“We could catch a movie,” Max said, staring at Liz’s mouth, enraptured. He kissed her again because he just couldn’t resist.

“I don’t think any of us are really in the mood for a movie,” Maria managed to moan while Michael kissed down the back of her neck.

“I know what I’m in the mood for,” Michael whispered.

It was that comment that brought Liz to her senses and she pushed Max away although she was loath to do so. “That’s just it, you guys. We just can’t make out all night.” Max, Michael and Maria looked at her as if she’d gone insane. “Ok, we could but-“

“But what, Liz,” Maria demanded, clearly annoyed. She wanted to get back to kissing Michael, Maria thought, like NOW.

Liz persisted even though no one seemed too happy with her. She appealed to the one person she knew would be on her side no matter what. “Max, this is the first time in forever that we’ve had a normal teenage moment, you know. No one cocooning themselves or switching blood vials or anything. We’re just being. . .”

“Normal,” Max finished for her.

“Yeah,” Liz said softly, grateful he understood, “I’m not saying I don’t like the making out part because I do.” She looked at Max intensely. “I mean I really do, but I don’t think that’s all we have to do.”

“So what’d you have in mind?” Maria asked, her attention finally captured.

“I thought we could all take a road trip. Since it’s the weekend I thought we could go driving somewhere and stay overnight.”

“To where exactly,” Michael asked, finding the idea ridiculous.

“Where we’re going aside,” Maria interrupted, “What exactly are we supposed to tell our parents? Hi, Mom, I’m going out of town with my boyfriend and I’m staying overnight, don’t wait up.”

Liz frowned at Maria. “Well, while you and Michael were in my room screeching and hollering my dad called and told me that he and my mom decided to make a weekend out of their trip and wouldn’t be returning until late Sunday night.”

“So. . .”

“So, tell your mom, you’re spending the night here with me.”

“What about Max? Michael’s taken care of cause he’s got his own place.”

“I could tell my folks that I’m staying over at Michael’s,” Max said, beginning to catch on to Liz’s plan.

“Well, that brings me back to my original question,” Michael replied, “Where exactly will we be going?”

“I don’t know,” Liz told him, “Doesn’t matter. Let’s just pick a place and go.”

Maria smiled, finally warming up to Liz’s idea. It was ludicrous, irresponsible, and impractical. Maria loved it totally. “I’ll go get a map.” She popped back into the living room a few seconds later. “So whose car are we taking?”

**********

“This is a stupid idea,” Michael said from the backseat of Max’s jeep. They had been on the road an hour. Maria pinched him until he yelped. “Will you loosen up? It will be fun.”

“Yeah, whatever,” he grumbled, rubbing his smarting arm, “Where the hell we going again?”

“Albuquerque, Michael,” Max provided patiently.

“Oh, big whoo,” Michael said, twirling his index finger. Liz laughed in spite of his sour attitude. She tossed Max a heated look, feeling totally carefree as the wind tore through her hair. Max gave her a sexy smile in return.

“Hey, Maria,” Liz said, not taking her eyes off Max, “why don’t you do something to sweeten your sourpuss.”

“Now there’s a challenge,” Maria considered, tapping her chin with her index finger, “What to do, what to do. Oh, I know.” She moved to straddle Michael’s lap. Michael tossed a startled look up front, but Liz and Max were too busy making goo-goo eyes at each other to notice Maria in his lap.

“What are doing?” he hissed.

“Don’t you like it, babe?” She wiggled a little, dipping her head to lick his neck. Michael’s eyes drifted closed.

“What’s gotten into you, Maria,” he half moaned, half gasped.

Maria’s eyes were sparkling mischievously when she lifted her head to look at him. “Nothing. . . .yet.”

Michael tossed another cautious glance towards the front of the jeep. “You have to promise you’ll be quiet.”

“Uh-uh,” Maria said, shaking her head, causing her blond curls to bounce, “I’m not gonna make any promises I can’t keep.” Before he could reply, however, Maria filled his mouth with her tongue.

Michael’s hands found their way easily inside Maria’s blouse. He squeezed the soft mounds of breasts through the material of her bra. Michael swallowed her breathy moans. They ground against each other, getting as close as they could through Michael’s jeans and Maria’s skirt.

They broke their kiss long enough for Maria to press mad, impassioned kisses down Michael’s neck and the underside of his jaw. “Every time I close my eyes,” Michael whispered, gripping the hair at the nape of her neck, “I see you naked and bent over.”

“What did you want to do?” Maria moaned as Michael pressed his face against her breasts, sucking her nipple through her bra.

“This.” Michael slipped his hand down between their bodies and found Maria’s hot center. She was dripping wet.

“Maria, oh god, you’re not wearing panties.”

“I know,” she gasped, almost jumping out of her skin when she felt Michael slid a single finger into her warm cleft.

“I can’t believe how wet you are,” Michael whispered in wonder, “You feel so good.”

“Yes, Michael, yes,” Maria chanted, her fingers gripping Michael’s shoulders as his slid yet another finger inside her.

She rode his hand shamelessly. “Mmm. . .mmm. . .Michael, yes. . . .oh god. . . .oh. . . .Michael.”

Michael gritted his teeth, feeling as if his erection were going to burst through his jeans at any moment. He found Maria’s mouth for another wild, uninhibited kiss. From the fuzz in his brain Michael was dimly aware of Liz asking, “So Maria, I haven’t heard Michael complain in like fifteen minutes. What did you do to- Oh my God!”

Michael and Maria managed to emerge from the sensual haze that had ensnared them and realized that Liz was staring at them in open shock.