Chapter Thirty-Six Part Three:
Releasing her hand Max leaned on the closed door, crossed his arms over his chest as his gaze roamed her beautiful face before it shot to her eyes holding it captive with his. Liz stood in the middle of the room frowning at him puzzled by his odd behavior.
"What gives Max, you totally blew off Alex?" She cupped her hips with her hands and shifted her weight to her left leg as she tried to read the strange mood he was in, but she couldn't interpret anything from him.
Max pushed away from the door slowly making his way to her, never breaking the hold he held on her eyes. Raising his hand he ran the back of it down her cheek, barely touching her flesh, but he didn't miss the shiver that raced through her.
"Max.."
His eyes shot to her moist lips and lingered for a moment before it connected with hers again. Gripping the material covering his flesh he pulled it from the confines of his jeans then reached for the buckle of his belt releasing it. Liz knew every path his hand traveled even though he held complete control and no matter how hard she tried she couldn't tear her eyes away from his. Her heart raced at the sound of his zipper descending. The sound loud in the quiet room created a tingling in the pit of her stomach that sent a rush of blood to her brain causing an unfocused spell upon her.
She opened her mouth, but no words emerged, her body shook from the unusual tension consuming the closed structure. The moisture in her mouth suddenly evaporated as his hand touched the top button of his shirt releasing it only to move on to the next and then the next until his shirt laid open and he was pulling the material away leaving only the beautiful sight of his body.
His body trembled slightly unnoticed by her, the blood in his vein circulated rapidly as he drew a huge quantity of air into his lungs. He pulled his lower lip between his white teeth as he reached for the shoe covering his right foot yanking his socks off with it and then pulled free the other. He reached for the hem of her dress pulling it slowly over her body revealing her flesh to him. "Liz." He whispered, closing the distances between them and encasing her in his arms. He allowed his lips to brush hers once, twice before he ran his hand over her shoulder then down her arm slowing taking her hand in his.
Max closed his eyes for a moment, shaking his head as the episodes in her life that she'd confessed to Alex consumed him. Episodes that enraged him to the point that he knew if he'd known when he had that bastard on his knees he would have killed him. Tugging her to the bed he sat her down and stood in front of her staring into her face. He pushed his jeans down his legs and stepped out of it, then kicked it away.
"What's wrong, Max?"
Sitting next to her Max took a deep breath and released the emotion consuming him as the concern in her voice finally penetrated the fog clouding in mind. He leaned over and kissed her lips slowly for a few moments before he pulled away and met her eyes. "There's nothing wrong I just need to hold you."
"Why won't you tell me what's wrong?" Liz pulled her eyes away from his and stared at her hands in her lap.
"I don't want to talk about it, at lease not tonight." Crawling to the far side of the bed he leaned his elbow on the pillow and extended his other hand smiling at her. "Tonight the only thing I want to do is hold you close to me and talk until we fall asleep in each other arms."
She took his hand and allowed him to tug her to him, allowed him to move them both into a comfortable position before she asked. "What do you want to talk about?"
"You." He whispered, his breath tingling her ear as he pulled her closer to him.
"Me? I don't think there's any thing about me that you don't already know, Max."
"Of course there is. Tell me some of the things you and Maria did when you were little."
"We were very adventurous kids; I wouldn't know where to begin." Liz took a deep breath and then let it out on a loud sigh. Max's hand had inadvertently wandered to her belly button and he was tracing a circle around it. His hand barely touched her, but her body tingled neither the less. She could tell that he was totally ignorant of the affect his touch had on her.
"I remember once when Michael and I were having lunch at the Crashdown you and Maria was telling Alex about something you and she had done earlier that day. Something about oranges and an evil old lady that lived down the street."
Liz frowned as she tried to remember what he was talking about. "Oh." She laughed when what he was referring to dawned on her. "Old Mrs. Foster. I haven't thought about her in years." Her body shook, as she laughed harder. "You remember that?"
"Yeah.I remember."
"Max, that was over six years ago, why would you remember something so insignificant?"
"It made you laugh."
Liz turned in his arms surprised by his answer. She frowned at him for a moment in wonder before cupping his face with her hands and a smile graced her face. "You are totally unique, Max. I think I could live for eternity and never meet anyone remotely close to the perfection that you are."
"What are you trying to do Liz, make me blush?" And that was exactly what he was doing she realized as she watched he's face turn a bright pink. Max Evans was blushing.
The smile died on her lips as she stared at him, her heart racing as she ran her hand down his cheek slowly. Max moaned as he leaned his head back closing his eyes at the feel of her touch. He covered her hand on his face then opened his eyes and looked at her. 'Wrong place, wrong time.' He kept repeating in his head.
Her mouth descended on his shattering the words running through his mind. One of her hand worked its way through his hair while the other rested on his chest. She could feel the fast thumping of his heart beneath her fingertips and hers mimicked its movement. Max grabbed the back of her head deepening the kiss as their surroundings started to disappear and nothing mattered but the compelling ache in his body. He vaguely felt her hand drift down his chest, glide over his abdomen until his body jerked forcefully and he suddenly pulled away drawing huge amount of air into his lungs.
"I promised myself I would be good tonight." He said trying to make her understand. Liz smiled at him shaking her head her lids drawn half mass. "Don't look at me like that or I might forget all my good intentions." He drew his eyes away from her and stared across the room.
Liz touched his bottom lip with her finger, running the tip of it over the smooth texture of its surface. She could feel his breath rushing from his body, could feel the tremors her touch triggered. "Are you sure Max?" She asked moving the finger down his chin, over the vein that was beating rapidly at his throat, down the hard masculine chest that always held such fascination to her. Leaning until she was a hair breath from his ear she whispered. "I'm game if you are, Max."
