Roswell Fanatics

Part 11

Liz frowned as she heard the sound of the doorbell echo through the house. She wondered who could possibly be at the front door as she walked out of the kitchen into the hallway that led to the front of the house. Everyone she knew was still at work, so it couldn’t be one of her friends and she knew Max wouldn’t ring the doorbell. Besides that, he wasn’t due to get off work for another thirty minutes or so.

She wiped her hands on the towel she had picked up from the counter after she’d set aside the dinner she was cooking and looked out of the peephole. She frowned when she didn’t recognize the back of the head of whoever was standing outside. Unlocking the door, she opened it slightly which prompted the guy to turn around. As soon as he saw her, he gave her a grin.

“Hey, Liz. Nice to see you again.”

Liz straightened up. “Sean? What are you doing here?”

He chuckled. “Didn’t Max tell you? He invited me to dinner this evening. Said it would give us a chance to get to know each other.”

“Oh. No, he’s still at work and I haven’t talked to him since this morning.”

Sean shrugged. “He invited me about an hour ago, so maybe he just hasn’t had time to call you. He said you were making dinner this evening and you’d make more than enough.”

Liz nodded. “Yeah, I was making more than I knew we’d eat.” Truth was, she had hoped to take the leftovers for lunch the next few days, but she didn’t say that out loud.

“Ah, so he was right.” When she didn’t say anything else he said, “So…”

“Huh? Oh right,” she stepped back and pushed the door open, allowing him to enter the house. “Come on in.”

“Thanks.”

Liz nodded as she closed the door before motioning to the living room. “Why don’t you have a seat while I finish making dinner. The remote is on the coffee table. Um, you want something to drink while you wait?”

He shook his head. “No, I’m good.”

“Okay then. Have a seat. I need to get back to cooking.”

Sean walked into the living room and picked up the remote control before turning back to watch Liz walk into the kitchen. He grinned as she disappeared before tossing the remote onto the couch. He’d just gotten back from his latest job out of town just two days ago and when he’d called Max earlier that day, his best friend had invited him to dinner at his house.

Of course, Max had told him not to go over until around seven since that would give him enough time to get home and tell Liz they’d be having company for dinner. Max had also mentioned that since Liz had the day off, she had decided to make dinner for them for once.

It had been a few weeks since Sean had met Liz at the club where Max worked and in those few weeks, he hadn’t forgotten what she’d looked like out on the dance floor. He’d talked to Max a couple of times during those two weeks and Max had finally confessed how he and Liz had met. Sean had been surprised that Max had met her the second time he’d talked Max into going to one of his favorite sex clubs. At least it was Sean’s favorite sex club in their home town since he had other favorite ones in other cities as well.

Now, knowing how Max had met her, Sean decided to forgo waiting until seven when Max would have already been home and told Liz he was coming over. Knowing what he did about Liz, he decided to get there before Max so that he could get her alone and see if she could move as well as her dancing had hinted at. He didn’t think she would mind at all since she was familiar with sex clubs.

Walking to the kitchen doorway, he stopped to watch her pouring the pasta into a bowl before setting the pot into the sink nearby. When she was done with that, she switched the bowl with another empty one and picked up another pot from the now turned off stove. He watched as she poured sauce into the bowl, then set the empty pot in the sink. Only then did she pick up a dishtowel and wipe her hands before turning around to head to the microwave.

As soon as she saw him standing there, she stopped. “Oh! I didn’t hear you, did you need something?”

He gave her a smile. “No, I was just watching.”

She nodded, but didn’t say anything else. Just when she thought it was getting unnerving having him looking at her like that, he moved towards her. “You need any help?”

She shook her head. “No thanks, it’s pretty much done. Why don’t you just go wait in the living room until Max gets here.”

Sean didn’t stop moving towards her. “You sure? I’m really good with my hands, you know.”

Liz frowned. “Yeah, I’m sure. Just go wait…” She’d turned around towards the microwave when he’d come up behind her and pinned her in, effectively stopping her in her tracks.

“I’d really like to help you,” he said, his breath against her neck. “I know you’d like just how good I am with my hands.”

“I said I’m fine,” she replied through clenched teeth.

“I’d like to know if the way you danced that night is any indication of just how good you are,” he whispered against her ear.

Liz cringed when she felt his lips against her ear lobe and fear began to creep up her spine when he moved his hands from the counter to wrap around her waist, but just as his fingers touched the skin of her stomach, they both heard Max’s voice from the front door.

“Yo, Sean where you at?”

Sean immediately put distance between the two of them before he answered, “In the kitchen.”

A few seconds later, Max strode into the kitchen to see Liz standing near the microwave, her back to him and Sean was sitting at the table fingering the placemat there. Oblivious to what he’d just missed witnessing, Max grinned at his best friend.

“Man, I thought I told you not to show up until seven? I haven’t had a chance to tell my girl you’d be coming over for dinner! She’s gonna kill me for this you know! Thanks, man!”

Sean chuckled, “Nah I think she’ll forgive you. Right Liz?”

Liz nodded, but didn’t turn around to face them.

Max frowned when he noticed her behavior. “You all right baby girl?” he asked as he walked over to her and slid his hand over her lower back.

Liz flinched before she moved away from him. “Yeah, fine. Um, why don’t you two go into the living room while I finish up here, okay?”

He looked at her for a moment before he turned to look at Sean. Indicating the door with his head, he waited until Sean got up and left the room. Once he was gone, he turned back to look at Liz. “What’s wrong?”

Liz opened the microwave and took out the dish from inside. “Nothing, I just need to finish…”

Max took the dish from her hands and set it down on the counter before turning her to look at him. “Liz, talk to me. What’s wrong?”

When she didn’t say anything but looked in the direction of the table, Max frowned again. “Are you upset because I invited Sean to dinner without telling you first? I’m sorry about that Liz, I was going to tell you when I got home, but I didn’t expect him here until around seven. I didn’t know he’d get here before me.”

She nodded, “I know. It’s okay, I’m not mad at you.”

He lifted a hand to cup her cheek. “Then what is it?”

She looked up into his eyes and gave him a little smile. “It’s nothing. I’m just worried that I didn’t make enough.”

He returned her smile. “Is that it?” When she nodded, he chuckled. “I’m sure you made enough and even if you didn’t, well that’s what he gets for not giving me time to warn you.”

Liz giggled at his mock glare.

He lowered his forehead to hers. “I love you.”

She leaned her cheek into the hand he still cupped her cheek with. “I love you too.”

He grinned then and pulled her into his arms before giving her a full kiss. When the kiss began to turn heated, Liz pushed him away with a grin. “Go entertain your friend while I finish up in here huh?” At his pout she added, “You can continue that later, when we’re alone!”

He winked at her as he grabbed two beers from the fridge before heading out of the kitchen. “I’m counting on it.”

*************************************************************

“Was she mad?” asked Sean as Max handed him a beer before he sat down in a nearby chair.

“No, she’s just worried that she didn’t make enough for all of us. What are you doing here so early man? I know I said seven!”

Sean shrugged. “I was out running some errands and finished early so I figured since I was already close by, I’d just come over here. I’d thought you would have already called her and told her by then.”

“Nah, I had wanted to tell her in person, not over the phone.”

“Oh, sorry man.” The truth was, Sean knew Max would have wanted to tell Liz in person, but he pretended to have forgotten that Max was that type of guy.

“It’s okay. So, how was this last job? Where’d you go and what did you see?”

Sean laughed as he began to tell Max about his latest trip out of town while they drank their beers and waited for Liz to call them in for dinner.

*************************************************************

All through dinner Liz had remained rather quiet while Max and Sean continued to talk about the times they’d had growing up. She listened to the two of them talk, giving them a smile or a short word or two as they continued to laugh and reminisce about old times.

Max thought it was just her shyness coming into play. He knew from experience that it often took time for her to warm up to someone new and he figured this time was no different from any other time. Little did he know what the real reason for her silence was.

It was true that she felt uncomfortable during dinner, but it had nothing to do with her shyness and everything to do with the man who claimed to be Max’s best friend. She knew Max had no idea what he’d interrupted earlier and she wondered if Max even knew what Sean was capable of.

She didn’t think so, but then again Max had seemed upset when he’d told her about Sean and his long time girlfriend breaking up. According to Max, the two of them had seemed inseparable. Max seemed to find it strange that Sean and Tess had parted ways after being a couple for so long.

Still, he had set it aside and continued to Sean’s best friend. Saying that no matter what happened, he would be there for Sean if he needed him. After all, that’s what friends were for and he and Sean had been friends long before Tess had ever come into the picture.

Liz was glad when dinner was finally over and Max and Sean had returned to the living room allowing her to put the leftovers away alone. She was just finishing up putting the leftovers into the refrigerator when Max walked into the kitchen.

“Liz? Sean’s leaving now.”

Liz looked over her shoulder to see the two of them standing just inside the kitchen door. Sean gave her a smile and wave. “Thanks for dinner Liz, it was great. See you around, huh?”

Liz pasted on a smile as she said, “Yeah.” And watched as the two of them left the room again. As soon as they were gone, she turned back around, closed the refrigerator door, and muttered under her breath, “Don’t hold your breath jerk.”

She walked to the sink and turned on the water. When the sink was filled with sudsy water, she turned off the water and put a few dishes into it. Max walked back into the kitchen just as she was beginning to wash the dishes with a towel.

He moved to stand besides her and gave her a kiss on her cheek before he took the dish from her to rinse it. “Thanks for having dinner with me and my best friend.”

Liz nodded. “It’s not like I had much of a choice.”

Max sighed. “I know. And I’m really sorry about that. I honestly thought I’d have the chance to tell you when I got home, but he beat me here.”

She was silent for a few moments while she continued to wash the dishes and he rinsed. After a few moments she asked, “Max? Did you tell Sean I was already here?”

He set down the plate he’d been rinsing into the rack before shrugging. “I think I mentioned that you had the day off. That’s why you were making dinner instead of me.”

She nodded. “Right.”

When she didn’t say anything else he spoke up. “Why do you ask?”

This time she shrugged. “I just thought it was strange that he showed up here earlier than you told him to when he knew you were working.”

Max nodded. “Well, he said he was running some errands which he finished early and since he was close by he figured he’d just come on over. He thought I’d have told you by then.”

Liz frowned down at the soapy water. “Uh huh.”

Max didn’t miss the sarcasm in her voice. He glanced up at her. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

Liz sighed before handing him another dish and wiping her hands on a towel. “Didn’t you tell me his girlfriend left him recently?”

Max nodded. “Yeah. And he seemed really upset about it because he didn’t want to talk about it. He and Tess had been together for years, so I think she really did a number on him if he’s been pretty mum about it.”

“Did he say why she left him?”

“No, like I said, he didn’t want to talk about it.”

“I see.”

“What?”

“Don’t you think it’s strange that he doesn’t want to talk to you about it? I mean, you’re his best friend and he can’t even come to you and cry on your shoulder about losing the woman he supposedly loved?”

“Maybe he’s not ready to talk about it yet.”

“Maybe.”

She turned back to the sink and picked up another dish. Max stared at her for a few moments before he finally spoke up again. “Liz? What’s this about?”

“I was just curious.”

“No, something’s bothering you and I want to know what it is.”

Liz let the dish fall into the soapy water before she turned to look at Max. “I’m just wondering just how well you really know your best friend, that’s all.”

“That’s all? He’s my best friend! I think I know him well enough.”

“Then aren’t you the least bit curious about what really happened between him and his girlfriend?”

“Yes, but he’ll tell me when he’s ready.”

“What if he never does?”

Max turned to look her dead in the eyes. “Why wouldn’t he?”

“What if they broke up because of something he did?”

He stiffened as he narrowed his eyes at her. “He said she left him.”

“And you believed him?”

Max gaped at her. “He’s my best friend!”

“So, that doesn’t mean he’s incapable of lying. Look at Maria, she was once my best friend too.”

Max lost his temper. “What the fuck is going on here Liz! What are you trying to accuse him of?”

Liz stepped back at his shout which immediately deflated the anger Max felt the moment he saw the look on her face. When she didn’t say anything, he took a deep breath before asking in a much calmer voice. “What do you know that I don’t?”

Liz sighed as she closed her eyes and steeled herself for what she was about to tell him. “I think Sean might have been unfaithful to Tess. I think that’s why she left him. Because he was unfaithful.”

Max just looked at her for a few moments trying to figure out why she’d think that, but when no answer was forthcoming, he asked her for one. “What makes you think that?”

“Because he was hitting on me before you came home.”

Max blinked as those words registered in his brain.

“He was what?”

“Hitting on me.”

“As in flirting with you?”

“Something like that.”

Max shook his head. “No Liz, I know Sean and for as long as I’ve known him, he’s never flirted with a woman he knew was involved with someone else.”

“Maybe not in front of you, but he was coming on to me before you got here. When he heard your voice, he moved away from me before you could see it.”

His eyes narrowed. “Why am I just now hearing about this?”

“I didn’t want to start something in front of him.”

“Really?”

She stared at him for a moment before it dawned on her. “You don’t believe me?”

He sighed as he folded his arms over his chest. “I believe you think he was coming on to you. Maybe you just read it wrong. Maybe he was just being overly friendly and you thought he was coming on to you.”

Liz threw her hands up in the air. “Oh Max, come on!”

Max walked over to her and put his hands on her shoulders. He dipped his head down until he could look into her eyes. “Liz, my best friend just got his heart broken by the woman he’d loved for the last several years. He’s been out of the dating game for longer than that, so maybe he’s not aware of how he acts around other women yet.”

She sighed at the sincere look he gave her. “Max, he was coming on to me! Believe me, I know what it feels like when a man is coming on to me!”

“You know huh?” he asked with a serious look on his face.

“Yes. I do.”

A twinkle began in his eyes. “Really?”

“Yes!”

“I see and what exactly does a man have to do to come on to you?” he asked as a smile began to spread over his face.

She huffed. “You know.”

“I do? Well, let me see if I remember.” He slid his arms around her waist and leaned in to place a kiss on her cheek. “How about this?”

“Yes!”

He moved his lips to her jaw line and kissed her there. “And this?”

“Yes,” she replied in a softer voice.

“I see. And how about this?” he asked as he placed another kiss on her neck.

“Um hm.”

“Um hm. And what about…” he paused before moving his lips to her ear and whispering, “this?”

Liz could barely reply when his tongue suddenly swiped the sensitive spot right behind her ear. As it was, her reply was a moan, “Oh yes.”

Max lifted his head from her neck to cover her lips with his. Their earlier conversation was already gone from their minds as she wrapped her arms around his shoulders and parted her lips to allow him complete access.

He slid his tongue inside her mouth, tasting her. Teasing her until she was gripping him tighter. When he finally came up for air, it was only so that he could kiss her skin from her cheek down to her shoulder. Liz closed her eyes and moaned as his lips and teeth nibbled her skin, sending chills over her body.

She lowered her hands to the edge of his shirt and slid them under it so that she could touch his flesh. Max moaned as her fingers skimmed up his bare chest and teased his nipples with her nails all while pushing the shirt up at the same time.

He stopped feasting on her skin long enough to let her lift the shirt off of him and toss it to the ground before he went back to feasting on her. Liz leaned her head down to nibble on his shoulder as her hands continued to move over his bare chest and back.

Max’s own hands began to roam too, moving under her shirt, pushing past her bra, and cupping her breasts in his hands. She gasped and threw her head back as his fingers teased her nipples into hard peaks. Walking her backwards until she was leaning against the counter, Max stopped teasing her breasts long enough to jerk off her shirt.

She made quick work of her bra, tossing it to the side as he took one hardened peak into his mouth. She let out a groan and buried her hands in his hair as he continued to suckle her breast. When he moved to the other one, his hands moved down her sides to her waist and then to the front of her jeans.

His mouth covered hers once more as they both fumbled with removing her jeans and underwear. When she kicked the clothes away, Max took hold of her waist and lifted her up to sit on the edge of the counter before stepping in between her legs.

As his mouth joined hers once more, she began to work on removing his pants. She growled in frustration when the zipper wasn’t cooperating with her, so Max pushed her hands away and divested himself of the rest of his clothes.

When she could feel him in her hands, she guided him immediately to her opening and wrapped her legs around him pulling him in. Max didn’t waste another moment in sliding all the way inside of her, thrusting hard and fast as he did so.

They both cried out in satisfaction when he was completely sheathed inside and she lifted her legs higher to wrap around his hips. Max growled at how much deeper he went with that movement and began to pull out before plunging back in.

Liz gasped and leaned back against the counter, giving him an even better angle to thrust. She tightened her grip around his hips and urged him on with her moans. Each thrust of his hips elicited another moan from her.

She knew she needed more when she felt him swelling up even more inside of her. So she leaned back on her elbows and lifted her legs higher to wrap around his waist. Max threw his head back as he gripped her waist in his hands.

“Oh fuck! Baby girl, you are so tight!”

Liz was panting hard as she looked up at him through hooded eyes. “Yes! Harder Max! Oh baby, yes!”

Max growled once more as he picked up the pace and pounded into her heat. Her pants started to get more and more breathless until she finally threw her head back and screamed.

“Oh yesssssss!”

Max closed his eyes as her orgasm washed over him and gripped her waist harder as his own orgasm was triggered by hers. He jerked into her body, grunting her name until he was completely spent.

By the time he stopped, Liz was lying back against the countertop feeling completely boneless and a little sore. She couldn’t help but grin at the reason why she was sore. As a giggle welled up and spilled forth, Max lifted his head from where it had fallen against her chest.

“What’s so funny?”

“I’m just laughing about how much more sore I’m going to feel once the rest of my high wears off.”

Max gave her a stricken look. “Oh God! Liz, baby, I’m so sorry! I didn’t think…”

She lifted a finger to place over his lips. “Max! Shh! It’s okay. I’m thinking it was worth it.” She batted her eyelashes at him as she added, “And if you pick me up and carry me to the bathroom where you will give me a nice hot bubble bath with you, I will think it was more than worth it.”

He grinned at that. “As you wish, baby girl.”

She giggled once more as he lifted her into his arms and practically ran to the bathroom.

TBC...

Part 12

“Max? Max is that you?”

Max turned around at the sound of the familiar voice he heard as he stood in line at the post office waiting to pick up a package. Sure enough, standing not too far from him was Tess Harding, his best friend’s ex-girlfriend.

“Yeah. Tess, how are you?”

She nodded as she replied in a soft voice. “As good as I can be I guess. All things considering.”

“Yeah, I heard.”

She frowned. “Heard what?”

“Sean told me you left.”

She gave him a blank stare. “He did?”

“Yeah, I saw him a few weeks ago and he told me you moved out.”

“Oh.” She looked around before she moved a little closer to him. “Did he tell you why I moved out?”

Max shook his head. “No, he wasn’t ready to talk about it yet.”

Nodding, she moved back from him with a frown. “Yeah, I’ll bet he didn’t.” She muttered under her breath.

Max looked at her. “What’s that?”

She shook her head. “Nothing. I need to go get some stamps. It was good seeing you again Max.”

Max nodded. “Yeah, good to see you too.”

He watched her walk away and wondered just what had happened between Tess and Sean. After the talk with Liz, Max had thought about it some more. Liz had been right, he was very curious to know just what happened between them, but he trusted Sean to tell him when he was ready. Still, Liz had been certain Sean wasn’t telling the truth and she was also adamant that Sean had made a pass at her before Max had showed up that evening.

He had no idea what to think, but his girlfriend was insisting something was off about his best friend. And Max just couldn’t believe Sean was lying to him. In all of the years he’d known Sean, they had never lied to each other. At least not that he’d ever known of. Now even Tess was hinting that something was off. He wondered just what he was missing.

Once he got his package, he made his way through the post office, towards the parking lot where his car was. As he passed the area where the stamp machines were, he saw Tess walking towards him as she stuffed the stamps in her purse. He waited until she got closer to him before he called out to her.

“Tess?”

She looked up and gave him a sad smile. “Hey Max.”

“Listen, Sean may not be ready to talk yet, but if you need to…”

Tess sighed. “I don’t know Max, he’s your best friend.”

Max nodded. “I know. It’s just…I’m kind of curious to know why you would leave him after all these years you’ve been together.”

Tess gaped at him. “Wait. He told you I left him?”

Max just looked at her for a moment as Liz’s words went through his head again “I think Sean might have been unfaithful to Tess. I think that’s why she left him. Because he was unfaithful.”

“Yes,” he replied. “Sean told me you left him a couple of months back.”

Tess rolled her eyes and Max could see the tears beginning to well up in her eyes. “How did I know that son of a bitch wouldn’t tell the truth? How did I know he was going to make me out to be the bad guy!” she cried.

Max looked around at the others in the office. Some of those who were close by turned to look at them. As Max turned back to Tess, he saw the tears now sliding down her cheeks and her lips beginning to tremble. Taking her arm, he led her out of the post office to a bench nearby.

As they sat down, Max pulled out a handkerchief from his pocket and handed it to her. She took it from him with a teary smile and sniffled a thank you to him. Max waited until he thought she had calmed down a little before he spoke to her again.

“Tess? Why would Sean lie about what happened?”

She gave another little sniffle. “Because he’s blaming me for what happened.”

Max frowned. “What happened.”

Tess closed her eyes for a few moments. Max waited until she took a deep breath and turned to look at him. “Almost two months ago, I found out I was pregnant.”

Max’s eyes went wide. Sean hadn’t told him that. “Y-you’re…you’re pregnant?” he stuttered.

Tess nodded as she wiped more tears away. “Yes. Nearly three months now.” She sighed as she looked at him again. “I missed my period and took a test, it was positive. I told him and he went ballistic. He said I did it on purpose. To trap him.”

A small sob escaped her lips before she managed to go on. “Max, we’ve been together for so long. I thought one day, we’d take the next step. Get married, have a family. But when I told him I was pregnant, he said he had never wanted what I wanted. He said he liked it being just me and him and no other worries. Then when I told him I was going to keep the baby, he had the nerve to ask if it was even his!”

She paused as more sobs escaped. “Can you believe that! He accused me of cheating on him! Said I had plenty of opportunity while he was out of town on the job! God Max! I gave him all of those years of my life and he tells me I’m lying! He wanted me to get rid of it and when I said no, he told me to leave.”

She looked up at him once more as her lips trembled. “I didn’t leave him, Max. He threw me out because he doesn’t want our baby and the day I left he said he had never wanted me.”

As she finally succumbed to the sobs, Max didn’t know what to think. Instinct made him wrap his arms around Tess, offering her silent comfort. While inside, he was in complete shock over the new information he’d just been told. Tess was pregnant and his best friend was the father.

*************************************************************

Max drove his car down the streets in silence. The conversation he’d had with Tess was still running around in his head. After she’d regained her composure, she had told him that even if Sean didn’t want anything to do with the baby, she was going to have it. She would raise it on her own if that was what it took.

When Max had asked where she was staying and if she needed anything, she told him she was staying with a friend of hers until she could save up some more money to get her own place. She had thanked him for his offer of help, but told him she was getting more hours at her accounting job so it would come in handy. They had said their goodbyes then and Max had wished her luck before getting in his car to return home.

Now he was thinking back on everything she’d told him and the very few words he’d had with Sean. Max couldn’t believe Sean didn’t tell him that Tess was pregnant in the first place. Why hadn’t he even mentioned it? Why had he claimed that Tess had left him?

From what Tess said, Sean had never intended to have something long standing with her. She’d said Sean had told her he had never wanted her. That information just didn’t sit well with Max. He’d always thought Tess and Sean had been happily in love with each other. Every time he’d been around the two of them, they had seemed happy. So happy Max had been certain they were made for each other.

Maybe he hadn’t wanted a child. Maybe that was the only thing that they hadn’t agreed on and so they had argued about that. Max decided that the argument had gotten bad enough for things to get out of hand. Words had flown around the room and things were said that should never have been.

It was the only explanation he could think of. Because despite what Tess told him, Max refused to believe that Sean had never been anything other than madly in love with her. Max couldn’t believe that his best friend would ever treat a woman the way Tess said he’d treated her. He couldn’t believe that Sean would have ever done something like that and not felt bad about it later.

Max turned his car into the driveway of his house, parking it next to Liz’s car. He was still puzzling over his best friend’s life as he grabbed his things from the seat next to him and got out of the car. Closing the car door and fumbling with the keys, he made his way to the front door.

As he juggled the things he had and managed to slip the key into the keyhole, a frown began to form when he realized the door was already unlocked. Opening the door, his frown deepened when he heard the shouts coming from inside. He recognized both voices instantly.

Turning to glace outside once more, he found the car he’d missed parked on the other side of the street. Without another moment’s hesitation, he shoved the door open and threw his things on the ground as he rushed towards the raised voices.

