At school, Max and Liz would walk to classes together. They avoided physical contact in public, mostly because of Kyle. Liz noticed that Kyle always seemed to be around, watching. She tried talking to him, but after a few rebuffed tries, she gave up. And then, suddenly, he was spending his time with Isabel's friend, Claire, and Liz breathed a sigh of relief, knowing that Kyle would not be a problem.

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

"Whoo hoo, I love teacher's work days!" Maria joyfully shouted. The six of them had the Friday off from school, and had decided to go hiking in the woods for the day. Leaving in the early morning, Max, Liz, Isabel and Alex rode in Max's jeep, while Maria and Michael took her mom's Jetta.

They arrived at the entrance to the state wildlife park, noticing that they were the only ones there so early in the morning. After parking their cars, they gathered their backpacks and headed off. The group paired off: Max and Liz; Michael and Maria; Alex and Isabel, and agreed to meet back at the picnic tables for lunch.

It was a sunny day, but as Max and Liz began following one of the many trails into the woods, the air became cooler from the shade of the trees. The two walked in a comfortable silence, breathing in the fresh air, and marveling at the magnificent trees that towered above them.

After about an hour of walking, Liz suggested that they stop for a rest. Taking a canteen of water, she quenched her thirst then offered it to Max. She sat down on a big rock, somewhat off the trail, and gazed ahead. Max opened his backpack and took out a blanket, which he laid on the soft ground next to her. He lay down on his back, stretching out and staring up at the sky.

Liz looked down at Max and felt the familiar rise in her temperature. She felt that way around Max constantly. Up until now, Max and Liz had shared only kisses. He respected her need to get to know him better, and she knew that he would never take advantage of her. But Liz needed more now.

"Can I join you," she asked. "Of course," Max replied, and Liz lay down next to him. Max turned to her, propping his head on his shoulder. "Liz," he breathed. He was staring intently at her, and Liz locked her gaze with his.

Max bent down, closed his eyes, and began kissing her. Liz snaked her arm around his neck, and ran her fingers through his hair. Max's hand trailed down Liz's arm, down her side, his thumb feeling the slight swell of her breast as he made his way down to her waist.

Unconsciously, Liz began a slight rocking of her hips. Max hand was resting on the top of her jean shorts, his thumb hooked around one of the belt loops, when he broke away from Liz and looked at her. Her chestnut hair was strewn around her face, and her lips were still swollen from their kissing. "Max," Liz sighed, "Why did you stop?"

When he didn't answer, Liz raised herself up on her elbows and looked directly into his eyes. "Max, I've never felt this way about anyone in my life. When I'm with you, everything is so right. But I want more. I want to be with you in every way possible. Max, make love to me."

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

Maria was not having fun. She hated the woods, truth be told. Ever since she was a little girl, her nightmares focused on being abandoned in the woods, just as her father had abandoned her and her mother when Maria was only five.

Being with Michael took a bit of the edge off, but Maria was still a little frightened, even though it was mid-morning and the sun was out. She held onto Michael's hand tightly as the two walked.

Michael, on the other hand, relished the quiet and peace that the forest offered. Considering his home life, almost any environment would be better than life with his abusive foster father, Hank. Michael led Maria through the woods, off the well worn trails, when they came upon a small lake. A small running waterfall completed the perfect picture.

"Let's go swimming," Maria squealed. She tossed off her boots and socks, stripped off her shorts and dove into the cool water. "C'mon, Michael...jump in." Maria started wading in the water then found her footing and began walking back up towards him. Her little tee-shirt clung to her slight frame, her nipples hard from the coolness of the water. As she walked towards Michael, she slicked back her wet hair with both her hands, accentuating the sexy image that stood before him.

Michael took in the sight and groaned inwardly....Maria, wet; only in a clingy tee and underwear, coming up to him. He immediately felt the tightening in his pants and knew he needed Maria right then and there or he would die.