Max's eyes shot open wide as he drew his attention back to her. 'I'm game if you are.' Her voice seemed to echo in his mind over and over again until everything in him wanted to say the hell with it and just take and give the love they both wanted to share. "Wrong place, wrong time." He frowned as he heard the words that had just left his lips. Had he just voiced those dreadful words out loud he wondered? As he watched her face frown in confusion he knew without a doubt that he had.
"Wrong place, wrong time?" Liz questioned as she pulled away from him to sit Indian style on the bed. "Okay. that's a statement that has to be explained."
"Come on sweetheart. why don't we forget the past twenty minutes happened and we go back to old Mrs. Foster and the oranges?" He begged as he lay back on the bed, both hands under his head and stared up at the ceiling.
"Mmmm.. Sounds like a plan, but I don't think that forgetting the past twenty minutes is an option Max. Now getting back to Mrs. Foster and the oranges we can do that and I swear I'll keep my hands and mouth to myself on one condition."
"Condition?" He took a deep breath then turned to look at her puzzled by her words. 'I swear I'll keep my hands and mouth to myself.' drifted through his mind testing the control he was forcing on himself.
"Yeah.you don't think that I'm going to let wrong place, wrong time go?"
"I was hoping you would let my slip of the tongue go."
"Ohhhh..Max, your slip is my gain. I would let go.put on hold the past twenty minutes if you clarify what you met by that?"
Max pulled his hands from under his head and covered his face. "God. are we really having this conversation?" He whined.
"Hey. you started it."
"Please don't pull a Maria on me."
"What is that suppose to mean?"
"Damn, I keep sticking my foot in my mouth. This is all your fault." Max accused as he pointed a finger in her direction.
"My fault? Exactly how did you come up with that one, Max?"
"Your little seduction earlier has left me stupid."
"My little seduction? I wasn't the one who blew off one of our friends, who I might add we haven't seen in months and pulled you up here. I wasn't the one who locked us in here and without a word started to strip."
"Seducing you was the last thing on my mind, in fact at the moment I was completely distracted."
"Distracted? Well from the viewers point of view you do distractions very well Max."
"What?" Max laughed grabbing both her arms and pulled her to him. Liz hugged him to her as she laid her head on his chest and threw her right leg over his legs. "I want to be honest with you Liz. I don't want there to be any thing that we can't tell each other. any thing."
Liz didn't miss the undertone of anger that slipped suddenly into his voice. Frowning she pushed her upper body away from him to look into his eyes. "You weren't distracted. you were mad, Max." When he started to shake his head no she gripped his head and held it still. "I don't every want there to be any thing that we can't tell each other." She repeated his words to him.
Max frowned at her. Once again he'd stuck his foot in his mouth, but damn it, he meant ever word. "Yes. yes I was upset."
"No, you were pissed, Max. Along with the other emotions your little performance provided I sensed that to. I just. when you kissed me nothing matter, but the feel of you. I just wanted to ignore everything, but you."
His eyes clouded with need at her words. Pulling her back into his arms he took her mouth wildly before the kiss turned slow and gentle and eventually he ended it. "I don't want to talk about that tonight. As for wrong place, wrong time." He took her chin in his hand and drew her face up to his so that he could look into her eyes. "We've already possessed each other's mind and soul and when we make that final step in our relationship to possess each others bodies, I'll be damn if we will be surrounded by anyone, friends or not. We will be totally alone and there will not be any lingering shadows between us."
She stared at him for a moment her mouth wide open in surprise before she rested her head once again on his chest. She couldn't think of any thing to say to that so she went back to Mrs. Foster and her oranges. "Mrs. Foster lived a few blocks from Maria. Her tree always grew the biggest oranges in her neighborhood, but she never allowed anyone to pick them even though she never did herself. Maria dragged me to her front yard determine that we would be the first to foretaste of the forbidden fruit as she termed it. Mind you Mrs. Foster had this big dog that she kept chained to the tree. I was so scared. I thought." ____________________________________________________________________________ __
Maria walked through the cabin one more time making sure everything was back in its proper place before they left. Blinking her eyes against the glare of the sun that hit her face when she stepped onto the porch she scanned the others packing her mom's and Kyle's car.
"Hey, where's Kyle?" She asked no one in particular.
"I think he's saying bye to you know who." Liz said turning to look in the direction of the three girl's cabin before smiling at Max.
"Yeah, well he better cut it short or he'll be hitching his butt back home." Michael threw the bag in his hands into the trunk then slammed the hood closed.
"I think you've forgotten that one of these cars is his." Maria crossed her arms over her chest and waited for the response she knew was coming.
"And what the hell is your point?" He demanded throwing Kyle's keys up in the air and catching it before he glared at her.
Alex leaned on the side of his rented corvette his arms crossed waiting patiently for them to hit the road. He smiled at Michael and Maria before he looked over at Max and Liz. The grin left his face as he watched them huddled together whispering to them selves. The incident between Max and himself that morning still fresh in his mind, he frowned as he let his arms drop to his side.
All night he tossed and turned, the images of Liz's youth and the terrible fight he'd had with Isabel running through his mind. Leave it to say that when he stumbled out of bed at four in the morning and found Max sitting at the kitchen table he wasn't in high spirits. He hadn't even gotten a word out before Max was on his feet and staring at him across the kitchen. "Sit down, Alex." They stood on opposite sides of the room glazing at each other for a moment before Alex made his way to the table and sat down. Max waited until he was seated before he took his seat again and grabbed the spoon from the bowl in front of him. Spooning some of the cereal in the bowl into the spoon he waited for what ever Alex had to say. He didn't have to wait long; before the spoon was half way to his mouth Alex's voice filled the room.
"I've been trying to understand how this could have gone over looked, Max?" His voice held an edge that stopped the spoon just before it entered Max's mouth.
The spoon hit the porcelain with a loud thump, rattled around in the bowl then came to a sudden stop in the quiet room all the while Max glared at Alex confused. "Excuse me?"
