begonia9508
Emz80m
roswell3053
clueless
martine: I have to disagree with you. Liz's friends aren't making her do it... yes they are a pretty strong influence on her, but it really boils down to Liz's decision. She was the one to decide to continue with their little plan. She could've said no, or came up with an excuse not to continue, but...she didn't. So yeah, she is guilty and so are her friends. Is she a bitch though... no. Not in my opinion, but like I said, she's just misguided.
jake17
mirae01
LairaBehr4: Lol, I think the summary for this is a lot more popular than the story itself.
lol We're getting close to Max and Liz reuniting. Hang in there and enjoy
<center>Part 11</center>
With a baseball cap pulled low over her face and large sunglasses shielding her eyes, Liz walked the few blocks from Miller’s Bar and Grill to her apartment. Though she knew that her friends or anyone that mattered wouldn’t be in this part of town, she wanted to play it safe. She couldn’t take the chance that someone saw her and told everyone that her life had gone to hell.
It had been a week since she started working there. On her first day, by the time she walked to the bar, and got though her first hour standing on her feet, her feet were throbbing in the heels she wore. Just because she had to work in that place didn’t mean that she couldn’t look good doing it. But serving drunken assholes that did nothing but grab at her butt and yell at the various sports games on the television didn’t help her poor mood.
She wasn’t the best at this serving others and taking orders was far from her forte. Being forced to clean the bathrooms was the worst of all. She had refused, instead deciding to text her friends while she sat atop the counter next to the sinks.
Finally the manager assigned her to work the bar and she had done better until she came within a second of smashing a bottle over a drunken man’s head who had been making suggestive remarks at her all night. If it wasn’t for another co-worker catching her hand before she could whip the bottle over him, she probably would be in a world of trouble.
“I know how you feel,” the co-worker had said. Liz was so mad she hadn’t bothered to get her name. “Most nights I want to do the exact same thing. But this,” she gestured to the guy who was being escorted out by his friends, “comes with the job. You have to learn to live with it.”
Ripping her hand away from the girl’s grip, Liz shot her a fierce glare. “Who asked you?!” she replied before stalking off.
When she made it to her apartment she immediately flopped onto her couch. Her purse toppled onto the floor, its contents spilling out. Among them was the cash she got from her very first check, cash she desperately needed to keep up appearances.
As she watched the bills of a few hundred unfold on the floor she realized that she had made it through her first week of living on her own. Although she was living off of fast food and microwavable meals, she was working, making money, and being responsible just like her parents wanted. Now that she had done it, she was ready to go back to the life she was used to.
With a smile, she called her parents.
After having to wait because of the butler, her mom answered cheerily.
“Hey mom.”
“Lizzie! How are you darling?”
“I’m okay. Guess what?”
Nancy was already smiling as an effect of her daughter’s cheerful tone. “What dear?”
“I got my first check,” she said, grinning widely.
Nancy squealed. “Oh darling that’s wonderful…Jeff!! Oh sweetie I’m so proud of you. Jeff, get in here!”
Liz pulled the phone away from ear to prevent her ear drum from shattering because of her mother’s piercing voice. Her eyes rolled heavenward as Nancy excitedly relayed the good new to Jeff. Liz didn’t see what the big deal was, but if it made them happy and got her back into her pent house then she’d go along with it.
Now talking through speaker phone, Jeff said, “Liz, we’re so proud of you. How did you do your first week?”
“Actually Daddy…” She went into a whirlwind explanation of how much she hated her new life. She added a whining plea for affect in hopes that they’d end this “lesson” they were trying to teach her.
No such luck.
“Just keep at it, darling,” her mother said. “I’m sure everything will work out. It’s all part of being an adult.”
“Yeah,” Jeff chimed in. “Maybe you can save and get a car. We can help you with that.”
Liz immediately perked up. Maybe she could get a Benz and a driver because she didn’t have a license and couldn’t drive. It’d be such a relief. “Really?”
“Sure darling,” Nancy added, “How ever much you put down, we’ll match that and you could probably get a decent car for about two grand.”
“Two grand! Mom, I can’t… I don’t want to do this anymore. Living like this is too hard.”
“I know sweetie, but… you can always go back to school. And then you can find a career that you like.”
“I’m not going back to school.”
“Well, then Liz you don’t have any other choice. Now, we know this is hard, but we promise you that once you get the hang of it, then it’ll get easier. Just give it time and you know that we’re always here for you if you need us.”
Liz coolly agreed. After she hung up Jeff and Nancy once again worried if they were doing the right thing for their daughter. They had worked hard to give her the life that they didn’t have growing up. And by doing that, they realized that maybe they left out a few essentials that they did have. Necessary skills such as working for the things you desired Liz hadn’t experienced yet.
