Spread 'Em (AU M/L,NA ADULT) (Complete)

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Hopeless Romantic
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Post by Hopeless Romantic »

A/N: Wow, so I'm SO sorry that this took as long as it did for me to get it out. There has just been so much going on over here in RL and I've just been retarded when it came to sitting down and writing this. Finally I forced myself. All of your feedback definitely helped. It was amazing and very much appreciated. Hopefully some of you are still here now that I'm back. Thanks to all the newcomers, and for all of the congratulations of Graduating!! I'm heading up to college in 3 weeks! AHH.

So, to Christening my new laptop, with a fun part for you guys... :wink: I hope you all enjoy it!

Thanks To:
begonia9508
Jason's Lover
Mariael311
Ellie
BehrObsession
frenchkiss70
Strawberry88
g7silvers
taressa05
orphyfets
RASaero611
FSUMSW94
Earth2Mama
linliz68
Emz80m
dreamerfiend
LTL
dreamer destiny
janesdilemma
Evans3
I am a dreamer
AppleJacks
flyawayraven
cherie
OmegaRam1
VeronicB
Chione
Michelle in Yonkers
dreamerbabylioness
Carebear79
googi
ashbymh
WildSphinx
Ace Roswell
mlover25

WOW... :shock:

[Also: Thank you dreamerbabylioness for the nomination Best AU without Aliens. I really Appreciate that!!]
ENJOY!!!!

~~~~~~~~~~~~
Part Ten

About a month after the accident, Liz found herself under the strict care of “Dr. Alex Whitman”, whose areas of expertise included medicine administration, pillow adjustments, and being a pain in the ass. He’d been watching her like a hawk ever since the hospital had released her. And as good-natured as his intentions were, Liz was seconds away from strangling him and breaking free of her prison.

It was her own fault. She had been the one to opt to go home instead of spending an extra day or two at the hospital, and Alex had been at her side ever since. He was getting on every single one of her nerves, but she loved him for it.

“Liz, just where do you think you’re going?”

She froze. She had been caught red-handed trying to sneak from her bed downstairs. Apparently, invalids that were restricted to their beds didn’t get to keep their cell phones because they stopped you from getting rest. When Alex had gone to the bathroom she had made her move.

“I’m going downstairs, Alex,” she said, feigning innocence.

He knew what she had been trying to get, but he was doing his best to stop her from having her cell phone. He’d seen Max at the hospital and his over-protectiveness had kicked in especially after finding out that Officer Max’s wife had been responsible for Liz’s crash. If Alex had it his way Liz would forget about the doctor and not get hurt, but he knew that was impossible. His only choice was to do his best to dely the inevitable.

“What for?”

So, even though Liz knew Alex’s intentions were good, it didn’t mean she had to like it. He’d always been very protective of her, especially because he grew up an only child and lost both of his parents at a rather young age. Liz was really all that he had, and she knew the car accident had been a big scare for him. It had been a big scare for her too, and she knew how lucky she had been to not only survive the accident but to come out of it with the few injuries that she had.

The car accident had also given her what she had been hoping for. It had brought her and Max back together. Along with some much needed clarification. For days she had been confused about where she and Max stood, about what the things they had done had meant. Seeing Tess, knowing what she had done, did make her feel slightly better about what had happened between her and Max.

All she needed now was to talk to Max. Something she was trying to do, but it was being prevented by her overprotective best friend.

“I’m getting my phone, so I can call someone...” Liz replied coyly, not meeting Alex’s knowing eyes. She tried to shuffle past him but he stood in front of her. “I’m going to call Max.”

“Liz...”

“No, Alex. I know what I’m doing and I’m going to call him.”

“He’s a married man, Liz! He has a wife.” Okay, so this was true. Max did have a wife and what they had done was wrong. Alex was only worried about her and that’s why he was acting this way. He thought that Liz was going to get hurt because he didn’t know the truth about Max and Tess. Alex probably thought that she was getting attached to someone who was going to drop her when he was done with her and go back to his wife.

Liz knew all the arguments, but she also knew the other side of them. She knew that it was Tess who had been cheating on Max, and that there wasn’t a real marriage between the two of them. Max hadn’t told her all of this yet, but she had a feeling about this. That was why she wanted so badly to talk to Max.

She needed to hear all of this from him.

“Alex, you don’t understand.”

Liz tried to explain the situation to him, she told him everything that had been happening without most of the details, and tried her best to make him understand. When she was done, he just moved out of her way, not saying anything and went into the kitchen.

Liz followed after, grabbing her phone from the counter and retreating back to her room. Checking her missed calls, she realized that Max had already called her. She couldn’t keep the smile off of her face after that as she pressed the redial button.

Two rings later, the phone picked up and Liz heard his voice on the other line.

“Hello?”

“Max, it’s Liz.”

“Liz, hi! How are you feeling?” Something about the genuine concern in his voice made her heart beat just a little bit faster.

“I’m better, I’ve been under strict care so I’m doing good. I’m sorry it took me so long to call you back. I was thinking maybe we could meet somewhere...to talk.”

There was a pause on the other line, but it wasn’t hesitation. Max was too busy smiling to answer right away. He’d been worried about her for a week wanting nothing more than to talk to her. He’d been dangerously close to finding her address down at the station and driving over to her house just to see her, but Liz had explained that Alex was taking his job of being the doctor very seriously.

“That sounds great. I’ll come pick you up.”

****

An hour later, Max found himself at a small bed and breakfast outside of town. The restaurant downstairs had been a favorite place of his parents and Max wanted to bring Liz and share it with her.

She looked beautiful sitting across from him, and he didn’t know how he was managing to stay on his side of the table. He knew there were things they had to get out in the open before they could be together again, but the wait was killing him.

Liz was feeling exactly the same way. From the moment he had picked her up, even despite the looks she was getting from Alex, Liz had wanted nothing more than to be with Max. Keeping her hands to herself so they could get the conversation out of the way proved to be one of the hardest things she had ever done. She wondered if Max knew how she was feeling right now, if he was going through the same torture that she was.

Looking up from her plate, she caught him looking at her with those intense eyes, and she knew the feelings were mutual. Both of them knew this conversation was important, but right now they couldn’t think about anything but what they hoped was to come.

“Liz, why did you ask me why I was cheating on my wife?”

There. It was out in the open now. Both of them had been dancing around the issues, keeping the conversation light, but there was no avoiding it anymore.

Liz took a deep breath before looking back at her food. “Well...”

“It’s okay, Liz.” Max said gently, putting his hand over hers on the table.

“I was at work the day of the accident, and my boss had a client come in. I accidentally walked into his office and found them having sex. And I just got so mad, because he has a girlfriend, someone who he claims to love very much and he’s cheating on her. Even my ex-boyfriend. We broke up because he was cheating on me. I remember thinking about them and being disgusted, and then I thought about us, and how you have a wife. And I pretty much felt like I was the other woman in the situation, and you were doing to her, exactly what those other guys had been doing.”

Max nodded. She could tell that he wanted to say something but he held back, knowing that she wasn’t finished.

“Then the accident happened, and you came to the hospital and you brought your wife and seeing her made everything clearer. I don’t know what you feel for her, Max. But I know that you and I aren’t the same as the others, because you’re not really in a relationship. And when I asked you why you cheated on her it was just so I could make sure what I was thinking was true.”

“She’s been cheating on me practically since we got married. We haven’t had a real relationship in years.”

“I know that now Max. I knew it the second she came into my room and I realized that I had seen her before.” He looked confused, but like he knew what was coming. Liz squeezed his hand. “I had seen her before the accident, in my boss’s office.”

She didn’t know what kind of reaction she expected from him, but what she got from him made her feel a lot better. He just nodded, like he accepted the situation and didn’t really care. Anger or tears would’ve proved to her that Max still felt something for his wife, but there was nothing there.

“Liz, just because my wife has been cheating on me doesn’t mean that I’ve been doing the same. I want you to know that.”

“What do you mean?”

He took a deep breath, prepared to let everything out now. “I’ve never been with anyone else other than Tess while we’ve been married, until I met you. This isn’t just some random thing that I usually do and then forget about the girl while I move on to another one. To me at least, this is so much more than that.”

“It is to me too, Max.”

There was still so much more that needed to be said, so many questions that needed answering, but right now neither of them could handle it. Getting up from the table, Max took Liz’s hand and led her to the elevators.

When the steel doors opened and a few guests had left, Liz and Max got in, glad to see no one else coming in with them. The second the doors were closed, neither of them could hold back. Every feeling they had been holding inside came pouring out, and they crashed into each other, mouths tangling as they struggled to get closer. His hands were everywhere, running up and down her body, unable to stop touching her.

He pulled back only slightly, resting his forehead against hers and bringing his hand to cup her cheek. She leaned into him, closing her eyes and reaching forward to capture his mouth again.

His kiss was soft, gentle, filled with all the love he had inside of him, because he knew now what was happening here, what had already happened. And he wanted to cherish every moment of it.

His lips teased hers, tongue tracing the contours of her mouth before venturing deeper. He waited for her to open for him, and when she complied willingly with his request his own tongue sought out hers, tasting her. He wanted to touch every single part of her, and he never wanted these feelings to end.

Liz simply hung on to him, knees weakening at the feelings he was igniting inside of her. Her arms wrapped for firmly around his neck, as she pressed her body more fully against his own. She couldn’t help but feel as if she fit against him perfectly, and she couldn’t wait to find out the other ways they would fit together.

The hotel room was too far away.

Liz pulled away from Max, eyes roaming over his body as she licked her lips and Max could feel his body respond. They were almost to their floor, but he had no idea that Liz had something else in mind. He watched as she walked over to the buttons of the elevator, and pushed the stop button.

The elevator came to a stop with a sudden jolt, and Max found Liz back in his arms before he had time to register what was going on. She pulled at his belt buckle, as his hands went to work on her own clothes. He thanked God when he remembered she was wearing a skirt, and his fingers skimmed beneath them, his body shuddering with anticipation when he felt nothing underneath. His fingers dipped inside of her, and she stopped her attempts to pull off his own clothes as she was overcome with the feelings of his hands on her body, his fingers inside of her.

Her eyes drifted closed as she rode his hand, and his lips latched on to her neck as he pumped against her. But both of them wanted more. His hands moved to the edge of her skirt and he wasted no time pulling it up, lifting her hips as he did and supporting her against the wall of the elevator.

Using her legs and hands, she dropped his pants, pulling him more fully against her and feeling the tip of him push against her wet entrance. He rocked against her, slipping inside of her body and that was all it took for him to lose control. Wanting to be as gentle as possible, he thrust inside of her slowly at first, but Liz couldn’t take it.

“Faster, Max,” she moaned into his ear, kissing her way along his jawline.

He didn’t need to be asked twice. His hips pistoned against her as she hung on for the ride of her life. Grabbing her legs and pulling her even closer to him, he could feel himself practically banging her into the wall, but she didn’t seem to mind. The cries coming from her beautiful mouth were definitely not sounds of pain. Her legs tightened around him as he pounded inside of her.

Liz could feel every inch of him, and even with the wall digging into her back she knew she never wanted him to stop. Every inch of him was filling her, thrusting so deeply and completely hitting exactly the right spot. Her eyes practically rolled back in pleasure as his lips found her breasts. He roughly pushed down her shirt, never stopping his movements inside of her as he began kissing her everywhere.

Liz was in heaven. The feel of his hands and mouth driving her crazy. But the feel of him pushing inside of her was like nothing she had ever felt. She could feel her orgasm approaching. And almost as if he sensed it, he began moving faster, his body slamming inside of her at a frenzied pace, both desperate to reach their peak. Liz’s body tightened, and she couldn’t stop the scream that tore from her throat as she flew over the edge. Max joined her shortly after, body collapsing against hers, satisfied, but far from finished.

~~~~~~~
TBC...
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Post by Hopeless Romantic »

Because Raychel is a slave driver :wink:...
lol not really but she did get my butt writing so we can all thank Raychel for this next part. I'm a little iffy about it. It's my first time writing a specific "sexual act" and it was slightly weird so I didn't get too into it or make it very long. Other than that...you guys should enjoy this part!

Evans3, I hope that I didn't keep you waiting and that the hubby enjoys this part too!

I'm also dedicating this one to Michelle for giving me 3 FBs...Lol! Funny ones too. I'm scrolling through to put everyone on the list and I'm like, "wait a second...I know I saw that one before!" Thanks!

Enjoy! And please tell me what you think!!


Thanks To:
Michelle in Yonkers - lol, more cards are laid out in this part! And no, no security cameras. Only you guys get a peak at their steamy elevator scene so feel special! Lol, loved the "Going Up, or Going Down"!! And Max is definitely a nice peice of Steak...I'd NEVER leave the house. Especially not for McDonalds.
frenchkiss70
taressa05
flyawayraven
Evans3
- :wink:
Mariael311
Earth2Mama
- Lol, Thank you! Yeah...Elevators can be fun!
googi
FSUMSW94- took care of some things for you with this one :wink:. Yeah, Alex is a cutie.
orphyfets
g7silvers
Ellie
- Thank you! And yep...you might have to wait and find out in the next part about Tess's lover!
OmegaRam1 - Lol! Didn't need to get sick for this one!
Jason's Lover
Emz80m
- By the way...I'm loving Some Girls!
AppleJacks
janesdilemma
VeronicB
begonia9508
- hopefully this will help you not be mad at Max...he's in a tough situation. His dad works with Tess's...it'd be a big hassle to divorce her, unless he finds someone thats worth the hassle!!! :D
mrsjbehr
BehrObsession
cherie
Raychelxluscious
- i heart you too! Thanks for the help! Just wait for my next story, now that I have an outline for it I'll be updating it like a madwoman!

