~ chapter 15 ~

Steam rose around them like a heavy mist. Individual streams of water fell steadily from the showerhead helplessly splattering droplets into the air when making contact with creamy skin and hard toned muscles as they moved in rhythm to the call of desire. Curving like rivulets around the hills and valleys of two bodies entwined in a passionate embrace. The heat of desire mixed with the heavy scent of soap and shampoo filled the air with an intoxicating fragrance.

Max was drunk. Drunk on the scent floating around him. Drunk on the taste of Liz. Her freshly soaped skin. Her berry lips. The feel of her fingers running through his hair, scraping down his back, over his shoulders back to cup his face in urgency. Her tongue plunging feverishly into his mouth as her soft, hot body plastered against his with wild abandon. He staggered back against the shower wall for much-needed support as Liz's legs locked around his waist putting her full weight against him.

Ragged breathing combined with soft moans to echo off the tiles in the small space as hands roamed recklessly across smooth, wet skin, curving around treasures previously hidden. Muffled sounds of overwhelming passion came roaring back to Max's ears as Liz tilted her head back and cried out his name in ecstasy when his hand slipped between them to find the center of her heat.

He couldn't breathe. He wouldn't. Not until he'd finally possessed Liz the way he'd always wanted. The way he'd always dreamed. Completely. Fully. To be deep inside her…

"So…" Liz watched with gratified interest as Max's eyes darkened with intensity when she slowly, purposefully ran her fingernails back and forth across the exposed skin right above his jeans. "…I was asking a question…"

Like a private movie playing in his mind, at the sound of Liz's seductive voice, the image of Liz and Max making love in the shower froze in time. The blinding lights were flipped on causing him to blink. And the film projector was generating that awful 'clicking' sound that promised to be the end of the fantasy as the film swung helplessly around the reel. Max shook his head slightly and blinked his eyes as the now familiar daydream came to a screeching halt.

The immediate disappointment of waking from the hot and steamy dream vanished when he looked down at the exquisite beauty standing in front of him wrapped lightly in a towel, damp hair falling down around her creamy shoulders and unveiled adoration dancing in her velvet eyes.

With a mixture of surprise and contentment, Max suddenly realized he didn't mind letting go of the fantasy all that much. Although fantasy could be a very good thing--and that particular one happened to be one of his best, reality at this moment was looking even better. He and Liz were, after all, in the setting of his mini-movie only a few feet away from the exact shower he'd been dreaming of…

Max swallowed the urge to sweep Liz up in his arms and have his way with her. Right here. Right now. "W-what did you say?"

Having seen primal urges flicker savagely through the fathomless depths of Max's eyes as a faraway look claimed him only moments before when she'd asked him to 'pick a fantasy--any fantasy', Liz suppressed the urge to attack him with every ounce of desire coursing through her. Whatever scene had been playing out in his mind, just the effects of it ravaging his expression caused Liz's body to begin humming with life and an insatiable hunger. A hunger she instinctively knew could only be satisfied by one person…Max Evans.

And oh, how she wanted to be satisfied. A secret smile danced on her lips. All in good time. Fighting the urge to fling herself in Max's strong arms, she smiled up at him indulgently understanding his need to be brought back up to speed. She'd had to battle her own overwhelming images when the word 'fantasy' slipped out of her mouth and had she given in she would have certainly lost track of time as well. "I said…we were going to play a game…"

Max closed his eyes and took a deep breath as his mind skipped over her words to suddenly register the sensations her nails raking across his skin were causing. It was like tiny prickles of pleasure were tap-dancing across the nerve endings around his stomach. In turn, those nerve endings were sending frantic messages of patience to the other areas of Max's body warning them to hold on…pleasurable torture was on its way. "Uh-huh."

His soft, absent-minded grunt of pleasure brightened Liz's eyes with satisfaction. "Did you…" Liz stopped her movements and waited till Max's dazed eyes opened to look deeply into hers. "…have any suggestions?"

Seeing the teasing glint dancing in her eyes, Max realized she'd already been having too much affect on him so early in this game they had started. And she knew it. Damn her for being able to read him so easily. Or should he damn himself for being so open and vulnerable to her ministrations? Either way, it was time to send her a silent message of warning: Liz Parker had better be ready to take what she dished out. Her time was definitely coming, and Max Evans was going to make the most of it…

"Well, I uh…" His eyes sparked with desire as he leaned forward brushing his lips lightly over the sensitive skin near Liz's right ear never making full contact. "…thought I'd…" He backed away teasingly, his face never more then a whisper away from hers and repeated the process to her left ear, his warm breathe tickling the hair around her temple. "…let you choose."