"Don't play dumb, Max. You've been seeing into her mind long before the two of you became a couple. I just want to know how you could have missed something like this?"
"It doesn't work, that way. I can only see what Liz allows me to see." He moved his hand through the air sending the bowl sailing to the middle of the table, his appetite forgotten. "I don't like the imprecation behind your questions, Alex." Max growled at him. He was really trying not to loss his temper because he knew it would only make things worst and he could tell that no amount of talking was going to be enough to easy Alex's mind. "I know you love her, Alex." When Alex started to speak Max cut him off. "That's the only reason why I'm still sitting at this table."
"What did you do?"
Max stared at him frowning for a moment before he moved his chair closer to Alex's. "No matter what I say it will never be enough. I'll let you see the past few months for yourself and you tell me what we should have done to that bastard."
Taking Alex's face within his hands he made the connection quickly allowing him only to see what was important for him to understand the past few months nightmare. When Max drew away Alex jumped to his feet tipping his chair over. His face white from the rage and shock that was running through him, he turned and headed out to the kitchen.
"Alex." He stopped half way out of the room and turned back to stare at Max. "You and I will never speak of this again."
"You should have killed that bastard." Was Alex's only retort before he turned and disappeared through the door.
Max stared at the vacate door a moment before he whispered. "I would have if I'd known what she told you."
The sound of Maria's ear piercing scream brought him out of his reverie. Turning his head towards her he couldn't but laugh at the scene that met him.
"Put me down you big gorilla." She screamed again trying to struggle out of Michael's grip.
"I thought you wanted to fly." Michael held her, pressing her thighs high on his chest as he swung her around.
"Michael." She screamed again laughing. "I didn't..didn't say I wanted to fly. Clean your ear out space."
"What was that?" He swung her around faster.
"Nothing. I didn't say anything. Now put me down, Michael."
Loosen his grip he let her slide down his body until they were leveled eye to eye. "Any time you feel like flying, I'm your man."
Struggling to her feet Maria laughed at him, hitting his arms playfully. "I didn't say I wanted to fly, Michael. I said that was the only thing Drew Barrymore in Ever After couldn't do."
"Ever After? Isn't that a chic movie?"
"Chic movie or not she kicked butt."
"What's the whole up now?" Isabel demanded stepping out onto the porch pushing her sunglasses onto her face. Alex drew his attention to her at once. Watched as she tossed her long blonde hair to one side then side off the porch.
"God. she's beautiful." He whispered to him self, his heart suddenly racing in his chest as he watched her cross over to Max and Liz.
"Why don't someone go over there and drag his butt back here, I don't think I can stand this place for another minute." He heard her yell at Max.
'Give it a rest Isabel. What's the rush? We'll be back in Roswell soon enough.'
He had to fight the laughter that fought to be released when she balled her hands into fists and stomp her feet on the ground when Max turned away and smiled at Liz, taking one of her hands in his and brought it to his lips for a kiss.
Alex drew his eyes back to Isabel. No matter what he'd said to her yesterday or what he'd promised him self, he loved her and even if it didn't work out between them he knew that he would always love her. That was another thing his military experience had ram down his throat. To except things the way they were not the way we wanted them to be. Pulling his eyes away from Isabel he looked at Max. A part of him was still so angry with him for not seeing what was happening, but if he was being truthful with himself. How can he blame Max for not seeing what Liz was going through when he, who has known her almost all her life hadn't seen it himself? 'Eat crow, Alex." He told himself as he pushed away from the car and made his way to them.
Upon seeing Alex making his way to them Max stood up a little straighter stepping a few steps in front of Liz protectively. Alex didn't miss the movement.
Stopping in front of them he smiles at Liz. "Morning." He opened his arms and Liz by-stepped Max and threw herself into his arms smiling.
"Good morning to you to." She laughed as he rocked her from side to side as he always did when they hugged.
Alex let the smile die on his face as he stared at Max over her shoulder. He didn't know why he'd opened his arms to her. Maybe it was the protective steps Max made as if he was going to hurt Liz, maybe it was the warning he read in his eyes? When Liz pulled away he pasted the smile back too his lips for her benefit.
"A four day weekend and you only made it for one.poor you." Liz said arrogant of the tension between the two men in her life that she held dear to her heart.
"Next time I'll be here." He promised her before he looked over at Max. "Can I speak with you alone?"
Max hesitated for a moment before he drew Liz to him and kissed her leisurely then braced his forehead against hers. "I'll be right back."
Pulling away he followed Alex toward a cluster of trees not far from the cabin. When they were surrounded by the trees and could not be over heard Alex stopped and turned to look at Max. Max stopped a few feet away from him.
"Look.Max."
Max threw his hand in the air pinning Alex to a tree. Walking slowly to him he stared intently into his eyes. "I told you I wouldn't talk about this ever again." His kept his voice low but Alex didn't with the threat behind it.
"Let me go now, Max." Alex's demanded.
Gripping his hands into fists he released Alex, but he couldn't bank down the rage simmering inside him. "I won't let you hurt her." "Hurt her?" Alex roared rising to his feet from where he'd falling as he glared at Max.
"She's been through to much.I won't.I can't let you interfere."
"Interfere? If I was here none of this."
"Do you really believe that?" Max demanded his rage and yes, his jealousy that she'd confided in Alex instead of him controlling him. 'We've been a couple for only a few years, you've been in her life since she was a little girl. It was your job to see that this was happening, dame it." He took a menacing step toward Alex but he stopped himself.
"It was your job to kill that bastard." Alex yelled back at him.
"You've come back this big bad military guy, Alex. I would gladly give you the address to where you can find him and you can go over there and finish the job yourself." Max turned away from him making his was back to the cabin.
"Max.look." Alex ran his hand through his hair looking around him before he returned his eyes to Max. When Max stopped and turned to look at him he said. "I know this isn't your fault, I'm just so.I feel that I should have known it was happening and if I didn't you should of."
