Max’s eyes wandered over Liz’s bare shoulders to the swell of her breasts, just visible above the top of her bodice, for the umpteenth time. What was it about seeing the bare shoulders of a girl that was so alluring to guys? Liz shifted towards him and he jerked his gaze back to the road. Good lord, you’d swear he’d never seen Liz before! Although, it has been a few days…

He had taken off his jacket and rolled up his sleeves before getting in the Jeep. His tie was undone and the first few buttons of his shirt were open and Liz practically drooled at the sight of all that skin.

"Max…" Her voice was low and sultry and when he looked back at her, she was leaning towards him. Nothing in the world could’ve stopped him from staring at her curves again. What he wouldn’t do to be able to run his tongue along the edge of her dress right now…

"Would you just stop and… and kiss me. Please…"

Belatedly he realized that she must’ve been aware of his thoughts all along. Adhering to her request, he pulled the Jeep off the side of the road, driving a small way away from the highway. When he turned off the engine, the only sound that could be heard was their labored breathing. Max shoved his seat back as far as it would go and lifted Liz onto his lap, his eyes never leaving hers. Her dress billowed around them and Liz pulled it from between them as she straddled his hips with her silk-stocking clad legs. I’m just going to kiss her, he told himself. Our first time making love as a married couple is NOT going to be in this Jeep!

But all thought flew from his head when Liz pressed her mouth against the warm skin of his throat and touched him with her tongue. His head was spinning and he only realized she had unbuttoned his shirt when her hands glided over his bare stomach. He gasped involuntarily and cupped the back of her neck with his hand, pressing her closer to him. While his mind was trying to hold onto some semblance of control, his body was betraying him at a dizzying speed. This was Liz in his arms, his WIFE, and she was still wearing her wedding dress…

Liz lifted her lips from his chest and quickly closed the distance between them, placing her mouth against his as she whispered: "Stop thinking, Max, I want you to—"

She never got to finish her sentence, because suddenly and totally unexpectedly she heard Max groan deep down in his throat, and the next minute she was being dragged tightly against his body as his mouth opened over hers. His one hand cupped her face and his lips moved against hers with devastating passion. It made her whole body ache for more intimate caresses from him. As if on cue, his other hand slipped to her side, moving slowly upwards before finding the curve of her breast. His fingers trailed over the smooth, soft skin at the top of her bodice, causing fire to fly through her body.

Her pulse was racing underneath his touch and Max desperately wanted to press his lips over her heart. Liz shivered as his mouth started to caress the delicate curve of her throat. He put both hands around her waist, lifting her higher against him so that he could finally fulfill his fantasy.

"Have you got any idea just how much I’ve been wanting to do this?" he whispered against the skin just above her bodice. "How much I’ve ached to kiss you like this all day?"

There was no space for a flirty answer. Even though Liz had been perfectly aware of what was going through his mind while they were driving, his mouth was making it impossible for her to do anything but whimper his name.

He took his time, leaving a trail of wet kisses over the swell of her breasts deliberately and carefully, making sure he didn’t miss a spot. His body was tight, crying out its need for this girl in his arms, but he had been fantasizing about this for too long to hurry it. Resting his hands on her ribcage, he lightly ran his thumbs over her as his tongue traced the line of her dress above her breasts. Liz whimpered again and he pressed his mouth to her sensitive skin, this time sucking lightly. Liz’s moan was loud in the silent night and it reminded Max that this was not where he wanted to finish what they had started.

She moaned again when he pulled away from her, this time in disappointment. He wrapped his arms around her, hugging her to him tightly as he fought to calm himself down. "Oh lord Liz,I’m sorry! I should never have… I just wanted to…" He felt her nod against him jerkily in understanding. Neither of them had thought things would get so out of hand.

They sat like that for a long time, Liz cradled against Max’s chest as he rubbed her leg soothingly. When he felt like he could function again, he gently lifted her away from him. "Are you ready to—" But his eyes fell on the light marks he had left on her skin and desire streaked through him again.

Liz was watching him with wide eyes. "Yeah, I think we should go…"

"Maybe we shouldn’t do the abstinence thing again soon," he said wryly, trying to lighten the mood, but only eliciting a weak smile from Liz.

He helped her back onto her own seat, trying not to look at her. They better get to that damn cabin soon!

~*~*~*~*~*~

It was dark when they arrived at the cabin and Max made Liz wait in the Jeep so he could unlock the door and turn on the lights. Liz watched him disappear into the cabin and had a few minutes to reminisce about the last time she was here. There had been time for nothing but her and Max. Being alone together. It had been a time that was precious to both of them.

He appeared next to her and stared at her for a few seconds before tenderly lifting her from her seat and cradling her against his chest. Liz was looking into his eyes so adoringly that it felt like his heart was going to explode with all the love her felt for her. How did he deserve such devotion?

It felt like she was floating when he carried her from the Jeep. She had a fleeting glimpse of an inky black night with millions of stars twinkling down on them before they went inside and Max dropped a kiss on her mouth. "Thank you," he said softly.

"For what?"

"For marrying me today. For looking so beautiful… Most of all for loving me back." So many emotions clouded his voice.

"No Max, you made ME the happiest girl alive today." She reached up and kissed him again, her lips lingering over his.

He had been walking to the bedroom at the back of the cabin, but his footsteps suddenly faltered. "Are-are you hungry? It’s kinda late…"

Smiling up at him, Liz allowed all her desire for him to shine from her eyes. "No. I want you to make love to me. That’s all I need right now."

She heard his breath stop and start again at a faster pace. His gaze drifted down to her mouth, still swollen from his kisses. "Yes," he answered and proceeded into the dark bedroom.

