, Liz! Look at me!” His familiar voice cut through her panic and he saw the exact moment when her eyes registered that she was safe. That it was Max who was holding her close. Her breath rushed out in stuttered jolts and Max feared she would hyperventilate. Liz reached one trembling hand to touch his precious face and allowed the connection. Relief rolled through her as her body slumped against his. She tried to catch her breath, but bile rose in her throat and Max let her go as she stumbled out of the bed and ran for the bathroom.
He followed her quickly and held her hair back as she knelt in front of the toilet and retched viciously into it. His hand smoothed up and down her back as his mind tried to process the nightmare they had shared. He helped her to stand when the gagging subsided and sat her on the edge of the tub as he ran a fresh washcloth under warm water and cleaned her face. He kneeled in front of her, between her legs, and framed her face with his large, strong hands. Small kisses rained over her temple and forehead as he murmured nonsensical reassurances to her, knowing the sound of his voice was anchoring her, taking her further away from their nightmare. His thumb smoothed over her trembling lips as he refreshed her mouth, taking away the sharp, acrid taste of vomit and wishing he could remove the memory of its cause as easily.
“Sshhh…” his calm voice rolled over her, not an accurate reflection of the guilt and panic that roiled inside him. “I’m sorry, baby. I’m sorry.” He gathered her into his arms and carried her unresisting form back to the bed. He cuddled her close and rocked her in the circle of his arms. “It’s all my fault. I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to give you nightmares. I haven’t had any on the nights that we’re together. I didn’t know it could transfer to you like that. I’m so sorry.” The rocking motion was soothing, but as his words started to penetrate through to her she struggled to sit up and face his tortured face. Her hand smoothed over his cheek and she pulled him down for a small sweet kiss. Their lips barely brushed and she pulled away to look into his eyes, not liking the sick guilt that rolled through their connection and leaped from his eyes.
“It wasn’t you. I was the one in the White Room. You didn’t transfer that dream to me. It’s not your fault,” she whispered in a voice raspy from the torture of vomiting so violently moments before.
“But I…” Liz’s fingers covered his mouth to stop his speech.
“I think I was just worried about you. I always wondered what had happened to you there, and now that I know…and it’s so much worse than I ever... I…I just think that now that we’re so close I just put myself in your place. Helpless and alone.” Her words washed over him and he closed his eyes. Maybe he hadn’t projected that dream to her, but it was still his fault. He’s the one who had shown her all he had endured. He’s the one who had put such sickening images into her mind.
“Stop it,” Liz’s tried to imbue her voice with strength. Her eyes flashed fire. She would not let them win! “I won’t let them steal away our precious time here,” she continued with certainty. “It’s over, and we have to forget it. They can’t take another minute of our happiness if we don’t let them, okay?” She waited for his response. He stared back at her, ready to protest. She shook his shoulder in her steady grip. “Okay?” She asked with more insistence in her tone. She waited again, staring him down. Daring him to let this ruin their time alone together.
“Okay,” he whispered, at long last. She relaxed back into his embrace and they spent the remainder of the night holding each other protectively close and listening for the reassurance of each other’s steady breathing in the darkness.
The moon washed curious shadows over the room as the night progressed and highlighted the spilled contents of Liz’s purse, glinting off the shiny white surface of the empty pill bottle that had rolled free when Liz’s hand had swept it off the table as she wakened from her fright.
TBC
EYA Part 58
Max watched over Liz as she lay sleeping beside him. His fingers brushed over her forehead lightly, knowing it was soothing to her. He was glad that she had finally drifted off to sleep in the early hours of the morning. They had lain awake together for many hours before Max finally asked her if he could help her to rest. Weary, Liz had agreed. Max had sent a soothing stream of relaxation through their connection. Liz sighed tiredly and her eyes drifted closed. Max, however, maintained a light connection with her and stayed awake to ensure that she would not repeat her nightmarish dream.
Something about that dream haunted him. If Liz had been putting herself in his place as she had surmised then it made sense that he would recognize her captors, but he knew for a fact that he had never seen the man with the mud-colored eyes before. Why would she manufacture new villains in her dream? Why have the nightmare at all?
Liz sighed in her sleep and rolled restlessly in the bed. Her hand landed lightly atop the bedside table and Max watched it there for a moment wondering what it was about that sight that bothered him. It came to him suddenly that Liz’s purse had been lying on the table the night before and now it wasn’t there. He leaned over her to peer down at the floor and saw the spilled contents of her purse littering the floor. He started to lay back, knowing that she must have knocked it down in the commotion after the nightmare, when he spotted the empty pill bottle that had rolled out to the side. His breath caught in his throat. Had she rested her hand over the purse when she was sleeping earlier? Was that a close enough contact with the bottle to provoke a premonition? Was it even possible? He shuddered. There was no way he would allow that vision to come true. His mind raced through the possibilities of what he had to do to prevent any harm to his family.
He lay back again and cuddled Liz closer to his suddenly chilled body. No way.
Late morning
“Hey sleepyhead,” Max whispered as he watched Liz stretch luxuriously before opening her eyes to smile at him.
“Hey yourself,” Liz answered with a smile.
“Did you get enough rest?”
“Yeah.” She stretched again and leaned over his chest to cuddle for a moment. She reached up to scrape her finger over the rough stubble that covered his chin.
Max reached up and ran his hand over his chin to remove the night’s growth, smiling when Liz’s eyes widened in surprise.
“Neat trick,” she laughed. “Now if you could only do that for me,” she joked.
Max’s eyes gleamed and he took one bare leg into his hand. Liz’s mouth dropped open again in surprise as she felt a slow warm tingle spread through her limb held securely in his confident hands. His fingers smoothed over the entire surface of her leg as he took his time and made sure he didn’t miss a single spot. Liz’s eyes closed in pleasure as his strong hands massaged over her inner thigh, teasingly, removing any traces of stubble. She sighed when his touch left her and moaned when he reached for her other leg to repeat the process.
“There you go,” he whispered, his lips against the smooth surface of her leg.
“Mmnn, you are amazing. Have I told you that yet?”
“Not today,” he smiled up at her.
Liz frowned when she saw the dark circles under his eyes.
“Did you sleep at all?” She asked suspiciously.
He looked away. “I rested,” he answered evasively.
“That’s not what I asked,” she persisted.
Max shook his head at her worry and persistence. “You’re going to be a great mom,” he smiled at her, hoping to distract her line of questioning. “Never let anyone get away with anything.”
“That’s right, mister. So did you sleep?”
“Not much,” he admitted.
“Not much,” she repeated. “Now why is that?”
“I just got to thinking.” No way to avoid it now. He needed to share his suspicions with her if he was going to keep her safe. He could tell she was already sensing the worry that was coursing through him.
“What about? Was it that dream I had last night? Because I already told you my theory about that and I don’t think we have anything to worry about. It was just a random thing.”
“I’m not so sure anymore, Liz,” Max’s words caused a frown of concern to shadow her expression.
“What do you mean? What else could it be?”
“Last night while you were sleeping you had your hand resting on the bedside table,” he started. Liz just nodded her head. She often swept things off of her table at home because of that habit.
“Your purse was on the table last night when we first fell asleep, but you knocked it off when you had your nightmare. I’m thinking that it’s possible that your hand was resting on the purse over the pill bottle and maybe it gave you a premonition.” His words dropped like stones into the heavy pool of silence that followed. He hated the slick ripple of panic that swept over him through the connection. His hands reached for her shoulders to steady her as her eyes filled with tears.
“No,” she moaned, her voice numb, remembering anew the pain and degradation that had filled her dream. “No, no, no, no…there is no way that that could be a premonition. That was the White Room, Max! It’s not even there anymore! Nacedo shut down that facility when he was acting as Pierce.”
“I know,” Max pulled her back to look into her panic-filled expression. “It wasn’t the same room I was in though, Liz. There were things that were different about it. That’s one of the reasons I think that maybe it was a premonition and not just a dream. I didn’t recognize the man in the dream either. Why would your subconscious make up an entirely new person as the bad guy? Why not just dream about Pierce or one of the other men that held me?”
Liz was starting to shake and Max pressed his lips to her forehead and held her steady. “We can stop it from happening,” he reassured her, his tone steady with an effort of will he did not know he possessed. “That’s why you get the premonitions. We just have to be on the look-out and make sure that we do everything we can to keep you safe.”
Liz straightened her spine. If he could be strong then so could she. There was no way he would allow that to happen to her or the baby. The baby! Her hands covered her stomach protectively. “They knew about the baby, Max. I think it’s why they wanted me.” Her voice trembled and her eyes filled with tears she would not allow to fall.
“Oh, God,” Max whispered as dread filled his entire being.
“We have to find out as much as we can about this, Max,” Liz said determinedly. She leaned over the bed and picked up her purse, scooping the contents back into it. The pill bottle rested innocently on its side on the floor. She reached out a hand for it, her fingers trembling.
“Wait,” Max pulled her back up to face him. “We have to think about this first,” he cautioned her. “What if it drains you again? What if you can’t handle what you see?”