Liz swallowed hard and leaned into him slightly as her eyes drifted closed and her nose brushed lightly against his chin. The prickle of his five o' clock shadow tickled and aroused her all at the same time. Her grip on his jeans tightened unconsciously as his hot breath on her skin sent shivers down her spine and made her temperature spike dangerously. Though her words indicated she was ready to control, her voice held anything but that. "So…you're offering me…complete control, huh?"

Max's forehead found hers and connected gently as his eyes caressed the dark depths that were now staring up at him. Twinkling at him. Staring at him with dazed longing. Pulling him into a world he so desperately wanted to go. Would go…eventually. But not yet. A smile brushed his lips. "For now."

She smiled as an eyebrow raised when she recognized the challenge in his eyes. "Any rules in this game of ours?"

A slight shake of his head caused the damp hair that was beginning to cling to his forehead to brush against hers, sending unexpected sensations rushing through her. She could feel the height of Max's temperature as a few tiny beads of perspiration mixed with hers to slide down her temple to her cheek and plopped onto her rapidly rising and falling chest.

Max reached up and pushed her hair behind her ear then let his fingers slip downward through the chocolate curtain to lazily skim over her shoulder and down her arm. Liz had to force herself to concentrate on his words when his hand lightly brushed against her skin as a tingle of electricity skipped from nerve to tingling nerve increasing the ache to feel his hands on her body. Anywhere. Everywhere. All over her skin. "We make them as we go."

"Any boundaries?" Her voice lowered to a whisper as her eyes dropped to focus on his lips while they formed each word, praying those words would include one very loud 'no'.

"Sky's the limit." His lips hovered dangerously close and she unconsciously leaned in to claim the moist flesh, catching instead his whispered words of promise when he pulled back deliberately.

Liz held back a mixed sigh of relief at his words and disappointment at his actions. Glancing up quickly she caught the twinkle in his eyes and knew he'd done that on purpose. Oh, he was going to pay for that one. "Ok. One more question…that you still haven't answered." Liz disconnected her forehead from his as her hands slowly slid up his chest to wrap around his neck. The dark pools of her eyes became like midnight and her tone lowered with seductive seriousness. The request was loaded and full of promise. "Tell me what you dream about, Max…"

Max gulped. Did she really want to know? Could he really tell her that all he'd ever dreamed about…was her? Holding her. Kissing her. Making love to her. Creating a life with her…normal and mundane to the outside world, but perfect and full of magic and a love so deep and strong nothing would ever take it away? Could he tell her he'd dreamed of their children? How their little girl would be the miniature of her mother? How their son would always hold a vision of her smile with his lips?

Or was she trying to find his weakness? Trying to win this game. Getting him to admit what she already knew deep down inside. He wanted her. Like he had never wanted anything in his life. Instinctively. Possessively. He wanted her…forever. Reflexive defenses sprang up around Max's heart at the thought. No, he couldn't trust himself to start believing. Not this soon. Not that completely. Still, it didn't mean he couldn't play along and indulge in the guilty pleasure of the dream. Besides, he was more than a little curious to see the fantasies rolling around in her beautiful head…

Max shook his head at Liz with a light chuckle. "Oh, no. Uh-huh. I'm not giving you any ideas. If you want to play 'Choose Your Fantasy', you're on your own for details." He wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her body flush against him. As Liz's warmth surrounded him, Max was grateful they were separated by a few layers of material. One less item of clothing and he may not be able to control his sudden urges. Keeping his voice as level as he could with all of the sensations racing through his body, Max raised an eyebrow in warning. "Just remember, when you're done…I get equal time."

A finger snaked up his neck to play with the hair curving lightly around his left ear. "Equal time, huh?" Coquettish eyes turned upward when Liz felt a shiver run the length of Max's body and into hers. "Sounds…interesting…"

Max's hands pressed into the small of Liz's back making her contact with his hardness more pronounced as his eyes locked with hers in an intimate caress of promise. "Oh, it will be."