************
Max carefully weaved through the mess of tables and chairs as he skillfully balanced several dishes on his arms. Michael, Maria, and Danni were gathered in a booth in the corner, chatting as they patiently awaited their meals.
“You know you guys could help me out once in awhile since I’m letting you in to my place of business during closing hours,” he teased as he passed out the meals.
“You’re so good at what you do, we decided not to interfere,” Michael retorted.
Rolling his eyes, Max finished distributing the food before he headed back into the kitchen to retrieve his own plate. When he returned, he slid into the empty seat next to Danni.
“So, Maria, how’s the new job treating you?” Danni asked, absently leaning into Max when he wrapped his arm around her waist.
“A little more hectic than I imagined. I mean some of the clients my superiors have to deal with are just monsters. This one client practically closed on a place and then decided to back out for the third time.”
Max frowned. “Really? Do you deal with them directly?”
“Sometimes. Right now I’m just getting my feet wet and I mostly deal with paper work. I’m basically like a secretary, which is great until I can get used to how the industry works.”
“Isn’t that great?” Michael beamed. “Soon my baby is going to own this whole town.”
As she patted his cheek affectionately, Maria grinned over at Danni, “You see how well trained he is?”
Michael mumbled quietly to himself, but didn’t bother to correct her.
Ignoring him, Maria turned to Danni. “So what are you studying in college?”
“Journalism. I think it’d be cool to write for a paper, or maybe be a reporter… I don’t know. I’m all over the place.”
“I was like that before I decided to go to med school,” Michael said.
“So how did you choose?”
He shrugged. “You just pick I guess. If I decide that I don’t want to be a doctor, then I can always change.”
“Of course you would have spent all that money for nothing,” Max grimaced.
Michael sent a glare his way and said rather sarcastically, “Thank you, Maxwell. I really needed a reminder of that.”
Max grinned. “No problem.”
“Be nice, Max,” Danni admonished.
“Yeah, be nice, Max,” Michael mimicked in triumph.
After Max finished his meal, he left the group to begin cleaning for the night. Once Danni was finished, she joined him and together they sent a joint glare at the other couple who sat watching them mop.
“You guys could help. Those meals were free.”
Michael made a show of relaxing along the booth seat. “We don’t own this place. Baby do we own this place?”
Maria smirked. “We sure don’t babe.”
“Then you will be receiving a bill.”
“And we’ll gladly not pay it,” Michael retorted.
Knowing he would never charge them, Max sighed. “I hate the both of you.”
The front door opened and Alex strode through with a beautiful blonde on his arm. “Damn Max, you think you could clean up a little for your guests?”
“You know, no one invited you.”
“As if that’d stop me from showing up,” Alex snickered in retort.
Max laughed and Alex greeted everyone else, earning a glare from Maria when he and Michael bumped fist over her plate. “Do you guys mind?”
Ignoring her, Alex turned to his companion. “Guys, I’d like you to meet Isabel. Isabel these are the guys. Max, Danni, Michael and Maria.”
“Nice to meet you all,” she said politely. “Alex talks about you guys all the time.”
“Oh girl I love that dress! Where did you get it,” Maria squealed.
She smiled at Alex as he helped her slide into the booth before she answered. “Thanks. I made it myself.”
“Did you really?” Danni stepped up to the table, impressed. The dress was a red fitted V-neck with thin straps that crossed in the back. It showed off Isabel’s voluptuous curves to perfection and cut off before her knees to display her long, lovely legs.
“Yeah. I own a small boutique just inside the city and I design and make most of the clothes there.”
“Seriously?”
“That is so cool!”
The girls immediately became engrossed and Isabel was quickly accepted as a new addition to the group. To avoid listen to the women yap about fashion, Michael and Alex slipped out of the booth and helped Max clean.
“Where’s Kyle?” Alex asked.
Max rolled his eyes. “He’s on a date. Some girl he met at the gym.”
“That asshole is probably getting laid as we speak.”
“So Alex, how long you think this is going to last?” When Alex frowned, Michael rolled his eyes and elaborated, “You and Isabel. You go through women like they’re socks or something. You wear them until they’re dirty and then down the chute they go.”
“I do not! I think you’re confusing me with Kyle.” At the wary look on his friend’s faces he reluctantly conceded. “Okay I guess I do. But I’m telling you guys. I can really see myself falling for her. I’m going to marry this one.”
The other two men said in unison, “If you say so.”
************
Max watched her as she switched off the hallway light. She was wearing nothing but a t-shirt and panties and was completely unaware of how sexy she looked doing her nightly routine.
After they all left the diner, she invited him over under the guise of watching movies. Both knew that wasn’t the case as whenever they were supposed to be watching a movie, they ended up too wrapped up in each other. With that being a fact, Max readily agreed.
