Roswell Fanatics

**NOTE**
I would like to thank the various Hawaiian websites that I explored in order to come up with the week long vacation that Max and Liz take in this part. I encourage all of you to go explore those sites as well. They are very informative and have some of the most breathtaking pictures I have seen. While I looked at many pictures of homes and other things at these sites, the home I describe is a design I came up with after combining several elements from the sites. Also, I may have taken a few liberties with certain things like trails, the steps and private beach, as well as other things that may not actually be on the islands since I've never actually been to Hawaii in my lifetime. After viewing the sites, I certain hope someday I get to experience them!
The sites: http://www.gohawaii.com
http://www.visitlanai.net
http://www.lanailuxuryhomes.com (this one is the Island of Lanai Brochure and it is gorgeous! )


Part 20

Max simply sat back with a smile on his face and watched the way Liz seemed so excited about everything. He knew it was because of her that he was enjoying life again. Everything she experienced for the first time seemed to be the same for him. He was looking at the world as if he’d never seen it before and it was all because of the woman who sat next to him on the plane.

Liz amazed him with the way she seemed to show no fear at all. She’d literally dragged him through the terminal, eager to know what it was like to fly. And throughout the entire ride, she’d literally been bouncing in her seat unless her face was pressed against the window like it was now. They’d stopped overnight in California and stayed in a hotel before boarding the plane bright and early to begin the last flight to the islands.

He had laughed at the way she had seemed like an impatient child when she was told she had to sit in her seat and put on her seat belt until the plane had risen into the air and the light came on signaling that they could remove the belts. She’d literally glared at the light until it had come on before undoing her seatbelt and scrambling towards the window to stare out at the receding ground.

She’d been like that for the entire ride, going between staring out of the window in awe or chatting excitedly with him, asking him all kinds of questions about airplanes and flying. Max had answered all of his questions to the best of his ability and when he couldn’t answer them, he tried asking the stewardesses. They also answered Liz’s questions, caught up in her exuberance just like Max was.

One of the stewardesses even told them that if she’d known earlier that Liz was that interested, she would have asked the pilots to allow Liz to go to see the cockpit, but it was too late now since there were already others who were going up. Liz didn’t seem too upset over the fact that she wouldn’t be able to go up there since she still enjoyed looking out of the window and sharing her excitement with Max.

Eventually the announcement came for them to put their seatbelts on again since they were landing soon and Liz did so without a fuss this time. Now she was eager to get out of the plane to explore the island of Hawaii. This time she did her best to remain calm in her seat until the plane came to a stop and the light came on for them to remove their seatbelts and disembark.

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Liz sighed in awe before she turned away from the window and looked at Max with a bright smile. “It’s really beautiful here, Max.”

He nodded as he turned to look out of the window on his side of the car. “Yeah, it really is, isn’t it?”

She laughed. “You’ve never been here before?”

He shook his head as he turned back to face her. “I’ve never had a reason to visit before.”

She took his hand in his and slid closer to his side in the back of the car that was taking them to the Cliffside house that Max had rented for them on the island of Lana’i. “Tell me about the house.”

Max lifted his arm to place it around her shoulders as she leaned against his side. “Well, I just saw some pictures of it, so I’m hoping it looks as good as I think it does. It has two bedrooms, one of which is the master bedroom. It has its own luxury bathroom and walk-in closet. The second bedroom shares its bathroom with the house. The living room is supposed to be at the front of the house and is accessible through the private courtyard. The dining room is set near the back of the house and has a wall of windows to overlook the cliffs and ocean below.”

He looked down at her with a grin. “You’ll love the kitchen too. It’s supposed to be state of the art and huge with a full island in the center of it.”

Liz sighed. “It sounds lovely.”

Max nuzzled the top of her head. “I really hope it is.”

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The house turned out to surpass even Max’s standards. He’d been a little afraid that it wouldn’t be as rustic as he knew Liz would have liked. Thinking it would be too modern to feel as if they were surrounded by nature. He was glad he was wrong. Set near the edge of one of the many cliffs on the island of Lana’i, the house was surrounded by lush vegetation which also crawled up the sides of the house and spilled into the private entry courtyard making the entire house seem as if it was a part of the land.

The tiled roof was nearly the only thing visible through all of the huge trees and vines which lent plenty of shade to the home. That and the garage that sat slightly off to the side of the house were the only things seemingly out of place. In the garage was the rented land rover Max had requested for their week long stay on the island. The rover came equipped with a computerized map of the island and all of the possibilities of recreation the two of them could enjoy while they were there.

As they got out of the car, the rental agent who had met them at the airport began to explain the house and everything else that Max had requested for their stay. He informed them that the house had been stocked with everything that was requested and the rover had a full tank of gas and had been checked to make sure it was up to par for the week. All emergency phone numbers, including the numbers to the rental office, the airport, and other transportation offices as well as attractions of the island were in the small book next to the phone in the master bedroom.

The rental agent led them through the courtyard and unlocked the front door, stepping back to allow them in. Max and Liz stepped into a foyer and followed the man as he gave them the tour. To their immediate right was the living room with a huge picture window into the courtyard and a door set on the opposite side of the entrance led to the laundry room.

Walking down the hallway, the next door to the right led to the huge kitchen which was like Max had described. State of the art appliances were surrounded by natural looking cabinets and drawers and all of the countertops, including the large island in the center were made of the natural dark stone found on the island. Just like in the living room, there was a door opposite the entrance that led to the walk in pantry which was stocked with all of the items Max had requested.

The end of the hallway fed into the huge dining area with the wall of windows that overlooked the edge of the cliff and the ocean below. There was a small door near the back right corner of the room which led to the steps that would take them to the private beach below the cliffs. And a private outdoor shower was set into the wall next to the door, as well as a small changing room.

Near the front of the dining room in the left corner was another wide door which led to the hallway of the bedrooms. The hallway curved towards the front of the house with the master bedroom and its bath taking up most of the area and the second small bedroom at the front where the hallway ended. The second bathroom door was accessible as soon as they walked into the hallway and to the left. It was also accessible from inside of the second bedroom.

The master bedroom was separated from the dining room by a thick wall, but the wall of windows from the dining room continued to run through the back of the master bedroom. Huge thick curtains could be pulled over them to block out the light if they desired. The entrance was set at the front right corner of the room with a low dresser and tall armoire against the right wall.

The huge king sized bed was set in the center of the left wall and the door to the walk in closet was set to the left of the entrance to the bedroom. They would have to walk through the walk in closet to get to the huge private bathroom beyond it.

The bathroom was divided into two rooms by wooden sliding doors. The first room was the vanity area with more natural stone countertops and two sinks with their own naturally carved mirrors. On either side of the sinks was a small medicine cabinet and linen closet. The second room contained the sunken spa tub, the toilet, and the rain shower. Each of those areas were divided by tall partitions which somehow didn’t diminish the space of the room.

The living room, dining room, laundry room, pantry, and hallways had hardwood floors. The kitchen, baths, and foyer had stone floors, and the bedrooms and closets had lush carpeting.

As Max and Liz explored their home for the week, the agent brought their bags and set them in the walk in closet. He stopped often to answer any questions Max or Liz had until he had brought in all of their belongings and finished telling them all about the house and island.

Once he was certain that Max and Liz had everything they needed, he handed Max the keys to the house, garage, and land rover before bidding them a wonderful vacation on the island of Lana’i. Even after he left, Max and Liz continued to explore their home, laughing and getting excited about the things the house provided for them.

Both of them loved the way the house seemed so natural, almost a part of the surroundings despite the modern conveniences of state of the art appliances and hot running water. It was a given that Liz loved the courtyard and the windows that ran along the back walls of the dining room and master bedroom.

She loved the courtyard for the lush vegetation and the back windows because of the ocean view. Having lived in a city most of her young life, then moving out to the wilderness, Liz had never really seen an ocean or beach before. While Max loved the beach just as much as the next person, he also loved the relaxed and rugged feel of the place and the fact that they had access to many of the natural sights of the island. Like Liz, he couldn’t wait to go exploring the many varied areas of the island.

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Nearly an hour later, after they had showered and changed, their vacation officially began. First they took advantage of the huge kitchen, working side by side to make a lunch of sandwiches and salad which they ate at the dining table enjoying the view of the ocean below.

Afterwards, they decided to go exploring their private beach below the cliffs so they packed a bag full of things they were sure they’d need throughout the day. They ended up spending most of the day playing in the waves and sand of the beach even going so far as to build sandcastles and other shapes in the sand with whatever items they found along the beach. Later, they sat on a blanket and watched the sun go down, disappearing into the ocean in the distance.

Using the small flashlight and the light of the moon, they made their way back up to the house and rinsed off in the outside shower before going inside. The rest of the night was spend lounging around the house, enjoying the spa tub, a late dinner, and the huge bed in the master bedroom.

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The next day had them taking the land rover and going to explore the natural resources of the island. They visited the Keahiakawelo, or Garden of the Gods, which resembled a lunar landscape with all of the rough terrain and multitude of rocks. It took the majority of the morning for them to drive through the landscape, stopping to get out and hike around the area every so often so take in the rocks stacked into towers of various sizes. The two of them had listened to the information on the computer in the rover which explained the legend of the rocks.

Apparently two priests had a competition in which they were trying to see who could keep a fire burning on their island the longest and the winner’s island would receive abundance. The priest on that island used every piece of vegetation he could find to keep his fire burning which resulted in the barren landscape. Although it said the best time to view the area was at dusk, Max and Liz opted to spend the first part of the day there thinking they could go back some other evening to see the way the setting sun would set the rocks aglow in oranges, reds, and purples.

Eventually they returned to their house for a bit of lunch before venturing into the city of Lana’i and renting a couple of bicycles to get around it. Just like everything else new she tried, Liz learned how to ride a bike quickly, stating that she much preferred this mode of transportation to the vehicles most people were attached to.

They spent the rest of the day exploring the city and decided to have dinner at one of the open air restaurants there. By the time they had turned in their rented bicycles and returned home in the land rover, they were exhausted, yet happy with the way their day had gone. Taking a quick shower together, they climbed into bed and fell asleep as soon as their heads hit the pillows.

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The next day, they decided to take advantage of the wonderful sunny day to use the land rover and drive the seven mile rustic Munro Trail which would take them to the highest part of the island. Making sure they packed the things they would need for the drive, Max stopped in the city to fill up the gas tank before they finally set off up the long scenic trail.

Along the way, they stopped to take in the various sights the trail gave them. They got to see the canyons of the Maunalei gulch and the neighboring islands of Maui, Molokai, Kahoolawe, Oahu, as well as the main island of Hawaii. Max snapped pictures every chance he got while Liz simply enjoyed the lush scenery and the wonderful scents it provided. And as the rover climbed higher and higher, the lush rainforest surroundings became misty and the air cooler, which Liz enjoyed even more and Max managed to get tons of pictures of Liz enjoying the beauty of it all.

The top of Mount Lanaihale marked the end of the trail where Max and Liz got out to see the surrounding islands and the lush greenery of the rainforest. They spent a while up there at nearly 4,000 feet enjoying the many views of the surroundings and Max used up nearly another roll of film snapping pictures of the view and of Liz and himself.

Soon they made the drive back down the trail and stopped in Lana’i city for a bite to eat before heading back to the house. They showered and took a nap before getting up and taking the drive to Shipwreck Beach to enjoy the rest of the day there. Mainly just sunbathing, going for a swim, and exploring the beach as they walked they knew they’d go back later to take advantage of more of the activities the beach offered.

Eventually they made their way back to the house to shower and have dinner there, once more enjoying the view of the sunset into the ocean. Later, Max turned on the stereo in the bedroom and he and Liz danced to the slow music with only the light from the moon and sparkling ocean view to illuminate the room.

Slowly, they made their way to the bed where Max spent the rest of the night making love to Liz. It meant a lot to her to have Max cherish her like that. With only the moonlight outlining their bodies and the soft sounds of their breathy moans adding to the effect. She revealed in the feel of his body covering hers and the way his eyes shone in the faint light as he gazed at her.

There were times when she closed her eyes to enjoy the way his hands glided over her skin, raising goosebumps along her flesh. Or to feel his lips and tongue teasing all of her pleasure points, making her desire for him become a tidal wave of epic proportions. She loved the way he always paid such close attention to her body, making sure she got the most pleasure before he would take his own.

Max reveled in the feel of Liz’s warm skin against his own. His desire flared every time he heard her moan or gasp in surprise when he found a particularly sensitive spot on her body. Knowing he was making her feel wonderful was all he needed to fuel his own pleasure. Still, he enjoyed the way her hands and mouth felt when she explored his body.

Looking into her eyes to watch them darken with desire, his breath would catch at the love he saw there. The love she felt for him was also evident in the way she moaned his name, the way her body clutched his as her passion overwhelmed her, and in the soft sighs of satisfaction when she lay afterwards in his arms.

Throughout the night, they had whispered sweet nothings and other words of encouragement to each other as they made love. Then there were the times when they cried out each others names or the words ‘I love you’ passed their lips. Even though there would be plenty of other nights there in that bed, none of them would seem as never ending as that night would.

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Since they hadn’t fallen asleep until the first rays of light peaked into the opened windows of their bedroom, it was a given that they would sleep through most of the next morning as their bodies recuperated from their passionate night. Max had managed to drag himself out of bed long enough to close the curtains before collapsing next to Liz for a much needed rejuvenating sleep.

When they finally got out of bed later that afternoon, they decided to have a light lunch before going down to spend a lazy day on their private beach. They went for a swim and lay out on the sand soaking up the rays. Later, they each pulled on light sweaters and watched the waves roll in as the sun began to set.

Max built a small fire so that he and Liz could roast marshmallows while they sat and enjoyed the way the moon and stars reflected on the waters surface. They stayed out there until the waves began building higher and coming further inland, nearly reaching the area where they were.

Gathering up their belongings, they made their way back up to the house and took advantage of the spa tub together. They remained relaxing in the tub until their fingers and toes began to wrinkle before getting out and crawling back into bed. Lying on their sides facing each other, they held hands and talked in hushed voices about everything and nothing until falling asleep.

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The next day found them at Hulopoe Bay where they enjoyed the sun and sand once more. They went snorkeling in the blue waters of the bay to see the underwater wonders of colorful fish and the abundance of corals. They also went for walks along the beach and explored the tide pools in the area.

At one point, Liz remained on the beach sunning while Max rented a body board and played in the waves. Eventually he returned to the beach to sunbathe with her until an announcement came that there were dolphins sighted in the area. Together, they went to the area where they could watch the dolphins play in the water, seemingly performing amazing acrobatic tricks for their captive audience.

Later, they found a picnic table nearby where they sat and ate the sandwiches Max had purchased from a nearby vendor. Then they took another walk along the beach before gathering their things to return home.

They decided to take a quick shower and a nap before going back to the Keahiakawelo to see the sunset’s effect on the rocks. Max and Liz explored the rocks some more and took pictures until the sun began to set and they watched the way the rocks glowed in orange, red, and purple hues.

They soon returned home to change once more into causal attire before going into Lana’i city to enjoy a late dinner and some dancing at a local lounge. Staying until the lounge closed, they two of them enjoyed dancing and trying the various drinks native to the island.

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The next morning, Liz woke Max up before sunrise so they could go down to the private beach to see the day begin together. They sat on the beach huddled together to watch the sun rise over the house and cliff before turning around to see the rays sparkling off the waters.

Returning to the house, they made breakfast together and prepared for a morning of strenuous mountain bike riding through the various trails around the area. Max drove them into the city to rent the bikes then drove back out to their home. From there, they chose one of the well marked trails and began their adventure for the day.

For the next several hours, they rode around the area, stopping to take rests, pictures, and water breaks. They returned to their starting point of the house each time they had fully explored a trail before choosing another nearby trail to go explore. Once they even took a longer break to sit in the shade of the courtyard vegetation for about an hour before picking up where they had left off.

Eventually they returned home to shower and take a late nap before getting up and making dinner together. For the night, they ventured back to Shipwreck Beach to sit at one of the outside bars where they enjoyed the light breeze coming off of the ocean and sipped on tropical drinks.

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Their last day there found them taking a horseback ride after their breakfast. Max had driven them to the stables at Koele where they rented a couple of horses. This time it was Liz who was teaching Max how to handle a horse since she was familiar with them from her past.

Once Max got the hang of it, they took their horses out for a long leisurely ride along the various trails on the island. These trails took them through fields of green, along cliff sides, and down to the coasts. Eventually they made their way back to the stables to return the horses.

From there, they chose a restaurant to have lunch in before doing a bit of shopping in the local stores. Soon they made their way back to the house where they enjoyed a leisurely turn in the spa tub before getting out to make a light dinner together.

They spent the rest of the evening relaxing in the bedroom after they had packed up all of their belongings so that they didn’t have to do any of that in the morning. Eventually Max got up to close the curtains before he slid into bed next to Liz. She pulled him into her arms and spent the next couple of hours making love to him before they settled down to get some sleep.

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They were just finishing up their breakfast that Saturday morning when the agent arrived to take them back to the island’s airport. It didn’t take long before they were in the back of the car, heading to the airport and leaving behind their vacation.

Saturday night found them back at Max’s loft, both exhausted and happy after the week long Hawaiian vacation. Somehow they managed to unpack their belongings before each of them took a shower and crawled into bed for the night.

They cuddled together and whispered about the things they had enjoyed on the vacation. Liz thanked Max for the chance to go there, telling him she knew it had been that much better because she had experienced it all with him. Max agreed that the trip had been wonderful and he’d enjoyed being able to share it with her. Soon both of them drifted off to sleep, knowing their friends would be calling the next day to find out all about their trip.

TBC....hope I did the vacation justice

Part 21

It was less than a week later when Liz began to get sick. At first, she thought it was just fatigue catching up with her from her trip to Hawaii. But when Max seemed to be fine and she still felt sick the next day, she knew it had nothing to do with Hawaii.

On that day, Liz felt so bad that after Max had left for work, she went back upstairs and climbed back into bed. She was asleep as soon as her head hit the pillow and only woke up a couple of hours later when she felt someone gently nudging her awake.

“Liz? Honey are you okay?” asked Tess as she leaned over her.

Liz slowly opened her eyes and blinked away the fog. “Tess?”

“Yes, it’s me. You didn’t answer your cell or the door when I buzzed, so I got the guy at the desk to let me in since he knows me. You feeling bad?”

Liz nodded. “Yeah and a little tired. I thought it was just left over from the trip.”

Tess felt her forehead as she spoke. “You don’t feel hot. Can you tell me what you’re feeling?”

“Um, mostly just tired. And a little dizzy sometimes. And my stomach hurts a bit, plus I feel like I can’t hold anything down.”

Tess frowned. “Have you tried to eat anything?”

“Yeah, sure. I had a bit of breakfast this morning with Max.”

“What all did you have?”

“Um, some toast.”

“That’s all?”

Liz sighed. “Everything else made me feel sick.”

Tess gave her a puzzled look. “How long have you been feeling like this Liz?”

“For a couple of days.”

Tess sat on the edge of the bed and looked around the room as she thought about it. After a few minutes, she looked back at Liz.

“Have you told Max how you’ve been feeling?”

“No, I just thought it would go away with a bit of rest.”

Tess nodded. “But you don’t feel any better do you?”

Liz sighed as she leaned back against the pillows. “No.” She paused for a moment before adding, “I’ll tell him when he gets home this evening.”

“Okay, well I’m going to call Maria and ask her to watch the shop today. I think I’ll stay here with you until Max gets home.”

Liz gave her a smile. “Thanks Tess, but you don’t have to.”

Tess nodded. “I know. Listen, I’m gonna go make the call and then I’m going to make you some soup okay? You just rest until it’s ready.”

As Tess got up to head downstairs, Liz nodded and rolled onto her side. She snuggled into the blankets and closed her eyes to rest some more.

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An hour later Tess woke her up to have some of the chicken soup she’d made for her. Tess helped her sit up, propped against the pillows, before placing the tray on her lap. Liz blew on it a bit until it was tolerable for her to eat without burning her tongue.

She had only eaten half of it when her stomach began to protest. The moment Tess saw Liz’s eyes go wide, she grabbed the bowl from Liz and moved the tray out of the way. Liz bolted out of the bed and made it into the bathroom in time to retch into the toilet.

Tess came in behind her after she’d set the tray aside and knelt behind Liz. Pulling her hair away from her face with one hand, she rubbed soothing circles on Liz’s back with the other. After a few minutes, it seemed as if Liz was done.

Tess stood up to retrieve a wash cloth and wet it for Liz. She wiped her face then filled a glass with water for her. Liz took the glass with a weak thanks before drinking some of it and handing the glass back to Tess.

When Tess leaned over Liz a few minutes later, she whispered. “You feeling okay to get back into bed?”

Liz groaned but nodded her head weakly. Tess helped her back to bed and made sure she was tucked in before leaving her alone to sleep some more. She took the tray back downstairs and put everything away.

Soon she sat down on the couch to watch television for a while until either Liz woke up or Max got home. As she only vaguely watched TV, she thought about Liz. She had an idea of what could be wrong with Liz, but decided not to say anything for the time being. While she seemed to think she knew what it was, Tess still didn’t think her idea could possibly be right. Could it?

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Liz slept for most of the rest of the afternoon, only getting up once to use the restroom before going back to bed. Tess went up to check on her twice, but found her fast asleep both times and didn’t want to disturb her. She did refresh the glass of water on Liz’s nightstand each time she went up.

When Max got home, he was surprised to see Tess sitting alone on the couch and Liz nowhere in sight.

“Tess? What’s going on?” he asked as he set his things down in the dining room and glanced towards an empty kitchen.

Tess turned off the TV and stood up, looking at Max with a worried frown. “Liz is sick.”

Max straightened at that. “What? But I saw her this morning before I left and she seemed fine.”

Tess nodded. “I called her earlier and she didn’t answer her cell. So I decided to swing by here on the way to work. When she didn’t answer my buzz, I asked Larry downstairs to let me in. She was in bed fast asleep. I had to shake her a bit to wake her up. She said she’s been feeling bad for a couple of days.”

Max headed for the stairs with Tess in tow. She continued to tell him about Liz. “She’s not running a fever, but she said she’s been feeling tired, dizzy, and her stomach hurts. She also can’t keep anything down. I tried to give her some soup earlier and she only got half of it down before throwing it up.”

They walked into the bedroom and Max made his way to Liz’s side. Leaning over her, he pressed his hand against her forehead to verify what Tess had said. Sure enough, she didn’t seem hot, but her skin did feel a little more moist than usual.

