Chapter 13

Michael sighed before leveling a sarcastic jab. "And it's at this part in the conversation that I realize I should have started by saying 'don't over-react'."

"Michael. This isn't a joke." Isabel's fear was palpable even from hundreds of miles away. She tried to take a calming breath and succeeded instead on causing her voice to shake with fear. "Max is in danger. And so is Alex."

"Now, Isabel…"

Not in the mood to be 'Isabel'ed by anyone, including Michael, Isabel interrupted hotly. "I mean it, Michael! Liz thinks Alex is dead. Max knows he isn't…or…at least he…he'll figure out that he isn't. My brother isn't stupid…"

"I'm sure he isn't, Iz." Michael appealed to Maria with his eyes letting her know that Isabel was not taking the new all that well. Maria reached over and covered his hand with her giving it a slight squeeze of reassurance.

"Right. And when he figures it out…"

"We'll stop him. We'll stop Max from telling Liz."

Isbel's sudden laugh was strangled and distant. "You obviously have no idea how my brother feels about Liz Parker."

Michael swallowed involuntarily at Isabel's statement feeling an underlying rush of apprehension. "What do you mean?"

"I mean…" Isabel let out a defeated sigh. "…if given the choice between what he wants and what is right, Max will always choose what is right."

"So, what's the…"

