Part Seven
Liz led Max into her bedroom, letting the door bang shut behind her as he swept her into his arms, pressing her against the dark wood and capturing her lips with his. Her heart pounded in her chest and the tips of her fingers tingled in response to his hot caresses. She shuddered as Max slid his warm hands up her sides, his thumbs just barely brushing her breasts through her thin blouse, before he reached her armpits, gently urging her arms upwards, his fingers trailing along her bare skin until his fingers entwined with hers above her head and he was effectively pinning her to the door.
"Oh God," she sighed, as his tongue slid between her lips, deepening the kiss.
She shifted restlessly against him, knees growing weak with desire as her lower body came into contact with his and she felt the hard muscles of his thighs flex against her. She rocked her hips in response, causing Max to let out a strangled gasp, his hands releasing hers and dropping to her waist. His mouth still firmly attached to hers, he reached for her blouse, his fingers slipping beneath the light material to graze her lower back, before sliding his hands up over her warm skin taking the blouse with them.
He pulled the garment upwards, only breaking their kiss to lift it over her head and then let it fall to the floor. Liz used the opportunity to lower her arms, draping them around his neck so she could run her fingers through his soft, thick hair. She let out a breathy moan when she felt his large, warm hands on the bare skin of her stomach, fingers lightly trailing across her skin, journeying upwards towards her lace-covered breasts.
"Max…"
She could take it no longer, she needed more… untangling her fingers from his hair, she ran her hands down over his shoulders and back, tugging at his T-shirt. Max broke the kiss for a moment, giving her his famous half-smile as he reached for the shirt and pulled it over his head. His hands came down to rest on her hips and Liz shivered, not only because of the cool air on her bare skin, but also because the sight of Max Evans, half-naked and currently pinning her to her own bedroom door was sending curls of heat through her abdomen.
Her gaze locked with his and for a moment, time stood still. A silent understanding passed between them as they stood facing each other, breathing heavily. Taking a step back, Max offered her his hand and she took it, moving away from the door. Taking the initiative, she led him toward the bed, stopping just a foot away when Max reached for her. He slid his hand under her chin, gently lifting it so he could kiss her once more. Her arms wound around his neck while he enveloped her in his, holding her to him tightly as she lost herself in him.
They sank down onto the bed, Max hovering above Liz as they continued to kiss, one hand supporting her back, the other placed on the bed next to her head. She let her legs fall open so he could settle between them and they both inhaled sharply as denim met denim. Max pressed his lower body against hers, allowing her to feel the effect she had on him and her back arched, her head falling back against the pillow, her body tingling in response to his close proximity.
Max took this opportunity to explore her body more fully, his lips kissing a soft trail along her jaw line, down the gentle curves of her neck and over her collarbone. As he continued his ministrations lower towards her chest, Liz let her hands roam across his shoulders, feeling the tight muscles move beneath his flawless skin as his mouth reached her breasts and worked its magic. The hand supporting her back slid upwards and his fingers worked quickly to unhook her bra. Max shifted to the side so he could slide the lacy material down her arms and she let go of him so he could dispose of the item completely.
Their eyes met and he gave her a soft smile, as he lightly caressed her bare breast with his fingers, leaving a light trail of white powdery sugar on her skin. Liz gazed up at him, a smile tugging at her own lips as she took in his dishevelled appearance. His hair was sticking up in all directions, streaks of icing mix creating white highlights in his otherwise dark locks… he looked irresistible.
She reached for him, her arms winding around his neck once more as she kissed his lips, urging him on top of her. She let out a small moan as her bare skin came into intimate contact with his chest and her hips rocked urgently beneath his. Not breaking the kiss, Max reached between their bodies, quickly unzipping first her jeans then his own. Shifting so he could kneel, he slid his hands inside her waistband and Liz lifted her hips so he could manoeuvre the denim over them and down her legs. His jeans quickly followed and he moved to stretch his body over hers, their underwear the only remaining barrier between them.
Liz shuddered, feeling his muscular thighs pressing against hers and his arousal nestled intimately between her legs. Her heart was beating wildly and she could feel a knot of anticipation tightening in her stomach. However, all conscious thought flew from her mind as Max reached down, sliding his fingers beneath the elastic of her knickers, gently caressing the small bundle of nerves at her centre. She gasped for breath at his intimate strokes, as she clung to his shoulders. His mouth nipped and nuzzled her neck while his fingers continued to tease her, bringing her closer and closer toward ecstasy.
