Liz bent her head low so that her words rushed against his ear in a warm breath, “I made dinner.”

Max shivered at the tingles of desire that ran down his spine. He shrugged off her hands, acutely uncomfortable all of a sudden. Liz didn’t push the issue, but came around to stand in front of him. “You didn’t have to make dinner,” Max told her, trying to ignore his sudden erection.

“I don’t have to do a lot of things, Max…but I made dinner for you because I wanted to.”

It was then that Max realized that Liz was dressed up. She was wearing makeup and beneath her apron she wore a sheer white gown that outlined the shape of her body. For that matter the apartment was dark all except for a few candles… Max eyes zigzagged back to Liz. “Where’s Claudia?” he asked suddenly. It struck him as odd that she wasn’t running around because Liz should have picked her up from pre-school by now.

“She’s with Alex and Isabel tonight,” Liz supplied simply.

Warning bells began instantly clanging in Max’s head. “Why?”

Instead of answering his question Liz merely smiled down at him innocently. Her smile didn’t ease Max’s suspicion one iota. “What are you up to, Liz?” he asked her, somehow managing to keep his face scrupulously straight.

“I just thought we could do something this evening…” Liz admitted lightly, “…Just the two of us,” she added with a sexy little smile.

Max couldn’t help it he smiled back at her. “Just the two of us, huh?”

“The Money Pit is coming on TBS tonight.” His all time favorite comedy, Max thought, she definitely wasn’t playing fair. “I made grilled chicken and fettuccini alfredo,” she sang sweetly. Nope, Max confirmed mentally, definitely not playing fair. Max relaxed back into the recliner and grinned at her broadly. “You did all this just to spend the night alone with me?”

To Max’s surprise the teasing expression on Liz’s face faded into one of earnest solemnity. She sank to her knees before him, running her palms up his thighs. “You’d be surprised by all I would do…just for you,” she whispered warmly.

Max looked speculatively from Liz’s caressing fingers back to her hooded brown eyes. “You wouldn’t be trying to seduce me, would you?” he murmured.

A soft breath of laughter escaped Liz and she leaned close to nuzzle him. “Of course not,” she said unconvincingly, “it is, after all, the last thing you want,” her gaze slid insolently to his crotch then back up to his face, “right?”

“Liz, I-,”

“Wait,” Liz interrupted quickly, not wanting for things to get too serious, knowing that he would back away from her if they did, “Max, I just want to have fun…hang out…like we used to.”

“Just watch a movie and have fun?”

“Yes.”

“Then what’s with the make-up and the dress?”

Liz looked down at herself with a self-conscious laugh. “Okay, you win. I’ll go upstairs and change.”

“And I’ll pop some popcorn and get the ice cream. If we’re going to watch The Money Pit we’ve got to do it right.”

Half an hour later they were both pressed into the sofa, Liz in sweatpants, socks and one of Max’s big, bulky sweaters. Max was equally comfortable in his T-shirt and jeans. The candlelight that Liz had illuminated the living room with was now replaced with firelight from the fireplace. The coffee table was littered with the remains of their dinner, not to mention popcorn, an empty ice cream container and two drained bottles of wine.

More than a little tipsy, they lay curled up against one another, laughing uproariously at Tom Hanks’ antics. “You know,” Liz said, her words slightly slurred from the liquor, “Alex looks a lot like Tom Hanks,” she leaned her head back against his shoulder and grinned up at him widely, “don’tcha think?”

Max peered hard at the television screen, focusing as much as his inebriated brain would allow. “My God!” he exclaimed suddenly, his eyes widening in shock, “he could he be Alex’s twin!” He and Liz both shared a drunken giggle and as Max found himself looking down into her beautiful face he felt overwhelmed with the desire to tell her just how much he loved her. “You look like the moon,” he said in wonder. Okay, it wasn’t exactly what he’d had in mind, but in his befuddled state it would have to do.

Liz’s forehead knit together in dissatisfied confusion. “You think I’m round an’ pale?”

“No,” Max whispered boyishly as he used the tips of his fingers to stroke her cheek, “You glow like the moon.”

“Really?” Liz breathed. She felt as if she had been paid the most exquisite compliment ever.

Max shifted his fingers higher, sliding them into the soft hair at Liz’s temples. “I…love…you…Liz,” he told her haltingly.

“But I’m so ugly,” Liz protested, burying her face in his chest.

“No.”

“My hair’s all gone,” Liz wailed plaintively.

“You don’t like it?” Max asked in amazement as he stroked the nape of her neck.

“I miss it long,” she admitted in a muffled little voice. Max smiled to himself and whispered her name. When she lifted her head he slid his hands into her hair, slowly combing his fingers through it, lengthening her shiny, dark hair with his powers. After he was done it cascaded over her shoulder in a chocolate waterfall, reaching nearly to her waist.

Liz looked at him in speechless, tears of amazement of joy burning her eyes. “But you hate using your powers, Max…” she said, too choked up with emotion to finish her sentence.

“For you, Liz,” he told her reverently, “It’s one of the perks in having an alien for a husband.”

The sweetness of his gesture sobered Liz somewhat and she felt tears of intense love spill down her cheeks. “Max, can I kiss you, please?”

Max answered her question with action, dipping his head to brush her lips softly. They stared into each other’s eyes, their faces still near. “Is that what you call a kiss?” Liz murmured teasingly, “I didn’t realize it had been that long.” She nuzzled her nose against his cheek; brushing light kisses against it as she did.

“Maybe you can refresh my memory,” Max said with a provocative sigh. And Liz needed no further invitation. She lifted up to press her mouth to Max’s only longer this time, unhurriedly reacquainting herself with the contours of Max’s lips, their softness. It was a tentative kiss, meant to be one more of exploration than passion. And Max kissed her back, opening his mouth over hers, gradually kindling the fire between them.

Without really being aware that he was doing it, Max leaned Liz back against the cushions of the sofa, his mouth becoming more insistent as it slanted over hers again and again. Liz’s fingers bunched into the soft cotton of Max’s T-shirt, pulling him closer against her. She nudged her middle against his groin, needing to be closer.

It was that arousing contact with his body that made Max rip out of her arms abruptly. Liz stared up at him in surprise, her breathing harsh. “Why did you stop?”

In the firelight Liz watched several emotions chase their way across Max’s face: love, frustration, confusion…hunger and finally resolve. “Liz, we can’t. It’s too soon.”

Liz scrambled upright, suddenly furious. “Too soon for what, Max! We’re married! This is what married people do!”

“I’m not ready,” Max maintained stubbornly. Liz shot an incredulous look to his groin, where his erection was evident. “Liz, my body may be there, but my head,” he tapped at his temple, “it just isn’t yet.” And before she could say anything in reply he got up and left the room.

Liz didn’t know why, but having him say that hurt worse than anything she could have imagined. But she didn’t know why she had expected anything different. They had been in this place before, a long time ago. It had taken Max time to forgive her, but he had forgiven her. Liz knew that it was just a matter of being patient. And judging from tonight, Liz knew it wouldn’t be long before Max yielded. He’d probably crack before the week was out.