"She's come a long way, Alex and I won't let your guilt get in the way of that."
"Is that what you think I'm going to do?" Alex demanded.
"She needs you. I understand that and I agree she does. She needs all her friends by her side. But there's where it ends. I won't stand by and let you or anyone else unravel everything she's worked so hard to accomplish."
"At lease we agree on something." Alex yelled at Max's retreating back. He kicked the tree next to him. "Way to go, Alex. You definitely redefine eating crow."
Alex followed behind Max a few minutes later. He needed a moment to collect himself before he faced the others. Making his way to his car he opened the door and got in. He was so angry that he hit the steering wheel a few time and mumbled to himself. "I need to get out of here." He yanked the stick shift into reverse and looked over his right shoulder and there they were. The three most important women in his life all standing together. Two laughing and the other while not actually laughing with them, the frown was now gone and she was contributing to the conversation. Taking a deep breath Alex pushed the car back into park and turned the engine off. Gripping the steeling wheel he repeatedly banged his head against it.
"Rough morning?" Michael asked leaning on the car, throwing the rock he had in his hand repeatedly in the air.
Alex jumped at the unexpected voice. Sitting back in his seat he blew the air in his lung out rapidly then ran his hands over his face. "You can say that."
"Liz is a strong person. She'll come through this on top just like she does everything else."
"Yeah."
"Look, I know Max is being a real hard ass right now, but he's only trying to protect her."
Turning in his seat Alex frowned at the part of Michael he could see through the window. "He doesn't have to protect her from me."
"Maybe not." Michael shrugged his shoulder. "Need to or not he'll protect her even from herself if he has to."
"What is that suppose to mean?" Alex opened the door and got out of the car.
"I can tell you and Max have already bucked head about.." Michael leaped to the end of the car frowning at Kyle who ran up to them almost crashing into him. "About time, two more minutes and we would have left your sorry butt."
Kyle grinned at him as he stoop-over trying to catch his breath. "Not even you Michael can put a damper on my mood." He stood and walked away whistling.
Kyle's appearance seemed to set everyone into motion. They all scattered to ensure that they hadn't left anything behind.
"Let's hit the road." Michael yelled opening the jetta's driver's door and getting behind the wheel. Maria got into the front passenger seat while Max and Liz got into the back seat of Kyle's car.
As Isabel bended to enter the back seat of the jetta Alex clutched onto her arm and pulled her upright. "I think you should ride back with me."
"Go to hell." Pulling her arm out of his grip she once again bend to enter the car only to be pulled to the end of the car. Max existed Kyle's mustards hovering in the doorway as he watched the scene play out before him. He was still so angry that for a moment he harbored the thought of going over there and putting a stop to it. But he knew that what was happening had been building up for a long time now and it wasn't his place to interfere.
"Get your butt in the corvette." Alex murmured, pulling her face inches away from his. "Now!" Isabel stared at him in shock for a moment before she moved toward the red little sports car. Alex turned to look at Max a frown on his face, his eyes warning him to stay away. They stood staring at one another before Max reentered Kyle's car and he made his way to his.
"I don't know what you think this is going to accomplish, but let me tell you right now, it's a waste of your time."
Shifting the gear into reverse and then into drive Alex shot her a look that instantly shut her mouth. They drove for a couple of minutes in silences before Isabel finally spoke again. "You said everything there is to say between us, Alex. I don't understand why your doing this."
"Did I?" He looked at her then back at the road. When she didn't answer he repeated more forcefully. "Did I?"
Running her hands through her hair Isabel leaned on the car door and closed her eyes. "I don't want to play this game anymore." She mumbled.
"Good!" Alex suddenly pulled the car to the side of the road, shifted into park then turned to her. "Because I'm sick and tired of playing games." His heart raced as he stared at her. "You know what I want. I need to know what you want?"
"Uhhh..don't do this to me." Isabel begged covering her face with her hands.
Grabbing her hands he pulled them away staring intently into her eyes. "I love you, Isabel. I know with everything that's going on my timing stinks, but."
"Alex."
"What do you want?" He demanded again.
"I want.I want.God, Alex. I want someone that loves me for me. I want someone that sees beyond my pretty face. I.I just want someone to see me and love me despite the fact that I'm not prefect."
"You want me!" He said into the silences.
"Yes. There I said it.are you happy now?" She crossed her arms over her chest and stared out of the side car window.
"What are you so afraid of, Isabel?" Alex gently asked as he reached out and took her chin in his hand, turning her face to his.
"I'm not afraid of any thing." She pulled her face out of his hold and stared in front of her.
"No more games remember."
Tears filled her eyes as she took a deep breath and turned to look at him. They stared at each other for a moment before she whispered. "I don't want to be hurt, Alex."
Alex frowned as he looked at her. "Isabel, we're all afraid of being hurt. When you trust your heart to someone else it's always a possibility that you will be, but there's only a few things in this world that can compare to loving someone and being loved back by that person." Cupping her face within his hands he smiled at her. "I'll never do any thing intentionally to hurt you. You believe that, don't you?"
Isabel shook her head yes as the tears hovering in her eyes spilled down her cheeks. Alex let the air out of his lungs suddenly that he hadn't realized he was holding. Drawing closer to her he ran the back of his hand across her cheeks removing the tears from her flesh.
"Why are you crying?" He asked softly as he closed the distances a little more between them. She shrugged her shoulders nervously as she glanced away from him. "You crying isn't exactly how I envision the beginning of us."
"Ale."
Alex leaned in touching her mouth with his. A mere welcoming of their two essence. A smile graced his lips when he felt her in take of breath. The blood in his veins hummed as he moved his lips slowly over hers and she in turn mimicked his movement. His smile broadened as he drew away encasing his bottom lip within his teeth.
"I love you." He whispered.
"I love you." Isabel smiled covering her mouth with her hands, everything that had come to past in the few days consuming her. "So much."