He went careening around the corner of the kitchen just in time to see Sean holding Liz pinned to the table with one hand while the other was trying to tear her clothes off of her. Liz was putting up a fight as she blocked his attempts at removing her clothes with one hand and the other one was trying to pummel him.

She’d tried to get away from him but he was much bigger and stronger than her. He’d easily pinned her to the table and had her positioned so that she could only use her hands to defend herself. Unfortunately her hands weren’t that effective at getting him away from her, but at least she managed to keep him from getting too far.

Max had heard Liz shouting at Sean to get away from her, to stop touching her. Sean had been shouting at Liz to stop fighting him because he knew a girl like her really wanted what he could give her. That was the scene Max came in on.

In that instant Max knew Sean had been lying to him all along. As Sean reached up and groped Liz’s breast through her clothes while sneering “Come on baby, I’ll bet you’re gonna be real good” Max saw red.

With a roar of rage, Max ran to Sean, grabbed him by the shoulders and yanked him off of Liz. He’d shoved him off so hard, Sean ended up stumbling back and smacking into the wall behind him.

“What the fuck?” Sean yelled as he managed to hold himself up.

With his back to her, Max stood between Sean and Liz and glared at his once best friend. “Don’t you ever touch her again!” he shouted.

Sean blinked in disbelief before smirking. “Oh come on Max. You really gonna keep her all to yourself?”

Max glared at him as he turned slightly to help Liz to her feet. He quickly gave her the once over to make sure she was all right before glaring at Sean. “You need to leave.”

Sean gaped at him. “What? Why?”

Max growled. “You just tried to rape my girlfriend asshole!”

Sean threw his hands up in the air. “Max, man I was just trying to have a little fun.”

Max took a threatening step towards him. “Not with my girlfriend you aren’t!”

Liz reached out and grabbed his arm. “Max don’t!”

Sean chuckled. “What’s up with you man? You built her up so much when you told me about how you met her at the sex club that I just wanted to see if she was as good as you said she was.”

Liz gasped as Max growled. “I never told you what we did Sean! All I ever said was that I met her there and she left an impression. I never said why!”

He laughed. “You didn’t have to say why. It was a sex club Max. She left an impression because she fucked you good.”

By the time the last word was out of his mouth, Sean was flying backwards again. Max had taken a good swing at him and clocked him in the jaw. As Liz stood there in stunned silence, Sean slid up the wall holding his sore jaw and glared at Max.

“What the fuck did you do that for?” Sean shouted.

“You deserved it for what you did!”

“What I did? Hell, I didn’t have the chance to do anything! You interrupted!”

“Sean shut up!” roared Max.

“Are you telling me you are gonna choose a nympho over your best friend? Max, you know the rules! You’re supposed to share the wealth!”

Max took another swing at Sean as Liz yelled at him to stop. This time Sean managed to block the hit and pushed Max away from him.

“What’s wrong with you man? You’re letting a bitch get under your skin!”

“Shut the fuck up!” yelled Max as he threw another punch. This one landed against Sean’s chest.

He stumbled back, but righted himself with a few steps. Straightening up, he glared at Max as his hands curled into fists. Max just stood there glaring back at him, breathing hard and shaking with anger.

Sean snarled. “I see. She’s already sank her claws in you huh? She must really be fucking you good if you are gonna defend her against me. So good you can’t seem to find your way out of her pussy!”

Max swung at him once more, but Sean ducked it. Unfortunately, he wasn’t quick enough to dodge the other fist Max had coming from the other direction. That hit to his ribs was all it took for the two of them to get into a knockdown, drag out fight that went from the kitchen into the living room.

In between hits, Sean continued to call Liz names and Max called Sean names. He yelled at Sean for lying to him and trying to rape Liz, his girlfriend. In the midst of the fighting, Max managed to tell Sean how he’d run into Tess and she had told him what had really happened between them both.

“And you believed her! The slut would say anything to get me to commit to her!”

“You bastard! Tess loves you! Why the hell did you string her along like that if you never wanted her!”

“Why do you think? She’s the best fuck I’ve ever had!”

Max roared and rushed Sean. Sean grabbed him around the waist, but Max had counted on that. As he saw Sean’s arms reach out to grab him, Max ducked down, grabbed Sean’s legs and flipped him over his shoulders.

Sean didn’t even have the chance to get to his feet as Max grabbed him by the shirt and began punching him in the face. With each punch he shouted at Sean. “I. Will. Kill. You! Hear. Me? I’ll. Kill. You!”

“Max!” Liz rushed towards him, yelling his name over and over as he continued to hit Sean. “Max enough! Stop it! This isn’t going to help anyone!”

Max rose to his feet and dragged Sean towards the front door. Lifting him up, he threw him out the door where he landed in a heap on the lawn. As Sean lay there groaning, Max stalked over to him and leaned down.

Taking his shirt in his fist, Max growled. “You listen to me you bastard! If I ever find out that you came anywhere near Tess or Liz again, I will fucking kill you! You hear me? Stay away from Tess and stay away from my girl!”

With those words he shoved Sean back on the ground and made his way back to the house where Liz was anxiously waiting in the doorway. He looked over his shoulder and shouted, “Get off of my property before I call the cops you son of a bitch!”

Sean had already rolled onto his side and was slowly trying to get to his feet. As Sean stumbled towards his car, Max slammed the door shut and locked it. Liz just stood there in amazement as she watched Max stalk to the couch and sink down in it.

They both heard the sound of a car starting, then the squeal of tires fading into the distance. As it got quiet again, Liz watched the anger fade from Max’s face to be replaced with sadness.

Max closed his eyes and hung his head. Liz watched until she saw his shoulders began to shake. It only took her a few strides before she was sitting next to him and holding his head against her breast as he continued to cry.

“I’m sorry. I’m so sorry.” came his broken words.

“Shh. It’s okay, Max. It’s going to be okay.”

*************************************************************

Max winced as Liz dabbed more medicine on his bruised rib where Sean had gotten in a good punch.

She grimaced as she looked up at him. “Sorry,” she whispered.

He nodded as she continued to administer to his wounds while he sat on the edge of his bed.

When Liz had felt that Max had calmed a little more, she’d coaxed him into going into the bedroom with her so she could treat his wounds. She’d ordered him to remove his shirt and sit on the bed while she’d gone into the bathroom to retrieve the things she would need to clean him up.

Max’s wounds weren’t really that bad. Liz knew that Sean had gotten the worst of it. Max had a huge bruise on the skin over his right rib and his fists were bruised and a little bloody from all the punches he’d given Sean. He also had a bruise on his left shoulder blade from where he’d landed on the floor when they’d moved the fight to the living room.

Other than that, Max had been very lucky and Liz was amazed that Sean’s fists hadn’t even gotten near Max’s face. Sean on the other hand wasn’t so lucky. Liz had seen the swollen nose and lip Sean had sported as Max dragged him outside. There’d even been blood dripping from his chin and arm. And when he’d gotten up from the ground, he’d been hunched over with an arm around his torso as if guarding a bruised stomach. He’d also been favoring his right leg.

She sighed as she finished wrapping up the knuckles of his right hand. “That’s the last of them, right?”

She looked up into his face as he nodded and tested the wrap by flexing his fingers. Satisfied with her work, he gave her a sheepish smile. “Thanks, baby girl.”

She smiled and cupped his face in her hands as she kissed him on the lips. She pulled away before he could deepen it and looked into his eyes again. “I’m just glad that you’re okay. You really scared me today, you know?”

He leaned his cheek into her left palm. “I know. I’m sorry Liz. I should have believed you in the first place.”

She sighed. “I understand why you didn’t want to.” She sat down on the bed next to him and slid her arm into his. “Sean was your best friend since you two were kids. You knew him way before you ever met me. I get that.”

Max leaned his forehead against hers. “True, but I should have listened to you. I should have made more of an effort to protect you.”

Liz lifted his hand to her chest and used her free hand to run fingers through his hair. “Max, I’m alright. You got here before anything could happen.”

He wrapped his arms around her and hugged her to him, ignoring his bruised rib. “I don’t know what I would have done if I’d gotten here too late. God Liz, he was my best friend! And he was going to…”

Careful of his rib, she held him close. “Max! Don’t do this to yourself. It’s over okay? You got here in time and now he’s gone.”

Max nodded as he pulled away to look at her again. “You were right. He lied to me. Tess told me she found out she was pregnant and when she told him he lost it. They fought and he told her he didn’t want her or the baby. That he’d never wanted her at all. He threw her out, not the other way around.”

“How awful. Is she alright?”

“She said she’s staying with a friend of hers and she’s gotten more hours at her accounting job for now. She’s keeping the baby and she’s going to raise it even if Sean wants nothing to do with it.”

“How far along is she now?”

“I think she’s about three months or so, if I heard her correctly.”

Liz nodded.

“I don’t understand what happened Liz. They used to be so close. Every time I saw them, they looked so happy together. I thought he loved her. I know she loved him. She loved him enough to put up with all of those times he was on the road working. How could he do this to her?”

Liz shook her head. “I don’t know Max. Maybe being on the road so much changed him.”

“She waited for him. All those nights she spent alone at the house waiting for him to come home. And he had the nerve to accuse her of cheating on him! It was one of the ways he tried to get out of being the father of their child! How could he not want his child!”

Liz pulled him close when she heard his voice rising. “Max! No one will know why Sean turned out this way except Sean himself. Don’t waste your time trying to figure him out. It’ll only hurt you more.”

She pulled away and held his hands in hers. “At least Tess is trying to continue with her life. Sean may have hurt her, but she’s made her decision to keep the baby despite the odds. I really hope everything works out well for her.”

He nodded. “Yeah, so do I. At least she has her friend there for her.”

Liz smiled. “Yes, she does.”

They were silent for a few moments before Max lifted one of their combined hands to his lips and kissed her knuckles. “Thank you,” he whispered.

“What for?”

“For forgiving me for not believing you like I should have. For being here for me even though I know how you feel about fighting.”

She smiled and touched her nose to his. “You’re welcome. And I’ll let the fight slide this one time, but only because you saved me from something bad.”

He grinned as he rubbed noses with her. “Did I?”

“Yes you did.” She brushed her lips over his before whispering against them. “My hero.”

He chuckled as their kiss deepened and she pulled him down onto the bed on top of her. Now that the nightmare was over, Liz wanted to spend the rest of the night giving her hero his reward.

TBC...

Part 13

“So since I always did such a good job building those soap box racing cars, I took my dad’s advice and decided to go into designing and building real machines. And that’s why I chose to become a mechanical engineer,” explained Alex.

“Wow! You must be really imaginative to be able to do that,” said Liz.

“And good with numbers too,” supplied Isabel.

Alex grinned. “Nothing like being able to put together a machine and watch it come alive.”

Liz laughed. “You’re almost a modern day Frankenstein!”

Alex quirked an eyebrow for a moment before he leaned in and rubbed his hands together. “It’s alive! It’s alive!” He cackled, doing a very good impression of Dr. Frankenstein.

His improvisation sent both Liz and Isabel into laughter as they continued to enjoy the double date they had finally been able to go out on. Even as Alex joined them in laughter, Max sat quietly next to Liz with his arm around the back of her chair and a smile on his face. However, the others at the table knew he wasn’t really there with them.

It had been a couple of weeks since the confrontation with Sean had happened, but Liz knew it was still on Max’s mind. After that day, Max hadn’t heard from nor seen Sean again, but he was still angry that Sean had lied to him in the first place. That and Max was angry with what he’d almost done to Liz. He was even still beating himself up over not listening to her in the first place even though she had told him time and again that she’d forgiven him and let it go. She just wished he’d let it go too.

So, Liz and Isabel had thought it would be nice to go out on a double date with Max and Alex so that they could all get to know one another. Since it looked like Isabel and Alex were getting serious about each other, Liz and Max had wanted to get to know the new man in her life. Max had more than agreed to go out with them, but he still couldn’t stop thinking about what had happened.

Liz glanced at him out of the corner of her eye as her laughter died down. She could see how the smile seemed forced as he pushed what remained on his plate around. Sighing, she folded her napkin and placed it on her own discarded plate. Alex and Isabel both glanced towards Max and noticed the same thing Liz had. Max was somewhere else just like he’d been most of the night.

“Well, this was certainly a very good meal. Max, thanks for bringing us here, I’ll definitely come back here again,” said Alex.

Max looked at Alex and smiled. “You’re welcome. I’m glad you liked it.”

Isabel chuckled. “I liked it too Max. As always, you have excellent taste.”

She looked at Liz as she said the last part, which succeeded in making Liz blush. Max followed her gaze to Liz and he beamed at her. “Yeah, she is wonderful isn’t she?”

Liz blushed even more, prompting Isabel to laugh as Max chuckled and leaned in to nuzzle her temple.

Saving Liz from further embarrassment, Isabel spoke up. “So, what now? Shall we go get dessert? Or maybe check out a club?”

Max turned to look at her with a smile. “I’m not really in the mood for clubbing tonight, but you and Alex are more than welcome to come over to my house. I’ve got some good wine and I think there’s some cake, right Liz?”

Liz nodded. “Yeah, Max made me some of that triple chocolate death cake that I love and there’s still plenty left.”

“Ooooh!” squealed Isabel. “Alex you have got to try that cake! Max knows just how to appeal to a woman’s chocolate craving with that cake!”

Alex chuckled. “Well Max, I think that’s a yes. We’ll continue this conversation at your house over wine and triple chocolate death cake.”

*************************************************************

Alex walked to the half opened door that led to the backyard. He could see Max standing just at the edge of his deck staring into the yard while holding his wine glass in his left hand. His right hand rested on the wooden railing in front of him, allowing him to lean against it slightly.

After a few moments of watching Max in silence, Alex decided to chance going outside and talking to him. He knew Isabel and Liz were having their own girl talk for the moment, so he wasn’t in any rush to interrupt them. He leisurely sauntered outside, walking up next to Max and leaning his hip against the railing as he faced Max.

“You okay?” he asked.

Max took a sip from his glass before nodding. “Yeah, just thinking.”

Alex gave him a genuine smile. “Yeah, I think I’ve been there before. Besides, you have a great view to think in anyway.” With a wave of his hand, he indicated the backyard and the sky beyond the wooden fence.

Max returned his smile. “True. It is a great view.”

Alex chuckled. “I have to say though, there’s another really good view inside too.” When Max glanced at him, he amended his words. “Well, two if you count Liz.”

“Oh, I definitely would count Liz,” Max replied as his smile widened.

Alex watched as Max looked down into his wine glass, swirling the contents around with a movement of his wrist. It was obvious from the look on his face that he was thinking of the woman he loved. Unfortunately, that look didn’t last for very long as the smile faded into a slight frown.

Alex waited for another moment before asking. “Want to talk about it?”

Max sighed. “It’s nothing really.”

Alex finished off the last of his wine before setting the glass down on the ground next to him and turning to look at Max with a serious expression. “Max, listen I know you and I don’t know each other that well yet, but you really look like you need someone to lend an ear right now. I’m nothing if not a good listener.”

When Max still wasn’t forthcoming Alex added, “Whatever it is that you need to get off of your chest, it won’t go no further than right here. I won’t breathe a word of our conversation to anyone unless you want me to. Deal?”

Max sighed and ran a hand through his hair before looking at Alex. “It’s just really hard to accept the truth, you know? I mean I saw it happen and I heard the words, but my brain still won’t accept it.”

“Well, if it’s as serious and traumatic as it seems to be, it may take a little time Max. After all, I’m sure you’ve heard stories about how people lose their loved ones and the realization doesn’t hit them until days or even months later.”

“I know, but still.” He set his own glass down on the ground and leaned over the railing, both hands gripping it tightly. He stared out at the night for a few moments before giving an exasperated sigh.

“All the signs were there! I saw all the signs but I chose to ignore them. I even chose to ignore the warnings Liz gave me! Can you believe that? Liz! The one person I promised myself I’d never doubt.”

“No one’s perfect Max. Besides, it clearly looks like Liz forgave you for it. Either that or it never bothered her in the first place.”

Max closed his eyes. “She forgave me. I don’t know if I would have been that forgiving had I been in her place. She told me the truth and I still didn’t want to believe her. After all those talks we had about always being honest with each other, I still didn’t want to believe her.”

“She’s not holding it against you Max. I don’t think she’d do something like that.”

“I know, but that’s what’s bothering me. I was the one to talk about honesty and all that. And yet the first thing I do is go and doubt her words. She’s never doubted mine. Even when my ex showed up one day to seduce me in my bed, which Liz saw. She still believed me, she trusted me.”

“Was she wrong to?”

“No. I told her the truth, my ex was out of line and Liz knew it.”

“Then why the guilt?”

“Because she gave me the benefit of the doubt and I couldn’t do that for her.”

Alex looked at Max for a few moments before he finally spoke up again. “Max, do you feel guilty for not believing her or is it something much deeper than that?”

Max gritted his teeth. “If I’d believed her and trusted her like I should have done in the first place, nothing would have happened.”

“Ah,” said Alex. “You feel guilty because of the outcome.”

Max turned a narrowed gaze at Alex. “Because of my reluctance to believe Liz, she was nearly raped by my supposed best friend.”

Alex didn’t say anything while that sunk in. It didn’t take long after that for Alex to put what Max had just said together with everything else he’d said earlier. Suddenly it all made sense to him.

“So, Liz told you she thought something was off with your best friend and you didn’t believe her.” At Max’s nod he asked, “How long had you known him?”

“Since we were in high school.”

“Well then I can see why you’d take his word over hers, you’ve only known her for less than a year right?”

“Yeah, but that doesn’t make it right.”

“Maybe not, but let’s look at everything else first. First of all, Liz is okay now right?”

Max nodded. “Yeah, I got here before anything happened.”

“So, she’s fine and she forgave you for not believing her when she tried to tell you before. Did she say why she forgave you?”

Max gave him a sheepish look. “She told me she understood that Sean had been my best friend since we were kids long before I ever met her.”

“See, exactly what I said.”

Max sighed. “Alex, he could have hurt her. If I had believed her none of that would have happened. God, I don’t know what I would have done if I hadn’t come home in time! He was my best friend! I thought he knew how I felt about her.”

“He should have. If he’d really been your best friend then he should have understood. My guess is that something happened in his life to change him from the man you once knew.”

Max lifted an eyebrow. “Liz said almost the same thing.”

Alex gave him a smile. “Well now, that’s two things we agree on so that should tell you something huh?”

Just as quickly as the smile had appeared, it was replaced by a serious look. “But seriously Max, what’s done is done. Liz is fine and she’s forgiven you and moved on. Don’t you think you are wasting precious time worrying about something you can’t change instead of being happy with the woman you love? That may be part of the reason Liz isn’t dwelling on it either. I think she would rather be with you and be happy then spend her time with you dwelling on bad things in the past that can’t be changed.”

Slowly Max nodded as he turned to look into the door to see Liz and Isabel laughing about something from where they sat on the sofa. He knew Alex was right. Liz had moved on. She wasn’t dwelling on it at all the way he was. In fact, if she did think about it at all, it was only because she was worried about the way it was making him feel.

A smile touched the corners of his mouth as he watched her and Isabel being so animated as they continued their girl talk. She looked so radiant and full of life. When she laughed, her eyes sparkled and she tossed her head back sending strands of hair sliding around her shoulders. Even something as simple as watching her talking with her friend took his breath away.

“You’re right. I can’t change what happened. And I have to let it go. I’m just really grateful that I got home in time to prevent the worst from happening to her.”

Alex smiled. “Yes, at least you still have Liz.”

*************************************************************

“So, you really like Alex huh?” asked Liz as she and Isabel sat on the couch with their legs curled underneath them. When Alex had gone outside to talk to Max, Liz took that opportunity to have a little girl talk with her friend.

“Yes, I really, really like him,” beamed Isabel.

Liz chuckled at the dreamy look on her friend’s face. “Wow! He is really, really good then!”

Isabel laughed. “Oh Liz I’ve never met anyone like him! I mean he’s got a great sense of humor and his smiles are so infectious. I mean I don’t think I’ve ever laughed as much as I have since I’ve met him. And then there’s the fact that he’s such a gentleman. I mean, his manners are the kind that don’t get on your nerves. It’s like he knows just what to do and when to do it.”

Liz smiled at the way Isabel seemed to be gushing about Alex as if it were the most natural thing in the world. “So, I guess that means you’ll be friends with him for a while then.”

Isabel gave her a questioning look, “Friends? Oh I hope to be more than that!”

“Really? Well, it certainly sounded like you were talking about a friend,” teased Liz.

Isabel rolled her eyes. “Oh come on Liz, not only does he have a great sense of humor and manners, but he’s the best I’ve ever had!”

Liz widened her eyes in mock surprise. “No!”

“Oh yes!” grinned Isabel. “And he’s got an appetite to match mine, plus he’s not at all intimidated by me like most men in the past have been.”

Liz returned her grin. “Well then, Isabel Cox, I do believe you’ve finally met your match!”

“Why Liz Parker, I do believe I agree with you!”

With that, they both began laughing until tears ran down their faces. When Liz was able to breathe again, she wiped the tears from her face and spoke.

“Well, you proved me wrong. I would have thought you would have gone for a hunk type, like Kyle was.”

Isabel rolled her eyes. “Please, looks aren’t everything you know! Besides, there is absolutely nothing wrong with Alex’s looks. I think he’s adorable!”

Liz chuckled. “Yes he is.”

*************************************************************

Max stood at the sink, flossing his teeth, as he finished getting ready for bed. Liz was already in the bedroom waiting for him to join her. She had been the first to get ready for bed after Isabel and Alex had left for the night while Max had locked up.

She’d still been in the bathroom when he came in and for a few minutes they’d shared the bathroom space. Luckily Max had a nice roomy bathroom otherwise it would have been a tight squeeze. Not that either of them would have minded since they loved sharing the same space when they were alone.

Max soon came out of the bathroom and turned off the light. He walked over to the bed and slid under the covers Liz held up for him. Smiling at her, he pulled her close only to hiss between his teeth. She hadn’t warned him that she wasn’t wearing a single item of clothing.

Liz could only smile mischievously as she watched Max’s eyes darken. She leaned against his body and ran her hands up his bare chest. Brushing her lips over his in a teasing way, she huskily whispered to him.

“I think you’re a bit overdressed Max.”

He groaned as she pressed her breasts against the skin of his chest. “I think so too.”

She smiled against his lips. “Need some help?”

“Please!” he croaked.

Liz slowly sat up, allowing the sheets to fall away, revealing her naked skin to Max’s hungry gaze. He stared at her as she slid further down to kneel next to his hips. Leaning over him, she curled her fingers beneath his boxers and began to push them down his hips.

Max lifted his hips to make it easier for her and soon she had the boxers sliding down his thighs and further until she tossed them carelessly to the floor. She turned around and leaned over him, finally taking his lips in hers. Kissing him soundly and sliding her tongue over his lower lip until he’d granted her access to her mouth.

As their tongues began the familiar dance, Liz lightly ran her hands down his shoulders, his chest, and finally curled one hand around his growing erection. Max moaned into her mouth when he felt her hand fisting him and then slowly pumping him.

Liz let her lips wander from his mouth to his jaw, stopping to nibble and kiss there before moving to his neck where she licked and sucked on his skin near his pulse. He threw his head back as she continued to feast on his neck even as her hand picked up the pace of pumping him.

When she was satisfied with the way he felt in her hand, she released him and moved to straddle his waist. Max let out a groan which turned into another low moan as she took him into her body inch by slow inch. He slid his hands up her thighs as she settled down on him until he was buried deep inside of her.

She remained still for a few moments allowing both of them to savor the feeling of being connected like that before she began to lift herself up to begin her ride. Max lifted his hands to her hips, helping her to set the rhythmic pace even as she placed her hands against his forearms.

They enjoyed that leisurely pace for a while until Liz leaned back and began to buck against him causing him to moan in pleasure. He began lifting his own hips, thrusting into her as she pushed down on him. Together their breath began to shorten and soft moans escaped from both of them.

Max ran his hands up her body to cup her breasts, making her arch into his hands in offering. Her fingers dug into his thighs and he could feel the ends of her hair teasing the skin of his legs.

Growling, Max sat up and wrapped his arms around her, holding her close enough to take one breast into his mouth. Liz cried out and wrapped an arm around his shoulders, as she continued to ride him. The suckling he was doing to her breast only served in making her buck harder against him.

When he’d loved that breast enough, he moved to the other one. Liz never stopped in her movements of riding him and soon her hands were in his hair or her nails were trailing down his back.

Liz was enjoying what he was doing with his mouth that she wasn’t even aware of his hand between their bodies until he grazed her pleasure button with his fingers. That succeeded in making her throw her head back and cry out as her first orgasm washed over her.

Max leaned back to look up at her, watching the ecstasy spread over her face as she continued to ride out her orgasm. He only took his fingers away from her when he noticed she’d began to come down from her high.

