“Kyle,” Joey whispered. “Are you gloating? I’m going to kill you if you’re gloating.”

Who me? Kyle adopted an innocent look quickly, in case she looked at him. “No, I’m just worried about you.”

Joey lifted her head and speared him with her eyes. “You think I don’t know you. But you’re wrong.” She pulled away from him and walked over to the side pews.

Kyle frowned, trying to figure out what in the hell he had just done wrong. Finally, he gave up and followed her.

She sat down in one of the pews and leaned over, resting her elbows on her knees. The small bunch of flowers in her hand drifted lower and lower, and finally fell to the ground.

Whoa. He wasn’t sure what that meant in chick sign language, but he was pretty sure that wasn’t good. He took a deep breath and sat down beside her. He rested a hand behind her and clumsily stroked her back, as he had often seen Max do to Liz.

Kyle rolled his eyes. Yeah, yeah, so he was copying Max, the guy who’d one-upped him for as long as he could remember. Well, he refused to feel bad about it. The Romeo of Roswell was married to Liz Parker and was now well on his way to one-upping the entire population of two planets. He’d let them worry about Max Evans for a while.

After a minute, Joey leaned over and rested her head in Kyle’s lap. The long length of her body curled up on the pew next to him and his hand drifted over to the smooth curve of her hip. Kyle felt dizzy from the feel of it. If only she weren’t crying...

Wait- she’s crying? Kyle cursed himself inwardly. Here he was pitchin’ a tent in Lustland while she was in the port-o-let of Lonelytown.

“Everyone?” Kyle’s head snapped up at Max’s voice. “We’ll be back before midnight, but we’d like to spend the next few hours... uh, alone. Nathan? Can you be take over while I’m gone?”

“Sure thing, gov.” Kyle rolled his eyes as Nathan bowed shortly. Then the Evans stepped back and Mr. Parker gave Liz one last peck on the cheek. Liz moved over beside Max and they turned to smile at each other. They seemed to forget about everyone as they leaned in slowly, slowly until their lips met. An instant later, a fiery shimmer enveloped them and they were... gone.

Kyle’s jaw dropped. Was that going to happen every time they kissed now? Damn. Sign me up.

******

It was dark and quiet after the glow left. Liz felt Max shift his arms around her and then she was lifted up, against the warmth of his skin through the leather. His heart was beating so hard, and his desire was overwhelming her.

It was overwhelming him. She could feel him fighting it, trying not to scare her. “It’s okay,” she whispered. She moved one of her hands to slide it over his cheek. His jaw was tense. She shifted closer to lean in and kiss it, hoping to make him relax. She breathed in the musky, warm scent of his neck and nuzzled him softly.

“Liz...” The name was whispered like a prayer. He swallowed hard and shifted her. She felt him open a door in front of them and she realized for the first time that they were exactly where she had wanted to be. Max walked forward, set her down and snapped his fingers.

Instantly, candlelight sparked and glowed all around them. Liz gasped. It was her bedroom, but it had been transformed. A huge wrought iron bed stood in the place of her old one, draped in a gauzy canopy that was littered with rose petals. Candles stood in bunches around the room, highlighting a table over-flowing with food and desserts. Liz flushed when she saw several boxes of chocolates. The whole room was so beautiful. When had he done this? Liz looked up at Max in amazement.

He was smiling happily, then his grin turned sheepish. “I tried to figure out how to get a hot tub in here, but it just didn’t work out. And don‘t worry about anyone bothering us. Hansen and a few deputies are guarding the entrances to the Crashdown.”

Liz flushed again and looked away at his inference that in a few minutes, there might be something they didn’t want to be interrupted...

She walked over to the bed to hide her embarrassment.

Max stayed where he was. She felt the absence of his warmth keenly, but his desire never faltered. She reached out to move the gauzy curtain away. Inside, the bed was turned down and the ivory satin sheets looked so inviting. It suddenly hit her how appropriate it was that Max had gotten a new bed for them to share. She smiled over at him. He looked so stiff, as though he were holding himself in check. Her thoughts had been affecting him, she could see. “How did you know I wanted to come here?”

Max smiled and took a step closer. “Because I know you.”

Tears filled Liz’s eyes and she tilted her head in acknowledgement of the truth of that. Max was in front of her quickly, putting his hands on either side of her face, gently stroking her skin. His eyes were dark, but the candlelight danced across them in amber highlights. “We don’t have to do anything, Liz. You can take your time, say goodbye however you need to. Or we can just talk, as long as you want. We have a lifetime ahead of us and we don’t need to rush anything.”