TBC
Releasing her hand Max leaned on the closed door, crossed his arms over his chest as his gaze roamed her beautiful face before it shot to her eyes holding it captive with his. Liz stood in the middle of the room frowning at him puzzled by his odd behavior.
"What gives Max, you totally blew off Alex?" She cupped her hips with her hands and shifted her weight to her left leg as she tried to read the strange mood he was in, but she couldn't interpret anything from him.
Max pushed away from the door slowly making his way to her, never breaking the hold he held on her eyes. Raising his hand he ran the back of it down her cheek, barely touching her flesh, but he didn't miss the shiver that raced through her.
"Max.."
His eyes shot to her moist lips and lingered for a moment before it connected with hers again. Gripping the material covering his flesh he pulled it from the confines of his jeans then reached for the buckle of his belt releasing it. Liz knew every path his hand traveled even though he held complete control and no matter how hard she tried she couldn't tear her eyes away from his. Her heart raced at the sound of his zipper descending. The sound loud in the quiet room created a tingling in the pit of her stomach that sent a rush of blood to her brain causing an unfocused spell upon her.
She opened her mouth, but no words emerged, her body shook from the unusual tension consuming the closed structure. The moisture in her mouth suddenly evaporated as his hand touched the top button of his shirt releasing it only to move on to the next and then the next until his shirt laid open and he was pulling the material away leaving only the beautiful sight of his body.
His body trembled slightly unnoticed by her, the blood in his vein circulated rapidly as he drew a huge quantity of air into his lungs. He pulled his lower lip between his white teeth as he reached for the shoe covering his right foot yanking his socks off with it and then pulled free the other. He reached for the hem of her dress pulling it slowly over her body revealing her flesh to him. "Liz." He whispered, closing the distances between them and encasing her in his arms. He allowed his lips to brush hers once, twice before he ran his hand over her shoulder then down her arm slowing taking her hand in his.
Max closed his eyes for a moment, shaking his head as the episodes in her life that she'd confessed to Alex consumed him. Episodes that enraged him to the point that he knew if he'd known when he had that bastard on his knees he would have killed him. Tugging her to the bed he sat her down and stood in front of her staring into her face. He pushed his jeans down his legs and stepped out of it, then kicked it away.
"What's wrong, Max?"
Sitting next to her Max took a deep breath and released the emotion consuming him as the concern in her voice finally penetrated the fog clouding in mind. He leaned over and kissed her lips slowly for a few moments before he pulled away and met her eyes. "There's nothing wrong I just need to hold you."
"Why won't you tell me what's wrong?" Liz pulled her eyes away from his and stared at her hands in her lap.
"I don't want to talk about it, at lease not tonight." Crawling to the far side of the bed he leaned his elbow on the pillow and extended his other hand smiling at her. "Tonight the only thing I want to do is hold you close to me and talk until we fall asleep in each other arms."
She took his hand and allowed him to tug her to him, allowed him to move them both into a comfortable position before she asked. "What do you want to talk about?"
"You." He whispered, his breath tingling her ear as he pulled her closer to him.
"Me? I don't think there's any thing about me that you don't already know, Max."
"Of course there is. Tell me some of the things you and Maria did when you were little."
"We were very adventurous kids; I wouldn't know where to begin." Liz took a deep breath and then let it out on a loud sigh. Max's hand had inadvertently wandered to her belly button and he was tracing a circle around it. His hand barely touched her, but her body tingled neither the less. She could tell that he was totally ignorant of the affect his touch had on her.
"I remember once when Michael and I were having lunch at the Crashdown you and Maria was telling Alex about something you and she had done earlier that day. Something about oranges and an evil old lady that lived down the street."
Liz frowned as she tried to remember what he was talking about. "Oh." She laughed when what he was referring to dawned on her. "Old Mrs. Foster. I haven't thought about her in years." Her body shook, as she laughed harder. "You remember that?"
"Yeah.I remember."
"Max, that was over six years ago, why would you remember something so insignificant?"
"It made you laugh."
Liz turned in his arms surprised by his answer. She frowned at him for a moment in wonder before cupping his face with her hands and a smile graced her face. "You are totally unique, Max. I think I could live for eternity and never meet anyone remotely close to the perfection that you are."
"What are you trying to do Liz, make me blush?" And that was exactly what he was doing she realized as she watched he's face turn a bright pink. Max Evans was blushing.
The smile died on her lips as she stared at him, her heart racing as she ran her hand down his cheek slowly. Max moaned as he leaned his head back closing his eyes at the feel of her touch. He covered her hand on his face then opened his eyes and looked at her. 'Wrong place, wrong time.' He kept repeating in his head.
Her mouth descended on his shattering the words running through his mind. One of her hand worked its way through his hair while the other rested on his chest. She could feel the fast thumping of his heart beneath her fingertips and hers mimicked its movement. Max grabbed the back of her head deepening the kiss as their surroundings started to disappear and nothing mattered but the compelling ache in his body. He vaguely felt her hand drift down his chest, glide over his abdomen until his body jerked forcefully and he suddenly pulled away drawing huge amount of air into his lungs.
"I promised myself I would be good tonight." He said trying to make her understand. Liz smiled at him shaking her head her lids drawn half mass. "Don't look at me like that or I might forget all my good intentions." He drew his eyes away from her and stared across the room.
Liz touched his bottom lip with her finger, running the tip of it over the smooth texture of its surface. She could feel his breath rushing from his body, could feel the tremors her touch triggered. "Are you sure Max?" She asked moving the finger down his chin, over the vein that was beating rapidly at his throat, down the hard masculine chest that always held such fascination to her. Leaning until she was a hair breath from his ear she whispered. "I'm game if you are, Max."