Feeling the fire coming off of him as if it were her own, a helpless noise escaped the back of her throat as Liz closed her eyes, a dreamy smile drifting to her lips. She looked so entranced, so caught up in her own world, Max couldn't help but nudge her eyes open with a nose to nose nuzzle as he whispered, "What's going on in that head of yours?"

"I'm…choosing my fantasy." Liz's smile widened and her eyes opened to stare into his. A hand drifted to the side of bronzed skin as her gaze increased in intensity. "The thing is…none of my fantasies compare to the reality staring me in the face."

Max's eyes faltered shyly, understandingly and the addition of a light blush endeared him to her even more. "Well, then." His eyes flicked back to connect with hers once again. "Maybe you should choose reality instead."

The coy smile returned with a vengeance at his answer and Max thanked his lucky stars that the majority of his weight was against the counter because the second that smile appeared, his knees went instantly weak. A plot began to thicken the daze in her eyes and Max couldn't stop a smile of anticipation from lighting on his lips. "So, what's the plan here, Agent?" Max's breath was warm against Liz's cheek as his eyes focused on his hand reaching up to tenderly push another strand of hair back behind her ear.

"Well…you did say I could inspect you. So…" Liz's eyes raked over Max's body before raising to meet his shyly as she let the thought dangle while she held her breath uncertainly waiting for his permission to proceed.

"Right." Max's eyes snapped back to her face then flickered with amused wonder when he saw the questioning hesitation in her eyes. As if there was any doubt he wanted Liz Parker to touch him. To caress him with her eyes. Make him burn with her heated gaze. Love him with her body, heart and soul. Staring up at him she looked uncertain and…vulnerable.

Understanding that feeling all too well, Max slowly released her from his embrace by running his hands along her waist and resting them a moment on her hips before gently pushing her back a step. Reaching up to pull her arms from around his neck, Max took Liz's hands in his before placing a chaste kiss on the back of each. Eyes locked with hers, Max opened each hand with deliberate slowness then placed each one inside his shirt on his chest before dropping his arms to his side signaling his complete surrender to her. Tenderness softened his voice as emotions flitted through his amber eyes.

"So…inspect."

The gesture touched Liz in ways she'd never imagined. It shot straight through her heart and connected to her soul adding a layer of intimacy that a mere sexual game could never manufacture. His eyes spoke the words his lips couldn't form. The desires he wasn't even ready to make known. But they were waiting for her…all in the soulful depths of his amazing eyes. Max wasn't just offering his body. He was offering…himself. As much as she wanted of him. And one thing Liz knew…she wanted it all.

Max watched Liz intently as her gaze dropped from his to the half-concealed brawn of his chest. Her almond shaped eyes were bright with wonder, dark with desire and full of an inquisitive hunger that Max understood all too well. She nervously bit her lower lip and he could feel her hands shaking lightly over his skin.

Her eyes flicked back up to meet his steady, encouraging gaze once more before her hands began to move slowly over his skin. Max closed his eyes, giving himself up to the fevered sensations raging through him. It was like Liz's fingers were matches and his skin was the fuel. The thin wisp of air between the two was pure friction setting off a blazing inferno of sensual currents that swirled around them creating a vortex of uncontrollable passion.

Max was so intent on feeling everything and at the same time maintaining control that he couldn't trace the patterns of her movements. They were either too slow at times and in those moments he was holding back a groan of impatience as other parts of his body demanded her touch or they flew too quickly leaving a taste of the fire he wanted so much to be engulfed in. It was torture. All of it. And he loved every single second.

As Liz managed to peel his shirt over his broad shoulders and away from his back, the cool air ripped across his skin and Max shuddered in spite of himself. Liz's hands stopped abruptly after dropping his shirt to the floor and her long, heated gaze rested for the first time on the half-unclothed form of her lifelong fantasy.

She swallowed and the breath left her body. Dear God. He was…beautiful. Perfect in every way. Bronzed. Lean yet built. His toned muscles rippled without effort. His erratic breathing emphasized the broad curves of his chest while the taut muscles of his stomach narrowed his waist in perfection. His arms. Sweet heaven above. Where did he get those arms? The tightened cords of his smooth neck brought Liz's eyes to focus on his solid shoulders now glistening with perspiration.