Enjoy!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Part Eleven

“Ok, so I have a small confession to make...” Liz said shyly, shooting Max a sly glance from under her lashes.

He lifted his head from the pillow, but it immediately dropped back down. He was exhausted. This was the first break they’d taken since they’d gotten to the hotel, and Max didn’t know how Liz still had any energy. But as he watched her, body spread out next to his own, legs bent up in the air, a smile on her beautiful face, he knew that she was just waiting for him.

This insatiable feeling he felt while watching her was unlike anything he’d felt. He’d never wanted anyone so completely. If it wasn’t for his body needing food and rest, he would never leave the bed. It was a very shocking thought...knowing that he wanted to make love to her for the rest of his life, but even more shocking that he wanted to do so much more than that.

He wanted to tell her how he felt; he wanted to tell everyone. A divorce with Tess was something that kept pushing to the forefront of his mind and he neither wanted nor tried to push it away. Max knew that it was something that was long overdue. Their relationship had ended a long time ago, just like he had told Liz downstairs, but Max had never had a reason to go through the hassle that would be divorcing her.

His parents, for one thing, didn’t believe in divorce. Max and Tess had made a commitment to one another that was supposed to be forever. Plus, there was the feeling of being the only one in his family not to have the marraige that lasted that long.

And there was Tess, who though she was a cheating whore, would try and get every single penny out of Max and his family in a divorce settlement. Not that she needed any of it, her family was rich in their own right. She would do it just for spite, and her father would be able to give her the best lawyer that she wanted, something he would be happy to do after Max decided to shame his family.

He could only imagine what they would all say. And up until this moment he had not cared to find out. But he hadn’t lied when he told Liz this was more than just a couple nights thing. It was so much more than that, and as soon as he was sure it was what she wanted, he would do everything he could to get them the future he had always wanted. Nothing was stopping him now that he had found the love he’d always dreamed about, but stopped believing had existed.

“Oh, yeah? What’s that?” he asked her, hand tangling with her own as he brought it up for a kiss. She leaned forward happily, replacing her hand with her own lips.

“I,” she said, annunciating each word with a slow kiss, “absolutely,” kiss, “love,” kiss, kiss, “kissing you.”

She brought her mouth to his, but this time, he pulled her against him, deepening the kiss. His tongue brushed against her lips, and she moaned softly parting them for him as he rolled them over. He now lay on top of her, only a sheet separating their naked body as it was tangled between them. His mouth continued to kiss hers, biting softly at her lower lip and pulling it into his mouth. He couldn’t get enough of her.

She was feeling the exact same thing. Eyes closed in the passion of the feelings he was creating with just a simple kiss. She never wanted it to end. She hadn’t been able to tear herself away from him since they’d gotten into the room. And she knew he was tired, but she couldn’t stop herself.

There was more than just sexual feelings pulling her towards him. All the feelings in her body were unlike any she’d felt before, but the feelings in her heart...nothing came close to that. She wanted to be close to him, not just physically, but in a way that was so much deeper than that.

He had told her that this wasn’t just about sex for him, but Liz was still unsure what he wanted exactly. He was the one that was still married. Did he want to stay married and just see her on the side? He could’ve gotten divorced for two years, but he never did. Though love for Tess obviously wasn’t the reason, there had to be something keeping him in the relationship. Did he want to change that?

Liz decided that as much as she felt for him, she needed to know what he wanted before she could take this any further. She needed to know if she was the only feeling the way she was feeling. She didn’t know if she’d be able to handle hearing that he just wanted them to keep seeing each other but it couldn’t go farther than that, because Liz was already too far gone.

It was Max’s turn to make a move, to make a decision. Because somehow in the short time that they had known each other, Liz had fallen for him. It wasn’t something she had planned on, or something she had even wanted initially, but there was no stopping it now.

It was all so much to think about, and thankfully, Max’s hips grinding softly into her own were stopping her from doing much thinking at all.

“Oh, God...” Liz moaned softly as Max’s lower body pushed forward against her, coming directly into contact with her heat.

Liz had been trying to give him time to rest, but it seemed like Max had other ideas. His hands came between their bodies, pulling the sheet away and bringing them completely into contact. Liz loved the feel of his body against hers, fitting them together perfectly.

She lifted her head, kissing the salty skin of his neck and smiling as his hips pressed against her in earnest. He returned the attack, placing soft kisses down her jaw, and across her collarbone, coming to her breasts.

He kissed between them, before bringing one to his mouth as Liz moaned from the feel of his hot wet mouth on her skin. Switching to the other, he performed the same pleasurable ministrations, leaving Liz writing beneath him.

Trailing down her smooth tummy, Max kissed his way to a sensitive spot right below her ribs. Her hips bucked softly against him at the feel of it. No one had ever touched her there, and her response made Max continue the torture.

Finally, when Liz had had enough, she flipped them over, taking control of the situation. “My turn,” she said with a mischievous grin on her face.

Liz mimicked his actions, kissing a path down his entire body, but she didn’t stop there. After testing out the spot below his own ribs and enjoying the response as much as he had, Liz moved farther down his body.

“Liz, you don’t have to...” he told her honestly, but the dark look in his intense eyes made it impossible for her to stop.

She took him into her mouth, delighting in the hiss of pleasure that escaped his lips. In her entire relationship with her ex-boyfriend she’d done this once and completely hated it, but something about having Max beneath her, trying his hardest to keep his body in control as she was doing her best to make him lose it, made her want to do this even more.

His fingers twined in her long silky hair as she continued to take him into her mouth, sucking softly at the tip. He bucked his hips softly, the last of his control snapping.

“God, Liz...I want you so much.”

She crawled her way up his body, straddling his hips and bringing their lower bodies together. She positioned him at her entrance, taking him into her body slowly. Inch by inch, she sank onto his length, until he couldn’t take it any longer.

He pushed up, hands grasping at her hips, but Liz shook her head. She trailed her hands down her body, running them over her breasts as his eyes devoured her hungrily. Placing her hands on his, she took them from her waist, and pinned them above Max’s head.

“Y-you wanna be in control?” Max breathed out as Liz’s lips trailed kisses down his jaw.

She nodded, smiling sexily at him before lifting her hips off of his body, only to bring them back down almost as slowly as before. Max groaned, enjoying the torture but praying that she wouldn’t keep it up for long. All he wanted was for her to ride him to completion, their hot sweaty bodies slamming together as they climbed to the edge.

But Liz had other ideas, and she continued to move slowly on top of him. She was loving the feel of every inch of him as it slid inside of her, loving the feel of control as he tried to push his hips deeper and faster against her, and as he tried to free his hands to gain access to her hips.

Liz waited. She waited until both of them could hardly take it any more, before leaning down and whispering in his ear, “Take me, Max.”

That was all it took for him to completely lose control. Her hands fell away from his wrists and he grabbed her hips, lifting her body up only to bring it back down, while he pushed up inside of her. Liz let out a loud moan, unable to stop herself as he continued to pump her body against his.

She rode him hard, pushing her body into his own, leaning forward and feeling him thrust inside of her at a deeper angle. “Max!” she cried breathlessly, her hair fallen in front of her face. Hardly even breaking his movements, Max pushed his body into a sitting position, his body leaning against the backboard of the bed as Liz continued to straddle his hips.

Pushing her hair back from her face, his mouth attacked her own, fusing their lips together, tongues dueling within the warm recesses of each other’s mouths. The kiss was hot and electric, matching the fire of their love making.

With that thought, Max slowed his frantic movements. Both breathing heavily, they continued to move together, but the mood had completely changed. This time when Max kissed Liz, all the fire and passion had been pushed aside, replaced with deeper feelings. As Liz lifted her hips and brought them back to meet his own, there was nothing hurried or rushed about the action. It was slow and deliberate, each feeling pushing them to a new place.

They were not just climbing to the completion of their physical joining, but each touch, each kiss brought them closer and closer to a feeling of completion that they had been denied for a very long time.

Liz’s body tightened as her orgasm approached, lifting her hips one last time and bringing them down, her deep, low moan bringing her release. She felt Max’s body shudder against her own, his head finding the crevice of her neck as she leaned her cheek into his hair.

Neither moved for the longest time, both complete content. Max eventually pulled back, and Liz lifted her head to look into his eyes. She wanted to see it, the raw emotion that she was sure was shining from her own dark eyes. She wanted to see it staring back at her.

And as her gently pushed her away back from her face, neither of them spoke, they just continued to look at each other, amazed at what they had found.

It was Max who broke the silence. “I’ve decided I absolutely love kissing you, too.”

Liz laughed softly, “You can kiss me anytime you want. I’m all yours,” she told him. His eyes bore meaningfully into her own. And Liz looked away, slightly unsure of herself. Now it was time to find out what was going on. “If you want me that is...” she trailed off self-consciously.

Max’s hand cupped her cheek, bringing her eyes back to meet his own. “I want you, Liz.” He told her honestly. “I want all of you...”

She breathed out a sigh of relief, let out a breath she had not known she’d been holding. “You don’t know how glad I am to hear that,” she told him shyly. “But...”

Max knew what was coming. He had expected her to ask. Liz wasn’t one to beat around the bush. He knew that completely from the way she had gone about getting his attention. He knew he would have to be completely honest with her.

“What about your marriage?”

“I’m going to get a divorce.” He explained everything to her then, about his parents, about Tess and her family. All the reasons he had never gotten a divorce before, all the reasons he had lived in such a damaging relationship spilled forth. Liz listened to all of it, holding on to his hand, their bodies still connected intimately. She didn’t stop him, and if she had questions, she waited. She just let him talk, something he had never really experienced in his life, and something he was completely grateful for.

When he was done, Liz didn’t know what to say. To think that he had lived with that woman for all of those reasons, the way he had let her damage his self-esteem, degrade his self-worth. Liz wanted nothing more than to spend the rest of her life showing him how wonderful he was, how much more he deserved. And she wanted him to know it.

“I’m going to show you everything a relationship is supposed to be, Max. I want to make up for every bad minute you ever spent with her, and show you how good this can be.”

Every feeling he had for her doubled at that moment, and he didn’t even think that was possible. He leaned in and kissed her, pouring every ounce of passion and love that he possessed into that kiss. He wanted everything with her. He wanted her to show him all of those things, just like he wanted to show her.