"The only person that could ever make Max choose what he wants instead…" Isabel continued her point, ignoring Michael. "…is Liz Parker. Because Liz Parker *is* what he wants. What he's *always* wanted. In a way he's never wanted anything else before. I swear, Michael…" She let out a loud sigh and Michael could picture her running her hands through her long silky hair. "…if they get on this subject, one look in her tear-filled eyes and he'll spill the beans about everything. About us, Alex…everything. I mean it. You have to get him away from her because I really think Liz Parker is the one person in this world that can make my brother lose all control. And when he does...God help us all..."

~~~~~~~~

A billow of oppressive steam surrounded Max as he slipped into the bathroom and stepped into the midst of battle. Battle for control. Attacked by an overwhelming scent, Max stopped short when his knees took an immediate blow to their strength as they wobbled under him unsteadily. Vanilla and spice. The scent of Liz. His eyes drifted shut dropping a dreamy smile over his lips. If they could just bottle her scent and sell it…he'd buy a lifetime supply…

Swirling in the air around him, it was soothing and unsettling all at the same time. The calming vanilla scent filled his nostrils followed closely by the tangy spice that sent a tingle throughout his body, calling senses he didn’t even know he had to wake up and take notice. And take notice they did. Images of Liz flashed through his mind in rapid succession. Her smile. Her eyes. That laugh. Those lips. Those…luscious, sweet lips he could just lose himself in…

As he became aware of his body's reactions, Max was momentarily stunned with the ripple of desire he felt deep inside. Way down in the pit of his stomach. A ripple that spread throughout his extremities causing his fingers to ache and one particular member to twitch unexpectedly. He couldn’t remember the last time his heart had raced this fast and he didn’t realize how tense he was until he felt the muscles in his forearms ache from the pressure of his tightly closed fists.

Max was so intent on the thought of pulling air in through his lungs and pushing it back out again that he didn't hear the water shut off or see a hand sneak out to grab a nearby towel from the hook on the wall. And the rustle of the shower curtain as Liz flung it open was completely lost on him until her heard her sweet voice raised in surprise.

A loud gasp echoed through the room. "Oh, my God! Max! What the hell are you…" Max's eyes popped open before he rushed up to her and clamped one hand over Liz's mouth placing a finger to his lips in a silencing motion. Liz nodded slowly signaling to Max that she understood his visual request before he closed his eyes and concentrated his powers on the air around him. It was clear. There were no bugs…no cameras.

Liz's eyes grew wide with astonishment and confusion as she watched Max close his eyes in silent focus. The little crease between his eyes that she noticed he got when he was concentrating appeared in full force and Liz couldn't help but smile under the weight of his hand as she took in the length of his thick, dark lashes as they gently rested against his bronzed skin.

That involuntary gesture against his hand broke Max's focus and his eyes slowly opened to meet her curious, amused gaze. Max swallowed hard as he felt rather than saw their positions. They were standing mere inches from each other, eye to eye due to the fact Liz was still rooted to the tub, both hands clasping a thin towel around her petite body. Max abruptly removed his hand from over her mouth like he’d just been burned by the brilliance of her hidden smile. As if touching her would send him directions he shouldn't go just yet. He took a step back bumping against the sink counter and tore his gaze away from her uncomfortably.

Liz swallowed hard and bit her lip, fighting the grin that threatened to break loose on her lips at his nervous reaction to their closeness. She tightened her grip on the towel that was hanging loosely around her body as her eyes began searching his face for signs of why he was standing there in the middle of her bathroom trying his best not to look at her.

Although she could sense the desire coming off of him in waves, Liz knew something more was going on than just Max trying to sneak a peek while she was showering. Stepping out of the tub, Liz stood in front of Max once more before she leaned forward, prompting him to speech with her heated whisper. "Max? What is it?"

Max barely registered her question as his eyes slowly drifted from the floor upward taking in the exquisite beauty before him. From the pink polish on her cute little toes up her slim ankles to her toned legs, Max took in every detail. Her silky, bronzed thighs peeked out at him from under her slightly opened towel and Max felt his groin tighten when his gaze curved around the soft hills of her hips up to the rounded mounds of flesh that rose and fell with each breath she took.

There, his gaze burned bright. In her effort to remain quiet, Liz unknowingly leaned forward so far that Max could see the delicious valley separating the two halves of paradise. Liz took a breath and that motion caused droplets of water that had beaded across her skin to lose their battle with gravity and stagger like a mountain stream down into the half-exposed crevice.

Max's mouth went dry and his heart stopped. He instinctively knew the only quench for his insatiable thirst was the thin veil of moisture misting the smooth, creamy coat that encased the soul and heart of the most beautiful creature he'd ever known. Just to taste her skin would be pure heaven.

Liz felt like she'd just been scorched. The hunger in Max's eyes was undeniable and Liz felt a secret thrill run through her at the sight. She'd watched his eyes darken fathom by endless fathom as they slowly traveled the length of her and felt an indescribable heat radiating from Max. The temperature in the tiny room had to have risen at least twenty degrees in the past ten seconds alone and when his gaze stilled, Liz felt the temperature spike another fifty. A flash of white-hot fire shot through Max's velvety eyes like a star falling in the midnight sky.

And for the second time tonight, Max Evans made Liz shiver.

At the heated chill that ran through her, Liz instinctively pulled her towel more tightly around her and ran a nervous hand through her hair causing more water to glisten over her shoulders as the excess liquid dripped from her dark tresses. The towel slipped upward blocking Max's view of the soft curves of her flesh and his eyes instinctively flicked to hers. An erotically charged look of desire sparked between them filling the room with an intense current of electricity.

The world suddenly came to a screeching halt. Neither breathed for a moment. Neither blinked. Neither wanted to do anything but stay wrapped in this feeling where no walls existed and they both knew exactly what the other was thinking…and wanting. Duty didn't live in this moment. Only desire and dreams.

Only the fingers wrapped tightly around the sink's counter top behind him for support kept Max from descending on her like a storm. The seconds ticked away while Max tried to in vain to remember what it was, besides the astonishingly gorgeous woman standing before him, that brought him into this room. She was luminous enough to be a movie star. Movie star. Film. Camera. Video.

Memory slowly seeped back into his brain and Max was the first to blink, breaking the silent spell that held them in its hypnotic trance. When he finally spoke his voice was soft and strained as he attempted to apologize for his intrusion. An apology made weak by the insincerity of it. "Liz…I'm…so sorry about this…"