Brushing her hair back from her face, Max spoke in a low voice. “Liz, sweetheart? It’s Max, I need you to wake up for a bit.”

Liz sighed in her sleep, but slowly came awake at Max’s gentle prodding. Opening her eyes, she smiled up at him. “Hi.”

He returned her smile. “Hey, how are you feeling?”

“Tired.”

Max frowned at that. “Tess says you’ve been sleeping all day.”

Liz yawned and rolled over onto her back. “Yeah, I think I must have a stomach virus or something.”

Max glanced at Tess who stood on the other side of the bed looking at Liz. When their eyes met, Tess shook her head telling Max she didn’t think it was a stomach virus. Max sighed and looked back down at Liz, worry now clouding his eyes.

“Liz, listen. Let’s get you into something comfortable so I can take you to the emergency room okay? We need to find out what’s wrong with you before it gets any worse.”

Liz frowned as she looked between Tess and Max. “I just need to rest and I’ll be fine.”

Max shook his head as he stood up and went to find something for Liz to put on. “I’ll feel better after we see a doctor, okay Liz?”

He found a pair of sweat pants and a small tee shirt and brought them over to Liz. Holding them out to her, he gave her a pleading look. “Just humor me with this honey.”

Liz sighed as she sat up and took the clothes from Max. As Tess helped her get dressed, Max changed out of his work clothes then helped Liz down the stairs.

“You need me to go with you two?” asked Tess.

Max shook his head as he ushered Liz to the door. “No, it’s okay. Can you stay here? Just in case I need your help when we return?”

Tess nodded. “Sure, I’ll call the others and tell them where I am.”

“Okay, thanks Tess. We’ll be back soon.”

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Max glanced at Liz out of the corner of his eye. She was leaning back in her chair with her eyes closed. He was already past the panic mode now, but he refused to let her see it.

During the drive all the way to the emergency room, she had been silent. Leaning back in her seat, she’d stared out of the window, but Max could see her pallor getting even paler than before. Finally, she’d closed her eyes and slid her hand over her stomach as if the motion of the car was making her sick.

He’d gotten her into the waiting room and went to sign her in as she got comfortable in one of the chairs. When he had sat next to her, she seemed to look a little better as she looked around the room before watching television. However, that was at the beginning. Now, she was pale again and she had a pinched look on her face.

He knew something was wrong and it wasn’t just a stomach virus, but he couldn’t for the life of him figure out what it was. Whatever it was, it was taking a lot out of her which made him worry. Max didn’t think he was going to get through watching her suffer like that.

“Liz Parker?” called a nurse from the door to the examining rooms.

Liz opened her eyes at the sound of her name and allowed Max to help her up. He slid his arm around her waist and led her towards the nurse. The nurse smiled at them as they approached.

“This way please.”

They followed the nurse down the hallway and into an examining room. She indicated the long table for Liz to sit on and told Max he could sit in a nearby chair. As Liz sat there, the nurse took her vitals and asked Liz to tell her what was wrong.

Liz told her what she’d told Max and Tess and Max had added some things Tess had told him about that day. The nurse asked Liz a few more questions before handing a gown to Liz and asking her to change into it before the doctor came in to examine her. When she left, Max helped Liz into the gown before she took her seat on the table once more.

Max stood at her side and slid a hand over her cheek, caressing it. “How are you holding up?” he asked.

She leaned into his touch as she gave him a smile. “I’m okay, Max. Don’t worry.”

He sighed as he leaned his forehead against hers. “Sorry, but I think that’s just not possible. I’ll always worry about you Liz. I love you.”

She sighed. “I love you too.”

He leaned in to give her a kiss, taking his time savoring the softness of her lips before pulling away slowly. Giving her cheek another caress, he smiled at her before taking his seat in the chair again.

Max reached out to take her hand in his and the two of them sat there in silence until the doctor came in with the nurse right behind him.

“Hello Liz, I’m Dr. Carmichael.”

“Hi,” she replied.

He looked over her chart before saying, “It says here you’ve been feeling tired and a bit dizzy. Your stomach also hurts and you’ve had trouble keeping any food down.”

Liz nodded. “Yes.”

“How long has this been happening?”

“Just a couple of days.”

He nodded and made a note on the chart before reading over the rest of it. Soon he set it down and picked up his stethoscope to listen to her heartbeat and breathing. When he was finally done examining her, he stepped back to make more notes on the chart before turning to her.

“Okay, I want to get a few samples of blood from you as well as a urine sample. I’ll let the nurse help you with that and then I’ll be back in to talk to you both.”

Liz nodded as the doctor turned to talk to the nurse for a few moments.

He turned back to her and patted her arm. “Okay, just get those done and I’ll be back in a bit.”

After he left, the nurse took a couple of blood samples from Liz and gave her a cup for the urine sample. She directed Liz to the restroom and indicated the labeled box for her to put the sample in when she was done. Liz quickly tried to finish before making her way back to the examining room.

Max stood up to help her back on the table and gave her a smile. “We’ll go home in a little bit so you can rest some more okay?”

She nodded. “Okay.”

He sat next to her on the table and wrapped his arms around her. Liz leaned against him, enjoying the warmth of his body until the nurse returned a few minutes later. She smiled at the two of them as she spoke to Liz.

“Why don’t you go ahead and change back into your clothes. The doctor will be back in a few minutes to talk to you.”

“Thank you,” replied Liz as the nurse walked out of the room.

Max helped her back into her clothes then pulled her down into his arms while he sat in the chair. Liz settled in his lap and rested her head on his shoulder. She closed her eyes and began to drift back to sleep nestled against his warmth.

She hadn’t realized she’d actually dozed off for a while when the nurse finally came back in. She glanced at Max and Liz in the chair and smiled as she spoke softly.

“If you two would come with me, I’ll take you to the doctor’s office. He’ll be talking to you there.”

Liz rubbed the sleep out of her eyes and slid out of Max’s lap to follow the nurse out of the room. She held Max’s hand, but she wasn’t looking up at him. If she had, she would have caught the look of growing concern on his face.

Max knew it couldn’t be good if they were being taken to the doctor’s office. Normally, they attended the patients in the examining room and that was it. So this couldn’t be good. Fear began to gnaw at his insides and it only got worse as they got closer to the office. Then once the nurse had shown them to their seats in the chairs across from the desk, Max was back to panicking again.

Liz turned to look at him and finally saw the look on his face. Reaching out, she took his hand in hers and gave it a squeeze. “It’s going to be okay Max. I know it is.”

He turned to look at her and tried to smile. However, it didn’t reach his eyes. “Yeah, I know.”

It would be another several minutes of awkward silence before the doctor walked into the office. He closed the door behind him and walked to his desk, sitting on the edge of it to smile down at them.

“Well, we got the preliminary tests back and I thought it would be better for me to give you the results here rather than in that room.”

Max tensed up. “What’s wrong with her?”

Dr. Carmichael gave Max a reassuring smile. “It’s nothing we can’t handle. She just needs some rest and to eat better for the next few months that’s all.”

Liz frowned. “Few months?”

The doctor nodded. “Yes, the preliminary tests show that you are pregnant, Liz.”

Shocked silence met his statement.

“She’s pregnant?” Max was the first to break the silence.

The doctor nodded. “Yes. From what we can see, you’re about two months pregnant, but we’ll know for sure once we get the final results.”

A smile began to form on Liz’s face. “Wow.”

The doctor chuckled. “I’m going to recommend a few OB-GYNs for you and get you started on taking care of yourself now. I think the reason for your feeling sick is because you weren’t aware of your pregnancy so you haven’t been taking care of yourself and the baby like you should have. Let me go get the information and I’ll be right back to get you started on your care, okay?”

Liz nodded. “Okay, thank you.”

He got up and left the room to gather all of the information for Liz, giving them a few moments alone. As soon as he was gone, Liz and Max turned to look at each other as it finally dawned on them both.

“It was Sean!” they exclaimed simultaneously.

Liz nodded. “He was the one who couldn’t have children Max! All this time I thought it was me!”

Max nodded too, obviously thinking the same thing. Neither one of them had ever thought it was possible for Liz to conceive.

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

The drive back home was done in silence once more. The doctor had returned before Max and Liz had the chance to talk about it anymore, so they were relegated to listening to him explain what she was to do to care for herself and the baby. He also gave her the list of doctors she could contact to begin the care of her pregnancy and gave her something to help with her fatigue and stomach without harming her baby.

Once they were all set, Dr. Carmichael congratulated them both and told them he’d contact them as soon as he had the official results of the tests. Liz and Max had left soon after that, with Max stopping to get some things the doctor had said would help Liz.

As Max pulled his car into the parking garage, Liz turned slightly in her seat to look at him. Waiting until he’d parked, she finally asked what was on her mind.

“Max?”

He turned off the ignition before turning to look at her. “Hm?”

She wrung her hands nervously in her lap a moment before asking shyly. “Um, this is okay, isn’t it? I-I mean, is this what you want?”

Max reached out to take her hand. “Of course I want this, why wouldn’t I?”

“I just…well I just don’t want you to feel obligated and…I know it’s sudden, but…”

“Liz!” he interjected. “How can you think that! Do you have any idea how it makes me feel to know that you can have children! I never said anything before because I thought it was you, but now we know and I wouldn’t change this for anything!”

He unbuckled his seat belt and leaned towards her. “God Liz, it’s so amazing to me to know you’re going to have my baby! That you CAN have my baby! I love you so much!”

Liz smiled through the tears shining in her eyes as Max leaned in to give her a soft kiss. A few moments later he pulled back to ask, “Is this what you want?”

Liz chuckled at the worried look on his face. “Oh Max! You know I’ve always wanted kids! I just never thought it would ever be possible.”

Max nodded as he slid his fingers through her hair. “I know, I didn’t think so either.”

He put his forehead against hers as he continued to run his fingers through her hair. “I need you to know that regardless of whether or not you and I could have kids, I would have loved you just the same. No matter what Liz, I will always love you.”

She smiled. “I love you too Max, but I’m happy that I’m going to have your baby.” She ran her hand over her stomach. “I’m going to have a child with the man that I love.”

Max grinned at her words before pulling her head to his and giving her a deep kiss. One that was full of the love and happiness he had for her.

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

Max and Liz walked into their loft to see all of their friends waiting for them. Tess had been pacing between the kitchen and dining areas, while Kyle sat in one of the dining chairs bouncing his leg impatiently. Michael and Maria sat on the couch, Michael’s arm was around Maria’s shoulder as they watched Tess pace.

All of them turned towards the door when they heard Max and Liz return. Tess immediately went up to them wearing a look of worry.

“Well?” she asked.

Max slid his arm around Liz’s waist and grinned down at her. She grinned back up at him and nodded her assent. Max turned his grin towards the others.

“Liz is pregnant!” he announced.

They all stared at Max and Liz as they stood beaming with pride. Tess and Maria both shrieked in happiness and ran to hug them both as Michael got up and followed them at a more leisurely pace.

“Oh my God!” exclaimed Maria.

“Thank God it’s nothing serious!” stated Tess.

Liz chuckled. “Yeah, I think Max was about to start freaking out if it was.”

Max frowned. “I was just hoping it wasn’t anything that couldn’t be fixed.”

Michael patted Max on the back and shook his hand before giving him a brotherly hug. “Congrats, man!”

Max beamed more. “Thanks.”

Maria giggled. “Oh see! We were right, it really was destiny for you two to be together!”

Liz and Tess joined her in giggling as Tess agreed. “That’s true! You two were meant to be! Why else would it have taken you so long to have a baby, Liz!”

Kyle scoffed from where he stood near Michael and Max. “Oh please, it’s not that hard to get pregnant!”

Maria turned to glare at Kyle. “Really? Then why didn’t she get pregnant when she was with Sean?”

Kyle shrugged. “What difference does it make.”

Michael sighed. “Well, what does matter is that both Max and Liz want this together. Am I right?” he asked as he looked between the two of them.

Max grinned as he pulled Liz into his arms. “Yeah, we want this. We just never thought it was possible.”

Tess nodded. “Because everyone thought it was Liz who couldn’t have kids.”

“Right,” agreed Maria.

They all smiled as they congratulated the two of them again. Even Kyle congratulated them, but had to go and put his foot in his mouth anyway.

“So, Max. You’re gonna be saddled with a kid already! Can you believe it? And here we thought Maria would be the first since Michael is married to her.”

Tess turned to give him a pointed look. “Just what is that supposed to mean?”

“I’m just saying who would have thought Max would have been the one to knock somebody up? After all, he’s the one who’s the stingiest of us all.”

Liz pursed her lips as Maria took a step towards Kyle. Michael reached out and wrapped his arm around his wife’s waist, pulling her to his side. Max did the same to Liz as Tess growled.

“Kyle Valenti, what a thing to say to your best friend and his girlfriend!”

“What?” asked Kyle, oblivious to all of them. “Which of us really thought they’d live to see the day when Mr. Obsessive Compulsive here would ever allow a baby into his life? We all know just how messy and smelly babies are.”

Tess gasped in outrage as Liz spoke up. “Children are only a product of their environment Kyle. I doubt ours is going to be messy and smelly!”

Max nodded. “And for your information, I am not obsessive compulsive. Yes, I like a little order to my world, but it’s not an obsession. And I don’t think our baby is going to be any messier than we are. I’m looking forward to being a part of my child’s life.”

Michael and Maria beamed at Max’s confession, as did Tess. But it only lasted a moment for Tess because she was back to glowering at Kyle. He opened his mouth to make another smart remark, but she beat him to it.

“Not another word Kyle! You’ve said quite enough for one day!”

“What did I say? Max isn’t going to stand changing a soiled diaper! He hasn’t met it yet! I’m willing to bet he’s gonna wish he’d used protection when he gets a whiff of it!”

Max couldn’t help the smile that spread over his face at the thought of changing his baby’s diaper. Despite what Kyle said, he honestly couldn’t wait to be a part of caring for his baby’s needs. The smile faded from his face when a loud smack resounded through the room.

“Ow! What the hell was that for?” asked Kyle as he rubbed the side of his head where Tess had smacked him.

She glared at him. “For being such a rude, pig headed dolt! I’m going home. I have a huge headache now.” She turned to Liz and Max, giving them both a hug as she said, “Congratulations. I’m happy for the both of you. I know you’ll both love it as much as you love each other.”

Liz smiled. “Thanks Tess. And thanks for staying with me.”

Max nodded as he moved back from hugging her. “Yes, thanks for staying with her until I got home.”

“No problem. I’ll see you both later.”

With that, she sent Kyle another glare before stalking out of the loft. Kyle grimaced as he turned to Max and Liz. “Liz, congrats. I’m really happy for you too. Max, I’ll see you later, bud.”

Max nodded as Kyle shook his hand and hugged Liz before he ran to catch up with his irate girlfriend.

After he left, Michael and Maria both remained until they were sure Max and Liz were both okay before heading out themselves. They congratulated the two of them and gave them hugs as they said goodbye.

Max and Liz waved goodbye from the front door before going back inside. Max sent Liz to relax on the couch while he made dinner for them. When dinner was ready, they sat on the couch and ate it while watching the news.

Later, Max put everything away as Liz went upstairs to get ready for bed. When he got upstairs, Liz was already in bed waiting for him. She smiled and held up the covers for him after he’d gotten undressed.

Sliding in besides her, he pulled her close and ran his hand over her stomach. She giggled.

“I think it’s still too small for you to feel anything Max.”

He smiled as he rolled her onto her back and leaned over to press a kiss against her stomach. “I know,” he murmured against her skin. “But the fact that a part of me is growing inside of you just blows my mind.”

Liz sighed in contentment as she ran her fingers through his hair. “Mm hm.”

Max continued to press soft kisses against her stomach for a few more minutes before he slid up to gaze into her eyes. “I love you,” he whispered.

She smiled. “I love you too.”

He leaned in and took her lips in his. The kiss started out tender and sweet, but soon turned heated. Liz wrapped her arms around his shoulders and pulled him down until he was lying over her, his body flush with hers.

As she wrapped her legs around his waist and ground her heat against his groin, he groaned. “Lizzz!”

She mumbled against his lips. “I want you Max.”

He didn’t hesitate to give her want she wanted even though he was tender with her as he removed both of their underwear. When nothing was between them, he lowered his hand to caress her folds wanting her to be completely ready for him.

She moaned into his mouth and tightened her hold around his shoulders. Max caressed her pleasure button for a few more moments before sliding his finger inside of her. She bucked her hips and whimpered.

“Max please!”

Max groaned as he felt her legs lower slightly to his hips, tightening their hold on him. Her walls gripped his finger greedily, letting him know she was more than ready for him. Slowly, he removed his finger and gripped her hips in his hands.

With one swift thrust, he buried himself inside of her.

Liz threw her head back with a cry. “Oh yes! That’s it Max! Love me!”

Max rose to his elbows to be able to watch her as he made love to her. He would never get enough of the way her lips parted as tiny pants passed through them. Or of the way her eyes darkened and gazed dreamily up at him through half lids. Or of the way she moaned his name as he drove her closer and closer to the edge.

When she shouted his name with her climax, he finally closed his eyes and buried his face in her neck. A couple of thrusts later and he was joining her in satisfied bliss.

Liz held him to her until they both began to calm down. Max soon rolled off of her and she curled into his side. His arm went around her and his hand caressed her stomach. Liz sighed and smiled against his chest.

“Congratulations, Max.”

She felt his chuckle against her cheek. “To you too, Liz.”

“Love you,”

“Mmm, love you too honey. Get some rest okay?”

“Okay, night, Max.”

“Goodnight.”

TBC...

Part 22

Max stood at the drawing table shifting through the myriad of photos that had been sent to him for approval. There was actually four advertisements he was working on at the moment and the photos covered three of them. So he was trying to sort through them one advertisement at a time.

As he continued to shift through them, his assistant entered the room with a cup of coffee. Handing it to him, she said, “John is on his way up. He says he’s got more information for the Copeland ad.”

Max nodded as he took the mug from her. “Thanks, Terry.”

Just as she disappeared out of the office, John came striding in with a smile on his face. “Max, I think I have something that may just help us on the Copeland ad.”

Max arched an eyebrow as he joined John at the rectangular table nearby. John handed him a file and Max immediately looked through it. After a few moments, Max began to smile.

“Holy! Where did you get this?” he asked.

John shrugged. “I did some more research on the internet after my wife told me about this article she once read. Turns out she was right and I was able to find it all on the internet. So, will it help in building an ad for them?”

Max nodded. “Yes! More than you know! You’re a life saver John!”

He chuckled. “Not me, it was Amy’s idea.”

“Well then tell your wife thank you from me.”

“Will do.”

Max set the file on his desk before walking back to his drawing table. “Don’t suppose you could get your wife to find a way to make approval of photography easier?”

John slapped his shoulder. “Sorry Max, that’s just part of the job.”

Max nodded as he shifted through the photos once more while John peered around his shoulder.

“Which ad are you looking at?”

Max frowned. “The McMurry ad. But so far, I don’t think any of these photos go with the advertisement at all.”

John glanced up at him. “Are you saying you’re going to ask for another photo shoot?”

Max sighed. “Yeah, this just isn’t what I was thinking of for the advertisement I’d come up with.”

John grimaced. “Man, I’d hate to be in your shoes when you go tell the photographers they have to do it again.”

Max nodded. “Yeah, I’m not looking forward to it either.” He sighed again. “I was so sure they understood what I wanted when we had the discussion the other day.”

John shrugged. “You know photographers, sometimes they only hear what they want to hear.”

Max grinned as he piled up the photos into one stack and dumped them back into the folder they’d arrived in. Setting those aside, he began going through the photos for the second ad that he was working on.

“Okay, I’m going back to my office, buzz me if you need me?”

Max nodded. “Yeah sure. Thanks again John. And don’t forget to thank Amy.”

“Got it.”

As John left the office, Max picked up another photo and froze. As he stared at it, he suddenly realized exactly what it was he was looking at.

“John!” he called out.

A few seconds later, John poked his head around the door frame. “You called?”

Max motioned him over and held up the photo for John to see. “Where is this?”

John looked at the photo and frowned. “What do you mean?”

“Have you ever seen this place before?”

John shook his head. “Nope, but I’m not the one who took the photo.”

Max nodded and handed him the photo. “Call the photographer. Find out where this place is and any other kind of information that you can. Who owns it? Are there other places like it? What is the price on a place like that?”

John nodded. “Okay, I’m on it.”

“Thanks,” replied Max as John walked out of the room, photo in hand.

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

Later that evening, Max left work wearing a huge smile. As he drove his SUV home, he just hoped Liz would like his surprise. It had been almost two weeks since they’d found out she was pregnant and Max knew she needed something to lift her spirits.

As soon as the day after they’d found out, Max and Liz had made an appointment with a regular OB-GYN so that Liz could begin caring for her baby. Max had gone to the first appointment with her and the doctor had indeed informed them that the test results showed that she was now two months pregnant.

Despite the care Liz and Max both took now that they knew, she still had a day or two when she wasn’t feeling very well. The doctor said that was normal for some new mothers and told them not to worry so much about it. At least Liz and the baby were healthy. All Liz could do on the days she felt sick was to take it easy and drink plenty of fluids to keep her and the baby healthy.

Max hated those days when she was sick. It made him feel helpless to see her looking paler than usual and unable to do much of anything. When she was sick, he always wanted to stay home and take care of her, but sometimes she didn’t get sick until later in the day when he was already at work.

Liz never let him stay home from work anyway, so he’d managed to get Tess or Maria to go over and check up on her at least once a day. And he was extremely grateful to them when one of them stayed the day with Liz when she was sick. So, he knew it was time to do a little something to make her smile and he hoped she wasn’t feeling bad so that he could show her his surprise.

Climbing out of the SUV, he made his way to the elevator and stepped inside when it opened. Pushing the button for his floor, he leaned back and waited for it to get there. As he felt the elevator begin to move, he thought about his surprise.

He couldn’t believe his luck when he’d seen that photo earlier that day. And when John had somehow managed to get the information to him about an hour later, Max could almost believe it was meant to be. Several phone calls and meetings later, he knew it was just another thing to chalk up to this destiny thing Tess and Maria kept talking about. There was just no other way to explain just how easy it had been for Max to be able to pull the surprise for Liz together so quickly.

When the elevator reached his floor, he stepped out and made his way to his door. Sliding his key in, he unlocked it and walked in to find Liz in the kitchen humming along with the small radio on the counter.

Grinning, he set his things down on a bar stool and walked up behind her. Wrapping his arms around her waist, he settled his hands on her stomach and kissed her neck.

Liz chuckled as she leaned back against him.

“Hey baby,” he said.