For the first time in their lives, as they continued to kiss softly, their bodies stirring to life, Max and Liz were starting to rethink that whole idea of true love, wondering if maybe one fateful day on the highway it had come speeding towards them, and they had crashed right into it.

~~~~~~~~~~~
TBC!!
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Post by Hopeless Romantic »

A/N: Sorry this took so long. I was trying to see if it would be possible for me to write a sequel to this, but I don't think I'm going to be able to. What I might do is end this the way I would've ended it if I was writing a sequel and then have Section 2: Put Your Hands Where I Can't See 'Em. Not sure though.

Thanks so much for all the feedback and for waiting so patiently for these parts. I love u all!!

Enjoy!!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Part Twelve

Liz groaned, stretching out on her bed and willing the sun to go away. She was having a good dream...a very good dream. Today was one of those days where you just wanted to stay in bed forever, and that was exactly what Liz was hoping to do. It was Saturday after all. Weren’t you supposed to lounge around in bed all day, watching TV and eating? Maybe get a little company...

She reached next to her to find her cell phone on her bedside table. Maybe Max would come over and make the vivid dream she had last night a reality. Liz couldn’t think of another thing she wanted to do. Mind made up, she started dialing the familiar number, until she realized she already had plans.

Not plans that she had any desire to go to, but still an obligation none the less. She had some company lunch thing. She didn’t even know where it was, so she was going to have to call one of the other secretaries because there was no way in hell she was calling her boss.

There was a point in their working relationship where she would’ve just done that, but ever since the night of the accident, things between them had changed dramatically. She no longer had the respect she once had for him. And she had been lucky the accident had given her time off to get away from the whole situation.

But it seemed like her luck had run out, and Liz found herself climbing from bed to jump in the shower, wanting to be there as early as possible so she could duck out as soon as she felt like it.

Her cell phone rang almost the second she got out of the shower, and she looked at the caller id, smiling at the now familiar number.

“Hi,” she said with a smile, needing to talk to him before going to this luncheon thing.

“Hey, you. How are you doing?”

“Just got out of the shower actually...” she said teasingly.

“Oh, really?” Max smiled on his side of the phone, the thought of Liz in the shower causing his body to instantly react. He shut his eyes, willing his body to calm down.

“Yeah. You called me before I even had a chance to get dressed.” After the time they had spent at the bed and breakfast, Liz and Max had become extremely more comfortable with each other. Now that they’re feelings were out in the open, things were even better than before. And Liz had a feeling they were going to keep getting better and better.

“Geez, Liz...stop it or I’ll have to come over there.” She was making this pretty hard for him. All he wanted was to ditch his plans for the day and stow away somewhere with her and never come out.

She laughed, wanting him to do just that and keep her from the day she didn’t want to face. “If I didn’t have this company thing to go to I would keep going.” The reluctance to go was obvious in her voice, and Max picked up on it immediately.

“I know you don’t want to go, Liz. But how about tonight, I come over and we spend some time together. That way you have something to look forward to.” It was something he needed to have to look forward to as well. This family day was not going to be the most fun day of his life.

She imagined “spending time” with Max and immediately wanted to get to the company function so it was over and done with. Liz couldn’t help but think that “spending time” with Max was quickly becoming one of her favorite things to do.

“What time?”

“How about 6? Is that early enough for you? I have that thing with my family today so I don’t know if I can slip away any earlier.” He groaned, trying not to sound too disapointed. Max didn’t think it would work to cheer Liz up about having to go somewhere she doesn’t want to when he’s complaining about the same thing.

The only difference was, Max got to spend the entire day with his parents, his sister and Jesse, Michael and Maria, and Tess...and he didn’t want to spend the entire day picturing their reactions to the announcement he planned to make about the divorce he wanted from Tess.

Shit was really going to hit the fan, but as Max listened to Liz’s sweet voice on the other line, he couldn’t find a single part of him that regretted this decision.

All Liz could think about was that six o’ clock was a long time from now. “Six o’clock and you’re all mine?”

“I’m already all yours, Liz.”

She smiled into the phone, loving him for saying exactly what she needed to hear.

****

Liz climbed out of her car, blinking at the harsh sunlight. She reached for her sunglasses in her bag and slipped them on. She couldn’t possibly understand what had made her boss decide that an outdoor picnic was a fun idea. A little air conditioning never did anybody harm.

Hoping she didn’t have to stay very long, Liz walked over to the area of picnic tables where the company luncheon was taking place. She could see a few of her co-workers, her boss, and all of his family.

His company had merged with another law firm, it had seemed. Liz had been pretty out of the loop since the accident happened. Her boss had been nice enough to give her a nice amount of time off, but Liz had a feeling that might have to do with what she saw before the accident, rather than the car crash itself.

She still couldn’t believe what she had seen. It bothered her so much, because she had always believed that her boss was a great guy. He seemed to love his girlfriend very much, but apparently love didn’t matter to him as much as she thought.

Her boss spotted her before she even made it to the tables. He walked up to her, leaving the barbeque to an older man she’d never seen before. Most likely he worked for the other company.

“Liz, I’m so glad you could come.”

Liz smiled politely, inside wanting to smack him. “Of course,” she replied, trying to be as short as possible.

“It means a lot to me.” her boss continued, reaching out to take her hand. Liz fought the urge to pull it away.

“Thanks.”

“Liz, I–,” he began, but Liz abruptly cut him off.

She knew what he was going to say, and frankly, she didn’t want to talk about it. She really wanted to forget she had ever seen it, but that didn’t seem possible. The least he could do is let her avoid it. There was nothing he could say that would in any way redeem himself in her eyes, so why bother getting into it.

And Liz knew she would throw a fit if he said one word to her about not telling anybody what she saw. She didn’t plan to do that anyway, because as of right now she really didn’t see the need to get involved. If he came up to her away from the group in an attempt to save his ass, Liz would be furious.

“Jesse, I don’t want to get into it.”

Liz said it plainly, leaving no room for any discussion. She didn’t want to talk about it and that was final. Jesse seemed to realize this too, because he just nodded and kept his mouth shut. Liz let go of his hand, and he moved back a step, turning towards the picnic tables and everyone that was there. “Let me introduce you to everyone.”

They walked over to where everyone else was sitting. And Liz was introduced to everyone. She knew some of the people that were there, but when she got to Jesse’s table, she only recognized one face.

Blonde hair, blue eyes...from what Liz had seen before what looked like fake breasts. And a sickeningly sweet smile that Liz saw right through. If it hadn’t been for being so confused as to why Max’s wife was sitting at this particular table, Liz would’ve smacked the smile off her face.

“This is Mr. And Mrs. Evans. Mr. Evans is the head of his own law firm, the one our company is combining with.” He went on to introduce a couple sitting at the other end of the table as Liz’s mind reeled. The woman had dirty blonde curls and the man just had messy hair. Liz could tell by the way they were sitting that they were obviously very in love. The man was introduced as the Evans youngest son, but it was when he moved to the beautiful blonde that Jesse had been sitting next to that Liz’s heart fell.

“And this is Isabel, the Evans daughter and my fiancee.”

Suddenly it all clicked. Tess was Max’s wife. Isabel was Max’s sister. Max’s wife was cheating on him with his sister’s fiancé. It was all too twisted and horrible for Liz to even comprehend. Her eyes shot to Jesse’s, glaring at him so no one else could see as he introduced Tess, stating that her husband should be arriving soon.

Liz almost didn’t realize what he had said, too preoccupied with what she now knew. But the fact that Max was coming meant that Liz needed to get out of there. If Max saw her there, he would know that Jesse was cheating on Isabel. And Liz didn’t know if she could bear to see Max’s sister hurt the way she would be when she found out her fiancé was sleeping with another woman.

Max cared about his sister so much. Liz could tell by the way he talked about her. And she knew that this revelation would devastate both of them. Maybe in different ways, but Liz couldn’t even imagine the scene that would come from it. And if Jesse knew that Liz and Max knew each other...

Liz’s head was spinning. She smiled at everyone, but it all seemed so far away. Moving to another table. She sat there thinking about everything. She ate quickly, excusing herself as politely as possible before getting the hell out of there.

Jesse didn’t say anything when she left. He didn’t know that she knew Max, and he didn’t know that Tess’s husband was also Isabel’s sister. He hadn’t mentioned it in his introductions.

Liz didn’t know what to do. She didn’t know if she should tell Max. She knew that Isabel couldn’t stay with Jesse, who was now quite possibly the lowest person she knew, next to Tess. But Liz didn’t know how she could be the one to reveal this.

She drove away from the picnic site as fast as she possibly could. She needed advice now. She needed Alex.

****

Max pulled up to his family picnic and smiled. He was late, which meant he didn’t have to be there for very long. He loved his family, but he could only take pretending to be all happy and loving with Tess for so long. Especially now that he was with Liz.

He smiled when he thought of her, excited for what was to come between them. He had never been as happy in his entire life then he was when he was with her. He just couldn’t wait to leave this picnic and actually be with her again.

Max walked over to his family’s table, saying hello to everyone and dropping a kiss on Tess’s cheek for show as he slid next to her. She smiled sweetly at him, and Max internally rolled his eyes. This charade was getting so old. Soon, he would tell his parents of his impending divorce, and then he would break the news to Tess.

He tried to pay attention while his family talked about random things but his mind would not stop wandering. Tess was looking at him, so he finally turned to see what she wanted.

“What are you doing tonight, honey?”

Honey? Sure, they played their parts, but pet names weren’t part of the game. “Why?” he asked suspiciously.

“Well,” her hand dropped beneath the table and rested on his thigh. Max fought the urge to vomit. “I was thinking maybe you and I could do something. Go catch a movie or something. Or we could just stay in...”

Max didn’t even want to know what was going on with her, but as he looked up and saw his mother smiling at him, obviously having heard Tess’s offer, he knew he had to agree. “Sure, let’s just see what we feel like doing when we leave here.”

****

Tess smiled at Max, and then looked across the table at Jesse. He had noticed her exchange with Max and she was inwardly pleased, after having to watch him with Isabel all day. Maybe a little jealousy would be good for him.

She had already had to deal with him introducing her to everyone as his “fiancee”. Deep down Tess knew it was complete crap. They’d been sleeping together for a yea, ever since he’d started dating Isabel. Before that, she’d been sleeping with random guys, anyone who could give her a little excitement in her dull marriage. Not that Max was bad in bed, but she just had no feelings for him, and sleeping with him had been more like a duty than an actual pleasure.

Perhaps she had loved him once, but she knew the only reason she had married him was because of her father and the pressure from him to settle down. Max came from a wealthy family, with a good name. He was a suitable choice.

Her and Jesse had been together for a while, without any close calls or anything. Until recently that is. Tess had instantly cringed when she saw Liz being introduced to everyone. She had immediately recognized the small brunette from that day at Jesse’s office.

Tess figured that in reality the only connection Liz had to anyone who would be affected by the secret affair was Jesse, but it still made her nervous. Everything depended on this secret, staying secret.

That’s why Tess had decided to put on a small act with Max. Play the part of the good wife and get rid of any suspicion.

It had worked perfectly until now, and Tess couldn’t imagine how anything was going to change it. She smiled across the table at Jesse.

It was just too easy.

~~~~~~~~
TBC...
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A/N: I KNOW! You all must be shocked because I'm sure you thought I had forgotten about you! But no...and now that I'm settled in at college I have a new part for you all! Thank you soo much for all the support and patience. I'm trying my best to get this out quickly for you, but there seem to be mitigating circumstances that LOVE getting in my way. I promise the next part won't be too long of a wait!

Enjoy!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Part Thirteen

“Alex...”

It was between the hyperventilating that Liz managed to call Alex. She knew that he would be able to help her figure out what to do. She couldn’t believe that things had spun out of control in a matter of seconds. She wished more than anything that she would’ve just stayed home and not gone to that lunch. She wished she would’ve convince Max to just come over, and both of them could’ve stayed wrapped in the safe, oblivious cocoon of her bed.

But all that was gone now. The truth of their situation was slowly unraveling, and while Max and Liz as an entity still remained a secret, everything else was coming into light. And Liz had no idea how to handle it.

“Liz, what’s wrong? Talk to me.”

She tried to catch her breath and get her thoughts in order. She needed Alex to come meet her, she couldn’t tell him this stuff on the phone. It was too important.

“Are you busy?” she asked finally.

“No.”

“Okay, I need you to meet me.”

****

“You know how unbelievable this whole thing is right?” Alex asked through his pint of Ben & Jerry’s, taking his spoon out and pointing it at her. “I mean...this is the kind of stuff that happens in movies, or those little romance novels.”

“And yet it is my life...” Liz groaned, dropping her head to the counter.

She had just spent the last half hour explaining everything to Alex. He already knew most of it, but the new twist she had happened to stumble on took a while for her to get out. Her mind was still reeling from it.

Max’s wife was sleeping with his sister’s fiancee, who just happened to be Liz’s boss. It was too crazy to comprehend, and just like Alex said, it was the kind of stuff that happened in movies or in the Harlequin Romance novels. It just didn’t happen to normal people.

Which is why it made perfect sense that it would be happening to her.

And that wasn’t even the half of it. She hadn’t even told Alex what had happened between her and Max before all of this had unraveled. It was a pretty significant detail, just so special to her, and so recent that she didn’t want to spoil it by saying it out loud.

But she figured that being honest with Alex would be the best thing. He wouldn’t know what to tell her if he didn’t know the whole story.

Lifting her head in resignation, she found Alex’s pitying gaze on her. This situation was already completely crazy and she knew that in the mind of her best friend she was absolutely crazy for staying involved. But that was because he thought it was all about the sex...which granted, is amazing, but the feelings between her and Max had taken a very important turn, and this was now about so much more.

Never before had she felt for anyone what she felt for Max. She’d dated plenty of times, and there had been times that she believed herself to be in love, but when she looked back on it in the new light of her relationship with Max, it couldn’t even compare.

Now she needed to convince Alex of this, and have him help her find the best way to fix the mess she had gotten herself into.

“Alex, there’s something I haven’t told you.”

His pitying gaze turned to a look of disbelief. “How can there possibly be more?” He asked incredulously.

“Look, I know that you’re worried about me, and that you think I’m involved in something that I should just run away from as fast as possible but it’s not that simple.”

“Liz, there is something fundamentally wrong with that family.”

“No.” she persisted. “There’s something wrong with the two people they’ve allowed themselves to become involved with. I don’t know Isabel, but from what Jesse used to tell me about her, I know that she’s probably an amazing woman. Especially since she’s related to Max.” she took a deep breath. “Alex, he’s one of the most amazing people I’ve ever met. You don’t understand what he’s had to live with for the past two years. I’m not running away from him and I need you to understand that.”

Alex just stared at her, looking at her like she’d grown a third head. When suddenly, understanding dawned on him. “Oh, Liz...” he shook his head softly, “you love him, don’t you?”

Liz bit her lip, worried about his reaction to the answer of his question. But she didn’t even need to say it because it was written all over her face. “Yes, I do.”

He seemed to let that sink in for a second, a part of him still wanting to convince her that she was crazy for even considering this. “But he’s married!” he tried pointing out.

“He wants to get a divorce,” Liz told him simply, trying to get him to face the facts.

Alex sat back in his chair, letting out a deep breath before looking at her pointedly. “What do you need me to do?”

And Liz couldn’t contain herself. She launched herself from the chair she had been sitting in across from him, into his arms, hugging him as tight as she possibly could. This was why he was her best friend, because he loved and supported her no matter what.

It was something she was extremely grateful to have in her life. Something she would never take for granted. He was her best friend, her brother, her confidant, and now he was going to help her.

“I don’t even know where to start.” Liz admitted honestly, shrugging her shoulders and sinking back into her own chair.

“I think you need to talk to Max about what you know.”

Liz sighed. Sure, she knew that was the best decision, really the only decision. But knowing that and actually getting herself to do it were two very completely different things. How could she be the one responsible for destroying his sister’s happiness?

“I don’t know if I can, Alex.”

He reached over, grabbing her hands and forcing her to look at him. “You have to, Liz. Think about it. The only thing stopping them from being together could be the fact that Tess is married to Max. If Max really does get this divorce, two things could happen. Jesse could end the affair and marry Isabel, which seems unlikely, or he can leave Isabel and be with Tess.”

He made a good point. Damn him. But the pain from her last break up, the pain of knowing someone you cared about was cheating on you, was something she wished she could keep from Isabel.

“What if Jesse leaves her anyways, and Max finds out that you knew, Liz? What would that do to your relationship with him?”

Though Liz couldn’t imagine any way that Max would find out that she knew, Liz knew that she didn’t want their relationship to be based on anything but the truth.

“Ok, I’m going to talk to him tonight.”

****

Liz really had planned to talk to Max. She and Alex had gone over exactly what she was going to say before he had left. She was going to sit him down before he even had a chance to say a word and she was going to tell him everything, leaving nothing standing between them.