Max's eyes shot open wide as he drew his attention back to her. 'I'm game if you are.' Her voice seemed to echo in his mind over and over again until everything in him wanted to say the hell with it and just take and give the love they both wanted to share. "Wrong place, wrong time." He frowned as he heard the words that had just left his lips. Had he just voiced those dreadful words out loud he wondered? As he watched her face frown in confusion he knew without a doubt that he had.
"Wrong place, wrong time?" Liz questioned as she pulled away from him to sit Indian style on the bed. "Okay. that's a statement that has to be explained."
"Come on sweetheart. why don't we forget the past twenty minutes happened and we go back to old Mrs. Foster and the oranges?" He begged as he lay back on the bed, both hands under his head and stared up at the ceiling.
"Mmmm.. Sounds like a plan, but I don't think that forgetting the past twenty minutes is an option Max. Now getting back to Mrs. Foster and the oranges we can do that and I swear I'll keep my hands and mouth to myself on one condition."
"Condition?" He took a deep breath then turned to look at her puzzled by her words. 'I swear I'll keep my hands and mouth to myself.' drifted through his mind testing the control he was forcing on himself.
"Yeah.you don't think that I'm going to let wrong place, wrong time go?"
"I was hoping you would let my slip of the tongue go."
"Ohhhh..Max, your slip is my gain. I would let go.put on hold the past twenty minutes if you clarify what you met by that?"
Max pulled his hands from under his head and covered his face. "God. are we really having this conversation?" He whined.
"Hey. you started it."
"Please don't pull a Maria on me."
"What is that suppose to mean?"
"Damn, I keep sticking my foot in my mouth. This is all your fault." Max accused as he pointed a finger in her direction.
"My fault? Exactly how did you come up with that one, Max?"
"Your little seduction earlier has left me stupid."
"My little seduction? I wasn't the one who blew off one of our friends, who I might add we haven't seen in months and pulled you up here. I wasn't the one who locked us in here and without a word started to strip."
"Seducing you was the last thing on my mind, in fact at the moment I was completely distracted."
"Distracted? Well from the viewers point of view you do distractions very well Max."
"What?" Max laughed grabbing both her arms and pulled her to him. Liz hugged him to her as she laid her head on his chest and threw her right leg over his legs. "I want to be honest with you Liz. I don't want there to be any thing that we can't tell each other. any thing."
Liz didn't miss the undertone of anger that slipped suddenly into his voice. Frowning she pushed her upper body away from him to look into his eyes. "You weren't distracted. you were mad, Max." When he started to shake his head no she gripped his head and held it still. "I don't every want there to be any thing that we can't tell each other." She repeated his words to him.
Max frowned at her. Once again he'd stuck his foot in his mouth, but damn it, he meant ever word. "Yes. yes I was upset."
"No, you were pissed, Max. Along with the other emotions your little performance provided I sensed that to. I just. when you kissed me nothing matter, but the feel of you. I just wanted to ignore everything, but you."
His eyes clouded with need at her words. Pulling her back into his arms he took her mouth wildly before the kiss turned slow and gentle and eventually he ended it. "I don't want to talk about that tonight. As for wrong place, wrong time." He took her chin in his hand and drew her face up to his so that he could look into her eyes. "We've already possessed each other's mind and soul and when we make that final step in our relationship to possess each others bodies, I'll be damn if we will be surrounded by anyone, friends or not. We will be totally alone and there will not be any lingering shadows between us."
She stared at him for a moment her mouth wide open in surprise before she rested her head once again on his chest. She couldn't think of any thing to say to that so she went back to Mrs. Foster and her oranges. "Mrs. Foster lived a few blocks from Maria. Her tree always grew the biggest oranges in her neighborhood, but she never allowed anyone to pick them even though she never did herself. Maria dragged me to her front yard determine that we would be the first to foretaste of the forbidden fruit as she termed it. Mind you Mrs. Foster had this big dog that she kept chained to the tree. I was so scared. I thought." ____________________________________________________________________________ __
Maria walked through the cabin one more time making sure everything was back in its proper place before they left. Blinking her eyes against the glare of the sun that hit her face when she stepped onto the porch she scanned the others packing her mom's and Kyle's car.
"Hey, where's Kyle?" She asked no one in particular.
"I think he's saying bye to you know who." Liz said turning to look in the direction of the three girl's cabin before smiling at Max.
"Yeah, well he better cut it short or he'll be hitching his butt back home." Michael threw the bag in his hands into the trunk then slammed the hood closed.
"I think you've forgotten that one of these cars is his." Maria crossed her arms over her chest and waited for the response she knew was coming.
"And what the hell is your point?" He demanded throwing Kyle's keys up in the air and catching it before he glared at her.
Alex leaned on the side of his rented corvette his arms crossed waiting patiently for them to hit the road. He smiled at Michael and Maria before he looked over at Max and Liz. The grin left his face as he watched them huddled together whispering to them selves. The incident between Max and himself that morning still fresh in his mind, he frowned as he let his arms drop to his side.
All night he tossed and turned, the images of Liz's youth and the terrible fight he'd had with Isabel running through his mind. Leave it to say that when he stumbled out of bed at four in the morning and found Max sitting at the kitchen table he wasn't in high spirits. He hadn't even gotten a word out before Max was on his feet and staring at him across the kitchen. "Sit down, Alex." They stood on opposite sides of the room glazing at each other for a moment before Alex made his way to the table and sat down. Max waited until he was seated before he took his seat again and grabbed the spoon from the bowl in front of him. Spooning some of the cereal in the bowl into the spoon he waited for what ever Alex had to say. He didn't have to wait long; before the spoon was half way to his mouth Alex's voice filled the room.
"I've been trying to understand how this could have gone over looked, Max?" His voice held an edge that stopped the spoon just before it entered Max's mouth.
The spoon hit the porcelain with a loud thump, rattled around in the bowl then came to a sudden stop in the quiet room all the while Max glared at Alex confused. "Excuse me?"
"Don't play dumb, Max. You've been seeing into her mind long before the two of you became a couple. I just want to know how you could have missed something like this?"