But just when she was on the brink of release, he stopped, removing his hand and lifting his head from her neck. Placing his hands on either side of her head and supporting himself on his elbows, he gazed down at her.
"Liz…"
She smiled softly, "Max…?"
"I…" he trailed off, seemingly unsure of what he wanted to say.
Liz slowly shook her head as if she instinctively knew what was on his mind, "Don't say anything. Don't think. Just feel."
"Okay," he whispered, with a slight smirk.
"I want you," murmured Liz feverishly, as he lowered his head toward her mouth, "so much."
Their lips met in a frenzied, passionate embrace, as they clung to each other, lower bodies rocking together intimately, seeking out a release from the overwhelming tension they felt. Within seconds, their underwear was gone and it was just hot skin against hot skin. Liz sighed and moaned as she felt Max's arousal pressing against her damp centre, gently brushing her clit as they gently moved together, anticipating what was to come.
Max raised his mouth from where it was caressing her shoulder to her ear.
"Do you have…?"
"Yeah," she murmured, in answer to his unspoken question, "in the drawer next to the bed."
"Okay."
He lifted his upper body off her so he could open the drawer and pull out a condom. Liz just watched in silence as he opened the small packet and quickly rolled it on, before positioning himself at her entrance.
Liz's stomach muscles tightened involuntarily as he slowly entered her, a soft gasp escaping from her lips at the pleasurable sensation. Max too let out a small groan as he moved his hips, pushing deeper inside her.
The pressure began to build as Max's strokes became more powerful and the pleasure started to drive Liz crazy. Her whole body was tingling and she was gasping for breath as she clung to him. Sex had never felt like this before, and as Max gazed down at her, his lower body thrusting into hers, she was hit with a moment of clarity. This was how it was supposed to be. This is what she'd been missing out on all this time.
Max lay on his back beneath the bedcovers, the sheets cradling his waist. With one hand draped across his forehead, he tried to catch his breath.
"Wow," sighed Liz, from her position beside him.
"Yeah," he murmured in agreement, "wow is about right."
In fact, 'wow' didn't even begin to describe the incredible sex he'd just had. He'd never experienced anything so intense… so right… before, and he'd been with his fair share of women in the past. He'd been so stupid, he realised then, to just settle for a few casual dates and the odd hook-up with Anna, when the right person had been there under his nose… well, under his mother's nose… all this time. Granted, he'd only known Liz for a day or so, but he'd never felt this way about anyone before and looking back, it had been so unfair on both him and Anna to keep on spending 'quality' time together when they both knew that nothing would ever come of it.
"Max?" Liz's gentle tone snapped him out of his thoughts.
"Yeah?" he let his arm drop and looked over at her; she had shifted onto her front, her elbows propping her up as she observed at him.
"I, um," she started, suddenly lowering her gaze to her hands nervously. "What, um… I mean, is this…?"
Max ran his hand down her arm as he turned onto his side to face her more fully.
"You know what? I'm not really sure what this is," he answered truthfully. "But what I do know is that you make me feel things I've never felt before."
"I do?" she asked, somewhat uncertainly.
"You do," he confirmed with a smile. "The moment I laid eyes on you in the kitchen yesterday, I felt this… connection to you."
"Me too," admitted Liz. "I felt it too."
They shared a smile, as Max leaned in a little closer.
"There's just something about you, Liz Parker," he murmured, resting his forehead against hers. "I can't stop thinking about you."
He gave her a gentle kiss and was about to deepen it when Liz pulled away abruptly, "What's the time?"
She sat up enough to see the clock on the table behind Max, "Shit, it's ten-fifteen! Mum and Dad will be back soon, the kitchen is a mess and I still have to finish the Log… and look at us, we're all gross. Oh God, they're gonna know!"
"Hey, it's okay," Max grabbed her arm before she could scramble out of the bed. "Just stay calm. Why don't you go take a shower and I'll go downstairs and clean up the kitchen. Then when you're done, I'll use the shower and you can finish the cake."
"Okay," sighed Liz, moving off the bed and reaching for the towel draped on the chair, "okay. Right. Shower."
Max grinned as she wrapped it around her naked body and headed out of the room. He let his head drop back against the pillows, relaxing for a moment, before he had to get dressed and go downstairs.
"Right, I think we're almost done," announced Liz at eleven o'clock, as she spread the last few spoonfuls of chocolate buttercream onto the rolled-up cake. "Turkey is cooking, roast potatoes are in the oven and the Log is nearly finished."
