~ chapter 4 ~

Amazing. The way news travels. The way it whips through a small, lazy town faster then a fire consumes a forest. Especially in a small, lazy town like Roswell, NM, where nothing ever seems to change but the direction of the wind as it blows across the desert.

It's impact can be great or small. Brief or lasting. Having the lifespan of it's importance dependent upon the variables in each hearer's life, it is subjective. To some, of little importance. To others, monumental. That's the very nature of news.

For Roswell, NM, the news that Elizabeth Ann Parker was coming home would have been spectacular in and of itself. That she was bringing with her a new boyfriend...was a miracle. For one person in particular, it was earth shattering.

Especially when considering the circumstances surrounding her hasty departure from Roswell eight years prior. The pain that had spurred her to look for a place to escape the tragedies could still be felt in the air at times. The heartbreak and devastation she'd left behind was still visible.

Mainly when the residents saw the cold eyes and set jaw of their local sheriff, Kyle Valenti.

Since the day she packed her bags and left, Kyle hadn't been the same. He was withdrawn. And silent. Hard and cynical. His position as sheriff had less to do with his own personal merits and more to do with his father's reputation. Or maybe it was the sympathetic nature of the town that Kyle owed his office to.

Whatever that was the real reason or not, Kyle enjoyed real sympathy on the day the news spread. Whispered questions followed him everywhere he went and concerned gazes were his companions as he walked the sleepy streets of Roswell in the daily duties of his job.

Don't think he didn't notice. He did.

Every buzz he heard behind him was like a giant megaphone screaming out the word 'Liz'. Every pair of eyes that burned holes in him till he looked then quickly darted to another object brought back the memories of the way suspicion and pity used to follow him like a dark cloud. Reminding him of all that had gone before. All that he had lost. Actions that had been taken and the consequence of a lonely life he'd been existing in ever since.

Jaw set and eyes focused straight ahead, Kyle strode purposefully past his inferiors and into his office, placing his hat on the coat rack by the door. Stepping behind his desk he slumped down into his seat and allowed himself to feel something for the first times since hearing the news. His love was coming home.

And she wouldn't be alone.

Kyle reached down and opened a drawer at the side of his desk. Reaching way to the back he pulled out two items that were well hidden. Or at least he thought they were. In all actuality, every officer knew of their existence. The bottle of scotch and the photo frame.

Uncapping the scotch, Kyle took a swig straight from the bottle then leaned back in his chair, loosened his tie and picked up the frame. Resting the end on his chest he gazed at the photo inside. The smiling beauty that greeted him once more took his breath away and caused tears to choke his throat.

His thumb lazily traced her features as they became blurred through the mist of unshed tears. "Liz...my beautiful...beautiful Liz. After all this time of waiting, you're finally coming home to me…"

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Maria stepped into a hurricane. And as usual, the desire to run and hide from the wake of a natural disaster washed over her like a wave large enough to unseat a surfer. Maria had never been one to run from anything difficult though. So, in the middle of her bedroom she stood feet firmly planted to the floor and hands on her hips. "What the hell do you think you're doing?"

Michael stopped his mad dash between the closet and bed long enough to acknowledge her presence then turned back to the task at hand. "What's it look like? I'm packing."

She took a step forward her eyes following the trail of clothes tossed carelessly across the bed, floor and lampshade. Maria leaned over and picked up her favorite nightgown…the one that she'd folded and neatly placed in the top drawer of her bureau just this morning and turned to Michael holding it out for him to see. "You call this packing?"

"Maria, I love you to distraction, but we don’t have time for games."

"Who says I'm playing?" Maria quipped as she watched the love of her life continue to treat their room as his own personal dumping ground as he tossed unwanted items in a heap by the door. "Michael! Stop it!" Maria physically planted herself in front of him before he stilled his actions. "Just stop, okay? We are not leaving Roswell."

"The hell we aren't." The words were spoken with steady determination, but Maria saw the fear behind his eyes.

Maria's expression softened and she reached out to touch his cheek. "Come on, baby, talk to me."

Seeing that look he could never lie to, Michael dropped his head and allowed his shoulders to slump as the weight of the world began to finally set in. "I'm just…so tired. I'm tired of looking over my shoulder and waiting. Just waiting for the day they'll come. I'm tired of jumping every time I see a bright shiny badge and worrying what will happen to you. What will happen to Cole. I just want to leave. Get away from here. Go somewhere no one will ever find us." Michael looked back up into her eyes and grasped her arms gently. "Please, Maria. Please say you will come with me. Our lives will be so much better…"

Maria reached up and pulled Michael into a tight embrace before pulling back and planting a firm kiss on his lips. "Come here." Her hand slipped down his arm to capture his hand and she pulled him over to the bed tossing clothes to the side and sitting Michael down before sliding onto his lap.