Then he simply wrapped his arms around her and pulled her down against him, rolling over until she was beneath him. Without any hesitation, he lifted to his elbows and continued the rhythm she’d started before.

Liz parted her lips, opening her eyes to look up at him through half lids. As he picked up his pace, she wrapped her legs around his waist and drew him in deeper.

Max groaned at the way she felt so slick and tight. He loved feeling the little tremors that rippled through her folds that held him deep inside of her.

Liz lifted her hands to run them up his chest before cupping his face in her hands. He looked down at her, his gaze falling into hers as he felt her fingers stroking his cheeks. Her skin was moist from their lovemaking and he could see little puffs of air escaping her parted lips.

He saw her eyes sparkle right before she arched up into his body and cried out, “Oh I love you, Maaaaax!”

As her second orgasm washed over him, he knew it was her words that had made him lose it. As soon as his name had passed her lips, he was crying out her name as he spilled his love into her body.

“Lizzz!”

Liz continued to milk him with her body until he collapsed on top of her. With a satisfied smile, she wrapped her arms around him and held him close. Nuzzling his temple, she heard him whisper against her neck.

“I love you too, baby girl.”

TBC...

Part 14

Over the next couple of weeks, Max had finally talked to Liz about Sean and what had nearly happened. Liz knew he’d been hurt because he’d lost his best friend whom he’d trusted. She also knew Max had blamed himself for what had nearly happened to her.

However, they finally sat down and had a talk about it. Max was finally beginning to see that Liz was right. At least she was fine now and still with him. Sean was gone and Liz was safe, that was what really mattered in the end. Liz was all that really mattered to Max and he was grateful that he’d come home when he did.

He knew Liz didn’t blame him for any of it, she’d completely understood why he hadn’t believed her in the first place. Especially since she said if the roles had been reversed, she was certain she’d have believed the person who’d been her best friend since childhood. There had been no reason for Max to believe Sean was capable of what he’d done since there had never been an incident like that in all the years they’d been friends.

Now, weeks later Max seemed to have put it in the past and had gone on with his life with Liz. That was the state of things one evening as Max and Liz sat curled on the sofa watching one of their favorite TV dramas. Halfway through the one hour show, the phone rang.

Without taking his eyes from the television, Max reached over and picked the receiver up.

“Hello,” he said as he placed it against his ear.

The sound of a tearful voice whispered, “Max?”

Max frowned. “Who is this?”

“I-it’s Tess.”

Max sat up at the sound of her broken voice. “Tess! What’s wrong?”

“I’m sorry Max,” she began to sob, “but I didn’t know who else to call. I’m so scared!”

Max reached out and picked up the remote, lowering the volume of the TV. Liz turned her head and looked at him, a question in her eyes. He motioned with his hand to wait for a moment.

“Tess? You need to calm down and tell me what’s going on okay?”

He could hear her sniffle. “It’s Sean.”

The sound of his ex-best friend was enough to make Max stiffen with rising anger. “What about him?”

“He came over to my friend’s house the other day and tried to tell me to get rid of my baby! He almost broke the door down, Max! Sara called the cops, but he had already left.”

Max frowned. “Didn’t you give the police his address?”

“Yes!” she cried. “But they came back and told us no one lived there anymore! All his stuff is gone and no one knows where he is!”

Max closed his eyes.

“The police said since he hadn’t done anything to us and the door wasn’t that damaged, they couldn’t guard us, but they do have a warrant out for him.”

“Okay, well they’ll arrest him when they find him.”

“That’s just it Max! I think he’s following me!”

Max heard the rising fear in her voice. “What!”

“Yesterday, I got some flowers in a box at my work. I opened it to find one crushed long stemmed rose and a note. It said he was waiting to see if I got rid of the baby like he wants me too!”

“Geez!” Max hissed.

“And then today, I got off of work and found a note on my car! It said I have one week to get rid of it before he comes for both of us!” Her voice rose in pitch. “And then I get to Sara’s place and the door has been kicked in!”

Max swallowed. “Did you call the police Tess?”

“Yes, they came over just as Sara got home! Nothing was touched at all, but Sara is staying with her parents now because everyone’s scared!”

“Are you staying with them too?”

“No, they already have a full house, so I was going to stay at a hotel.”

Max shook his head even though he knew Tess couldn’t see it. “No you’re not! You’re what? Four months pregnant with a psycho after you! Where are you right now?”

“At the police station, they wanted me to come in and to answer more questions,” she said, her voice growing softer from overuse.

“Okay, stay there and I’m going to go get you okay? We’ll go get some of your things and you can stay with me until this all blows over.”

“O-okay.”

Max quickly hung up the phone and ran to the bedroom to change shirts and put on a pair of shoes.

Liz walked in a few minutes later as he was searching for his keys. “What’s going on Max?”

“That was Tess, Sean’s been threatening her for the last few days! He wants her to get rid of the baby and the police have a warrant out, but they can’t find him. He’s sent threatening notes and broke the door of her friend’s place where she was staying. Her friend is now staying with her family, but Tess can’t stay there because there’s no room.”

When he paused to shrug his jacket on Liz replied, “Oh my God! Is she okay? Where’s she staying?”

“She’s at the police station right now answering some questions, but I told her she could stay here until this blows over.”

Liz quirked an eyebrow. “Here?”

Max finally found his keys and snatched them up before moving to her and placing his hands on her arms. He gave her a pleading look. “She doesn’t have anyone else, Liz. And I don’t want her to be alone with Sean still on the loose. The last note he sent her said she has a week to get rid of the baby or he’ll come for both of them. I think she needs to be somewhere safe if the police don’t catch him before then!”

Liz nodded. “Yeah, you’re right. Um, do you want me to go with you?”

He shook his head. “No, I’m just going to go get her and take her to get some of her things. I’d like you to stay here and tidy up the guest room for her. Can you do that?”

“Sure.”

“Okay, thanks baby girl.” He leaned in and kissed her on the lips. “Hopefully it won’t take long. I’ll be back soon.”

Liz followed him out to the living room. As he opened the door to leave, he turned to her. “Lock the door after me okay? Love you!”

She gave him a smile as he walked out. “Love you too!”

*************************************************************

Tess was waiting for him when he walked into the police station. Max took one look at her and saw the fear in her eyes. He also saw the dried tears on her cheeks and they way she looked so worn and disheveled. He knew that couldn’t be good for her or the baby.

As soon as he got close to her, he wrapped his arms around her and hugged her as close as he could. He could feel the way she clung to him and the way her body trembled slightly. She was clearly holding back fresh tears.

Pulling away he gave her an encouraging smile. “You done here?” At her nod, he continued. “Well let’s go get your things and go back to my place okay?”

“Okay,” she whispered, throat tight.

Max kept one arm around her shoulders as he led her out to the parking lot where his car was. He helped her into the passenger seat before going around to his side. Soon they were on their way to Sara’s place to pick up some of her things.

When they got there, Max saw that there were still several police cars there.

“Just…just pull up into the driveway there. They said they were investigating in hopes of finding some clues, but we could go in and get stuff if we needed to. They already dusted for fingerprints. I-I think they also want to see if he’ll show up again.”

Max nodded as he pulled his car into the driveway and turned off the ignition. He followed Tess inside the house to the room that had been hers. Tess pulled out a couple of suitcases out of the closet and began to pack some things. Max helped her as best he could and carried all of the suitcases, bags, and boxes that she’d managed to pack back to his car.

Finally Tess said she’d live without the rest of the stuff until things settled down, so they got back into the car and headed to his house. As Max pulled up into the driveway, Tess noticed the other car sitting there.

Frowning, she asked, “You’re having company?”

Max gave her a sheepish smile. “Actually no. It’s my girlfriend’s car. She lives with me.”

Tess’ eyes went wide. “Oh Max! I didn’t know! Sean never told me you lived with anyone! Oh this was a bad idea!”

Max shook his head. “No it’s not. She knows you’re coming to stay with us for a while. She knows everything.”

Tess swallowed as she looked at the house. “Everything?”

Max reached out and took her hand in his. “Listen, I don’t know if this is a good time to tell you this, but Sean tried to do something to her.”

Tess’ shocked gaze snapped to his. “Did he…”

“No, I got home before anything bad could happen and threw him out.” He sighed, “It was actually on the same day I ran into you. I had just returned home from the post office and Sean was in my house trying to force himself on Liz.”

Tess closed her eyes as her lips began to tremble. “God Max, are you sure this is a good idea? Maybe she shouldn’t see me after what he did.”

He gave her hand a reassuring squeeze. “Liz doesn’t blame you for the way Sean is, Tess. She wouldn’t do that. If anything, she understands how you feel. Come on, let’s go inside okay? Liz should be finished getting the extra bedroom ready for you.”

Tess nodded and got out of the car while Max grabbed a couple of suitcases. She followed him to the door and waited while he unlocked it.

Stepping inside, he motioned for her to follow him down the hall to the guest bedroom. Nudging the door open wider, he looked in and smiled.

“Liz?”

Liz looked up from where she had been straightening the comforter and smiled. “Hey! You’re back.”

Max nodded. “Yeah.” He stepped aside to allow Tess inside. “Liz, this is Tess Harding. Tess, this is my girlfriend. Liz Parker.”

Tess gave Liz a hesitant smile as she held out her hand. “It’s nice to meet you Liz.”

Liz nodded. “Nice to meet you too, Tess.”

Max set the suitcases down next to the bed and turned to them. “I’m going to go get the rest of the things from the car. Liz, can you show her where everything is?”

“Yeah.”

As Max left the room, Tess turned to look at Liz again. “Thank you so much for letting me stay with you two for a while! I’m sorry for intruding like this, but…”

Liz shook her head. “No, it’s okay really. Max told me what happened and he’s right. You need someplace safe to stay until Sean is caught.”

Tess nodded as she lowered her gaze. She didn’t want to mention that she knew what her boyfriend had done to Liz, the whole mess was still too raw to her.

“Well, are you up for a little tour of where everything is?”

Tess gave her a smile. “Yes, I’d like that.”

*************************************************************

Liz stared at her reflection in the mirror with a slight frown. Someone should have warned her that Sean’s girlfriend was a blonde bombshell. Pregnant or not, Tess was sex on legs! And Liz was sure Max had drooled over her just like any normal guy would. In fact, she was also sure Tess had drooled over Max too.

At least the two of them had seemed rather close all that evening. After Max had brought in all of Tess’ things, he’d gone about helping her unpack and getting her settled in. While he’d been doing that, he’d asked Liz if she could heat up some tea for Tess.

She’d gone to heat the tea and Max had soon joined her in the kitchen to whip up something for Tess to eat while she took a shower. When Tess got out of the shower, Max seated her at the kitchen table and made her eat the late dinner with her tea. Then they’d all gone into the living room where he’d asked her if she wanted to watch a movie and put in the DVD she had chosen.

He’d gone out of his way to make sure she was completely comfortable before settling down to watch the movie too. Every time Tess made a move, Max seemed to jump to her assistance, upsetting Liz who had been leaning against him. She’d finally gotten tired of being jostled and had moved to the other side of the couch from him.

When the movie was over, Tess said she was going to bed, so Max followed her to make sure she had everything she needed. Liz had remained in the living room putting things away before going to the bedroom and getting ready for bed herself. A few minutes later, Max had sauntered in, giving her a smile and a kiss on the cheek before he went to the bathroom.

Now Max was in bed while she remained in the bathroom scowling at her reflection. Someone should have warned her that Tess had a body to die for.

“Baby girl? You coming to bed?” called Max from the bedroom.

Liz’s frown deepened as she set her brush down. “In a minute,” she replied.

She gave her reflection the once over and sighed. No matter what she did, she knew she’d never be able to rival the curvy blonde sleeping in the guest bedroom.

“I’ll bet she won’t even gain that much weight while pregnant! Nothing could possibly mess up that perfect figure!” Liz muttered under her breath.

“What’s that honey?” came Max’s voice once more.

“Nothing,” replied Liz.

She finally resigned herself to her fate and gave a small sigh before turning off the light and walking into the bedroom. Max was leaning back against the headboard smiling at her.

“There you are! I was beginning to think I was going to have to go and get you!”

Liz just shook her head and moved around to her side of the bed. She turned off all the other lights and crawled under the covers next to Max. Lying on her back, she stared up at the darkened ceiling in silence. Max moved closer to her and wrapped his arms around her waist.

Pulling her into his side, he buried his face in her hair. “Hm, you smell good,” he murmured.

Liz sighed as wondered if Tess smelled good too.

“Thanks for helping me with Tess. I’m glad you think it’s a good idea for us to help her out.”

She nodded. “Yeah.”

Max sighed as he lowered his head to her neck, placing soft kisses there. “I love you so much Liz.”

She closed her eyes at his words, wondering just what it was about her that he loved. Why was it that he had chosen her out of all the others he could have had? And she knew he’d had plenty of choices, what with him being a DJ and all.

Max continued to kiss his way down to her shoulder as he slid his hand beneath her lacey top. His fingers grazed her stomach before making their way up to tease her breasts. As his hand closed around one of them, he leaned over her and covered her mouth with his.

Liz stopped thinking about anything else except the way he tasted and the way his hands shaped her body. As he deepened the kiss, he slid over her pressing her down into the mattress.

She moaned into his mouth at the feel of his hard body through both of their clothes. Granted, she had on a lot more than he did since all he had on were his boxers and she wore a pajama short set. However, Max’s hands made short work of her lacey top, shorts, and underwear as well as his own boxers.

While his hands had been busy removing their clothes, his mouth had been busy kissing every inch of skin he could find. Liz’s hands hadn’t been idle either as they roamed over the broad expanse of his chest and back.

Nudging her thighs apart with his knee, he settled himself between them and resumed devouring her mouth. Liz slid her hands between them and pressed against his chest.

Mumbling into his mouth, “Max, maybe we shouldn’t be doing this?”

He mumbled right back. “Why not?”

“Tess…”

“Is a big girl.” He finished. “Besides, she’s probably fast asleep by now.”

As he kissed his way down her neck again, she tilted her head back and looked up at the ceiling. “I know, but…”

He lifted his head to place a finger over her lips, silencing her. Looking into her eyes, he gave her a heated look that melted her right to her core. “No buts. This is our home so we are entitled to do whatever we want in it. And right now, I want you.”

Liz sighed as he lowered his mouth to hers once more and slid slowly inside of her. Closing her eyes in pleasure, she gave up resisting him. Besides, since when had she ever been able to resist the love of her life?

*************************************************************

Max walked into the bedroom and smiled at Liz sitting at the desk reading. Her back was to him, but that didn’t stop him from walking over to her and leaning down to kiss her neck. He frowned when she tensed up when his lips touched her skin.

Straightening up, he reached out to run his fingers through her hair in reassurance. “It’s just me, baby girl.”

She nodded without turning to look at him. “Yeah, I know.”

That only made his frown deepen. “You okay?”

Again she nodded without turning to look at him. He glanced towards the bedroom door, but he knew Tess wasn’t due home from work for another two hours. Once she’d moved into Max’s house a few days ago, he had quickly seen how she kept to a regular schedule.

Looking back at Liz, he folded his arms over his chest. “Liz? Would you come help me make dinner?” he asked, hoping that would make her turn to look at him.

She sighed. “I’d rather pass tonight if it’s all right with you.”

That was obviously not what he wanted to hear as he moved to her side and leaned over to look at her face. “What is wrong?”

“Nothing.”

He gritted his teeth. “Don’t give me that! Something is obviously bothering you!”

“Max…”

“Look me in the eye and tell me that!” he growled.

When she didn’t move, he reached out and pulled her to her feet. Cupping her face in his hands, he forced her to look at him.

Unfortunately she was being incredibly stubborn as she wouldn’t meet his eyes. All that did was succeed in making him panic. “What did I do?” he asked.

“Not…”

“Please stop saying that!” he snapped.

This time she glared up at him. “Let go of me.”

“Not until you tell me the truth. You know better than this Liz!”

She pushed his hands away before walking away from him. Max didn’t move after her. He just watched as she walked to the other side of the room and stood there with her back to him.

A lump formed in his throat. “What did I do?” he repeated.

“It’s not you,” she whispered.

He walked towards her. “Then what is it?”

She turned to look at him with a frown on her face. “Don’t you see what’s going on Max? Why is it that you are always blind to these things, huh?”

He frowned. “Blind? To what?”

“Tess! You! Me!” she said, emphasizing each word with a wave of her hand.

He gave her a puzzled look. “You’re not making any sense baby girl.”

She glared at him. “God Max! How can you be so clueless! Do you have any idea what it does to me to watch you and Tess be so close!”

“What?”

“You heard me!”

“Liz, Tess is a friend of mine. I’m just trying to make sure she’s okay after everything that happened to her!”

“Yeah, I know that.”

“Then what is the problem?”

“The problem is that you are too nice for your own good Max! You just don’t realize how nice of a guy you are! And that just makes them all fawn over you! It’s sickening!”

Max gaped at her as she began to pace. “I’m too nice? Wait a minute, just who is it you think is fawning over me?”

Liz rolled her eyes. “As if you don’t know!”

Max watched her continue to pace as he tried to make sense of what she’d been saying. Suddenly it dawned on him. He widened his eyes and stared at her.

“You think Tess is fawning over me?”

Liz paced even more. “No Max I don’t THINK Tess is, I KNOW she is! And why wouldn’t she, huh? You’re a nice guy. And not only that, but you come in a nice package too! She’s not the only one to notice! Look at your ex! And all the women at the club! Oh, but then again, why notice any of them when they flock to you? After all, how many guys can say they have gorgeous bombshells like Tess Harding fawning over them?”

Max could only smirk at her rambling. If anyone had ever asked him, he would have sworn his girlfriend never got jealous. Ever. Now she was proving just how wrong he was. His smirk soon turned into a smile as she continued to ramble on. He was thinking of the compliment she’d just given him.

Liz stopped pacing when she realized Max wasn’t saying anything. Turning to look at him, she saw the huge smile he wore. She glared at him.

“What is so funny?”

He chuckled. “You think I come in a nice package.”

Liz threw her hands in the air. “Leave it to a man to not hear a thing you say except the part that appeals to his ego!”

Max reached out and pulled her into his arms, making her gasp. She looked up at him to see the smile was now gone even though his eyes still sparkled. He lifted a hand up to run his fingers through her hair.

“I heard every word you said, baby girl. And for your information, Tess isn’t fawning over me. And I don’t think she’s a blonde bombshell either. Nor do I think any of the other women at the club can compare to you. Get used to it baby girl. This nice package only belongs to you.”

She could only stare at him as his eyes got his message across. He meant every word he said. None of the other women had ever gotten his attention the way Liz got it and Max loved it that way. In fact, he had every intention of keeping it that way for as long as he could.

Moving his hand from her hair to her cheek, he smiled as he brushed his lips over hers. “Do you have any idea just how sexy you are when you’re jealous? Your eyes get bright and you do this wicked pout with your lips. It makes me want to devour you.”

Liz whimpered against his lips. “Not fair! I hate it when you seduce me like this!”

He chuckled softly. “No you don’t.”

“Yes, I do.” But even she could hear how weak that had sounded.

He sighed against her lips. “I love you, Liz.”

She closed her eyes and tilted her head back. As his mouth began to devour hers, she mumbled back, “I love you too, nice package.”

They both laughed against each other until the kiss deepened and everything else was soon forgotten.

TBC...

Part 15

Max opened the door with a smile to greet Alex and his roommate, Kyle. Michael and Tess were out back decorating the yard for Liz’s surprise birthday party while Max had worked in the kitchen. Since Isabel and Maria were out with Liz, everyone else was gathering at Max’s house for her party.

When Isabel had asked Max what he’d planned for Liz’s birthday, Max had said he wanted to give her a surprise party, but didn’t know what to do. So Isabel said she’d be glad to help him plan it and Max had immediately volunteered his home as long as they could come up with a way to keep Liz from knowing. Turned out, Tess and Isabel were both great at planning parties, so between the two of them, all Max had to do was run out during his lunch hours for the last couple of weeks to purchase the items they would need for the party.

Since Liz never went into the guest bedroom once Tess had moved in, her closet had been the best place to stash most of the stuff. Michael had graciously volunteered to stash the rest of the stuff at his place since it was more likely Liz would see it if it had been at Isabel and Maria’s apartment.

Isabel decided that the best way to get Liz out of the house so that Max and the others could get things ready was to take her out for a spa day. Isabel knew Liz wouldn’t turn down a day where she could just sit back and relax while she had a massage, manicure, and pedicure. Especially since she only did that once in a blue moon.

It was during the weeks of planning that Maria realized what Isabel was up to and hinted to her roommate that she would like to participate in the party as well. After all, Liz was still her best friend even if they weren’t really on speaking terms. So Isabel had informed Max that Maria was going to help her in taking Liz out and she would be returning with them to the party afterwards.

Max knew Liz was on the outs with Maria, but he had kept out of whatever argument the two of them had been having. Granted, he knew it was about him, but he decided not to interfere and let them deal with their friendship. All he did was lend Liz an ear and a shoulder to cry on when the confrontations with Maria got to her. He knew Liz was grateful that he was there to listen to her and comfort her when she needed it.

So, he was pleasantly surprised that Maria wanted to participate and told Isabel that he didn’t have a problem with Maria being there at all. In fact, he was certain it would make Liz happy to know that her best friend still wanted to celebrate her birthday with her.

The moment the girls left, Max and Tess had begun to get things ready. An hour later, Michael had shown up to help since they’d invited him too and now Alex had arrived, having asked Isabel and Max earlier in the week if it was alright to bring his roommate along.

“Hey Alex! I’m glad you could come, man,” said Max as he held out his hand in greeting.

Alex shook his hand and grinned, “Wouldn’t miss this for the world. Max, this is my friend and roommate, Kyle Valenti. Kyle, Max Evans.”

Kyle smiled and held his own hand out in greeting. “Nice to meet you Max, thanks for letting me come.”

Max chuckled. “No problem. The more the merrier, huh?” He stepped back with a sweep of his arm. “Well, come on in. Michael and Tess are out back decorating the back yard while I cook in the kitchen.”

Kyle arched an eyebrow. “You’re a cook?”

Max nodded. “Yeah, no where near a pro if that’s what you’re asking, but yeah.”

Alex chuckled. “He’s being modest, Kyle. Max is a definitely a closet chef, which is a good thing because Liz can’t cook to save her life.”

Kyle laughed good naturedly. “But I’ll bet she’s great at cleaning up huh?”

Max grinned. “Oh you have no idea! Sometimes she gets on my case when I leave one of my shirts draped over the back of a chair!”

Kyle nodded. “Well see, I’d say it’s a fair trade then.”

“Right you are,” replied Max. “I love to cook, but sometimes I just don’t like dealing with the pots and pans.”

“I feel your pain,” sympathized Kyle.

Max arched an eyebrow. “You cook too?”

Once more Alex chuckled. “Mr. Closet Chef Max, meet Mr. Closet Chef Kyle.”

At that both men grinned at each other before Max motioned towards the kitchen. “Well you are more than welcome to come help if you’d like.”

“You don’t mind?” asked Kyle.

“Not at all. Like I said, the more the merrier.”

Alex clapped them both on the back. “Okay then, while you two go create masterpieces in the kitchen, I’ll be out back trying not to mess up their decorations.”

Max and Kyle laughed at Alex as he made his way towards the back door, before Max led Kyle to the kitchen where they both coordinated a feast fit for a queen.

*************************************************************

Liz leaned back against the recliner with her eyes closed as they worked on giving her a pedicure. When both Isabel and Maria had showed up at the house that morning and told her they were taking her out for a spa day, she’d been shocked and thrilled. It had been about a year or so since she’d last had one, but that wasn’t why she’d really been shocked.

She’d had to pinch herself to make sure she wasn’t dreaming that Maria had actually shown up and with Isabel and wanted to spend the day with her. It had seemed so long since Maria had even been civil to her. In fact, even though they worked in the same office, Maria had seemed to be avoiding her like the plague. And after the last time she had blasted Isabel for seeing Alex, Liz decided it wasn’t worth trying to talk some sense into Maria.

So, to see her there, Liz decided not to look a gift horse in the mouth and take the offer as it was. In the end, it had been a wonderful day of the three of them being pampered and gossiping together just like old times. Sighing to herself, she realized just how much she had missed that.

“How was your massage Liz?” asked Isabel as she was seated in the recliner next to Liz.

Liz opened her eyes and grinned at her. “It was lovely. I almost couldn’t get up to make it to the manicurist’s table.”

Maria chuckled as she walked up to them. “I second that!”

Isabel nodded. “Yeah, I’m feeling really good right now!”

As the two of them got settled down on either side of Liz and their own pedicure began, the three of them began chatting up a storm. They talked about everything from the latest celebrity romances to what the newest fashion craze was and if they liked it or not.