Liz shook her head. “I can’t handle not knowing what’s in store for me. I can’t handle the thought of not using everything in my power to prevent what I saw. Being drained to the point of exhaustion is infinitely preferable to being held captive and tormented by the FBI, don’t you think?”
“Yeah,” he whispered, his expression tortured. “Yeah,” his sigh was a whisper in the air as he let himself accept that they would have to do this now. Today. As soon as possible to prevent any harm to his wife and child. He climbed out of the bed and pulled on his boxer briefs, feeling vulnerable suddenly without his clothes on. He grabbed his discarded T-shirt as well and tugged it over his head. Liz watched from her place on the bed, knowing he needed this time to work up to what was to come. What they were about to do would either confirm or obliterate their theory. God, she prayed they were wrong. She held out her hand to accept the panties and tank top that Max was handing to her. She kneeled up on the bed to get dressed and settled back over the pillows placed against the headboard. It was almost time.
Max walked around the bed and pulled open the curtains to their sliding glass door that led out to a balcony overlooking the ocean. He pulled the door open and stood in the fresh breeze that wafted through, trying to recapture peace and calm. He slid his arm around Liz’s back when she moved to join him, sliding under his arm.
“I wish you didn’t have to do this,” he murmured, still looking out at the water.
Liz rested her head against his chest and sighed. She wished she didn’t have to either. She felt him take a deep breath and knew he was almost ready. This was almost harder on him than on her. He hated to see her suffer. He would do anything in his power to prevent it, and this was especially hard on him because he had to accept that he couldn’t prevent it. There was nothing else they could do.
He turned to her and took her in his arms, his body swaying from side to side. Her arms crept up over his back and hung on, absorbing his strength. She felt a light kiss on the top of her head and leaned back to look at him. “Ready?” She asked him softly.
“Are you?” He answered with a probing look into her eyes, into her soul. He sighed again when she nodded. Stepping back he reached for a pen on the nightstand. “I’ll get it. I want you to sit down for this though.” He indicated a chair that was set next to the sliding glass door to take advantage of the view. Liz sank down onto its stiff surface and watched him cross the room and kneel down on the opposite side of the bed to pick up the bottle with the pen. He returned to her with the bottle dangling from the end of the pen and stopped in front of her. He knelt down between her legs and caressed her knee with one hand. “No matter what you see, what you find out, I’ll keep you safe,” he promised her solemnly. Liz almost cried at the tremble in his voice, the way his eyes filled with tears that he refused to let fall. She brushed her fingers across his cheek.
“I’m ready,” she affirmed. Her hand was steady as she held it out to him, palm up. His eyes stayed locked with hers as he allowed the bottle to drop into her palm.
Her whole body jerked at the physical contact. Her eyes flew wide open and her pupils dilated till her eyes appeared black. Her breath came out in short gasping breaths and she didn’t feel Max’s hands gripping her shoulders.
Flash
Pain! Blinding, excruciating bursts of never-ending pain.
Tess fumbled with the bottle of extra-strength Tylenol and cursed the fact that she couldn’t go to a doctor for anything stronger. Cursed that she didn’t have the power to control her own pain. Cursed Max and Isabel Evans and Liz Parker and the brat she was carrying. Cursed in general, loud and long at the bouts of agony that would allow her no rest.
She had already exhausted all of her energy this morning trying to curb the pain that wracked her small frame, and when that was done she had almost nothing left in her to actually heal herself. She had already determined that she needed to repair her face and hands first. She could cover the rest of her body with clothing, however painful that was, and then she would not have to exhaust herself attempting to mind warp hotel clerks and delivery people into thinking she looked normal.
She popped five pills into her mouth, all that were left, and dropped the bottle onto the floor as a sudden bout of renewed pain at her movement swept over her. The bottle rolled under the bed, but it was empty and not worth the agony to retrieve. She debated whether to sit or stand, neither option sounded particularly appealing right now. She sighed and moved slowly to put the last items into her suitcase. She had to move today. She was pretty sure the check-in clerk had seen something that he shouldn’t have and she couldn’t take the risk. She’d pick a new place at random as she drove around town.
Flash
“NO!” Tess screamed into the night, her face contorted into a grimace of disbelief. Her hand hovered over the opening to the Granolith chamber cave and it repelled her again. Realization that the Granolith would reject her from now on swept over her and she almost cried. This was the only way home and the only way to return to Antar with Max’s child as an offering to Khivar. She would never be the queen she was meant to be. Never have a welcome home anywhere.
Rage churned through her. She stomped out into the night. She didn’t need Liz’s brat anymore, but Liz wouldn’t have him either. Her mind churned through what she knew of Nacedo’s time with the FBI. An evil grin spread across her face. Let Liz meet the FBI. No other revenge could be as sweet. Her heart jumped in glee at the brilliance of the plan. Simple, untraceable. Perfect! She turned and ran down the hill.
Flash
“NO!” She struggled fruitlessly against the bonds that snagged her wrists and ankles. Pain shot through her skin as the metal bit into her tender flesh.
“You’ll only harm yourself,” a cool, patient voice intoned, maddeningly calm in the face of her struggles. His dispassionate gaze roamed over her naked form and he place a proprietary hand just above her knee, squeezing familiarly.
New panic washed over her at her vulnerable position and she froze in fright. She was staked out on the table, completely open and naked and this man could do anything to her. Anything.
His fingers rubbed over the tender skin of her inner thigh and his mouth quirked up in amusement at the fear in her eyes. He leaned in closer and his hot breath caused a wave of nausea to roll sickeningly through her stomach. What did he want from her? Where is Max!? Her eyes jerked away and took in the white walls of the room, the white floor and ceiling, the shiny surface of one wall that she knew, absolutely knew, contained people behind it. Watching them. Watching her.
“Wha…what d-do you want from me?” She stuttered out, swinging her gaze back and forcing herself to meet this man’s eyes levelly. Mud. His eyes were the color of mud, and he looked so…normal. How was it possible that he could look so average? This man who had stolen her away and ripped her from her life? From Max.
“Just some tests. No need to panic,” his voice reflected his satisfaction at her fear and his hand slid up her leg, over her hip and rested against her still flat stomach. He leaned closer, his mouth almost touching her ear. “We know, Liz,” he hissed, his hot breath making her gag.
Flash
“She’s gone! Where the hell is she?” Max screamed in anguish. They’d been searching Roswell all night and still no sign of Liz. Max sank down into a crouch and pulled his arms over his head, rocking back on his heels, unable to process the depths of his loss.
Michael put a hand on his shoulder and squeezed tightly, tears filled his eyes as he witnessed the despair of his friend.
“I can’t feel her,” Max whispered brokenly.
TBC
Max watched over Liz as she lay sleeping beside him. His fingers brushed over her forehead lightly, knowing it was soothing to her. He was glad that she had finally drifted off to sleep in the early hours of the morning. They had lain awake together for many hours before Max finally asked her if he could help her to rest. Weary, Liz had agreed. Max had sent a soothing stream of relaxation through their connection. Liz sighed tiredly and her eyes drifted closed. Max, however, maintained a light connection with her and stayed awake to ensure that she would not repeat her nightmarish dream.
Something about that dream haunted him. If Liz had been putting herself in his place as she had surmised then it made sense that he would recognize her captors, but he knew for a fact that he had never seen the man with the mud-colored eyes before. Why would she manufacture new villains in her dream? Why have the nightmare at all?
Liz sighed in her sleep and rolled restlessly in the bed. Her hand landed lightly atop the bedside table and Max watched it there for a moment wondering what it was about that sight that bothered him. It came to him suddenly that Liz’s purse had been lying on the table the night before and now it wasn’t there. He leaned over her to peer down at the floor and saw the spilled contents of her purse littering the floor. He started to lay back, knowing that she must have knocked it down in the commotion after the nightmare, when he spotted the empty pill bottle that had rolled out to the side. His breath caught in his throat. Had she rested her hand over the purse when she was sleeping earlier? Was that a close enough contact with the bottle to provoke a premonition? Was it even possible? He shuddered. There was no way he would allow that vision to come true. His mind raced through the possibilities of what he had to do to prevent any harm to his family.
He lay back again and cuddled Liz closer to his suddenly chilled body. No way.
Late morning
“Hey sleepyhead,” Max whispered as he watched Liz stretch luxuriously before opening her eyes to smile at him.
“Hey yourself,” Liz answered with a smile.
“Did you get enough rest?”
“Yeah.” She stretched again and leaned over his chest to cuddle for a moment. She reached up to scrape her finger over the rough stubble that covered his chin.
Max reached up and ran his hand over his chin to remove the night’s growth, smiling when Liz’s eyes widened in surprise.
“Neat trick,” she laughed. “Now if you could only do that for me,” she joked.
Max’s eyes gleamed and he took one bare leg into his hand. Liz’s mouth dropped open again in surprise as she felt a slow warm tingle spread through her limb held securely in his confident hands. His fingers smoothed over the entire surface of her leg as he took his time and made sure he didn’t miss a single spot. Liz’s eyes closed in pleasure as his strong hands massaged over her inner thigh, teasingly, removing any traces of stubble. She sighed when his touch left her and moaned when he reached for her other leg to repeat the process.
