Max abruptly swept the cards from the bed and sprang onto Liz, pinning her beneath him. "Somehow I don't feel like a loser at all," he whispered hotly.

Liz ran her hands up the sides of Max's body so that her arms hooked underneath his. She spread her legs wider allowing him to settle against her soft center. Feeling his hot arousal against her caused her to gasp softly. Liz looked up into his eyes staring down at her, swimming with an emotion so intense her breath froze momentarily in her chest.

"Max?" she whispered tentatively. Suddenly everything between them had gone quietly serious.

"Do you have any idea just how much I adore you?" Max asked her softly, "I am so sorry that I hurt you, Liz." He framed her face with his hands, burying his fingers in her soft hair. His eyes glistened and his voice shook with emotion as he continued achingly, "I have never loved anyone the way I love you, Liz. I want us to be together forever."

Liz reached forward to touch his chin. She caressed the fullness of his bottom lip with her index finger. "I hurt you, too, Max. I don't think I'll ever be able to forgive myself for-"

"Shh," Max interrupted softly, "Don't say that. I don't blame you for what happened anymore. I even understand why you did it."

Liz's face crumpled with emotion, but she swallowed back the sob that rose in her throat. She rubbed the gold hoop in his ear between her fingers. "I don't deserve you, Max."

"No, Liz," Max countered tenderly, "I don't deserve you."

When he kissed her their tears mingled together. Max's touch was soft and gentle as he brought his hand down between their bodies unsnap the front of Liz's bra. He deliberately peeled back the layers of satin to reveal her breasts in the glow of the setting sun. Across the room Claudia began to snuffle in her sleep. Max and Liz waited with suspended breaths, praying she wouldn't wake up. After a few tense moments the baby finally settled down again and began to snore softly. Max expelled a sigh of relief.

He looked back at Liz, his eyes darkening with desire once again. Liz ran her fingers down his bare chest, her nails scraping over his nipples. She lifted off the bed, kissing his throat. Max moaned softly, pushing the straps of Liz's bra from her shoulders, his hands sliding down her smooth back. Their breathing became deep and heavy. Max dipped his head for another slow kiss as he and Liz worked together to free her from her panties.

When they were both naked they scrambled under the blankets, eager to press their naked bodies close together. "I feel like this is our first time," Max whispered meaningfully. He ran his hand down the length of her arm, leaving a glowing trail in its wake. Liz smiled. He hadn't done that to her since they were in high school.

"Me too," Liz admitted as she kissed his chest, running her open mouth across his hardened nipples. They kissed again, their bodies straining to be closer until Max was once again between Liz's legs. At the touch of her heated wetness, Max jerked back. He lifted his head, panting hard. "I'm trying to go slow."

"I know," Liz sympathized while simultaneously gripping his buttocks to bring him closer against her. Max paused momentarily to rip open one of the hated foil packages. After he had slipped on the latex he settled himself back against Liz. His tongue plumbed the inside of her mouth, plunging quick and deep.

"I want you so much," Max gasped, rocking against her. His penis would barely penetrate her silky wet entrance before he would pull back. He kept on teasing her that way, penetrating her body a fraction on an inch deeper every time he rocked forward.

"You're. . .teasing me!" Liz ground out, straining against him. Her nails dug into his flesh. She braced her feet against the back of his calves, her arches resting perfectly against the rounded muscle.

"Do you want me, Liz?" Max demanded raggedly.

"YES!"

"Show me."

Abruptly, Liz flipped Max onto his back and straddled over him. With her hands she guided his smooth, throbbing length inside her. Max arched off the bed, sending himself a deep as he possibly could into Liz's warm, wet flesh. Their eyes met in an electric stare as Liz ground down on him. Their breathing was loud and labored.

Liz bit down on her lip, riding Max deliberately, undulating her body back and forth on top of his. Max's hands raced over her shoulders, her breasts, her thighs. "Yeah. . .yeah, Liz," he coaxed, ". . .like that. . .oh god. . .oh god. . .like that." Max let her have all the control, determining the rhythm and how deep she wanted him to penetrate.