By the time they were done, it was mid-afternoon and the girls were ready for a good meal.

“So, you two want to grab some grub?” asked Liz.

Isabel shrugged. “I dunno. I don’t think I’m ready to eat just yet.”

“Oh, then what should we do to pass the time?” Liz asked as she looked between the two of them.

Isabel chuckled. “You know, I’m thinking I want to change into something different before we go eat. I mean I kind of feel like going to a nice place. What do you say?”

Maria chuckled. “That actually sounds like a good idea.”

Liz nodded. “Sure if that’s what you want to do.”

Isabel grinned. “Great, well why don’t we go back to your place first Liz. And then we’ll swing by our apartment last, okay?”

“Sounds like a plan,” she agreed.

*************************************************************

Max checked his watch once again before looking at the others. “Come on guys, we should be going outside to wait now. I think the girls should be on their way back with Liz by now.”

Tess giggled. “Wow, I don’t think I’ve ever seen you this nervous Max!”

Kyle lifted an eyebrow. “Not even while he was DJing?”

Alex and Michael both shook their heads. “Not even then,” replied Michael.

Max rolled his eyes. “I just want this to be perfect for her since she once told me she never had a surprise party before.”

Before anyone had a chance to reply, they all heard the car pulling into the driveway. With no more than quiet ‘shhs’ they all made their way out to the back quickly. Max shut the door as soon as they were all out and they all found a place to hide.

Liz opened the door and walked inside with Isabel and Maria giggling behind her. She looked over her shoulder and grinned at the joke Isabel had just told before turning back around to take in the quiet house.

She frowned. “Hm, I thought maybe Max would be mixing right now.”

“Mixing?” Maria asked.

Liz closed the door behind them with a nod. “Yeah, he usually works with his turntables at this time during the weekend. You know, trying out new songs and mixing them together.”

“Oh,” she shrugged. “Maybe he’s already done for the day or something?”

“Maybe.” She made her way to the bedroom as she called out to them. “Make yourselves at home while I change okay?”

“Okay,” replied Maria as Liz disappeared into the bedroom.

Once more Liz frowned as she stepped into the darkened bedroom. She wondered briefly just where Max had gone when suddenly an ear piercing shriek came from the living room. Without a moments hesitation, Liz rushed out of the bedroom to see Isabel standing at the back door staring wide eyed at something outside.

Liz made her way towards her. “Isabel! What is it!”

She turned and waved frantically to Liz. “Oh my God, you have to come see this!” she shouted.

Liz made her way to the door as Isabel stepped back and pointed outside. “Look at that!” she exclaimed.

Just as Isabel said that, everyone jumped out from where they were hiding and shouted, “Happy Birthday!”

Liz couldn’t do anything but stand there stunned at what she was seeing. The entire backyard had been transformed into a kind of Hawaiian themed party complete with tiki torches, palm trees, and coconut decorations.

“Oh my…” she whispered in awe.

Max walked up to her and smiled before placing a kiss against her cheek. “Happy birthday baby girl.”

Her eyes misted as she threw her arms around him. “Oh Max! Thank you so much! I love it!” she cried.

He chuckled as he hugged her back. “Thank Tess and Isabel for thinking this up all I did was supply the house and the goodies.”

Isabel laughed as Liz turned around and hugged her too. “Okay, thanks Izzy!”

“Aw, hey Tess and I may have planned it, but Max cooked all the food and brought everything we thought we’d need, so he’s not all innocent.”

Liz laughed as she pulled away and turned to Tess who had walked up to them. Taking care not to hurt her, Liz gave her a hug to. “Thanks Tess.”

Tess hugged her back. “You are very welcome. Happy birthday.”

Liz smiled as all the others came and wished her happy birthday and even remembered who Kyle was when Alex introduced them again. She thanked him for coming and Max told her that he’d had help in the kitchen since Kyle was also a closet chef like he was. That immediately peaked Tess’ interest as she asked exactly what Kyle’s best dish was and soon the two of them were having their own conversation about food.

Max led Liz around the back so she could see all of the decorations they’d come up with. Torches were lined up in a semi circle around a table that had been covered with a festive cloth. And there were huge inflatable palm trees near the back door. The centerpiece on the table was a huge punch bowl with a neon palm tree in the center of it that served as a sort of fountain where the punch flowed from it.

The chairs had been decorated with luau necklaces and each plate had a tiny palm tree set in the center of it with candy which was shaped and tasted like coconuts dangling from them. The glasses had pink flamingo stirring sticks in them and confetti in the shapes of palms, flamingos, and hula dancers was scattered all over the table, chairs, and patio.

As they made their way to the table to sit with the others, Liz grinned at the others. “Wow! This is so cute! You guys did a wonderful job making this place look festive.”

Maria nodded. “Yeah, it’s almost like we are at a real luau.”

Kyle chuckled. “All we need now are hula dancers. Alex? How about it?”

Alex quirked an eyebrow. “Got a hula skirt handy?”

Tess laughed. “Oh! I think I do! It came with the inflatable palm trees.”

Michael rummaged around in the box hidden under the table that held the food until he came up with it. Alex took it from him and tied it around his waist as everyone began to laugh. Once he’d tied it securely, he walked over to Liz and began to imitate a hula dancer swinging his hips to and fro as he waved his arms side to side.

His dancing succeeded in making everyone crack up with more laughter until many of them had tears running down their faces.

“Oh! I don’t think I’ve ever been this entertained!” squealed Isabel.

Michael chuckled. “Alex man, just when we thought you were just a engineering nerd, you just had to go and ruin that image!”

“Hey! We nerds can have fun too, you know!” huffed Alex before he went right back to dancing.

Liz giggled. “Oh Alex, thank you, but you can stop now! I don’t think I can laugh anymore.”

“Me either, my sides hurt,” agreed Maria.

Max nodded. “Yeah, mine too.”

Tess blushed. “And I think I have to use the restroom.”

At once Kyle rose to his feet. “You need help getting inside?” he asked.

She gave him a shy smile. “Thanks, but I think I got it.”

Kyle simply helped her to her feet before she went inside to use the restroom. Liz gave Max a puzzled look and all he did was grin and wink letting her know he’d fill her in later. Suffice it to say, when Kyle and Max had finally joined Michael, Tess, and Alex in the back, sparks had instantly flown.

Despite the fact that Kyle knew Tess was about five months pregnant, that hadn’t stopped him from getting to know her in the short time he’d had before Liz and the girls had shown up. Tess and Max had managed to fill Kyle in on what Sean had done to her, Max, and Liz. They’d all seen the look of horror, then anger cross Kyle’s face as they’d told him what had happened.

After that, he’d made it a point to talk to Tess about anything he could think of, including if she knew what the baby was going to be and what she was doing as she looked forward to having it. The two of them had been chatting up a storm until the decorating had been done and they all went inside to wait for Liz.

It wasn’t long before Tess soon returned outside, wearing a mixed look of shock and relief. Kyle was the first to notice.

“You okay Tess?”

As the others turned to look at her, she lifted her hand that held her cell phone. “The police just called. They arrested last night. He’d been drunk and caused some ruckus at a bar out of town. Luckily one of the officers at the jail recognized his face from the warrant and called it in. He’s being transported to the city jail in town and held without bail until a trial can be set!”

Everyone stared after she’d finished that rush of information. A split second later, Liz was the first to rush to Tess.

“Oh my God! They have him! Tess that’s good news! Now we really have something to celebrate!”

Tess smiled as she hugged Liz. “Yes! Oh I still can’t believe they found him! I was so scared!”

Max walked over to both of them and wrapped his arms around them both. “It’s over now. You both are safe now.”

The others agreed as several of them gave Liz and Tess hugs of their own.

Once the shock and relief of the news had settled in, they all decided to continue with the celebration. They all began to line up to serve themselves at the buffet style table before settling down at the main table with the punch bowl centerpiece. As they feasted on their choice of the various dishes Max and Kyle had made in trying to keep with the Hawaiian theme, they chatted and enjoyed the calypso music faintly playing in the background.

Once everyone was done eating, several of them began to clear the food away and the music was turned up so that they could enjoy a bit of music and dancing. Pina Colatas were served in hollowed out coconuts which Max and Kyle had made. There was even a non-alcoholic one for Tess.

Little by little, it began to get dark and the torches now kept the backyard festively lit as they continued to enjoy their Hawaiian getaway. Finally, the cake was brought out and Liz laughed when she saw the hula girl with big jugs and a muscular man playing a ukulele next to her.

Isabel grinned. “I asked them to make them to my specifics. I thought if she had long dark hair and the guy was buff, it’d be like you and Max.”

Everyone laughed at that, except Maria who gave Isabel an unamused look before crossing her arms. “Thanks, Izzy,” said Liz with a smile as the candles were lit.

They all sang happy birthday to her and she blew the candles out after making her wish. Isabel held out the plates as Max put slices on them before handing them off to whoever wanted a piece.

As they finished their cake, Liz opened the presents Tess handed to her. Alex and Kyle got her an Ipod, which Max had helped to pick out knowing exactly which one she’d wanted. Tess gave her a gift certificate to the day spa that Isabel said she liked and Michael gave her a bottle of her favorite vodka.

Max gave her a charm bracelet with their initials engraved on a heart, a miniature turntable, and a computer on it to signify their jobs. As she smiled over it, he told her that anytime she found another charm she wanted to add, she was to let him know so he could get it for her.

Liz opened Isabel’s gift next, only to see what it was too late. As she blushed and tried to close the box, Max couldn’t help but grin.

“I figured since it’s your birthday, you and Max would put those outfits to good use.”

Liz rolled her eyes. “Thanks Izzy.”

Max winked at Liz before grinning at Isabel. “Yeah, thanks Isabel. I know we will enjoy them.”

Maria rolled her eyes and handed Liz her gift. “Here you go, Liz.”

Liz took the small box and unwrapped it before opening it up. Pulling out the booklet of VIP passes to a club the three of them once frequented quite often, Liz gave Maria a smile.

“Thanks Maria. I guess I’ll be set for the next few years huh?”

Maria laughed. “I doubt they’ll last that long. Besides, it’s one pass per person, so you can give one to whoever you want to go with you and they’ll get in too.”

Liz nodded. “Oh okay, that makes sense then.”

Isabel chuckled as she looked at the name. “Wow, we haven’t been there in a while. I wonder if it’s even as good as always.”

Maria nodded. “Oh yeah! It’s still fun!” She turned to Liz and smiled. “Hey, we should go there tonight! All of us I mean! Think of all the free shots you are going to get for your birthday Liz!”

“True,” she hedged.

Tess shook her head. “You can count me out. I don’t think I have the energy for that.”

Michael nodded. “Yeah I’m a bit beat from this all day party we’ve been having.”

Isabel gave Liz an apologetic smile. “Alex and I actually were going to the movies later, but you all are welcome to come along.”

Liz shook her head. “No that’s okay, you two go have fun.” She turned to give Max a smile. “I think I’m going to stay in too.”

Max took her hand in his and leaned in to kiss her cheek. “I’m up for whatever you are baby girl.”

No one paid attention to Maria’s frown as Tess looked at the two of them for a moment before looking at Isabel. “Would you mind if I tagged along Isabel?”

She and Alex shook their heads as she replied, “Not at all.”

Tess smiled. “Thanks, I don’t feel like dancing, but I can sit and watch a movie.”

Alex gave his roommate a smile. “How about it Kyle? Want to come with?”

Kyle shrugged. “Sure, I can do a movie.”

Alex turned a smile at the others. “Sure you don’t want to go guys?”

Michael shook his head. “I’m just gonna clean up here and head on home, thanks anyway.”

Max and Liz both nodded. “Yeah, thanks Alex, but Liz and I are going to decline too.”

Maria huffed. “Well, if you guys want to be old folks that’s fine by me. Excuse me while I go call a cab. Later guys.”

Without another word, she walked into the house. Everyone else watched her go before getting up to began the clean up. With all of them working together, it was done in no time at all.

Tess stopped earlier so she could go change and soon she was climbing into Isabel’s car, while Alex and Kyle got into Alex’s. They all were going to meet at the guy’s apartment so Isabel could leave her car there and they’d all take Alex’s to the movies. As they made their plans, they asked the others one more time if they wanted to go, but they declined.

Michael said goodbye to the others and wished Liz another happy birthday before getting into his car and leaving. Soon, the other four were on their way too after wishing Liz a good birthday too. As the last car left, Maria walked out of the house since the cab had just arrived to pick her up.

Max kissed Liz on the cheek and whispered, “I’ll be inside.”

Liz gave him a grateful smile and watched as he walked inside, waving to Maria as she walked past. Her smile turned into a frown as she watched Maria stick her nose in the air, ignoring Max’s goodbye.

As Maria approached Liz, she tried to give her a smile. “Come on chica, you know you want to go out and have some fun! When was the last time you danced huh?”

Liz sighed. “Last weekend.”

“Last weekend? Wait, are you talking about while you were at the club that Max works at?” At Liz’s nod, she frowned. “You call that dancing?”

Liz crossed her arms in front of her. “Well what would you call it?”

“A short leash!”

“What?”

“That’s what he has you on!”

“This has nothing to do with Max, Maria!”

“Yes it does! Everything you do has something to do with him! God Liz! What has happened to you? You used to be fun!”

Liz narrowed her eyes. “And you used to be my best friend.”

Maria didn’t say anything for a few moments as she looked right back at Liz. Finally, she let out a defeated sigh. “Okay. It’s just that I miss you.”

“I miss you too Maria.”

She smiled. “Well, come out with me and we’ll have some fun.”

Liz shook her head. “I don’t live like that anymore Maria.”

She growled. “Yeah, like I said. A short leash. He has you believing you’re too old to have fun.”

“You’re wrong Maria. Max and I still have fun. Even Isabel and Michael and now Alex have fun with us. You are the only one who is missing out.”

“I’m not missing out on anything if all you do is sit around and tell stories about the past.”

“That’s not what we do and you know it Maria!”

“Well, it’s nothing like we used to do!” she muttered.

“Maria! There comes a time when you want more than to go out, get plastered, and party like there’s no tomorrow. Someday, you are going to want something more than an all-night party with your flavor of the week.”

Maria laughed. “As if! I’m still young baby! So sue me if I want to party every day of the week!”

Liz shook her head sadly. “Whatever Maria. Go on and do what makes you happy because I’m going to do what makes me happy.”

As Liz walked past her, Maria turned to look at her back. “Liz, you can’t seriously tell me you are always going to chose him! What makes you think he’s always going to make you happy!”

Liz sighed. “I know he will Maria. He loves me that much and I love him enough to know he’s what I will always want.”

She narrowed her eyes at Liz. “Remember we always said we’d never chose a guy over our best friends? Remember that oath we made?”

Liz turned to look at her. “It’s not the same thing. That oath was made when we were younger and had already been hurt by worthless men. I know now that there are men out there who are much better than them. Max is good to me Maria. He’s shown me that there are men out there that are worth holding on to for everything they are worth.”

“There’s no such thing as a good man Liz! We always said that!”

“We were young and heartbroken Maria. I know you don’t understand right now, but maybe someday you will. I love Max with all my heart and nothing you can say will change that.”

Maria just gaped at her for a few moments.

Liz finally gave her a tiny smile. “Thanks for today Maria. I’ll see you later.”

She turned to walk towards the house but stopped when she heard Maria’s voice once more.

“Liz! If you go inside right now and choose him over me then our friendship is over! Do you hear me! This is your last chance! Are you going to choose a man over your best friend!”

Liz didn’t turn around, but lifted her head to stare at the front door. As her vision blurred, she slowly nodded. “Actually, I think I have a new best friend. And the truth is, he’s there for me whenever I need a shoulder to cry on. No matter what, Max is always there for me.”

She paused before walking away and she whispering, “Goodbye Maria.”

*************************************************************

Liz had walked inside without seeing Maria leaving in the cab. As she shut the door and locked it, she noticed that the house was dark and quiet. She took a step and felt something beneath her shoe. Bending down, she noticed a trail of rose petals leading off in the distance.

Smiling, she began to follow the petals which led to the garage. Pushing open the door all the way, she looked into the garage filled with scented vanilla candlelight and something else that was straight out of one of her fantasies. In the center of the garage was a red motorcycle and sitting on it, wearing a tight white tee shirt, leather bomber jacket, and tight black leather pants was her boyfriend.

Her smile spread until she swore she was probably drooling at the sight of Max straddling the bike as he gave her a sexy grin. Holding out his hand to her, he spoke in a husky voice.

“Surprise.”

Liz almost moaned. She couldn’t help it. Max knew this was one of her fantasies and she couldn’t believe he’d made it happen. She moved towards him and set her hand in his, allowing him to pull her close enough to wrap his arm around her.

Lowering his head, he took her lips in a heated kiss which immediately succeeded in making her weak in the knees so that she had no choice but to wrap her arms around his shoulders to keep herself from falling.

When breathing became necessary, Max released her lips and winked at her. “I guess that means you like your second gift.”

She breathed against his lips. “Oh you have no idea!”

As they both smiled she added, “Where did you get this?”

He chuckled. “A friend of Michael’s let me borrow the bike for the night, so long as I clean it up before I return it. You know the shirt and pants are mine.” He smirked. “And I decided it was time to invest in a leather jacket to go with the pants you love so much.”

She grinned. “Hm, I have to agree with you there.”

Once more he leaned down to kiss her, but as he did, he lifted her up until she was straddling his legs. She lifted her hands to his shoulders and slowly pushed the jacket down. Max let her go long enough to shrug out of the jacket before pulling her closer to him.

As she settled against his hips, she ran her hands over his tee shirt clad chest enjoying the way his muscles moved beneath the shirt. She moaned into his mouth as their tongues began to dance and she gyrated against his groin in time to their tongue dance.

Max growled at the way she was responding to the fantasy he’d set for her as his hands tunneled into her hair. As she continued to rub against him, he tilted her head back and began kissing and sucking on the skin of her neck.

He felt her moan vibrate against his lips as her hands moved from his shoulders down his back.

“Max! I need more, baby!” she whimpered.

“I know,” he groaned against her neck. “I’ll get you there baby girl.”

He leaned back and lifted her off of him, setting her on her feet next to the bike. As soon as she was standing, she reached out and pulled the shirt up and over his head. He grinned as she moved close to him to run her hands over his bare chest, her eyes drinking him in.

As she continued to touch him, he began to remove her clothes. Where she’d been rough, he took his time taking off her clothes. His fingers and knuckles grazed the skin he exposed, making her shiver in response. His smile turned tender when her eyes went to half mast and she gave a soft sigh of pleasure.

Once he’d gotten her completely undressed and she had stepped out of the last of them, he lifted her up once more and set her back on his lap. Liz grinned as she realized he still had his leather pants on, but her grin turned into another moan when that leather came in contact with her moist heat. Closing her eyes, she rubbed herself against his leather clad hardness, thinking that this felt even better than that night of so long ago.

Max wrapped his arms around her waist, watching her lean back as she enjoyed herself. He bit his lip as she continued to rub against his groin, making him even harder than he thought possible. Who knew her fantasy could be this good even for him.

When she whimpered once more, Max pulled her up so that he could take one delectable breast into his mouth. As he suckled, he lowered a hand between them to undo his pants. He took his time, driving her mad with need as he laved attention on first one breast and then the other.

Her fingers were now digging into his shoulders as she writhed in his arms, letting him know she was getting close. Lifting her up once more, he quickly pulled himself out of the pants and set her down on him.

Liz threw her head back with a cry as she felt him filling her up finally. As soon as she was certain that he was completely inside of her, she wrapped her arms around his shoulders for leverage and began to ride him to her hearts content.

Max tilted his head back to gaze up at her, enjoying the passionate look on her face as she took what she needed from him. He held her hips with his hands, helping her to find that rhythm she loved.

Soon, her lips were parted as she began to pant in effort. Max moved his hands to her bottom to pull her closer, thus allowing him to go even deeper. It was the push she needed to lose control and let go.

Bucking wildly against him, she threw her head back and screamed her release to the ceiling. As her cries echoed around them, Max closed his eyes and let himself go too.

Lifting his hips, he buried himself inside of her pulsing walls again and again until he felt the explosion rock him.

Liz heard the guttural growl of her name as she felt his love bathing her walls. Clutching him close, she continued to ride out her own orgasm until she finally collapsed against his chest.

Max held her in his arms, slowly caressing her back and placing soft kisses on her shoulder. A few moments later, he kissed her cheek and whispered into her ear.

“Happy birthday baby girl.”

Liz smiled contentedly against his chest as she hugged him tight. This had been the best birthday she’d ever had.

TBC...

Part 16

Max could hear Tess rushing around her room as he got ready to take a shower. She had an evening appointment today and already she was running late. It was late Friday afternoon and Max was getting ready to go DJ for the night.

Glancing at the clock, he knew Liz would be home soon and they’d be going to the club together where Michael would be meeting them. Isabel and Alex had told them they’d be there late tonight and Tess wasn’t sure how she was going to feel once she was done with her work.

He chuckled to himself as he heard Tess curse and slam a door shut before he stepped into the shower. Sighing, he closed his eyes and enjoyed the way the hot water felt on his body. Time had seemed to crawl at his day job even though there had been plenty to do, so he had been looking forward to a nice hot shower before getting ready to go to the club.

A few minutes later he heard Tess call out, “See you later Max!” before he heard the front door slam shut. Less than a minute later, he heard her car revving up before the sound of the engine faded away.

Picking up a sponge, he lathered it and began to bathe himself, knowing he really didn’t have that much time to finish his shower before Liz got home. As he moved the sponge over his body, he thought about what he could make for them to munch on before they left for the club. Soon, he’d finished bathing and washing his hair so that now he stood beneath the water rinsing himself off.

It was while he was standing there letting the water trail over him that the door to the shower opened. He chuckled to himself as he wiped the water from his eyes.

“Hey baby girl, you’re home ear…”

He froze when he saw that it wasn’t Liz, but a second later he was scowling.

“How the hell did you get in?” he growled.

Serena pouted. “Aw, Max why do you have to be that way? Can’t you see that I’m happy to see you? Aren’t you happy to see me?” She said the last part in a seductive voice as she ran her fingers down her naked skin.

Max refused to follow the path her fingers took from her shoulder over her breasts and down past her waist. Instead he shut the shower off and reached out of the door for a towel. Quickly wrapping it around his waist, he skirted around Serena and got out of the confined space.

He spied her clothes lying in a pile on the floor near the sink and bent down to retrieve them. As soon as he did, he felt her hands on his ass as she gripped him. Whirling around he grabbed hold of the towel as if worried that she’d rip it off of him.

“What the hell!” he squeaked.

She gave him a seductive smile. “You still have the nicest ass I’ve ever seen on a man, honey.”

“Damn it Serena! Get the fuck out of my house now! I’m calling the cops! And I still want to know how you got in! I changed the fucking locks!”

She tsked. “What? It’s not my fault your roommate forgot to lock the door on her way out. Guess it’s because she’s blonde?”

“How would you know what Tess did! Have you been watching my house!” he shouted.

She giggled. “Oh come on Max, don’t be like that. Don’t you remember what it was like for us? All those nights of wild, hot sex we’d have?”

Max turned around and stormed into the bedroom. He picked up his cell phone and began to dial the number. Serena simply followed behind him and ripped both the phone and the towel away from him simultaneously.

Max roared. “Give me the phone Ser!”

She laughed as she shook her head. “Nope, if you want it, you’ll have to come get it baby.”

Max took a step towards her, completely oblivious to the fact that he wasn’t wearing a stitch. He was too focused on getting the phone back so he could call the police to have her thrown in jail.

As he advanced on her, she began to back away from him. Smiling, she ran the phone over her bare skin, stopping to tease her nipples before running it down over her navel.

Max growled. “Serena! This isn’t funny anymore! You went too far this time! I’m calling the cops and having you arrested for trespassing and harassment! NOW. GIVE. ME. THE. PHONE!”

She laughed once more and turned away from him, running back towards the bathroom. Max didn’t hesitate to run after her, grabbing her around the waist and reaching past her for the phone. She continued to laugh breathlessly as she waved her hand around, keeping the phone out of his reach.

As Max pushed her against the wall, she turned around in his arms and threw her own arms around him, tossing the phone away from them. Before Max had the chance to go after it, she yanking him down by his hair and kissed him hard.

Max turned his head and mumbled as he tried to avoid her lips. “Stop it Ser! This is insane! You can’t seduce me into having sex with you!”

“Oh but I think I’m already doing a good job baby,” she purred as she pressed her body against his and rubbed enticingly.

Max reached behind him and pried her arms away only to have her wrap her legs around him. He growled as he tried to peel her off of him, but every time he seemed to get one part of her off, another part would wrap around him.