“There you go,” he whispered, his lips against the smooth surface of her leg.
“Mmnn, you are amazing. Have I told you that yet?”
“Not today,” he smiled up at her.
Liz frowned when she saw the dark circles under his eyes.
“Did you sleep at all?” She asked suspiciously.
He looked away. “I rested,” he answered evasively.
“That’s not what I asked,” she persisted.
Max shook his head at her worry and persistence. “You’re going to be a great mom,” he smiled at her, hoping to distract her line of questioning. “Never let anyone get away with anything.”
“That’s right, mister. So did you sleep?”
“Not much,” he admitted.
“Not much,” she repeated. “Now why is that?”
“I just got to thinking.” No way to avoid it now. He needed to share his suspicions with her if he was going to keep her safe. He could tell she was already sensing the worry that was coursing through him.
“What about? Was it that dream I had last night? Because I already told you my theory about that and I don’t think we have anything to worry about. It was just a random thing.”
“I’m not so sure anymore, Liz,” Max’s words caused a frown of concern to shadow her expression.
“What do you mean? What else could it be?”
“Last night while you were sleeping you had your hand resting on the bedside table,” he started. Liz just nodded her head. She often swept things off of her table at home because of that habit.
“Your purse was on the table last night when we first fell asleep, but you knocked it off when you had your nightmare. I’m thinking that it’s possible that your hand was resting on the purse over the pill bottle and maybe it gave you a premonition.” His words dropped like stones into the heavy pool of silence that followed. He hated the slick ripple of panic that swept over him through the connection. His hands reached for her shoulders to steady her as her eyes filled with tears.
“No,” she moaned, her voice numb, remembering anew the pain and degradation that had filled her dream. “No, no, no, no…there is no way that that could be a premonition. That was the White Room, Max! It’s not even there anymore! Nacedo shut down that facility when he was acting as Pierce.”
“I know,” Max pulled her back to look into her panic-filled expression. “It wasn’t the same room I was in though, Liz. There were things that were different about it. That’s one of the reasons I think that maybe it was a premonition and not just a dream. I didn’t recognize the man in the dream either. Why would your subconscious make up an entirely new person as the bad guy? Why not just dream about Pierce or one of the other men that held me?”
Liz was starting to shake and Max pressed his lips to her forehead and held her steady. “We can stop it from happening,” he reassured her, his tone steady with an effort of will he did not know he possessed. “That’s why you get the premonitions. We just have to be on the look-out and make sure that we do everything we can to keep you safe.”
Liz straightened her spine. If he could be strong then so could she. There was no way he would allow that to happen to her or the baby. The baby! Her hands covered her stomach protectively. “They knew about the baby, Max. I think it’s why they wanted me.” Her voice trembled and her eyes filled with tears she would not allow to fall.
“Oh, God,” Max whispered as dread filled his entire being.
“We have to find out as much as we can about this, Max,” Liz said determinedly. She leaned over the bed and picked up her purse, scooping the contents back into it. The pill bottle rested innocently on its side on the floor. She reached out a hand for it, her fingers trembling.
“Wait,” Max pulled her back up to face him. “We have to think about this first,” he cautioned her. “What if it drains you again? What if you can’t handle what you see?”
Liz shook her head. “I can’t handle not knowing what’s in store for me. I can’t handle the thought of not using everything in my power to prevent what I saw. Being drained to the point of exhaustion is infinitely preferable to being held captive and tormented by the FBI, don’t you think?”
“Yeah,” he whispered, his expression tortured. “Yeah,” his sigh was a whisper in the air as he let himself accept that they would have to do this now. Today. As soon as possible to prevent any harm to his wife and child. He climbed out of the bed and pulled on his boxer briefs, feeling vulnerable suddenly without his clothes on. He grabbed his discarded T-shirt as well and tugged it over his head. Liz watched from her place on the bed, knowing he needed this time to work up to what was to come. What they were about to do would either confirm or obliterate their theory. God, she prayed they were wrong. She held out her hand to accept the panties and tank top that Max was handing to her. She kneeled up on the bed to get dressed and settled back over the pillows placed against the headboard. It was almost time.
Max walked around the bed and pulled open the curtains to their sliding glass door that led out to a balcony overlooking the ocean. He pulled the door open and stood in the fresh breeze that wafted through, trying to recapture peace and calm. He slid his arm around Liz’s back when she moved to join him, sliding under his arm.
“I wish you didn’t have to do this,” he murmured, still looking out at the water.
Liz rested her head against his chest and sighed. She wished she didn’t have to either. She felt him take a deep breath and knew he was almost ready. This was almost harder on him than on her. He hated to see her suffer. He would do anything in his power to prevent it, and this was especially hard on him because he had to accept that he couldn’t prevent it. There was nothing else they could do.
He turned to her and took her in his arms, his body swaying from side to side. Her arms crept up over his back and hung on, absorbing his strength. She felt a light kiss on the top of her head and leaned back to look at him. “Ready?” She asked him softly.
“Are you?” He answered with a probing look into her eyes, into her soul. He sighed again when she nodded. Stepping back he reached for a pen on the nightstand. “I’ll get it. I want you to sit down for this though.” He indicated a chair that was set next to the sliding glass door to take advantage of the view. Liz sank down onto its stiff surface and watched him cross the room and kneel down on the opposite side of the bed to pick up the bottle with the pen. He returned to her with the bottle dangling from the end of the pen and stopped in front of her. He knelt down between her legs and caressed her knee with one hand. “No matter what you see, what you find out, I’ll keep you safe,” he promised her solemnly. Liz almost cried at the tremble in his voice, the way his eyes filled with tears that he refused to let fall. She brushed her fingers across his cheek.
“I’m ready,” she affirmed. Her hand was steady as she held it out to him, palm up. His eyes stayed locked with hers as he allowed the bottle to drop into her palm.
Her whole body jerked at the physical contact. Her eyes flew wide open and her pupils dilated till her eyes appeared black. Her breath came out in short gasping breaths and she didn’t feel Max’s hands gripping her shoulders.
Flash
Pain! Blinding, excruciating bursts of never-ending pain.
Tess fumbled with the bottle of extra-strength Tylenol and cursed the fact that she couldn’t go to a doctor for anything stronger. Cursed that she didn’t have the power to control her own pain. Cursed Max and Isabel Evans and Liz Parker and the brat she was carrying. Cursed in general, loud and long at the bouts of agony that would allow her no rest.
She had already exhausted all of her energy this morning trying to curb the pain that wracked her small frame, and when that was done she had almost nothing left in her to actually heal herself. She had already determined that she needed to repair her face and hands first. She could cover the rest of her body with clothing, however painful that was, and then she would not have to exhaust herself attempting to mind warp hotel clerks and delivery people into thinking she looked normal.
She popped five pills into her mouth, all that were left, and dropped the bottle onto the floor as a sudden bout of renewed pain at her movement swept over her. The bottle rolled under the bed, but it was empty and not worth the agony to retrieve. She debated whether to sit or stand, neither option sounded particularly appealing right now. She sighed and moved slowly to put the last items into her suitcase. She had to move today. She was pretty sure the check-in clerk had seen something that he shouldn’t have and she couldn’t take the risk. She’d pick a new place at random as she drove around town.
Flash
“NO!” Tess screamed into the night, her face contorted into a grimace of disbelief. Her hand hovered over the opening to the Granolith chamber cave and it repelled her again. Realization that the Granolith would reject her from now on swept over her and she almost cried. This was the only way home and the only way to return to Antar with Max’s child as an offering to Khivar. She would never be the queen she was meant to be. Never have a welcome home anywhere.
Rage churned through her. She stomped out into the night. She didn’t need Liz’s brat anymore, but Liz wouldn’t have him either. Her mind churned through what she knew of Nacedo’s time with the FBI. An evil grin spread across her face. Let Liz meet the FBI. No other revenge could be as sweet. Her heart jumped in glee at the brilliance of the plan. Simple, untraceable. Perfect! She turned and ran down the hill.
Flash
“NO!” She struggled fruitlessly against the bonds that snagged her wrists and ankles. Pain shot through her skin as the metal bit into her tender flesh.
“You’ll only harm yourself,” a cool, patient voice intoned, maddeningly calm in the face of her struggles. His dispassionate gaze roamed over her naked form and he place a proprietary hand just above her knee, squeezing familiarly.
New panic washed over her at her vulnerable position and she froze in fright. She was staked out on the table, completely open and naked and this man could do anything to her. Anything.
His fingers rubbed over the tender skin of her inner thigh and his mouth quirked up in amusement at the fear in her eyes. He leaned in closer and his hot breath caused a wave of nausea to roll sickeningly through her stomach. What did he want from her? Where is Max!? Her eyes jerked away and took in the white walls of the room, the white floor and ceiling, the shiny surface of one wall that she knew, absolutely knew, contained people behind it. Watching them. Watching her.
“Wha…what d-do you want from me?” She stuttered out, swinging her gaze back and forcing herself to meet this man’s eyes levelly. Mud. His eyes were the color of mud, and he looked so…normal. How was it possible that he could look so average? This man who had stolen her away and ripped her from her life? From Max.