He could feel the excitement in her building as she increased her tempo. The bed began to squeak with the force of her movements. Liz collapsed against Max's chest as she frantically bucked against him. Dazed with the pounding desire to make her come, Max revoked his earlier decision to allow her complete control. He grabbed her hips, holding her captive as he speared inside her again and again. Their bodies became slick with sweat.

Liz's fingers curled into the bed sheets and she bit down hard as her orgasm began to streak through her body, causing her to convulse again and again. Max slammed himself into her hard, his cry of pleasure escaping him in a long, serrated moan. For a few moments they remained pressed against one another, their bodies so close it was impossible to discern where Max began and Liz ended. Gradually, however, they moved apart. Liz rolled over onto her side to rest against Max.

When Liz's breathing finally evened out she said, "Sometime it just blows me away, you know. . ."

"What does?" Max whispered, brushing her damp hair away from her face.

Liz's tear filled eyes met his. "How much I love you."

Max kissed her forehead, her eyelids. "I love you, Liz. I've never loved anyone else but you."

"I know," Liz said softly, "I've always known that." They were quiet for a long while, just holding one another, their hands sliding over each other lazily. Max's breathing became deep and even and Liz knew he was about to fall asleep. She shook him slightly. "We should go now, Max. Everyone's waiting for us at the Crashdown."

Max pouted. "We could call and tell them we got delayed and we're staying overnight in Albuquerque."

"Max."

"I'm tired, Liz," he whined petulantly, "You wore me out."

"We can't stay, Max. We don't have enough pampers for Claudia. . .and she's gonna wake up soon, you know."

"This was some honeymoon," Max complained with a smile.

"I'll make it up to you," Liz promised, pressing a soft kiss to his mouth, "I'll even drive back. You can sleep in the jeep."

"Well, aren't you a sweetie?" Max teased softly, rubbing against her. Liz felt his arousal probe against her thigh.

"Max!" Liz moaned in exasperation.

"Just one more time and then we'll leave," Max wheedled. He didn't wait for her reply, but was already positioning himself above her. Liz grinned up at him, shaking her head.

"You're incorrigible, you know that."

Max nodded in agreement without the least bit of shame. "It's true. I am. And you know you love it," he whispered, thrusting inside her.

Liz licked his neck, pumping against him. "Aren't you glad you taught me to drive a stick?" Liz teased wickedly between moans.

Max half groaned, half laughed. "Oh god, yes!"

****************************************************************************** *********************************************************

When Max and Liz entered the Crashdown an hour later, they were exhausted and wrestling with their suddenly very awake daughter. Liz's mother descended on them instantly, plucking her granddaughter from Liz's arms. "Where have you two been?" she demanded, glaring at them, "You should have been here half an hour ago!"

"We got caught up in Albuquerque, Mom," Liz explained lamely. She looked to Max for help but he was standing there, dead on his feet, too tired to come up with a plausible excuse.

"Well, that's ok. No one's due to arrive for another hour or so. I was just a little frantic because I expected you back sooner."

"Why isn't everyone here yet?" Liz asked in confusion.

"I figured you two might be a little longer than you planned in Albuquerque so I pushed back the time for the party."

Nancy Parker looked back and forth between the fatigued faces of her daughter and her fiancé. They could barely stand up straight. She felt a smidge of guilt for being so hard on them. "You guys look beat. Why don't you sit down and catch your breath and I'll take care of Claudia. Agreed?"

Max and Liz could only nod gratefully. After she had disappeared into the kitchen with Claudia they fell into their usual booth. Liz cuddled up against Max's side as they slumped together in the seat. "We'll just catch a little nap before the party. Deal?" Max said, yawning. Liz didn't even nod in agreement. She was already asleep.

It seemed Max had just barely closed his eyes when he heard his name being called. Reluctantly, he shook off the clinging tendrils of sleep and opened his eyes. He froze, blinking his eyes several times. The image before him didn't change at all. He cast a furtive look at Liz to be sure that she was still asleep. She was, thank god! Max lifted his head and frowned with displeasure.

"What are you doing here, Tess," he asked in a steely, calm voice.

"I need to talk to you, Max," she said softly, "It's important."