She turned her head to kiss his lips. “Hey, how was your day?”

He nodded as she turned around in his arms. “Good actually. How are you feeling today?”

Liz smiled. “Just great! I actually got a lot done today.”

Max frowned as he turned to look around at the loft. “Tell me you didn’t go overboard with cleaning this place, Liz!”

She giggled. “Really, Max! I didn’t do it alone. Maria was here today and she helped me with most of it. In fact, she was probably worse than you are! I swear I couldn’t lift a finger with her around!”

Max grinned. “Well I’ll remember to thank her for taking care of you today then.”

Liz rolled her eyes. “I’m pregnant Max, not an invalid. Besides, the doctor said it’s good to get a little exercise you know.”

He nodded. “Yeah, but she meant taking walks and things like that. Not lifting heavy stuff or bending in ways that could harm you or the baby.”

She pouted. “And you think I’d do that? Like I said, I’m not an invalid.”

He kissed her forehead. “No, you’re not, but I’m still going to be protective of you and our baby. Didn’t I tell you it’s something you’re going to have to live with?”

She giggled. “Yes, you did warn me about that, didn’t you?” She rose to her toes and kissed him on the lips. “It’s okay, I love you just the way you are, Mr. Obsessive Compulsive.”

Max grinned at that. Liz was the only one who could get away with calling him that, but then again he knew she only said it in jest and would never what him to change from the way he already was. What she said was true, she loved him just the way he was.

She pulled away from him and nudged him towards the stairs. “Go get changed while I finish up dinner.”

Max nodded. “Okay, but just so you know. We’re going out afterwards.”

Liz raised her eyebrows. “Huh? Where?”

He gave her a wink. “It’s a surprise.”

Her eyes lit up. “A surprise! Ooooh!”

Max laughed as he made his way up the stairs. Liz was the only woman he knew who genuinely loved surprises and she wouldn’t bug him about revealing it before he was ready to. Isabel and Vicki couldn’t stand surprises at all and Tess and Maria would nag and nag until you gave up and told them what it was before you were ready to.

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

Max glanced at Liz out of the corner of his eye as he drove the SUV down the street towards their destination. She sat in her seat with her hands folded in her lap, a smile on her lips, and her head tilted slightly to the side as if she was listening to something. Throughout the entire ride, she’d been quietly listening to the radio even though he’d blindfolded her before they’d even left the parking lot of his loft building.

She still amazed him at how patient she could be when waiting for him to reveal the surprise to her. They’d been driving for a good twenty minutes already and still she remained relaxed. Maria or Tess would have been bouncing in their seats and trying to take the blindfold long ago.

“Almost there,” he said as he reached out to take her hand in his and give it a gentle squeeze.

She turned her head towards his voice as her smile widened. “I can’t wait!”

He chuckled at that since that was the only admission she’d give him that she was getting impatient.

A few minutes later he pulled off the main lane and turned onto a side street. Driving down a few blocks until he turned onto yet another smaller street, he slowed the SUV down until he finally pulled into a long paved driveway. He drove the SUV a little ways before putting it into park and turning off the ignition.

“Don’t move, okay honey?”

When Liz nodded, he got out of the car and walked around to open her door and helped her out. Keeping her hand in his, he led her forward a few steps before he stopped.

Moving around to stand behind her, he removed the blindfold as he whispered into her ear, “Surprise!”

Liz opened her eyes to see what Max’s surprise for her was. Her eyes went wide as she took in the view.

They stood in the driveway of a two story house made of mostly natural stone and wood shingles. But what made the best impression on Liz was the way the house looked so natural that it almost seemed to blend in with all of the trees and shrubbery surrounding it on all sides. In fact, it seemed to be the only house around for miles despite the fact that there was a paved road not too far away from where they now stood.

Max moved to stand besides her, looking at the awed expression on her face. He smiled as he took her hand in his.

“Want to go in and see what it looks like?”

She turned to him with wide eyes. “Can we?”

He nodded before leading her towards the front door. They walked up the steps onto a small porch with an old-fashioned swing hanging from the ceiling on the right side. Max opened the heavy and immaculately polished wooden door, stepping inside with Liz behind him.

As Max closed the door, Liz looked around at the huge entry room they now stood in. There was a set of curved stairs with beautifully carved wooden banisters near the left wall. There was also a large square window on either side of the room to look out at the small alcoves set outside on both sides of the entry room. Max took her hand and led her through the only other door that was directly opposite of the front door.

As they entered another room that was a few feet longer than the entry room, Max began to give her the tour. “I was told this room is called a lounge or meet and greet room.”

The back wall of the room had three floor to ceiling windows side by side with a door on either side of them that obviously led to what looked like a long patio.

Max led her to the right side of the room where another door led to a long hallway. Stopping at the first door to the right he let her step in as he said, “this is the laundry room and across the hall is a small kitchenette.”

The laundry room was rather large with the washer and dryer set side by side against the far wall, a counter with a sink to the right and another counter with a closet which held the foldout ironing board to the left. A long shelf ran nearly all the way across the all of the walls except where the door was and there were three small windows set equally spaced apart beneath the shelves over the place where the washer and dryer were. These windows looked out at the small alcove next to the entry room.

Liz frowned when she saw the kitchenette. It was a few feet smaller than the laundry room with a refrigerator and counter to the left and a microwave on another counter to the right. Against the far wall was a small pantry with a window taking up the rest of the wall next to it.

Max chuckled as he led her further down the hall. “You’ll see the real kitchen in a few minutes,” he reassured her as they stopped at yet another door on the right.

“This is a guest bedroom as is the other room across the hall. They both share the bathroom that’s between them and can access it from their own door in the bedroom as well as from here.”

Both bedrooms were about the same size with their own closet with two hinged doors and a small sink and mirror near the door leading to the bathroom. Three doors led to the bathroom, one from each bedroom and one from the hallway. The bathroom had the toilet and bathtub side by side with a half-wall separating them and an oval stained glass window over the toilet. Both bedrooms had two long rectangular windows set into the far walls which faced the front and back of the house and two smaller square windows set to face the side of the house.

Once Liz finished looked at the bedrooms, Max led her back down the hall and through the lounge into another hall on the other side. He stopped at the first door on the right and let Liz look in.

“This is a storage room for things like blankets and other stuff for the bedrooms and the lounge.”

Liz saw the shelves lining the side walls and a folding table against the far wall with a window next to it.

Max led her to the next door on the right and Liz saw it was another bedroom. Max explained that there were two bedrooms on that side of the house which also shared a bathroom just like the two on the other side of the house. Both bedrooms and bathroom had the same set up as the first ones did, but were slightly larger than they had been.

As they walked back into the hall, Max indicated the door that was opposite the storage room door. As Liz walked in, she saw a set of stairs leading down and three small windows set equally spaced apart like the ones in the laundry room had been. These windows looked out at the small alcove on the other side of the entry room.

“This isn’t really a room per se, but the stairs lead to a basement area. Half of it is a wine cellar and the other half is an entertainment room of sorts.”

Liz followed Max down the stairs and saw exactly what he meant. The first half was a huge long room with mahogany shelves and under the counter cabinets running along the length of it. At the far end of the room were two huge doors which led to the wine room. Liz was surprised to see that there were actually several bottles of wine still there even though the majority of the racks were empty.

They made their way back up the stairs and back into the entry room where Max guided Liz up the curved stairway.

“There’s another set of stairs in the back that also lead upstairs, but these are the only ones that are actually inside the house.”

As the reached the second floor, they walked past a huge arched doorway into a room that almost looked like it took up the entire second floor. In actuality, it was directly above the laundry room, kitchenette, lounge, storage room, and basement stairs.

“I was told this was called the great room, so I’m assuming it’s like a living room, since this is the only room in the house like it and it has a fire place.”

There was indeed a fireplace set into the wall to the far left which sat on a raised stone dais. A set of mahogany shelves were built into the wall to the left of it and to the right was a doorway. The fireplace itself and its dais were made of the same natural stones that made up the outside of the house and was shaped in a half circle. You could look through the fireplace to another room beyond it if the sliding metal grate was open and there was a long stone shelf on the wall over the fireplace.

All along the back of the great room was wooden paneling with a huge picture window in the middle of the wall and two doors made of mostly glass on either side of the window. The doors and window were separated from each other by wooden columns and the doors were set to open outwards.

Max led her to the door to the right of the great room, opposite of the door that was next to the fireplace. They walked into a hallway that seemed to create a three sided square, the longer part of it against the wall separating it from the great room. One of the short parts of the hallway led to a huge arched doorway that was the entrance to the dining room near the corner where they now stood.

The dining room was a circular room surrounded by huge picturesque windows to display the beautiful view of the natural looking backyard. Just across from the dining room archway entrance was another doorway that led to the kitchen.

As Max led her to that door, he indicated another set of stairs in the hallway between the kitchen and dining room.

“Those stairs lead to the attic which runs the whole length of the house and these are the only stairs that lead up there too.”

Liz simply nodded, since her attention was now focused on the kitchen they were entering. Max didn’t say a word as he stood near the door and watched her literally float around the room looking at everything and touching it all with the most awed look he’d ever seen on her face.

Like the rest of the house, the kitchen was designed to look as natural as possible with the exception of the state of the art appliances. The entire room was layered in bricks with matching stone tile polished to a high sheen. There was an island in the center of the room, made out of dark wood with a polished stone countertop similar to the stones of outside. The island also housed a dishwasher on one end of it and a small sink on the other.

The wall closest to the side of the house had a long counter in the same stone as the island and cabinets in the same dark wood were set both under the counter and into the walls above the counter. The counter and cabinets were split in half by the double sink and a window that looked into the long narrow hall behind the kitchen and directly into another window that looked out of the side of the house. At one end of that long counter was the huge French styled, two door refrigerator and at the other end of the counter was a built in oven with a built in microwave above it.

On the opposite side of the kitchen was another long counter with the six burner stove top and another oven beneath it. These were set directly in the center of the long counter with more under the counter cabinets around it. There were no cabinets above the counter since there wasn’t much of a wall there. Instead, there was a huge arch that allowed anyone walking the hall to see into the kitchen or stop to lean against the bar that the natural stone seemed to form.

There was another doorway opposite of the one that led to the hallway and dining room. Just inside the door, to the right was the pantry for the kitchen. Liz finally stopped admiring the huge kitchen and walked through the other doorway with Max right behind her.

She stepped into the other short hallway which had a door directly to the left and one more door set near the right corner of the opposite wall. That door was visible to anyone walking down the long part of the hallway past the arch that gave a view of the kitchen.

“This door leads to the outside set of stairs that lead to the back of the house and its patio area.”

He opened the door and Liz just looked down the stairs that ran along the back wall of the kitchen. She saw the window in the wall that was adjacent to the one in the kitchen and she could see how the stairs curved to the left at the bottom, obviously leading to the outside patio area.

She stepped back inside and followed Max down the short hallway. He stopped so that she could peek in to the door that was the entrance to the half bathroom of the house since it only contained a sink and toilet with cabinets under the sink and over the toilet for storage. There was also a small oval stained glass window over the sink which faced the front of the house.

They continued walking down the long part of the hallway back to the doorway at the end that led back into the great room. Liz followed Max across the room to the opposite door that was to the right of the fireplace.

As Max stepped aside to let her in, he smiled. “This is the master bedroom. It’s got its own bathroom, a walk-in closet, and its own laundry room.”

Liz was amazed at how huge the bedroom actually was. The bedroom itself was in the middle with the bathroom to the back of the house and the closet and laundry room to the front of the house. Right next to the door to the bedroom was the fireplace which was shared with the great room. There were two long rectangular windows on each end of the opposite wall with a window seat in each of them. And on both of the walls next to the windows were hinged doors that housed a set of shelves in each.

Next to the hinged doors in the wall closest to the back of the house was the bathroom door. Inside the room, there was a vanity with a sink on either side of the door and a linen closet next to each one of them also. Directly opposite the door was the huge garden tub and a picturesque window above it that looked out at the backyard. A wall on the right side of the tub separated it from the toilet which also had a small window above it to look at the backyard.

Another wall on the left side of the tub separated it from the shower stall complete with its own backyard window and stone bench along the left wall. The shower shared a set of shelves in the wall with the tub just as there was another set of shelves in the wall between the tub and toilet. However only the shower and tub shelves allowed one to see both ways. The shelves on the other side were only accessible to the toilet side.

Completing the room were two more high square windows directly opposite of each other. One was between one linen closet and the shower. The other was on the other side between the other linen closet and the toilet.

On the other side of the master bedroom was the door to the closet and laundry room. When Liz walked into the door, she looked to the right to see the huge walk-in closet with a window looking out the front of the house. There were built-in drawers on either side of the window and the rest of the room was mostly for hanging clothes.

Looking to the left was the laundry room. Another window looked out to the front of the house with a counter against the far wall and space saver washer and dryer set into the wall opposite the front of the house.

Liz turned to Max to ask whose house it was, but before she had the chance, he’d taken her hand in his and said, “Come on, you have to see the back yard.”

She laughed as he led her back into the great room and opened the doors nearest the master bedroom. They walked out onto the long balcony that ran from the end of the master bathroom to the other end where the dining room was. The entire balcony floor was made of wood coated with a weather resistant clear coat just like the natural looking wooden railing was. There were two thick wooden poles that divided the railing into three sections and also served to hold up the awning over the balcony.

As Liz stood next to Max at the railing, she listened to him as he pointed out several things about the backyard.

“See that stone path just beyond the pool? It leads to a private garden. There’s a stone thing, I think it’s called a pagoda with a stone bench in it and it looks over this huge pond. The whole thing is surrounded by all of these trees and bushes.”

Liz grinned at Max’s attempt to describe it to her. “Can we see?”

He returned her grin. “I was hoping you’d say that.”

He took her hand and led her back inside. They walked to the set of outside stairs behind the kitchen and took those down to the back patio. As soon as Liz stepped onto the patio area, the first thing she noticed was the small circular area that was just beneath the dining room. In fact the circular area mimicked that of the dining room, with the exception of having walls.

Instead, there were three wooden poles like the ones in the balcony interspersed throughout the area. The circular section blended into the long rectangular patio that ran the same length as the balcony above it. There were two wooden poles separating the patio into three sections which each had two steps that led down to the pool area.

The pool itself was designed to look like a grotto of sorts complete with a small bubbling fountain at the other end and ferns and other natural plants surrounding it. Smoothed stones outlined the long, oval shaped pool and just behind the fountain was the stone path that would lead to the private garden.

Liz literally dragged Max past the pool to the stone path before slowing down so that they could enjoy the walk along the semi-natural trail. Part of the way back, huge weeping willows lent shade to the path before they gave way to a cluster of trees and shrubs, both of which contained sweet smelling flowers.

Liz walked through the narrow opening between the shrubs and found herself looking at the stone pagoda and its pond. Her eyes went wide, as she gasped in pleasure at the beautiful surroundings.

A stone bench with a high back sat at the back of the pagoda with a tall shrub of flowers growing directly behind it. The bench faced directly out at the pond which had several water lilies doting the pond and tall reeds around the edges of it.

However, what amazed Liz was the way the shrubs and trees grew all around the pagoda and pond creating a very cozy and private atmosphere. Then there was the way a waterfall seemed to cascade over the top edge of the pagoda, separating the bench from the pond.

“Oh Max!” she exclaimed as she made her way to stand in the center of the pagoda. “It’s so beautiful out here.”

Max nodded as he joined her in the pagoda. Taking her hand in his, smiled at her. “I knew you’d love this.”

She nodded. “I do. How did you find out about this place?”

“I was actually looking at a picture of a house similar to this one, so I made some calls to find out about it. Eventually I was told about this house, so I came to see it. I love how it’s close to the city, but still far enough to give the illusion of being out in the middle of nowhere. But the moment I saw this place though, I knew I wanted you to see it.”

Liz giggled. “Really? I guess you know what I like.”

“I hope I do. I mean, I know you like this garden, but what about the house? What do you think of this place as a whole?”

She sighed as she looked out over the pond. “I think it’s better than anything I could have imagined. All those windows to see the outside world and just how huge the rooms really are! I’m amazed at how they managed to blend both state of the art appliances with a very natural looking house without making it look weird. Somehow, it all just fits together perfectly.”

Max couldn’t help the huge smile he now wore at her words as he shoved one hand into his pocket. “So you like it then?”

Liz laughed. “Max, I love it!”

“Good because I was thinking of buying it for us.”

Liz’s eyes went wide. “Really?”

He nodded. “Yep, but there is one condition though.”

Liz gave him a worried look. “What is it?”

Still holding her hand in his, he went down on one knee and pulled his hand out of his pocket to reveal a princess cut diamond ring set into a white gold band.

Looking up into her eyes he said, “Would you agree to marry me?”

Immediately the worried look disappeared from her face to be replaced with a huge smile.

“Oh yes!” she exclaimed.

Max slid the ring on her finger before rising to his feet again. Liz laughed as she wiggled her fingers and gazed at the ring. In the next instant she threw her arms around his shoulders and hugged him tight.

“Oh Max, it’s so beautiful! I love it! And I love this place!”

As he chuckled at her enthusiasm, she pulled away to look into his eyes. He noticed the tears of joy that sparkled in hers as she added, “But most of all, I love you!”

He lifted a hand to brush her hair from her cheek and tucked it behind her ear. “I love you too Liz.”

She gave him a beautiful smile as he leaned in to kiss her fully on the lips.

When they pulled away to get air back into their lungs, Max leaned his forehead against hers. “You have to know, you’ve made me the happiest I’ve ever been in my life.”

She gave a soft laugh. “I feel the same way about you Max. Did you mean it? Are you really going to buy this place?”

He nodded. “Yes, the papers are being drawn up as we speak. I should be able to do it all by tomorrow afternoon.”

She sighed. “God Max, how did we get so lucky to find this place?”

“I don’t know. I guess it’s what Tess and Maria have been saying. It’s destiny.”

She squealed. “Oh yes! I think I believe them now!”

Max returned her hug for a few moments before he pulled away and took her hand in his to lead her back to the house.

“Come on, let’s go before it gets too dark to see. The electricity isn’t on in this place yet.”

She nodded as she let him lead her back through the house and out to the SUV. As they buckled up, Max turned to look at her.

“Liz?”

“Hm?”

“I know this may sound a little strange, but I want to get married before our baby is born.”

Liz shook her head. “No, it’s okay. I want that too Max.”

He smiled. “Really? You’re okay with that?”

“Yes, I would love to have our baby be born with us officially being its parents.”

Max leaned over his seat and slid his hand behind her neck. Pulling her close, he kissed her passionately until air was a factor again. Grinning like a fool, he sat back in his seat.

“God I love you.”

Liz giggled. “Love you too, Max.”

Neither one of them could stop smiling all the way home and even throughout the rest of the night and for the next few weeks for that matter.

TBC...

Hope you all liked it despite the looooong description of the house . I know it seems like the house became another character, but I really wanted to let the readers see that the house was exactly what Max knew Liz needed. A place with lots of space, plenty of windows, surrounded by lots of nature, and having the house look as rustic/natural looking as possible. Hope I managed to get what I was imagining across without going overboard...

Part 23

Liz looked up into her fiancé’s eyes as he finished responding to the minister’s question.

“I do,” Max said in a husky voice.

The minister turned towards Liz and repeated the words to her. “Liz, are you ready to take Max as your husband? Will you work with him to be partners in life in such a way that together you will meet every situation of life; the peaceful and the chaotic, the routine and the exciting, the sorrowful and the joyful, the threatening and the inviting. Will you love Max and commit yourself to him in this marriage relationship as long as you both shall live?”

“I do,” she replied with a smile.

The minister took the rings which Kyle handed to him and said a little prayer of hope over them before handing Max a ring which he slid on Liz’s finger as he looked into her eyes.

“Liz, receive and wear this ring as a symbol of my trust, my respect and my love for you.”

Liz accepted the second ring from minister and slid it onto Max’s finger before looking into his eyes and saying, “Max, receive and wear this ring as a symbol of my trust, my respect and my love for you.”

When she finished, the minister placed a hand on each of their shoulders and spoke once more. “Now that you have pledged your lives to each other before these witnesses, go in peace and in honesty to make a cohesive life together as one.”

Reaching down to grasp one hand from each of them, he joined those hands together before he continued. “Max. Liz. In front of these witnesses, I now pronounce you husband and wife.”

Stepping back as the two of them entwined their fingers together, he nodded to Max. “You may now kiss your bride.”

Max leaned in as Liz tilted her head back to receive his kiss. As his lips met hers, he lifted his free hand to cup her cheek, holding her to him so that he could kiss her properly.

Liz reveled in the soft, loving kiss that Max gave her before he pulled back again. Her smile mirrored his as they stared at each other with love in their eyes. For a brief moment, they were lost in their own little world until the minister’s voice broke the silence.

“Ladies and Gentlemen, let me introduce you to Mr. and Mrs. Max Evans.”

With their hands still linked, they turned to face their guests together as one. Everyone present could see the identical proud, bright smiles they wore and how they both seemed to be glowing with love.

As the two of them stepped down from the platform beneath the pagoda, their guests began to applaud them. After all, Max and Liz had managed to pull together a very romantic sunset wedding within the span of four months. And not only had they planned a wedding, but they’d also managed to move into their new home, which was where they had decided to have the ceremony at.

Granted, they hadn’t finished moving in completely, but they did have their bedroom and a few of the other important rooms almost done. Of course, they’d had lots of help in the form of Maria, Michael, Tess, and even Kyle. Isabel, Tommy, and Alex had traveled down a couple of weekends to help with the moves too.

It was Liz who had decided she wanted her wedding to be in the backyard of her new home and Max had agreed that the pagoda was the perfect setting for the ceremony. It also helped that they had wanted a nice, intimate wedding. One with not a lot of people around, just those who were important to them.

So they had found a minister who was willing to marry them in as short as four months, which would make Liz about six months pregnant by that time. Once they had that part down, they went about deciding on decorations, the reception, and so on.

There wasn’t much in the way of decorating since most of the pagoda and its surroundings were already beautiful enough for it. All Max did was hire a gardener to trim and tidy up the place a bit the day before the wedding.

Most of the fuss was on the reception that was going to be held on the patio and pool area of their home. Liz had insisted on catering her own wedding despite Max’s protests. However, she had the help of Tess and Maria. Then there was Isabel, who had arrived three days before the wedding to help them.

Then there was Liz’s dress which she had already said wasn’t going to be the traditional kind of dresses women recently favored. Instead, she wore something that would complement her pregnancy well. Something that would remind everyone of a time when things were much more slower paced and innocent.