"Max?" she questioned. "I want to see—"

The room was suddenly filled with candlelight that cast a warm glow over everything. Max let her slide down to the floor slowly, a small smile tugging at his mouth. "I want to see too…"

He stood her in front of the tall antique mirror that was perched in one corner of the room, turning her towards it and wrapping his arms around her waist from behind. Liz was stunned at the way she looked. Flushed. Aroused. Lips swollen and puffy. Breasts heaving as she tried to catch her breath. Was this what Max saw when he made love to her? Her questioning gaze met his in the mirror.

He laid his cheek against hers and brought up a shaking hand to touch her mouth. "You are always so beautiful to me, but this… this just floors me. Every time." He trailed his hand down and smoothed it over her breast, listening to the small sound she made. "Because this look is because of me. For me. It’s MY look, Liz." He turned his head until he could kiss her jaw line, his unoccupied hand splaying over her stomach and pressing her back against his hard body.

He was so obviously aroused that Liz sighed and leaned into his caresses. He kissed her shoulders as his hand continued to tease her through her dress. When his warm lips reached the sensitive back of her neck, she trembled as he ran his tongue over her skin. "Max…" Her fingers curled into the material of his pants, clinging to his hard thighs to stay upright. Her eyes were drifting shut but she fought to keep them on the reflection in the mirror. Seeing Max’s hands against her was incredibly erotic.

He was kissing her shoulder blades now, his hands abandoning their other tasks to find the first tiny button at the back of her dress. He knew he could cheat and open this dress with a wave of his hand, but tonight he wanted to savor every moment of taking this dress off her. He opened each little button slowly, kissing the skin he was revealing. The row of buttons ended on the curve of her bottom and he stood slowly to his feet when the last one was undone.

For some reason, Liz was clutching the dress to her chest and her breath stopped when Max’s dark eyes met hers again in the mirror. Slowly and deliberately, his hands peeled the back of the dress open and crept inside to slide around her torso. Without realizing it, Liz lifted her hands slightly to allow him to cup his hands over her breasts. Then he stepped closer until he was pressed against her back. "Let go, love." It was a soft, but firm command.

Her fingers obeyed automatically and the dress slithered to the floor, pooling at their feet. Liz was left wearing a scrap of silk and her stockings. And Max’s hands. The sight made her dizzy with desire. So much that she couldn’t wait any longer for him to finish this torment and take her.

She spun around in his arms, moaning his name against his lips and pressed tiny kisses against his mouth, his jaw, his throat. She pressed her body even closer to his, moving frantically against him, bestowing feverish, eager kisses against whichever bit of him she could reach.

"Oh god Liz, slow down, honey…" She could hear him protesting, but at the same time his hand came back up to cup her breast.

Liz shuddered in sensual delight as he touched her and her eyes, bright with passion, found his to silently beg for more. She put out a shaking finger to trace his lips, her eyes widening as his tongue snaked out to touch it. Holding his gaze, she pulled her finger away and deliberately brought it to her own mouth, curling her tongue around it.

His whole body seemed to be caught up, galvanized by the fierce shudder that racked him. His hands cupped her breasts and his mouth covered hers. Liz could feel his hands shaping her as they slid down her back before coming to rest on the rounded curves of her bottom. He bent his head and caressed her breast with gentle, slow strokes that increased the ache in the pit of her belly and made her move feverishly against him.

Her hands found his shoulders, shoving the shirt from him so she could reach his back as he continued his tormenting caresses on her breasts. "Yes!" she told him fiercely and suddenly his urgency returned.

Pulling away from him, she told him hotly: "I want to see you, all of you!" Her hands were reaching for the fastening of his pants, but he stepped away from her and completed the task himself.

Now it was Max’s turn to stand enthralled as her hands moved over his body. She knew every hill and valley. She knew what reaction he had to each place she touched. Her fingers trailed over his hard stomach, feeling the muscles clench under his skin. He groaned as her hand closed around him and explored him deliberately.

Drawing back from him, Liz looked at the bed and then at him, but before she could say anything he was removing her hand from his body and telling her hoarsely: "My turn again…"

She stood perfectly still as he removed the rest of her clothing. The sensation of his hands sliding down her thighs to remove her stockings and then moving back up over them far more slowly made her feel as though she was melting from the inside out. As she closed her eyes he stood up and picked her up in his arms, carrying her over to the bed. Laying her carefully on it, he started to touch and caress her.

This was heaven. Max kissed his way down the length of her body, dimly hearing Liz’s soft moan when he reached her thighs. He took his time exploring her, adapting his touches to her reactions. It was intoxicating to listen to her moans and sighs, to hear his name torn from her throat. Then she was pulling frantically at his shoulders, whispering thickly, the words almost lost against his chest: "Please, Max…"

He moved onto her, INTO her, slowly – too slowly. Her hands slid down his back, urging him faster, deeper and she felt him pause. But her body wouldn’t let him. She needed more…

Her needs slammed into his mind and Max nearly lost it on the spot. "Liz!" Her name was a fierce moan that was still echoing around the room when he gave up trying to slow them down. Their union was intense and their release mind-blowing. They were alternately kissing and crying each other’s names while the waves washed over them.

Max collapsed against her afterwards wondering how it was possible that this could just get better every time. He was completely and utterly addicted to making love with Liz. His Liz. His wife.

Holding her tightly, he rolled them onto their sides, so they lay looking at each other. He brushed her hair tenderly from her face, remembering belatedly that he had not removed the roses and pins before making love to her. He did so now, pulling each rose and pin from her hair carefully while she watched him.

When he was finished, Liz took his hand and kissed each finger reverently. "I love you Max Evans. And I-I promise to always make you happy, as happy as you make me," she declared fervently.