But when Max walked through her front door, dropping the two movies and small bouquet of white roses in his hands only to pick her up and carry her to the bedroom, any thoughts of their talk immediately left her mind.

They were pushed even further away as they quickly undressed each other, Liz’s legs wrapped around his own as they stumbled towards the bed. He pulled off her top, immediately attacking her bare chest, eliciting soft moans from her lips as she started peppering kisses along his jaw and cheeks.

She reached between them, tugging at his belt, freeing it before pushing his pants and boxers down, using her feet to help her finish the job. While at the same time, Max continued his ministrations with his mouth, but used his own hands to lift her skirt up and pull her panties down.

He slid a finger inside her, pumping softly as she writhed beneath him. Of all the things he loved in this world, seeing her lose control because of him had to be one of the best. And it was a feeling he couldn’t get enough of.

Sensing her readiness, and eagerness as her small hands gripped him, he pushed forward entering her body in one swift movement, loving the sound of his name on her lips and he filled her completely.

He thrust inside of her, bracing himself on his elbows as she lay beneath him, arms wrapped around his back and pulling him closer. She matched his hips thrust for thrust, pressing her small body into his own.

Max didn’t know how long he would be able to last, the feelings her touch was causing him putting all of his senses on overload. Each kiss, each harmless scratch on the skin of his back, each time his body entered her fully, was driving him completely insane.

And Liz felt exactly the same way, loving the delicious way he took her with abandon. His thrusts were hard and fast against her own pistoning hips as she tried to match his movements and bring him even closer to her than she had thought possibly.

He leaned down, sealing their mouths together as he continued to move against her, never breaking their rhythm. She was close and he could feel his own release approaching just as rapidly. Wanting them to go over the edge together, he reached between them, his hands trailing softly over her breasts before reaching the spot he knew drove her crazy.

“Max!” she cried out, and the sound of her beautiful voice screaming his name in ecstacy was all he needed to fall against her, shuddering with the feel of his release as her own body shook against him.

They lay that way for a few minutes, each trying to regain their composure. Before Max gently rolled off of her, pulling her body against him.

“That was amazing...” Liz whispered softly.

Max smiled, dropping a kiss on her forehead before letting his eyes drift closed, the rightness of this moment making him feel completely at peace.

“I just saw you and I couldn’t control myself. I’m so happy, Liz.”

“I’m so happy, too.” She reached up and kissed him on the lips, letting her body press against him softly before sinking back to her original spot against his side.

“I was with my family, and I saw my mom and dad together, and my brother and his wife, and even my sister and her fiancee. Everyone was so happy–I can’t even remember the last time I’ve seen Isabel smile so much. And I thought of you, and I knew that I was finally that happy too.”

His words touched her so much, tears sprang to her eyes, but she swallowed and tried to push them back. Because though what he was saying was amazing to her, and made her happier than she had ever been, a sense of dread filled her when he thought about Isabel and Jesse.

She knew how much Max loved his sister, and though her and Alex had mapped out exactly what Liz was supposed to say, she couldn’t find the words to push that amazing smile off her love’s face.

She didn’t have to say anything, because Max moved to kiss her again, and all she could do was loser herself in him. He kissed her softly for a few minutes, his hands running up and down her body, giving her chills, before he pulled her back against his side.

While Liz lie awake in turmoil, Max slowly drifted off, the last thought in his mind that he was going to stop wasting time, and tell Tess and his parents about the divorce the second he had the chance.

He’d been waiting years for his life to begin, and he didn’t want to wait a second longer, now that it was curled against his side.

~~~~~~~~~~~
TBC...
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A/N: So, I'm finally back!! But I have a feeling you guys are going to like this one! Enjoy it! Also, I started the repost of my story Unforgivable Memory so if anyone wants to check it out that would be awesome!

Thanks so much for sticking with me. I hope this was worth the wait! Feedback is greatly appreciated. :D

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Part Fourteen!!!!!!!

How Max managed to pull himself away from Liz’s warm and inviting body, he still did not know. Even as he pulled up to his childhood home, his mind was still on the beautifully sexy temptress wrapped in her sheets, sheets he’d been tangled in just minutes before.

She was the reason he was here, the reason he was pulling into the large brick driveway of his parents house, she was the reason his entire life had suddenly started. And all he had to do was make it through two confrontations and the rest of his life would finally begin.

That’s why he was walking up the stone steps to his parent’s house, to tell them that he was going to divorce Tess.

Normally, it would make more sense for Tess to be the first person to find out about this decision, but Max didn’t want to risk the chance that his parents find out from Tess or Mr. Harding before he got a chance to explain why he needed to do this.

His parents, the people who had given him everything, loved him and supported him his entire life, deserved to hear it from their son. Max knew he had been blessed to get the parents he had, and to grow up the way he had. He had never been left wanting for anything, but with his dad’s sense of business, Max grew up knowing what it meant to work hard for the things he wanted.

While Max was sure Mr. Evans would’ve rathered his two sons follow his footsteps and practice law, Max and Michael had never been forced into anything that they didn’t want to do. His mother and father had trusted them to make good decisions, and it hadn’t been hard, knowing they had the full support of their parents behind them.

Max was a little worried about his parents reactions to the news he was about to give them. Mr. Harding was a huge client of Max’s father. So, Max knew that this decision was going to affect more than his own life.

Other than the ideal of the “perfect” marriage, Max knew that a big part of his decision to stay married to Tess for so long stemmed from that. He didn’t want his dad’s business to suffer from his mistakes.

But Max knew that he had been living his life for other people for too long, and maybe it was because he didn’t have a reason to make a change before, but whatever the reasons, it was time to do something about it now and take back his life.

He knocked on the big wooden door, waiting as he heard noises inside before someone came and opened the door.

“Hola, Maxwell! It’s so good to see you!”

Max smiled at Rosa, who had been the family’s housekeeper for as long as he could remember, and a huge part of Max’s childhood. He hadn’t seen her in so long, and the reunion was welcomed.

“I’m doing great, actually. How are you?”

She smiled at him, a glint in her dark eyes. She knew him too well. Living with Tess all those years, the words “I’m doing great” had rarely come out of his mouth.

“I’m doing good, amor. Come in, come in. Your parents are in the study.”

Max let her lead him into the study where his parents were talking. Before she left she turned around, planting one big kiss on each of his cheeks.

“Whatever it is that has you doing great, don’t let it go.”

“I don’t plan on it.”

She left with a smile, and Max’s slowly disappeared as he faced his parents. Sure, his determination to do this was still there, but the fact that he was actually about to tell his parents that he wanted to divorce his “wife”, if Tess could really be called that, was unbelievable. If someone would’ve told him months ago that he was going to be in this position, he would’ve thought they were crazy.

But here he was, and he’d come too far and was too happy to turn back now.

“Mom, dad...I need to talk to you.”

His parents turned their warm and loving eyes on their son, smiling at him and coming over to sit with him on the couches in the study. It had been so long since Max had come to their house and they couldn’t deny how happy it made them. He seemed so busy all the time, and before that he had lived so far away.

“What is it, honey?” Mrs. Evans asked softly, immediately knowing that there was something on her son’s mind.

Max stared at them, for some reason feeling like a small kid who was about to tell his parents he’d broken a vase in the hall when he was playing. He figured the best thing to do was just say it.

“Mom, dad...there’s something I need to tell you. And I don’t know how you’re going to react, but I hope you can hear me out and be understanding about what I have to tell you.”

He watched as his parents shared a small look of concern before turning back to him. “Max, whatever it is, you can tell us.” his father told him truthfully, wondering what was going on with his oldest son.

Max drew in a deep breath, before letting the words finally come out. “I want to get a divorce from Tess.”

Silence hung in the air for at least a minute after his declaration, and it had to be the longest minute of his life. Neither of his parents said anything, both clearly not expecting him to say what he had just told them.

His mother was the first to speak. “Honey, why?”

There it was. It was time to finally tell his parents about the life he’d been living for the past two years. He had no idea what their reactions would be, he had thought about it for as long as he could remember, but now it was finally time to find out.

“I’m not happy, mom. I haven’t been for a very long time,” he explained. His mother’s eyes searching his own and trying to understand. “I married Tess for the wrong reasons, and I’ve stayed with her for the past two years for the wrong ones too. I just can’t do it anymore.”

His mother was sympathetic, reaching across the short distance of the two couches to give her son a hug. A part of her had always known that Max and Tess were not as happy as they should be. She could see it in the eyes of Michael and Maria every time they looked at each other. They were in love. Max and Tess had never seemed to share that look.

She had hoped that someday things would change, that they would grow to love each other the way most couples did, but it never happened. Diane couldn’t deny that the only thing that was important to her was her son’s happiness, and if divorcing Tess was the way to do it then she would be behind him.

“Is there someone else, honey? Someone who helped you decide this?”

Max looked up at his mom, always loving and supportive and knew that she was behind him. He thought about Liz, imagining her as the kind of mother, of wife who would be that way too, and his heart filled with love for her.

“Yes,” he said honestly. “But mom, I don’t want her brought into this. I know what the Hardings are like and I can’t take the chance that they find out about Liz and...I don’t even know what. I just don’t want her involved. I’ve been unhappy long before I met her. She’s just given me a reason to do something about it.”

Max looked at his parents, noticing that his father had said nothing yet. He waited patiently for his father’s reply to all the things he had just told them, but what came out of his mouth was completely different from what Max had expected.

“Tess’s father is a huge client of mine, Max. You know what something like this will do. You’ll be shaming her, and drive a permanent wedge between Mr. Harding and I.”

“I understand that, dad. It’s one of the reasons why I’ve never said anything before, but–,”

“But, now you’ve met a girl who what? Gives you a good couple of nights in bed and you’re willing to throw away your marriage for it? You’re confusing your misplaced lust for something that it’s not and you’re going to ruin everything for it, for some girl on the side.”

Max stood up, facing his father. He, who had always been so understanding, so supportive was staring back at him and saying all these selfish and horrible things. He would not tolerate it.

“If anyone has been “misplacing their lust”, it’s Tess! For two years I’ve dealt with her cheating on me, sleeping with who knows how many men behind my back, and I’m done!” His voice raising, he watched as his father stood up, and Max stared him straight in the eye.

“I don’t care about your business deals, I don’t care about your clients! I’m your SON, and if anyone is misplacing loyalties maybe it’s you. This is my happiness on the line and I will not sacrifice it anymore.” His voice had dropped to a lethal tone, no longer feeling the need to yell. If his father couldn’t understand Max’s point of view than he was wasting his time.

“You will not speak to me like that, Max.”

“Well, I won’t have you speaking about Liz the way you did. I came here because I wanted you to hear this from me, and not from the Hardings. I can see now that it might’ve been a waste of time. I’m sorry, mom.”

He tried to smile at his mother before he left the room, but the anger inside of him at his father’s words would not subside. He could not believe how selfish he had been. It was time to just get to his home, get his things, and finally break the news to Tess. The sooner he did that, the sooner he could go back to Liz, a place he desperately needed to be right now.

He drove the distance to his own home, stopping in front of it and just taking a deep breath. This was it. The moment he had been waiting for since he married Tess and realized she’d been cheating on him. He’d put his entire life on hold and this was the confrontation that would change everything.

He walked inside, making his way up to the bedroom where he knew Tess would be, and sure enough found her sitting on the bed they had once shared. She was reading a magazine, and looked up only briefly when he walked into the room.

He started by going to the closet, roughly pulling down the large suitcase he had used during their move for some of his more personal things. He made no pretense of being gently or quiet, and moved to the dresser, grabbing all of his clothes and shoving them into the large bag.

He moved around the room, his fury building at Tess’s lack of interest in his actions. He was waiting, waiting for her to ask him what he was doing, waiting to see if she even noticed.

It was when he moved to the closet and began tossing his shirts and pants out, their hangers clanging against the tile floor of their bathroom that he heard Tess’s voice from the other room. He walked back over to their bedroom, coming and standing at the foot of the bed as he started placing his shirts in the suitcase.

“Max, what the hell are you doing?” He looked up at her, blue eyes staring at him in a mixture of confusion and questioning, probably wondering if he had gone insane. This was it, this was the moment he had been waiting for.

“I’m leaving Tess!” He shouted at her, all the rage and pent up frustration of the past two years pouring out of him at last. She stared at him in shock, and he took a deep breath, finally saying the words he had been waiting two years to say.

“I want a divorce.”

~~~~~~~~
TBC...and there it is....
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A/N: So I've been Sick as a Dog (though that's a VERY strange expression), I've had tonsillitis...FINALS for my first term at college, I've had to pack up all my stuff and move it...It's been a CRAZY past week and a half. BUT I'm back! I'm so glad you all liked the last part. We were all waiting for it! even me...:D

Hopefully you will understand Max's dad a little more in this part. I didn't mean for you to hate him!! He just didn't understand. But he comes around QUICKLY.

Anyways, I love you all for still being here. You have NO idea. Though Raych and I have a bet to see if I do still have readers. She says I will, but with these long absences I'm not so convinced! :roll:

enough outta me!....ENJOY!!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Part Fifteen

“I want a divorce.”

The words seemed to hit her with some kind of force, because for a second Max could’ve sworn he saw her flinch. Any emotion that would’ve passed over her face in those vulnerable seconds was carefully masked, and icy blue eyes turned on him.

“Excuse me?”

Max took a deep, steadying breath, thinking of Liz in an attempt to calm himself, but the anger was still flowing through his veins and he could barely contain it.

“You heard me, Tess,” he remarked coldly, pining his eyes on her and refusing to back down. “It’s over. I’m done with this relationship, I’m done with these lies, and I’m done with you.”