She wore a white, loose fitting peasant shirt complemented with a matching flowing white cotton skirt that swirled around her calves, leaving her feet bare for the world to see. Her hair had been left loose, but teased into soft waves that caressed her shoulders when she walked. Sprinkled throughout the top of her head were tiny white flowers and she carried a bouquet of lilies too.

For Max’s part, he’d also opted for something less formal than the standard tuxedo or suit. Wearing pale green cotton pants and a loose white cotton button down shirt, he looked as if he was going on vacation to an island paradise. To complete his outfit, he wore simple woven sandals and a white coral necklace which drew attention to the tanned skin exposed by the shirt with the top two buttons undone.

Surrounded by their friends, hugs and congratulations abounded. Since Kyle had been best man, Liz had decided that it was only fair to make Tess her maid of honor. Besides the two of them, the only other guests were Michael, Maria, Isabel, Tommy, Keegan, Alex, and Max’s parents.

Needless to say, his parents were a bit stunned when they got the phone call from Max telling them that he was getting married, but then again Max had lived his own life from the moment he’d left home to attend college. While that didn’t mean he wasn’t close to his parents, it did mean that they weren’t often involved in his life.

They knew he loved them and he often made it a point to see them during important days and he called them at least once a week if he could, but still they knew he was busy living his own life. The last time they’d seen him was when he’d gone home for his reunion, right before he’d gone on that fateful camping trip.

At that time, they’d known he was single, so of course it was a shock to find out that suddenly their only son was getting married. Imagine how much more that shock was when they’d arrived two days before the wedding to find out not only was their son getting married, but he was also going to be a father in another three months or so.

Still, the moment they’d met Liz, Diane had immediately fallen in love with her, thinking she was a vast improvement over all of the other girls Max had dated before. Diane loved the way Liz had a love of life and seemed so friendly and accepting of things. Liz exuded a quiet confidence that Diane hadn’t seen in anyone else before.

There was also the fact that she could clearly see the love the two of them had for each other whenever they weren’t aware of an audience. It was clear that her son cared for Liz in so many unnamable ways and Liz seemed to mirror it too.

Phillip hadn’t been nearly as accepting as Diane had been and was even now kind of wary of the marriage. Max understood that his father was just being cautious, thinking that Liz might have gotten pregnant to trap Max into a marriage so that she could get money or for some other personal gain. Even though Max had reassured his father that Liz wasn’t like many of the other women he’d dated and that her intentions were true and honest, Phillip was still not completely satisfied.

However, he couldn’t stop Max from marrying Liz and Max knew it would just take some time for his father to let go of his wariness and suspicions. At least Phillip had attended the wedding and now seemed genuine in congratulating both Max and Liz.

Phillip and Diane were both miles ahead of Max’s ex, Vicki. She had been invited to the wedding since she was part of their unit growing up, but she had elected not to go since she was still upset over losing Max to Liz. At least that’s the way Keegan had put it with a roll of his eyes right before Isabel had punched him in the arm for saying it in the first place.

All that had succeeded in doing was making Max reiterate once more that despite the fact that they’d been high school sweethearts, they had never been in love with each other. Vicki just seemed to think they’d been madly in love with each other, but Max could honestly say he hadn’t known what love was until he’d met Liz.

For her part, Liz said she’d somehow known Vicki wouldn’t show up after the last conversation they’d had. Besides, even if she had shown up, Liz wouldn’t have let Vicki ruin the perfect wedding she and Max had planned together. She knew she was doing the right thing by marrying Max and she knew Max was in love with her just as she was in love with him.

Slowly, the small group had drifted to the patio area where two rectangular tables had already been set up before hand. As Max helped Liz into her seat next to his, Michael, Maria, and Tess went up the outside stairs to the kitchen to retrieve the food and drinks for their dinner. Max and Liz sat on one end of the tables which had been placed to form one long table. While Phillip and Diane sat on the other end of the joined tables.

Next to Diane was the minister, then Keegan, and Michael and Maria who had returned with the food. On the other side next to Phillip was Alex, then Tommy, Isabel, Tess, and Kyle. As soon as everyone was seated and the food and drink had been passed around, the small group began to enjoy their meal.

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“Liz, you managed to pull together such a lovely wedding and reception in such a short time! You should be proud of yourself.”

Liz smiled at her new mother-in-law with gratitude. “Thanks, but I had plenty of help from Tess and Maria. And Isabel came down on some weekends to help too. Plus she and Tommy came three days before the wedding to help too.”

Maria chuckled. “She’s being modest, Diane. We did whatever she told us to do, but she’s the one who thought up everything. Right down to the menu and baking the cake!”

Liz blushed. “Max helped too.”

Max heard the last couple of statements as he’d walked up behind his wife. He’d been talking to Tommy, Michael, and Phillip who were giving him all kinds of advice on how to survive being married. Their advice had been both serious and comical, trying to help ease Max into the ways of sharing his life with Liz.

Seeing his wife’s blush, he wrapped an arm around her waist and leaned in to kiss her temple. “Sure, I helped, but this was mostly Liz’s vision. I just made sure she got what she‘d dreamed of.”

She looked up at him with a loving gaze and spoke softly. “Yes, you did.”

Diane smiled at the way the two of them quickly got lost in each other’s gaze again. As Isabel cleared her throat.

“Max. Liz. I think it’s time for the two of you to have your first dance as a married couple.”

Tess squealed. “Oh yes! That’s right! The first dance!”

She walked over to the sound system that the guys had set up earlier that morning and found the CD with the song she knew was supposed to be used for Max and Liz’s first dance. Within moments, the first strains of “A Whole New World” by Peabo Bryson and Regina Belle drifted around the patio.

I can show you the world, shining, shimmering, splendid.
Tell me princess, now when did you last let your heart decide?
I can open your eyes, take you wonder by wonder,
Over sideways and under, on a magic carpet ride

Max held his hand out to Liz with a smile. “May I have this dance?”

A whole new world, a new fantastic point of view
No one to tell us no, or where to go, or say we're only dreaming.
A whole new world,
A dazzling place I never knew
But when I'm way up here, it's crystal clear
That now I'm in a whole new world with you.

Liz giggled as she placed her hand in his and let him lead her to the area that had been designated as the dance floor. As Liz placed a hand on his shoulder, Max placed his hand on her hip and took her free hand in his. Together, they began to dance to the song that had become a favorite of theirs over the last few months.

Unbelievable sights, indescribable feeling
Soaring, tumbling, freewheeling through an endless diamond sky

Ever since Max had rented the Disney cartoon of Aladdin, Liz had remarked how that song seemed to fit both of them in a way and she’d fast become attached to the version that Peabo Bryson and Regina Belle sang. For Liz, it meant that Max was her Aladdin. He was the one who showed her the new world that had been unfamiliar to her at first. Through him, she’d seen so many new and wondrous things and realized that there was so much she could do.

A whole new world, / Don't you dare close your eyes,
A hundred thousand things to see. / Hold your breath it gets better.
I'm like a shooting star, I've come so far,
I can't go back to where I used to be / A whole new world,
With new horizons to pursue
I'll chase them anywhere, there's time to spare
Let me share this whole new world with you

For Max, it meant that Liz opened his eyes to a dazzling new world, one he could experience all over again from a new point of view. Now that he knew what was in store for him, he knew he could never go back to where he’d once been.

A whole new world, a new fantastic point of view
No one to tell us no, or where to go, or say we're only dreaming.
A whole new world,
Every turn a surprise,
With new horizons to pursue / every moment red-letter.
I'll chase them anywhere, there's time to spare
anywhere, there's time to spare
Let me share this whole new world with you

For both of them, it meant how far they’d come together. How they had taken the time to share all of their new experiences with each other. They knew they’d make their dreams a reality and experience every new horizon, every surprise, everything the world would throw at them together.

A whole new world / A whole new world
That's where we'll be / That's where we'll be
A thrilling chase
A wondrous place
For you and me.

As the song came to a finish, the onlookers applauded and Tess changed the song to another one of Liz’s favorites. The couple continued to dance to Duran Duran’s “Save a Prayer” as many of the others joined them in dancing. Soon Diane, Phillip, Tommy, Isabel, Maria, and Michael were dancing too.

Then when the song changed again, Phillip went to dance with Liz while Diane danced with Max. One by one, all of the others had their turn dancing with the newlyweds. Alex even danced with Max while Keegan danced with Liz, making everyone laugh at his antics. Eventually Max and Liz ended up together again before Max decided Liz needed to rest for a bit.

As the night wore on, Max realized just how tired Liz was getting. He’d known she would tire earlier than usual because of the long day they would have, so he’d been watching her steadily. Sure enough, it was getting close to midnight when she seemed to be trying to fight her fatigue.

He caught Kyle and Tess’ attention, letting them know he was taking Liz to bed. They nodded and began to whisper to the others as they started putting things away. Liz frowned when she noticed the others beginning to clean up and the music had been turned down.

“Max? What’s going on?”

He stood up and gave her a smile. “Come on honey, it’s late. We’re all going to call it a night.”

“It can’t be that late,” she mumbled as she allowed him to help her up.

Max smiled at the way she was desperately trying not to seem dead on her feet. Wrapping an arm around her shoulders, he steered her towards the outside stairs.

“It is,” he said. “And it’s been a long day too, we’re all tired.”

She glanced at the others as they continued to put things away. Michael and Kyle were dismantling the sound system, while Tommy, Alex, Keegan, and Phillip were working on the tables.

Max guided Liz up the stairs, half carrying her until they had reached the top. He opened the door and ushered her in. As they walked past the door to the kitchen, she could see Diane, Isabel, Tess, and Maria cleaning up in there.

“Oh Max, we have to help them.”

Max tightened his arm around her and steered her down the hallway. “They’re fine, Liz.”

They walked down the hall towards the door that led to the great room until Liz looked into the kitchen again from the huge arched window.

Leaning against the bar she exclaimed, “I forgot to make sure everyone has what they need in the guest bedrooms!”

Max chuckled as he pulled Liz back to his side. “Don’t worry so much about them Liz. My parents and the others have what they need.”

She frowned as she continued to walk with Max towards the door to the great room. “I feel bad that Alex and Keegan don’t have beds to sleep in.”

“They’ve each got an air mattress. Trust me they’ve slept in worse.”

If roughing it on camping trips was worse, then yes they had. As it was, Alex and Keegan each had their own room at Max and Liz’s new house, but they had to sleep on air mattresses since those two bedrooms weren’t fitted with furniture yet.

On the other side of the house, one bedroom was where Phillip and Diane were staying. Theirs was the bedroom that had the most done to it already. The other bedroom which Isabel and Tommy were sharing only had a bed and very little else. Still, no one was complaining since they all had a roof over their head.

As Liz and Max walked into the great room, Liz leaned against Max with a sigh.

“Well, I guess you’ve got everything covered huh?”

He chuckled. “Yes, don’t worry about a thing, baby. We’ve got it all covered.”

“Max, honey? Where do you keep the containers for the leftovers?” Diane asked from the great room doorway.

Max turned his head to answer. “We have some in the cabinet next to the refrigerator, but most of them are still unpacked. They’d be in the boxes labeled kitchen up in the attic.”

Diane nodded. “Okay, thanks honey.”

Max nodded and turned back to continue walking Liz to the bedroom. As he took a step forward, Liz’s head slipped down his shoulder. He glanced at her just as she began to lean forward. Quickly realizing she’d fallen asleep, he swung her up into his arms and proceeded to carry her the rest of the way to the bedroom.

Nudging the bedroom door open with his foot, he maneuvered them through the room towards the huge king sized bed set against the windows opposite of the fireplace. Trying not to wake his wife up, he lay her down on the bed and proceeded to pull the covers back and get her out of her dress before tucking her in for the night.

As soon as he was sure she was settled in, he kissed her cheek and whispered a goodnight before leaving her to sleep peacefully while he went to help the others finish cleaning up.

“Max! What are you doing out here! You should be in bed with your wife!” exclaimed Maria when she saw him walking by the arched window of the kitchen.

Max made his way to the door leading to the stairs, but stopped to look at the women in the kitchen.

“Liz is asleep. I’m just going to help the guys finish putting things away outside.”

Diane shook her head. “Nonsense Max! It’s your wedding night!”

Max sighed. “She’s asleep mom.”

“It doesn’t matter, Max.” replied Isabel. “It’s still your wedding night which means you don’t do the work.”

“That’s right,” finished Tess. “So you just get yourself back to your bedroom and get some sleep yourself.”

Phillip and Tommy appeared in the stairs doorway where they gave Max a puzzled look.

“What are you doing Max?” asked Tommy.

“He’s trying to go help you out since Liz is asleep!” answered Diane.

Phillip frowned. “What? No you’re not. It’s your wedding night! The bride and groom don’t do the work, we do!”

“That’s right. So go to bed and let the rest of us handle it buddy.” Tommy ordered.

Michael chuckled as he and Kyle came up behind them. “You heard them Max. Don’t worry about anything. We’ll get it all cleaned up and make sure the house is locked up tight when we’re done, okay?”

Max sighed. “Okay, okay. Thanks for everything guys.”

“No problem. We’ll see you tomorrow Max,” said Kyle.

Max gave the women hugs and kisses and said goodnight to them all before returning to his bedroom for the night. Getting undressed, he climbed into bed next to Liz, tucking her in against his side and laying there listening to the muted sounds of his friends and family on the other side of the house.

Little by little, the sounds began to die down and soon he heard the soft sound of car engines signaling the departure of the Guerin’s and Kyle and Tess. Not long after that, the rest of the occupants of the house began settling in to sleep until nothing but silence greeted Max’s ears.

Within moments he was soon fast asleep like the rest of them.

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

Liz sighed in contentment as she snuggled closer to the warmth against her cheek. Just as she was about to drift back to sleep, thoughts of last night entered her mind and she lifted her head with a start.

Max was still asleep next to her and she realized it had been his chest that her cheek had been resting against. She smiled as she watched him sleep, thinking he looked wonderful in the still darkened room. Glancing at the clock on Max’s nightstand, she saw that it was almost five in the morning.

She sighed as she looked back at her sleeping husband. She was a little sad that she’d fallen asleep on him on their wedding night. Since they had both agreed to postpone having a honeymoon due to her pregnancy, she had wanted to at least give him a wedding night to remember.

Max shifted besides her and woke up when he realized she wasn’t lying next to him anymore. Blinking the sleep out of his eyes, he looked up at her hovering above him.

“Liz? You okay honey?”

She smiled down at him. “I’m fine, just sad that we didn’t have a wedding night.”

He sighed and pulled her down next to him. “It’s okay. We were both tired from our long wedding day.”

“I know, but I had all these plans.”

He chuckled. “You did?”

She nuzzled his chest. “Um hm,” she mumbled against his skin. “I was going to give you a wedding night you’d always remember.”

Max ran his fingers through her hair as he whispered. “Liz, you gave me a wedding day I’ll never forget. It was more than enough for me. Besides, you’re six months pregnant, so I knew we couldn’t do much.”

Liz lifted her head up to look him in the eyes. “Maybe not much, but we could still have enjoyed it.”

He smiled as he caressed her cheek. “I did enjoy it, baby. Didn’t you?”

She nodded. “I did.”

He rose to his elbows and leaned in to kiss her. Threading his fingers through her hair, he held her to him as he deepened the kiss. Liz shifted to get comfortable and leaned against him with a hand resting over his chest.

When his tongue slipped into her mouth and began to tease hers, she gave a soft moan. Just as she was trying to get closer to him, he slowly lifted his mouth from hers and she whimpered in protest.

Max smiled as he leaned his forehead against hers. “I love you, wife.”

Instantly she forgot she was going to protest his withdrawal and returned his smile with a dazzling one of her own. “I love you too, my husband.”

He gave her another kiss on her cheek before laying back again and pulling her down with him, but Liz didn’t follow his lead. Instead, she sat up and began to remove the rest of her clothing.

Max looked at her in puzzlement. “What are you doing?”

She gave him a seductive smile. “Making it up to you.”

He sat up again and took her hands in his to stop her movements. “Honey, it’s okay. We can wait for a better time when you’re not so tired. You don’t have anything to make up for.”

She pulled her hands out of his and pushed him back down on the bed. “I know, but I want to. I want this Max.”

He didn’t protest as he watched her finish undressing before she leaned over him to help him out of his boxers. He lifted his hips and helped her get him out of them before she tossed them away and took him in her hand.

Closing his eyes he whispered, “Oh Liz.”

She smiled at the pleading note in his voice before leaning down to take him into her mouth.

Max groaned and slid his fingers into her hair. Opening his eyes, he lifted his head slightly to watch as she suckled him. He knew what she was doing. She wanted him good and ready for her.

A few minutes later, she rose to her knees and climbed over him with his help. As she settled down, Max gripped her hips and helped her to slide over his hardened shaft. Each time the head came into contact with her clitoris, she gave a soft moan. He continued to help her slide back and forth over him until he could feel how wet and ready she was for him.

Just as a whimper escaped past her lips, he lifted her slightly and set her down on him as he lifted his hips to bury himself inside of her. Her hands gripped his wrists to help anchor herself as he began to use his hips to thrust up into her again and again.

Max looked up at his wife as she tilted her head back slightly. He could see the way her nipples hardened and the way her lips were slightly parted as she panted above him. He knew she had been much more sensitive since her pregnancy had begun, which meant she wouldn’t last very long. That was also the reason why she had suckled him to start with, making sure he wouldn’t be too far behind her.

As her fingers began to dig into the flesh at his wrists and she began to chant his name, he knew she was close. Sitting up, he wrapped his arms around her and turned her so that she was laying on her back.

Quickly gathering pillows to prop her up with, he knelt between her legs and re-entered her in one long slow thrust. With his hands holding her thighs, he thrust into her again and again, the angle allowing him to hit the pleasure spot deep inside of her.

Liz could only lie there at his mercy, her fingers digging into the sheets as she stared up at him. She could see the tiny drops of sweat beginning to form on his brow and over his chest as her husband gave her what she needed.

She could feel her toes beginning to curl and that familiar tension beginning inside of her, signaling the end. Seconds later, Max bent over her to take her lips in his as she let go.

Holding her so that he could continue pleasuring her without hurting her or the baby, he swallowed her scream with his kiss as she came all around him. As her scream died down, he leaned back on his knees and picked up the pace and force of his thrusts.

Liz opened her eyes to stare at him again, a small smile spreading over her face.

“I love you, Max Evans,” she panted.

Max groaned and gritted his teeth as he finally let go, spilling his seed into his wife’s body. He could feel her walls fluttering all around him, milking him until he was spent.

Leaning over her on trembling arms, he sighed and gave her a smile. “I love you too Mrs. Evans.”

She giggled and reached her arms up, indicating she wanted to hold him. He slid out of her and shifted them both on the bed until she was settled in his embrace. She sighed in contentment against his chest as she whispered, “I’ll never forget our wedding day, Max.”

He smiled against her hair. “I won’t forget it either. Or the morning after.”

Her sleepy chuckle was the only answer he heard before they both drifted into a satisfied sleep.

TBC...

Yes I know... Aladdin , but when I was writing this part that's the song that popped into my head and it just fit the Dreamer couple in this story soooo well.... and so did Save a Prayer, but I went with A Whole New World.

Also, the words during the wedding ceremony were taken from various christian and other demomination wedding sites, I took them and reworded them a bit to make them fit the story...

Part 24

“And how are my two favorite girls today?” asked Max as he made his way into the bedroom he shared with his wife.

She was currently reclining back against the headboard holding their three week old daughter in her arms while breast feeding her. Looking up at Max, Liz gave him a bright smile.

“I think she knew you were coming home! She just woke up a few minutes ago!”

“Really?” He grinned as he sat on the edge of the bed and removed his shoes before moving to recline next to Liz. He looked down at their baby girl and smiled.

“Hi, Destiny, daddy missed you too!” he cooed, prompting the baby to react to his voice with a turn of her head in his direction. He chuckled. “Look, she’s smiling for daddy!”

Liz smiled too as she lifted Destiny higher in her arms and offered her to Max. Max took his daughter and held her while Liz put a towel on his shoulder. When she was done, Max lifted Destiny to his shoulder and burped her before settling her in his arms again.

Liz watched as Max held their daughter and bonded with her. Even after having Destiny in their lives for three weeks, they were still in awe of her. The pregnancy had been a relatively easy one for Liz and she was glad when the birthing had gone smoothly too.

Max was also glad the birth of his daughter had gone as well as it had, since he’d been a nervous wreak the closer Liz had gotten to her due date. He’d been at Liz’s side during the entire birthing and had been the first to hold their daughter.

Even then Liz had loved seeing the look of awe on her husband’s face when he held their daughter for the very first time. He’d been so overcome with emotion that he’d only been able to whisper that she was the most beautiful miracle he’d ever seen.

Liz had been the one to name her. After all, she agreed with Tess and Maria now, believing that she was meant to spend her life with Max and have a family with him. Max couldn’t have agreed more. So they’d named their daughter Destiny Caitlyn Evans.

Max chuckled as Destiny yawned. He leaned over and placed a kiss on her cheek before turning to Liz and kissing her lips. “I’m going to put her to bed, okay?”

Liz nodded. She knew Max cherished the moments he had with his daughter since he didn’t get to stay home with her like Liz did.

Max got up from the bed and began to walk back and forth, rocking Destiny in his arms and humming softly. The baby girl seemed to snuggle into his chest and soon she was sleeping soundly. Max continued to hold her for a few more minutes before walking over to the cradle which they kept at the foot of their bed. For now, neither one of them wanted their daughter to be that far from them.

He settled Destiny into the cradle and tucked her in before placing a soft kiss on her forehead. Straightening up, he walked to the side of the bed and smiled at his wife.

“So, what have you been up to today?” he asked in a quiet voice, as he began to change out of his work clothes.

Liz shrugged as she crawled to the edge of the bed and pushed Max’s hands aside so that she could unbutton his shirt for him. He chuckled at her insistence with helping him to get out of his work clothes, something she had often insisted on doing ever since they’d moved into the new house.

“Just working in the kitchen mostly,” she replied as she slid his shirt off of him and went to drape it over the chair next to his desk.

Max watched her with a frown. “Liz, you know…”

She gave him a look over her shoulder. “I was just coming up with ideas and jotting them down, Max. Nothing strenuous, okay?”

Max simply raised an eyebrow at that as he began to take his pants off. He knew Liz wasn’t one to just lie around doing nothing. Granted, she had a lot to do with taking care of Destiny, but instead of resting while Destiny slept, she often got bored and would get up to do something to occupy herself. Lately, those things had started to involve lots of strenuous things.