After wrapping her arms around his neck, Maria turned to look in his eyes. "Let me tell you a story about someone who ran away from her problems. She got served a pretty raw deal fairly early in life and packed her bags and ran from this town as fast as her feet could carry her. She left her family. Her friends. Everything she knew. Her best friend…"

"Liz." Michael supplied quietly.

Maria paused and her gaze shifted to the world beyond their window when she nodded once. "She really was my best friend growing up. We were inseparable, you know. Shared everything with each other." A smile began to play on her lips. "From our first crushes to our lunch at school. We even had chicken pox at the same time, which became a big joke with our parents. Even told each other the details of that all important first kiss with a boy."

The smile faded and Maria's eyes grew sad. "Then this friend came to me one night and told me she was engaged. I was shocked. Not only because she'd always wanted to escape this town but because of who she was marrying." Maria's eyes shifted to Michael. "Kyle Valenti."

Michael's eyebrow shot up. "*Sheriff* Kyle Valenti?"

Maria nodded. "The very one. Granted they had dated a while, but she didn't love him. Not the way I knew she wanted to love. Or even the way she wanted to be loved in return. He was more like her settle guy. Not that she didn't care for him because I think she did, but it wasn't what she'd always dreamed of. In fact, she told me once that few girls get the guy of their dreams. Maybe she was right because…"

Michael reached up and absently brushed Maria's hair away from her eyes as she continued. "…wedding plans were made and the closer the date got, the more anxious and unhappy she became. She chalked it up to wedding stress, but I knew it was more. I knew she was having serious doubts, but wasn't able to bring herself to the point of breaking things off. Because she was scared. She was afraid to let go. Of disappointing people. I think deep down inside she believed he was the best she deserved. The best she'd ever have."

"Which always surprised me. Because she was always so much more than she ever thought. She was strong. Smart. Very pretty. Very sweet. And yet, there was this underlying feeling of not quite being enough. Of not deserving more. She was always trying to prove herself somehow. Maybe that's why this marriage became important. She wanted to prove she could do it. Make it through the fears and doubts…"

"I don't know." Maria shook her head absently and cast her eyes upward and Michael pulled her a little closer in response. She gave him a faint smile in return and continued. "Anyway, about two weeks before the wedding, she and Kyle had a fight and he hit her. I found out later it hadn't been the only time. When she showed up on my door with a black eye and a cut lip, I about freaked. I couldn't believe she'd allowed something like that to happen to her. She couldn't either. That night she decided to walk away. To break things off with Kyle and never look back."

"That's pretty much when all hell broke loose." Maria's eyes clouded with pain and Michael shifted to allow her to lay her head on his shoulder. Then he waited till she was ready to continue as all thoughts of packing and racing for the door were replaced by wanting to hold the petite woman in his arms until her sadness had been washed away.

"Alex went with Liz to talk to Kyle just in case he decided to try anything. I really can't tell you what all happened next. Everything was so muddled and half of it didn't make sense in the aftermath, but two things were very clear. Our best friend Alex was dead and Liz blamed herself. She left town after that and hasn’t been back since. She didn't even go to Alex's funeral."

Maria felt Michael's hard swallow and pulled out of his embrace. Looking up into his eyes, Maria began to quietly plead with him. "Just because Liz Parker is coming home, it does not mean we've been found out, okay? I know it's been a while and the timing is rather coincidental, but Michael…we've got to give her a chance. We've got to think this through. What would be the point of leaving home…running away…uprooting Cole…if Liz really is here to just to put things to rest. What if she really has found a way to move on and needs to do this before she can? Please understand. I want to be here for her. I need to be…"

Michael placed a finger on Maria's lips to silence her. "I understand. I do. And I love you for it."

Relief flooded Maria's eyes. "Then we can stay? We don't have to leave home?"

Michael shook his head. "No. We don't have to leave home…yet. Maria, do what you need to do to help her, but…if there are any doubts. Anything suspicious…"

"You're my first priority, Michael. You and Cole and…" Maria paused and bit her lip deciding it was best to wait to fill Michael in on her latest news. "…our future. I'll be careful. At the first sign of a set up, we're out of here. I promise."