Max grinned and ran a hand through his hair, still slightly wet from the shower, "You've done well."
He dipped his finger into the mixing bowl, scooping up a small amount of icing and bringing it to his mouth.
"Hey!" Liz swatted at his hand. "You're not supposed to eat that now."
"Aw, come on," he teased. "You know you want some too."
"I do not," she protested. "I am perfectly capable of waiting until it's finished and ready to eat after dinner."
"Oh, I beg to differ," countered Max with a wicked grin, as he smeared some of the cream on her lips.
"Max!" she laughed, lifting her hand to wipe it off.
"Wait," he stopped her. "Let me."
Slowly, he lowered his lips to hers, darting out his tongue to collect some of the icing, before kissing her heatedly. Liz made a strangled noise in her throat, dropping her spatula into the mixing bowl as she got lost in the kiss. However, just as quickly as he'd started, Max pulled away, causing her to sigh in annoyance.
"If I hadn't stopped then, I wouldn't have stopped at all," he explained, "and we don't have time to get carried away right now."
"Yeah, okay," Liz nodded reluctantly, grabbing the spatula again and getting back to the cake.
She worked in silence for a few moments, Max observing her as she put the finishing touches on the cake, but as she sprinkled some icing sugar over the top, simulating snow, and added a couple of decorations, she spoke up.
"I probably should have said something sooner, but, um… don't you have a girlfriend back in LA? I mean, what about that gorgeous redhead you've been pictured with recently… and there've been reports about you and Isabel Ramirez in the past…"
"You read the tabloids?" teased Max, unfazed by her questions. There was very little truth to the most of the stories printed about him and he had learned not to let them affect him. "I'd never have guessed."
"Max," warned Liz, showing that she was serious.
"No, I don't have a girlfriend, Liz," he reassured her. "Isabel is a very good friend of mine… we grew up together in Roswell, but she's more like a sister to me than anything else. Those reports were fabricated just to sell papers."
"Okay," Liz nodded. "And the other girl… Anna? You're always seen with her at premieres and publicity events… Serena is convinced you two are secretly engaged or something."
"Serena, huh?" he raised an eyebrow.
Liz rolled her eyes, "She's a big fan of yours."
"She is, huh?" wondered Max, nodding in appreciation, resting his elbow against the counter.
"Hey!" Liz swatted his arm. "We're getting off topic here."
"Okay," Max sighed. "Anna and I… we're friends. We dated for a while a few years ago, but it didn't work out… we just weren't compatible as a couple," he admitted. "But we remained close friends and she accompanies me to social events – I prefer to have her there as a friend rather than some random date."
He chose not to reveal the specifics of their recent relationship, especially considering that it was moot now anyway. He and Anna had agreed that if either of them met someone special and entered into a serious relationship, their arrangement would cease. And now that he had met Liz, Anna was definitely the furthest thing from his mind.
Liz nodded, opening her mouth to reply, but she was interrupted by the sound of the front door opening.
"Liz, Max, we're home! I hope you're ready for presents!"
After all the presents had been distributed and opened, Max, Liz, Jeff and Nancy headed into the dining room for Christmas dinner. Jeff and Max made light conversation while Nancy and Liz prepared the food and brought it out to the table.
The atmosphere was relaxed and fun, with Nancy recalling the church service and the friends she and Jeff had bumped into there, and then reminiscing with stories of past Christmases when Liz was a child. Jeff spent several minutes telling some of the silly festive jokes he'd overheard at work, before Nancy eventually managed to stop him and direct the conversation towards Max and his family. After the main course, Jeff left the room to open a bottle of wine, while Nancy cleared away the plates and went to fetch the dessert, leaving Max and Liz alone at the table. They shared a secret smile as Liz trailed her foot up over his shin suggestively.
"Anyone for some Yule Log?" asked Nancy, reappearing in the doorway with a cake board in her hands. Jeff stood behind her with a now-opened bottle of bubbly.
She placed it on the table and began cutting slices for everyone. As Liz tucked into the rich cake, she caught Max's eye, her breath catching in her throat as he smiled that gorgeous half-smile and raised an eyebrow at her.
Silently, she thanked her mum for having the brilliant idea of inviting Diane Evans' son to stay with them for Christmas. It was the best present she could have received.
"So, Max, Liz," said Nancy, as she finished her slice of chocolate log. "You two have fun together this morning?"
Oh crap, thought Liz, sharing a 'deer caught in headlights' look with Max across the table.
How the hell did she know?
The End
(Epilogue to follow…)