“Just some tests. No need to panic,” his voice reflected his satisfaction at her fear and his hand slid up her leg, over her hip and rested against her still flat stomach. He leaned closer, his mouth almost touching her ear. “We know, Liz,” he hissed, his hot breath making her gag.
Flash
“She’s gone! Where the hell is she?” Max screamed in anguish. They’d been searching Roswell all night and still no sign of Liz. Max sank down into a crouch and pulled his arms over his head, rocking back on his heels, unable to process the depths of his loss.
Michael put a hand on his shoulder and squeezed tightly, tears filled his eyes as he witnessed the despair of his friend.
“I can’t feel her,” Max whispered brokenly.
TBC
EYA Part 59
He held her and stroked the hair back from her forehead, watching her too pale face, peaceful now in the unconsciousness that was her only respite from their horrifying vision. He rocked her and thought about what they had seen, forcing his mind to go over it again and again. He picked her up and curled against her on the bed and blamed himself for not being strong enough, prepared enough, to eliminate Tess from their lives when he had the chance. He kissed her cool brow and hated that he had to live like this, hated that their lives would never be normal, hated Tess with a strength and passion that rocked his soul because it was not in his nature to hate anything. He’d made a special exception for Tess.
Liz moaned and Max leaned over her, a strong comforting presence to welcome her back. He had known, of course, what she needed, and this time to herself, checking out from the world for a short while, had been as necessary as her next breath to her sanity. Another soft moan and then her body tensed as she remembered. Max rocked her as she cried against his chest and waited. His hands comforted her body, smoothing over her trembling limbs, as his whispered words of reassurance soothed her spirit. She subsided against him at last in exhaustion her hands tracing random patterns at his waist and over his pecs. Max covered the hand on his chest with his own, fingers twining with hers and pressing them against him. He lifted their joined hands and kissed her palm, closing her fingers around it, sealing it to her. His heart broke again when her glistening dark eyes met his choked with fear and hurt.
“What do we do now, Max?”
That famous question, the one no one, no one, seemed able to resist asking him, and he sighed. This time he had an answer. This time they would take action. This time no one would get hurt. He’d make sure of it.
“Now we call Michael and Isabel and let them know what we’ve learned. They can start the search while they’re on spring break and find out what they can about where she is right now,” he said softly while pouring conviction into their connection. It had to work. There was no other option to consider.
“Do you think she already told the FBI about me and the baby?” She shuddered uncontrollably in the circle of his arms and he tightened his grip around her.
“No,” he uttered with certainty. “That was a future vision. She didn’t look hurt. She looked normal in that vision. She was walking fine. She wouldn’t have had time to heal herself and get back to Roswell to the chamber because we know she was here in Vegas very recently. She’d obviously just figured out that the side effect of me using the Granolith against her like that is that it recognizes her as an enemy. It physically and psychically repulses her now that I’ve turned it on her. She can’t fly away ever. She can never go home. That’s why…” he cleared his throat and couldn’t meet her eyes, “That’s why she went after you and the baby. She wanted revenge for what I did.”
Liz turned his eyes to meet her own, now blazing with indignation that Tess could make Max feel this way. “Don’t you dare try to blame yourself again for her slimy actions! Do you hear me?”
Max nodded and smiled faintly at his biggest supporter. Liz never let anything weigh him down if she could help it, including his own guilt. She was amazing that way. Well, in a lot of ways actually. Max lowered his head and met her lips with his. His tongue slid over her slightly parted lips and entered the warm cavern of her mouth. His hands slid over her body and he moved down further on the bed to take her more fully in his arms. Their legs tangled together and their breathing accelerated into the now familiar pants of longing and excitement they incited in each other.
Liz leaned back and looked at him, lips parted and panting lightly before she spoke. “The baby is probably pretty hungry by now, huh?”
“Starving,” Max answered and dipped his mouth to taste her once again.
The next hour was for them. Spent in a blur of tangled arms and legs. The silence punctuated with moans and pants and cries of “Ah, uh, oh I love you,” and “oh baby, yeah, right…yeah, like that,” and “harder, please oh please, yeah ohh,”. Hands memorized the feel of strong thighs, soft skin, slick wetness. Mouths explored salty skin, rigid nipples, and the slow heat of another mouth, another tongue. Backs arched in the final hot culmination, pushing them closer together as they were meant to be.
^ ^ ^ ^ ^
“We should call Michael now,” Liz said, sitting cross-legged in the middle of the bed watching Max pull his clothes back on. Her hand drifted up to her mouth and she thought that this would maybe be an excellent time to start a nail-biting habit. Her lips closed over her thumb nail before she realized what she was doing and she quickly sat on her hands looking at Max sheepishly. His faint smile widened at her guilty look and he sat beside her and placed a small chaste kiss to her lips.
“I’ll call,” he volunteered and reached across her for the phone. She moved to sit beside him, their bodies pressed together from shoulder to ankle.
He dialed the familiar number and listened to it ring three times before Michael’s impatient voice answered on the other end.
“What?” Michael barked out rudely.
“Um, hello to you too,” Max rolled his eyes at Liz and mouthed the word rude to Liz. She nodded and reflected she wouldn’t have expected any less of Michael. She thought of Maria and wondered what they might have interrupted.
“Max?” Michael’s tone switched immediately to one of concern. “Has something happened? Why are you calling here while you’re on your honeymoon?”
“Yeah, something’s happened. We found out where Tess stayed for a few days and found an object there that gave Liz a flash of the future, and it doesn’t look good, so we need you and Isabel to do some sleuthing around Vegas while you’re on break,” Max answered tersely.
“Vegas?” Michael answered uncertainly. It had been fun before when they’d had the money and all, but how were they supposed to manage it now? “You want us to call in sick for a week and tramp all over Las Vegas looking for Tess? That’s a big city, Maxwell. You got a way to narrow that down a bit?”
Max sighed. Michael only really ever called him Maxwell when he was feeling annoyed or put upon by Max.
“Tess is going to tip off the FBI that Liz is pregnant and let her get captured and tortured,” Max told him bluntly.
The shocked silence on the other end of the phone was expected, as was the stream of shouted obscenities that poured from Michael’s mouth. Max held the phone away from his ear and stared at Liz’s rolling eyes and half smile until the noise level dimmed somewhat on the other end. Tentatively he placed the phone back to his ear in time to hear, “…fucking bitch thinks she can mess with us again! When do you need us there?”
“Well, you guys can start the investigation from home. Do like Liz and I did. Start calling hotels and describe her and the car she’s driving and see if anyone’s seen her. Pretend to be a concerned relative or something so they’ll give you information. Remember that she’s mind-warping them at check-in, so they won’t see her injuries.”
“Yeah, okay. I’ll call Isabel and we’ll start today. I think I’ll go over to your house and we can use that as our base of operations until we take off for Vegas. We’ll report our progress to you every night.”
Max liked that Michael was already planning strategy and wondered if his friend realized that he was clicking into second-in-command mode. Protector of innocents.
“Sounds good.” Max gave Michael the phone number they were at and told him goodbye. Liz hugged him tight.
“Do you think we should head back now?”
“No!” Max tightened his arms around her. “You’re safer here for right now, and you’re exhausted from all this. Michael and Isabel will do everything they can and keep us posted with their progress. You are going to rest and relax and have a good time with your husband for the rest of this trip. Is that understood?” He gave her his sternest look.
“Yes, sir,” she saluted facetiously and then rolled away to avoid his tickling hands.
^ ^ ^ ^ ^
Michael hung up the phone on his end and faced Maria, who had remained remarkably quiet through the entire conversation with Max. Especially considering Michael’s uncontrolled outburst of obscenities.
“What’s going on, Michael?” Her tone was as calm as she could make it under the circumstances, but her arms were crossed and her expression serious.
Michael raked a hand through his already messy hair and looked at her. She’d find out anyway. She was persistent like that.
“Liz had another vision, and we need to find Tess right away so we can make sure it doesn’t happen,” he answered her truthfully. His fingers trembled slightly as he tried to work the buttons on his shirt. Maria swept his fumbling fingers to the side and fastened them back together for him. She ran her hands through her hair and straightened her own top, looking down to make sure she was presentable.
“Let’s go,” she said and opened the door.
“No. Just me and Isabel are going to do this,” Michael demurred.
“I don’t think so, Spaceboy,” Maria contradicted. “You need my skills and it never hurts to have another person to rely on in a crisis,” she asserted. She raised one slim eyebrow in an inquiring arch that dared him to tell her no again. Michael was a smart man, and getting smarter every day. He shrugged his shoulders and led the way out of the apartment.
TBC
He held her and stroked the hair back from her forehead, watching her too pale face, peaceful now in the unconsciousness that was her only respite from their horrifying vision. He rocked her and thought about what they had seen, forcing his mind to go over it again and again. He picked her up and curled against her on the bed and blamed himself for not being strong enough, prepared enough, to eliminate Tess from their lives when he had the chance. He kissed her cool brow and hated that he had to live like this, hated that their lives would never be normal, hated Tess with a strength and passion that rocked his soul because it was not in his nature to hate anything. He’d made a special exception for Tess.