Michael nodded then leaned in for a gentle kiss. When he pulled back, Maria's face split into a bright smile. "You know, Liz was right. Few girls do get the guy of their dreams. And I happen to be one of those few…"

A chuckle escaped Michael as he shook his head. "No, you're not. Think about it…with me you actually get…"

Maria's chuckle joined his as she finished his sentence with him. "The alien of my dreams!" Maria captured Michael's lips once more and whispered. "And I wouldn't have it any other way…"

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Liz stared at herself in the mirror and recognized a sight she'd not seen in quite a while. Her eyes were red and puffy from crying. There was fear and pain in her eyes and lines of worry creasing her forehead. She ran her fingers through her thick hair and willed her hands to stop shaking. But they had a will of their own and began to shake even more as Max's words came crashing back into her head over and over again. Your ex-fiancé', Kyle Valenti. Your ex-fiancé'... Your ex-fiancé'...

Shaking her head to rid herself of the sound, Liz let out a loud sigh and wondered what she was doing here on her way back to the past. She had known when Director Valenti called her into his office that this assignment would be difficult…even borderline impossible considering the location and her own personal history with the local sheriff…the Director's very own son...and her high school boyfriend. But this…she hadn't even landed yet and she was already cracking.

It hadn't been an easy decision. To take this assignment had actually caused her great inner turmoil. That was until she was reminded how strong she had become. How different. She wasn't the same young girl that ran eight years ago. She was more now. Capable. Strong. Confident. Skillful and well-trained. Or maybe she wasn't more. Maybe she had just knew who she was now. And maybe…just maybe it was time to put herself to the real test.

Yes, it had all the makings of a tragedy. No. More like a soap opera. One that included her former home. Her former life. Her ex-fiance'. Personal demons and a past she'd been running from for so long. And the one overwhelming reason she nodded her consent when she'd been asked if she would take the assignment…the hope of a future.

A real future. With ghosts banished to the Great Beyond. Cracks in relationships repaired. And laughter that finally rang true. Solid, peaceful nights of sleep. A past finally buried. And maybe…just maybe even a chance to find the love of a lifetime.

God knows she hadn't known it when she was on Kyle Valenti's arm. In fact, the only time she'd ever even had a hint that maybe true love existed somewhere for her was when she silently watched the boy with the most soulful eyes in the 10th grade as he quietly went through the daily routine of classes, projects and tests. It seemed to be waiting for her in those occasional moments when their eyes would meet and a smile would be shared. In the electricity that shot through them when their hands would meet. And in the simple way his eyes had followed her every move when she waited tables at the Crashdown and he just happened to drop in for an alien blast…

It hit Liz's conscious like a lightning bolt. Max Evans was the reason she was here. On a plane. On her way back home. The reason she *wanted* to face the past with its horror and see if there was a way to move beyond it. It wasn't the assignment. It wasn't career advancement. It was Max. He was the dream that had never left her heart and now he must think she was a complete basket case.

Liz groaned out loud. What was the use anyway? A man like Max Evans would never be attracted to someone like her. Someone with scars that reached beyond emotional and wounds that were more than skin deep. Especially if he ever saw…

Pushing that thought to the back of her mind, Liz shook her head. She'd become the antithesis of everything he had known her as. Outgoing. Popular. Open and trusting. All those things were gone now. Sure, the past hour flirting with and talking to Max had been fun and she'd felt a little more like her old self than she had in years, but that was a fleeting feeling.

Wasn't it? Or was there really a chance? To actually believe in dreams again? Was it possible he was the reality that could make all her dormant dreams reawaken and come true? Liz closed her eyes and pictured the way his eyes had shined with admiration earlier when they had been flirting shamelessly. A smile spread over her face and Liz opened her eyes to once more see herself the way Max must have seen her all those years ago. Smiling. Carefree. Whole.

Her smile faded. But she wasn't that girl any more. She *had* changed. Time, tragedies and tears had made her more cautious. Less willing to trust. Vulnerable in so many ways. Then how was it one look in Max's eyes made her forget all the pain? How had it been so easy for her to dismiss the emotional storm she was sailing into when Max was holding her hand?

A knock at the lavatory door pulled Liz out of her reverie. Another knock and Liz called out, "Out in a sec." She turned back toward the mirror and did a once over of her features. Squaring her shoulders, Liz took a deep breath. No time like the present to find out what you're really made of, right, Parker? She took another deep breath exhaling slowly. "Right."