For a minute, she said nothing. She just stared at him, and the truth of the situation fully poured over each of them. For Max, the moment he had been waiting for had finally come. He was free of the charade, of the game and the lie he had been living for the past few years of his life. He had taken the first steps toward his happiness and he refused to stop now that he had started.

He thought of Liz again, of the possibility that she would want to start a life with him, that she would want to be a part of his happiness. And it strengthened his resolve. Max knew Tess, he knew the things she was capable of and he wouldn’t give a damn about any of that now. No matter what she tried to do, no matter how hard she tried to ruin things for him, as long as he had Liz nothing Tess did would affect him.

He was finally free of her, and nothing had ever felt so good.

But for Tess, it was something entirely different. And she as she looked up from the bed, her piercing blue eyes boring into his own, Max knew things were about to get ugly. So, instead of waiting for it to happen, he turned around and kept packing. He had told her all he needed to know and the last thing he wanted to do is listen to her try and manipulate her way out of it.

As he rummaged through the drawers, picking up a pile of T-shirts to throw into a bag, he heard her moving from her place on the bed. It wasn’t until she was behind him that he realized what she was up to.

“Max...honey, I’m sorry. Whatever’s wrong, we can fix it together.” He turned around, staring at her in complete disbelief as her eyes filled with tears. “I want to make this work. All this time, I’ve felt like you haven’t cared about me and...and I’ve been trying to get your attention.”

Max just blinked. “By sleeping with what? Half of the town?” Her bottom lip started to quiver and Max rolled his eyes, pushing past her and putting his shirts in the bag. “It’s bullshit, Tess, so you can save it.”


She spun around, her act apparently dropped when she realized it wasn’t working and raged at him. “Who the hell do you think you are?” she lashed out, knocking some of his things off the bed.

He turned to face her. “Watch yourself, Tess. I’m not in the mood to put up with your shit.”

She let out a laugh, and Max could almost feel a chill go up his spine at how evil it sounded. How had he ever married her? How had he ever been fooled by the little act she put on. He should’ve seen her for what she was from the very beginning.

“Not in the mood?” she said with a laugh, “You have no idea what it’s like not to be in the mood.”

“Tess, you don’t seem to be in the running for the spokesperson of it either, so why don’t you save it.”

“Oh, but I think I am. I’ve spent the last two years of my life living with a man that I can’t stand! Just the thought of you makes me sick!” she let out a small scream of what seemed to be frustration. “The only reason I’ve stayed married to you at all was because of your money and your status. Why do you think I sought you out in college in the first place, honey?”

Her voice had taken on a sickeningly sweet tone, and Max felt every word down to the bone. His entire life had been a lie. He had thrown it away for this...he couldn’t even think of a word to describe her. She was heartless.

In college, Tess had been beautiful. She came from a nice family, she knew the right people. Everyone thought they were the perfect match. It was the reason he had started dating her in the first place.

Eventually, he fell for her act, he now supposed. He started to like the person she pretended to be, and since nothing had come along, he did the thing everyone wanted him to do, and he asked her to marry him.

Basically, he made the biggest mistake of his life.

“I’ve been cheating on you since college! And this is when you think you’ve got the backbone to leave me?” Tess shrieked at him, storming around the room even as Max continued to pack. “You’re nothing. And you won’t leave me because if you do, then all it’ll mean is that you failed at something else.”

She knew she had struck a nerve, so she let her words sink in. Not many people knew of Max’s attempt to go into law like his father had. It was only after he had been unable to get into law school, that Max had decided to join the police force like his younger brother had shown interest in.

“How the hell do you know about that?”

Tess went white. He had never told her that he’d been unable to get into law school, he never told anyone, because there was only one person in this world who knew that he had applied and that was his sister Isabel.

“Answer me, Tess!” he shouted at her, this time his anger getting the best of him as he threw the first thing he could find across the room.

Her expression masked again, and she turned towards their bedroom door. “You’re going to regret this, Max.” she said calmly as she opened the door, looking back at him only for a second. “Get your things and get out.”

With that she was gone, and while the urge to remind her that this was his house and he could stay if he pleased, he really had no intention of staying there longer than he had to, so he turned back to his bag, his mind reeling from their confrontation.

When his bags were packed, he threw them into the back of his car, not really knowing what to do next. Sure, his plan was to leave, but he hadn’t really thought through what he was going to do next. Ideally, he would like to stay with Liz, but they hadn’t gotten that far in talking about what was happening between them.

Having accomplished so much in one day, he knew exactly where he wanted to go next, and started his car. Dialing Isabel on her cell, and finding out that Jesse and her were sitting at home, he told them he was coming over and had very important news for both of them.

Isabel rushed out to meet him the second he pulled up at the house, pulling him into a hug and tearfully telling him that she had just gotten off the phone with their mother, who had told them the whole story.

“I’m so sorry, Max!” she apologized over and over, wishing that she had known what had been going on with him.

Finally getting her to stop apologizing, they made their way into the house so that Max could talk with Jesse, who immediately clapped him on the back in support. They went into Jesse’s office, where Max told them everything that had been happening, and everything he had been living with in the past few years.

“I need you to handle my divorce.” Max said simply when he was finished, hoping that he would help. “I would ask my father, but he wasn’t too keen on this idea in the first place.”

Isabel spoke up at this, having talked to both her parents on the phone. “Oh, Max! It wasn’t that dad doesn’t support you! He just didn’t fully understand what had been going on between you two or how unhappy you’ve been. You have to understand that none of us saw this coming! And I’m so sorry for that, but dad was probably just shocked when you told him.”

She tried to reason with her brother, knowing that their father regretted the way he had initially acted, not fully realizing what Max had been living with all this time. If any of them had known what Tess had been up to, and capable of, the probably would’ve never let Max marry her in the first place.

“I just can’t believe we trusted her! I can’t believe how easy it is for some people to take advantage of the love we give them. I mean, you hand over your heart and they toss it aside like it means nothing.” Isabel voiced passionately, pulling her brother into another hug.

“Thank you, Is...you have no idea how much your support means to me.”

Afraid his fiancé was going to start crying again, Jesse directed the conversation towards the actual divorce and away from Max’s feelings. He suggested that they set up a meeting to draft a copy of the divorce papers so they could be finalized and sent to Tess after Max had signed them.

“I need to make sure that you’re telling me everything, though, Max. If there’s anything you need to tell me now would be the time.”

Max thought for a moment, his lack of wanting to bring Liz into this whole thing coming up again. But then, he knew that Jesse would keep it to himself if he asked him not to tell anyone about it.

He really didn’t want what he had with Liz to become touched by this entire mess in any way at all and he would take whatever means were necessary to ensure that. But Max couldn’t help but think that maybe if Jesse did know if would help him keep her protected from anything Tess or her father and his lawyers thought they might like to try.

“There is one thing, but I need to know that I have your word this won’t be repeated.”

“There’s confidentiality between clients and their lawyers, and as of right now, our relationship is just that. Anything you say to me will stay between us.”

Max nodded. “There’s someone else, someone I’ve been seeing and plan to continue seeing after this divorce. I...I think I’m in love with her.”

Max knew it was more than that, he was in love with her. But the first time he said it he wanted it to be said to her, and he hoped more than anything that he would be lucky enough to hear it in return.

“Max?” Isabel questioned, never having known about this either. It was completely shocking to her how little she knew about her brother, and the realization was not one that she liked. She made a promise to herself right then to become more concerned about his life, instead of just her own. Her guilt over his sufferings coming through.

“I need to know her name, Max.” Jesse pressed slightly, sensing that Max was reluctant to say much more.

“It’s Liz.” he told them. “Liz Parker.”

Just the sound of her name on his lips sent a calm through Max like one he had rarely ever felt. He couldn’t wait until this entire mess was resolved and he could just go back to her and lay in the safety and comfort of her arms.

He was so wrapped up in his thoughts of her, that he completely missed the look that crossed Jesse’s face.

RING!

A shrill ringing broke them from their thoughts, and their eyes turned to the phone of Jesse’s desk. Jesse masked his expression, reaching over and lifting the receiver to his ear. He listened for a few seconds, before hanging up.

“I’m sorry, you two. I have to run to the office. That was my secretary, she called and said I left something that I need for a big case I’m handling tomorrow.”

Max nodded in understanding, his desire to see Liz making him glad for the interruption. “Thank you for your help Jesse. We’ll set up an appointment for sometime this week then?”

“Of course, just call in and make an appointment. Or if you tell Isabel here a date I’m sure she can pass it along to me?”

Isabel smiled from her seat on the couch, standing with the rest of them so they could leave the room. “Of course.”

They walked out of the house together, Isabel giving Max an unusually long hug goodbye before telling him that if he needed anything he better call her. “Even if it’s a place to stay!” she insisted.

Finally, he drove off, heading in the direction that all of the day’s events and confrontations had been leading him to.

To Liz.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
TBC...
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A/N: Some of you might DIE in shock when you see I've gotten this out in a week, lol. Please don't die on me though, I love your FB. We're getting...somewhat close to the end, but things are probably going to get worse before they get better. Please bear with me!! I somehow manage to make this so Twisted and now I have to untangle the mess, Lol.

Enjoy!!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Part Sixteen!

As desperately as Max wanted to go see Liz, he decided to make one last stop before heading to her house. He knew there was someone who was probably dying to hear the news he had, and he didn’t want to deprive her of her happiness for a second longer.

He turned off onto the familiar road where Michael and Maria lived, happily anticipating the excitement he was about to witness. It was the exact same excitement that was running through his own body, and hopefully with Maria he would be able to let it out.

It was no secret that Maria hated Tess, she was probably the one person in the world who hated the bitch as much as Max did. And now that it had finally happened, now that he had finally told her he was getting a divorce, he was free...he was bursting to shout about it.

He just couldn’t believe it. After two long years of being with someone and knowing that it was never going to make you happy, he was finally done. He couldn’t believe he had stayed with Tess for as long as he had now when he thought about it, but he had his reasons before, however impractical they may have been.

The reactions of people like Isabel and his mother, their obvious guilt and concern over the fact that he had been so unhappy, was not something he had expected. He hadn’t wanted them to feel that way, but seeing it made him realize that they would’ve understood long ago that he wasn’t happy with Tess.

Tess’s comment about failure, while Max was sure it had been about law school though he had no idea how she would know about that, hit pretty deep. That was the one thing in his life he had really failed at, and since then, he had obviously been scared to fail again, whether it was at marriage or anything. The more he thought about it, the more he realized a part of him had stayed with Tess because he didn’t want to fail at something else.

But now he looked at everything so differently.

And he knew it was because of Liz. Meeting her had meant more to him than anything. She had given him not only a reason to rid himself of the horrible life he had made for himself, but she had given him the strength to go through with it. Just the thought of her had made him feel strong when he was talking to his parents and Tess.

He knew without doubt that he was in love with her. In his mind there was no question about it. He only hoped that she felt the same way. He didn’t know what was going to happen next, there was still a lot to go through as far as his divorce with Tess. Max just had a feeling that wasn’t going to be as easy as it could be, but when it was over, the only thing he could imagine for himself would be to start a life with Liz, if she would have him.

It was with a huge smile at that thought, that Max exited his car and walked up to Michael and Maria’s front door. And it was the first thing his brother and Maria noticed when they opened the door.

“Hi,” Max said brightly, stepping between them and coming in the house. “Can I come in?”

The look on their faces was priceless, and Max knew it had probably been a very long time since they had ever seen him with a genuine smile on his face. They were staring at him like he had grown another head, and followed him into their living room with looks of confusion on their faces as he sat himself at the couch.

“What’s going on, Maxwell?” Michael asked finally as they sat in the love seat across from him.

Max stretched his arms up and over his head, bringing them to rest behind his neck on the couch as he looked at them. “Well, I think you can tell that I have good news...”

Ever the impatient one, Maria threw the dishtowel she’d been holding across the living room at him, looking unsatisfied when it only brushed across his feet as it slid across the floor. “Just tell us what’s going on, you idiot,” she said good-naturedly.

Frowning in mock-disappointment at not being able to drag it out, Max stood up. “Tess and I are getting a divorce,” he said dully, waiting for their reactions before completely unveiling his happiness.

And then, right on cue, a loud shriek filled the room and Max was practically knocked back into the couch as Maria tackled him.

Not at all surprised by her enthusiasm but still shocked to find himself sprawled onto the couch with the excited girl hugging the life out of him, Max immediately began swatting at her. “Maria!” he cried from underneath her, amazed at how strong such a pint-sized girl could be. “Get off!”

She scrambled off of him, still bouncing with excitement and looking like a child who just found out Christmas was coming early. “Sorry,” she apologized with a blush, hands clasped together as she stared at him, a happy glint in her bright eyes. “But with good news like that it’s hard not to get excited!”

Michael came to stand next to her, a slightly scolding tone in his voice. “Maria...”

Michael didn’t really know what to think. Sure, he had never really been Tess’s biggest fan, especially considering the disappearing act Max had pulled once the girl had made her way into his brother’s life, but he had never hated her the way Maria had. Max had never really said anything to make him think he should hate the girl he had chosen to be his wife, and Michael wanted to make sure Max was okay with this before Maria started doing her happy dance.

Too late. Michael groaned as Maria started shaking around their house, singing to herself something that sounded suspiciously like “Ding dong the witch is dead.” Rolling his eyes at his over-zealous wife, he turned back to his brother.

“You okay with all this, Max?”

Max wanted to hug Michael, grateful for his concern but knowing it was completely unnecessary. “I’m great, Mike,” he said happily, humming under his breath the same tune that Maria was currently singing from the kitchen.