Liz moaned and Max leaned over her, a strong comforting presence to welcome her back. He had known, of course, what she needed, and this time to herself, checking out from the world for a short while, had been as necessary as her next breath to her sanity. Another soft moan and then her body tensed as she remembered. Max rocked her as she cried against his chest and waited. His hands comforted her body, smoothing over her trembling limbs, as his whispered words of reassurance soothed her spirit. She subsided against him at last in exhaustion her hands tracing random patterns at his waist and over his pecs. Max covered the hand on his chest with his own, fingers twining with hers and pressing them against him. He lifted their joined hands and kissed her palm, closing her fingers around it, sealing it to her. His heart broke again when her glistening dark eyes met his choked with fear and hurt.
“What do we do now, Max?”
That famous question, the one no one, no one, seemed able to resist asking him, and he sighed. This time he had an answer. This time they would take action. This time no one would get hurt. He’d make sure of it.
“Now we call Michael and Isabel and let them know what we’ve learned. They can start the search while they’re on spring break and find out what they can about where she is right now,” he said softly while pouring conviction into their connection. It had to work. There was no other option to consider.
“Do you think she already told the FBI about me and the baby?” She shuddered uncontrollably in the circle of his arms and he tightened his grip around her.
“No,” he uttered with certainty. “That was a future vision. She didn’t look hurt. She looked normal in that vision. She was walking fine. She wouldn’t have had time to heal herself and get back to Roswell to the chamber because we know she was here in Vegas very recently. She’d obviously just figured out that the side effect of me using the Granolith against her like that is that it recognizes her as an enemy. It physically and psychically repulses her now that I’ve turned it on her. She can’t fly away ever. She can never go home. That’s why…” he cleared his throat and couldn’t meet her eyes, “That’s why she went after you and the baby. She wanted revenge for what I did.”
Liz turned his eyes to meet her own, now blazing with indignation that Tess could make Max feel this way. “Don’t you dare try to blame yourself again for her slimy actions! Do you hear me?”
Max nodded and smiled faintly at his biggest supporter. Liz never let anything weigh him down if she could help it, including his own guilt. She was amazing that way. Well, in a lot of ways actually. Max lowered his head and met her lips with his. His tongue slid over her slightly parted lips and entered the warm cavern of her mouth. His hands slid over her body and he moved down further on the bed to take her more fully in his arms. Their legs tangled together and their breathing accelerated into the now familiar pants of longing and excitement they incited in each other.
Liz leaned back and looked at him, lips parted and panting lightly before she spoke. “The baby is probably pretty hungry by now, huh?”
“Starving,” Max answered and dipped his mouth to taste her once again.
The next hour was for them. Spent in a blur of tangled arms and legs. The silence punctuated with moans and pants and cries of “Ah, uh, oh I love you,” and “oh baby, yeah, right…yeah, like that,” and “harder, please oh please, yeah ohh,”. Hands memorized the feel of strong thighs, soft skin, slick wetness. Mouths explored salty skin, rigid nipples, and the slow heat of another mouth, another tongue. Backs arched in the final hot culmination, pushing them closer together as they were meant to be.
^ ^ ^ ^ ^
“We should call Michael now,” Liz said, sitting cross-legged in the middle of the bed watching Max pull his clothes back on. Her hand drifted up to her mouth and she thought that this would maybe be an excellent time to start a nail-biting habit. Her lips closed over her thumb nail before she realized what she was doing and she quickly sat on her hands looking at Max sheepishly. His faint smile widened at her guilty look and he sat beside her and placed a small chaste kiss to her lips.
“I’ll call,” he volunteered and reached across her for the phone. She moved to sit beside him, their bodies pressed together from shoulder to ankle.
He dialed the familiar number and listened to it ring three times before Michael’s impatient voice answered on the other end.
“What?” Michael barked out rudely.
“Um, hello to you too,” Max rolled his eyes at Liz and mouthed the word rude to Liz. She nodded and reflected she wouldn’t have expected any less of Michael. She thought of Maria and wondered what they might have interrupted.
“Max?” Michael’s tone switched immediately to one of concern. “Has something happened? Why are you calling here while you’re on your honeymoon?”
“Yeah, something’s happened. We found out where Tess stayed for a few days and found an object there that gave Liz a flash of the future, and it doesn’t look good, so we need you and Isabel to do some sleuthing around Vegas while you’re on break,” Max answered tersely.
“Vegas?” Michael answered uncertainly. It had been fun before when they’d had the money and all, but how were they supposed to manage it now? “You want us to call in sick for a week and tramp all over Las Vegas looking for Tess? That’s a big city, Maxwell. You got a way to narrow that down a bit?”
Max sighed. Michael only really ever called him Maxwell when he was feeling annoyed or put upon by Max.
“Tess is going to tip off the FBI that Liz is pregnant and let her get captured and tortured,” Max told him bluntly.
The shocked silence on the other end of the phone was expected, as was the stream of shouted obscenities that poured from Michael’s mouth. Max held the phone away from his ear and stared at Liz’s rolling eyes and half smile until the noise level dimmed somewhat on the other end. Tentatively he placed the phone back to his ear in time to hear, “…fucking bitch thinks she can mess with us again! When do you need us there?”
“Well, you guys can start the investigation from home. Do like Liz and I did. Start calling hotels and describe her and the car she’s driving and see if anyone’s seen her. Pretend to be a concerned relative or something so they’ll give you information. Remember that she’s mind-warping them at check-in, so they won’t see her injuries.”
“Yeah, okay. I’ll call Isabel and we’ll start today. I think I’ll go over to your house and we can use that as our base of operations until we take off for Vegas. We’ll report our progress to you every night.”
Max liked that Michael was already planning strategy and wondered if his friend realized that he was clicking into second-in-command mode. Protector of innocents.
“Sounds good.” Max gave Michael the phone number they were at and told him goodbye. Liz hugged him tight.
“Do you think we should head back now?”
“No!” Max tightened his arms around her. “You’re safer here for right now, and you’re exhausted from all this. Michael and Isabel will do everything they can and keep us posted with their progress. You are going to rest and relax and have a good time with your husband for the rest of this trip. Is that understood?” He gave her his sternest look.
“Yes, sir,” she saluted facetiously and then rolled away to avoid his tickling hands.
^ ^ ^ ^ ^
Michael hung up the phone on his end and faced Maria, who had remained remarkably quiet through the entire conversation with Max. Especially considering Michael’s uncontrolled outburst of obscenities.
“What’s going on, Michael?” Her tone was as calm as she could make it under the circumstances, but her arms were crossed and her expression serious.
Michael raked a hand through his already messy hair and looked at her. She’d find out anyway. She was persistent like that.
“Liz had another vision, and we need to find Tess right away so we can make sure it doesn’t happen,” he answered her truthfully. His fingers trembled slightly as he tried to work the buttons on his shirt. Maria swept his fumbling fingers to the side and fastened them back together for him. She ran her hands through her hair and straightened her own top, looking down to make sure she was presentable.
“Let’s go,” she said and opened the door.
“No. Just me and Isabel are going to do this,” Michael demurred.
“I don’t think so, Spaceboy,” Maria contradicted. “You need my skills and it never hurts to have another person to rely on in a crisis,” she asserted. She raised one slim eyebrow in an inquiring arch that dared him to tell her no again. Michael was a smart man, and getting smarter every day. He shrugged his shoulders and led the way out of the apartment.
TBC
EYA Part 60
Max made sure Liz relaxed for the remainder of the day keeping her mind away from the horrifying vision they had shared. They walked the beach holding hands, breathed in the ocean air and finally, finally, relaxed enough to laugh and enjoy each other’s company in a way they had not been able to for quite awhile. They ordered room service and fed each other tidbits as they laughed some more and waited for Michael’s call to update them on the progress of the investigation.
Liz’s body stiffened when the phone rang at about seven o’clock and she motioned for Max to pick it up.
“Hello?”
“Hey there, Max! How’s it goin’?” Maria’s laid back greeting and easy manner calmed Max immediately.
“Good. It’s good so far. Did you guys find anything out yet?”
“Well, we’ve got Alex on the computer going over all the hotels, motels, and no-tells that are listed in Vegas. We’ve been systematically going through them, and trying to see if anyone recognizes her from our description. Isabel, Kyle, Michael, and I are posing as her brothers or sisters and pretending to be concerned for her health and well-being, but so far no one recognizes her from our description. Do you think she changed her hair or the color of the car?” Maria asked curiously.
Max thought for a moment, shaking his head at Liz’s inquiring look. Liz slumped back against the headboard and watched as Max continued to exchange information with Maria.
“Um, I really don’t think that she has the resources right now to change the color of the car. Her powers were really low and she’s using them for pain control as much as she can which is very draining. She may be able to get enough power to change her hair color, that’s pretty simple, but I don’t know if she’s thought about that. She’s kinda preoccupied with everything else right now. She still thinks Isabel and I are dead, so the only people that she’d think would come after her would be Michael and Valenti, and she doesn’t know that we know she’s in Vegas. Right now she’s just trying not to act suspicious in front of hotel personnel. She doesn’t want anyone knowing she’s hurt or reporting her injuries to authorities. It’s gonna take her a long time to heal, so she’s probably trying to find someplace that she can rent for a month or two.”