Now that she was gaining her strength back, Liz was trying to get back into fixing the house up the way they wanted it. Sometimes Max would get home to find her in one of the downstairs rooms working on it with Destiny’s cradle nearby. He really didn’t like the fact that Liz would lug the thing down those winding stairs despite her saying it was really not a problem.

He was really glad for the days when either Tess or Maria would come over, giving him peace of mind over Liz and Destiny. He knew he could trust his friends to make sure Liz didn’t do anything to endanger herself or their daughter.

“Ideas for what?” he asked while tossing his pants onto the bed.

She grinned as she made her way back to him and picked up his pants before handing him a pair of sweatpants. “For a catering business I could start here.”

Max stopped in the middle of putting on the sweats. “Catering business! Are you serious?”

Liz nodded before walking to drape the pants with his shirt on the chair. “Yes, I mean, we have the perfect kitchen for it Max. There’s lots of room around the kitchen and there’s the kitchenette downstairs for more. Plus, I was thinking we could add more storage in the patio area just below the dining room. You know? Maybe enclose that circular space and make it into another room.”

Pulling his sweats on, Max sighed. “Liz, do you really think you’re going to have time for that? Besides, you should just be concentrating on healing and getting stronger first.”

She walked back to his side as she nodded. “And I am. I’m just thinking of ideas, that’s all. Not just of plans for the kitchen and the other rooms, but of dishes I want to make. This is all just in the planning stage Max. I don’t expect to start doing it overnight. It could take years, but at least all this planning keeps me busy.”

Max had to agree with her on that. There was nothing wrong with simply planning things. Wrapping his arms around her and pulling her close for a hug, he sighed into her hair.

“You’re right. I’m sorry. It’s just…” He trailed off.

With her arms around his waist, she hugged him back. “I know, you worry. It’s one of the things I love about you, but I’m not going to do anything without talking to you about it first Max.”

She pulled back slightly to look up into his eyes. “Whatever decisions we make from now on, we have to make together. I don’t want to mess up the life we’re making together, so that means I won’t do anything until we’ve talked about it. Okay?”

He reached up to caress her cheek. “Okay.”

She smiled as she turned her head to kiss his palm before tilting her head back to kiss his lips. Max leaned down to oblige her, pulling her close to him as his lips descended on hers. She sighed into his mouth while her hands wandered up his bare back to curl her fingers over his shoulders.

Max slid his hands up into her hair, holding her to him as he deepened the kiss. He smiled against her lips when she moaned softly at the way he was kissing her. He knew she liked being kissed like that, he loved kissing her like that too. He could spend hours just doing that.

Unfortunately, they weren’t going to get even an hour as the sound of the doorbell’s chime echoed in from the great room. Groaning, he slowly pulled away from his wife to see the sheepish smile she now wore.

“Sorry, I was going to tell you that I invited our friends over for dinner.”

Max frowned. “I thought you said you just spent today planning?”

She chuckled. “I did. Michael and Maria volunteered to bring the food.”

Max rolled his eyes, but smiled as he pulled on the shirt Liz handed him before kissing her on the cheek.

“I’ll go let them in. You stay here.”

She huffed. “Fine, just hurry okay? I’m starving!”

He laughed as he made his way out of the bedroom and took the stairs two at a time. Crossing the entry room and opening the front door, he was greeted with smiles all around.

“Hey!”

“Hey bud!”

“Hi, Max!”

“Hey Max!”

Max chuckled. “You guys act like you haven’t seen me in ages, what gives?”

Kyle huffed. “Are you just gonna stand there and ask questions or are you gonna let us in?”

“Yeah, we brought food after all!” added Maria.

Michael grinned. “Liz said it might be the only way you’d let us in otherwise.”

Max laughed as he stepped back to allow them in. “Come on in guys, we can sit up in the great room for a while.”

Max closed the door as the others made their way up the stairs to the great room. Liz stood in the doorway to the bedroom wearing a huge smile.

“Mmm, what smells so good?” she asked.

Maria grinned as she held up the flat box she held. “New York style pepperoni pizza and lots of parmesan cheese, just like you wanted.”

Max shook his head as he joined them in the great room. “What are you doing in the doorway, Liz?”

She batted her eyelashes at him. “You told me to stay in the bedroom, didn’t you?”

As Tess and Maria set their hands on their hips and glared at Max, he threw his hands in front of him. “That’s not what I meant and she knows it!”

Liz giggled as she made her way into the great room and slid an arm around her husband’s waist while leaning into his side. “I’m just teasing guys. I knew what he meant.”

Max sighed in relief as he slid his arm around her shoulders, pulled her closer and nuzzled her hair. The others ignored their playfulness as they got comfortable, except for Kyle.

He rolled his eyes. “Geez, do you two ever stop?”

Liz and Max gave him similar puzzled looks as Tess reached out and swatted his arm. “Don’t go there, Kyle.”

Max arched an eyebrow. “Stop what?”

Tess hissed at him in warning, but he ignored it. “Being all cute and cuddly. You two act like you haven’t seen each other in days. You’re always touching each other. It’s sickening.”

Michael mumbled as he pulled his wife into his side where they sat together on one of the sofas. “They aren’t sickening.”

Kyle glared at him. “Of course you wouldn’t think so, you and Maria are just as bad.”

Liz glanced at the look on Tess’ face and moved away from Max’s side. “Tess, could you come help me with the sodas and plates while Max and the others get things started here?”

Tess nodded as she followed Liz to the kitchen. Liz pulled out a bucket from one of the bottom cabinets and told Tess to fill it up with ice and sodas. As Tess busied herself with that, Liz got out the paper plates and napkins as well as plastic cups and utensils and put them on a tray. Tess carried the bucket into the great room with Liz right behind her carrying the tray.

Max took the tray from Liz while Kyle took the bucket from Tess since Michael and Maria were busy with the pizza boxes and the extras they’d also brought. Once everything had been set out and the eating utensils had been passed around, they all began to dig into the casual feast.

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

Tess held Destiny in her arms and cooed at her. Destiny waved her little arms around until grasping one of Maria’s fingers.

Tess giggled. “Aw, she’s so adorable Liz.”

Liz smiled from where she sat in the middle of her bed. “Thanks.”

The three of them had moved into the master bedroom long after they’d finished dinner when they’d all heard Destiny’s cries. The guys had cleaned up in the great room before moving downstairs to sit out back on the patio where they were probably enjoying a few beers.

Maria leaned over to peer at Destiny from where she and Tess sat at the end of the bed. “Hm, I think she’s going to look like you, Liz.”

Tess nodded. “I agree. She’s got Liz’s nose and her hair already seems to have those highlights like Liz has in the right light.”

Liz chuckled. “Yeah, but I’m hoping she’s got her father’s eyes.”

As the other two leaned in to peer at Destiny Liz added, “I think it’s too soon to tell though.”

Maria nodded. “Yeah, you may be right.”

The two of them continued to enjoy the time they had with Destiny until she began to fidget. Liz knew she was ready to be fed, so she took her from Tess’ arms and settled in the rocking chair next to the cradle to fed her daughter. As Liz fed the baby girl, Maria sat back on her hands and swung her legs over the side of the bed.

“Michael and I have started talking about having a baby of our own,” she said.

Tess and Liz both looked up at her.

“Really?” asked Tess.

At Maria’s nod, Liz smiled. “That’s wonderful, Maria. Does Michael want them?”

Maria smiled. “We both do. We were just waiting for the right time, I guess. Since Michael’s been doing so well with his real estate business now and of course the Pet Shoppe is doing great, we thought it was time to start thinking about that family we wanted.”

Liz nodded. “That’s understandable.”

Tess agreed. “Yeah, things are working out for the both of you, so why wouldn’t you want to take the next step in your lives.”

Maria and Liz both gave her sympathetic looks.

“Kyle will come around, Tess,” Maria whispered.

Tess shrugged. “I guess I can only keep dreaming huh?”

Liz sighed as she glanced down at her daughter who was now starting to nod off. She knew what Tess was thinking. It wasn’t the first time Tess had complained that everyone else seemed to be moving forward while she and Kyle still seemed to be stuck.

Kyle had yet to ask Tess to even marry him, which seemed to be bothering Tess a lot more lately. Especially since she was the last woman among their friends besides Vicki who wasn’t married yet.

Liz and Maria knew it had to hurt more since Maria and Michael had met after Tess and Kyle had already been a couple for a few years, yet they were married and already discussing having a family. Then more recently, Liz and Max hadn’t even been together for more than a year before they were married with a baby on the way. Of course Tess would feel like she was being left behind.

Maria glanced over to Liz and smiled before whispering to Tess. “Let’s go wait for Liz in the great room so she can put the baby to bed, okay?”

Tess nodded and the two of them got up, each of them placing a kiss on Destiny’s head before walking out of the bedroom. Liz rocked her daughter for a bit longer before tucking the sleeping baby into her cradle and joining the other two women in the great room.

She sighed as she sat down on the couch with them. “Thanks for coming over tonight guys. Max and I needed this.”

Tess and Maria giggled before Tess asked, “Getting claustrophobic in this huge house are we?”

Liz rolled her eyes. “You have no idea. I know Max doesn’t realize he’s doing it, but sometimes his hovering really gets on my nerves.”

Maria shook her head. “Have you told him?”

Liz grinned. “Of course I have, but it’s like I said. He doesn’t even realize he’s doing it. It’s just the way he is.”

The other two nodded. “Yeah, his obsessive compulsive tendencies haven’t gone away at all,” said Tess.

“Nope,” added Maria. “He’s now got something new to obsess over.”

Liz rolled her eyes. “Two things, Destiny and I.”

Tess snickered. “Like you really are complaining!”

Maria added her own snicker. “Yeah, really. You got a beautiful house, a huge backyard complete with your own private waterfall, a beautiful daughter, and one of the most hottest men on the planet. What exactly do you have to complain about?”

Liz gave them a blank look. “What does one of the most hottest men mean?”

Tess and Maria looked at each other, trying to figure out how exactly to explain that to Liz when suddenly she burst out laughing.

“Oh girlfriends, my husband is the hottest man on the planet!”

They grinned at her remark, realizing she had almost fooled them into thinking she wasn’t familiar with the phrase. Liz had certainly come a long way from the wide-eyed woman from a long ago past.

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

Two days later Liz was sitting out in the swing on the front porch with Destiny in her arms when Max came home from work. She smiled at him when he waved to her before looking down at the baby in her arms.

Max got out of the SUV and walked around to the other side. He opened the back door and pulled out his bag, slinging it over his shoulder before closing the door and opening the front passenger door. He leaned in to grab the items sitting on the floor before shutting the door and pressing the button on his keychain to lock the SUV.

He made his way up the steps of the porch and let his bag slide off his shoulder to the ground. Sitting next to Liz on the swing, he lifted one hand to show her one of the items he had in his hand. Liz looked up at the bunch of lilies he held out for her and smiled.

“Max!” she admonished.

He grinned. “Sorry, I couldn’t resist. Thought I’d let you know again today how much I love that you’re my wife.”

She giggled as she took the flowers from him and leaned in to kiss him on the lips. When she pulled away, her eyes glittered at him in happiness. “They’re beautiful, Max. Thank you.”

He nodded. “You’re welcome. And this is to show you how much I appreciate everything you’ve done for our daughter by being the best mother ever.”

Liz laughed as she saw the stuffed teddy bear he held in his hand. The bear held an even smaller bear in its hands. The smaller bear was wrapped in a pink blanket just like a baby girl would be.

“Oh Max! It’s so cute! I’m sure Destiny will love it when she gets older.”

Max nodded. “Um hm. I hope so.”

He leaned in to kiss his daughter on her forehead before looking up at Liz. “Can I hold her?”

Liz nodded before handing Destiny to her father. Max took her into his arms and leaned back in the swing. He lifted the bear up and brushed the soft toy against his daughter’s cheek.

“Hey there baby girl. Look what daddy got for you today. Cute huh? But we all know you’re cuter, right?”

Liz chuckled at Max’s words.

He sighed as he set the bear on the swing next to him before turning to look at Destiny again. “I got your mom a gift too. Lilies. Her favorite kind of flowers. They’re really beautiful and fragrant. Hm, but they don’t really do your mom any justice at all. She’s more beautiful than they could possibly ever be.”

Liz leaned her head against his shoulder and slid her arm beneath his to entwine her fingers with his. “I love you, Max.”

Max pressed a kiss to the top of her head. “Love you too, Liz,” he whispered before the three of them settled in to enjoy a relaxed evening on the swing while watching the sun go down.

TBC...

Part 25

Liz set another dish down on the table, making Max frown. He reached out and grasped her wrist, stopping her before she could head back to the kitchen. “Honey, would you just sit down for a minute. I’ll get the rest of the food in a bit. Let’s just let everyone get settled okay?”

She sighed. “Max, I’m fine, really.”

Maria chuckled. “Liz, come on girlfriend. Sit down before your hubby has a conniption fit would you?”

“Yeah,” added Michael. “I’d like to keep you two around for a long, long time and we won’t have that if you two keep raising each other’s blood pressure so much.”

Liz grinned as she sat in her chair. “Are you sure you know what you’re saying? Cause that really sounded like…”

Max laughed as the look on Michael’s face said he suddenly realized how that sounded. “Sorry Mike, you’re just going to have to enjoy us while you can cause as long as I have my wife, she’ll just keep on raising my blood pressure, and I hers.”

Kyle snickered. “Yeah among other things.”

Tess turned to glare at him. “What is that supposed to mean?”

Kyle shrugged. “You know what they say when blood rushes to a part of a man’s anatomy. It rises.”

“Ugh, do you always have to be so crass!” Tess snapped.

The room fell silent at her words. It was completely obvious that something was going on between the two of them. Ever since they’d both arrived at the Evan’s house for a dinner that Liz had spent most of the day preparing with Max’s help, Tess had been rather edgy and Kyle appeared sullen. Of course, the two of them hadn’t been forthcoming at all about what was going on.

Destiny gurgled from the small playpen Max had rolled into the corner of the dining room, making all of them turn to glance at her. Now at four months she was on her stomach, her little legs kicking out behind her as she seemed to smile at them and gurgle as if saying life was too short to be fussy.

Tess giggled as she turned to Liz. “Is it all right if I hold her, Liz?”

Liz nodded. “Sure, go right ahead.”

Tess got up and walked to the playpen. As she bent over, Destiny gurgled happily at her and began to flap her arms as if she knew Tess was going to pick her up. Tess smiled at the happy little girl as she reached down to pick her up.

“Hi Destiny, I’ll bet you’re bored lying down there in that crib all alone, huh?”

As she pulled Destiny up into her arms the little girl gurgled happily again before stuffing her fist into her mouth and began to chew on it. Max chuckled as he reached into the playpen and pulled out the circular rattle Destiny seemed to be so fond of. He handed it to Tess and she began to rattle it in front of Destiny as she made her way back to her chair.

Destiny pulled her fist out of her mouth and cooed as she curled her chubby little fingers around the rattle. She pulled it to her mouth and began to nibble on one of the small plastic balls that rattled when they moved. Each time they made the noise, Destiny seemed to make a sound between a coo and a laugh as if she thoroughly enjoyed hearing the rattle that seemed to resemble the sound of rain against the pavement.

Tess held the little girl in her lap, smiling as she watched Destiny contentedly nibbling on her rattle. Sighing, she ran her fingers through the soft baby hair on Destiny’s head.
“She really does look like you Liz.”

Max grinned like the proud papa he was. “Doesn’t she?”

At that moment, Destiny flapped her arms again shaking the rattle furiously before laughing. All of them saw the dimples that appeared when she laughed, making them grin.

“Well, at least she’s got Max’s dimples and his eyes. I knew she’d have his eyes,” said Liz.

As Max seemed a bit flustered at the sudden attention he got from the others, Maria grinned. “Yeah, I think you practically willed her to have his eyes Liz. You’ve been saying that since she was born!”

Liz shrugged. “What? I just wanted her to have a bit of her father in her that’s all.”

Max reached out and slid his hand into hers, giving it a gentle squeeze. “Honey, even if she bore no physical resemblance to me, we all know she has a part of me in her. She is my daughter after all.”

Michael grinned as he leaned over to wiggle his fingers in front of Destiny’s face, making her giggle. “Yeah, Destiny is lucky like that. She’s getting the best of both worlds and you know that, don’t you honey?”

Destiny cooed in answer before chewing on the rattle again.

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

Michael held a sleepy Destiny in his arms as he watched Max and Kyle trying to beat the heck out of each other in the latest video game they were playing. After they’d had dinner, the guys had retreated to the basement that Max had been working on creating a haven for himself and any guests he had to entertain.

Since Liz’s haven was the kitchen and the private garden in the back, Max had claimed the basement for himself. Liz hadn’t minded, knowing he would need a place for himself even though they were both cultivating a rapidly growing wine collection.

Still while they both worked on filling up the wine room, Liz let Max make the long room into a place filled with huge overstuffed couches and a big screen television where he could either watch his sports or play video games.

There was still room for Max to put in a long, narrow rectangular table meant to host a wine celebration and of course a refrigerator had been installed to house the beer and other snacks he and his friends favored when they weren’t in the mood for wine. So when they all came over to the Evan’s to hang out, the women often sat up in the great room or out on the balcony while the guys went to the basement or out on the patio.

As soon as the guys had gotten down to the basement, Max sat on the couch and fed Destiny the body of formula as the other two played a round of video games. Michael had then asked Max if he could hold Destiny after Max had burped her, which Max allowed while he and Kyle began to play games.

Michael smiled as Destiny gave a huge yawn before snuggling into his side with a soft sigh. As he watched her sleeping, he couldn’t help but feel a little envious of Max for having such a beautiful wife and baby girl like he had. Granted, Maria was everything Michael had wanted in a wife, he had no complaints there. But both he and Maria were now hoping to have what Max and Liz had.

They’d been talking about it more and more lately, especially when they went to visit Max and Liz and saw first hand how happy they were with their daughter. For a few months now, he and Maria were already trying to have a child and Michael hoped that whatever he had, the baby would be just as wonderful and exciting as Destiny was for Max and Liz.

Michael heard the song that signaled the end of the game and looked up to see Max on his feet with his hands in the air, mouth open in a silent whoop. Michael grinned as Max punched the air with his fists before turning to Kyle and mouthing the words, Oh yeah! In your face dude!

Kyle rolled his eyes before chunking the controller on the floor and cursing. “Fuck! It’s a stupid game!”

Michael and Max both frowned at him and simultaneously whispered, “Shhhh!”

He glared from one to the other and shrugged. “Oh come on,” he said in a lowered voice. “Do you really think she’d know what I said.”

Michael shook his head. “Not the point, Kyle. She’s asleep. No need to be talking in a raised voice and wake her up again.”

Kyle arched an eyebrow. “What and the game wasn’t loud?”

Max sighed. “No, the music of the game actually lulls her to sleep, but voices wake her up. And while Michael says it’s not the point, you would still do well to learn not to curse in front of anyone under the age of twenty-one!”

Both guys looked up at Max as Michael whispered, “Twenty-one?”

Max shrugged. “I wanted Destiny to be thirty before I considered her old enough to do adult things, but Liz argued with me until I finally agreed to twenty-one.”

Michael grinned at that. Max was so getting into being a father and he really couldn’t wait until he was able to experience the same things.

Kyle huffed. “Trust me Max, she’s going out into the big, bad world to go to school at the tender age of six. You would be surprised what kids learn these days in classrooms from both the teachers and their fellow classmates. She’s gonna meet kids who spend most of their time sleeping in a closet sized room which they share with ten other people. And those people sure aren’t going to be innocent little babies if you know what I mean.”

Michael hissed at Kyle. “Geez man, remember who you’re talking to!”

Too late for that. Max narrowed his eyes before marching over to Michael and tenderly taking his daughter from him. Then they watched as he cradled Destiny in his arms and made his way for the stairs. Kyle and Michael glanced at each other before Kyle scrambled after him leaving Michael to turn everything off before joining them.

They followed Max up the stairs, into the hall, the lounge, the entry room, and up the curved stairs that led into the great room. Max looked around thinking the women would be in that room, but heard laughter and voices coming from the right side of the house.

“Max, what’s going on?” asked Michael in a low voice from behind him.

Max ignored Michael and made his way through the hall that led to the kitchen. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Maria sitting on a barstool outside of the arched window that looked into the kitchen. She was clearly talking to the other two who were in the kitchen.

Michael made his way to Maria’s side giving her a shrug when she gave him a questioning look. Kyle continued to follow Max into the kitchen where Liz was at the double sink washing the dishes too delicate for the dishwasher. Tess was standing at the island drying the ones Liz had already finished with a dish towel.

The moment Liz realized it had gotten quiet in the room, she turned only to find Max walking towards her wearing a huge frown on his face and carrying a sleeping Destiny in his arms.

“Max? What…”

“I’ve changed my mind. I want to enroll Destiny into a private school. One that is all girls and she won’t be allowed to date until she’s fifty!”

Liz simply looked at Max for a moment before turning to glare at Michael.

“Hey don’t look at me! I wasn’t the one…”

Tess smacked Kyle with the dish towel.

“Ow! What was that for?” he pouted as he rubbed his arm where she’d snapped the dish towel at him.

“Kyle James Valenti, what kind of horror stories did you go and fill Max’s head with?” Tess snapped as she placed her hands on her hips.

“Horror stories? I didn’t…”

Michael sighed. “When Max told us that you and he agreed Destiny wouldn’t be able to do adult things until she was twenty-one, Kyle proceeded to tell him since Destiny would be going to school when she was about six, she’d learn things from her teachers and fellow classmates.”

Maria couldn’t help but grin at that. “Twenty-one?” she asked.

Tess ignored her as she glared at Kyle. “Why’d you have to say something like that? You should know how Max gets over his daughter.”

Max looked at Tess before looking around at all of the others and finally back to Liz. “What is this? A conspiracy to keep me in the dark? Liz! I want…”

“Max, honey. Don’t listen to Kyle, Destiny will be fine as long as she has us.”

He shook his head. “She’s going to a private all girls school, Liz.”

“Max, keeping her sheltered isn’t always a good thing you know,” Liz tried to reason.

“That’s what I was trying to say!” exclaimed Kyle. “I was just trying to say that no matter what he does, she’s going to find these things out anyway.”

Michael huffed. “That’s not the way it sounded to Max. And besides that, he was cussing in front of Destiny.”

Tess gasped. “Kyle! What is the matter with you!”

“What? She’s only four months old! It’s not like she understands what I’m saying!”