Maria knew what she was doing to Michael. The bulge in his pants was obvious. Michael and Maria were no strangers to making out and heavy petting. They spent many stolen moments in the eraser room at school. But Maria knew this time was different. She walked right up to Michael, put her hands around his neck and brought his lips to hers for a passionate embrace.

Michael complied willingly; his hands roaming her back. After a minute, Maria pulled away, but just long enough to begin working his shirt off. Grabbing the ends, she slowly lifted the shirt off, kissing and licking his abs, then his chest, until the shirt was gone. Michael closed his eyes as Maria worked her way up him. He gasped slightly when her small hands began working the buttons of his jeans. She brushed against his erection as she eased his pants down, leaving him in his boxers.

Stepping out of his pants, he started walking with Maria into the lake (he honestly could not remember taking off his shoes and socks.) The lake was fairly shallow; Michael could walk across the it. Maria wrapped her legs around Michael's waist, kissing him constantly. She could feel his throbbing hardness against her center, and it excited her more than she thought possible.

With Maria still wrapped around him, he made his way over to the waterfall. There was an outcropping of rocks framing it, one of which was long and flat enough to hold the two of them. He lifted Maria up on the flat rock, and climbed up himself.

His large hand covered Maria's breast, and he began kneading it gently. He captured the hard nipple between his index and middle fingers and pulled up slightly. Maria moaned and writhed beneath Michael. She arched her hips up and met his muscular thigh. Without thinking, Maria started rocking, the friction causing a heat to build up in her.

Michael grabbed her shirt and almost ripped it off her, the need building up in him. Instead, he pulled the shirt down under her breasts so that they were totally exposed. He dragged his lips from her and began kissing around her breast. His warm breath against her cool skin made the nipples harder, if that was possible. His lips surrounded the nipple, and he began sucking it and flicking it with his tongue.

Maria could not take much more of this. She arched her back, giving Michael more access to her breasts. She ran her hands through his hair and finally gasped, "Michael, I need you now."

Michael tore off her panties and gazed longingly at her dark curls. With a slight tremble in his hand, he brought his index finder to her folds and began stroking her. With every stroke, he rubbed her sensitive nub, and Maria cried out as a wave of heat and wetness exploded within her. Michael could not stand it any longer. Shedding his boxers, he positioned himself above Maria. "Please, Michael," she whispered. He teased her a bit more by lightly rubbing the tip of his penis just outside her. Then, in one swift movement, he entered her. She cried out again, this time a sweet mixture of pleasure and pain. Michael waited a moment for her to become accustomed to the pressure. "Are you OK," he asked. "Oh, god, yes," Maria sighed.

Michael began his rhythmic movement, and Maria arched her hips to give him better access. As he continued thrusting, Maria contracted her inner walls. She was already so tight, but this new sensation drove Michael over the edge. He could feel the pressure build and he cried out Maria's name as he thrust one final time and filled her.

Michael and Maria lay on the rock for some time. He looked down at her and gently stroked her hair. He bent down and kissed her already swollen lips. Maria slowly opened her eyes and saw the look of love that enveloped his face. At that moment, she knew this man would take away all her nightmares.

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

"I have a confession to make, Alex."

Isabel turned to him, and took another deep breath. "The day you learned who we really are, I dreamwalked to find out more about you." He big green eyes were wide with anticipation at how he would react.

"And what did you find out?" he asked evenly.

"That you're the only guy I've met who actually likes me for me. Someone who understands me. You'll protect me and you don't think I'm some hideous freak, but a normal teenager."

Alex and Isabel had taken another path that led along the edge of the forest. Large rock formations from the surrounding mountains were a barrier that encompassed much of the valley forest. As the two walked on, Isabel noticed a cave in the mountain wall. She steered Alex into the semi-dark cavern and turned to look at him.

"Do you hate me?" she asked shyly, suddenly worried about his response.

Alex had to laugh, and that caught Isabel off guard. "Isabel, I'm sure that I will experience lots of emotions with you, but I could never hate you."