“We’ve thought of that. We’re calling all the hotels that have monthly or long term rates listed first, and then we’ll backtrack to some of the others. Kyle thought he had a lead earlier, but we called the room and it definitely was not Tess that answered so…Does she know how to change her voice?”
“No. I’ve never heard her do anything like that, and when I connected with her awhile back to see what useful powers she had that we would need I didn’t see anything like that.”
“Okay, well I don’t want to keep you. I just wanted to let you know that we’re working on it and to tell you two that we’re all here doing everything we can. Enjoy yourselves and we’ll call about the same time tomorrow to give you a progress report. Can I talk to Liz real quick?”
“Sure.” Max handed the phone to Liz.
“Hey,” Liz answered softly.
“Hey, yourself,” Maria responded brightly. “What’s shakin’? You keepin’ that hot husband of yours busy?”
Liz felt a smile quirk her lips and nodded, forgetting that Maria couldn’t see her. “You know it!”
“Yeah, I’ve seen it!” Maria laughed, picturing the rosy flush on her friends face.
Max watched Liz grow more animated and the color that flooded her cheeks as she blushed and shyly stole a glance at him. It warmed his heart that they had such great friends that would take care of them physically and emotionally in a crisis. Liz was laughing by the time she hung up ten minutes later.
Max clapped his hands together with a loud smack and rubbed his palms smiling brightly.
“I’ve got a surprise for you,” he teased her with the light of laughter in his eyes.
Liz tilted her head to the side and enjoyed the boyish glee that shone from Max’s face. She leaned toward him with her hands out and wriggled her fingers in a ‘gimme’ gesture. “What is it? What is it? Show me what you got!”
“Ah ah ahh,” Max walked backwards and wagged his finger at her as he headed toward the closet where he had hidden his gift to her in his suitcase. “Patience! It’s a virtue you know.”
“Yeah, yeah. How long have you known me? Us? We have no patience! Now give it up!” Liz started to move off the bed toward him.
Max pulled out the suitcase and crouched down with his back to her to unzip it. Liz sat back on the bed and admired the way his tight jeans pulled over his butt like a second skin, the way his lean muscles bunched and relaxed under the smooth fabric. Maybe her present could wait after all. She licked her lips and sent sexy thoughts his way.
Max turned his head around and blinked up at her in surprise. “Liz! Just what do you have on your mind?”
Liz moved off the bed and approached him, hooded eyes darkened with passion. Her hands smoothed over his shoulders and she leaned against his back as she captured his lips in a tender kiss that grew more passionate as he turned more fully to face her. His hand reached up to touch her face and he moved her around to straddle his lap. Her gift slid to the floor beside them and the faint noise distracted Liz for a moment. She saw something bright red flash in the corner of her eye and she broke the kiss to look more closely. A small gasp escaped her lips and she reached for the gift.
“Do you like it?” Max asked shyly. He’d never bought anything like it before. He’d counseled with Maria on size, but the color and cut were all from him.
Liz held up the red leather pants and ran her hands over the soft texture. She scrambled up off his lap and pulled her shorts off quickly. The sleek leather slid over her like a second skin and reached to just cover her hips. Her hands ran down the sides and she twisted around to check out how they looked.
“How do they lo…?” Liz started before she saw his expression and the slackened jaw that gave her the answer.
She smiled and turned a full circle for him, swaying her hips beguilingly. “I guess that answers my question. How did you know I’d love something like this?” She asked him curiously.
“I just, I…I guess I just thought that since you enjoyed me so much in leather that I’d like the same thing on you, but dang, girl! You look fine! I’ve always known you had a wild side hidden deep within! Turn around again,” he requested, eyes darkening with passion. Liz complied with a laugh and then sank down straddling his lap again.
Giving him a soft thank-you kiss she leaned back in his arms and enjoyed the closeness. Max kissed her again and remembered that he had more for her. Shaking himself to come back to attention he reached around her into the suitcase and pulled out a short black leather jacket that had a wide buckle in the front. Liz ahh’d in delight and immediately put that on as well. She tugged him to his feet and urged him to dress also.
“We have to go somewhere!” She practically floated in her excitement.
Max pulled out his own leather pants and a snug dark gray sweater. Liz looked him over approvingly and nodded her head.
“We look hot!” she finally concluded, walking around Max to check the view from the back, just to watch him blush at her overt appraisal of his ‘attributes’.
Max gave her a hug and a quick kiss. “I thought we’d go dancing. I had the concierge recommend a couple of clubs, and I know you like to dance, soo…”
Liz hugged him again and danced out of his embrace. “Let’s go! Let’s go!”
^ ^ ^ ^ ^
The music was so loud that it pulsed out onto the sidewalk outside the club and their feet were already tapping to the rhythm as they waited to get in. Once inside it was dark, with lights flashing everywhere and people danced and tried to talk all around them.
‘This internal communication should help out in here!’ Liz sent to Max.
He shook his head and smiled back at her, ‘Would you like to dance?’ he asked her, knowing the answer already since her hips were already swaying to the beat and they hadn’t even touched the dance floor yet. Max put his hands over her hips and walked behind her onto the crowded space reserved for dancing. They garnered many glances of interest as they passed by, this hot young couple, but people turned away with a smile as they saw the obvious connection and love that bound them. No chance there tonight.
Max turned Liz into his embrace and her arms went over his shoulders as their hips matched a rhythm they were both intimately familiar with. Max left one hand on her hip and lost himself to the music and the moment.
^ ^ ^ ^ ^
One pair of interested eyes watched Liz very closely from the safety of the bar. He licked his suddenly dry lips as he watched them grind together on the dance floor and silently made a plan. A satisfied grin spread across his face and he knew what to do.
^ ^ ^ ^ ^
Liz laughed as she sank into a stool at the bar and gave Max a short wave as he walked away. He was making a quick pit stop while she ordered him a Cherry Coke at the bar. She caught the attention of the bartender and he came right over, leaning in close to hear her.
“What’ll it be, pretty lady?” His smile was blinding, but Liz barely noticed, she had her own man.
“Um, give me a large Cherry Coke and some water please,” she had to raise her voice to be heard over the booming vibrations of the music.
The man tapped the bar lightly with his fingers once and smiled again, this one was obviously taken. He moved off to get her drinks, swiftly returning to slide them across the bar to her.
“Enjoy your evening,” he smiled one more time and left. Liz turned and took a quick sip of the cola and turned back to watch the other dancers on the floor while she waited for Max, body swaying to the beat.
“Hi,” a new voice shouted in her ear.
Liz turned, startled at the unexpected intrusion, and nodded her head politely at the tall blond man who’d slid onto a stool next to her.
“Having fun tonight?” He persisted.
Liz gave him one more glance and turned back to look toward the bathrooms. She didn’t see the man slipping something into her Coke while her back was turned.
“I saw you dancing out there. You move real well,” he continued, trying to catch her attention.
She turned back to him in annoyance. If he’d seen her out there then he saw that she had danced with the same man all night. “Um, thanks, I guess. I’m just waiting for…”
“Here,” he slid the Coke closer to her, “you look thirsty. Have a drink and we can dance.”
Liz shook her head, annoyed again. Didn’t this man get it? “I’m waiting for my…”
“Husband,” Max interjected, shooting the blond man an evil glance as he slid his arm around Liz. He reached around her and grabbed his Coke taking a large drink and wedging himself between Liz and the man that was irritating her.
“Is this man bothering you, baby?” He whispered close to her ear. Liz nuzzled into his neck and didn’t see the man slink away after watching Max drink the drugged liquid.
“Not anymore,” she answered, leaning up for a quick kiss. She hopped to the floor and took his hand. “Let’s dance!” She laughed at his pained expression. He reached back and took another large gulp before smiling widely and letting her lead the way. They got out to the middle of the floor and she moved in close to him to dance again, breathing in his fresh spicy scent with satisfaction. They were so close that Liz’s arms caught him when he swayed to the side and almost fell to the floor. Her eyes shot to meet his dazed expression and she automatically sought to make a connection to find out what was wrong with him.
Max raised a hand to his head and tried to remain upright. “I don’t feel so good, Liz,” he whispered.
If not for the connection Liz would never have heard him. His mind was a jumble of confusion and dizzy thoughts that drifted lazily through to her. He couldn’t focus on anything for more than a second and Liz had to break the connection and shake her head to rid herself of the effects. She hitched her shoulder up under his arm more securely and forged a way out to the sidewalk. Max gulped in heaving breaths of fresh air and leaned against the building while Liz hailed a cab. She maneuvered him into the back seat and he slumped against her and closed his eyes while she gave the driver directions to their hotel. She let the man assume Max was drunk while her mind raced to figure out what could have happened.
Max had been fine until right before they danced again. He was too confused, too disoriented for exhaustion or dehydration to have this kind of effect, and besides, he’d just had a drink at the bar. The bar.