Max turned back to his brother. Though his concern wasn’t needed, it would probably have been more fair to explain things to him before springing this on him. As far as Michael had known, as far as any of his family had ever known, he had been content with his life with Tess, and he knew that this divorce was coming as more than a shock.

“I probably owe you an explanation...” he trailed off, scratching behind his ear as he looked at his brother.

“It’d be nice, considering I’m not only confused but now have that thing on my hands,” he replied, gesturing towards where Maria was coming from the kitchen, two glasses in her hands.

Max looked down as she handed him his glass, sniffing at the contents before turning an inquiring eye up at her. “Maria, what is this?”

She just smiled, waving her hand and telling him to drink up. “I figured this called for a little celebration! They’re Maria-ritas!” she sat chuckling at her own little joke while the boys just stared at their drinks before taking tentative sips.

Noticing her lack of a celebratory drink, Max nodded at her, setting the cup down in front of him. “Where’s yours?”

Maria shrugged. “Oh, I’m not drinking,” she said simply before changing the subject. “Okay, okay...enough stalling. Tell me everything!”

Settling back down into the couch and waiting for them to do the same, Max told them everything. He told them about Liz, about meeting her and falling for her. He told them about Tess, making Maria promise to retract her claws before he did so, and doing his best to ignore her scowls and muttering though he was sure he heard the words “knife” and “blonde” a couple times, got through the entire story.

When he was finished, he felt the same feeling he had felt when he had told Isabel and Jesse, like a weight had been lifted from his shoulders. It felt good to get it off his chest, so good he was considering alerting CNN and telling just about everybody.

“So, other than the fact that I’m now homeless, life is great!”

Michael smirked, happy that Max seemed to be fine with everything that had happened, but internally feeling the guilt from all the things his brother had gone through without him knowing. All this time he had been content with believing that Max’s life was perfect. He had never thought that Max would be unhappy, believing in his brother too much to think that he would put himself in that kind of situation. But it turned out to be completely different, and Michael had never even seen it.

“You know you can always stay with us, Max,” he heard Maria offer from beside him.

“Yeah, but you can’t take up the guest room too long, we’re going to be needing it in a couple of months,” Michael chimed in.

Max watched as Maria nudged him, trying to hide the glowing smile on her face. And it clicked for Max, the lack of drinking...he knew Maria was a party girl, and with the reason they had to celebrate it didn’t seem likely that she wouldn’t join them in the drink.

“Are you...?”

Max watched his little brother as he literally beamed down at his wife, who was happily returning the look. Both of them nodded, and Max could hardly stop the smile that spread across his face. “Maria, I can’t believe you tackled me in your condition!”

She just laughed, and Max got up pulling her into a hug. He had always felt a close kinship with Maria, knowing not only that they shared the same hatred for his soon-to-be ex-wife, but also that she was the woman responsible for making Michael happier than he had ever seen him. He couldn’t wait to see the two of them have a kid together.

Max embraced Michael next, in a typical manly hug where they try to stay in contact for the shortest time possible. Max gave him an extra pat on the back before pulling away. “Congratulations, man.”

“Thanks,” Michael replied, the genuine feelings of joy displayed openly on his features. “Best part is now you don’t have an excuse not to come to dinner.”

“Yeah,” Maria chimed in. “Our kid’s going to need his uncle around. Maybe even an aunt,” she supplied with a wink. “Though I’ll have to meet this Liz woman to make sure I approve.”

Max smiled, a picture of Liz, himself, Michael, and Maria all gathered around a dinner table popping into his head. “She’s the complete opposite of Tess; in other words, she’s perfect. I think you two will get along just fine.” Max knew Maria would love Liz, always complaining about how she didn’t have a girl in the family other than Isabel to talk to.

Michael tried not to smile as Max talked about Liz, knowing he had never once seen his brother this way in the years he’d been with Tess. Maria went back to singing her song, and Max just watched them both thinking about the news they had just shared with him and having a really hard time keeping the image of beautiful dark-haired children out of his mind.

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The second Max was in the door at Liz’s apartment, he practically pounced on her. She welcomed his attack of kisses, wrapping her arms around his neck and trying her best to back up with him as he moved them towards the couch.

“Have a good day?” she asked with a wry smile in between kisses, happy to see him in such a good mood.

“The best day ever,” he answered with a nod, peppering kisses down her jaw. “Even better now.”

“Tell me about it,” she breathed out as his lips ran over a sensitive spot on her neck.

He pulled back, eager to tell her everything that had happened over the past couple of hours. It had a been a crazy day, to say the very least, and he couldn’t wait to tell her not only that he had asked Tess for a divorce, but more importantly his reason for doing so.

She looked up at him, waiting for him to tell her, and he dropped a lingering kiss on her lips before settling back into the couch and pulling her with him. “Well,” he started, wanting to just blurt it out but not knowing how she would react.

Sensing his hesitation, she ran her fingers through his hair her eyes looking up into his own. “You can tell me anything, Max.”

He smiled, unable to stop depositing little kisses to her lips. “I told Tess I wanted a divorce.”

Liz was taken aback by his news. She had absolutely no idea what to say. She couldn’t deny that she was thrilled, wanting nothing more than to claim Max as her own forever, but she needed to make sure that he was 100% okay with his decision, not being able to bear it if he had any doubts that might eventually come into play.

He seemed to understand what she was thinking, because he continued. “I waited way too long to do that, Liz. I’ve wanted it for so long, I just finally found the strength to do it.”

He wanted her to understand what he was trying to say, but even when she looked up at him with glistening eyes, he decided to clarify. “You,” he began, tapping her nose with his finger, “you gave me the strength to do it, Liz.”

She couldn’t stop the tears that sprang to her eyes, though she tried her hardest not to cry. She was touched by his words, the feeling of meaning something to him causing her heart to pound. She couldn’t stop what she was feeling for him, and with every word he said, and everything he did, the emotion grew within her, threatening to come out.

And as he watched her beautiful face, and wiped the tear that slid down her cheek as she smiled somewhat sheepishly at him, he felt everything she was feeling, and knew that it could no longer be denied.

“Liz, I-I know this might seem sudden, but...” he trailed off, watching her carefully as he went to speak the words he’d wanted to say for weeks.

Liz waited, hoping to hear the words she desperately wished he would say, and needing to say so much to him. She knew that she needed to tell him the truth about Jesse, and planned to now while they were being so open with each other. But before he had a chance to open his mouth, a loud buzzing noise sounding between them, and they both looked down as her cell phone vibrated from her front pocket.

“I’m sorry,” she apologized, reaching between them to grab the offending device. She had been planning on shutting it off, but recognized the number and immediately figured she should pick it up, wondering why this person would be calling her.

“Liz?” a voice sounded from the other line.

“Hello,” she replied, waiting for them to get to the point.

“I’m going to need you to come in, Liz. It’s an emergency. There’s something I need your help with and it really can’t wait. I’m sorry to bother you but is there any way you can come?”

She didn’t want to. She didn’t want to go within five feet of Jesse Ramirez for the rest of her life, but he was still her boss and she did still need her job, so she reluctantly agreed before hanging up the phone.

“That was my boss. There’s some kind of emergency and he needs me to come in.”

He could tell how much she didn’t want to go, so he tried to make her feel better, promising that they would finish their talk as soon as she got back. Liz agreed, telling him she needed to talk to him too before practically dragging herself from his arms, never knowing things were about to get a whole lot worse.

~~~~~~~~~~
TBC...
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A/N: I know i'm a horrible updater once again, lol. But I had to move back to college and everything so it was a busy couple of weeks. Anyways, here's the new part for you all. I went into Liz's head so we could kinda see and understand where she's coming from. Liz isn't as weak and stupid as she might seem. But she is Human!! Lol, remember that: Tess+Jesse=Bad Guys!

I hope you enjoy...and that this isn't getting TOO unbelievable, lol. We're getting closer to the end! Things are going to start getting a little worse and then get better! Stick with me :D

I love you all! Thanks so much for the feedback.

ENJOY


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Part Seventeen

Liz knew she was being a coward. She knew it, and yet she had left anyways, pulled herself frantically from his loving embrace and went to the last place she wanted to be. She cursed herself for being so weak.

As she drove towards her boss’s office, wondering what he could possibly want from her, she thought about the man she had left behind. She had fallen for him, faster than she had ever done before, and her feelings for anyone else had never even come close to what she felt for him. She was in love with him, it was as simple as that, and so complicated at the same time.

She had thought before that she knew what it was like to be in love, but now she knew that she had been wrong. Because with what she felt for Max, came something she had never before experienced: Fear.

The fear that he wouldn’t feel the same, the fear that he would stop, the fear that the things she had done and things she knew would change everything, and bring about her biggest fear: losing him. She couldn’t lose him.

And as he went to say the words her heart desperately wanted to hear, she had found herself almost grateful for the ringing of her cell phone, because once the words were declared, and once she said them back, she knew that she would have to be completely honest with him, and tell him the truth about what she knew.

It wasn’t a completely horrible thing; in fact, it was something Liz knew she needed to do, something she did plan on doing, but it was proving harder to get the words out than she had imagined. She had been saved by the ringing of her phone, knowing that she couldn’t tell him something of this importance and sprint out the door to her boss, who like it or not she still had an obligation to if she wanted to support herself. When she told him she needed to really talk to him about it, make sure he knew that she never meant to do anything, even not of her own fault, to him or his sister. She wanted to be able to hold him until she was completely sure that he wouldn’t leave.

She had already waited so long to tell him, and she now had that to worry about on top of the fact that she was going to reveal what she knew. Sure, it wasn’t her fault that Tess was a cheating tramp and Jesse was an unfaithful piece of shit, but it didn’t make it easier to be the messenger.

They invented the phrase “don’t kill the messenger” for a reason. It happened.

Liz had thought about what she would’ve done if someone had told her she was being cheated on without her knowledge. Her first instinct would be denial. It would be anyone’s. Isabel would be no exception. Isabel had so many reasons not to believe or want to believe Liz. She had built her life with Jesse, she planned on having a future with him, and to accept what Liz had to say as the truth would send all of that crashing down.

And if Isabel did refuse to believe her, if knowing that Liz was also sleeping with a married man, she decided that it was something Liz had made up for her own gain or whatever reason, it would put a rift between her and Max. Because he would be placed in the middle, between his sister, who he had a natural urge to love and protect, and Liz, a girl he barely knew and could’ve been deceived by.

It was slightly irrational, considering Max already knew that Liz’s boss had been having an affair with Tess, and all Liz would have to do is tell Max that Jesse was her boss. But everyone sometimes succumbs to their most irrational fears, which is why Liz had originally put off telling him. Now, it was that irrational fear on top of the fact that she had waited for so long that kept the words at the tip of her tongue.

But Liz loved him, and she needed to be strong for him. She needed to get over her fear to help him. She needed to tell him the truth, and as that thought went through her mind, she made a decision to tell him the truth the second she got back to the house.

But as she pulled up to her office, she had no idea that things were not going according to her plans, that there were two people in particular who wanted to make sure the truth didn’t come out.

Liz climbed out of her car, walked up the steps to the office and prayed that this would be over as soon as possible. She wanted to get back to Max. But she walked into the office, and as her eyes adjusted, what she saw in front of her made her heart stop.

“Tess?”

She looked from her boss to the blonde woman beside him, taking in the glare in her eyes as she stood there with her arm crossed over her chest. There was a look in her eyes that made Liz sure this woman meant business, and Liz had no idea what to expect.

“Jesse, what the hell is going on?” Liz demanded, before deciding the better of it. “Forget it, I’m leaving.”

She moved to open the door, but a voice stopped her in her tracks.

“I would listen to what we have to say before you do that, Liz.”

To hear the blonde’s voice directed at herself made something inside Liz twitch. This was the woman who had caused Max so much pain, the woman who had put him through so much, made him doubt himself in ways he never should’ve, and Liz absolutely despised her.

“Why should I listen to anything you have to say?” Liz replied icily, her hand grasping the door knob and turning it.

“Liz, we don’t want to make this any harder than it has to be. You’ll regret it if you walk out that door.”

This time it was Jesse who spoke, and Liz listened to the words that came from his mouth, giving them a minute to settle in before she spun around to face him, fury blazing in her dark eyes.

“How dare you threaten me! After all I’ve done for you, after I haven’t told anyone what you’ve been doing when you know I could.”

Jesse could only smirk at her. “You haven’t kept quiet because of me, Liz. I’m not stupid enough to presume as much either. But your silence is going to continue and this time it will be because of me.”

Liz could see the anger he felt bubbling beneath the surface of his actions, but the rage inside her over the fact that she had been lured to this office under false pretenses, combined with her obvious hatred for both of them, made Liz the more volatile in the situation.

“You’ve got another thing coming if you think I’m going to do anything for you.”

She turned to leave again, furious, but was once again stopped. “He’s going to think you were in on it then,” the blonde said coldly. “You’re going to lose him. Not that you ever had him, because I don’t see how he could love someone like you.”

The smug look on Tess’s face, as she knew her words had made even the slightest impact, made Liz want to smack it right off. And suddenly the idea didn’t seem to be anything but appealing. She walked towards her, three meaningful strides to close the distance between them, before her hand lashed out, smacking the other girl square across the cheek, a fiery red hand print left in the wake.

Tess seemed to take a minute to register what had happened, her cheek turned from the force of Liz’s actions, before she turned back to face the brunette. She took a threatening step towards Liz, but Jesse’s hand came out to stop Tess.

“Let’s get to the point Liz. Either you agree to keep your mouth shut, or we’ll tell Max you were in on the whole thing.”

Liz shook her head, trying her best to laugh the situation off. “He’ll never believe that,” she told them.

Jesse raised his eyebrows. “You obviously don’t have too much confidence, or you would’ve told him the truth by now, Liz.”

Liz bit her lip at his accusation, knowing he was right but not wanting him to know it. “Besides, why would Max think I was in on yours and that tramp’s affair? That doesn’t make any sense.”

Jesse and Tess shared a look, and Liz got a nice look at the red mark on the other girl’s cheek, before they both turned back to regard her. The looks in their eyes told Liz things were about to get more complicated, and she wasn’t going to like what she was about to hear.

Tess spoke first. “Did Max ever tell you that I never wanted to move to Roswell?” Tess paused, but it was obvious she wasn’t looking for an answer so Liz just waited. “I loved New York, and I had no intention of moving from the great life of the city, to this small dingy town. But I was dragged her for some family thing, one year ago, and that was when I met Isabel’s boyfriend.”

“I was a successful lawyer at that point, but I knew there was more out there.” Jesse had taken over the story, and Liz couldn’t believe what she was hearing. “I had met Philip Evans through a contact and I looked up to him, a successful family man with everything. He was exactly what I wanted to be when I met him, and it didn’t hurt that he had a beautiful daughter, who I was immediately attracted to. Isabel and I started dating shortly after that, we have been ever since until we got engaged.”

Tess made a scoffing noise at that. “When they first met things were completely innocent, he did have feelings for her, but when we met, it was more than they could’ve hoped to have had. He was bored with Isabel, I was bored with Max. It was just sex at first, but pretty soon...Well, you know how these things happen, don’t you Liz?”

Liz’s head snapped up at this. “Don’t you dare compare Max and I to you two, especially Max. He’s better than either of you could even dream of being.”

She could not handle what she and Max had being compared to the slime of Tess and Jesse’s affair. But even more than that, Max was the best person she knew. He had never done anything but care about what other people needed and wanted. He had given his loyalty to the last woman in the world who deserved it. He was nothing like them, and Liz would not listen to them even dare to say it.

“Touching,” Tess scoffed. “Anyway, it might’ve been just pillow talk at first, Jesse sharing his dreams of owning a company like Philip’s one day, when we thought of it. Instead of breaking up with Isabel, and myself asking for a divorce from Max, we decided to stay with them. Jesse continued to woo Isabel, and life went on as normal with Max and I.”

“And then Philip announced the merger of his larger and much more successful company with my smaller one, which would give me rights to his company, and eventually the ability to control some of it, which is what we had hoped for all along. With Isabel’s help, she unknowingly set up her own family, thinking she had only been helping out the man who loved her.”

“As soon as the merger went through I would divorce Max and Jesse would end things with Isabel. Do you see it now? It all unfolded the way we wanted, but you were unexpected. And when I first saw you at the picnic I was worried, but I knew you hadn’t said anything to Max because if you had, our plans would’ve been ruined. And we definitely didn’t expect Max to ask me for a divorce beforehand, it was even greater when he confided everything to Jesse. We’re still in control, as long as we took care of you. Because all you need to do is tell Max the truth and the merger would be ended.”

Liz shook her head in disbelief, unable to believe that people could be so conniving and devious. She had no intention of helping them or keeping quiet for them in anyway.

“What the hell makes you think I’m going to help you with any of this? I’m going to go straight to Max right now and tell him everything and I’d love to know how you’re going to stop me.”

They shared another look, before Tess spoke again. “Because if you tell him, then we’ll say you were a part of it. We’ll say we made you help us, to distract him, to get him to fall in love with you and get a divorce from me. His poor shattered heart won’t know what to believe, and trust me, Liz. I was married to the man for two years, I know exactly how to get him to believe what I want.”

“But it doesn’t need to happen that way, Liz.” Jesse spoke up again, looking at Liz with the first ounce of sympathy she had seen in them in a long time.

“It doesn’t seem like I have many other options, does it?”

“Keep quiet until the merger goes through, and we don’t say anything. Only a little while longer, and you can go on in life and he’ll never know you knew anything about this.”

They seemed to be finished laying their cards on the table, because they both fell silent and looked at her like they were waiting for an answer. What choice did she have? Tess and Jesse playing on every insecurity and fear that she had, it had convinced her that Max would never forgive her no matter what. She didn’t know what to do, but all she could do in that moment was nod her head.

Jesse put his hand on her shoulder, but she shrugged from it, despising the feel of his touch. She was disgusted with him, disgusted with Tess, and mostly disgusted with herself, for being so weak, for being so scared to lose him.

The tears came when she walked from the office and was in the safety of her car, wondering how she had gotten herself into this mess, but mostly, wondering how she could get herself out of it. Because as she drove, she realized that she had agreed to their plan, they hadn't really given her much choice in the office, but she had no intention of letting them control her this way. She just needed to figure out a way to tell Max everything, gather the strength to do it, and hope he would believe her.