"It doesn't work, that way. I can only see what Liz allows me to see." He moved his hand through the air sending the bowl sailing to the middle of the table, his appetite forgotten. "I don't like the imprecation behind your questions, Alex." Max growled at him. He was really trying not to loss his temper because he knew it would only make things worst and he could tell that no amount of talking was going to be enough to easy Alex's mind. "I know you love her, Alex." When Alex started to speak Max cut him off. "That's the only reason why I'm still sitting at this table."
"What did you do?"
Max stared at him frowning for a moment before he moved his chair closer to Alex's. "No matter what I say it will never be enough. I'll let you see the past few months for yourself and you tell me what we should have done to that bastard."
Taking Alex's face within his hands he made the connection quickly allowing him only to see what was important for him to understand the past few months nightmare. When Max drew away Alex jumped to his feet tipping his chair over. His face white from the rage and shock that was running through him, he turned and headed out to the kitchen.
"Alex." He stopped half way out of the room and turned back to stare at Max. "You and I will never speak of this again."
"You should have killed that bastard." Was Alex's only retort before he turned and disappeared through the door.
Max stared at the vacate door a moment before he whispered. "I would have if I'd known what she told you."
The sound of Maria's ear piercing scream brought him out of his reverie. Turning his head towards her he couldn't but laugh at the scene that met him.
"Put me down you big gorilla." She screamed again trying to struggle out of Michael's grip.
"I thought you wanted to fly." Michael held her, pressing her thighs high on his chest as he swung her around.
"Michael." She screamed again laughing. "I didn't..didn't say I wanted to fly. Clean your ear out space."
"What was that?" He swung her around faster.
"Nothing. I didn't say anything. Now put me down, Michael."
Loosen his grip he let her slide down his body until they were leveled eye to eye. "Any time you feel like flying, I'm your man."
Struggling to her feet Maria laughed at him, hitting his arms playfully. "I didn't say I wanted to fly, Michael. I said that was the only thing Drew Barrymore in Ever After couldn't do."
"Ever After? Isn't that a chic movie?"
"Chic movie or not she kicked butt."
"What's the whole up now?" Isabel demanded stepping out onto the porch pushing her sunglasses onto her face. Alex drew his attention to her at once. Watched as she tossed her long blonde hair to one side then side off the porch.
"God. she's beautiful." He whispered to him self, his heart suddenly racing in his chest as he watched her cross over to Max and Liz.
"Why don't someone go over there and drag his butt back here, I don't think I can stand this place for another minute." He heard her yell at Max.
'Give it a rest Isabel. What's the rush? We'll be back in Roswell soon enough.'
He had to fight the laughter that fought to be released when she balled her hands into fists and stomp her feet on the ground when Max turned away and smiled at Liz, taking one of her hands in his and brought it to his lips for a kiss.
Alex drew his eyes back to Isabel. No matter what he'd said to her yesterday or what he'd promised him self, he loved her and even if it didn't work out between them he knew that he would always love her. That was another thing his military experience had ram down his throat. To except things the way they were not the way we wanted them to be. Pulling his eyes away from Isabel he looked at Max. A part of him was still so angry with him for not seeing what was happening, but if he was being truthful with himself. How can he blame Max for not seeing what Liz was going through when he, who has known her almost all her life hadn't seen it himself? 'Eat crow, Alex." He told himself as he pushed away from the car and made his way to them.
Upon seeing Alex making his way to them Max stood up a little straighter stepping a few steps in front of Liz protectively. Alex didn't miss the movement.
Stopping in front of them he smiles at Liz. "Morning." He opened his arms and Liz by-stepped Max and threw herself into his arms smiling.
"Good morning to you to." She laughed as he rocked her from side to side as he always did when they hugged.
Alex let the smile die on his face as he stared at Max over her shoulder. He didn't know why he'd opened his arms to her. Maybe it was the protective steps Max made as if he was going to hurt Liz, maybe it was the warning he read in his eyes? When Liz pulled away he pasted the smile back too his lips for her benefit.
"A four day weekend and you only made it for one.poor you." Liz said arrogant of the tension between the two men in her life that she held dear to her heart.
"Next time I'll be here." He promised her before he looked over at Max. "Can I speak with you alone?"
Max hesitated for a moment before he drew Liz to him and kissed her leisurely then braced his forehead against hers. "I'll be right back."
Pulling away he followed Alex toward a cluster of trees not far from the cabin. When they were surrounded by the trees and could not be over heard Alex stopped and turned to look at Max. Max stopped a few feet away from him.
"Look.Max."
Max threw his hand in the air pinning Alex to a tree. Walking slowly to him he stared intently into his eyes. "I told you I wouldn't talk about this ever again." His kept his voice low but Alex didn't with the threat behind it.
"Let me go now, Max." Alex's demanded.
Gripping his hands into fists he released Alex, but he couldn't bank down the rage simmering inside him. "I won't let you hurt her." "Hurt her?" Alex roared rising to his feet from where he'd falling as he glared at Max.
"She's been through to much.I won't.I can't let you interfere."
"Interfere? If I was here none of this."
"Do you really believe that?" Max demanded his rage and yes, his jealousy that she'd confided in Alex instead of him controlling him. 'We've been a couple for only a few years, you've been in her life since she was a little girl. It was your job to see that this was happening, dame it." He took a menacing step toward Alex but he stopped himself.
"It was your job to kill that bastard." Alex yelled back at him.
"You've come back this big bad military guy, Alex. I would gladly give you the address to where you can find him and you can go over there and finish the job yourself." Max turned away from him making his was back to the cabin.
"Max.look." Alex ran his hand through his hair looking around him before he returned his eyes to Max. When Max stopped and turned to look at him he said. "I know this isn't your fault, I'm just so.I feel that I should have known it was happening and if I didn't you should of."