Liz’s eyes widened and flew to Max. That persistent man at the bar had thought he could get with her and had assumed the drink she had sipped from was hers. Max’s alien physiology couldn’t handle any kind of alcohol or drug. They hit him especially hard. She wracked her brain to figure out how much he had ingested. Two sips. Large ones.
The cab slid to a stop and she roused Max enough to get his uncoordinated cooperation as she maneuvered him up to their room. She laid him out on the bed and he immediately curled onto his side and light snores emanated from him in less than two minutes. She smoothed his hair to the side and got up to wet a washcloth and run it over his face. He didn’t rouse from his slumber at all and she shook him slightly. He mumbled but would not open his eyes. Worry etched her features and she dialed the number at Michael’s. It rang and rang with no answer. She hung up in frustration before remembering they had all been over at the Evans’ working to find Tess. Maybe they were still there. She dialed again and the phone rang once before it was picked up by Michael.
“Talk to me,” he barked into the phone, impatience ringing through the line to her.
“Michael! I think Max was drugged at this club we were at tonight! What do I do?” Liz’s panic was clear.
“Drugged? What happened? Is there anyone after you? Are you someplace safe? How’s Max??” Michael’s voice rose with every question and the other’s gathered around him at the tone of his questions.
“He’s passed out here in our hotel room. I think he’s just sleeping, but I can’t wake him up. There was this guy…I think that he slipped something into my drink, but it was really Max’s drink and he drank some and right after…”
“Slow down, Liz. It’s gonna be okay.” Michael needed to reduce her panic and figure out what they could do. “Do you think it was like that date rape drug?”
“Yeah, I guess. Probably, yes. What do I do, Michael?” She regulated her breathing and her knuckles turned white over the handset of the phone as she let Michael’s new calm transmit to her. He was all business now.
“Did you make a connection with him? Can you tell if he’s in any distress?” Liz shook her head, forgetting Michael couldn’t see her.
“I’ll try that again. I’m gonna set the phone down for a minute.” She did so and sat on the bed. She placed her hand over his temple and reached out for Max. His mind was at rest, dreaming and peaceful. She moved around a little and found blocks over parts of his brain that affected motor control and free will. She nudged at them, but was scared that she would do damage since this was not her power. Her nudges did nothing anyway and she slipped out of the connection in frustration and picked up the phone.
“He’s definitely drugged. It seems like his free will is gone, but he’s resting peacefully. What should I do?” Her frustration edged through her tone.
“He’s not in pain or anything?”
“No, not at all,” she whispered as tears filled her eyes.
“Let’s let him sleep it off. Watch him close and make sure nothing changes though and call us if anything weird happens. Should we come out there?”
“No. I’ll just watch him tonight,” she decided, happy that Michael was making decisions for her right now and grateful for his steady voice. “And, Michael?”
“Yeah?”
“Thanks.” Liz hung up the phone and curled herself around Max. He didn’t even move to curl into her and that hurt. It had always been so instinctive asleep or awake. She ran her hand over his side and prepared to wait.
Hours later she was hit with the fever. She moaned and watched Max some more, seeing if it affected him. His brow shone with a faint sheen of sweat and his skin flushed, but she still couldn’t wake him. She lay back in frustration and her eyes fell on the phone. She reached out for it, knowing she needed to warn Michael.
One ring and Michael’s anxious voice filled the line.
“Liz? How is he? What’s the matter?”
“Michael, he’s the same,” she sighed and forced herself to continue. “Michael? I’m so sorry. The fever…its started and I can’t wake him up.” She heard a faint gasp on the other end of the line as her implication sank in. “I’m so sorry, but we’re going to have to wait it out and I wanted to warn you I don’t know how long it’ll be. If he doesn’t come around in a few hours I’ll call you back and you may have to come down here.” She paused for another shaky breath, “I’m sorry, Michael.”
Shocked silence was the only response.
TBC
Max made sure Liz relaxed for the remainder of the day keeping her mind away from the horrifying vision they had shared. They walked the beach holding hands, breathed in the ocean air and finally, finally, relaxed enough to laugh and enjoy each other’s company in a way they had not been able to for quite awhile. They ordered room service and fed each other tidbits as they laughed some more and waited for Michael’s call to update them on the progress of the investigation.
Liz’s body stiffened when the phone rang at about seven o’clock and she motioned for Max to pick it up.
“Hello?”
“Hey there, Max! How’s it goin’?” Maria’s laid back greeting and easy manner calmed Max immediately.
“Good. It’s good so far. Did you guys find anything out yet?”
“Well, we’ve got Alex on the computer going over all the hotels, motels, and no-tells that are listed in Vegas. We’ve been systematically going through them, and trying to see if anyone recognizes her from our description. Isabel, Kyle, Michael, and I are posing as her brothers or sisters and pretending to be concerned for her health and well-being, but so far no one recognizes her from our description. Do you think she changed her hair or the color of the car?” Maria asked curiously.
Max thought for a moment, shaking his head at Liz’s inquiring look. Liz slumped back against the headboard and watched as Max continued to exchange information with Maria.
“Um, I really don’t think that she has the resources right now to change the color of the car. Her powers were really low and she’s using them for pain control as much as she can which is very draining. She may be able to get enough power to change her hair color, that’s pretty simple, but I don’t know if she’s thought about that. She’s kinda preoccupied with everything else right now. She still thinks Isabel and I are dead, so the only people that she’d think would come after her would be Michael and Valenti, and she doesn’t know that we know she’s in Vegas. Right now she’s just trying not to act suspicious in front of hotel personnel. She doesn’t want anyone knowing she’s hurt or reporting her injuries to authorities. It’s gonna take her a long time to heal, so she’s probably trying to find someplace that she can rent for a month or two.”
“We’ve thought of that. We’re calling all the hotels that have monthly or long term rates listed first, and then we’ll backtrack to some of the others. Kyle thought he had a lead earlier, but we called the room and it definitely was not Tess that answered so…Does she know how to change her voice?”
“No. I’ve never heard her do anything like that, and when I connected with her awhile back to see what useful powers she had that we would need I didn’t see anything like that.”
“Okay, well I don’t want to keep you. I just wanted to let you know that we’re working on it and to tell you two that we’re all here doing everything we can. Enjoy yourselves and we’ll call about the same time tomorrow to give you a progress report. Can I talk to Liz real quick?”
“Sure.” Max handed the phone to Liz.
“Hey,” Liz answered softly.
“Hey, yourself,” Maria responded brightly. “What’s shakin’? You keepin’ that hot husband of yours busy?”
Liz felt a smile quirk her lips and nodded, forgetting that Maria couldn’t see her. “You know it!”
“Yeah, I’ve seen it!” Maria laughed, picturing the rosy flush on her friends face.
Max watched Liz grow more animated and the color that flooded her cheeks as she blushed and shyly stole a glance at him. It warmed his heart that they had such great friends that would take care of them physically and emotionally in a crisis. Liz was laughing by the time she hung up ten minutes later.
Max clapped his hands together with a loud smack and rubbed his palms smiling brightly.
“I’ve got a surprise for you,” he teased her with the light of laughter in his eyes.
Liz tilted her head to the side and enjoyed the boyish glee that shone from Max’s face. She leaned toward him with her hands out and wriggled her fingers in a ‘gimme’ gesture. “What is it? What is it? Show me what you got!”
“Ah ah ahh,” Max walked backwards and wagged his finger at her as he headed toward the closet where he had hidden his gift to her in his suitcase. “Patience! It’s a virtue you know.”
“Yeah, yeah. How long have you known me? Us? We have no patience! Now give it up!” Liz started to move off the bed toward him.
Max pulled out the suitcase and crouched down with his back to her to unzip it. Liz sat back on the bed and admired the way his tight jeans pulled over his butt like a second skin, the way his lean muscles bunched and relaxed under the smooth fabric. Maybe her present could wait after all. She licked her lips and sent sexy thoughts his way.
Max turned his head around and blinked up at her in surprise. “Liz! Just what do you have on your mind?”
Liz moved off the bed and approached him, hooded eyes darkened with passion. Her hands smoothed over his shoulders and she leaned against his back as she captured his lips in a tender kiss that grew more passionate as he turned more fully to face her. His hand reached up to touch her face and he moved her around to straddle his lap. Her gift slid to the floor beside them and the faint noise distracted Liz for a moment. She saw something bright red flash in the corner of her eye and she broke the kiss to look more closely. A small gasp escaped her lips and she reached for the gift.
“Do you like it?” Max asked shyly. He’d never bought anything like it before. He’d counseled with Maria on size, but the color and cut were all from him.
Liz held up the red leather pants and ran her hands over the soft texture. She scrambled up off his lap and pulled her shorts off quickly. The sleek leather slid over her like a second skin and reached to just cover her hips. Her hands ran down the sides and she twisted around to check out how they looked.
“How do they lo…?” Liz started before she saw his expression and the slackened jaw that gave her the answer.
She smiled and turned a full circle for him, swaying her hips beguilingly. “I guess that answers my question. How did you know I’d love something like this?” She asked him curiously.
“I just, I…I guess I just thought that since you enjoyed me so much in leather that I’d like the same thing on you, but dang, girl! You look fine! I’ve always known you had a wild side hidden deep within! Turn around again,” he requested, eyes darkening with passion. Liz complied with a laugh and then sank down straddling his lap again.