Just when he was about to forget about being gentle and just throw her down, he heard a gasp from the bedroom door. Before he even turned to look, he knew it was Liz and he couldn’t help the panic that seized him at that moment.

Liz couldn’t do anything more than stare at the sight before her. Her boyfriend was as naked as the day he was born with his ex’s body wrapped around his and she was just as naked. Clothes and towels were strewn around the bedroom floor and both of them clearly looked as if they’d just gotten out of the shower.

But it was the look on Max’s face that did it for her. He was looking at her as if he’d been caught red handed and Liz had never believed she’d live to see that look on his face. Without saying a word, she began to back away from the room slowly.

“Liz, wait!” Max called to her.

But Liz ignored him as her gaze moved from Max to Serena, who simply leaned back against the wall breathing hard with a satisfied smile on her face. Serena wasn’t even looking at Liz, she was devouring Max with her eyes.

“Liz?” came his soft question.

She glanced at him for a moment as her lips trembled.

“Liz…”

“No Max. I think maybe you should just stay with her this time huh?” She forced the words out past the lump that had formed in her throat.

Max grabbed the towel from the floor and wrapped it around his waist as he made his way towards her. “Baby girl, it’s not what you think.”

“Oh it’s exactly what I think, Max! You told me you once loved her and she clearly wants you back! So go back! Go back to her the way you want to!”

“But I don’t…” She didn’t stay to hear the rest of what he had to say. Instead, she’d whirled around and ran through the house and out to her car. Tossing her bag into the seat, she slid behind the wheel and started the engine.

Just as she had put the seat belt on and put the car in reverse, Max came running out of the house in a pair of sweatpants that clung to his still wet skin. He reached the car and tried to open the door, but she’d locked it the moment she’d gotten in. So Max pressed his hands against the window and pleaded with her.

“Liz! You have to let me explain baby! Tess didn’t lock the door and Serena came in just as I was finished showering. She snuck up on me just like last time! Please Liz! Don’t leave like this!”

Swallowing her tears, she turned to look at him through the window. He was begging her with his eyes, but she chose to ignore it.

“I have to go.”

“No! Liz please!”

Turning away, she stepped on the gas and backed her car out of the driveway. Max did his best to follow her, but she pulled onto the street and was gone before he could get her to listen to him. She was halfway down the block when she looked in the rearview mirror and saw him standing almost in the middle of the street with his arms spread wide and a look of fear on his face.

Max watched as her car turned the corner and disappeared from his sight. The moment he could no longer see her car, his heart plummeted. He had no idea where she would go since she lived with him, but he couldn’t let her go like that.

Turning around, he ran back to his house and into the living room. Picking up the phone he quickly dialed the police and reported that he had a trespasser in his home who had physically harassed him and wouldn’t leave when he’d asked her to. The woman on the line asked for his address and said an officer was on the way there as they spoke.

A few minutes later Max had been pacing in the living room as he heard the sound of sirens getting closer. He made his way to the front door as two police officers walked up his driveway.

“You Max Evans?” one of them asked.

He nodded. “Yes, she’s inside, in my bedroom.”

The other younger officer quirked his eyebrow. “I take it you’ve had relations with this woman before.”

Max frowned. “We were involved years ago yes, but I’m now living with another woman I’m in love with and this is the second time she’s come into my house without an invitation and tried to seduce me!”

Before the younger one could say anything, the older one cut in. “Mr. Evans, have you ever at any time given her a reason to think you may have wanted her to come back?”

“No! I told her the last time she tried this that I am in love with my current girlfriend and I don’t want anything to do with her! I told her if she came near us again I’d have her arrested and sue her for harassment.”

The officer nodded. “Very well then. We’ll go arrest her and take her to the station, but we’re going to need a statement of exactly what happened the last time and this time too.”

Max nodded. “Fine, I don’t have a problem with that.”

He held the door open and allowed them in before leading them to the bedroom. As he pushed the door open, they all could see Serena reclining on the bed in a seductive pose. Her smile faded the moment she realized Max wasn’t alone.

Sitting up, her eyes went wide. “Max! What is the meaning of this!” she cried, trying to sound innocent and outraged as she dragged the covers over her nude body.

Max folded his arms over his chest and scowled at her as the two officers made their way to the bed.

“Ma’am, you are under arrest for trespassing and harassment,” said the older officer as he and the younger one reached out to pull her from the bed.

She gasped in outrage. “What! That’s not right! I used to live here! Tell them Max! This was my house too!”

“Not anymore it isn’t!” hissed Max as they began to drag her towards the door.

Serena pushed and pulled, trying to get out of their grips. She even tried digging her heels into the ground to prevent them from taking her out, but they were much stronger than she was. Max followed behind them, grabbing her clothes from the floor and handing them to the officers as they led her to the front door.

“Now we can do this the easy way and you can put on you clothes before we walk out of here. Or we can do this the hard way and we drag you out of the house the way you are and toss you into the back of the car. Which is it?” asked the older man in a stern voice.

Serena glanced back at Max, hoping her pout would win him over. Max refused to move an inch. “Max! Please! Tell them this is my house!”

As she begged him again, the officers managed to get her shirt on her, but she wouldn’t let them get anything else on. She pushed them away and tried to go back to Max, but the younger officer grabbed her and whirled her around. As she faced away from him, he took out a pair of handcuffs and fastened them on her wrists.

“You have the right to remain silent…” he began.

“No! No! This is wrong! Stop it!” she began to scream as the younger man dragged her out of the house.

Max could hear the officer continuing his speech over her screams as they moved away from his home. “…anything you say will be…”

The older officer nodded his head to him. “Should we expect you to follow us to the station or will you be along later?”

“I’ll follow you.”

“Good, we’ll see you there then.”

*************************************************************

Alex groaned as his cell phone began to ring once more for the third time. Isabel lay beneath him panting hard with her legs wrapped around his waist trying to encourage him for more. With an exasperated sigh, he moved off of her to answer the phone only to have her grip him harder.

“Don’t you dare answer the phone right now Alex Whitman! You have to finish me off first!”

Alex leaned over her, “This is the third time in a row Izzy.”

“I don’t care! They can wait!”

Alex looked at her for a moment before reaching out to grab the still shrilling phone. Isabel threw her head back and gave a disappointed growl.

“Hello?”

“Alex! Hey sorry to bother you, but I’ve been trying to get a hold of Isabel. Do you know where she is?”

“Hey Max. Yeah, she’s right here.”

Isabel glared up at him as he handed her the phone. Grabbing it from him as he moved away from her, she growled into it. “This had better be good Max! I don’t like being interrupted when I’m enjoying myself!”

“Sorry Isabel but I tried calling…”

“I know, but if I’m not answering my phone it’s for a very good reason! You don’t hear me bothering you when you’re enjoying yourself with Liz, do you!”

“Isabel! This is about Liz!” Max cried into the phone before she could go off on a tangent.

The tone of his voice made her stop her complaining immediately. She knew something was wrong as she sat up in alarm. “What’s wrong?”

He quickly explained everything that had happened. From the moment Tess had left in a hurry without locking the door to where he was now following the cop car to the station to give his statement against Serena.

The more he spoke, the more Isabel began to feel sorry for Max and even for Liz. “I have to give my statement now Isabel. So that she won’t be freed tonight. But Liz is out there somewhere and upset. Please, you have to go find her for me and make sure she’s okay. I don’t know where she would go and I’m hoping you might know.”

“I’ll look around Max. Don’t worry, Alex and I will look for her.”

“Thanks, Izzy. When you find her, will you try to explain this to her? And tell her that I love her and I’m worried about her?”

“I will Max. I’ll talk to her okay? You just be careful at the station and call Alex when you’re done. We’ll keep you informed on our side too.”

“Okay, thanks Isabel.”

*************************************************************

Liz sat on the edge of the merry-go-round staring into the distance. Her mind was now a blank compared to the turmoil it had been in earlier. She knew she’d been hasty in leaving like that, but she’d done the only thing she could think of doing before she let things go too far.

At first, she hadn’t known where she was going as she drove away from Max, but after driving around aimlessly for a few minutes, she’d found her way back to her old neighborhood and its park. She’d made her way to the old playground which was empty for an early Friday night.

She didn’t even blink when she heard the soft rustle of clothes and saw someone sit down next to her on the merry-go-round. She didn’t have to look to know who it was.

“You okay Liz?” asked Isabel.

Liz sighed before nodding. “Yeah, I’m okay.”

“Want to talk about it?”

Liz frowned. “I guess I’m just letting it all get to me.”

“What is getting to you?”

She shrugged. “Everything. Maria, my insecurities, my doubts.”

Isabel frowned. “I thought you and Maria parted ways weeks ago?”

Liz nodded. “We did, but I still think of what we said to each other all the time.”

“Liz, look you know that the three of us have been friends for a very long time, but sometimes life changes people and they begin to go in different directions.”

“I know.”

“Well, something changed Maria. I can’t tell you what it was because I don’t know what it is. I mean, she’s my roommate, but we don’t exactly have heart to hearts anymore.”

Liz nodded again. She knew that Isabel and Maria were barely on speaking terms even though they continued to share an apartment. As it was, they only seemed to see each other in passing since Maria always seemed to be out and Isabel divided her time between work, Alex, and her own friends. No one seemed to know exactly what it was that Maria did with her time anymore. Even Liz barely saw her in passing when they were both at work.

“Liz, you told me what you two talked about the last time you ever saw her, so I don’t understand why you are letting that get to you.”

“I just keep thinking of what she said. You know, that Max won’t always make me happy. And all those times she tried to convince me that Max would always have too much attention from all those women for him to stay interested in me. I think about that all the time Isabel. Every time I see a beautiful woman throw herself at Max I think about it.”

“Oh Liz,” Isabel reached out to give her hand a squeeze. “Honey, Max loves you. You know he does. Think of all the things he’s done for you. And all those women you’re talking about? He doesn’t ever notice them Liz. I should know because I see them throwing themselves at him all the time too. But you know what else I notice when that happens?”

When Liz turned to look at her, she continued. “I notice that while they are throwing themselves at him and trying to get his attention, he’s completely focused on you. He doesn’t even notice they’re in the same room with him when you’re right there Liz. That’s what I’ve always noticed. Max has only always had eyes for you.”

Liz sighed and closed her eyes. “Isabel, have you ever really paid attention to what these women look like?”

Isabel frowned. “Don’t tell me Maria has made you doubt your own looks!”

“I’m not built like some of them Izzy! I’m not a blonde or have big breasts or…”

Isabel glared at her. “Liz! What have I told you before, huh? Looks aren’t everything! Look at me and Alex! You said it yourself, you never thought I’d be interested in someone that looks like him. But I am Liz. Alex has completed me in ways no one else ever has. So what if he’s not on the cover of the Sexiest Man Alive magazine. To me, he is the sexiest man alive. And I am more than willing to bet you are the sexiest woman alive to Max. Even if you don’t think so, I do. Because I can see the way that man worships the ground you walk on.”

Liz lifted a hand to wipe the tears that had begun to fall down her cheeks. She knew that everything Isabel was telling her was the truth. She’d known it before Isabel had even come to the park to find her. Still, it felt good to hear it from her friend.

When Liz remained silent, Isabel spoke up again. “Liz? Max told me what happened earlier. He called me as he was on his way to the police station to give his statement. He had Serena arrested and he’s pressing charges of trespassing and harassment. He called me so that I could find you and make sure you’re all right because he loves you and was worried about you. He asked me to make sure you understand what really happened. Think about it Liz. Does that sound like a man who doesn’t care about your feelings and is ready to leave you the minute the next blonde bimbo uncrosses her legs for him?”

Liz couldn’t help the small smile that spread over her lips.

Isabel scoffed. “You know what? Something just occurred to me! Here I am trying to convince you that you have nothing to worry about with Max and not once have I complained about it! I mean, I could be like Maria you know. I know she’s jealous cause she doesn’t have what you have! Hello! You have a gorgeous man that other women are desperately trying to seduce because he’s that hot! And not only that, but he’s got a great job, a house, and can cook better than most women!”

Liz turned to look at Isabel with wide eyes as she put her hands on her hips and continued to rant. “Oh hell yeah! Now I completely understand where Maria is coming from! You are one lucky bitch aren’t you!”

Liz was now grinning at the way Isabel pretended to be upset over not having what she had. She watched as Isabel got to her feet and mock glared down at her.

“Liz Parker! Are you out of your freaking mind! How can you not know how lucky you are to have a man that’s this fucking close to being perfect, be totally, wildly, madly in love with you!”

This time Liz giggled. “I know Isabel. I know how lucky I am.”

“Do you?” she asked, in all seriousness.

Liz nodded as she stood up. “Yeah, I do. I always knew it, but I guess every time I see something like what I saw earlier it freaks me out. I still don’t know how to deal with that. Deep down I know Max loves me, but it still affects me when I see another beautiful woman throw herself at him.”

Isabel sighed. “Liz, he doesn’t care about them.”

“I know that Izzy. But you didn’t see what I saw. It’s one thing to hear it described. It’s a whole other thing to actually see it. I saw her with her body wrapped around his! I saw it! And neither one of them had on a single piece of clothing! God Isabel, they were so close together! And all that I could think of was that once, not too long ago, they had really been more intimate than that!”

“Liz, that was the past…”

“I know that! And I know that he loves me now, but it’s just the thought of it. Of knowing he used to be with her like that.”

Isabel couldn’t say anything to that. She honestly didn’t really know what to say. After all, she’d been with more men than she could count on two hands. Liz had never been that promiscuous and she could count her serious relationships on less than one hand. Still, Isabel was certain that while Max always seemed to have women flocking to him, his relationship history was probably similar to Liz’s.

Liz sighed as she looked at her friend. “I see I’ve rendered you speechless.”

“Liz, I…”

“It’s okay Izzy. I know you don’t know what to say. We’re two different people when it comes to interacting with members of the opposite sex.”

“That’s true, but I don’t think Max was ever anything like me.”

Liz nodded. “Yeah, I know. He may not have been, but he’s got more than his share of attention.”

Isabel quirked an eyebrow. “What and you don’t? Oh come on Liz! How many times have I seen you give a guy the brush off? We called you the picky one for a reason! You never once went for any of the guys who tried to pick you up in all the years I’ve known you! Trust me, I know! You still get more than your fair share of attention from men to this day!”

Liz actually had the grace to look sheepish.

“See! And you know it too!” Isabel groused as she threw her hands in the air. “I can’t believe I’m having this conversation with you! You’ve known this all along!”

Liz gave her a grateful smile. “Thanks Isabel. I really needed this talk.”

Isabel gave her a warm smile in return. “Anytime Liz. That’s what friends are for.”

She leaned in and pulled Liz into a hug as she added. “And I am your friend who will support you no matter what. Got that?”

Liz hugged her tightly. “I got it.”

*************************************************************

Max was just hanging up his phone from canceling his show for the night when he heard the front door open and close softly. Hurrying out of the now cleaned up bedroom, he made it into the hallway in time to see Liz walking towards him with her head down.

She stopped the moment she looked up and met his worried gaze. He watched as she gave him a timid smile as she spoke in a low voice.

“Hey Max.”

He swallowed the newly formed lump in his throat. “Hey,” he croaked.

Her smile widened. “Heard you went to jail for a bit.”

He couldn’t help but return her smile. “Yeah, had to pay my dues you know.”

She chuckled. “God I so hope it was worth it this time.”

He nodded. “Yeah, it was.”

She returned his nod before walking past him and into the bedroom. He followed her in and watched her looking around the room as if realizing things were different than they had been when she’d left. Just when he was about to speak, she beat him to it.

“I’m sorry Max.” She turned to look at him as she continued. “I’m sorry for running off on you like that, but I didn’t know how else to handle it. I knew you weren’t with her today. I knew it was just another seduction trap of hers.”

Max frowned. “Then why did you say those things to me?”

“I wasn’t thinking. I knew I had to leave before I said anything worse.” She sighed as she sat on the edge of the bed. “I don’t know how to tell you this, but it’s something I just can’t seem to get over. Every time I see some woman throw themselves at you, I start to doubt myself all over again.”

“Liz, none of those women mean a thing to me.”

“I know that. Deep down where it counts I know that. I guess it’s just instinct really. Or something that’s still left over from my past.”

Max moved to sit down next to her and she looked up into his eyes. “I know it’s hard for you to see it because you’re not aware of yourself the way everyone else is. But Max, you’re a very handsome man. And you’re talented and nice. It’s no wonder women flock to you.”

“Liz…”

She put a finger over his lips. “Let me finish okay?” At his nod, she went on. “You know I’ve always been guarded when it comes to men. And you know how hard it’s always been for me to want to risk getting into a relationship with someone. I move at a very slow pace and sometimes I just keep scaring myself out of it. I know it’s no one’s fault but my own and I’m trying to deal with it, but sometimes I make huge mistakes. Like the one I made today. I need you to know that it’s not that I don’t trust you Max. I know you love me and I trust you enough to know you wouldn’t do that to me, but I’m still trying to break myself out of the habit of falling back on old instincts. Even though I knew you weren’t doing anything with her, all I could think of was the fact that you used to do that with her.”

Max frowned. “That’s not what was going through my mind.”

She nodded. “Yeah, I got that. The look on your face told me all you were thinking of was if I was going to think and do the worst.”

Max lowered his gaze. “I thought you did.”

She reached out to take his hand in hers. “I know. I’m sorry Max. I just couldn’t handle seeing you two like that.”

He looked into her eyes. “Liz, whatever it is that you think. I need you to know that everything Serena says is all in her head. I don’t know what she’s thinking, but I don’t remember us ever having a relationship like the one you and I have. In fact, I don’t remember ever feeling like I couldn’t stop touching her the way I do with you. I can’t get enough of you. Of anything about you. Your smile, your laugh. The way you feel in my arms. You’re the first addiction I’ve ever had and I have to say it’s an addiction I don’t want to be cured of.”

Liz sighed and leaned her forehead against his. “You always manage to say the right things don’t you? Isabel was right.” She held up her hand and gestured as she continued. “you are this fucking close to being perfect.”

Max smiled. “She said that?”

“Uh huh and I happen to completely agree with her.”

“You do?”

“Oh yeah, and you know what else she said that I agree with?”

“What?”

“You are totally, wildly, madly in love with me!”

His smile turned into a huge grin. “Wow! You both are completely right!” He leaned in towards her lips, punctuating each word with a kiss. “I’m totally, wildly, madly in love with you.”

As soon as he finished that statement, he covered her lips completely and she wrapped her arms around his shoulders as they deepened the kiss. It didn’t take long before they were both lying on the bed in each others arms again.

Liz gazed up into his eyes as she brushed his bangs aside. “Max?”

“Hm?”

“Can I let you in on a little secret?”

“What’s that?” he asked as he twirled the ends of her hair around his fingers.

She smiled up at him. “I’m totally, wildly, madly in love with you too!”

He laughed at that as he rolled onto his back and pulled her over him. “I think I can deal with that.”

“Oh you think so huh?” she giggled.

“Oh yeah. I can deal with it.”

She laughed as he wiggled his eyebrows suggestively before cupping her face and pulling it down for a kiss.

*************************************************************

Tess shut the door and locked it with a tired sigh. Leaning back against it, she paused to get her bearings before making her way to her bedroom. She was exhausted and she knew that she wasn’t in any shape to go to the club with the others.

She was just going to go to her room, take a quick shower, and go to bed. She decided she was just going to keep sleeping right through Saturday too. As she made her way towards her room, she frowned when noises reached her ears.

Pausing just outside her door, she glanced towards Max and Liz’s room to see that it was closed. She already knew from experience that the door was always closed only when both Max and Liz were home.

Glancing down at her watch, she frowned even more when she realized it was still too early for them to have come home from the club where Max was a DJ. However, before she could make her way towards the door to see if she could find out just who was in their room without permission, she heard the moans.

Instantly she stopped as her jaw dropped. Not only was someone in the bedroom without permission, but they were clearly doing something naughty.

Another moan sounded, followed by a female’s voice. “Oh yes! Max, harder baby!”

Tess gasped in mortification as she realized Max was in the room when he should have been at the club. So if he was there, then was he with…

“Fuck yeah, baby girl!” came Max’s shout.

Followed quickly by, “Maaax!”

And then, “Lizzz!”

She grinned as she realized that Max and Liz must have made an early night of it since they were both clearly enjoying themselves in their bedroom. Satisfied that everything was all right in the house, she made her way into her bedroom.

After she’d taken her shower, she crawled into bed with a sigh and was just getting comfortable when she heard the moaning begin again. As the sounds increased, they were soon accompanied by the steady banging of what had to be a headboard against a wall. With a groan, Tess rolled her eyes and pulled her covers over her head.

It was going to be a long night.

TBC...

Part 17

Kyle glanced up at Tess to see her pushing the remains of her dinner around the plate. He could tell she was miles away from where they sat at the table of her favorite seafood restaurant. He frowned wondering why she wasn’t eating as much as she should since she was now a little over six months pregnant.

Ever since he’d met her at Liz’s birthday party, the two of them had struck up a bond. And when she’d gone with him, Alex, and Isabel to the movies, they had gotten to know each other better. After that, the two of them had gone out often whether it was for lunch or on a date some nights.

As time went on and they got closer to each other, Kyle couldn’t understand why some asshole would dump a woman like Tess. She was kind, considerate, and a great businesswoman. He admired the fact that she was able to juggle her career as an accountant with becoming a mother soon. What man wouldn’t want a woman who was as strong as she was.

Of course, it was also a bonus that she was very easy on the eyes. In fact, the more her pregnancy showed, the more Kyle seemed to think she was beautiful. He loved the way she fairly glowed with her pregnancy and he loved the way her face lit up when she talked about the baby and becoming a mother.

He was simply amazed that she even gave him the time of day, thinking she would have spurned his attention in favor of focusing on her pregnancy. Glad that she hadn’t, he enjoyed the times he had with her. She was extremely receptive to his banter, enjoying the stories he told about growing up in a sports environment with two older brothers and one younger. She also loved hearing about his job as an architect.

There had been several times when she’d met him at his office and he’d taken her in to see several of the projects he was working on. Her eyes had gone wide at the drawings and small scale models she saw in his office before telling him how amazing his work seemed to be. She said she’d envied they way he was so creative because she thought her job was completely mundane compared to his. After all, all she did was crunch numbers while he created beautiful buildings.

When he’d made the remark that he was certain she’d be producing something really beautiful in a few months, she’d blushed prettily and given him a kiss on his cheek. Tess realized right then and there that despite him having grown up in a jock type family, he was incredibly good at communicating. She loved the way he was gentle and open with her.

“Tess, you okay?”

She gave a small start before realizing she’d let her mind wander again. Setting her fork she gave him a nod.

“Yeah, I’m fine. Sorry about that.”

He leaned over to take her hand in his, giving it a gentle squeeze. “You want to talk about it?”

Sighing as she looked down at his hand, she finally shrugged. “It’s nothing really. It’s just really hard staying with Max and Liz.”

Kyle frowned. “Why? I thought you guys got along great?”

She nodded. “Oh yeah, we do. It’s not that, it’s just…well.”

He squeezed her hand again, urging her on. “Go on.”

She gave an awkward little laugh. “Okay, I know this is going to sound so freaky and you have to know that I have nothing against the two of them being together because I really adore the way they are with each other…”

“But?”

“But they are starting to annoy the hell out of me!”

He chuckled. “Let me guess, they’ve been keeping you up at night?”

She blinked. “How’d you guess?”

He shrugged as he sat back in his chair. “I have a roommate too. And while he tends to spend more time at his girlfriend’s place rather than ours, it’s happened to me a few times.”

She grimaced. “Oh.”

“Have you talked to them about this?”

Tess shook her head. “I’m afraid to. I know Liz had a problem with me moving in at first because of Sean and she and Max were working on their own relationship, but we’re good now. It’s because of that, that I don’t want to cause a rift between them again. Or make her resent me.”

“Tess, I don’t think she’ll resent you if you just tell her that they are keeping you up. If you explain it right, I’m sure she’ll feel bad for bothering you.”

Tess shrugged. “Maybe, but I’ve already put them out by living with them. The least I can do is put up with them.”

Kyle just looked at her for a few moments, deep in his own thoughts.

*************************************************************

“Maria, we could have gone to another restaurant you know. I asked you where you wanted to go after all.”

Maria rolled her eyes at Michael. “I know you did. It’s not that.”

He waited for her to elaborate, but when she didn’t he spoke up.

“Look, maybe you need to stop worrying about them and just go on with your own life, huh?”

She glared at him. “I am going on with my life!”

“Maria, I know what you are sulking about. You don’t have to hide it from me.”

“What am I hiding Michael? Huh? Excuse me if I think they are making huge mistakes with their lives. All I’m going to say is that when the shit hits the fan, they had better not come crying to me! I’m not going to help them when I warned them in the first place and they didn’t listen to me!”