"She's come a long way, Alex and I won't let your guilt get in the way of that."
"Is that what you think I'm going to do?" Alex demanded.
"She needs you. I understand that and I agree she does. She needs all her friends by her side. But there's where it ends. I won't stand by and let you or anyone else unravel everything she's worked so hard to accomplish."
"At lease we agree on something." Alex yelled at Max's retreating back. He kicked the tree next to him. "Way to go, Alex. You definitely redefine eating crow."
Alex followed behind Max a few minutes later. He needed a moment to collect himself before he faced the others. Making his way to his car he opened the door and got in. He was so angry that he hit the steering wheel a few time and mumbled to himself. "I need to get out of here." He yanked the stick shift into reverse and looked over his right shoulder and there they were. The three most important women in his life all standing together. Two laughing and the other while not actually laughing with them, the frown was now gone and she was contributing to the conversation. Taking a deep breath Alex pushed the car back into park and turned the engine off. Gripping the steeling wheel he repeatedly banged his head against it.
"Rough morning?" Michael asked leaning on the car, throwing the rock he had in his hand repeatedly in the air.
Alex jumped at the unexpected voice. Sitting back in his seat he blew the air in his lung out rapidly then ran his hands over his face. "You can say that."
"Liz is a strong person. She'll come through this on top just like she does everything else."
"Yeah."
"Look, I know Max is being a real hard ass right now, but he's only trying to protect her."
Turning in his seat Alex frowned at the part of Michael he could see through the window. "He doesn't have to protect her from me."
"Maybe not." Michael shrugged his shoulder. "Need to or not he'll protect her even from herself if he has to."
"What is that suppose to mean?" Alex opened the door and got out of the car.
"I can tell you and Max have already bucked head about.." Michael leaped to the end of the car frowning at Kyle who ran up to them almost crashing into him. "About time, two more minutes and we would have left your sorry butt."
Kyle grinned at him as he stoop-over trying to catch his breath. "Not even you Michael can put a damper on my mood." He stood and walked away whistling.
Kyle's appearance seemed to set everyone into motion. They all scattered to ensure that they hadn't left anything behind.
"Let's hit the road." Michael yelled opening the jetta's driver's door and getting behind the wheel. Maria got into the front passenger seat while Max and Liz got into the back seat of Kyle's car.
As Isabel bended to enter the back seat of the jetta Alex clutched onto her arm and pulled her upright. "I think you should ride back with me."
"Go to hell." Pulling her arm out of his grip she once again bend to enter the car only to be pulled to the end of the car. Max existed Kyle's mustards hovering in the doorway as he watched the scene play out before him. He was still so angry that for a moment he harbored the thought of going over there and putting a stop to it. But he knew that what was happening had been building up for a long time now and it wasn't his place to interfere.
"Get your butt in the corvette." Alex murmured, pulling her face inches away from his. "Now!" Isabel stared at him in shock for a moment before she moved toward the red little sports car. Alex turned to look at Max a frown on his face, his eyes warning him to stay away. They stood staring at one another before Max reentered Kyle's car and he made his way to his.
"I don't know what you think this is going to accomplish, but let me tell you right now, it's a waste of your time."
Shifting the gear into reverse and then into drive Alex shot her a look that instantly shut her mouth. They drove for a couple of minutes in silences before Isabel finally spoke again. "You said everything there is to say between us, Alex. I don't understand why your doing this."
"Did I?" He looked at her then back at the road. When she didn't answer he repeated more forcefully. "Did I?"
Running her hands through her hair Isabel leaned on the car door and closed her eyes. "I don't want to play this game anymore." She mumbled.
"Good!" Alex suddenly pulled the car to the side of the road, shifted into park then turned to her. "Because I'm sick and tired of playing games." His heart raced as he stared at her. "You know what I want. I need to know what you want?"
"Uhhh..don't do this to me." Isabel begged covering her face with her hands.
Grabbing her hands he pulled them away staring intently into her eyes. "I love you, Isabel. I know with everything that's going on my timing stinks, but."
"Alex."
"What do you want?" He demanded again.
"I want.I want.God, Alex. I want someone that loves me for me. I want someone that sees beyond my pretty face. I.I just want someone to see me and love me despite the fact that I'm not prefect."
"You want me!" He said into the silences.
"Yes. There I said it.are you happy now?" She crossed her arms over her chest and stared out of the side car window.
"What are you so afraid of, Isabel?" Alex gently asked as he reached out and took her chin in his hand, turning her face to his.
"I'm not afraid of any thing." She pulled her face out of his hold and stared in front of her.
"No more games remember."
Tears filled her eyes as she took a deep breath and turned to look at him. They stared at each other for a moment before she whispered. "I don't want to be hurt, Alex."
Alex frowned as he looked at her. "Isabel, we're all afraid of being hurt. When you trust your heart to someone else it's always a possibility that you will be, but there's only a few things in this world that can compare to loving someone and being loved back by that person." Cupping her face within his hands he smiled at her. "I'll never do any thing intentionally to hurt you. You believe that, don't you?"
Isabel shook her head yes as the tears hovering in her eyes spilled down her cheeks. Alex let the air out of his lungs suddenly that he hadn't realized he was holding. Drawing closer to her he ran the back of his hand across her cheeks removing the tears from her flesh.
"Why are you crying?" He asked softly as he closed the distances a little more between them. She shrugged her shoulders nervously as she glanced away from him. "You crying isn't exactly how I envision the beginning of us."
"Ale."
Alex leaned in touching her mouth with his. A mere welcoming of their two essence. A smile graced his lips when he felt her in take of breath. The blood in his veins hummed as he moved his lips slowly over hers and she in turn mimicked his movement. His smile broadened as he drew away encasing his bottom lip within his teeth.
"I love you." He whispered.
"I love you." Isabel smiled covering her mouth with her hands, everything that had come to past in the few days consuming her. "So much."
TBC
