It was late and there were millions of stars up in the inky black sky. They had quietly traded tents and partners and she and Max had left a happy Maria and Michael in the girls’ tent, while Isabel had gone to join Alex. Max and Liz were the designated waker-uppers for tomorrow morning, since they had to return from the desert early enough not to get caught.

Max was carrying a duffel bag in his other hand with some blankets for them and now they only had to get far enough away from the camp to ensure that no one could hear them or come investigate. For what Liz had planned, she didn’t need an audience…

~*~*~*~*~*~

Sarah awoke feeling like she had a hangover. The room was pitch black and for one wild moment she hoped she was home, in bed with Eric. Slowly inching her hand away from her body, she came in contact with the edge of the narrow cot. Nope, definitely not in bed with Eric…

She struggled to remember what happened. She remembered being afraid and going to the mall, phoning Liz. Liz! Maybe she’ll get my message! Not that my message said anything about me being kidnapped or where I am right now… It’s hopeless! Unless Eric…

A narrow beam of light suddenly fell across her as the door opened a crack. It all came back to her in one horrible flash. Seeing him and blacking out. She struggled to sit up, not wanting to show him how afraid she was. "What do you want?"

"I want both of them. In one place. And you’re going to help me do it!" The evil grin on his face made her feel sick. How had she never seen this side of him before?

~*~*~*~*~*~

Stopping when they found a rock outcrop that leant some semblance of shelter, Max silently threw the open blanket on the cool sand before looking towards Liz. The sense of dread was still with him and he felt like a big fist was slowly squeezing the air out of his lungs. One torturous inch by one torturous inch. Looking at how the moonlight glinted in Liz’s silky hair and seeing the stars twinkle in her eyes, he knew only one thing could make him start to breathe normally again. Being with Liz.

Liz walked into his waiting arms without a word, knowing he needed her there. She stood on tiptoe and pressed her lips to his, tugging his head down towards hers. Their kisses were lingering and gentle, a sharing of love and comfort. A way of saying I love you without words. She ran her hands under his jacket, sliding it off his shoulders, but had to forcibly move his hands off her waist so she could push it those final few inches until it tumbled to the ground. His arms came around her again immediately and she reveled in his strong embrace and drugging kisses for a while longer.

Stepping back from Max, she almost smiled at his confused look. "Take off your shirt, Max." He blinked once and then slowly did her bidding. His hands slid frustratingly slowly from one button to the next until Liz felt she could step forward and rip the final buttons open. Was he doing this on purpose? She looked up into his eyes and saw that he wasn’t. He was watching her warily, trying to figure out what she was up to. Her grin made his eyes widen. Boy, Max Evans, if you only knew!

Max felt his blood starting to rush through his veins at the look she was giving him. She looked… like he was her next meal. He let his hands drop to his sides when the shirt was finally open and stepped towards her, but she retreated. What the heck was she up to?

"Take it off completely." Her voice was low and husky and Max felt it vibrating through his body. Obediently he shed the shirt, letting it drop carelessly to the ground.

Liz felt momentarily weak as she watched the moonlight caress his bare skin. He was gloriously beautiful. His groan alerted her to the fact that her feelings were clear to him through their connection. She moved closer to him, catching his hands when he reached out to pull her to him. "Put them behind your back and keep them there," she whispered as she brushed her body against his.

"Liz." His voice held a warning note that Liz decided to ignore. She walked around his back and helped him clasp his hands together. She slowly ran her hands down his arms, tracing the contours. Then she leant forward and pressed her open mouth to his shoulder blade, running her tongue over his warm skin. He trembled under her hands and Liz felt elation at her feminine power over him.

Moving around to face him again, she dragged her nails just above the waistband of his jeans until she could spread her fingers over his lower abdomen. He sucked in a sharp breath in reaction, his head dropping forward to his chest.

This was one of her fantasies coming true. Max stood like a statue while she caressed him, his only movement the frantic rise and fall of his chest as he fought for breath. Liz shaped his chest with her hands and her fingers, stopping in some places and skimming over others. Her mouth was dry as she watched the effect her touches were having on him. His muscles contracted under her fingers and his skin was covered in goose bumps. Licking her lips, she kissed his skin again, alternately nipping him lightly with her teeth and then soothing him with her open lips and tongue.

She was driving him crazy. Max felt the muscles in his arms strain with the effort of keeping his hands behind his back. Her hot breath on his skin caused such a riot of lust in his body that he felt faint for a moment.

"Liz, please honey…"

She took pity on him, pressing her body to his and sliding her arms around his neck. "No touching yet," she whispered against his lips.

He kissed her hungrily. His open mouth slanting over hers as his tongue delved into her mouth, trying to make her as desperate as he already was. Her soft moan was a sweet reward.

Pulling away, Liz heard Max’s harsh breathing with joy. Normally, he was the one driving her to the brink of insanity with his kisses, now it was her turn. She gently pushed him down on the blanket, watching as he curled his hands into the material to keep them off her. He was looking up at her with hooded eyes, his desire blazing at her from their darkened depths. She stood in front of him and began undoing the buttons of her sweater.

He watched helplessly as she let the sweater slide down her body, revealing her nakedness to his ensnared gaze.

"Oh god, Liz!"

She was straddling him the next instant, bringing their bare upper bodies in electrifying contact. She kissed his face, his neck and his chest as she pressed him back on the blanket. Max was amazed that the material he was clutching didn’t shred between his fingers.

Rubbing herself all over him, Liz crawled over his body with closed eyes, going on touch alone. It was heady and arousing, the heat of his skin and his scent driving her crazy with desire. Finally lying down on top of him, her body telling her she couldn’t take much more of this before going over the edge, she ran her tongue between his lips, silently begging him to take over.

The next moment she was crushed underneath him, his hands in her hair as he kissed her passionately, roughly. She arched into him, the feeling of his aroused weight pressing her into the blanket indescribably erotic. When he finally moved his hands over her body, molding her curves with his fingers, she couldn’t stop the low moan that erupted from her throat.

Their sense of urgency increased and Max hastily removed the last of their clothes. He took a moment to stare down at her uncovered beauty, the moonlight making her seem ethereal and breakable. He faltered fleetingly in fear of hurting her, but the thought fled his mind as she pulled him down to her, finding his lips with hers. "Make love to me, Max."

He closed his eyes as he slid inside her, wanting to enjoy every single second of the sensations that came with it. It felt so right. The stillness lasted only for a breath before her movements underneath him hurled him into an abyss of reactions. Their actions were synchronized and urgent, slowly building toward the explosion that left them both gasping for breath and shaking.

How did I ever live without this? The thought was simultaneous.

~*~*~*~*~*~

Sarah was cold. Her body ached from the hard cot she was lying on and her heart ached for Eric. She was so afraid he was going to do something crazy. And now she was afraid for Max and Liz too. She hardly knew them, but she felt an enormous kinship with Liz. After all, they were very much in the same boat…

~*~*~*~*~*~

It was still barely light out when Liz and Max made their way back to the camp. They were both close to exhausted, not having slept much the night before. Liz looked at Max who was looking decidedly more relaxed than he had last night. It was worth all the aches in her body to see the difference in him!

They woke up their friends as quietly as possible and everyone stumbled back to their own beds for a few more hours of sleep.