“How can you say that? I’ve met both Max and Alex and I think they are great guys.”

She rolled her eyes. “Hello, you’re a guy too. Of course you’d think that.”

He frowned. “I’ve met assholes too, Maria. And I can honestly say Max and Alex aren’t.”

“Whatever,” she muttered as she tossed her napkin onto her plate and sat back in the chair, folding her arms over her chest in defiance.

Michael sighed. He’d hoped by going out on a date with her, she’d relax and be the Maria he remembered when they’d first met. Unfortunately it wasn’t working. She had spent most of the night sulking and muttering about how guys always seemed to get a woman so wrapped up in them that they forgot that the rest of the world existed before they went and broke their hearts by admitting they’d just used them and dumped them.

Michael had gotten the impression that Maria didn’t really seem to like men in general. In fact, he was starting to wonder why she’d even given him the time of day at all if she hated men so much.

“He’s not going to hurt her Maria.”

“That’s what you think. But I know his kind. He’s got his choice of any woman he wants. They’re throwing themselves at him all the time. Hell, he probably already has his fair share of them when she’s not looking. After all, she’s not with him twenty-four seven. Who’s to know what he does when he’s not with her.”

Michael sat up at that. “Max wouldn’t cheat on Liz like that! I told you what he did when he found out about Sean!”

She rolled her eyes. “Oh and men aren’t the masters at keeping secrets and telling lies? Puh-leaze! For all we know, Max and Sean may have been lying to everyone and he’s really still friends with him!”

Michael clenched his jaw at that. He couldn’t believe she was being so stubborn. He knew how Max felt about what Sean did. It had eaten him alive for weeks afterwards. Plus, he knew how Max had felt about Liz nearly getting hurt in the process. Michael had never seen a man more dedicated to a woman the way Max was to Liz.

How could Maria not see it. How could she miss the way Max looked at Liz or the way he always seemed to be protective of her. Michael couldn’t think of a single time he’d been around the two of them when Max had not been touching her in some way. Even if it was just their shoulders or elbows touching, Max was always very aware of Liz being close to him.

“How was everything tonight?” asked the waiter, breaking them both out of their thoughts.

“Fine,” replied Maria. “Can we just have the check please?”

The waiter nodded and pulled out his book, flipping through until he found their check and set it on the table. “Let me know if you need anything else.”

Michael thanked him and reached out for the check as Maria snatched it away from him. “Maria, I asked you out tonight. This is my treat.”

She looked at the check and pulled out a few bills from her purse before handing him both the bills and the check. “Yeah, like I’m going to give you that leverage.”

Michael didn’t say anything back to that, knowing better. He really didn’t feel like starting an argument in the middle of a public restaurant, so he took the money and check and went to go pay the bill. When he was done, Maria was waiting for him at the entrance so they left the restaurant and headed to his car.

*************************************************************

“This is nice. I can’t remember the last time we’ve had a girls night like this,” remarked Isabel.

Liz giggled as she scooped up some chocolate chip ice cream. “I know, it’s been forever hasn’t it?”

“Oh yeah.”

The two of them were at Liz’s house sprawled out on the floor with fashion magazines, nail polish, and other items for the makeover/girl fest they were having. There was also a chick flick currently playing in the DVD player, but they weren’t really paying attention to it, having seen it so many times before.

“So, you think they’re enjoying their guys night out?” asked Isabel.

Liz grinned. “I hope so. I think it’ll do Max some good to have a new friend in Alex.”

Isabel laughed. “Oh I know, Alex says he really likes hanging out with Max. And he’s glad Max is confiding in him. I am too. Poor Max, he really needed someone else to talk to now that Sean is out of the picture.”

Liz sighed. “Yeah, I was worried about that actually. I know how much it affected him. I mean, they really hadn’t talked much lately, but I know Max was still close to Sean, so losing his best friend was hard on him. He talks to me now, but even I know he needs to have a guy friend to be close to just like I need a woman.”

Isabel giggled. “You need me huh?”

Liz began giggling too. “Yes, Izzy. I need you very much.”

Isabel reached out and took her hands in hers, batting her eyelashes in a flirty way. “Oh Liz! I never knew you felt that way about me! I love you too! Let’s go ride into the sunset together shall we?”

Liz went along with her game. “Oh yes, my love. Sweep me off my feet and carry me off into the sunset!”

The two of them erupted into laughter over their silliness.

*************************************************************

Kyle glanced at Tess out of the corner of his eye. She was sitting on the couch next to him at his place avidly watching one of the movies they’d chosen from the video store. Leaning into his side, she’d taken his arm and draped it over her shoulder and moved around until she’d managed to get comfortable during the movie. They had remained that way ever since and he’d been only half paying attention to the movie. The other half of his mind was making a plan that he hoped she wouldn’t get upset about.

When the credits started to roll, Tess turned to grin up at him. “You were right, that was a good movie!”

He smiled. “Told you, you would like it.”

She nodded as she moved to sit up and stretch her legs. He reached for the remote and turned down the volume, deciding it was now time to tell her his plan.

“Tess?”

She settled back into the couch with a smile. “Hm?”

“I was thinking about what you told me earlier and maybe…well maybe you could stay here instead.”

She gave him a blank look, so he continued.

“I mean, Alex is hardly ever here anyway. He’s always staying with Isabel, so I can talk to him and see if he won’t mind staying with her more often. That way, I can take his room and you can have mine. Or if he doesn’t, I can always stay on the couch since it’s a pull out anyway.”

Tess’ eyes went wide. “Oh no, Kyle! I couldn’t put you and Alex out like that!”

Kyle shook his head. “I’m sure it won’t bother Alex at all. Like I said, he’s always with Isabel anyway. Think about it Tess, this way you’d be getting a lot more quiet nights.”

She responded to his smile with one of her own. “Are you sure?”

“Yes, just let me talk to Alex and we’ll go from there, okay?”

Hesitantly she nodded her head. “Okay.”

*************************************************************

“God do you ever stop being such a bitch!” Michael shouted.

“What did you just call me!” Maria shouted back.

“What did you expect! You’re acting like one! When did you become so cold hearted? What the hell happened to make you so bitter and angry at everyone!”

“When they all began to lose their minds and stopped listening to common sense!”

“It’s not common sense Maria! They’re grown women, they can make their own decisions and live with the consequences themselves! You can’t run their lives for them!”

“I’m not running their lives!”

“Only because they’re not letting you!”

She glared at him. “You know what! What the hell am I doing here arguing with you! You wouldn’t understand anyway!”

“Why? Because I’m a guy? The enemy?”

“Yes!” she screamed.

“I’m not the enemy Maria!”

“Is that so? You’re defending them! What the hell does that make you?”

He curled his hands into fists. “A friend! I care about what happens to them! And I care about what happens to you too!”

“Don’t make me laugh!”

“Damn it Maria! When are you ever going to get it through your thick head that I am in love with you!”

Maria opened her mouth to scream another insult until his words registered in her mind. She stared at him and saw the unshed tears of frustration in his eyes. She’d pushed him to his limit and didn’t even realize that. Frowning at his confession, she began to shake her head.

“No Michael, you don’t.”

“Yes,” came his quiet answer. “I do.”

“No. You only think you do.”

He sighed. “Maria, stop trying to second guess me! I’m trying to tell you how I feel here.”

She held up her hand. “Well don’t.”

“Maria…”

“Michael don’t! You can’t love me because I don’t love you.”

He stared at her for a moment before asking. “Then why did you go out with me tonight? Why have you been going out with me after all this time?”

“Because you asked me to!”

He frowned. “And the times you’ve stayed the night.”

She sighed. “You asked me to.”

He stared at her in disbelief. “Because I asked you to? What is that supposed to mean?”

She looked up at him. “It means it was just a moment Michael. Nothing more. Just a moment. I told you from the beginning, what you and I had was never more than sex between friends.”

He took a step towards her. “You don’t mean that.”

She nodded as she stepped back. “Yes. I do. As bad as I may be, I’ve never lied to you about that. I don’t love you Michael. I never will. I’m sorry, but I don’t.”

They stood there looking at each other for a few moments before she spoke again. “Look, I don’t think we should be friends anymore.”

“Maria, please…”

“No Michael. We can’t. If this is how you feel then it’s best to go our separate ways. There will never be anything between us and I won’t have you following me around like a lost puppy. Just let this go. Let me go, because I’m letting you go.”

She picked up her purse and coat before making her way to his front door. Looking over her shoulder at him she smiled. “Thanks for everything. It was fun while it lasted. Goodbye Michael.”

He never said a word as she walked out of the door and out of his life.

*************************************************************

Alex high-fived Max just as his phone vibrated. Fishing it out of his back pocket, he pressed it to his ear and covered the other one with his hand so he could hear over the loud music.

“Hello?”

“Hey man! It’s me, can I talk to you for a few minutes.”

“Kyle? That you?”

“Yeah man, where you at?”

“I’m with Max at a sports bar, you wanna join?”

“No I’m with Tess, but I need to ask you for a favor man, can you hear me out?”

Alex looked up at Max and motioned that he was going outside to talk. Max nodded and turned back to watch the game.

“Okay, what’s up Kyle?” asked Alex once he was outside where he could hear his roommate clearly.

“Listen, I know this may sound weird over the phone, but I thought it would be better to ask you as soon as I could.”

“Kyle man, spit it out.”

“Okay. Would you mind if Tess moved in with us?”

Alex frowned. “Huh? I thought she was staying with Max and Liz.”

“She is, but they’ve been keeping her up at night.”

Alex grinned at that. “Oh, I see. And you most definitely feel her pain.”

“Ha ha, funny bro!”

Alex laughed, he knew he and Isabel had put Kyle in a similar position a few times. “So, you think she’ll be able to sleep better at our place huh?”

“Well, I was kinda hoping you’d stay over with Isabel a lot more. That way I could take your bed and she could stay in my room.”

Alex laughed. “Spoken like a true planner. Okay, listen I’ll talk to Isabel in a bit and get back to you on that.”

“Right, thanks man.”

“No problem. I’ll call you back in a couple of hours.”

“Okay, see you in a few then.”

Alex hung up his phone and made his way back inside. He knew the game was almost over and he and Max would be heading back to Max’s place to be with their girls for a while.

*************************************************************

Liz blinked in surprise at Michael who stood on her doorstep looking lost. “Michael? What are you doing here? You okay?”

Michael shook his head. “I’m sorry Liz, but I really needed to talk to someone.”

“Oh, okay, come on in.” She held the door open and Michael walked into the house, stopping when he saw Isabel and all of their things spread out on the floor.

“Oh man! I’m interrupting aren’t I?”

Isabel grinned. “Don’t be silly. We were just about to put our things away. Max and Alex should be back soon. Come on in.”

Michael sat on the couch as Isabel and Liz began to busy themselves with picking up their mess. Isabel was the first to finish, so she sat next to Michael as Liz got up to put things away. She patted his arm. “So, what’s wrong?”

Michael sighed. “I told Maria I was in love with her tonight and she told me it was over between us.”

Liz froze in mid-step and turned to stare at Michael. “You told her that?”

Michael nodded.

Liz and Isabel shared a look before Isabel turned back to Michael and Liz set the pile of magazines on a nearby table before seating herself on the other side of Michael.

“What happened tonight Michael?” asked Isabel.

Michael proceeded to tell them what he could. Even though he was hurt by the things Maria had said to him, he tried to make sure what she had said wouldn’t affect them as much as it had affected him.

Still despite trying to lessen the blows, Liz and Isabel couldn’t help but be affected by what Maria had said. They both reacted in different ways. Since Liz and Maria were no longer friends, Liz knew she couldn’t do anything to help Michael. And despite Maria not being her friend anymore, Liz still felt hurt over what she’d said to Michael.

Isabel on the other hand was furious. She was angry at Maria for saying those things to Michael and she was angry that her words were still getting to Liz despite them not being friends anymore. Reaching out to squeeze Liz’s hand in comfort, she hoped that Liz wasn’t letting the selfish bitch’s words get to her anymore.

Liz simply smiled at Isabel and gave her a reassuring squeeze. Letting her know that she was doing her best not to let Michael’s words affect her. When Michael was finished telling them what had happened, Isabel sighed in disgust.

“I’m sorry Michael. I’m sorry you had to hear that from her. I always knew you had feelings for her and I just thought she’d known too. Still, she didn’t have any right to treat you like that, even if she had only wanted certain things from you.”

Liz nodded. “We tried to tell her to stop stringing you along, but she insisted she wasn’t.”

Michael leaned his head back on the couch and stared up at the ceiling. “Yeah, she said that to me tonight too. But I honestly don’t remember her ever saying that she never wanted anything more. I mean, there were times when she would call me up and say she wanted to spend time with me because she couldn’t think of anyone else she wanted to spend time with.”

Isabel frowned. “She was playing with you Michael. I know this is going to sound harsh, but Maria was saying all the things she knew you wanted to hear to get what she wanted. It was never about the two of you. But it was about her and what she wanted at the time.”

Michael frowned. “When did she change? I never saw it coming.”

Isabel glanced at Liz. “I don’t think any of us did to tell the truth, but it happened. Now there’s really nothing any of us can do about it. I can try to talk to her if you want me to? Alex is coming to pick me up in a few minutes to take me home, so I can talk to her if she’s there.”

Michael shrugged. “It doesn’t make any difference. She did tell me goodbye anyway. She already told me she doesn’t want to see me anymore, so I know it’s over.”

Isabel nodded. “Okay, well I’ll see if I can talk to her.”

Liz sighed. “In any case, you still have us Michael. And so what if Maria doesn’t want you. It’s her loss. You’re a great guy and there are plenty of other women out there who would treat you better than she ever did.”

Isabel smiled. “I agree. There are other women who would jump at the chance to have your affections.”

Michael grinned at them. “You’re just saying that because you two already have a guy to go home to.” At their shocked looks he added, “But thanks for that.”

As the two of them nodded, Max and Alex walked into the room. Glancing at Liz, Michael, then Isabel; Alex asked, “What did we miss?”

Max simply looked at his girlfriend and muttered, “Maria.”

*************************************************************

It was nearly an hour later and Isabel was fit to be tied. Maria wasn’t listening to a word she was saying. Isabel had expected that, but it hadn’t made her feel any better. Resisting the urge to tear the woman’s hair out, Isabel just snapped at her.

“Fine! Don’t listen to a word I’m saying. I really could care less if you want to keep being the cold-hearted manipulative bitch you’ve been lately. And since you don’t care about other people’s feelings, I’m not going to give a damn about yours! Alex is going to be staying with me for a while and neither of us care if it bothers you in the least. Just stay out of our way and we’ll stay out of yours!”

She walked out of Maria’s room and slammed the door shut. Walking into her own bedroom, she sighed as she sat on the bed next to Alex. He wrapped his arms around her and pulled her into his side. He’d heard every shouted word between the two of them.

“Well, that went well,” he remarked.

*************************************************************

“Hello?” asked Kyle when the phone at the apartment rang.

“Hey Kyle, it’s me.”

“Hey Alex, guess you talked to Isabel?”

“Yeah, I’m at her place right now and I won’t be over to my place until tomorrow to get my things. But you can tell Tess she can have my room for the time being. I’m going to be staying with Isabel for a while so it’s not a big deal. I’ll give you Isabel’s number too, just in case you or Tess need to get a hold of me okay?”

“Okay, thanks Alex, I’ll owe you one.”

“Don’t worry about it Kyle. Just take care of her okay?”

“I’ll do my best.”

*************************************************************

Max sat on the couch holding his girlfriend in his arms. Nuzzling the top of her head, he knew she was still thinking about what Michael had said earlier. When he and Alex had gotten back to his house, they’d found a forlorn looking Michael sandwiched between their girlfriends. Isabel looked a little angry and Liz had looked sad. It hadn’t taken much for Max to know just what or rather who the topic of their conversation had been.

Just like Isabel, he was feeling a bit angry that Maria continued to interfere with Liz’s feelings. Once Michael had told them both what had happened between him and Maria, Max had set out to comfort Liz, hoping she wasn’t letting it get to as much as he feared.

Isabel said she was going back to her place to talk to Maria and hoped the woman would be there for her to do that. Alex had grimaced and said maybe it wasn’t a good idea for him to stay with her after all and when Isabel said that was complete nonsense, he’d told her about the favor Kyle had just asked him for.

Max and Liz were shocked and a little embarrassed over making Tess uncomfortable since they hadn’t been aware of that before. Alex had grinned at them and said not to worry since he and Isabel kept doing the same thing to Kyle when they were at the guy’s apartment.

Isabel had agreed with him on that and told Alex that it was fine by her for him to stay with her so Tess could stay with Kyle. Eventually, everything had gotten straightened out and Michael had finally left saying he was feeling much better after talking to all of them. He reassured them that he would be fine and wouldn’t hesitate to get in touch with any of the four of them if he needed to talk again.

After Michael left, Isabel and Alex made their plans for Alex to stay with her so that Tess could stay with Kyle. Max and Liz told them they’d help Tess pack if she really wanted to go stay with Kyle. And Alex said he’d call Kyle from Isabel’s place while she talked to Maria.

Once the two of them had left, leaving Max and Liz alone, the first thing Max had done was sit on the couch and pull her into his arms to hold her. That is where they’d been for the past half hour.

“You okay?” he whispered into her hair.

She sighed and tightened her hold around his waist. “Um hm.”

He smiled at the way she’d sound contented, glad that she wasn’t feeling bad. Rubbing her back in a circular motion, he kissed her temple. “You know I’m here if you ever need to talk right?”

“Yes,” she mumbled against his chest. “I’m really okay, Max. Don’t worry about me. I’ll be okay as long as I have you.”

He closed his eyes and leaned his cheek against her head. “I’ll always be here for you, baby girl. No matter what, I’m here for you.”

Liz looked up into his eyes. “Promise?”

He smiled. “I promise.”

She returned his smile as she kissed his lips. “Good.” Leaning back, she gazed into his eyes and ran her fingers through his hair. “I love you.”

He sighed as he leaned his forehead against hers. “I love you too, baby girl.”

She tugged his head down to hers and he gave her the kiss she wanted.

They were still locked in that embrace when Tess and Kyle walked through the door and Tess cleared her throat to let them know they were there. Slowly, they moved apart and smiled at the two of them.

“Hey Tess, Kyle,” said Liz, a little breathlessly.

“Hi,” replied Kyle with a wave.

“I guess you’re here to get your stuff?” asked Max.

Tess looked guilty. “Um, yeah. I was gonna talk to you first.”

Max chuckled. “It’s okay, we understand.” He nodded to Kyle. “Apparently we aren’t the only ones making others uncomfortable.”

Liz giggled. “Alex explained it to us. So, we understand that you both need someplace quiet.”

She looked at Tess, “And to let you know that there’s no hard feelings, we’re going to help you pack your things since we don’t want you to hurt yourself or the baby.”

Tess gave them a grateful smile. “I appreciate that. And thank you both, for letting me stay here for as long as I have.”

Liz got up and hugged Tess. “We enjoyed having you here Tess. And I hope everything will be okay for you and your baby. Promise you’ll keep in touch? We’re still your friends after all.”

Max nodded as he got to his feet. “She’s right.”

Tess hugged Liz back. “I will. I promise.”

Max grinned and motioned to Kyle, “Well, let’s go get her packed shall we?”

Kyle returned his grin. “Lead the way, my friend.”

TBC...

***Warning*** This is a note to let you know Maria will not be treated well in this part. So, if you don't like to see her in a really bad light, please skip this part. This should be the last time she will play a prominant part in this story



Part 18

Michael blinked in disbelief as he stared at Maria standing on his doorstep. It had been over two months since that night she had told him goodbye and walked out of his life, so he’d never expected to see her again. Yet here she was, standing there looking at him with tears running down her face and something Michael was sure was fear in her eyes.

“I’m sorry,” she whispered hoarsely, “but I didn’t know who else to go to about this. I just really needed a shoulder to lean on. I’ll…I’ll understand if you can’t…”

Michael shook his head. “No, it’s fine. Do you want to come in and talk about it?”

Maria nodded her head and walked into his place with her arms wrapped tightly around herself. Michael watched as she sat down on the couch and her eyes seemed to quickly dart back and forth as if she was expecting someone to jump out at her.

Sitting down next to her, he spoke in a low voice so as not to spook her. “Do you want something to drink or…”

She shook her head nervously. “No. I’m fine.”

He frowned. “I don’t think you’re fine at all, Maria. What happened?”

She closed her eyes and Michael watched as her lips trembled. A lone tear escaped down her cheek and she hastily wiped it away.

“Maria, just tell me.”

“I’m pregnant!” she blurted before he even finished his words.

Michael stared at her in shock as the words registered. Slowly, he moved his eyes down to her middle, but didn’t see any tell tale sign. Frowning, he tried to think back to the last time she had slept with him.

Looking back up at her he asked, “How far along?”

She hiccupped. “About two months.”

His frown deepened. “But…”

She shook her head. “It’s not yours.”

Somehow that revelation hurt more than he wanted to admit. He and Maria hadn’t slept together in months. Sure, he kept going out with her, but for the last couple of months she seemed to be avoiding sleeping with him.

That was why he was looking for a sign. If she had been pregnant with his baby, then she had to be somewhere in the range of five to six months. So, her revelation told him that she had already moved on and maybe she’d already moved on before she had walked away from him.

Taking a deep breath he asked, “Then whose is it?”

Her lips trembled once more. “I don’t know.”

“What?” he whispered.

She sobbed. “About two months ago I went to the club. I’ve been going there on my own a lot, but this time…this time I didn’t think about it and I just…we just…”

“Had unprotected sex,” Michael finished for her.

She nodded her head as she covered her mouth with her hand and began to rock back and forth. “Oh God Michael! It was just that one time! And I don’t even know who he was! It was just sex! That’s all it was supposed to be!”

Michael just sat there in silence not knowing what to say. He was trying to figure out why she would even go to him about this.

“Maria, maybe you should talk to Isabel or…”

She quickly shook her head as she continued to rock. “No! No, I can’t go to them! They wouldn’t understand!”

“Why do you think they wouldn’t understand?”

She closed her eyes for a few moments, trying to calm down a bit before she looked at Michael. “They are in relationships. They’d never understand what I want to do.”

“And what do you want to do?”

She swallowed. “I want to have an abortion.”

Again, Michael couldn’t speak. For some reason, he just hadn’t imagined that Maria would ever want to do that, but there it was. She didn’t want to keep the baby. That thought led to one that hurt even more. He knew she’d do the same if it had been his.

“Are you sure?” he croaked.

She nodded again. “Yes. But I didn’t want to go to the clinic alone.”

He sighed. “So that’s why you came here? You want me to go with you.”

She slowly nodded as she looked up at him with tear filled eyes. “I didn’t know who else to ask. Everyone else I know would try to talk me out of it.”

Michael resisted the urge to retort ‘and what makes you think I won’t’ but he bit his tongue. Instead he looked at her as she continued to beg with her eyes. He knew he was fighting a losing battle.

Sighing softly, he relented. “Okay, I’ll go with you to the clinic.”

*************************************************************

Michael made his way to the apartment, hoping that she was there. It had been a week since he’d gone with Maria to the clinic and he hadn’t seen her since. She hadn’t returned any of his phone calls, so he was worried if she was all right.

Everything had seemed to be okay the day they went to the clinic. Maria seemed much better than she had two days prior when she’d first told him, but he could tell she was nervous. He had held her hand and gave her as much reassurance as he could while they had waited.

After it was over, he had gone into the room to sit with her and once more held her hand. It didn’t take long for the doctor to come back out to tell her everything had gone well and she could leave when she was ready.

Michael had driven her back to her place where she had thanked him for everything before disappearing into her apartment. He knew she had taken a few days off from work to recuperate, so he figured she’d leave her alone to rest. However, he had told her to call him if she needed anything.

That had been a week ago and he hadn’t seen her since. As he made his way to the apartment, he looked around for the girls cars. He saw Maria’s parked not too far away, but Isabel’s was nowhere in sight. He just hoped Maria was there when he knocked on the door.

She was. However, he could tell from the frown on her face that she wasn’t too happy to see him.

“What are you doing here?” she asked.

“You didn’t return my calls and I was worried.”

“I’ve been busy,” she snapped.

He frowned. “Weren’t you supposed to be taking it easy?”

She rolled her eyes. “Only for a couple of days. I’m fine now.”

“Well that’s good. I just wanted to make sure…”

“I’m fine! Look, I’ve got to go…” she started to close the door.

“Wait!” he held his hand against the door before she could close it all the way. “Maria, I know doing that wasn’t that easy and the doctor said sometimes it can mess with your mind…”

“Michael!” she interrupted. “I know what the doctor said. I was right there! But as I just told you, I am perfectly fine!”

