She was sitting in the living room waiting for him when he arrived home.

“Where have you been?” she inquired softly as he stepped through the door. Max noted right away that she didn’t appear angry with him, only concerned. She stood in the middle of the living room, her dark hair pulled back into a ponytail, looking relieved and grateful to see him standing there. Her lack of righteous fury only made Max feel worse.

Reluctant to face her he took meticulous time hanging up his jacket before turning around and answering, “I was at Alex and Isabel’s.”

“Oh,” she said with a funny little squeak, “Well, have you eaten? There’s chili on the stove.”

“No, Isabel plied me with plenty of food there.” He still stood near the door, afraid to advance closer. “Is Claudia asleep?”

Liz nodded. “She wanted to wait up but…” she choked off, unable to finish as sobs began to erupt from her chest. She crumbled; crying like her heart would break in two. Seeing that he had made her cry was more than Max could withstand. He rushed forward and took her in his arms, cradling her head against his chest while she cried. “I’m sorry. I’m sorry,” he said over and over again, kissing the top of her head.

“I-I didn’t know….y-you w-were…still so angry w-with me, Max,” she sobbed, clutching at his shirtfront as her body fairly vibrated with misery, “I don’t w-want you to hate me!”

“I don’t hate you, Liz,” he reassured her in a gentle tone, “I could never hate you.”

“Then why have you come home late for the past three nights?” Liz countered tearily, pulling out of his arms to angrily swipe at her tears, “Why do you prefer to spend all your time with Alex and Isabel and not with me?”

As the firelight danced over her face, emphasizing her anguished features Max knew he didn’t have the strength to go on hurting her. “Liz, I have something I have to tell you-,”

“No! Wait!” Liz interrupted anxiously before he could continue, “before you say anything please, please hear me out. I was wrong to shut you out, Max. It was a selfish thing to do considering you were grieving, too. And I know you hate me for it. I hate myself for it!” she cried hysterically, “But I’m sorry…so sorry that I hurt you. I don’t know how I could have done that to you. But I’m asking you to forgive me, Max! Please,” she sank to her knees and doubled over as if in pain, her sobs loud and harsh in the quiet, “I’m begging you to me…please….please God, forgive me!”

Max stared down at her crumpled, weeping form, crying himself. He sank down on the carpet with her and began gently wiping at her tears. “Please….don’t cry, Liz…” he soothed tenderly, “please don’t cry anymore.” He was in agony to see her in such turmoil, knowing he had caused it. “Please…” he whispered again when she still continued to sob. Left with no other recourse he began kissing her cheeks, her eyes, her mouth, soft soothing kisses all over her face, lingering kisses. “Liz,” he moaned, kissing her lips once again and crying with her, wanting desperately for the hurting to stop.

He kissed her longer, deeper, his mouth becoming increasingly insistent until Liz began to respond to him. She kissed him back, feeding him her tongue just as fiercely as he gave her his own. Max wasn’t sure if it was Liz or his own hands that unbuttoned his shirt. He only knew that he needed to be close to her, that he could deny her no longer. He needed to ease the ache that had been building inside them both.

Max quickly shrugged out of his shirt, throwing it in a heap on the floor. It was followed by the remainder of his clothing soon after, in addition to Liz’s own sweats and T-shirt. Max explored her naked body thoroughly; reacquainting himself with curves he hadn’t touched in almost a year. He knew her body as well as he knew his own and still he couldn’t suppress the wonder of holding her, of touching her most intimate places. That he could bring her such sublime pleasure humbled Max, made him feel omnipotent.

Liz felt the same, felt his hunger, his same driving need. They kissed each other wildly, exploring one another’s nakedness as if they were starved for touch. Their bodies tangled together, pressing, rubbing, undulating. At the first penetration of Max’s body Liz felt tears sting the backs of her eyes again, overwhelmed by the sheer beauty, the marvelous wonder of having Max inside her again.

Max stroked her deeply, his thrusts without rhythm or finesse. He plunged into her again and again driven by the desperate need to find completion within her. He was only aware of the sensation of being surrounded by her incredible warmth, her incredible love for him. His climax came upon him amazingly quick despite all his efforts to hold on. It rushed from him in a tingling spurt of sheer sensation. When it was over Max collapsed against Liz, feeling winded and weak and….wonderful. He closed his eyes, savoring the feel of Liz’s fingers tenderly stroking his hair. He was asleep in minutes.

Later when they awoke they made their way up to the bedroom where they made love again for a second time, only slower and with more leisure. Afterwards Liz cuddled up against Max’s side, laying her head on his chest. Max idly twirled a lock of Liz’s hair about his finger, adoring how it spread across his chest like a silky river. He had missed that. “So do you like it?” he asked her lazily, almost asleep.

“Mmm, it was really good,” Liz purred in languid pleasure, “But it was even better the second time.”

Max’s answering laugh rumbled deep in his chest. “I meant your hair.”

Liz smiled up at him, propping her chin against his chest. “Oh, that,” she laughed, “I think it looks beautiful.”

“You do?” Max asked with boyish innocence.

“It’s perfect…like you.”

Max traced his finger along the curve of her cheek, worshipping her amazing beauty with his eyes. “I love you, Liz.”

“I know that now…for a while there I wasn’t too sure.”

“You couldn’t have believed for a moment that I had stopped loving you,” Max teased in disbelief.

“Well, you did refuse to go to bed with me…”

“Only because I’m a idiot,” Max told her fervently.

“So then you don’t regret what happened tonight?”

“Never.” Pleased with his solemn reply Liz snuggled back against him with a contented sigh. “Oh,” she yawned, as she began falling asleep, “what was it you were trying to tell me earlier?”