Liz felt her stomach contract in silent laughter.

Rush? Since when have we ever rushed anything?

Max’s eyes crinkled in a smile. “Okay, okay. But I just want you to know-”

Liz shook her head and placed a finger over his lips. “I know.” Her gaze slid down to take in his strong shoulders and arms, the dark skin that teased from under his vest. She looked up at him from under lowered lids, silently asking permission. Max swallowed hard and nodded. Liz gently placed her hands on his warm skin and immediately saw goosebumps radiate over his chest.

Desire flooded her with warmth until she could hardly breathe. Was it hers or his? She took a deep breath and slid her palms up his chest, feeling the smooth rising and falling of his perfect muscles. Max groaned quietly and she looked up to see that he had closed his eyes in pleasure. Liz was amazed. She slowly slid the vest back over his shoulders and moved closer to his chest as he helped her remove it. The candlelight danced on his chest, reminding her of that time at Michael’s house when the only thing that had kept them from-

*Oh, god-*

Again, the rush of desire from Max was overwhelming and Liz felt faint from it as she leaned forward and kissed his chest softly. Her hands smoothed over his muscles again and the wetness from a small lap of her tongue shone in the dim light. She suddenly realized that Max wasn’t touching her back at all. She looked up to find him gazing down at her with fiery hunger in his eyes. Her breath caught in her throat.

“I’m sorry, Liz. I don’t want to- Oh god-“ His hands found her neck and he finished his sentence in a husky whisper. “I can’t- not- touch you anymore.”

Liz smiled softly up at him. Kiss me, Max. His lips found hers and she was melting on the inside. She burned as his hands rounded her shoulders, then slid down to caress the exposed cleavage of her breasts. Liz gasped and his hands jerked away. “What is it, Max?”

He licked his lips nervously. “Old habits, I guess.” He was breathing hard. “I guess I just need...” He swallowed.

Liz almost laughed to see him so disheveled and desperate, but she was beginning to get frustrated.

“Need what? Need me? I’m right here, Max. I’m yours.”

A slow smile came over his face. “You’re mine?”

“Yes.”

He looked down and then back up at her face, his eyes still questioning. “I’m kinda’... new at all of this.”

Liz shook her head. “So am I. I waited for you, remember?”

Max blushed and nodded. Then he took a deep breath and looked her in the eyes. Both of his hands captured her face and she felt a new calmness overtake him. “I just need you to tell me if what I’m doing is good, and if you... like it, okay?”

Liz smiled. “Okay. I promise.”

Silence fell over them slowly as she gazed into his eyes. He was waiting on her, always the gentleman. A film of tears covered her eyes. “Max, I wanted you to take my wedding dress off.” She saw the flash of remembrance cross his eyes, of another wedding, of a dress splashed in blood and a dream that went unfulfilled.

He looked down briefly and then smiled. “Turn around.”

Liz turned and felt his strong hands smooth the fabric of her dress before coming to rest on her waist. “You look so beautiful tonight. You take my breath away.”

The heat of his words on her shoulder made her shiver. Then his hands moved slowly down her back and her dress began to fall away. She heard his intake of breath and quickly moved to step out of the dress.

Then she turned to face him, feeling exposed in her lacey panties and bra. But as his eyes roamed over her body, she found that she had never felt anything so erotic in her life. A hot flush crept up her chest and burned her cheeks.

*God, you’re perfect.*

She felt her embarrassment give way to light frustration. He was standing there like this was a spectator sport or something!

*Oh, sorry.* He walked slowly toward her and her eyes were drawn from his hungry gaze to the expanse of his chest again. Speaking of perfect...

Then he was standing in front of her, tentatively reaching out. As his hands slid across her bare skin, she shivered. *Is that okay?*

“That’s a good shiver, Max,” she whispered. His hands were caressing the bare skin on her back. She wanted his hands everywhere; she wanted him everywhere. “Max, please...”

Their connection must have told him what she couldn’t because he finally gave in. He swept her off her feet and carried her to the bed, his lips hungrily devouring the skin on her neck and her chest. As they laid down, Liz forced her mind to remember what he had said before. What had he wanted her to do?

He was making it so difficult to think... Oh. yeah.

“Max,” she whispered. “What you’re doing?” She moaned lightly before continuing. “It’s good. It’s very good. And I- I- like it.”