“You weren’t fine when we were at the clinic.”

“Look, I was nervous okay? I didn’t know the first thing about it, but it wasn’t so bad. Now it’s over. Got that? It’s over and I can go on with my life.”

“Maria…”

“God Michael! Do you ever quit? I said I’m fine! Just because I asked you to go with me to the clinic doesn’t mean there’s anything between us! It wasn’t even your kid to begin with! Just let it go already!”

He gaped at her. This wasn’t the scared woman who had showed up at his place that night to tell him she was pregnant. Nor was she the nervous woman whom he’d tried to soothe and comfort at the clinic. The woman who stood in front of him, glaring daggers, was the Maria of old. The one whom everyone had come to know as the bitch.

“Goodbye, Michael.”

He stared at the door after she’d shut it firmly in his face. It dawned on him that she had used him once again. All she’d wanted from him was a shoulder to cry on and someone to hold her hand until the scary part was over. Once it was, she’d gone back to being a manipulative bitch who didn’t care whose feelings she stomped on.

He should have known better.

*************************************************************

Liz sighed in contentment as she draped herself over her boyfriend’s body. They had just had their second round of lovemaking for the evening and were now taking a much needed breather. Still, she knew they were nowhere near finished for the night.

Max lay beneath her with his hands still clutching her behind. Even as she felt the quick rise and fall of his sweaty chest, she could feel him softening inside of her. She knew it would take him a few more seconds to let go of her.

When he did, he moved his hands up her back and hugged her close. She pressed a kiss against his chest before lifting her head and kissing her way towards his lips. She returned the smile he wore as she covered his lips with hers, taking her time to savor his mouth.

Before she could even finish kissing him, her phone rang. Max let out a sigh as she pulled away from him with a puzzled look. “What?”

He shrugged. “Whoever that is has great timing huh?”

Liz giggled. “Well at least they waited until after round two unlike someone we know who interrupted during round one!”

“Hey! I was worried about you! And Isabel forgave me!”

Liz laughed as she sat up and retrieved her phone. “Well speak of the devil,” she said, letting Max know it was Isabel who was calling.

“Hi Iz.”

“Liz, listen I know this is sudden, but could you come by my apartment as soon as you can?”

Liz frowned. “What’s up?”

She heard Isabel sigh just as Max’s phone began to ring. “It’s Maria. I got home a few minutes ago in time to hear her talking to Michael and I really need some backup when I go inside and confront her.”

Liz glanced over to Max who mouthed the word Michael, indicating he was talking to him too. “What did she do this time?”

“I think she had an abortion.”

“What!”

“From what I heard, it sounded like she was scared about it so Michael went with her to the clinic and held her hand but afterwards, she returned to treating him like she always has. I think she used him again, Liz.”

She glanced over at Max once more to see the look on his face. “Yeah, I think you’re right Isabel. I’ll be over there in fifteen minutes.”

“Okay, thanks. I’ll fill you in more when you get here.”

*************************************************************

Liz and Isabel looked at each other as they stood outside of Maria’s bedroom door. Now that they seemed to have a clearer picture of what had happened, courtesy of Michael’s phone conversation with Max, they were now ready to confront her.

When Liz had gotten off the phone with Isabel, she’d begun to get dressed until Max had gotten off the phone with Michael. Max told her Michael was on his way to one of his favorite sports bars and Max decided to go join him just in case. Michael had told him what Maria had done to him and Max was certain Michael was in dire need of a friend.

Liz was now armed with the knowledge that Maria had showed up on Michael’s doorstep in tears, looking like she had no one else in the world before telling him she was two months pregnant from having unprotected sex with a stranger at a club. Being the wonderful man that he is, Michael agreed to take her to a clinic and be there for her while she got an abortion. A week later, when Michael tried to be the concerned friend and went to check up on her, she treated him like dirt. Apparently she wasn’t grateful for his friendship.

So, Max told her he was going to call Alex and ask him to join him and Michael at the bar while she went to give Isabel some support in handling Maria. However, he’d made her promise to call him if she needed him for any reason whatsoever. The last thing Max wanted was for Maria to make Liz hurt anymore than she already had before. Liz promised she would call him but figured Isabel was going to do the most talking.

When she’d arrived at the apartment, Isabel had been waiting for her outside. The two women had exchanged stories and Isabel informed Liz that Alex was indeed on his way to meet Max and Michael at the bar. As soon as Isabel was ready, Liz followed her inside to Maria’s room.

Liz watched as Isabel rapped on Maria’s door twice before opening it up and walking inside. As she followed her in, she heard Maria’s exasperated sigh.

“What do you want Isabel? I’m kind of busy.”

Liz stepped aside and leaned against the wall as Isabel placed her hands on her hips and gave Maria the once over. “Right,” snapped Isabel, “busy getting ready to go out and continue your destructive behavior I see.”

Maria was leaning over her vanity table, looking in the mirror as she applied her makeup. Both Liz and Isabel could see that she was already dressed to kill. She finished applying her lipstick and turned around to give Isabel a bored stare.

“I have no idea what you are talking about.”

“Whatever Maria. I got home in time to hear you talking to Michael. I heard what you said to him. Plus, he called Max after he left and told him what you did too. And Liz came here to confirm my suspicions. You used Michael to help you have an abortion, then blew him off when he tried to be nice to you.”

Maria rolled her eyes. “Well, serves him right for thinking that just because I asked him to go with me we were going to have something more. I know what he wants. He thinks that this means we’re going to be together.”

“He was just worried about you! You had an abortion and Michael wanted to make sure you weren’t hurting from it.”

“Well, I told him I was fine.”

Isabel curled her hands into fists. “That’s not all you told him!”

Maria shrugged. “He wasn’t getting the message. I had to be blunt with him.”

Isabel shook her head. “You were rude to him! God Maria, you fucking used him when you know how he feels about you! You knew he wouldn’t have said no to you when you went to him that day!”

Maria sighed as she turned around to pick up her shoes from besides her bed. “It’s not my fault he’s so gullible.”

Liz gaped at Maria’s nonchalance as Isabel fumed.

“How dare you!” screamed Isabel. “Michael has done nothing but be there for you no matter what you did to him and this is how you treat him! And it was bad enough that you stepped all over his feelings for you, but then you had to go and throw it in his face that you were stepping out on him! God Maria, don’t you have a heart at all? Don’t you care about yourself too? If you keep going out and sleeping around like this without caring about yourself, it’s going to take its toll on you! Even I had more sense than to treat my body and mind the way you treat yours!”

“What I do with my body is my business and no one else’s.”

“What the hell happened to you that made you not care about yourself or anyone else for that matter? Don’t you see? If you continue to act like this, it’s only going to get worse. You’re becoming a truly despicable human being Maria and it’s only going to come back and haunt you someday!”

“Isabel!” Maria snapped. “Would you just spare me the lecture! It’s my life and I can do whatever the hell I want to! Just stay out of my fucking business!”

“I can’t Maria! We were friends and you are my roommate. You can’t expect me to just stand by and watch you continue this destructive behavior.”

“You’re not my mother, Isabel. Back off!”

“I can’t do that! As long as you and I are roommates, I’m going to have a say in your life!”

Maria whirled around and stalked towards her closet. “Fine!” she growled as she yanked the door open and pulled out a suitcase. Tossing it on the bed, she began to gather up several items before stuffing them in the suitcase. “If that’s how you’re going to be then I’ll just move out!”

“What! Maria think about what you’re doing!”

“I don’t have to think about it! Why would I want to stay here if you’re going to constantly be in my business? I don’t need this shit and I don’t need you!”

Isabel was stunned. Liz just looked from Maria to Isabel and back again. She knew nothing Isabel could say would change Maria’s mind. All the two of them could do was watch as Maria continued to pack a few suitcases full of her stuff before hauling them out of the apartment and down to her car.

As she huffed and grunted between taking her things out of the apartment and still arguing with a pleading Isabel, Liz walked into the bathroom for some privacy. She knew it was pointless for Isabel to try to talk any sense into Maria. As much as it had hurt Liz to lose her best friend, she could now see that Maria was on a downward spiral into madness and there was nothing any of them could do to stop it.

The only person who could help Maria was Maria herself, but only if she wanted to get help. She pulled her phone out and dialed Max’s number, knowing that Isabel was now in the same position she’d been in when she and Maria had finally parted ways.

Max answered on the first ring. “You okay baby girl?”

Liz sighed. “I’m fine, but Isabel isn’t going to be.”

“Why? What happened?”

Liz quickly filled Max in on what was happening and asked him to get Alex to head back to Isabel’s apartment. She knew without a doubt that Isabel was going to need his support soon. Max relayed the information to Alex before returning to Liz.

“Okay, Alex is on his way. He says to wait there until he gets there then you can come meet me here okay? I may need help with Michael later and I’m sure Alex will have his hands full with Isabel.”

“Yeah, I think so too. Okay, I’ll leave when Alex gets here. See you in a bit.”

*************************************************************

Liz walked into the bar and looked around, smiling when she saw Max wave to her from where he was sitting next to Michael at the bar. Alex had gotten to Isabel’s apartment about five minutes after Maria had already left with her car full of all of her belongings. She’d left some things behind, but even Liz knew they weren’t important and Maria would probably just come back and get them later if she wanted them.

She had just sat next to a still stunned Isabel on the couch, trying to comfort her with an arm around her shoulder until Alex had arrived. The moment he’d walked into the apartment, Isabel had run into his arms and Liz knew she’d guessed right. Isabel needed his comfort more than she needed anything else right now.

Exchanging a smile and nod with Alex, Liz had gathered up her purse and made her way out to her car before driving to the bar where Max was watching over Michael as he drowned his sorrows over Maria. As she made her way towards the two men at the bar, she could clearly see just how far gone Michael already was.

“Hey,” whispered Max as she moved to his side to give him a quick peck on the lips. “You okay? How’s Isabel holding up?”

She nodded as she slid her arm around his waist. “I’m fine. She’ll be fine now that Alex is with her.”

He nodded as she turned to look at Michael. “Think we should cut him off soon?”

Michael huffed. “I’m not drunk, Liz.”

Max winked at her before turning to Michael. “Maybe not, but don’t you think it’s time to call it a night? Come over to our place, we’ll hang out and watch late night horror movies.”

Michael shook his head. “Nah, I’m good, but you two can go watch them.”

*************************************************************

Nearly an hour later, Max and Liz were literally carrying a drunk Michael into their house. He’d drank so much that he couldn’t even walk on his own. And even though he’d started drinking to drown his sorrows, the more he drank, the more happier he seemed to become.

“Man, I love my life!” he exclaimed in a slightly slurred voice as Max and Liz maneuvered him through the house towards the second bedroom.

He swung his head towards Max. “I’m making lots an’ lots o’ money as a paralegal an’ I gots my own house an’ my car!”

Max grinned. “Yes you do.”

He swung his head towards Liz. “An’ I gots the bestest friends a guy could have!”

Liz smiled. “Yes you do Michael.”

He tried to hug them as he said, “I luv you guys! You the bestest!”

Liz couldn’t help but giggle at his words. All the way home Michael had been proclaiming how he was the luckiest guy in the world to have the things he had in his life. Of course, she only heard the portions he said when she’d helped get him into Max’s car and then out of it because she had followed them in Michael’s car. They had decided to leave her car there and Max would take her the next day to pick it up. Still, Michael had been talking constantly every time she got near him and he still wasn’t letting up as they walked him into the second bedroom.

They sat him down on the side of the bed and began to remove his shoes as he continued to remark on his wonderful life. He was just getting into the wonderful personality traits of Max and Liz when Max had managed to get him out of his jeans and shirt while Liz turned down the bed.

Amazingly he didn’t put up a fuss when Max urged him to lie down. As the two of them helped him settle into bed, he grinned sleepily up at them.

“You guys are so great! I just want you to know it!”

Liz smiled down at him and leaned to kiss his forehead. “Thank you Michael. We think you’re great too.”

Max nodded as he patted Michael’s arm. “I agree Mike. Now why don’t you try and get some sleep okay?”

Michael’s eyes began to drift shut. “Mm hm. Thanks guys,” he murmured.

*************************************************************

“Oh Max!” cried Liz as he leaned over her and continued to pound into her body. He was braced on his forearms, giving him plenty of room to look down at her while he made love to her.

Max was enjoying the look of pleasure on her face as she kept her legs wrapped tightly around his hips, bringing him into her body deeper and deeper with each thrust. He moaned at the feel of her fingers dragging down his back, urging him on.

After they had gotten Michael to sleep, they had returned to their room where Liz had immediately pounced on him and giggled about getting on to round three. He’d laughed at her frisky play even as he yanked his clothes off as quickly as she did her own.

Now, as he looked down at her it was a few hours later at round five.

“Max! Hurry, baby!”

He growled and leaned closer to her, picking up the speed of his thrusts.

“Fuck! Baby girl, you feel so good!”

Liz arched up into his body. “So do you,” she panted.

He lowered his head to take a nipple into his mouth, biting down on it before softening the sting with a lick of his tongue. He heard her whimper as he moved to repeat the motion on her other breast.

Her fingers moved to thread through his hair, holding him down to his feast. Even as he savored the taste of her breasts, his hips never stopped surging into hers.

“Mmmm, Max, please!” she begged and lifted her hips harder into his.

Max threw his head back as he felt her walls beginning to clamp around him and groaned. “Oh fuck yes!”

Liz simply held on to him, matching him stroke for stroke as he began to moan louder. “Mmmm, yes.”

She gasped as he slid a hand between their sweat slicked bodies and gently rubbed her bundle of nerves. “Yesss!” she hissed.

Max added pressure to his rubbing and Liz suddenly clutched him as her orgasm hit. “Oh Maaaaax!” she screamed, making him lose it as well.

“Lizzz!” was his answering cry.

*************************************************************

“…Maaaaax!” the scream penetrated his fog filled brain, making Michael slowly open his eyes.

“Lizzz!” came an answering voice which made Michael grin before he rolled over onto his side.

Clearly he’d been woken from his alcohol induced sleep by his two friends sexual exuberance. Not that he really minded, he thought it was nice the way the two couldn’t keep their hands off of each other and the way they always seemed to look at each other, completely oblivious to any onlookers.

He sighed as he pulled the comforter higher and closed his eyes to go back to sleep, as silence settled down around him. Obviously the two of them had done the same since there were no more sounds coming from down the hall.

Michael jerked awake at the sound of banging and muted moans. Groaning at the sudden pain in his head, he turned a blurry gaze to the clock on the nightstand. He guessed he’d been asleep for almost thirty minutes before he’d been awakened again.

The sounds grew louder and he groaned once more as he pulled the comforter over his head in an attempt to block out the sounds. Now he understood what Tess had complained about, the two of them just wouldn’t quit.

Little did he know that they were in the middle of round six and had plans to break their record of seven. It was going to be a long night for Michael.

TBC...

Part 19

Alex looked up to see Isabel biting her nail as she looked at the paper she held in her hand. Curious as to what she was reading, he leaned over the kitchen table and glanced over her shoulder. As he realized what she was looking at, he frowned and looked up at her once more. He could see that she now wore a frown similar to his.

“Iz?” he asked.

She looked up at him, slightly unfocused. “Huh?”

“What’re you looking at the classifieds for?”

Isabel sighed as she set the paper on the table and picked up a pen. She circled two things and Alex bent down to peer at them.

“Room for rent?”

Isabel nodded. “Yeah, I’m gonna have to move soon. I can’t really afford this place on my own anymore, so I need something a little cheaper.”

Alex shrugged. “I could help you pay the rent, I practically live here anyway.”

She shook her head. “No, that wouldn’t be fair to you. You still pay rent at the apartment you share with Kyle. There’s no way I’m gonna make you pay this one and that one too!”

Alex looked at her for a moment before leaning in and taking her hand in his. “What if we both move out of our apartments and move in together somewhere else?”

Isabel stared at him as she let his idea sink in. She’d actually been thinking about what it would be like to live with him for a while. After all, it was just like he said. For the last few weeks, it seemed as if he had indeed been living with her.

After Maria had moved out and all of her things had disappeared with her, Alex had moved some of his things into the second bedroom even though he shared Isabel’s bed. He still had many things back at the apartment he shared with Kyle, but they were things he could live without for the time being.

As the days had passed, Isabel had found herself beginning to think and act as if the two of them truly lived together the way Liz and Max did. Hurrying home to cook dinner for him when she knew he was going to have a long day. Calling him when she knew she was going to be late, so he wouldn’t worry about her. Going shopping and catching herself thinking if she really should get a certain item because Alex might not like it.

As she sat there thinking of all of those things, she began to realize there was a reason why she was acting that way. Alex was exactly the kind of man she had been looking for all her life. He was funny, smart, and as adventurous as she was. And the more she thought about it, the more she began to think she was more than ready to settle down. Especially if it was with Alex.

“I know Kyle won’t mind if I did that. He and Tess can both afford the apartment on their own and they’d have that second bedroom for her baby when it comes.”

Isabel blinked, coming out of her musings at his words. Grinning she asked, “I take it Tess hasn’t been staying in your room after all?”

Alex chuckled. “Nope and neither has Kyle. He told me they’ve both been sleeping in his room. Since Tess is so close to her due date now, she’s been feeling a little too emotional. Plus, her back has been hurting a lot. Kyle’s mattress happens to be better for her pregnancy and he spends a lot of time rubbing her back, so it works.”

Isabel quirked an eyebrow at that, which made Alex grin wider.

“Yeah, okay, so that’s one excuse. The other is that Kyle is in love with Tess, but he’s afraid he’s gonna scare her away if he declares it. He doesn’t want her to think he loves her just because she’s pregnant.”

Isabel rolled her eyes. “Why would she think that?”

“I dunno. I think Kyle’s just a little insecure about himself. He doesn’t think he’s what Tess deserves.”

“Really? Well, I think Tess will beg to differ.”

“Let’s hope so!” He paused for a moment before asking, “So? What do you think? Should we look for a place of our own and tell Kyle that he and Tess now have their own little baby love nest?”

Isabel gave him a hopeful look. “You really want to do that?”

Alex nodded. “I wouldn’t have suggested it if I hadn’t meant it, Izzy.”

She threw her arms around his shoulders and hugged him tight.

He laughed as he hugged her back. “I guess that’s a yes.”

“Oh yes! Yes!” she exclaimed, joining him in laughter.

*************************************************************

Two weeks later Isabel, Liz, and Tess were in Isabel’s new kitchen unpacking the boxes the men had already brought in. At least Isabel and Liz were, Tess was sitting in a chair against the wall watching them. Kyle, Max, Alex, and Michael were back at Isabel’s old apartment loading more things into the moving van before they would go over to Alex’s for some of his stuff.

Tess groaned as she slid her hand over her belly. “I’m beginning to think this kid is never going to come out. He seems to like it in there too much.”

Liz grinned over her shoulder. “He does, doesn’t he? It’s nearing the end of nine months already?”

Tess nodded. “Yeah, and if he doesn’t arrive by the end of the week, my doctor is gonna want me to check into the hospital so we can try to coax him out. He says I’m too small to keep carrying him around like this.”

Isabel chuckled. “You know it’s a boy then?”

“Yep, I finally broke down and asked what I was having. The suspense was killing me.” They all laughed at her dramatization of the word before she continued. “And I figured it just had to be a boy if I’m having all this pain!”

Liz shook her head. “I don’t think the guys are going to like hearing you say that. They’re a little sensitive that way.”

Tess giggled. “Aren’t they? Kyle gets upset every time I bring it up. But then, I like ruffling his feathers, he’s cute that way.”

“Ooooh! It sounds like someone has a crush!” Isabel hedged, with a smile.

Tess tsked. “Seriously, Izzy! It’s not a crush!”

Liz frowned. “It’s not?”

Tess gave them a serious look. “Nope, not at all.” She paused to watch the crestfallen looks on her friends faces before she broke into a full smile. “It’s the real thing!”

They both blinked as if trying to process what she just said.

“The real thing?” asked Isabel.

Tess sighed dreamily. “Yep, the whole kiss me breathless, weak in the knees when he smiles kind of thing. The I can’t live without him kind of thing. The I am totally, madly in love with that man kind of thing.”

As she got to the last sentence, the other two girls began to squeal before running to Tess and hugging her as tightly as they could without hurting her and the baby. Together the three of them laughed as they remained close.

“Oh and I just know Kyle returns the sentiment!” Isabel added.

As Tess nodded, Liz said. “I’m so happy for you Tess! I knew there was a reason why you seemed to be so much happier lately!”

Isabel grinned at her. “What? And you didn’t think it has to do with the fact that she can get a full nights sleep since you and Max don’t keep her up any more!”

Liz playfully swatted her arm. “Whatever Izzy! You know what I mean! She’s been glowing! I mean really, really glowing!”

They both turned to look at Tess who was indeed sitting there with a huge smile on her face and glowing.

Isabel sighed. “Isn’t love grand?” As the other two nodded their agreement, Isabel suddenly straightened up. “Wait a minute! What am I saying? This is me! Isabel Amanda Cox, the woman who vowed to enjoy every delicious male who crossed my path! I don’t have time for love with all these hot bods to enjoy!”

She stopped her rant to see the other two gaping at her. Suddenly she started giggling. “Oh who am I kidding! I’m in love too and he keeps me very satisfied!”

Once more the three of them laughed together until they heard the sound of the moving van outside. Liz walked over to the window to look out before she grinned at the other two. “Well talk about timing! It seems the loves of our lives have arrived.”

Isabel and Tess joined her at the window where they watched Michael and Kyle get out of the truck and Alex and Max got out of Alex’s car to join them at the back of the truck to begin unloading.

Isabel sighed. “Now all we have to do is hope that Michael finds someone soon so he can be just as happy as the other three are.”

Tess nodded. “Any word on Maria?”

“She quit a few days after she moved out of the apartment,” replied Liz.

Tess and Isabel stared at her.

“She did?” asked Isabel.

Liz nodded. “Yeah. Didn’t even really give any notice. Just went to work and when she got off that day, she took all of her things with her and never came back. No one has seen her since.”

Isabel sighed. “Well, I guess she’s gone for good then.”

Liz nodded.

Tess gave them a sympathetic smile. “No offence, but I’d say good riddance. After all, she was causing you both so much grief. Not to mention what she put Michael through.”

“Yeah, I agree with you there,” finished Liz.

“All right, where are we putting this monstrosity?” came Michael’s voice from the living room.

As the girls made their way in, Alex grumbled. “It’s not a monstrosity, Mike! It’s an heirloom!”

Isabel rolled her eyes as she walked over to Alex and patted him on the arm. “Honey, he’s just teasing you.”

Michael chuckled. “She knows me way too well.”

Isabel laughed as she pointed to the far wall. “Set it over there for now, we’ll figure out where to move it when we get the rest of the furniture in here.”

The four guys hauled the sofa to the wall and set it down carefully. One by one, they all straightened up and began to move back towards the front door. Kyle stopped by Tess long enough to give her a peck on the lips and rub her stomach gently. Max wrapped an arm around Liz’s waist and pulled her in for a much deeper kiss. While Alex let Isabel give him a quick shoulder rub before they all headed back outside.

A few minutes later, Isabel and Liz were back in the kitchen unpacking more items when Tess cried out from the bathroom. “Oh my God!”

Isabel and Liz stopped what they were doing and rushed to the bathroom where Tess was standing in the middle of the room holding her stomach.

“What is it?” asked Liz.

She looked at them with a smile that was a cross between joy and anxiety. “My water just broke!”

*************************************************************

Max sat in bed, leaning back against the headboard while he watched Liz go through her nightly routine. It had been a very eventful day for all of them since Tess had finally given birth to her son.

While Isabel remained inside with Tess, helping her to walk outside, Liz had rushed ahead to tell Kyle that Tess was ready to have the baby. Kyle had immediately set down his end of the box he was holding, nearly making Michael drop the entire thing off the side of the truck.

Luckily Max had been close by and had managed to save the box and Michael’s foot before it had gone tumbling down. Oblivious to everything except Tess, Kyle had scrambled off the truck and gone to his car, telling Liz that he was going to drive it around to pick her up and not to let her walk all the way out there.

Soon, he’d gotten Tess into the car while Max, Michael, and Alex both assured him that they would swing by the apartment to pick up Tess’ suitcase on the way to the hospital. Isabel and Liz were going to lock up the new apartment and meet everyone else at the hospital too.

Eventually, the five of them had made it to the waiting room where they all waited for Tess to deliver her son. Kyle was in the delivery room with Tess, since they had both agreed that he would be there to help her during the birth. Apparently the entire experience had been such an inspiration for Kyle because as soon as the little boy was placed into his arms, he looked up at Tess and asked her to marry him.