~~~~~~~~~~
TBC...

A/N: I have a One-Parter coming out really soon (just waiting for a banner), so look out for it. It's called You Were Mine. Based on the song by the Dixie Chicks. I'll post a link in an A/N for it when I post, so look out for it!
Last edited by Hopeless Romantic on Fri Aug 26, 2005 4:37 am, edited 2 times in total.
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A/N: In honor of the first football game of the Gator Season, we have part 18!! Woo hoo, Go Gators! Lol, anyways...Today is our first game so I hope that this brings us good luck. :D

This part isn't too long, and it doesn't have TOO much in it, but it's important for the set-up of the ending of the story. Which is going to be here very soon actually :( ...You'll need to trust me as far as what's going to happen and remember that Liz is smarter than she looks. K?

I love u all! thanks SO much for the feedback it's always greatly appreciated!

ENJOY!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Part Eighteen

Liz was in her car, still at a loss as far as what she was going to do with her current situation, when her phone rang. The sound was so loud and unexpected she jumped and almost swerved into the next lane. Laughing at herself, she corrected her driving and reached for her phone in the next seat, wondering who it could be.

With a sigh of relief, she realized it was Alex calling, and wondered how he always seemed to call at the right moment. She flipped her phone open, desperate for some kind of sanity. And she knew it would only come from her wacky, yet lovable best friend.

“How do you do it?” she asked the second she answered the phone.

“I actually have this little device on my phone, kind of like what the Powderpuff Girls had whenever the Mayor needed them, and it just tells me when I’m needed. Pretty cool, actually.”

Liz laughed despite herself and the situation. “You watch the Powderpuff Girls, Whitman?”

“I’ve seen an episode,” he replied quickly, mumbling slightly as he added, “or two”, before clearing his throat. “So, what anyway, enough about me, what’s going on with you?”

Liz’s mind was brought back to her current situation, one that she would’ve rather forgotten about. But it was something that she needed to deal with, and she needed to deal with it now. Racking her brain for the best solution, she finally spoke up.

“I need you to meet me somewhere. Can you do that?”

There wasn’t even a pause before he answered, “Yes.” It reminded her once again just why she loved him so much.

“Okay, I’ll call you back with details.”

Hanging up, she was about to throw her phone into the passenger seat when it started ringing again. Knowing it couldn’t be Alex, and praying that it wasn’t Max, Liz had no idea who would be calling her.

The number flashing on her caller id was one she hadn’t expected to hear from any time soon. In fact, it was one she hoped she wouldn’t hear from again. Good things did not happen when this person was involved, evidence being the last time she was on the phone with him, she ended up flipping her car.

She debated whether or not picking up the phone was the best idea, finally deciding to only because she wanted to tell him not to call anymore.

“Hello?”

The voice on the other line was frantic and desperate, exactly the way he had sounded the last time they had spoken, and it made Liz extremely nervous. “Liz?”

“Hi, Kyle...” she hedged carefully, wondering what he could possibly want. Their last discussion had made it pretty clear that she wanted nothing to do with him. Accident or not, she had had no intentions of going to actually meet with him like he had hoped.

“How are you, Liz? How’ve you been?” he asked, each question coming quicker than the next. “You sound great.”

“Uh, thanks...Kyle, I’m sorry, I don’t mean to sound rude, but...what do you want?”

She heard him take a deep breath on the other line before answering. “I just wanted to talk to you,” he told her, sounding slightly hurt, and Liz fought the urge to hang up. Whatever games he was playing, she didn’t like it.

“Kyle, I thought I made it clear how things stood between us.”

“I know, Liz. I know what you said, but I can’t help it. I need to see you, please. Please, just talk to me...” he practically begged into the phone, and for the first time in her life, Liz felt a pang of sympathy for him. “I can’t sleep, I can’t eat. I’ve tried to give you space, but I can’t do it anymore. I know what you said, but please...just talk to me and I swear after that I’ll leave you alone for good.”

Liz sighed, wondering how she got herself into these situations. On the one hand, she knew that if she didn’t talk to Kyle, he would probably continue to call her. With the way things were with her and Max right now, the last thing she needed was to have her ex-boyfriend calling her all the time.

This way, she could also see him and assure him there was absolutely no way in hell that she would ever take him back. It seemed to be the best idea, so albeit slightly reluctant, Liz agreed.

“Fine, I’ll meet with you. But if I do this, you have to promise to stop calling me.”

“Anything, Liz. Just meet with me.”

With a sigh, she agreed. She listened as he gave her directions to a small place he wanted to meet at, before hanging up the phone. Liz got into the left lane, turning around and realizing the direction she was headed in.

She was actually going to meet with Kyle this time, but she had to make one stop on her way.

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“You’re late, Liz. Is everything okay?”

Liz put down her purse in the chair next to her. “I said I’d meet you, I didn’t say I’d be on time.”

Kyle frowned, but seemed to accept her answer, offering her a menu from across the table. Liz declined, not intending to be at this little restaurant longer than she had to be. She could already tell Kyle thought this was going to be a good conversation, and the sooner she informed him that it wasn’t, the sooner she could get out of there.

“You could at least act like you’re interested in what I have to say,” he said dejectedly, putting the menu back and staring at his own.

“Well, Kyle the thing is, you sort of lied to me, cheated on me, and dumped me without a second thought. So, anything you have to say isn’t on my list of priorities.”

Liz stared at him, refusing to be drawn into the sympathy act he was trying to pull. It was so typical. A guy messing up, breaking her heart and then acting like they were so hurt and so sorry until Liz decided she would take them back.

Truth was, this time might not have been so different than all the other times she had let it happen, but the difference was that this time she had Max. She knew without a doubt that she would never give up what she had with him by falling for a few pathetic lines from Kyle.

But she could at least let Kyle get it out of his system, say everything he wanted to say, that way he never had a reason to call her again. “But fine, I’ll humor you.”

“What?” he asked, stunned and looking up from his menu, obviously taking her intentions the wrong way.

Liz didn’t bother to correct him. For now, he could think what he wanted. “What do you have to say to me, Kyle? I’m listening.”

Arms folded over her chest, she leaned back in the booth and stared at him, eyebrow raised as she waited for his response. He seemed to choke on his words, before regaining his composure and finally spitting it out.

“I made a mistake, Liz.” When she opened her mouth to reply, he held up his hand to stop her. “Wait, I know it doesn’t mean anything to you, but hear me out...When I did what I did, you and I had been in that part of our relationship where everything was just kind of becoming routine. It wasn’t exciting, it wasn’t spontaneous anymore. We used to have fun.”

Liz had to agree. They’re relationship had taken a nosedive towards the end. It was good to know that wasn’t because of his affair, but it really made no difference.

“When I met Tess, she was everything that we had been missing. Spontaneous, fun, exciting...all the sneaking around and intrigue, it was what I thought I wanted. I thought I had fallen in love with her, thought she had fallen for me. That’s why I did what I did to you...broke up with you the way I did.”

Pushing past all the crap he was telling her, something rang out loud and clear in his little speech. “Tess?”

Kyle’s face showed no emotion, and Liz could only guess why. He didn’t even need to say it, because he had left her for the one woman he could never have. The one woman who took a sick pleasure in playing with the hearts and lives of men, the slut she had just left behind with her former boss.

She didn’t feel sorry for him, even after he told her it was indeed the same Tess. He had gotten what he deserved for being a cheating bastard in the first place.

“So now what, Kyle?” she asked finally. “You realized, what? That she doesn’t care about you, that she “loves her husband”, though I doubt that’s it. You’re only doing the turn-around because she left you, so I wouldn’t expect the same from her. What is it?”

“It’s just, going through that, made me realize, how lucky I was to have you, Liz...how stupid I was to throw that away.”

Liz stared at him. Disbelief all over her face but the way he was looking at her with those hopeful eyes she would’ve sworn he was blind to it. Just when she was about to tell him off for even thinking he had another chance, a loud and familiar sound shocked her halfway out of her seat.

She flipped open the small phone, bringing it to her ear without even checking the caller-id. “Hello?”

“Hello, beautiful...”

Liz couldn’t resist the dreamy smile that crept over her cheeks, even as she sat right across from Kyle, who looked like he was going to burst from anticipation of her response. “Hello yourself...” she replied, lowering her voice and turning to the side.

“I was just wondering when you would be back,” Max said, his voice taken on a deeper tone that sent shivers up her spine. “I’ve got a bed here that’s feeling awfully lonely without you.”

“In that case, not soon enough.” Liz could feel herself being slightly vague due to Kyle’s presence at the table, and she hated it. She wanted to end this conversation with him as fast as possible. She had a god waiting for her, preferably naked, in her bed...she stared at Kyle, wondering for the thousandth time why she was there.

“Give me fifteen minutes.”

Max laughed, “Yeah, I got a visual, too. Get here soon,” he replied, about to hang up before thinking better of it. “But hey, no speeding.”