Giving him a soft thank-you kiss she leaned back in his arms and enjoyed the closeness. Max kissed her again and remembered that he had more for her. Shaking himself to come back to attention he reached around her into the suitcase and pulled out a short black leather jacket that had a wide buckle in the front. Liz ahh’d in delight and immediately put that on as well. She tugged him to his feet and urged him to dress also.
“We have to go somewhere!” She practically floated in her excitement.
Max pulled out his own leather pants and a snug dark gray sweater. Liz looked him over approvingly and nodded her head.
“We look hot!” she finally concluded, walking around Max to check the view from the back, just to watch him blush at her overt appraisal of his ‘attributes’.
Max gave her a hug and a quick kiss. “I thought we’d go dancing. I had the concierge recommend a couple of clubs, and I know you like to dance, soo…”
Liz hugged him again and danced out of his embrace. “Let’s go! Let’s go!”
^ ^ ^ ^ ^
The music was so loud that it pulsed out onto the sidewalk outside the club and their feet were already tapping to the rhythm as they waited to get in. Once inside it was dark, with lights flashing everywhere and people danced and tried to talk all around them.
‘This internal communication should help out in here!’ Liz sent to Max.
He shook his head and smiled back at her, ‘Would you like to dance?’ he asked her, knowing the answer already since her hips were already swaying to the beat and they hadn’t even touched the dance floor yet. Max put his hands over her hips and walked behind her onto the crowded space reserved for dancing. They garnered many glances of interest as they passed by, this hot young couple, but people turned away with a smile as they saw the obvious connection and love that bound them. No chance there tonight.
Max turned Liz into his embrace and her arms went over his shoulders as their hips matched a rhythm they were both intimately familiar with. Max left one hand on her hip and lost himself to the music and the moment.
^ ^ ^ ^ ^
One pair of interested eyes watched Liz very closely from the safety of the bar. He licked his suddenly dry lips as he watched them grind together on the dance floor and silently made a plan. A satisfied grin spread across his face and he knew what to do.
^ ^ ^ ^ ^
Liz laughed as she sank into a stool at the bar and gave Max a short wave as he walked away. He was making a quick pit stop while she ordered him a Cherry Coke at the bar. She caught the attention of the bartender and he came right over, leaning in close to hear her.
“What’ll it be, pretty lady?” His smile was blinding, but Liz barely noticed, she had her own man.
“Um, give me a large Cherry Coke and some water please,” she had to raise her voice to be heard over the booming vibrations of the music.
The man tapped the bar lightly with his fingers once and smiled again, this one was obviously taken. He moved off to get her drinks, swiftly returning to slide them across the bar to her.
“Enjoy your evening,” he smiled one more time and left. Liz turned and took a quick sip of the cola and turned back to watch the other dancers on the floor while she waited for Max, body swaying to the beat.
“Hi,” a new voice shouted in her ear.
Liz turned, startled at the unexpected intrusion, and nodded her head politely at the tall blond man who’d slid onto a stool next to her.
“Having fun tonight?” He persisted.
Liz gave him one more glance and turned back to look toward the bathrooms. She didn’t see the man slipping something into her Coke while her back was turned.
“I saw you dancing out there. You move real well,” he continued, trying to catch her attention.
She turned back to him in annoyance. If he’d seen her out there then he saw that she had danced with the same man all night. “Um, thanks, I guess. I’m just waiting for…”
“Here,” he slid the Coke closer to her, “you look thirsty. Have a drink and we can dance.”
Liz shook her head, annoyed again. Didn’t this man get it? “I’m waiting for my…”
“Husband,” Max interjected, shooting the blond man an evil glance as he slid his arm around Liz. He reached around her and grabbed his Coke taking a large drink and wedging himself between Liz and the man that was irritating her.
“Is this man bothering you, baby?” He whispered close to her ear. Liz nuzzled into his neck and didn’t see the man slink away after watching Max drink the drugged liquid.
“Not anymore,” she answered, leaning up for a quick kiss. She hopped to the floor and took his hand. “Let’s dance!” She laughed at his pained expression. He reached back and took another large gulp before smiling widely and letting her lead the way. They got out to the middle of the floor and she moved in close to him to dance again, breathing in his fresh spicy scent with satisfaction. They were so close that Liz’s arms caught him when he swayed to the side and almost fell to the floor. Her eyes shot to meet his dazed expression and she automatically sought to make a connection to find out what was wrong with him.
Max raised a hand to his head and tried to remain upright. “I don’t feel so good, Liz,” he whispered.
If not for the connection Liz would never have heard him. His mind was a jumble of confusion and dizzy thoughts that drifted lazily through to her. He couldn’t focus on anything for more than a second and Liz had to break the connection and shake her head to rid herself of the effects. She hitched her shoulder up under his arm more securely and forged a way out to the sidewalk. Max gulped in heaving breaths of fresh air and leaned against the building while Liz hailed a cab. She maneuvered him into the back seat and he slumped against her and closed his eyes while she gave the driver directions to their hotel. She let the man assume Max was drunk while her mind raced to figure out what could have happened.
Max had been fine until right before they danced again. He was too confused, too disoriented for exhaustion or dehydration to have this kind of effect, and besides, he’d just had a drink at the bar. The bar.
Liz’s eyes widened and flew to Max. That persistent man at the bar had thought he could get with her and had assumed the drink she had sipped from was hers. Max’s alien physiology couldn’t handle any kind of alcohol or drug. They hit him especially hard. She wracked her brain to figure out how much he had ingested. Two sips. Large ones.
The cab slid to a stop and she roused Max enough to get his uncoordinated cooperation as she maneuvered him up to their room. She laid him out on the bed and he immediately curled onto his side and light snores emanated from him in less than two minutes. She smoothed his hair to the side and got up to wet a washcloth and run it over his face. He didn’t rouse from his slumber at all and she shook him slightly. He mumbled but would not open his eyes. Worry etched her features and she dialed the number at Michael’s. It rang and rang with no answer. She hung up in frustration before remembering they had all been over at the Evans’ working to find Tess. Maybe they were still there. She dialed again and the phone rang once before it was picked up by Michael.
“Talk to me,” he barked into the phone, impatience ringing through the line to her.
“Michael! I think Max was drugged at this club we were at tonight! What do I do?” Liz’s panic was clear.
“Drugged? What happened? Is there anyone after you? Are you someplace safe? How’s Max??” Michael’s voice rose with every question and the other’s gathered around him at the tone of his questions.
“He’s passed out here in our hotel room. I think he’s just sleeping, but I can’t wake him up. There was this guy…I think that he slipped something into my drink, but it was really Max’s drink and he drank some and right after…”
“Slow down, Liz. It’s gonna be okay.” Michael needed to reduce her panic and figure out what they could do. “Do you think it was like that date rape drug?”
“Yeah, I guess. Probably, yes. What do I do, Michael?” She regulated her breathing and her knuckles turned white over the handset of the phone as she let Michael’s new calm transmit to her. He was all business now.
“Did you make a connection with him? Can you tell if he’s in any distress?” Liz shook her head, forgetting Michael couldn’t see her.
“I’ll try that again. I’m gonna set the phone down for a minute.” She did so and sat on the bed. She placed her hand over his temple and reached out for Max. His mind was at rest, dreaming and peaceful. She moved around a little and found blocks over parts of his brain that affected motor control and free will. She nudged at them, but was scared that she would do damage since this was not her power. Her nudges did nothing anyway and she slipped out of the connection in frustration and picked up the phone.
“He’s definitely drugged. It seems like his free will is gone, but he’s resting peacefully. What should I do?” Her frustration edged through her tone.
“He’s not in pain or anything?”
“No, not at all,” she whispered as tears filled her eyes.
“Let’s let him sleep it off. Watch him close and make sure nothing changes though and call us if anything weird happens. Should we come out there?”
“No. I’ll just watch him tonight,” she decided, happy that Michael was making decisions for her right now and grateful for his steady voice. “And, Michael?”
“Yeah?”
“Thanks.” Liz hung up the phone and curled herself around Max. He didn’t even move to curl into her and that hurt. It had always been so instinctive asleep or awake. She ran her hand over his side and prepared to wait.
Hours later she was hit with the fever. She moaned and watched Max some more, seeing if it affected him. His brow shone with a faint sheen of sweat and his skin flushed, but she still couldn’t wake him. She lay back in frustration and her eyes fell on the phone. She reached out for it, knowing she needed to warn Michael.
One ring and Michael’s anxious voice filled the line.
“Liz? How is he? What’s the matter?”
“Michael, he’s the same,” she sighed and forced herself to continue. “Michael? I’m so sorry. The fever…its started and I can’t wake him up.” She heard a faint gasp on the other end of the line as her implication sank in. “I’m so sorry, but we’re going to have to wait it out and I wanted to warn you I don’t know how long it’ll be. If he doesn’t come around in a few hours I’ll call you back and you may have to come down here.” She paused for another shaky breath, “I’m sorry, Michael.”
Shocked silence was the only response.
TBC