Liz frowned. “While that may be true Kyle, you may as well learn how to censor your words around impressionable young children if you intend to hang around here.”

Tess growled. “What were you cussing about anyway?”

Michael laughed. “Max had just beat him…”

Tess narrowed her eyes at her boyfriend. “…at a video game! God Kyle, it was just a stupid game!”

“Maybe to you, but to us guys it’s a competition,” he mumbled.

Tess sighed. “Yeah, I know. You always say I don’t understand these ‘guy things’ as you put it. Guess I’d have to be a guy then, maybe that’d make you happier.”

She turned around and went back to drying dishes with the dish towel. Liz watched her friend forlornly drying a glass for a few minutes before looking at the others. Maria was sitting on the stool with Michael next to her, both of them grinning at the argument Max and Kyle seemed to be in the middle of.

Liz’s frown deepened as she watched her husband hissing his argument in a soft, but matter of fact voice while Kyle continued to try to defend his points even if it all came out sounding bad. She glanced back at Tess to see the way her eyes glittered with unshed tears before she turned back to glare at Kyle.

As usual, he was totally oblivious to his girlfriend’s mood and Liz was certain that the last thing Tess had said to him hadn’t even penetrated his thick skull. Tired of watching her friend suffer and fed up with Kyle’s thick headedness, Liz gritted her teeth and curled her hands into fists.

“Kyle Valenti, stop it now!”

As one, the entire room went silent as they all turned to look at Liz.

“What did I do?” asked Kyle defensively.

“It’s not what you did, it’s what you haven’t done!” growled Liz. “You need to stop being such a thick headed blundering fool and get your act together! When are you going to open your eyes and realize what you have in your girlfriend?”

“Liz…” whispered Tess.

But Liz shook her head. “No, he has to know! And since none of you are going to knock some sense into him, I’ll do it. Are you listening to me Kyle? Tess has been at your side for years! Years! Way longer than I’ve been with Max! Heck she’s been with you longer than Maria’s been with Michael and they’re already married!”

Kyle opened his mouth to speak, but Liz clearly wasn’t finished. “She’s put up with your crass, chauvinistic ways after all this time and still she remains loyal to you! No matter what you say or do to others, she still loves you through it all! And how do you treat her?”

Kyle turned to look at Tess who was cringing at Liz’s words.

“I’ll tell you how you’ve treated her! You’ve been ignoring her and taking her for granted! You don’t even listen to what she’s saying do you? I know the rest of us in this room just heard what she said! Even Max and Michael heard her. And they know as well as I do, that Tess is hurting! She’s beginning to think you wish she was one of the guys since you have yet to marry her or even talk about your future with her!”

Kyle stared at Tess. “Is that true?” he whispered.

“Of course it’s true!” snapped Liz. “Can’t you imagine how she feels watching her friends getting married and having babies while she gets left behind because you’re too blind to realize that the two of you have been in a rut for years now! Get yourself together Kyle! Either you want Tess in your life forever or you don’t! Make up your mind and do it instead of stringing her along and breaking her heart in the process! Either you let her go now before you do any more damage or get down on your knees and beg her to marry you ‘cause at this point, begging won’t even be too much!”

Maria and Michael gaped at Liz in shock, amazed she’d had the gall to be so blunt like that. Max on the other hand, couldn’t hide the huge smile of pride from spreading across his face as he beamed at his wife. Still he was ready to defend her if Kyle turned on her.

Kyle for his part had been staring at Tess until Liz had gotten the last part out. Snapping his head to look at Liz, Kyle simply looked at her as what she’d sat sank in. Turning back to look at Tess once more, he caught the worried look in her eyes as she looked at Liz obviously thinking Kyle was going to do something.

And he did, but it was the last thing any of them expected. Throwing his head back in laughter, he turned back to Liz and swept her up into a bear hug before twirling her around in the air.

Setting a bewildered Liz back on her feet, he grinned at her. “Thanks Liz, I really needed that!”

Before any of them could get another word out, he whirled around to face Tess and sank down to one knee. Tess’ eyes went wide as she watched him fish out the ring from the front pocket of his jeans and held it up for her to see.

“Tess Harding, would you be so kind as to marry this thick headed, crass man who loves you more than he could ever show you?”

As tears of joy began to slide down her cheeks, she nodded her head. “Yes, oh yes! Kyle, I’d love to!”

Kyle’s smile widened as he slipped the ring onto her finger before getting up and pulling her in for a kiss. As the others whistled and applauded, Max set a still sleeping Destiny down in the playpen in the dining room before returning to the kitchen to congratulate Tess and Kyle.

Tess hugged Kyle once more before looking at the ring. “It’s so beautiful Kyle! I can’t believe you’ve had it all along.”

Kyle shrugged as he wrapped his arm around Tess’ waist. “Yeah, I guess I was just waiting for the right time. You really like it though?”

She nodded. “I love it!”

Liz smiled as she looked down at the ring, admiring it with Maria next to her. “Gosh Kyle, it’s lovely! How were you carrying it around?”

He gave her a sheepish grin. “For about six months now.”

Max and Michael gaped at him. “Six months?” exclaimed Max.

“Man what were you waiting for?” asked Michael.

“The right time like I said.” He sighed as he ran a hand through his hair. “Truthfully, I was just trying to find the courage to ask her that’s all.”

“What?” asked Tess.

He turned to give her an apologetic look. “I was afraid I’d ask you and you’d say no. Every time I decided to ask you, I’d talk myself out of it. Then Liz said what she said today and I realized you’ve been waiting for me to ask you. If I’d have known it’s what you’d wanted I’d have asked you earlier.”

Liz rolled her eyes and placed her hands on her hips. “You really are dense, aren’t you Kyle? Tess told me she’s been dropping hints for almost two years now!”

His eyes went wide as he turned to look at his fiancée. “Two years?”

She nodded. “Yep. And like Liz said, you were too dense to catch on.”

Kyle shook his head and pulled her to him. “Tess, my love. We are going to have to work on our communication if we intend to make this work. From here on out, you gotta spell it out for me or Liz is gonna come swinging at me for neglecting you again.”

Tess grinned. “Okay.”

“Agreed?” he asked.

She nodded. “Agreed.”

He chuckled as he leaned down to kiss her lips. “Good, ‘cause I don’t want Liz coming at me again. Did you see her? She’s scary! And mind you, she’s not even a ghost!”

He shuttered visibly making everyone, including Liz, laugh at his mock fear.

TBC...

Part 26

Michael glanced at Max out of the corner of his eye before turning to look at Kyle. Kyle caught his look and shrugged, letting Michael know he had no idea either about what was bothering Max. The three of them were sitting out on the patio of Max’s home on a Saturday afternoon having a few beers.

The women were in town shopping for Tess and Kyle’s wedding and had taken ten month old Destiny along with them. So of course, the men decided it would be best to hang out at Max’s house away from the drama of wedding preparations.

Michael watched as Max took another swig of his beer, swallowed, and continued to stare forlornly out at the backyard. After a few minutes of this, Michael finally sighed.

“Max, man. What is bothering you?”

Max blinked as if he were coming out of his musings and turned to look at Michael. “Huh?”

Michael frowned. “What’s on your mind?”

Max shrugged. “Nothing.”

Michael and Kyle exchanged a look of shock that their friend actually didn’t seem to want to talk about it, but they refused to let it die.

Kyle leaned in closer to Max. “Hey man, maybe you’d feel better if you got it off your chest huh? Besides, you know it is always better to talk about things. I mean look what nearly happened to my relationship with Tess when we weren’t getting our communication right.”

Max sighed as he ran his fingers through his hair. “Yeah, I know.”

Michael nodded. “All right then, let’s have it.”

Max stared down at the bottle in his hand. “I guess I’m just feeling a little frustrated.”

Kyle’s eyes went wide. “Frustrated! Are you saying the last time you had sex was before Destiny was born?”

Max rolled his eyes. “Liz and I have been together a few times Kyle.”

“What, it’s not the same?”

“This isn’t about sex!”

Kyle frowned. “But you’re frustrated.”

Max nodded. “Yeah.”

“What’s got you frustrated, Max?” asked Michael.

Max looked out at the yard. “I don’t know. It just seems like there’s not enough time to see each other anymore, you know. During the week I’m working and then when I get home, Liz is either busy with Destiny, working on her plans for her catering business, or helping Tess and Maria with the wedding. We’re always busy with something or other and by the time we slow down, we’re already so tired that we just go to sleep on each other. And when we are intimate, it just feels so rushed.”

Michael gave Max a puzzled look. “Don’t you spend time with Destiny too?”

“Yeah, I get plenty of time with my daughter. I’m not complaining about that and I wouldn’t trade all the time I’ve got to spend with her at all. It’s just that sometimes I miss those moments when it was just Liz and I relaxing in front of the TV or taking those walks together in the evening. I can’t remember the last time when we had an intimate moment like that. One that wasn’t interrupted or didn’t feel hurried.”

Michael nodded in understanding. It was clear that Max was feeling a little neglected since things were so hectic lately. Michael knew there was just too much going on right now that prevented Max and Liz to have much time together. Granted, he and Maria also seemed to be busy, but he knew it wasn’t anything like the Evans.

Not only was Max busy with his job during the week, but then he’d come home and spend time with his daughter while Liz either worked on her catering business or was running around with Tess and Maria. So, Max had to share Liz with the catering business plans, Tess’ wedding plans, and Destiny.

Liz only had to share Max with his job and their daughter since the wedding was mostly being handled by the women. Even though Max was going to be a part of the wedding like Liz was, all he had to do was try on his tuxedo and then show up on the day of the wedding. And technically, Max would have had time with Liz if she was with him when he spent time with Destiny, but that’s the time she was able to run around with Tess and Maria without worrying about her daughter’s care.

So far, Maria still wasn’t pregnant so Michael was able to cherish the quiet moments he still got to share with Maria. It was because he loved those moments with his wife that he completely understood where Max was coming from. He knew that now was the time to enjoy them because once children came into the picture, Michael was sure he would be feeling as frustrated as Max was now.

Kyle sighed. “Max, have you talked to Liz about this?”

“What am I supposed to say Kyle? Hey Liz, would you stop doing everything you’ve been doing these past few months and ignore Destiny for a few days so we can have some quiet time together?”

Kyle rolled his eyes. “When you put it like that…”

Max shook his head. “No, she’ll just think I’m letting my obsessive compulsiveness take over again. I just have to get used to sharing her with the rest of the world.”

Michael knew from the look on Max’s face that the conversation was over. Still, he decided he’d mull it over for a while without letting Max know. Kyle on the other hand, was about to say something else when they heard a door open and Liz walked out with a babbling Destiny in her arms. Behind her came Tess and Maria loaded down with several bags and other items.

Destiny began babbling more excitedly the moment she saw her daddy and began waving her little arms frantically, indicating that she wanted him to hold her. As Tess and Maria said their hellos to their significant others, Liz walked over to Max and set down the baby bag next to his chair.

“Yes, baby there’s your daddy. You’re ready to spend some time with him aren’t you?” Liz said, in a cheerful voice.

Destiny smiled and babbled some more as she began to lean down towards her daddy. Max reached up and took his daughter in his arms before Liz leaned down to give him a kiss on the lips.

“Hi hon. How did it go?” he asked.

Liz nodded as she gave an exhausted sigh. “We actually managed to get everything done in town. Now we’re going to the guest bedroom to work on a few more things so we’ll be ready for Monday.”

Max frowned as he bounced Destiny on his knee while she laughed happily. “How long is that going to take?”

Liz shrugged. “Hopefully not more than an hour or two. You can watch Destiny while we work right? I’ve already fed her some dinner, but there’s crackers and dry cheerios in the bag if she wants to snack on something. And I think there’s still a couple of bottles of formula in the kitchen. She’s had a nap too, so she shouldn’t be tired until it’s time for her to go to bed for the night.”

Max nodded. “Okay. Listen, I was thinking, maybe we could all go out to dinner tonight?”

Liz shook her head. “I don’t know if we’ll be finished in time and besides I’ve spent all day in town. After we’re done, I just want to have a quick dinner, soak in the tub, and relax for the rest of the night.”

She leaned down once more to kiss her daughter on the cheek. “You be a good girl with daddy, okay baby?”

As Destiny babbled her reply, Liz took her husband’s lips in hers and gave him a deep thorough kiss before pulling away. “Love you hon. Come on ladies, let’s get this wrapped up.”

As Tess and Maria followed Liz into the house, Michael and Kyle didn’t miss the sullen look that Max wore on his face as he continued to bounce his daughter on his knee.

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

Michael looked up from where he was reclining on the bed as his wife walked into their bedroom after having taken a shower. She wore her favorite cream colored bathrobe and was currently toweling her hair. Making her way to her side of the bed, she sat down on the edge before leaning over to kiss his cheek.

“You’ve been quiet tonight. What’s on your mind?” she asked.

Michael sighed. “Max.”

Maria immediately stopped drying her hair and turned to look at him. “Max? Why?”

He looked up at his wife, knowing that now was the time to tell her what he’d been mulling about all evening and all through the drive back to their own home. While she’d been in the shower, he was thinking of how to bring it up with her since he knew he needed her to help him figure out if they should do something about what was going on between Max and Liz.

With a sigh, he decided to just tell it like it was. “While the three of you were in town, Max told Kyle and I that he’s been feeling a little frustrated.”

Maria frowned. “Frustrated? Liz told us the sex was still amazing even after the baby!”

Michael couldn’t hide a smile as he rolled his eyes. Leave it to his wife to jump to the same conclusion as Kyle had. “It’s not that.”

She looked at him for a moment before reaching out for her comb that was sitting on the nightstand. As she began to comb her hair she gave a nod of her head, indicating for him to go on.

Michael began to tell her the conversation he and Kyle had with Max earlier that evening. She listened as he told her how Max was feeling a bit neglected by Liz since she always seemed to be so busy and there never seemed to be any time for them to just relax and enjoy being with each other. He even told Maria that Max seemed to feel that while the times he was intimate with Liz were still amazing, they seemed a bit rushed or they were interrupted.

As he began to end the retelling of their conversation, Maria had already finished combing her hair and was now reclining next to him.
“Did you ask him if he’s talked to Liz about this?”

Michael nodded. “Yeah. Actually, Kyle beat me to it. But Max said he didn’t want to because Liz would just think that he was letting his obsessive compulsiveness take over again and that he should just sit back and get used to sharing her with the world.”

Maria raised her eyebrows in shock. “Seriously?”

“Yep, that’s what he said.”

Maria rolled her eyes. “What a dork. Liz always says that’s one of the things she loves about him. His obsessive compulsive behavior. She says she wouldn’t change that for anything. As for sharing her with the rest of the world, I really don’t think that’s possible.”

Michael shrugged. “Max thinks it is. I think he feels that he has to share her with you and Tess a lot more lately. Then there’s Destiny and the fact that she’s still planning on starting a catering business. Can you just imagine what he’s going to feel like when Liz starts dividing her time between trying to raise a family and working her business? When is she going to have time just to be with him?”

Maria stared at Michael for a few moments before a sympathetic look appeared in her eyes. “You really are empathizing with him aren’t you? Is this also your way of trying to tell me something?”

Michael sighed as he reached out and took her hand in his. “You know, truth is that I hadn’t really thought about it until I talked to Max tonight and saw how much this is bothering him. I mean, I know I’d probably feel the same way if I were in his shoes. But I’m hoping you and I won’t get to that point. I think we’ll be able to find a happy medium, a way to raise our family, work our jobs, and still have time for each other.”

She gave his hand an encouraging squeeze as she leaned into his side. “You got that right. Besides, I sort of thought I’d spend the first year or two of our baby’s life mostly at home and let Tess run the shop on her own. There’s really no reason both of us have to be there all the time. I figure we could start taking turns and all, you know.”

Michael nodded as she lifted her head to look into his eyes before adding, “Then again, my job isn’t and will never be as hectic and stressful as Liz’s could get. I’ve got set hours during the day, she’ll be working all kinds of odd hours.”

He sighed. “Yeah. Like I said, what is he going to feel like when Liz starts doing the catering business?”

Maria sat back and stared at the opposite wall, lost in thought. After a few minutes, she nodded. “Tell you what. I’ll talk to Liz. It could be that she’s not even aware that Max is feeling like this. After all, I wasn’t aware of this until you pointed it out to me. I wasn’t even aware that you could be worried about how having a baby of our own would affect our relationship until you just told me.”

Michael nodded. “Okay, maybe you’re right.”

“We’ll know once I talk to her. Maybe we could even offer to babysit Destiny for them so they can have some time to themselves?”

She grinned at Michael. “Babysitting Destiny could also help us get an idea of what it’ll be like when we have our own child.”

Michael returned her grin. “Now that’s actually not a bad idea, but do you really think they’d go for it?”

She shrugged. “It doesn’t hurt to try. I’ll talk to Liz tomorrow and we’ll go from there okay?”

Michael wrapped his arm around her shoulder and pulled her into his side. Leaning down he kissed her lips before smiling against them. “I really, really love you. You know?”

She giggled. “Um hm. I really, really love you too hubby of mine. So, what say you and I get back to trying to make a baby huh?”

Michael chuckled as she began to straddle his hips while wiggling her eyebrows in a suggestive manner. A few moments later, they were doing just what she’d suggested.

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

Max walked into his bedroom after having put his daughter to bed in the laundry room that was connected to their room. He and Liz had decided to convert the room into a nursery of sorts a few months ago, so that Destiny could sleep there until she would be old enough to have a real bedroom downstairs. Michael had come over on the days he and Max both had off to help convert the room until it had been completed a few weeks ago.

They had taken the washer and dryer out, but left the counter that was set into the wall. In the little nook where the washer/dryer combo had been, they’d built a set of shelves for any supplies Destiny would need. They’d also repainted the room a cheery yellow color with white trim and an alphabet border ran through the middle of the walls. Liz and Max had found a beautiful dresser which also had a built in changing station on top of it as well as a matching full sized crib with one side that could lower completely if they wanted it to.

Glancing at the bed, he let out a dejected sigh as he spotted his wife fast asleep beneath the comforter. She’d been in the bath while he’d put their daughter to sleep and he’d hoped she’d still be awake by the time he returned to their bedroom.

Walking to the bed, he stripped down to his boxers before climbing under the comforter with her. He slid closer to her side and pulled her body flush with his. She gave a sigh in her sleep as her body reflexively molded itself to fit into his embrace.

As he lay there feeling the softness of her back against his chest, he leaned down to nuzzle the back of her head before pressing a soft kiss against her hair. Again she sighed in her sleep as her fingers curled around his that rested against her stomach. Max began to trail kisses down to her neck and shoulder, pausing to nibble on a sensitive spot at the back of her neck.

A soft moan escaped Liz’s mouth which only encouraged him to move his lips up to her earlobe. He teased the rim of her ear while his fingers stroked the skin of her abdomen that was exposed by the small top she’d worn to bed. As his fingers began to caress her skin just beneath the rim of the shorts she was wearing, Liz slowly came awake.

Max’s lips had moved to her shoulder and she could feel his fingers dipping lower into her shorts.

“Max?” she asked in a groggy voice. “What are you doing?”

He moved his mouth back to her ear to whisper, “Just wanted to know if you were awake.”

She rolled over to face him as she blinked sleep out of her eyes. “I was asleep.”

He sighed. “Sorry.”

She frowned. “It’s late and we’ve had a busy day. I just want to get some sleep right now. So, you want to tell me why you wanted me to be awake?”

He reached up to caress her cheek. “Just wanted to spend some time with you, that’s all.”

She sighed as she curled her fingers around his hand. “Well, we can spend some time together tomorrow before I go over to Tess’ in the afternoon okay?”

He sighed. “Do you have to go? Can’t you postpone it for another day?”

“Max, you know we can’t. We’re getting ready for the meeting with the reception hall on Monday and Tess wants to go over the menu some more.”

“The menu? You said you weren’t catering this wedding!”

She rolled her eyes. “I’m not, but she wants my opinion on some things. Really Max, you know I’ve already got too much to do for this wedding without throwing in catering! I don’t have the time for that.”

You don’t even have time for your husband, muttered Max in his mind.

Liz sighed as she cuddled closer to him and placed a kiss on his lips before laying her head against his chest. Closing her eyes, she mumbled sleepily to him. “Get some sleep honey. You know Destiny is going to be up bright and early tomorrow, so we need to conserve our energy. Hopefully she’ll take an early nap so we can have a nice quiet lunch before I go over to Tess’.”

Max didn’t say anything as Liz’s breathing began to even out. He knew she’d already fallen back to sleep and he wished he could be just as content as she seemed to be with their life now. It was a long hour before sleep finally caught up with him.

TBC...

Part 27

The following Friday evening found Max returning home from work later than he normally did. Granted, he’d called Liz and told her he would be getting home late and she’d told him she’d have dinner waiting for him anyway. He’d figured his dinner would be sitting in the microwave in a covered dish waiting for him to warm it up while his wife was off planning the infernal wedding.

As he unlocked the front door and walked inside, he knew he’d been right. The house was too dark and quiet, which immediately told him that Liz and Destiny weren’t there. With a disappointed sigh, he made his way up the stairs to drop his things off in the bedroom before going across the living room to get his dinner from the microwave in the kitchen.

Halfway up the stairs, he realized there were flickering lights coming from the right side of the second floor which was where the kitchen and dining room were. As he reached the landing, he looked in the direction of the kitchen and froze.

Liz was standing just outside the hallway that led to the dining room and kitchen. Wearing a knee length halter top dress in sky blue, his favorite color, she stood there with her hair loose and shiny and a huge smile on her face.

“Hello honey, how was your day?”

Max didn’t respond right away as he was still taking in the dazzling vision of his wife looking so radiant even in the candle light that was flickering around her. He couldn’t help but smile when he saw that she was barefoot, looking just like the child of nature he’d always known her to be.

Seeing that she’d taken Max by surprise, Liz made her way towards him until she was standing right in front of him. She took his briefcase from him and tossed it on the chair nearby before turning back to look up at him with a smile. Taking his hand in hers, she led him to the bedroom and then into the bathroom.

She took the pants and shirt that were hanging on a hook behind the door and handed them to him. “Here, why don’t you get comfortable and then come join me in the dining room okay?”

Max took the clothes from her with a nod as Liz tilted her head back and rose to her tip toes to kiss him on the lips. Max sighed as she deepened the kiss and they took the time to savor each other for a few moments before she pulled away slowly.

She gave him another beautiful smile as she spoke in a low, husky voice while backing out of the room. “I’ll be waiting for you in the dining room.”

“Okay,” replied Max in a voice just as low and husky as he watched her leave the room.