She laughed at his warning, ready to say goodbye when Kyle spoke up. Loudly.

“Liz, who is that?” he asked. “Liz, who are you on the phone with?”

Liz tried to shield her phone from the sound of his voice, but Max had heard him anyway. “Liz, who is that?”

“Kyle...” she replied honestly, not wanting to hide anything from him, but knowing that this was not going to be good.

She could practically hear him pulling away from her over the phone. Knowing his insecurities about Tess were coming out, she tried not to be hurt when he got off the phone very quickly and shortly. Sliding her phone back into her purse, she looked across the table at Kyle.

“We had a deal, Kyle. I talked to you, you leave me alone. The truth is, we’re over. Like you said we were over a long time before it really ended. And I wouldn’t get back together with you for anything in the world.”

She rose from the table, eager to get home to Max. “Goodbye.”

With that, she walked out of the restaurant, leaving her past behind and heading to what she hoped was her future.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
TBC...
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A/N: So, I feel the need to inform all of you that I won’t be seeing my boyfriend until Thanksgiving. The reason I am telling you all this, is because I have absolutely NO idea where I got the inspiration to write anything remotely sexual since I don’t think I remember what kissing is supposed to feel like. :roll: I’m sorry if it sucks. REALLY, I am. I feel bad that you guys have to read it...but then I feel bad for myself too, so we’ll call it even. :D I love you all!

Also, if anyone is interested I posted “You Were Mine”. It’s only one-part and should be an easy read if anyone wants to check it out. I was kind of nervous about posting it, and the lack of response isn’t doing much to quell my fears. Though I probably know why it is, lol. Damn Tess.

I also want to dedicate this part to the start of Round 8 Nominations. And a BIG thanks to FSUMSW94 and Raychelxluscious who nominated me! I’m SHOCKED, to say the least, and extremely grateful for the praise. (I think I’m Blushing...lol, I’m not too used to being nominated so I liked it.)

:D Like I said...a total shock that I was even nominated. But I’m So Happy. Hence the new part, lol. Also, this is being posted today because it's a very sad day...so, to the memory of 9-11. Anyways, enough outta me!

ENJOY!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Part Nineteen

Liz hurried from the café she had been at with Kyle, anxious to get to Max. She understood completely why he reacted the way he did when he found out that she had been with Kyle. Tess had done quite a number on his self-esteem and it was normal for him to sometime let those insecurities get the best of him.

Instead of being offended and telling Max he should know that she isn’t Tess, Liz couldn’t get home fast enough to kiss every single fear he had away. She knew and understood because it was something she felt everyday. The only thing they couldn’t do is let those fears get the best of them. She didn’t want their pasts crippling any chance of a future together.

She pulled up to her house, where she hoped Max would still be, and sure enough, she found him lying on her couch. Liz couldn’t tell if he was sleeping or not, so she walked quietly towards him, her lips curving into a smile at the sight of him.

His arm was draped lazily over his eyes, the other dangling off the side of the couch still holding on to the remote control. She couldn’t help but stare at him as he lay there sleeping, his lips parted slightly and his delicious body stretched out before her.

She wanted to wake him up, to show him exactly how much she had missed him since they had parted and to prove to him just how much she wanted to be with him and only him. But he looked so peaceful sleeping there, and Liz didn’t have the heart to wake him.

She reached down to grab the remote control, wanting to turn off the TV before it woke him up, but as she was about to grab it, Max’s hand suddenly and surprisingly latched onto her wrist and pulled her onto the couch with him as he flipped them over and she found herself pinned beneath him.

Effectively stunned, she stared up at him, loving the mischievous smile on his face as he pressed his body into her own.

“I missed you.”

Leaning up, Liz kissed him softly before sinking her head back down to look at him. “I missed you too,” she told him happily, glad to see he wasn’t being distant with her. She knew he was avoiding the fact that it had bothered him, and Liz wasn’t having any of that.

“I thought you were sleeping and I didn’t have the heart to wake you when you looked so cute,” she told him, playfully wriggling her hips into his. She didn’t miss the way his eyes darkened, but Liz wasn’t going to be distracted. “I had wanted to talk to you, but I figured I’d wait,” she told him more seriously. “But since you’re awake...”

Max’s head sunk between her neck and the couch, and a loud snoring noise followed. Laughing, she pushed him off of her. “I’m serious!” she scolded, but it was a little hard for her to be serious when he was being so adorable.

“Okay, okay...” Max relented, shifting his position and sitting in front of her.

“Good. I just want you to know, that I’m going to be honest with you always Max. I want you to trust me.” When he nodded, she continued. “My ex-boyfriend called me today and asked if he could talk to me. He had done that before, the night of the accident, but I never went to meet him. The only reason I went today is because I figured that if I didn’t he would only call again and I didn’t want him causing problems for us.”

“What did he want?” Max asked, his indecision between wanting to know and wanting to avoid the subject completely finally relenting.

He did trust Liz. He knew that she wasn’t going around behind his back. She was the farthest thing from Tess imaginable, which made him love her even more. But even though he knew that he could trust her, it hadn’t stopped his own self-doubt from sneaking up on him when he had heard her with him when he called.

Tess’s years of infidelity had caused damage to his self-esteem in ways he hadn’t really imagined. But he knew that he didn’t want any of that to come between him and his relationship with Liz. That was why he had tried to play it off like nothing had bothered him when she came home. He loved her even more for knowing that it really had gotten to him, and for doing her best to quell his fears and doubts.

“He told me that he wanted me back, that he had made a mistake, all the usual.” She rolled her eyes. “It was a wasted effort though. I’m so in love with you I could hardly pay attention to him because you were on my mind.”

Max immediately perked up at her words, knowing that what she was saying was the truth. He felt the exact same way, and hearing it come from her own mouth was indescribable. He couldn’t believe he had gotten so lucky, and having her fall in love with him, the way he was in love with her, was the best thing that had happened to him in a really long time.

“God, I love you,” he told her honestly, staring at her in complete adoration.

She smiled, reaching out to touch his face. “Then trust me. I would never do anything to hurt you. Just like I know you would never do anything to hurt me.”

He nodded, wanting to explain himself and the reaction he had before, but she seemed to understand him perfectly, and no words were necessary. Meanwhile, Liz tried to ignore the nagging doubt that there was something he didn’t know. She hated lying to him, but knew that her and Alex had come up with the best plan to have him find out about Jesse and Tess, without being able to believe Tess’s lies that she had threatened to tell.

Liz just prayed that everything would work out the way they had planned.

She turned back to Max, who was busy staring at her, and she couldn’t help but wonder what he saw when he looked at her. But it was the same thing she saw when she looked at him, an amazing person that she had fallen in love with.

Max reached forward and pulled her to him, kissing her and trying to show her what he was feeling. She reacted happily, pouring out all her own emotions as well. Despite her confessions of honesty, Liz knew she wasn’t being 100% truthful to Max. She had also deliberately kept the fact that Kyle had been involved with Tess from Max, not wanting to put another nail in the coffin that was their relationship and past. She didn’t think he would be very surprised at the information, but until she had any reason to tell him, she wouldn’t give him any other reasons to feel bad. She wanted to focus on making him feel loved and appreciated.

“So, I remember hearing something about a bed that’s pretty lonely.”

Liz barely had time to react as Max swept her into his arms and carried them off to her bedroom. He placed her gently in the center of the bed, taking a minute to look at her and let himself fully believe that she was real, and loving him.

He ran his hands up and down her legs, tugging at the waistband of her skirt before pulling it down her shapely legs. Liz lay back on the bed, enjoying the feel of his hands running over her body, leaving goose bumps in their wake.

He reached out his hand to her, and she lifted her torso from the bed, allowing him to pull her shirt up and over her head slowly, her hair fanning around her bare shoulders as he pulled it away. Reaching behind her, she unclasped her bra and tossed it to the side, watching as his eyes glazed over with passion before he was pushing her back towards the bed, his mouth hungrily seeking her own. His warm hands brought shivers to her body and his lightly brushed them up her sides, finally reaching his goal and taking her into his hands.

She moaned softly at the touch, pushing herself more fully into his grasp and letting her head fall back. Max immediately latched onto her exposed flesh, trailing kisses up and down her jaw line before sucking lightly on the sensitive skin below her ear. If the sounds were any indication, Max had a feeling she was enjoying what he was doing.

Liz’s hands pulled at the edge of his shirt, bunching it up and forcing Max to pull away for a second so they would no longer have that unwanted barrier between them. Liz wrapped her arms around Max, pulling him to her. The contact of their naked upper bodies caused him to groan from the feel of it.

He had been waiting to feel her touch since they had been interrupted earlier, craving it with a fierceness he hadn’t even realized until she was back in his arms. He kissed her again, her hands fumbling between them to undo his belt buckle and push his pants past his hips.

Moving them up the bed, he did his best to maneuver out of them, both of them left only in their underwear, something Max did not approve of. Pulling away from Liz’s little fingers as they toyed with the waistband of his boxer, Max sat up.

He took in her flushed appearance, her bare breasts heaving slightly as she watched him. He reached forward and grabbed the edge of her white panties, pulling them slowly from her body, completely baring her to him.

He bent down, pressing a soft kiss at her ankle before slowly making his way up her body. He stopped to nuzzle her in the sensitive spot below her ribs, pressing a kiss there at her cute reaction. He paused his journey to pay some much needed attention to her breasts, taking it into his mouth, enjoying the breathy moans she elicited at his touch.

He continued his ministrations, enjoying the feel of her hands slipping between their bodies once again to take him into her hand. His eyes flashed as she began to stroke him, and he was unable to wait any longer. He settled himself more comfortably between her legs, pushing their lower bodies together and bringing himself directly into contact with her own wet heat.

Liz let out a deep moan as she felt him push against her, just mere inches from where she really wanted him. She lifted her hips, wrapping her legs more fully around him trying to bring him even closer. He was teasing her and she knew it, coming dangerously close to entering her only to pull back.

Finally, Liz had had enough. Hooking her arms underneath his own, she expertly flipped them over, leaving Max completely shocked and turned on by the move. Without warning, she reached between them and guided him inside of her, sinking deeply and shuddering as every inch of him filled her.

Max watched the look of pure pleasure on her face, and almost lost it right there. He felt himself grow harder, if that was possible, at the sight of her, head thrown back, eyes closed. She licked her lips and Max couldn’t take it anymore.

He reached for her hips almost blindly, unable to see past the passion that was clouding his vision. Taking hold of her lithe form, and helping her move her body up and back onto his ______. It was slow at first, both of the reveling in the feel of their joining, but soon their need and passion for one another took hold, and Liz found her hands splayed against his chest as she supported herself, thrusting downwards hard and fast as Max pressed upwards to meet her.

She leaned forward, crying out as he hit a particularly sensitive spot within her, going dizzy with pleasure as he controlled her hips to drive into the same spot repeatedly. Liz let out a long and sensual moan, taken by surprise as her body tensed in anticipation of her impending orgasm. Before she knew it, her body was shaking, pleasure coursing through her as he continued to impale her now tingling body upon him.

“Oh, God, Max!” she screamed throwing her head back and pushing at the sweaty strands that clung to her face. Max had no intention of stopping, the sight of her losing control making his desire grow even more.

He flipped them over, bringing her legs up to wrap around his hips. Liz wanted more though, and pushed to bring her legs even higher, sending him deeper inside of her. Hooking his arm at the crook of her knee, Max pulled her leg back, angling their bodies and thrusting harder than he had before.

Liz hung on for the ride of her life, as she was practically bent in half, enjoying every feel as her slammed inside of her. She loved it when he lost control, loved simply given herself over to him as he gave her the most pleasure she had ever known.

His other hand came up to palm her breasts, but Liz barely noticed, all she could feel was every inch of his delicious sex sliding in and out of her dripping heat. Max was lost in the sensations of her body, and barely noticed as her nails dragged along the skin of his back. There was something primal about the way she was marking him, something that made Max thrust his hips just a little harder.

His hand moved from the silky softness of her breasts, trailing between their bodies to find the spot he knew would send her over the edge. He wanted to watch her as she came again, wanted to feel her walls clamping around him, milking him for every last drop as he gave himself to her.

He felt it when her body tightened, felt her heels dig into his back as she pushed herself even closer to him, felt her nails drag down his back again. Her back arched up, bringing their naked flesh in complete contact, as she let out a loud moan, calling his name and sending him into oblivion right after her.

When his own orgasm subsided, he rolled to the side, pulling her with him and smiling as she curled against him, placing small kisses against his chest. He placed a kiss on the top of her head, closing his eyes and enjoying the feel of them just laying together.

The moment was short-lived as his cell phone rang from somewhere on the floor. Max groaned and rolled away, scrambling from the bed and shooting Liz a smirk.

“Whoever is calling is very lucky they waited until now.”

Liz smiled happily, remembering how her cell phone had disrupted another moment between them. If the interruption had to come, she was glad it came later rather than sooner.

Max picked up the phone, immediately noticing the frantic tone in his sister’s voice. She kept the conversation brief, simply telling him that she needed him and she was coming to pick him up wherever he was.

She was off the phone before he even had time to process what was happening, but reluctantly he reached for his pants, pulling them back onto his naked hips. “Isabel called. I don’t know what’s wrong with her, but she needs me to go somewhere for her.”

Liz watched him as he got dressed, her mind reeling. She could only pray that everything would work out. And as he gave her a lingering kiss goodbye, Liz held him just a little tighter, praying that she had done the right thing by keeping quiet, and hoping he would know the truth before Tess got a chance to tell him more lies.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
TBC...
Last edited by Hopeless Romantic on Sun Sep 11, 2005 7:42 pm, edited 2 times in total.
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