It was Isabel's turn to laugh. She loved being with Alex. He was so unassuming, he put her at ease, like she could finally be herself. She did not have to put on airs or pretenses. Sure, people thought that Isabel Evans was a cool, confident woman, but anyone that really knew her knew that the opposite was true.

Alex looked down at Isabel, with her beautiful smile and shining eyes and his heart melted. Without thinking and caught up in the moment, he leaned down and lightly kissed her on the lips. Isabel was slightly taken aback, but quickly returned the kiss with more intensity.

Isabel wrapped her arms around Alex's neck and let them dangle. Alex put his hands around Isabel's waist and brought her in closer to him. She parted her lips, an invitation for him to deepen the kiss.

Alex's mind was reeling. He had fantasized about Isabel, but never in his wildest imagination did he believe that he would actually be kissing her. She was so soft and warm, and his hands moved under her shirt unconsciously and started traveling up her back. When his fingers brushed over the back strap of her bra, he suddenly realized what he was doing and pulled back.

"Isabel, I'm sorry..." he stammered. But Isabel put a finger to his lips and said, "Shhh." She brought his head back down to resume their embrace and Alex began moving Isabel until her back was against the cave wall.

"When you were dreamwalking," Alex started saying, punctuating each phrase with kisses on Isabel's neck, "could you tell how much I love you?"

Isabel swayed her head back and forth against the cool wall. With her eyes closed, she felt Alex's strong lips all around her neck. "Mmm hmm," she murmured, lost in the passion of the moment.

Returning his lips to Isabel's, Alex began unbuttoning Isabel's shirt. He flattened his hands against Isabel's trim stomach and moved his thumbs to caress her ribs. He felt the satin material of her bra and moved his hands up to encompass her breasts. He felt the hard nipples straining through the thin material, and heard Isabel gasp as soon as he touched her. Empowered, he increased the pressure with his hands and trailed his kisses down her chin, then her neck, and finally along her chest.

Isabel was in heaven. She had never let anyone touch her as intimately as Alex was. The sensations were exhilarating. She moaned his name and let Alex continue his assault on her senses.

Alex removed one of his hands from her breast and cupped it underneath. He then gently removed the top of her bra down to expose the firm flesh and brought his lips to her skin. He kissed around the aureola and finally captured her erect nipple in his mouth. He sucked lightly at first, and then, when her moans became more insistent, he sucked harder.

Isabel was on fire. She placed her hand over Alex's, which was still caressing the other breast, and guided his hand down to her core. Through her jeans, Alex could feel how wet she was. With Isabel as a guide, he began stroking her. Isabel took her hand away, and Alex continued the motion. He looked up and saw that Isabel's eyes were closed, her mouth opened and she was sliding up and down against the wall.

Alex moved his hand from her center to the top of her shorts. He deftly unsnapped the button and brought the zipper down. He slid his hand down, feeling the smoothness of her underwear along the palm of his hand. He resumed his rhythmic strokes of her and felt the wetness of her panties gliding along with his fingers. He concentrated on the little nub that protruded out.

"Oh, god, yes, right there," Isabel groaned. "Right there, yes, harder. Oh god!" Alex slammed his mouth down on hers and let his tongue explore her. Isabel grabbed his hair and clenched her fists. Tearing her mouth away from his, she let out a scream and collapsed into Alex's strong and waiting arms.

After the wave of orgasm passed, she brought her head up to look into Alex's eyes. His eyes were shining brightly, partly in awe of what just happened and partly in a satisfied feeling that he could make Isabel Evans quiver.

Before Isabel could say anything, Alex spoke up, "Isabel, you've given me the greatest gift....your trust. We've got lots of time to explore our feelings. So let's get you dressed and head back."

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

"Max, make love to me."

Max could not believe what he heard. But there was Liz, looking squarely at him, with a pure radiance on her face and true love in her eyes.

The years of silent longing suddenly vanished. Here was his Liz offering herself to him. With a trembling finger, he traced her jawline. He saw her eyelids flutter closed and he began a slow exploration of her lips and mouth with his tongue. Liz yielded to him and let Max take control.