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

Wearing khaki pants and a sky blue shirt that almost matched the dress Liz was wearing, Max stood in awe of the scene before him. Liz had made a romantic dinner for the two of them and set it all out on the dining room table. She’d turned off all the lights and placed candles in every nook and cranny in both the kitchen and the dining room.

Soft music wafted into the dining room from the living room entertainment system and all of the curtains had been pulled back from the floor length dining room windows so that there was a beautiful view of the backyard and the starry sky above. As Max looked around the room, he suddenly frowned and looked at Liz who was pouring wine into the two glasses on the table.

“Honey? Where’s Destiny?”

Liz set the glass of wine on the table and walked over to him. Setting the wine bottle on the small console table against the wall, she grinned at him.

“Our most wonderful friends, Maria and Michael, volunteered to babysit Destiny for the night.”

Max stared at her in shock. “For the whole night?”

She took his hands in hers. “Yep.”

“Are-are you sure that’s wise?”

Liz chuckled. “I trust them Max. Besides, they’d call if they got into any trouble.” When he still seemed to be hesitant Liz added, “Think of it this way, it’s good practice for when they have their own baby.”

“I know, but she’s never gone a night without us and…”

Liz frowned. “Max, Maria promised me that everything would be okay.”

Max suddenly realized he’d just made her start to worry as he watched her bite her bottom lip. “Liz…”

“If-if you want, we could call them and tell them to bring her back right now. We can still have our dinner while we wait for them and when she gets home the three of us can go out back and enjoy the night together.”

Max looked out of the window that Liz had indicated with a wave of her hand. From where he stood, he could just make out the two chaise lounges next to a table with a wine bucket and what looked like a couple of plates. Liz had obviously planned more than just a candlelit dinner.

Turning back to look at her he shook his head. “No, it’s okay. I trust them too.”

He did trust them and it had just been his natural protective instinct that immediately feared for his daughter, but when he realized what Liz had done for him, he decided he didn’t want to let this perfect opportunity pass by. This would be the first time since before Destiny had been born that he’d have some quality time with his wife and he wasn’t about to let it disappear just because of his fatherly instincts.

Liz wasn’t convinced. “You sure? It’s not too late Max, we could still call them.”

She began to walk towards the phone in the living room, but Max caught her by the elbow and steered her into the dining room.

“No, let them be Liz. Come on, I’m starving and it really, really smells good.”

Liz beamed at him as she allowed him to lead her back into the dining room where they sat down to enjoy a relaxed dinner of a garden salad and grilled chicken on a bed of wild rice with string beans and steamed carrots on the side. As they ate, they kept the conversation light.

Liz asked Max how his day at work had been and then they talked about more of his projects he’d been working on over the last few weeks. Long after they’d finished dinner, Max asked her how her day had gone and she told him she’d just spent it at home with Destiny and getting things ready for their evening together.

At that point Max reached out and took her hand in his, giving it a gentle squeeze. “Thank you, for this. It was wonderful.”

She gave him a shy smile. “You’re welcome Max.” There was a pause before she looked up into his eyes with a serious look. “Why didn’t you tell me that you were feeling like that?”

Max gave her a puzzled look. “Like what?”

Liz hesitated again before she spoke softly. “Like I was neglecting you.”


Suddenly he knew why Maria and Michael had volunteered to take Destiny for the night. Michael must have told Maria about the talk they’d had that night out on the patio and Maria must have told Liz.

“Max?” she asked, getting his attention again.

He sighed. “I just didn’t want to sound like I was being…”

She smiled at his hesitance. “Like you were being demanding?”

“Something like that,” he muttered.

She took his hand in hers again and leaned in towards him until he was looking in her eyes again. “I guess I just have to tell you this over and over again for the rest of our lives huh? I don’t think you could ever be over demanding Max. You know that’s one of the things I love about you, how much you want to be with me.”

He sighed. “I know, but it’s just harder than I thought it would be. You know, not being so demanding and giving you some space.”

She chuckled. “You give me enough space Max. Trust me, I’d tell you if you were getting too demanding.” She gave him another serious look as she continued. “But you have to talk to me too. I can’t read your mind, so I don’t know what you’re feeling unless you tell me. I’m sorry if I’ve been neglecting you. I never meant to do that.”

“I know, it’s not you Liz. You know how I get obsessive over things.”

She nodded. “I know, but you still have to tell me these things otherwise I’ll just keep on going without realizing that I’m hurting you.”

Max frowned. He was feeling really bad now because she seemed to be feeling guilty about being too busy that she’d arranged for this one night to just be with him. He glanced up at her sheepishly.

“Did you cancel all of your appointments to do this?”

Liz shook her head. “No, I’ve been planning this all week. This is the only appointment I had for tonight and tomorrow morning.” She paused as she grinned. “And tomorrow afternoon.”

Max quirked an eyebrow. “That long huh?”

She giggled. “I certainly hope so! So hubby of mine, you up for an almost twenty-four hour period of being all alone with your wife?”

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

Max wrapped his arm tighter around her waist as he felt her shift in his arms. They were now lying on one of the chaise lounges in the back yard looking up at the stars. After they’d cleared the dining table and blew out all the candles, they’d gone out back to have their dessert of chocolate pudding by the pool beneath the stars.

It was while they ate their pudding that Liz made sure Max promised to tell her whatever he was feeling whenever he was feeling it. She told him that she wanted them both to always be honest with each other no matter what because sometimes it could be just a matter of one of them not realizing what was right before their eyes.

She brought up Kyle and Tess as an example. All this time Kyle had been in love with Tess, so much so that he wanted to make their relationship permanent but didn’t know how to go about it. He’d been blind to the fact that Tess had wanted the exact same thing as he had until Liz had stepped in and blurted it out.

That was very similar to what had been going on between them too. Liz had been blind to what Max was feeling, thinking he was content with the way things were going. Until Maria had come to her and told her what Max had told Michael. That was when Liz realized that she was also missing those quiet times she’d shared with Max.

So, she set out to plan a time for the two of them to finally get to enjoy the home they’d moved into together. A time where they could relax with each other and take their time to enjoy it with no interruptions.

So far it was turning out to be a wonderful night since they’d chatted and flirted over their pudding, then Liz had moved to sit with Max on his chaise lounge where they cuddled and enjoyed their surroundings. A little while later, Liz sighed as she sat up and looked at him.

“Let’s go up to the balcony for a little bit, okay?”

Max nodded. “Sure.”

They got up and Max took the tray of plates and wine glasses while Liz took the wine bucket. They went inside and stopped in the small kitchenette to drop off the dessert remains before walking up the stairs hand in hand. When they reached the living room, Liz indicated for Max to go out on the balcony while she went to fiddle with the entertainment system.

A few moments later, she walked out to the balcony and opened all of the doors so that the music from the living room could reach them. Approaching her husband with a smile, she held out a hand and Max took it before pulling her close to him.

As her arms slid around his shoulders and his around her waist, they began to sway to the soft strains of the jazz music wafting out of the open balcony doors. They remained that way for a few songs, gazing into each others eyes and smiling softly.

Soon Liz lay her head against his shoulder and Max pulled her body closer to his. She closed her eyes and relaxed against him as she felt him lay his cheek against her head. His hands made soothing circles on her back which made her smile in contentment. She knew Max had no idea how much she loved the way he always made her feel so safe and loved in his arms.

With a sigh, she lifted her head from his shoulder and looked into his eyes. “I love you Max.”

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

She returned his smile and tilted her head back, prompting Max to lean forward to kiss her. It didn’t take long for the gentle kiss to turn heated and Liz slid her hands down his shirt covered chest as she moaned into his mouth.

Max responded to her reaction by swinging her up into his arms and walking inside to their bedroom. Liz had wrapped her arms around his shoulders again and refused to let him stop kissing her as he made his way to the bed. His mouth was still devouring hers as he lowered her to the bed and moved to lay over her.

The moment they were both laying close together on the bed, their movements slowed down. It was like they both knew there was no rush to make love because nothing would be interrupting them that night.

Max slowly pulled away from Liz until he was sitting next to her. She sat up too and reached one hand to cup his cheek. Giving him a smile, she let her fingers trail over his lips to his jaw and then down his neck. When her fingers reached the front of his shirt, she lifted her other hand and began to slowly undo the buttons.

Max just sat there watching her as her eyes roamed over each piece of skin she exposed. In time she had finished undoing all of the buttons and slowly trailed her fingers up his chest to slide the shirt off of his shoulders. Max shrugged out of the shirt as her fingers went to tracing the lines of his chest.

He’d just tossed the shirt away when her fingers reached the top of his pants. Leaning back on his hands, he allowed her to undo the button and zipper before lifting his hips so she could slide the pants down his hips. She scooted further down the bed to pull his pants the rest of the way down and tossed them aside as he removed his boxers himself.

She grinned at his slight impatience and he chuckled as he reached out for her and pulled her back into his arms. Their lips met once more and Max lay back on the bed, pulling Liz on top of him.

Her hands pressed against his bare chest as his hands roamed over her back and shoulders. Then he buried his hands in her hair to keep her mouth glued to his even as his hips lifted up to rub his groin against hers.

Even through the flimsy dress and panties she was wearing, she could feel how hard her husband was for her. The evidence of how much he wanted her made her moan in anticipation. Max smiled against her lips and slowly rolled them over until she was beneath him.

She whimpered when his lips left hers, but sighed when he began to kiss his way down her neck and between her breasts. She could feel his fingers caressing the skin of her thighs as he lifted the dress up towards her hips. A gasp escaped her lips when he slid his fingers past her panties to caress her folds.

Nipping at her breasts through the dress, Max slowly teased her folds with his fingers until she was whimpering once more. And when she whispered a ‘please’ he slid her panties off her legs and settled himself between them.

Liz’s hips came off the bed the instant his tongue had replaced his fingers. As she began to toss her head back and forth, Max gently gripped her hips to hold her steady as he pleasured her with his tongue. He was rewarded with plenty of breathy moans and a rush of her juices against his tongue.

Liz could feel the roughness of his tongue sliding along her walls in a slow rhythm as if he were coaxing her into a climax. Suddenly he pulled his tongue out and flicked her bundle of nerves in a quick succession making her toes curl.

Just when she thought she couldn’t take that any longer, he replaced his tongue with his mouth and began sucking in earnest. Liz couldn’t stop her hips from bucking each time his mouth pulled on her even though he was still holding her down. She flung her hands out to her sides and grabbed hold of the comforter. She needed an anchor because she could feel herself beginning to spiral out of control.

She breathed his name as a plea for release and Max gave her what she wanted. As his mouth continued to feast on her, he slid two fingers inside of her and pumped in time to the rhythm of his mouth. It didn’t take but a few times before Liz’s body arced off the bed and a wail of satisfaction tumbled from her lips.

It was a few moments later when she finally opened her eyes to see Max next to her, propped on an elbow and smiling down at her. She smiled back and rolled onto her side to face him, cupped his cheek and kissed him hard.

As the kiss deepened, she pushed him onto his back, pulled the dress over her head, tossed it away, and began to feast on him. Max closed his eyes as her lips nibbled and kissed their way along his neck, stopping to suck on a sensitive spot just under his jaw.

Her fingers caressed the skin of his chest as she traced his collarbone with her tongue. She continued to nibble and kiss her way over his chest and ribs, letting her fingers lead the way.

Max slid his fingers into her hair and lifted his head to watch her as she savored his body. He groaned when her tongue dipped into his navel and she looked up at him and winked before going back to her feast.

Her fingers glided along the skin of his abdomen with a feather light touch making him shiver in anticipation. She dipped her head to kiss his hip, then traced the line of it down towards his groin with her tongue. His breath hitched as she got close, but she lifted her head to look at him for a moment before shifting towards his other hip.

Max let his head fall back to the bed with a groan as he felt her breath tickle the head of his shaft. Then she was kissing his other hip and tracing the line with her tongue once more. He closed his eyes and gripped the sheets waiting for her tongue to reach its destination, but she had teased him once more.

He whimpered as her breath tickled the head again and then she began to nibble and kiss the inside of his thigh. Max felt himself jerk, amazed that his thigh was even an erogenous zone for him. As she continued to tease the inside of his thigh, he could feel his pulse beginning to pound.

He moaned when she moved to the inside of his other thigh and couldn’t help lifting his hips in response to her teasing. He jerked once more and let out a gasp when her fingers curled around him and began to slowly stroke him. As she did that, she continued to tease his thighs and Max could feel his toes beginning to curl.

He gritted his teeth and lifted his head, hissing her name in demand. She lifted her eyes to his and he forced himself up to grab her arms and pull her up over him. As their lips crashed together, he rolled them over until she was beneath him again.

Liz automatically lifted her legs and wrapped them around his waist, bringing him down to her. He didn’t even have to guide himself to her opening because she was already so wet and ready for him from what he’d done to her earlier.

Easily slipping inside of her as she lifted her hips to meet his, Max rose up on his elbows wanting to watch his wife’s expressions as he made love to her. He wasn’t disappointed because the moment he started to glide in and out of her, her eyes went to half mast and her mouth formed an ‘o’ indicating she liked how he was making her feel.

He took his time, savoring the way her walls felt as they began to tighten around him. She wasn’t in any rush either as her hands roamed every inch of his body that she could reach even while her hips continued to rise to meet his.

Still, all good things had to come to an end as Liz felt her toes beginning to curl once more. Even Max felt her toes curling against the back of his thighs while their breathing began coming in short pants.

Her fingers moved to grasp his shoulders and she opened her eyes to look up into his. He lowered his body to hers and made his thrusts shorter and faster. She moaned and dug her fingers into his skin, tightening her legs around his body.

Max could feel her breasts flattened against his chest as their hearts pounded in tandem with each others. Within moments her walls began to flutter around his shaft and he heard her breathless voice.

“Yesss, Max!” Then she threw her head back and screamed as she was finally swept away by the orgasm that only her husband could give her.

It was powerful enough to sweep Max along too. He was only a split second behind her, tossing his own head back with a yell of her name as he spilled his love for his wife into her body.

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

Max slowly came awake to the feel of Liz crawling back into his arms. Opening one eye to peek at her, he barely managed a mumble.

“Where’d you go?”

She grinned at him as she snuggled into his side. “I went to make us breakfast in bed.”

He closed his eye again with a smile. “You did, huh?”

She kissed his cheek. “Um hm. So wake up sleepy head. Breakfast is served.”

Max sighed. “I don’t think I got enough sleep yet.”

He heard her chuckle. “Aw, poor baby. Did I wear you out?”

This time he opened his eyes to glare at her. “I’m not the one who fell asleep on you!”

Liz stuck out her bottom lip in a pout. “But I did tell you we’d have this morning and this afternoon too.”

He grinned as he pulled her back into his arms and buried his face in her neck. She giggled when he began nibbling on her neck and tried to nudge him away.

“Max! You liar! You don’t really want to go back to sleep!”

He chuckled against her neck. “Well, not that kind of sleep.”

She laughed this time as she shoved him playfully in the chest and he fell back against the pillows laughing with her. Needless to say, they made short work of breakfast in bed before Liz decided she wanted to try his brand of ‘sleeping’.

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

Nearly two hours later, they both decided to enjoy a shower together in which they took turns bathing each other with the sponge then Liz watched as Max washed his hair before he watched as she washed hers. Watching Max wash his hair then stand under the shower to rinse the suds out was an experience for Liz. She had enjoyed the way the water ran down his body and the way his muscles rippled beneath his skin, but her enjoyment had been nowhere near as good as Max’s had been.

She hadn’t even finished rinsing the suds out of her hair when Max wrapped his arms around her waist, dipped his head, and took one of her breasts in his mouth. She’d gasped in surprise and nearly swallowed a mouthful of water as she tried to ask Max what he thought he was doing.

He mumbled an apology against her breast and said he just couldn’t help himself when she was sticking her chest out so tantalizingly in invitation. She grinned at his reply especially since he hadn’t let up on feasting on her breasts and didn’t seem to be that sorry at all. Still, she knew what he was feeling because she’d felt that way while watching him rinse his hair.

They remained in the shower for a little longer, pleasuring each other with their hands and mouths until the hot water began to run out. Getting out, they dried off and got dressed in shorts and shirts before going to watch a couple of movies in the living room.

As they settled on the couch together, Max looked down at his wife.

“Do you think she misses us?”

Liz sighed against his shoulder. “I don’t know. I guess she misses us as much as we miss her, but I don’t think it’s too bad. I mean if it was unbearable, Maria would have called by now.”

Max nodded.

Liz looked up at him. “Do you want to go get her now?”

Max glanced up at the TV for a moment before shaking his head. “Not yet. Let’s just watch this movie and then we’ll go.”

Liz just looked at him for a moment more as if she wanted to protest, but decided against it and settled back down into his side. Max picked up the remote and started the movie as he settled himself more comfortably against the couch.

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

Two movies and a nap later, they were finally on their way into town to have dinner at the Guerin’s before taking their daughter back home with them. As Liz sat next to Max in the car, she turned to look at his profile. A satisfied smile lingered on his face which only made Liz smile more. Their time together had turned out better than even she had expected.

They’d had a very relaxed, romantic dinner before laying out beneath the stars. Then they’d enjoyed dancing to a few slow jazz numbers before going to bed and making love to each other for most of the night. Liz had gotten up to make breakfast for them to enjoy in bed before they got up to take a shower together. After that they had relaxed on the couch watching movies and napping until it was time to go pick up their daughter.

She’d worried that some of the things she’d planned would have been rushed or hurried, but nothing had been. Both of them had just relaxed and taken things slow. She knew Max had enjoyed the way things had gone and that he had no complaints about the time they’d spent together.

Reaching out to slide her hand behind her husband’s neck, she sighed. “I think we both needed that Max.”

He glanced at her as his smile widened. “Yeah, I think I have to agree.”

She grinned. “You had better! After all the trouble I went through to plan it!”

Max chuckled as he reached back to take her hand in his. Lifting it to his lips, he kissed the back of it and settled their combined hands on his knee. With a smile of her own, Liz leaned back in her seat and looked out of the window.

A few moments later Max gave her hand a squeeze. “Thank you honey. For planning all of that. I enjoyed every moment of it with you.”

She turned to look at him. “Really?”

He nodded. “Really. Just promise me this won’t be the only time we do something like that.”

She grinned. “Only if you promise not to keep your feelings from me.”

He pulled into the Guerin’s driveway and put the SUV in park before turning to grin at her. “It’s a deal Mrs. Evans.”

“In that case Mr. Evans, I promise.”

TBC...

***Only two parts and an epilogue left after this ***

Part 28

Max held his breath as he watched the couple in front of him lean in towards each other. He couldn’t believe it was finally almost over. After months of watching them planning and trying to find time for other things, the day of the Valenti wedding had finally arrived. Nearly a month after Liz had surprised him with the dinner and time alone, things were finally going to calm down again.

He glanced at his wife standing not too far from Tess. When her eyes met his, he gave her a smile which she returned with a wink. Before he had a chance to get lost in her eyes, he heard the priest making it official.

“Ladies and Gentlemen, may I present Mr. and Mrs. Kyle Valenti.”

As he finished, Tess and Kyle turned towards the crowd both wearing huge smiles on their faces. It was very clear that they’d both waited a long time for this occasion. Now, they seemed to be beaming with happiness.

Leading Tess down the aisle, Kyle kept his hand over hers that rested in the crook of his arm. Every so often they smiled and waved at one of their guests until they’d reached the back of the church.

Max had followed behind Kyle with Liz on his arm, while Michael and Maria followed them. Isabel and Tommy went last which cued the guests to leave too. As they reached the back of the church, Liz craned her neck trying to glimpse their daughter somewhere in the crowd.

Max’s parents had come for the wedding and had agreed to watch Destiny while Max and Liz participated. Of course, Max and Liz both knew that Destiny was the main reason why his parents had come to the wedding. Despite the fact that Kyle was Max’s best friend, Phillip and Diane Evans jumped at the chance to be able to spend as much time as they could with their grand-daughter.

From the moment they’d arrived, Liz and Max had barely seen their daughter since she was just as taken with her grandparents as they were with her. In fact, Destiny loved to play peek a boo with her grandpa so often that Max was starting to feel jealous. At least he was until Liz pointed out that Destiny refused to let anyone else sing her to sleep. Only her daddy could sing to her just the way she liked it.

“There they are,” said Liz as Phillip and Diane made their way towards them, Destiny jabbering away in Diane’s arms.

“Well now that was just a very nice, old-fashioned wedding wasn’t it?” remarked Diane.

Liz nodded. “Um hm. Tess wanted a traditional wedding.”

Max grinned. “And of course Kyle wasn’t about to disappoint his bride-to-be.”

As they all chuckled, Liz indicated Destiny with a nod of her head. “Did she give you any trouble during the ceremony?”

Phillip shook his head. “Not a bit. She seemed to be taking everything in. Even her babbling seemed to be muted, as if she knew she couldn’t interrupt anything.”

Diane agreed. “She does seem to know these things, doesn’t she? You know, I think you were like that too Max. Wasn’t he Phillip?”

“Yep. Always seemed to know exactly when to behave and when not be.”

Liz quirked an eyebrow at her husband. “Really? Well then, I guess she really is going to be daddy’s girl, isn’t she?”

Max knew she was picking on him, but at the moment he was too proud of his daughter to care. There was no way he was going to complain if Destiny did indeed turn out to be his girl.

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

“She’s lovely.”

“Yeah, beautiful.”

He heard his mother chuckle. “Max, I was talking about the bride.”

He blinked and turned to look at his mother who was sitting next to him. Destiny giggled as if she’d understood Diane’s joke, prompting Max to look at her. However, Destiny wasn’t looking at them. She was looking in the distance just like he’d been doing.

Destiny giggled again and turned back to look up at her father from her perch on the edge of the table where Max had been holding her. Max smiled at her.

“What’s so funny, huh little one?”

She giggled again and reached out her hand towards him. Flexing her fingers and closing them into a fist, as if she were trying to grasp something, she babbled at her father.

“Dada!”

Max’s eyes went wide. “Oh my… Mom, did you hear her?”

Diane grinned as she leaned in closer. “What’s that Destiny?”

She giggled once more and now waved both hands in front of her in that grasping motion. “Dada!”

Diane beamed at her. “That’s right, honey. That’s your daddy.”

Max couldn’t say a word. He simply stared in awe at his daughter, wondering if she really knew what she was saying.

“Max, come on. Tess wants to take a few pictures with the wedding party. Diane could you watch Destiny for a bit?”

“Of course.”

Max looked up at his wife. “Liz, she said ‘dada’!”