As if aching to perform, a bead of sweat on Max's collar bone bubbled under Liz's fiery stare then slid down Max's bowed pec to stop abruptly and hang precariously on his chestnut colored nipple. Liz absently licked her lips then swallowed past the sudden dryness in her throat as she watched the droplet lose its battle with gravity and fall to the floor.

She tried to suck in air. This was it. This was how she was going to die. From hyperventilation or lack of air…or both. Or maybe it would be from the explosion that just erupted in the pit of her stomach. The ripping of her heart as it thundered uncontrollably in her chest, perhaps?

Whichever bodily function ceased to operate properly bringing about her early death, she was determined to make sure it would be for more than just staring. It was time to make a favorite fantasy of hers come true.

She took a bold step forward and ran a hand up Max's chest, leaning into him while her other arm snaked around to reach toward a rack on the wall. Max's eyes popped open when he felt the sudden attack. The abrasive material of Liz's towel grazed against his skin sending pleasurable shockwaves rushing through him, her thigh pressed against his hardness through his jeans and the soft skin of her loosely covered breasts as they rose and fell against his chest made his heart jumpstart into overdrive.

Blinking in shock when he gazed directly into her ravenous eyes while she stared up at him, Max's breath stilled. As her full, slightly parted lips hovered so close to his, his brain managed to register that all he had to do was turn his head ever so slightly to the right and they would be locked in a kiss of passion to defy all others.

So, giving up another shred of control, Max swallowed. Then he turned. Simultaneously, Liz turned her head away filling his face with a head of thick hair as a teasing smile claimed her lips. Her eyes slanted upward toward his, twinkling with delight when she saw the surprised disappointment flicker over his face. "Payback."

An acknowledging smile curved Max's lips at her whispered reminder of his earlier tease. He chuckled lightly as his hands slipped up to capture her face gently and he rubbed her nose with his as he let out a deep sigh. "Touche'." He blinked suddenly in confusion as he felt her reach for something behind him and tried to look but was stopped by a hand turning his face forward with a gentle caress. A dark eyebrow rose as eyes danced with anticipation. "What are you up to?"

Liz gave him an innocent look then brushed his cheek with a light kiss that was the proverbial feather knocking him over. He sagged further against the counter as his knees went weak once more as his chest heaved with another convulsive fit of trying to access that simple thing called air. He breathed in her scent and felt lightheaded at the effort. Boy was he in trouble if she created that reaction with nothing more than a brush of her lips. Her hot breath drifted over his features again as she tilted her head to the side. "Um, Max?"

Max swallowed. "Yeah?"

"You look…really…hot." Liz’s eyes dropped to graze over Max’s bronze, toned chest taking in every detail as if she were committing them to memory. Feeling the weight of his smile on her face, Liz glanced back up at him in time to see his eyes twinkle with hidden laughter. She quickly amended her statement. "I…I mean…you're looking a little flushed…you know…like you're running a temperature or something…"

A teasing eyebrow raised. "Is that so?"

"Uh-huh." Liz grinned as she wrapped both of her arms around Max's waist and leaned into him fully. He was too caught up in the feel of her breasts against him to notice one of her hands still never made contact with his skin. "In fact, I think you need to cool down…"

"You do, huh?" She nodded again, schemes dancing in her eyes. Max's mind pushed back the overwhelming urges pulsing through him and shifted into overdrive wondering where this line of conversation was leading. "So, do you have any suggestions?"

A feral grin curved her lips upward and her voice hummed with sensuality. "Oh, do I ever..." Her tongue slipped out to wet her lips as she released Max from her firm embrace and stepped back trailing her hands around his waist to find the opening of his jeans once more. Max stiffened automatically as her hands made their way into the top of his jeans. She grinned up at him devilishly and he, against his better judgement, relaxed into her care.

Liz's hands, plastered between Max's stiff jeans and the pliable softness of his boxers, began to slowly inch their way from just under his navel in opposite directions around his waist. Her thumbs lazily trailed behind leaving lines of fire across Max's bronzed skin in their wake. Slowly rounding his hips, fiery fingers turned downward as they continued to slide along till they met near the small of Max's back. Her hands lowered pulling Max from the safety of the counter as her large eyes full of desire raised to catch Max's reaction.