Cradling her head with his powerful hand, he eased Liz back and continued kissing her. With his free hand, he placed it on her exposed flat tummy. Trailing his fingers, he traveled up her chest slowly until he reached the valley between her breasts. In one swift movement, he ripped her shirt off.

Liz gasped, but Max whispered, "I'll fix it later." Liz smiled and settled back into his passionate embrace.

Returning to her bra, Max felt the clasp. A second later, the clasp gave way and Max slid his hand under the material, removing it from Liz's chest. He could feel the pert nipple and supple skin of her breast as he began to take off the garment. Liz shrugged off the strap, turned and let Max remove the other strap. Max took a moment to gaze at Liz's body.

"You are so beautiful," he breathed.

Still continuing his passionate embrace, he cupped Liz's breast and began kneading it. His palm rubbed over the nipple then switched to a slow, circular pattern.

Meanwhile, Liz was caught up in the feel of Max's body. She raised his shirt up, feeling the hard muscles of his abs and chest. "Take your shirt off," she requested. Max complied, raising himself up to take off the shirt. It was Liz's turn to take in the sight before her. Max was sculpted. His pec muscles quivered as she brought up a petite hand and traced its outline. Max lowered himself back on her, and the feel of their skin against each other was magical.

Liz was under Max's spell. Every place he touched on her was alive. She was glowing all over and her heart was bursting. Max worked Liz's jeans down and helped pull them off. After removing her knee-high stockings, he captured one of her shapely legs and began kissing up her calf. Liz raised her arms above her head and moaned.

Max quickly discarded his jeans, and clad only in his boxers, lay on top of Liz, who wrapped her legs around his waist. The thin material of their underwear could not conceal the desire of each of them. Liz was soaked, and Max's erection was straining against the fabric, and the delightful friction of their movements only heightened the sensations.

Abruptly, Max began trailing his kisses down Liz's chest. He reached her stomach, and licked and gently nipped at her navel. Then, he continued lower until he reached the top of her underwear. Looking back up at Liz, he saw the immense smile of pleasure and knew that she wanted him to proceed. Reverently, he hooked his fingers under the sides and slid the panties off.

Liz was completely bare, and did not feel embarrassed. She knew that she loved this man with all her heart, and what they were doing was right. Max, who had also removed his boxers, could only wonder what fates had allowed the two of them to be together.

Max arched himself over Liz and brought his lips down to hers. Liz began a rhythmic rocking that almost made Max lose it right there. Willing himself to muster some self control, he began his own movement along Liz's folds. Liz's hands were kneading his shoulders, feeling the muscles tense up as he continued rocking. Finally, neither could stand it any longer, and Liz whispered, "Now, Max. Please. I love you."

Max entered her and heard her gasp. "Liz, are you all right. I can make the pain go away." Max was concerned now, because he never wanted to cause Liz any hurt or pain.

"No, don't. I'm OK, really. Just give me a minute." Liz adjusted her hips and as the pain subsided into a dull ache, she told him to keep going.

Max began a sweet, slow thrust into Liz. They continued their passionate embrace, and Max began moving at a faster pace. He didn't know how much longer he could control himself. He kissed Liz's earlobe, then moved down the side of her neck, tasting the slightly salty essence of Liz's perspiration.

Max and Liz were moving as one. He could feel himself starting to reach his climax and he began pumping harder. Liz raised her hips and rocked in tandem to Max. She felt her own pressure building and unconsciously tightened her muscles. Max groaned out loud at this new feeling, and Liz, gaining a sense of power, clenched again. Max cried out and Liz continued to pleasure him with this newfound artistry.

With their passion continuing to escalate, Max could feel is control waning. "Liz, Liz," he repeated like a mantra. With one final drive, he cried out her name and then his desire exploded within her. Liz cried out herself as her own orgasm reached its peak. She dug her nails into Max's back until his rhythmic motion had subsided. Max collapsed onto Liz and gently began kissing her.

"I love you, Liz Parker," he said solemnly.