Liz looked at him for a moment before turning to Diane with a look. Diane nodded. “She said it twice. At least that’s what it sounded like.”

Liz turned to lean over Destiny, who was still being held on the edge of the table by Max. “Were you talking to your daddy, little one?”

Destiny giggled, but nothing else came out of her mouth.

The others looked at her for a few more moments before Liz chuckled. “Well, I guess she doesn’t want me to hear it yet. Come on Max.”

Max wasn’t ready to go until Liz could hear Destiny calling him ‘dada’. “Wait a second, she’ll say it again. Just give her a chance…”

Liz gave Max a smile. “I’ll have plenty of time to hear her call you that later.”

“But, she really did say it, Liz.”

Liz nodded. “I know she did. I believe you Max.”

“Max, Liz come on the photographer is waiting!” came Maria’s voice as she rushed past them.

“Okay, we’re coming. Let’s go Max.”

“Just a second…”

Liz sighed. “Max, we can get her to say it later. Please, we don’t want to upset Tess now.”

Diane nodded. “Go on Max. It won’t be the last time Destiny will say it.”

With great reluctance, Max handed his daughter to Diane and got up to join Liz. He leaned down and kissed Destiny on the head before taking Liz’s hand so that they could go have their pictures taken.

Just as they began to walk away, they heard Destiny squeal behind them. Looking over their shoulders, they watched as their daughter flapped her arms in agitation. She was clearly not happy with being left behind.

“Dada, dada, dadaaaaaa!”

As Liz gasped besides Max, Michael came up to them wearing a grin. “Well, well. It seems Destiny has finally learned how to say daddy.” He glanced at Max with a smirk. “You can say goodbye to the word ‘No’.”

As the two proud parents beamed at their daughter, she squealed ‘dada’ a few more times. Finally Max began to make his way back to her, but Liz tugged on his hand.

“Max, pictures.”

He turned to look at Liz. “She’s upset.”

Michael snickered. “Like I said. ‘No’ is history.”

Liz rolled her eyes. “She’ll be fine Max. We won’t be gone long.”

They began to walk away, only to have Destiny begin to wail. At that point, Liz knew it was useless to get Max to leave her behind. So she asked Diane if she’d go with them so she could hold Destiny while they took pictures.

Apparently that was all Destiny had needed. So long as she had her ‘dada’ in sight, she was perfectly content to jabber and giggle happily. Michael and Kyle couldn’t stop joking about Destiny being a ‘dada’s girl’ for the rest of the evening, but Max was still flying high over the fact that everyone had heard his daughter call him her ‘dada’ to care what they said.

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

Liz and Maria were in the bathroom where Liz was changing Destiny’s diaper. Kyle and Tess were currently making the rounds and saying goodbye to everyone at the reception before they left for their honeymoon. Since Michael, Max, Isabel, and Tommy were currently accompanying them, Maria had agreed to help Liz with changing Destiny.

As Liz wadded up the diaper, Maria held out her hand for it. “Here, I’ll throw it away so you can finish putting on the new one.”

Liz quirked an eyebrow as Maria took the diaper and went to dispose of it. When Maria returned, she caught the look Liz was giving her.

“What?”

Liz grinned. “Nothing. Just never thought I’d live to see the day when you didn’t hold the soiled diaper at arm’s length with one hand and pinching your nose closed with the other.”

“Oh please! I’ve never done that!”

At Liz’s look, she amended. “Okay, fine. So I did it the very first time, but it was only because it took me by surprise. That’s all.”

Liz laughed as she finished fastening the diaper on her daughter before she began to do fix her dress. Maria watched as Liz sat Destiny up and began straightening the little cream colored dress she wore. With a sigh, she reached over to help Liz out and ran her fingers through Destiny’s dark locks.

Liz looked up at Maria’s sigh and saw the faraway look she wore. “Don’t worry Maria, it’ll happen.”

Maria blinked as if coming out of a daydream, then smiled at Liz. “Yeah, I know it will.” She paused before adding, “in about six months.”

Liz stared at her. “Six months?”

Maria beamed as she nodded.

“Wait! Then right now, you’re…you’re…”

“Three months pregnant!” Maria boasted as she held up three fingers.

“Oh my God! Maria! Does Michael know?” Liz asked as she hugged her friend with one arm.

Maria laughed. “Of course he knows. He went with me to get the test done about a month ago.”

Liz looked up at her in shock. “Really? How come you’re just now telling me then? Have you said anything to anyone else?”

Maria shook her head. “Not really. Michael and I decided we wanted to wait to announce it after Tess’ wedding. We didn’t want anything to interfere with the wedding and Tess’ happiness since Tess has been waiting for this for so long!”

“Oh Maria! I don’t think Tess would have minded this. After all, we all know how much you and Michael have been wanting this too!”

Maria shrugged, but the smile never left her face. “It’s okay. We’re going to tell Tess and Kyle when they get back from their honeymoon, but I don’t see why I can’t at least share it with you.”

Liz grinned as she hugged Maria once more. “Congratulations Maria, I’m really glad you and Michael are finally going to have a family too.”

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

The rest of the wedding party stood at the end of the driveway waving as the cab that held the newlyweds disappeared into the distance. The entire day had been a success and every single one of them had been glad of it. Even Kyle had been on his best behavior, making sure every little thing was perfect for his bride’s most memorable day.

In the end, it wasn’t just Tess who’d been floating on air and radiating with happiness. Kyle had been just as happy as she was because they’d finally found a way to meet halfway. As Max, Michael, and Tommy had heard it, the newlyweds were now well on their way to having very good communication between themselves.

And Kyle had been just as happy as Tess had been to plan the wedding all the way to the end. That was something neither Max or Michael would have believed if they hadn’t seen it with their own eyes. Everyone agreed that Max was the only male in their group who had ever seemed concerned with all the details. However, Kyle had surprised them all by working just as hard as Tess had to pull the perfect wedding together.

Apparently he had been feeling really, really bad about supposedly neglecting his then girlfriend and missing all the cues that she’d been throwing his way about the progression of their relationship. He’d been too obsessed with trying to figure out how to propose to Tess and worrying if she’d even wanted to marry him that he’d never seen the answers right there in front of him.

But that was all in the past now since the newlyweds were now winging their way towards a week long honeymoon in the Bahamas. Once the cab disappeared completely, the rest of the wedding party began to drift back into the building where the reception was winding down.

Liz tugged on Max’s waist, making him slow down so that they lagged behind the others. As soon as she was sure they wouldn’t be overheard, she leaned in close to Max so that only he could hear her.

“Has Michael told you the news?”

“What news?” he whispered back.

She grinned up at him. “Maria’s pregnant!”

Max stared at her in shock. “Seriously?”

She nodded. “Um hm. Three months! They’ve both known for about a month already.”

Max frowned. “Why haven’t they said anything then?”

“Maria said she and Michael decided to hold off on announcing it until after the wedding. They didn’t want anything to bother Tess’ happiness and all.”

Max grinned. “That sounds like them all right.”

Liz nodded. “They’ll be telling Tess and Kyle when they get back from the honeymoon, but Maria said I could tell you.”

Max shook his head. “Can’t wait to find out why Mike couldn’t at least tell me.”

“Cause you had too many things to deal with on your plate, just like Liz did,” came Michael’s answer as he walked up to them. “That’s why Maria didn’t say anything to Liz until tonight. After all, Tess and Kyle were heading out, so why hide it any longer.”

Liz chuckled. “I take it she just told you that she told me.”

Michael nodded. “Yeah. I was wondering why you two hadn’t come back in with us and she said she saw you two whispering just before she walked inside. Figured you were telling Max the news where no one else could hear. So, I thought I’d come out here and make sure Max knows.”

Max grinned as he held out a hand. “Well, congratulations man. I’m happy for you and Maria.”

Michael grinned. “I’m ecstatic. So is Maria. We can’t wait to be parents.”

Max laughed as he pulled Michael into a brief hug. “It’s an experience you’re gonna love.”

As Maria walked up to them, Max let go of Michael and pulled her into a hug. “Congrats Maria! You’re finally going to be a mommy!”

Maria laughed as she hugged Max back. “Thanks Max. It was a long time in coming, huh?”

Max nodded. “Yeah, but I knew it would happen eventually. You guys deserved it.”

Michael slid his arm around his wife’s shoulders. “So, you ready to start giving me advice Max? Seeing as how you’ve gotten the head start on that experience.”

Max grinned as he slid his arm around his own wife’s shoulder. “I’m here to help you any way I can.”

Liz slid her arm around her husband’s waist and leaned into his side as she grinned at Maria. “It’s the same for me, Maria. You need anything, just ask.”

Maria beamed up at her husband before turning to Liz with a wink. “Thanks Liz.”

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

The moment Liz had walked out of the bathroom into the bedroom, Max swung her up into his arms and carried her to their bed. Liz let out a soft squeal before giggling.

“Max, what are you doing?”

“My parents took Destiny to bed with them. We’ve got the rest of the night to ourselves!” As he finished saying that, he tossed her onto the bed and jumped in next to her.

Liz giggled again. “I see. So, since they’re staying in the one of the downstairs bedrooms on the other side of the house, you think that gives us plenty of room to do what we want.”

Max leaned over her with a wicked grin. “Oh yeah and boy do I got plans!”

Once more Liz giggled, but soon those giggles turned to soft moans. And a few moments later, her husband’s deeper moans joined hers as she began to give as good as she got.

TBC...

Part 29

Nearly ten months later found Liz sat at the computer looking at the details for the catering business she’d been hoping to start someday. As she perused it, wondering if it was even worth it anymore, she heard her husband’s voice calling out her name from downstairs.

“I’m up here in the Great Room!” she called back.

As she began to save her work, she heard Max climbing the stairs to the Great Room. The moment he appeared on the landing, twenty-one month old Destiny let out a squeal of joy and ambled towards her father.

“Daddy! Play!” she insisted as she waved her hand towards the toys spread out on the floor in front of the computer desk Liz was sitting at.

Max set down his things near the couch and scooped up his daughter in his arms. Turning her on her side to expose her tummy, he blew a raspberry making her laugh with delight. Pulling her back up, he kissed her cheek and walked towards Liz with a smile.

Still holding Destiny, he leaned down to kiss Liz’s cheek. “Hi honey.”

Liz winked at him. “You’re home.”

Max chuckled. “Yep. And I’ve come bearing gifts. Sort of.”

Liz arched an eyebrow in question. “What kind of gifts?”

Before Max could answer, Destiny began hitting his chest and cheek with her small hands. “Daddy! Plaaaaaaay!” she whined.

Max pulled her in for a series of kisses all over her face, making her giggle. “Honey, Daddy will play with you in just a second okay? Right now, he’s got to talk to mommy real quick.”

Destiny pouted, but didn’t say anything as Max turned back to Liz who was waiting patiently for him to answer her.

“It’s not really gifts, plural. Before I tell you what it is, I want to know if you’ve got any plans for next week?”

Liz leaned in to shut the computer off. “Next week?”

Max glanced at the computer with a nod. “Yeah.” As Liz shook her head, he frowned at the computer. “What were you working on?”

“Oh, it was nothing. Just keeping myself busy while Destiny played.”

Max looked at her for a moment before sighing as he looked down at his daughter. She was still pouting and suddenly he felt like doing just the same thing to Liz. He remained silent as he lifted a hand to run through Destiny’s dark curls, enjoying the way her hair felt just as soft and silky as her mother’s.

Liz watched Max for a few moments, knowing exactly what he was thinking. She knew she didn’t have to tell him what she’d been doing. Max always knew exactly what Liz was working on when she was anywhere near a computer or the kitchen. When he still didn’t say anything, but continued to look at their daughter wearing nearly the same pouty face as she wore, Liz had to say something.

“Max, I was just making notes.”

He nodded. “Right.”

She rolled her eyes. “I was!”

He sighed and turned to look at her. “How are the plans coming along?”

She shrugged. “They’re not. Really. I just don’t have the time for it right now.”

He nodded again as he looked back at Destiny. “You’ve been looking at them a lot lately though.”

“I know. I’m just trying to figure out some things, that’s all.”

He turned to look at her once more. “Like what?”

“Like all the time I’m going to have to invest in the business if I were to start it. And how it’s going to affect everyone around me.”

Max sighed. “Maybe you should just give it another year or two. You know, wait until Destiny doesn’t need us so much.”

She nodded. “Yeah, that’s what I’ve been thinking. Actually maybe a little longer than that. So anyway, what’s up?”

“Oh well do you have any plans next week?”

Liz shook her head. “None that I know of.”

“Great. So, since our second year anniversary is coming up, I thought you might be up for going on a one week honeymoon trip with your husband to a cabin surrounded by snow, mountains, and lots of wilderness?”

Liz sprang up from her chair with a squeal. “You serious?”

He grinned. “Yep.”

She started to bounce on her feet until she noticed Destiny still pouting on her father’s hip. “Oh, but what about Destiny, Max? We can’t leave her for that long can we?”

Max turned to look at his daughter with a reassuring smile. As he ran his fingers through her hair he spoke, “Would you believe Tess and Kyle have volunteered to take Destiny in for the week?”

Liz raised a skeptical eyebrow. “Is that wise?”

Max chuckled. “Oh come on Liz, I think Tess is a very good choice for taking care of our daughter. Besides, the Valentis want some practice with children too. However, if it makes you feel any better, Maria and Michael both said they’d look in from time to time in between taking care of their four month old.”

“Hm, well I guess I can trust them then,” she said with a grin.

Max winked at her before turning to his daughter. “What do you say Destiny? Wanna go stay with Tess and Kyle?”

Destiny giggled. “Tesssss!”

Max laughed as he looked back at his wife. “Well, I guess that’s a yes. What do you say honey? Wanna go spend a week all alone with me in a remote mountain cabin?”

Liz laughed as Max wiggled his eyebrows suggestively. “Hm, let me think.” As she paused Max gave her a mock gape.

“Of course I do!” she exclaimed.

Max grinned as he pulled her into a hug. “Trust me honey, this is something we’ll both enjoy.”

Liz wrapped her arms around his waist and laid her cheek against his chest. Looking up at Destiny with a secret smile. “Yes, I think you’re right about that.”

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

Max glanced at Liz as she continued to look out of the window, watching the scenery pass by. He reached out and took her hand in his, giving it a gentle squeeze.

As she turned to smile at him he asked, “You okay?”

She nodded. “Um hm. It looks so nice out here Max.”

“Yeah, it really does.”

As Max continued to drive the rental SUV through the winding roads towards the cabin resort they’d be staying at for a week, he and Liz enjoyed the lush greenery along the way.

Tess and Kyle had driven the two of them bright and early on Monday morning to the airport. Once there, Max and Liz had said goodbye to their daughter and made sure the Valentis had all the instructions and supplies they needed to care for Destiny for the week. As usual, while Liz had been worried about her daughter’s care in the days leading up to their trip, Max was the one who was finding it hard to leave her behind.

Still, they had managed to get to their flight on time and spent nearly three hours in the air before arriving at their destination. After gathering up their bags, they went to the rental company inside the airport where Max already had a reservation for a SUV to make the hour drive to the remote cabin resort.

The moment they left the city limits, the scenery went from concrete and buildings to lots of rolling hills and colorful fields. Half an hour out, the scenery changed once more from hills to mountains and so many huge, green firs so thick that they began to obscure the view of the mountains in the distance.

Not only were they now surrounded by so many trees, but the road began to lazily curve through those trees when it had gone from a straight drive out of the city, to a up and down drive through the hills. Still, the fact that the scenery changed was a bonus for them as it kept them awake throughout the drive.

A little over an hour out of the city, Max finally saw the sign that indicated the entrance to the cabin resort they would be staying at. He turned into the natural driveway that stretched back into the land for about two miles before ending at the main check-in lodge of the resort.

Pulling the SUV into a parking spot, he turned to Liz with a grin. “You want to wait here while I go check in and get the key?”

Liz nodded. “Sure.”

Max leaned over to give her a kiss on the lips. “I’ll be right back. Okay honey?”

Liz smiled at him as he got out of the car. She watched Max walk up the steps to the porch, then waited until he’d reached the door to the office before she turned around to take in the scenery.

Now she could see the mountains rising once again somewhere behind the lodge since the trees weren’t so dense around the resort. Snow capped the mountains, but down where they were it was nothing but lots of green grass and several winter flowers decorating the landscape.

She rolled down her window and took a deep breath of the fresh air. Smiling when she recognized the scent of grass, flowers, and pine trees. She swore she could even smell a faint hint of snow too.

A few minutes later, Max returned and climbed back into the driver’s side with a grin. “Okay, we’re good to go.”

Liz chuckled as Max pulled the SUV out of the parking space and drove to a path that went around the right side of the lodge. As Max followed a map he held in one hand, Liz looked at the surroundings some more.

They began to pass several more dirt paths that branched out from the main dirt path they were on which Liz guessed had to lead to other guest cabins like the one they would be staying in. At each of the turnoffs, there was an antique looking sign with the name of a type of tree branded on it which could only be the way each cabin was identified rather than using numbers.

When Max smiled and said, “Birch cabin, there’s our turnoff,” Liz knew she’d been guessing correctly.

Max turned onto the path that was marked with the antique sign that said Birch and followed it for about two miles until it ended at the steps of a rustic looking log cabin. As Max pulled the SUV to a stop near the side of the cabin, Liz couldn’t help but smile at what she was seeing.

The cabin was literally almost at the base of the mountains behind it. From where she sat, she could see the snow covering the mountains and the pine trees that created spots of green on the snow. She could even see the tiny dots of what had to be people skiing on the mountain since she caught sight of the cable cars in the distance to the left of their cabin.

Max turned off the car and began to open his door. “Come on honey, let’s go and have a look at our home for the week.”

Liz literally bounced out of her seat and joined Max at the bottom of the steps to the cabin. Sliding her hand into the hand he held out for her, she let him lead her up the steps to the front door. Max unlocked the door with the key, pushed it in, and walked in with Liz behind him.

As Max shut the door behind them, Liz gazed in awe of the inside of the cabin. They were standing at the beginning of a huge living room complete with a five piece sectional couch, two matching lounge chairs, and a big screen television with an entertainment system built around it.

Clearly the ‘rustic-looking’ cabins were anything but that on the inside. The outside of the cabins were designed to fit in with the landscape, but the inside of the cabins were designed with the perks of modern living.

Just beyond the huge sliding glass doors at the back of the living room was a huge deck complete with a barbeque pit on one end and an iron table with a granite top for four and four matching iron chairs with waterproof cushions lining the seats and backs was in the center. On the other end of the deck were two chaise lounges and a low rectangular table that matched the iron and granite table set.

The kitchen was clearly visible through the door to the left of the living room. While it wasn’t state of the art appliances, they were still rather nice for the cabin. At the front of the rectangular kitchen was a small wooden breakfast table for four and matching chairs with blue cushions.

The blue matched the blue cabinets that lined most of the far wall of the room as well as from the door to the back of the kitchen where there was another sliding door leading to the deck. Mixed in with the cabinets along the far wall were the stainless steel double sink, refrigerator, and dishwasher. The stove was against the back wall near the sliding glass doors to the deck. A coffee machine and microwave sat on the cabinets opposite the sink and refrigerator.

The bedroom was to the right of the living room with the bathroom at the front of the rectangular area. The bathroom itself was rectangular in shape with the toilet set against the wall that separated the bathroom from the bedroom. On the other side of the door from the toilet was the double vanity sinks set into granite that was the same as the same stone as the kitchen. The combination shower and garden tub took up most of the far wall with a linen closet on the right side of it.

Just like the kitchen, there was a sliding door at the back of the bedroom that led to the deck which was hidden with thick navy blue draperies. The king sized four poster bed, sat against the far wall of the room draped with a thick navy blue comforter that matched the drapes and a light blue cotton sheet set. The bedroom was the only room with a carpet which was so thick and luxurious that your feet seemed to disappear into it.

After Max and Liz took in the perks of the entire cabin, Max wrapped his arm around his wife’s waist and asked, “What do you think?”

She laughed. “What do I think? I think I’m awed at what my amazing husband always seems to come up with! This place is wonderful Max!”

Max smiled as Liz hugged him tightly. “Happy anniversary Liz.”

She giggled. “Happy anniversary Max!”

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

As the sun disappeared behind the snow capped mountains, Max and Liz sat curled up beneath a blanket on one of the chaise lounges watching the colorful display in the distance. Both of them were now feeling a bit rested and full as the night began.

Once they’d unpacked their belongings and settled in, they had taken an hour nap before getting up to take a quick shower together. After the shower, both of them contributed to making dinner in the kitchen that had been well stocked according to Max’s instructions when he’d reserved the cabin.

They had eaten their dinner out on the deck then took the remains back into the kitchen and cleaning up a bit. By that time the sun had begun to set, so they decided to grab a blanket and share a chaise to watch the sunset.

Liz sighed against Max’s chest as the last rays of light disappeared from the sky. “It’s really beautiful out here.”

Max nuzzled her hair as he held her close. “Yeah, this definitely tops all the camping trips I’ve taken.”

Liz laughed as she sat up to look into his eyes. “You got snow on your camping trips?”

He shook his head. “No, but I did get lots of trees and mountains. Still I don’t think they looked as good as these do. Of course, it could be because of the company I was in.”

Liz grinned at him. “Oh honey, there’s no need to turn on the charm. I can already hear that huge warm bed calling our names.”

Max chuckled. “Oh you can, can you?”

She leaned closer to him until her chest rested against his. Brushing her lips over his she murmured. “Um hm. You ready to answer the call husband of mine?”

Max smiled against her lips. “You know it, wife of mine.”

As their lips met in a kiss, Max shifted his wife in his arms so that he could rise to his feet while holding her. Liz wrapped her arms around Max’s shoulders and deepened the kiss as he carried her into the bedroom and laid her gently on the bed.

Without breaking their kiss, Liz pulled Max down over her and ran her hands through his hair. Max trailed kisses down her neck and chest before rolling them over so that they were in the middle of the bed and Liz was on top.

Their lips came together for another long kiss until Liz slowly sat up and straddled her husband’s chest. As they shared a smile, Liz took hold of her shirt and lifted it over her head. When she tossed it to the side, Max sat up and reached behind her to undo her bra.

Liz closed her eyes for a few moments to enjoy the feel of Max’s hands on her breasts before she reached down to remove his shirt. The moment the shirt was off, Max lay back down and pulled Liz with him. Once more they rolled over until Max was on top.

Working in synchronicity like that, they removed the rest of their clothing until they were making love in the king-sized bed of the cabin, on the first night of their one week honeymoon that had been two years in the making.

TBC...