Finally they were alone…

~*~*~*~*~*~

Maria was giving Michael the third degree about Max’s kidnapping. "So where was he? And why couldn’t any of you guys sense him? And –."

"Hey, slow down, cheesehead! One thing at a time!" Michael sounded exasperated, causing Izzy and Alex to smile where they were sitting in the back seat. Yeah, things were basically back to normal…

Sighing, Michael tried to relay the little he knew. "They had him in this underground chamber, apparently it was fitted out with some kind of metal that they thought would shield us from finding him. Guess, they only figured on mind connections, not heart ones. Jans had planned the whole thing, it just worked even better when Liz came out here to find him. He initially just wanted Max out of the picture so he could take his place as leader… and with Liz."

"Eeew!" Maria’s response echoed everyone’s thoughts. "Hey wait, what about the message from Nacedo?"

"I’m guessing that was Jans too. There’s been no sign of him around here and since the thugs knew where we were… But we’ll phone him as soon as we can, just to make sure." Michael took Maria’s hand, ignoring her surprised look at the gesture. "Let’s just get home, so we can start forgetting about this whole mess."

"Sooo, I wonder what Liz and Max are up to right now. Oh wait, no! I just had a mental image! I SO did not need to think that about my friend! Just drive faster would you Michael! I need miles between me and that image!" Alex was starting to babble at the end, causing hysterical bursts of laughter from the other occupants of the car.

~*~*~*~*~*~

Max helped Liz into the Jeep silently. What do you say at a time like this? ‘I love you’? ‘Are you sure’? No, he couldn’t ask that. What if she said no? Max didn’t think he could take a ‘no’ right now.

Liz waited until they were back on the highway, driving away from Roswell before speaking. "Where are we going Max?"

Her voice sounded nervous and Max looked at her, feeling guilty for his closed-off reactions of the past few minutes. This was a big step for her too. He enveloped her hands that were folded in her lap with one of his. "I love you." He took a deep breath. "We don’t have to do this, you know."

"I know. Max, I love you. I want this… us." Liz snuggled closer to him, resting her head on his shoulder as he drove. "So really, where are we going?"

He leant his head on hers for a few seconds before answering. "I thought we’d go to Carlsbad."

"Okay." Liz was starting to sound sleepy. His heart filled with tenderness for her because she had not rested until she had found him. Brave Liz. Beautiful Liz. His Liz.

~*~*~*~*~*~

Standing in the hotel room, they looked at each other shyly. Both of them very aware of the implied intimacy of the big double bed next to them.

Liz started when she felt Max running his hand down her arm softly. "Are you scared?" Repeating words spoken a long time ago. He was gazing at her anxiously, not knowing how to ease her nervousness.

"Kiss me, Max."

He hugged her to him tenderly, slowly leaning down to touch his mouth to hers. He kissed her gently, running his hands over her face and into her hair. Trying to show her with his actions how precious she was to him.

Liz leant into his welcoming warmth and felt her fears disappear like the morning mist. This was Max. Her Max. Who loved her. She had nothing to worry about.

Max pulled away from her and waited until she opened her eyes slowly. "Why don’t you go take a bath and I’ll… uhm go out to… I mean, I need to…" He was stumbling over his words, embarrassment tingeing his cheeks.

Liz’s eyes widened in understanding. Right! Ever careful Max remembering that they needed to take precautions. She nodded and watched him leave.

~*~*~*~*~*~

The afternoon sun was casting long shadows outside when Max returned. The room was quiet and he walked to the half-closed bathroom door. Hesitating in the doorway, he wondered if he should just walk in. He didn’t want to embarrass Liz. But he couldn’t stop his feet from moving forward. The sight that greeted his eyes was breathtaking. Liz had fallen asleep in the bath filled nearly to the brim with bubbles. Her skin was glistening with moisture where it peeked from the water. Her beauty made him weak. Weak with love. Weak with desire.