Things got heated on her couch but before they could go too far, he quietly reminded her that she had an early class the next morning and offered to leave. She hadn’t wanted him to, being too comfortable in his arms and a little disappointed that he seemed reluctant to take things farther. She suggested that he stay the night, citing that it was too late for him to be driving home. The excuse was lame, but Max didn’t need one to convince him to stay.
Now he lay, beneath her sheets, his clothes folded neatly in the chair by her dresser leaving him in only his boxers. The smell of her fruity shampoo was stamped on her pillows and he closed his eyes and took a long whiff, letting it intoxicate him.
When he opened them again, Danni was beside him, climbing under the sheets.
She had straightened her hair and wore it loose. He couldn’t help it and he reached out, his fingers burying themselves in her hair when he pulled her to him.
He pulled her on top and the two slipped deeper beneath the sheets. It was only when they came up for air that they separated. She reached over him and turned off the lamp and engulfed them in darkness.
But the blinds over her window were open, letting in a stream of moonlight. And before they joined again, he whispered how beautiful she was.
“I’m going to be late for my class tomorrow, aren’t I?” she joked.
He chuckled. Then clothes were removed and cheeks were stained with red. He started at her neck and kissed a trail down to her flat stomach. He slipped between her legs, his lips over her belly button. She was naturally tanned a beautiful dark brown and it made his natural tan seem a bit pale in comparison.
He silently asked for permission and she gave it, her green eyes glowing, ready to submit. Her toes curled at the first touch, her fingers gently griping his hair. His tongue darted out to taste her, his eyes gleaming. She let out a moan in the silent night.
**********
Liz was having a blast. In the VIP section of a new club that had just opened in the city. Despite the fact that her friends were starting to get suspicious, right now, she was just having fun, dancing with Chase, who had met up with them at the club.
Earlier, Liz went with Lynn and Morgan as they shopped around the city. Liz was limited by the few hundred she’d received in her paycheck and was only able to buy the dress she was sporting now and a pair of jeans. She would normally splurge, if just to show that she could, but her excuse of cutting back raised red flags and got her friends talking.
She still couldn’t understand why her parents were doing this to her and she felt like a teenager again, grounded for something she didn’t do. They weren’t helping her out at all and abandoned her to do this on her own.
So in disgust, decided that she didn’t need any them. If they wanted to tarnish her reputation, then she would survive on her own. She didn’t need their help.
Chase grabbed at her hips, his hand then sliding around to grab her bottom. His fingers touched flesh as her dress was barely reaching mid-thigh and when he saw that she wasn’t protesting, he cupped both her round cheeks in his large hands. Liz was pleasantly surprised and she smiled when he squeezed, pulling her front to his as he leaned down and whispered in her ear.
“You want to go back to my place?”
She nodded, not wanting to seem too eager. She wanted to say something sexy and flirtatious, but she was never able to talk a big game around guys she liked. The only thing she had to flaunt was her money, and in her mind’s eye it made her better than everyone else who didn’t have as much. But now that it was gone, she had nothing and was just like the rest.
**********
She was roughly pushed against the wall, her arms pinned above her head. She let out a string of curses as pleasure ripped through her and all she could do was stand there.
Liz wrapped her legs around his waist, his lips dragged over her neck. She moaned, rolling her head against the wall in a direct response to the wonderful sensations he was giving her. He easily flipped the clasp to her bra loose and it was lost somewhere on the floor on their way to his bed. They bounced against the mattress, Liz landing on top. .
She quickly rid him of his pants and his shirt was next to go. Chase was buff and his muscles easily seen through his clothes. Liz generally preferred her guys a little leaner, but he was too gorgeous to let slip by.
He was rough, but Liz proved that she could keep up with him which turned him on all the more. And by the end of the night, they were both smiling in satisfaction.
**********
One Week Later
Liz dragged herself into her apartment, her destination set on her bed. After a late night with Chase, they had woken up in the early afternoon. He had his cook make them something to eat before he took her out shopping.
They had been spending a lot of time together as of late and as she got to know him, she realized that Chase wasn’t what she expected. He was quite different from the other guys she’d encountered who had money. He was surely generous and seemed honestly an all around nice guy. And it made her uneasy because she had briefly considered confiding in him about her situation because she had a feeling that he wouldn’t turn her away.
But she wasn’t ready that afternoon and she asked him to drop her off in front of one of the expensive hotels in the city, alluding that her parents were in town and she was supposed to visit. After he drove away, she used the last remaining money from her check to hail a cab home.
It was the first time she had seen her apartment in a week, as she was staying with Chase. He bought her the things she needed and she eagerly took up the offered temporary residence in his home. Now she was exhausted and it didn’t take her long to drift off to sleep.
As she drifted deeper into slumber, the blinking light on the answering machine went unnoticed. As did the many messages from her boss, the final one, disclosing her termination.
TBC…….