Max was sure her fingers had melted away every shed of material they touched. His skin was burning so hot that he immediately felt the effects appearing as tiny beads of perspiration on his forehead. When Liz's hands began their downward descent, with eyes locked intently on Liz's face, Max's head ducked, his forehead meeting hers as an indescribable ache ripped through his body to center in one focal point of hardening desire. "Liz…" His chest rose and fell in rapid succession and the pressure of his hand at the base of her neck increased with each ragged breath. "Liz…"

"Hmmm?" As her hands dipped to curve around Max's behind, her thumbs hooked over the top of his jeans peeling them away from his body.

That action combined with the innocent sound coming from her smooth, creamy throat caused Max's eyes to close tightly as he alternated between swallowing hard and attempting to gulp in air. "You do…know…please tell me…you know…how tight…my…"

Liz's mouth curled slightly as it hovered lightly over Max's lips kissing him with her gentle words of assurance. "Shhh, baby. I know. Trust me…" That being said, Liz proceeded to lower her hands even further taking Max's jeans down with her. Max instinctively held his breath as her hands deftly moved back to splay over his hips. Swiftly and carefully, Liz pushed downward, releasing Max from the stiff material. Following his jeans down to the floor, Liz quickly rid him of the burden and lightly ran her hands back up the insides of his legs as she stood back up.

Brushing one hand teasingly over her newest 'friend', Liz's eyes locked playfully with Max's as he attempted to take another deep breath. The storm raging in his midnight eyes succeeded in making Liz's dark pools turn from playful to a blaze of unrestrained fire in a heartbeat. They held each other's gaze in a highly charged contest for control. Neither wanted to give in. Neither wanted to give up. And neither wanted to destroy the fantasy.

A loud cracking explosion behind Max echoed through the room breaking their fierce battle of wills. Max and Liz both jumped at the sound and she let out a little shriek. Max's face scrunched up in confusion as he spun to look at the counter behind him. "What the…"

"I don't know." Wide eyed, Liz shook her head and reached around Max to open the medicine cabinet. "I think it came from…" Her chuckle filled the room as she saw the cause of their interruption.

"What is it?" Max's curious gaze turned to the object lying in Liz's now open hand.

"Looks like you're not the only thing that got hot…" Liz stated as she showed him the broken thermometer in her hand.

Max's chuckle joined hers as he gingerly touched the broken glass. His eyes flicked to hers and his smile faded as a wave of hunger once more gained control. His gaze darkened as his eyes openly roamed every inch of exposed skin before him. "Yeah…well. I…I can't blame it for…spontaneously exploding. I mean…it is…pretty hot in here…"

Liz blinked at the double meaning of his words and knew instantly she was in trouble. "Yeah…I'd say we've reached a level of…"

Max swallowed. "Sweltering."

Liz let out a light sigh as her eyes focused on Max's lips. "Blazing."

Max's voice lowered as he leaned forward, his lips inching closer to Liz's. "Scorching."

"Shower."

Max blinked and pulled back slightly. "What?"

Liz gulped and blinked quickly. "Shower. You…you need to…" She reached over to the counter and picked up the towel she'd retrieved from the rack earlier and shoved it into Max's chest. "…to…."

A light began to dance in Max's eyes as a sly smile touched his lips. He could practically hear his private mini-movie starting up all over again. "Cool down?"

Liz nodded emphatically. "Yeah. Yeah…that's the word…" She let out a breath. "Cool."

"Right. Cool." Max took the towel from Liz but not before allowing his hand to linger over hers. "And what are you going to be doing while I…cool down?"

"Um…well, I…" Liz silently cursed herself for suddenly being all fumble and flounder. Only moments ago she'd been ready to kick things into high gear. Now, she was unexplainably, inescapably…flustered.

"Here's an idea." Max raised her chin with his index finger till she was looking in his eyes. "Why don't you stay? Get ready for bed…in here. I mean…if we're going to make it look like we're…you know." Max's eyes took on an added twinkle. "Then we should probably…go all the way…"

Liz swallowed hard at his choice of words and silently nodded in wide-eyes amazement. Max took that as a good sign and winked at her before slowly brushing past her to head toward the shower as a plan began to form in his mind. Stopping short of the tub, Max turned back around. "Oh. Liz?"

Liz turned to him with a forced smile. "Hmmm?"

"No peeking." With a grin Max Evans stepped into the shower to begin his newest fantasy…