Amazingly, Tess had immediately agreed and Kyle told her he wanted to adopt the baby as his own. The others found out all of this later, when they were finally allowed in to the room to see Tess and her son, Brandon. Kyle was there with her and everyone could see just how they both looked like the proud parents of a healthy baby boy.

Almost everyone took turns gushing over the little boy. Alex stood next to Isabel as she held Brandon in her arms. Both of them cooed at him and chuckled softly when he yawned. Isabel had offered him to Michael next, but Michael shook his head saying he didn’t think he was ready to handle a baby.

So Liz took him next. Max simply stood back and watched as Liz held the baby in her arms and cooed at him. He was amazed at how natural she looked holding Brandon in her arms. She’d lifted one hand up to caress his cheeks before leaning down to place a kiss on his forehead. As Max continued to watch Liz interact with Brandon, he began to think about other things.

After they had all congratulated Tess and Kyle, they’d left them alone so Tess and Brandon could rest and had gone back to finish moving Alex and Isabel into their new home. A couple of hours later, Alex and Isabel had called it a day and sent Max, Michael, and Liz home telling them they would pick it up again the following day.

That had been a little over an hour ago. In that time, Max and Liz had returned home ate a quick dinner and taken a quick shower together. Now he was sitting in the bed waiting for her and watching the way she moved. A smile spread over his face as he remembered what she had looked like holding Brandon in her arms.

As she finished brushing out her hair and set the brush down on the table, a thought came to him. He looked up at her as she made her way to the bed and leaned over to turn off the light next to her side.

“Liz?” he asked as she slid in next to him.

She moved to snuggle into his side. “Mm?”

He wrapped an arm around her and pulled her closer to him while he nuzzled her hair. “Have you ever wanted kids?”

She lifted her head to look at him. “What?”

He sighed. “I was just wondering. We never really talked about that. You know, if you want kids, a family?”

Liz blinked at him as she thought about it for a moment.

He smiled at her as he caressed her cheek. “I’m just saying that from what I saw of you with Brandon earlier, you look like you’d make a great mom.”

Liz gave him a grateful smile as she covered his hand with hers. “Really?”

He nodded. “Yeah. You were a natural with him. And it made me wonder if you had ever wanted kids or not.”

Liz sighed. “Yeah, I do. Someday.”

“Someday?”

She nodded. “Yes.”

Max looked at her for a moment before he whispered. “Would you want them with me?”

He saw the instant she realized what he was asking. The way her nostrils flared slightly and then it was gone. She didn’t say a word, just looked at him.

“Liz?”

She sighed as she took his hand in hers and gave it a gentle squeeze. “I do want a family Max, but I don’t think I’m ready for it yet. It’s a lot of responsibility and I don’t think I can handle that yet.”

“Liz, I saw you with Brandon.”

She nodded. “I know, but he is Tess’ son. He’s her responsibility, Max. I only had him for a few minutes, that’s all. It’s not enough to base a future on.”

“You won’t do it alone, baby girl.”

She nodded. “I know.”

He stared at her, but she didn’t say anything else. She didn’t have to. He knew she wasn’t ready for that part of their relationship, but he’d dared to hope. He should have known better. Liz was always the last one to jump on the bandwagon. After all, it had taken him a while to convince her that he was worth having a relationship with in the first place. She moved at her own pace and no one, not even him could get her to change until she was ready for it.

Liz reached up with both of her hands to cup his face so that he would look at her. She looked into his eyes and saw the hurt and disappointment there. She knew what he wanted, it was as plain as day but she wouldn’t be helping either of them if she just jumped in feet first. That had never been her way.

“Max. I do want to have a family someday. And I hope that it will be with you. I love you, but I just don’t want to rush this. One thing at a time okay? But I want you to know that I hope you’ll be a part of that family I plan on having someday. Do you?”

He nodded. “I know.”

She gave him a smile as she leaned in to kiss him. She wrapped her arms around his shoulders, hugging him to her as they deepened the kiss. A few minutes later she pulled away and placed her forehead against his.

“I love you Max.”

He smiled. “I love you too, baby girl.”

She grinned. “I think there might be a way for me to start getting used to having a family.”

He lifted his head and gazed curiously at her. “How’s that?”

Her eyes sparkled as she said, “By practicing.”

“Practicing?”

She grinned. “Yes, by practicing to make a baby.”

Max stared at her for a moment before a grin broke out over his own face. “Right.”

She leaned in to brush her lips over his seductively. “So? You want to help me practice making a baby?”

He growled as he pulled her into his arms and flipped her onto her back. “I want to be the only one you ever practice making a baby with!”

Her delighted squeal turned into giggles as she and Max removed all barriers of clothing and hid under the covers where his own laughter blended with hers.

Long minutes later, the laughter faded away to be replaced with breathy moans.

“Oh Max! You are the only one I want to practice with. I love you so much!”

“Mm, love you too baby girl,” came his own breathless reply from where they were both buried under the covers.

TBC...

Only one more part after this one


Part 20

Max pulled Liz closer to him as they moved around the dance floor. He looked up and smiled as his eyes met Michael’s across the way. Michael was also dancing with his own girlfriend of nearly three weeks, Courtney. As soon as they’d all found out, the first thing they did was drill him. Wanting to know everything they could, they had finally gotten it all out of him.

Michael had met Courtney at one of the parties that his firm had thrown. Since she was the owner of a catering company which happened to be the one the firm contracted with for that particular party, she had been there overseeing the whole thing. Courtney was much more friendly and open than Michael tended to be, so it had been easy for her to go up to him and start talking to him just like she had done to almost anyone else she’d ever met.

However, she’d made such an impression on Michael that he had finally, shyly asked her out on a date. Needless to say Courtney had accepted and the rest was pretty much history for the two of them.

So, when Michael finally told them about Courtney, Tess and Kyle told him to invite her to the wedding. Then two weeks before the wedding, the other company that was supposed to do the wedding went bankrupt and the owner fled the city. Isabel was the first to ask Michael if they could ask Courtney if her company could cater a wedding in two weeks time.

Courtney had impressed them all when she’d accepted the challenge and had managed to put together a wonderful reception for them. Despite the fact that Courtney was more of a people person than Michael, the two of them seemed to have almost everything else in common.

Both were extremely level-headed when it came to their jobs and both were cool under pressure. Courtney was just as ambitious at her job as Michael was at his and both of them were great problem solvers. They also both loved rock music and going out to happy hours. Amazingly, Courtney could sometimes drink Michael under the table and still be able to get up the next morning bright and early to face a busy day at her company. However, everyone knew that the thing Michael loved most about her was the way she loved to meet new people and had fun doing it.

Liz sighed as she leaned her head against Max’s chest and slid her hands up his back. Besides Michael meeting Courtney, things had been really hectic the past five months as everyone else had seemed so busy with all the changes in their lives. Most of all, they had been helping Tess and Kyle plan their wedding.

It was nearly five months to the day that Kyle had proposed to Tess and all of them were glad the whole thing had gone by with only the catering problem and nothing else going wrong. Not only were Isabel and Alex helping with the wedding, but for the first couple of weeks they’d been still getting settled into their new apartment.

The only ones who seemed not to have such a change of life were Max and Liz, but they had spent their free time either helping Isabel and Alex move or helping Tess and Kyle with the wedding. The two of them had also helped Tess and Kyle with making their second bedroom into a nursery when Brandon had first gone home with them.

Michael had also pitched in here and there, but most especially he’d been the one to find the lawyer who was currently helping Kyle to adopt Brandon as his son. It was still something for all of them to see when Tess, Kyle, and Brandon were together. Somehow they had seamlessly become a family almost when no one was looking. Now, it was hard to imagine Brandon without his parents, Kyle and Tess Valenti.

When the song slowly came to an end, Max left one arm around Liz’s waist and guided her off the dance floor towards their seats. After helping her sit down, he sat next to her and draped his arm around her shoulders.

Leaning close he asked, “You want something to drink?”

Liz shook her head. “I’m good.”

He nodded, “Okay, I’m gonna get another glass for myself.”

Liz smiled and watched as Max walked to the bar to get another glass of champagne. As he waited for his glass, Liz let her eyes wander around the place. It had been decorated nicely by the company that Tess had gotten from a friend of Isabel’s. Not only the decorations were superb, but the dinner that Courtney’s company had produced had been scrumptious.

Despite the fact that her company was doing the catering, Courtney had taken the night off to be able to celebrate with Michael. She’d helped put the entire thing together, but that night it was all in the capable hands of the manager who’d been working with her for several years already.

Liz glanced over to where Michael and Courtney were currently burning up the dance floor as the fast paced hip hop song played around them. She grinned as she watched them laughing and having a good time together. Even though they were both self-proclaimed rock fanatics, they both could dance to almost anything they put their minds to.

Isabel and Alex were taking a break from their own dancing and sat near Tess and Kyle. Liz could see that all four of them were talking up a storm as she glanced at them before looking back at Courtney and Michael.

All of them were glad that Michael had finally found someone who made him happy. In fact, Liz didn’t think she’d ever seen Michael as happy as he seemed just then. At least she couldn’t remember him smiling and laughing as much as he currently was. Not even when he spent time with her and Isabel had she ever seen him look so happy.

She knew it had a lot to do with Courtney. She was a breath of fresh air after the hurricane that had been Maria. In fact, Liz could see just how different Courtney was from Maria. The only thing the two of them seemed to have in common was the fact that they were both blonde.

However, Courtney’s eyes were blue compared to Maria’s green and they were always sparkling with laughter. It was rare to see a frown on Courtney’s face, even when things got hectic at work. Not only that, but they could all see how much she genuinely cared about Michael and his well-being.

She was always the first one to suggest that they go out and do something together whenever they had some free time from their hectic work schedules. Plus, she’d been eager to meet all of Michael’s friends after he’d talked about them so often. Unlike Maria, Courtney waited to know someone before she passed judgment on them. However, that wasn’t to say that she liked everyone she came into contact with, but she was at least civil about it.

Max returned to the table with his drink and sat down next to her again. He leaned in and grinned at her. “Mike’s enjoying himself, isn’t he?”

Liz laughed. “Yes he is and I’m glad.”

Max nodded. “Yeah, me too. It’s about time.”

Liz gave him a smile to let him know she agreed with him as they both went back to watching everyone out on the dance floor. They remained sitting there, leaning against each other in comfortable silence for another song until Michael and Courtney joined them.

As they sat down, Courtney picked up her napkin and dabbed her face and neck with it. “Whew, I think I’m having too much fun tonight. I can’t remember the last time I felt this breathless and I’m all hot and sticky.”

Michael chuckled as he leaned in to nip at her ear. “Don’t worry, I’ll help you get out of those sweaty clothes when we get home tonight.”

She turned to look at him and grinned. “I just bet you will. You’re going to enjoy peeling them off aren’t you?”

He laughed as she winked at him and slid her hand into his on the table. Leaning back in his chair he nodded. “You got that right, babe.”

Liz and Max chuckled at their lighthearted banter and soon joined in for a while. Eventually, the four of them joined Tess, Kyle, Isabel, and Alex at the main table where they all talked and laughed for most of the rest of the night.

Hours later, Tess and Kyle said their goodnights to their guests and were on their way to a week long honeymoon. Of course, everyone had been surprised when the two of them had said they were taking their son with them. Brandon was five months old and neither one of them wanted to leave him behind, so they decided to just take a trip down to the lake where they would rent a condo for the week.

Kyle promised he’d give Tess a real honeymoon someday. One that would only be the two of them, but for now they both wanted to get started on being a real family with Brandon.

After the newlyweds had left, it was up to Isabel and Liz to see that the rest of the guests enjoyed themselves before leaving for the night. Courtney pitched in too since she technically had a hand in the catering. But when the final guests left the hall Max, Michael and Alex also lent a hand in closing down the place.

Soon the six of them were saying their own goodnights and heading off to their homes. Courtney and Michael were the first to leave, getting into Michael’s car and waving to the others as they left the parking lot. Isabel told Liz she’d give her a call late the following afternoon and they hugged each other as Alex and Max started the cars. Not long after that, both cars were driving out of the now empty parking lot and heading home in the early morning hours.

*************************************************************

Liz tried to keep the grin from spreading over her face as Max nibbled his way from her neck to her ear. His hand had already slid under her shirt and where it was now cupping her breast and teasing her nipple with his thumb. As he nipped at her earlobe, he pressed his body against hers so that she could feel the entire length of him against her backside.

Needless to say, she knew exactly what was on his mind since she could feel how hard he was. That was part of the reason she was smiling. The other part was that even though it was now nearly three in the morning and they’d had an incredibly busy day with the wedding, Max was still raring to go.

Of course, it was partly her fault since she’d teased him almost all the way home. She’d started with her hand on his knee and slowly worked her way up his thigh. At first, she’d gone so slow that Max hadn’t even noticed what she was doing until she had gently squeezed the inside of his thigh. After that, it had been a challenge for him to be able to concentrate on driving with her hand continuing its movement up the inside of his thigh and finally cupping him when he’d turned onto the street that his house was on.

Liz had waited until he’d parked the car before beginning to stroke him through his black dress pants and she’d leaned over to nibble on his neck too. Of course, she’d stopped when she heard him moan and his breathing was erratic.

Giving him a quick peck on the cheek, she’d moved away and opened her door. “I had fun tonight, Max. How about you?”

He’d given her an incredulous look as if to say “You’re not really gonna stop now are you?”

But when he didn’t say anything, she’d shrugged and gotten out of the car. Just before she’d shut the door, she’d heard him curse, “Son of a bitch.”

She had resisted the urge to laugh right then and there as she made her way inside and ducked into the shower before he had a chance to say anything to her. When she’d gotten out of the shower, Max had ducked in quickly and Liz knew he’d been dying for her to finish so he could take a very cold shower after what she’d put him through.

So, she’d gotten ready for bed then crawled under the covers as Max finished up his shower. She’d been lying there a good five minutes before she’d felt the bed dip and his body sliding closer to hers. Now, as he lay there pressed against her with his arm around her and fondling her breast, she knew that cold shower hadn’t done him any good.

Especially since she could feel every hard inch of him rubbing against her ass. She heard him groan right before he licked the shell of her ear and sucked on that sensitive spot she had just behind her ear.

Biting her lower lip, she felt his heated breath against her neck. “Did you have to be wearing underwear?” he whispered huskily.

In answer, she turned around to face him and wrapped her arms around his waist. Bringing him in close to her body as her lips crashed into his, she thrust her tongue into his mouth and devoured him just the way she knew he liked.

Max growled as Liz quickly divested herself of her underwear and draped her leg over his hip. As she lifted her shirt over her head, he tilted her back to suck a nipple into his mouth. Trapping her hands above her head with one of his, she couldn’t see because the shirt was still covering her head.

He smiled when she moaned at the way his tongue felt as he flicked it over her nipple several times before taking the hard bud between his teeth and tugging on it. Her leg wrapped tighter around his hip as she began to grind her hips against his. He continued to tease her nipple for a few more moments before moving to the other one and repeating his motions. All the while, he never let her remove her shirt from her head.

The more he teased, the more she bucked against him until he was driving her as wild as she’d driven him in the car. Every time she moved her hips closer to his, trying in vain to coax him into entering her, he’d just shift slightly to avoid her beckoning heat and continue lavishing attention to her nipples.

Finally fed up with his teasing, she cried out in exasperation. “God Max! Enough! I need you baby!”

Max smiled against her nipple before placing a kiss in the valley between her breasts and removing the shirt completely. He tossed it to the floor and leaned over her to kiss her on the lips, but just when she thought he was going to deepen it, he pulled away and placed a chaste kiss on her forehead.

“Goodnight baby girl.”

Liz could only lay there staring at him with her mouth hanging open as he rolled away from her and turned off the light on his nightstand. Even in the now darkened room, she could see his silhouette settling down in the bed as he lay on his side facing away from her. After what he’d just done, he was going to sleep.

Just like that, the tables had been turned.

With a growl of indignation, Liz reached out and yanked him by the shoulder until he was lying on his back.

Max looked at her with a very good impression of innocent wonder. “Liz? What are you…”

She glared at him as she swung her leg over his and moved until she was kneeling over him. Leaning forward until their noses touched, she hissed at him.

“Okay fine, so you wanted to teach me a lesson. It’s been learned. Now it’s time to get serious.”

His eyes sparkled up at her. “Baby girl when it comes to you, I’m always serious.”

She grinned. “Is that so?”

He nodded and returned her grin as his fingers curled around her hips. “Oh yeah. Always.”

“Show me,” she said as she sank down on him with his hands on her hips leading her on.

The moment she felt the head touch her folds, he suddenly lifted his hips and thrust upwards hard, burying himself inside of her. She threw her head back with a cry of pleasure.

“Oh fuck yes!”

Max grinned as he watched her begin to ride him with the help of his hands on her hips. Her fingers curled around his wrists for more leverage as she rose and fell on her knees over him.

Max bent his knees slightly, pressing his feet into the mattress to add more leverage of his own, allowing him to lift his hips to meet hers. For each downward movement of her body, he matched it with an upward thrust of his hips.

Even their breathing began to match each others as they began to force short pants through their parted lips. Max tilted his head back and closed his eyes when he felt her tighten her walls around him. Every time she did that, it drove him mad and she knew it.

Gritting his teeth, he resisted the urge to let go before she did, wanting to enjoy her orgasm before he had his own. However, Liz wasn’t deterred in the least as she leaned forward and placed her palms flat against his chest.

Max opened his eyes to look up and her and muttered a curse when she suddenly unfolded one leg and then the other from beneath her until they were stretched out before her with her feet near his head.

“Baby girl,” he whispered as his eyes met hers, begging silently.

She smiled at him as she once more bent her knees until her feet were planted firmly on the bed and her fingers curled around his ribs.

“Don’t worry,” she whispered back. “I’ll be gentle.”

But she was anything but gentle as she began to bounce up and down using her hands and feet as leverage. All Max could do was grab her ankles and hold on as she picked up the force and speed of her bouncing, each time taking him deeper into her body.

Still, that wasn’t the thing that would do him in and they both knew it. What would do it was what she did next.

As she came down on him once more, she shifted her body so that now instead of bouncing, she was sliding back and forth over him. And as she did that, she tightened her inner walls once more and dug her fingers into his ribs.

Every time she slid back she would push down and tighten and that’s what did him in. Max held on for as long as he could but it was only a few strokes and he was done.

Gritting his teeth, he groaned. “Nnnnn, Lizzzz!”

With a hiss of her name, he lost himself inside of her. Liz continued to ride him frantically even as she felt his seed bathing her walls. Throwing her head back, she opened her mouth and let out a long, low shout as she finally had her own orgasm.

“Ooooh, Yesss!”

Max moaned as he lay spent beneath her, feeling her liquid heat bathe his now softening cock. Even though he’d already come, it still felt good to feel her body enjoying his. Slowly closing his eyes, he lay there as he felt her hips slowing their movements.

A few moments later, she shifted her body until her legs were once more behind her and she was lying draped over his chest.

Smiling he lazily wrapped his arms around her waist and turned his head to nuzzle the top of her head. He felt her chuckle against his shoulder.

“Tired now?”

He sighed. “Um hm, but it was so worth it.”

She turned her head up to face him so that he could see the satisfied smile she wore. “Yes, it most certainly was.”

*************************************************************

Isabel walked into the living room and sat down next to Liz who smiled at her.

“Well, it’s about time you got here.”

Isabel rolled her eyes. “Sorry, but I was looking for the article I saw this morning in the paper.”

Liz quirked an eyebrow. “What article?”

Isabel pulled it out of her purse and handed it to her. Liz read it quickly before letting out a sigh.

“Well, I guess that’s it then.”

Isabel nodded. “Yeah. You gonna tell Max?”

“Yep. As soon as he gets back.”

“Where is he anyway?” she asked as she looked around the house.

Liz grinned. “Would you believe he’s at the courthouse.”

Isabel’s eyes went wide. “For what?”

Liz chuckled. “The verdict to Serena’s hearing was today.”

“No shit!”

“Yep. The lawyer told Max he’s sure she’s gonna get time in a psychiatric ward because of her behavior. Plus, the judge should be adding to the restraining order Max already has on her.”

Isabel whistled. “Wow, she’s screwed.”

Liz sighed. “Yeah, I guess. But I think Max is worried.”

“Worried?”

Liz nodded. “She left him Isabel. Just when he told her he loved her and was all set to propose to her, she left him for another man. Then, later here she comes back into his life and just goes crazy on him.”

“Yeah, I know the story, but why would that make him worried.”

Liz looked up at her. “He knows I love him and a few months ago when Tess had her baby, he asked me about having children.”

“Go on,” Isabel urged, still not understanding.

“I told him I wanted them someday, but that I wasn’t ready just now.”

When Isabel simply sat there with a blank look, Liz continued.

“I think he asked that as a way to feel me out. I think he’s ready to take the next step but since I told him that, he seems to have backed up again. It’s like he’s worried that I’ll pull a Serena on him if he goes forward with it.”

Isabel frowned. “Liz, I don’t think Max doubts how you feel about him at all.”

Liz sighed. “He hasn’t mentioned it since, Izzy. And I get the feeling that he’s waiting for something.”

“What could he be waiting for?”

“I don’t know, but it’s a feeling I have.”

“Why don’t you talk to him about it? Maybe he’s just trying not to do anything that might scare you away or something like that.”

Liz sighed. “Yeah, maybe.”

Isabel looked at her friend as she leaned back against the couch and dropped her head back to stare up at the ceiling. After a few moments of silence she asked, “Liz?”

“Hm?”

“If he asked, what would you say?”

Liz lifted her head up and looked at Isabel. “What?”

“What would you say if Max were to walk in here right now, get down on one knee and ask you to marry him?”

Liz blinked at that before turning to look at the floor. A half smile tugged at the corner of her lips, but before she had a chance to answer the front door opened.

Liz sprang up from her seat and ran to the door, throwing her arms around Max.

“Hi honey, how’d it go?” she asked as she kissed his cheek.

He smiled down at her as he wrapped an arm around her waist and pulled her in for a much deeper kiss. She chuckled against his lips as he continued to kiss her until a clearing throat broke them apart.

“Sorry, but you needed to know you two weren’t alone before it got too hot and heavy in here,” announced Isabel as she made her way towards them.

Max had simply lifted his head from Liz’s, but other than that, he wasn’t moving away from her. He grinned at Isabel.

“Hey Izzy, I knew you were here. Your car’s out front.”

Isabel rolled her eyes. “You are so bad.”

Max chuckled and leaned in to nuzzle Liz’s cheek. “The judge upped the restraining order to 1000 more feet and said it would still be in effect for ten more years after her release from the psychiatric ward whenever she is released. After ten years, it goes under review to see if the restraining order should be dropped or continued for more years.”

Liz’s eyes went wide. “Really? And how long is she supposed to be in the ward?”

“She’s got ten years and then she can go under review to see if she is fit to be let back into the world. After the review, she either is released or she has to remain for however much longer they say she has to.”

Isabel shook her head. “Dang, they were hard on her weren’t they?”

Liz gave her a frown as Max replied, “I think the jury was really disgusted by what she did the last time she showed up here, especially after the officer’s testimony that she didn’t seem to care that she was still mostly naked as she fought them to get back to me.”

Isabel scrunched up her face. “Eww, yeah, I think I’m disgusted too.”

Liz chuckled as Isabel walked back inside to grab her purse.

“And on that note, I’ve got to get going.”

She kissed Max on the cheek. “Congrats Max, you’re now free of the skanky bitch.”

Turning to Liz she winked. “And you don’t have to worry about any asshole trying to get into your pants anymore either.”

Liz chuckled as she hugged Isabel goodbye.

As soon as she was gone, Max turned to her. “What did she mean by that last part?”

Liz smiled as she led him to the couch and picked up the article. She handed it to him and pulled him down on the couch next to her, letting him read it.

A few minutes later, he set the article besides him and leaned back as he closed his eyes with a tired sigh.

“You okay?” Liz asked as she slid her arms around his waist.

He nodded and wrapped an arm around her shoulders. “Yeah, I guess that’s it then.”

Liz stared at him as he said the very same words she’d said to Isabel earlier.

He saw her staring at him. “What?”

She lifted a hand to his cheek. “Want to talk about it?”

He shook his head. “There’s nothing to talk about. Sean’s going to sit in prison for fifty years for breaking and entering, assault, and attempted rape. And Serena is also locked up for ten years at least. I’m finally going to breathe a lot easier and I’ll definitely sleep better with those two off the streets.”

She quirked an eyebrow. “What, about the part where you stop worrying about my safety?”

He rolled his eyes as he tucked her into his side and brushed his lips over hers. “Baby girl, I’m never going to stop worrying about your safety for as long as I live. I promise.”

She sighed against his lips. “I love you Max.”

“Love you too, baby girl,” he whispered just before he pulled her fully into his lap and kissed her like he never intended to stop.

TBC...