Liz blinked slowly as a small smile turned the corners of her lips upward when the emotions shining in Max's eyes contradicted the words from his mouth. "It's ok, Max. What's going on?" She was trying to sound cool, but her insides were literally quaking with anticipation. She couldn't wait to feel Max's hands on her body and everything in his expression told her it was going to be tonight.

"I…found a video camera set up in your room." Max breathed the statement in a whisper as his eyes roamed her face waiting to read her reaction to the news.

"What?" Liz's eyes widened in surprise. Not what she'd expected, but it was definitely workable for her plan. Switching gears from personal matchmaker to agent, Liz's brow furrowed. "Who would…"

"I don't know." He lied. Now was not the time to be focusing on Kyle Valenti or the feelings of jealousy just the name alone aroused in Max as he dropped his second bomb which suddenly felt more like a god-send. "Liz, I'm sorry but we're going to have to play the part behind closed doors too. At least for tonight."

A finger tapped lightly against Liz's chin as Liz attempted to remain calm and appeared to be thinking through their possibilities. Part of her 'winning Max's heart' plan included getting Max to admit what he wanted with her. Once spoken, his feelings wouldn't be so easy to dismiss. So far, they were headed down the right track. Now, if she could just start the engine… "Alright. So what do you suggest?"

"Well…um…" Max swallowed hard and blinked. What did he suggest? He hadn't really planned the actual 'acting out' part when he'd walked in here. How far to go. What would be acceptable. What wouldn't. What if Liz didn't want to go as far along in this plan as he was willing to? And just why the hell was he having such a hard time talking? Breathing? Swallowing?

Max's gaze faltered and once more, his caution and fear won out. "Well, why don't we…uh…well, we can just go out there and…and…um…get in bed…and you know…go to sleep…"

Liz's heart sank. Jumping in bed and falling asleep with Max had not been among one of her favorite fantasies. The way his eyes flickered with desire, she knew it wasn't his fantasy either. He was just too afraid to tell her what he wanted. Afraid of the rejection if she said 'no'. So…

"Do you really want to do that?" The question sounded innocent, but the suggestively charged look in her eyes shot straight through Max's body and he bit his lower lip to keep back a groan as his eyes drifted once more to the top of Liz's towel.

Hell, no! That wasn't what he wanted. What he really wanted was to rip that towel away from her, take her in his arms right here and right now and ravage her in a way she'd never been possessed before. But he couldn't very well tell her that. No, he needed to be cool about this. Or at least as cool as the fire running through his body would allow him to be. Max licked his lips and swallowed again in an effort to find his voice. "M-maybe…not. Maybe we should…"

"Put on a show." Liz finished for him before he had a chance to back out of his first real step toward intimacy with her. "Why else would someone put a camera in our room but to find out if we're really who we say? To see if we're really together. As in a couple…"

"Right." Max chest heaved as he pushed the word out, his eyes beginning an intense journey of Liz's features. Could this really happen? Was it really possible he was going to hold Liz Parker all through the night? Touch her. Kiss her. Feel her body pressed against his in the most intimate of ways…

Starting his inspection with her incredible eyes, over her smooth cheekbones and landing with a soft thud on her full lips, Max's chest rose and fell again as breathing became a harder task for him to accomplish. "So…maybe we should…uh…" He swallowed hard. "…practice."

"Practice?" Liz's nose scrunched up at Max's stuttered suggestion. He couldn't be any more adorable than he was at this moment if he tried. She couldn't get over how perfect he was. Her fingers ached to brush away the wisps of hair that hung loosely over his forehead before raking through the rest of his hair and running over every inch of his face. And her hands twitched with anticipation as her mind made a gentle caress over the currently hidden, hard-toned muscles of his chest and arms, over his broad shoulders and down his defined back. Trembling with impatience to wrap around his narrow waist, Liz arms crossed in front of her to keep from reaching out and pulling him into her tight embrace.

With all the assets of a well-developed man, there was still a lost little boy quality that completely endeared him to her. The biting of his lower lip as he nervously suggested their next course of action nearly did her in and Liz felt her breath still abruptly when his vulnerable eyes sought hers for approval.

"Uh, yeah. You know…like kiss or…or…" Max's focus was once more glued to Liz's lips and his chest began to burn as the air in his lungs turned to steam from the fiery inspection Liz was making of his body.

A slender eyebrow raised as Liz quickly interrupted to give him the permission he was searching for. "Ok."

Max gulped. "Ok?"

Uh-oh. Fear just ripped through Max's expression and Liz instantly knew she'd agreed a little too enthusiastically. Although they'd already kissed, this was a different situation entirely. This…had the potential for getting out of control. Really fast. And that terrified him. Mr.-Control-Freak. Unless, she showed Max how ok she was with this arrangement…real or not. Unless she gave him a way out…he may never take a step forward into the world where only the two of them existed.

So, Liz did it for him. She cleared her throat and took a step forward placing herself right in Max's path so he couldn't escape if he tried. A secret smile hit her lips as her eyes turned upward to look into his handsome face when she repeated his earlier statement with a slight variation on its meaning. "Yeah. I mean…it is all in the line of duty, right?"

Amusement danced in her eyes when Max's expression registered shock then softened instantly as he grasped her hidden meaning. "I'm willing to sacrifice. You know…for the good of the country and all…"

A smile began to skip across Max's lips and his eyes flickered with admiration as he quickly caught onto the game she was playing. The line he now knew she'd been able to see right through echoed in his mind. In the line of duty. Giving them license to act out dreams without worrying about reality, it suddenly had a very pleasant ring to it. "Yeah. Yeah. Me too."

"So…" Liz's gaze dropped to Max's lips.

"So…" Max's gaze dropped to hers.

Neither moved as the air around them became stifling hot. As the vanilla-spice scent filled Max's senses, he could feel her hot, sweet breath against his neck and his eyes involuntarily drifted closed as it seared his skin sending recently discovered sensations surging throughout his body. Liz caught his reaction in his slightly parted lips and tightly closed eyes. And the way his breathing was erratic and short, Liz instinctively knew they'd never make it out of the bathroom if they started anything now.

Max was struggling for control as it was and they hadn't even touched yet. Liz smiled to herself as a wicked sense of satisfaction rushed through her at the knowledge that she, Liz Parker, was the cause of such a struggle in Max Evans.

Although, truth be known, she had a very strong feeling her time to struggle for control was coming. By the heated passion flickering through Max Evans' eyes as he gazed down at her, Liz Parker wasn't only sure of it…she'd stake her life on it...