He moved closer, pushed aside the coverlet and dropped a kiss on the shoulder he’d been caressing earlier. She didn’t stir at all. Max chuckled to himself. He didn’t blame Liz for being exhausted. If he weren’t so wired he’d be asleep himself. They had made love over and over until just before dawn, exploring every crevice of one another’s body, discovering each other’s most secret, sensitive spots. Max hadn’t left one inch of Liz’s body unkissed. There wasn’t a curve or hollow of her gorgeous body his tongue hadn’t explored thoroughly. Just thinking on it caused Max’s body to stir to life. He groaned.

Nude, he moved down to the foot of the bed where Liz’s leg was exposed. He bent and kissed her ankle tenderly, moved his lips down the arch of her foot, sucked gently on her toes. Liz came awake then, gazing down at Max through sleep-bleary eyes. “What are you doing, Max?”

Max sat up on his knees, revealing his erection to her. “Worshiping you.”

“Max,” she sighed, her eyes soft with love. When he said such sweet things Liz found him absolutely impossible to resist. Oh, who was she fooling, Liz thought with an inner smile; she could never resist Max Evans.

“So what are you up to?” she asked him, disengaging herself from the blankets cocooning her.

Max ducked his head almost shyly. After all they’d done the night before the prospect of simply and frankly telling her what he wanted seemed daunting. “I want to. . . .you know. . . .”

“No,” she said, coming to her knees and crawling until she was directly in front of him, “I don’t.” His tip of his erection brushed the soft skin of her belly. Max gulped.

“Lizzzz, please.”

“Tell me what you want,” Liz whispered, leaning forward to plunge her tongue into his ear. He shuddered. Her hand drifted down his abdomen to encircle his throbbing manhood. “What do you want, baby,” she insisted softly.

“You.” Max’s response was barely audible. His breath hissed out as Liz began exploring him from root to tip.

“Where do you want me, Max?”

“Beneath me.”

Liz laughed throatily and lay back against the bed bringing Max with her. “Ask and you shall receive.”

“You’re a naughty girl,” Max told her after he had kissed her breathless.

“And you wouldn’t have it any other way,” Liz challenged him cockily.

“Damn straight.”

***********

An hour later Max was awakened to an insistent knocking at their hotel door. He gently disengaged himself from a sleeping Liz, who hadn’t heard the knocking. Max looked at her, smiling and shaking his head as he slipped his jeans up over his hips. The girl could sleep through a war. He bent forward and kissed her forehead affectionately before answering the door.

Michael and Maria stood out in the hallway looking surprisingly rested, sunglasses in place. Max stretched and rubbed the sleep out his eyes. “What’s up, you guys?”

“Breakfast,” Maria said, trying to elbow past him. Max stood his ground. Maria glared at him. Max glared back.

“Maybe I should clarify since breakfast is long since over. It’s 2 p.m. Michael and I would like to eat.”

“They’ve got room service,” Max said, unaffected.

“Yeah, but my pockets aren’t exactly laced with gold, Maxwell,” Michael said sarcastically.

“Liz is still asleep.”

“Wake her up,” Maria ordered, still trying to push past him, “Our stomachs are like eating themselves.”

“Can you at least let us in?” Michael insisted in exasperation. After a long pause Max finally stepped aside and allowed them to pass. Upon entering the room Michael gave a low whistle. “Geez, you and Liz really trashed this place, didn’t you.”

“Stuff it, Michael,” Max said, picking his shirt up off the floor and slipping into it.

Maria moved to the side of the bed to shake Liz awake. Liz opened her eyes, startled and annoyed. “What? What? Maria? What are you doing here?”

“Michael and I want some breakfast. You and boy toy here are our only means of transportation.”

Liz rolled her eyes and burrowed back deep into the covers. “Max, just give em the keys.”

“I’m a little hungry too, baby,” Max said reluctantly. He wanted her to rest. He knew that she was exhausted but his stomach was rumbling in protest.

“Hey, Max,” Maria said, “why don’t you and Michael go on up to our room. You can shower and change up there. At this rate if you and Liz stay in the same room together we won’t be leaving til dinnertime!”

Even after Michael and Max had left Liz remained buried under the blankets. “Are you trying to torture me, Maria? Is this your idea of fun? I’m sooooo tired,” Liz whined.

“No,” Maria said as she ripped back the covers revealing Liz’s nakedness, “Whoa!” Maria found herself staring in awe at the bruises that speckled her friend’s body. “Rough night?” Maria inquired cheekily.

Liz blushed and sat up, grabbing one of Max’s discarded T-shirts and slipping it down over her head. “Yeah, and what?”

“This what!” Maria replied, pulling her jacket off her shoulders to reveal the bruises that littered her arms and shoulders.

“And if that’s not enough, I’ve got rug burns on my ass that would cross your eyes.”

“Save me the close-up, will ya?” Liz laughed, holding up her hands.

Maria shrugged her jacket back onto her shoulders. “Suit yourself.”

Liz’s annoyance with Maria was instantly forgotten and she found herself giggling. When she sobered she bit her lip, staring at Maria from beneath her lashes. “Oh Maria, wasn’t it the best night you’ve ever had?”

“I know I’ve never been as happy as I was last night.”

“And the sex. . . .?”

“It was soooo incredible.”

“Yeah, for me, too.”

“I’m bruised. I’m sore. And I totally love it, babe.” Both girls shared a long look of mutual satisfaction. Their happy expressions mirrored one another. And then Maria broke the stare, tugging Liz out of bed. “Ok, that’s enough bonding for now. Let’s go get some food!”