He lifted her gently from the tub, wrapping her in a large towel. She murmured his name and pressed closer to him, causing a severe reaction in Max’s body. The towel left so much of her uncovered that he couldn’t help but stare. Her legs were smooth and shapely, dangling over his one arm and doing wicked things to his heart and mind.He managed to get her to bed without his legs giving out. Using the towel still wrapped around her, he patted her dry as best he could without waking her. She seemed so tired and vulnerable, it made his heart ache. He pulled the towel from her and slid her underneath the covers, but it needed only the few seconds that the action took to sear her bare form into his brain.

Cursing under his breath, he went to take a shower. And to try and get himself under control.

~*~*~*~*~*~

Liz came awake when the bathroom door opened. She was confused for a moment about how she had gotten to bed, but all thought fled her mind when Max appeared in the doorway. He was wearing a towel and nothing else. Liz’s eyes traveled across him helplessly, eagerly, hungrily. Over the dark wet strands of hair falling over his eyes. Over his beloved face. Over the contours of his chest and arms. Travelling lower until she forgot to breathe.

Max stopped when he realized she was awake and watching him. His body came to life while her gaze caressed him. It was the most sensual feeling he has ever experienced and he was afraid that he might lose his sanity tonight. Lose it somewhere in Liz Parker’s exquisite body and warm eyes…

He walked to the bed silently and sat down on the edge. Pulling Liz upright, he smiled slightly as she clutched the sheet to her chest. She smiled back up at him shyly, trustingly. His heart clenched in sudden fear. What if he hurt her tonight? Not in the normal first-time sense, but because he was what he was.

Liz saw the flash of fear in his eyes and placed a gentle, warm hand on his chest. She felt the fierce thudding of his heart against her fingertips. For an instant he seemed both humbled and profoundly uneasy. Then he began to shake almost violently, the intensity of their feelings overwhelming him.

"Liz." Her name was a plea, his voice husky and low.

She watched as his eyes darkened, then blazed with fire. She slowly slid her hand down from his chest to his bare stomach, hearing his smothered groan.

Max reached out and pulled the sheet from her fingers slowly. Uncovering her beauty to his thirsty eyes. He let his fingers drift over her collarbone, caressing the smooth soft skin of her shoulder before sliding lower, finally letting the weight of her breast fill his hand. She was perfect.

Liz arched into his hand, her body knowing instinctively what to do. His lips captured hers again. His tongue licking inside the velvet depths of her mouth and setting her body aflame. His hands covered her skin, touching everywhere he could reach, stoking the fires in her blood. She drank in the hot male scent of him, wanting more.

Max lapped up each little sound exploding from her throat. He lay down with her, managing it without breaking their kiss. He pressed her against him, reveling in the feeling of her naked skin.

Soon the barriers of sheets and towels were too much to bear and were removed. Throughout Max kept up the drugging kisses that transported Liz to another world. She gloried in the heat and hardness of his body. At how perfectly he fit to her. She rubbed herself against him trying to soothe the ache in the pit of her stomach. Max was kissing her neck, her shoulders, his lips covering every inch of her skin. He seemed to instinctively know all the hidden spots where his lips would arouse her.

Max was dazed. How many times had he dreamed of this, never daring to hope that it would ever come true. But here he was, and she was a fever in his blood. He knew that being inside Liz Parker would be the closest to heaven that he’ll ever be.

He came back to her mouth, kissing her swollen lips softly before looking into her eyes. "Liz?" Asking her silently if this was still what she wanted.

"Yes, Max… yes."

She undid him with three small words. Increasing his desire for her until it felt as if he’d die if he didn’t have her. But he kept himself in check. This was Liz. This was her first time. He needed to be gentle.

Holding her gaze with his, Max completed his possession of Liz with a smooth and careful stroke. She cried out and he held her until she grew accustomed to his body. He was trembling with the effort of keeping still, but he waited until she looked into his eyes and moved against him experimentally.

Max gave in then, moving inside her until they shared in the wild, mysterious, shattering joy of each other’s bodies. Liz clung to him afterwards, thankful for his weight pressing her into the mattress. She was afraid that her body was going to scatter into little bits following the explosion of pleasure she had just experienced. This was where she belonged. In Max’s arms. She knew she would never be able to live without this feeling again.

Max finally lifted his head from her shoulder. His breathing still ragged. "Are you okay? Did I… did I hurt you?"