Come hell or high water, disappointment or joy, Liz hoped to God she was up to the challenge that waited for her in the arms of Max Evans as they ventured back into alien territory of Roswell…

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Max had very little experience with women's tears. In his relatively young life, there had only been two women he'd had constant contact with. His mother, Diane, and his sister, Isabel. Diane Evans was friendly, content, carefree and…very June Cleaverish. She rarely cried. Except on special occasions like when the twins graduated from high school. When Max became an agent after years of hard work and study. Or when Isabel left home to move to California.

Isabel had been another story. Not that she ever cried herself into hysteria, but there was a soft side to Isabel that few people ever got to see. He was one of those people. Sharing the secret they did had bonded them in a way that was special. Max knew what she was feeling when she was feeling it. It was almost as if he could feel it himself. Her joys and pains. Her sadness and fears. They had shared it all. In silence and in words.

Having spent most of their adopted lives moving from place to place with their father's company, Max and Isabel were each other's best friend. Not to say they didn't have their normal sibling arguments, but they were few and far between. Each new school they attended, they had a tendency to stay to themselves. At least Max did. He rarely said a word as he sat back and watched the world go by. Isabel had a way of gaining entrance to the 'in crowd', being popular but never really getting close to anyone. Never trusting anyone with their secret.

If there was one other person in the world that Max thought he could trust with their secret…the one person he could connect with, it was Liz Parker. From the moment he saw her, there had been something about her. Something that drew him to her like no one else. Made him want to open up and share his deepest darkest secrets. Become vulnerable.

Maybe it was her smile. How it seemed to chase all the clouds away and make the sun shine all that more brightly. Maybe it was her laugh. The one that sent chills down his spine and made his stomach flip-flop. His heart grew lighter every time he'd heard it. Or her dark eyes that whispered to him that he had finally found home. Every time he'd looked in her eyes, a feeling of contentment and belonging had washed over him. Maybe that's why he hadn't allowed himself to look into her eyes too often. If he did, he would lose himself quickly and surely in such a way that he would never want to be found.

Loosing himself was one thing Max Evans wouldn't allow himself to do. How could he? He was lost enough as it was. With no real idea where he had come from, why he had been sent here or how he would ever get back to his home planet, the last thing Max needed was the additional worry of bringing that confusion and fear to someone he cared about.

Still, Max couldn't stay away from her. So, he sat quietly in the shadows watching her every move. And in watching, he knew her. He knew what made her smile or what made her cry. The stories that touched her heart. The actions that made her angry. When the Evans family moved from Roswell, NM in the middle of Max's sophomore year, he felt as if he was leaving his best friend behind.

Max had never known anyone like her before or since. In fact, he hadn't even tried to look. He knew deep in his soul no one would ever equal Liz Parker in perfection. No one else could ever match him soul for soul, heart for heart, dream for dream. So, he turned his desires and thoughts to something productive. Something that wouldn't cause him immeasurable pain if he lost in the pursuit of it. That's when he chose a career in the FBI as his future.

Isabel had almost killed him when he told her his choice. It was only when he calmly explained his reasoning that she managed to stop shaking with fear. What better way to know every move of the 'enemy'? If you don't want to be beaten by them, join them. He would never be investigated if he was one of the investigators.

And now, he was one of their best. A clean, impeccable record of service. Max had a reputation of being a loner that always got the job done. Never socializing unless necessary, the job was his focus. His life. He made sure he was indispensable to them. Every move through the ranks had been calculated to create an aura of untouchability.

Then they hit him with something he had never planned on…the one thing in this world that could touch him…that could bring him to his knees if he let it. Liz Parker.

With one smile she had reached him. And he had hurt her in return. The frustration of instinctively knowing he could never be all that she wanted had caused him to carelessly mention a past that had been painful to say the least. If they stayed in close quarters like this, who knew what mistake he would make next with the many untapped emotions she brought out in him.

Max let out a deep sigh. What he wouldn't give to start this day over. Maybe he would have still taken the assignment, but then he could have refused having a partner. Maybe that's what he should do now. Tell her it wasn't going to work and send her on the next plane back to Washington when they touched ground. He had the authority…

The scent of vanilla that always surrounded Liz made it's way to his senses and Max shook his head at his own weakness. Then again, maybe not. Max glanced up when Liz reached their aisle. Standing so she could pass, his eyes never left her face even as he slowly sunk back down into his seat. "Liz…"

Liz raised her hand to signal that it was still too soon to talk and turned to stare out the window a moment. The last thing she wanted right now was pity. Especially his. Although she'd not seen a trace of it in his eyes when she returned to her seat, Liz wanted to take a moment to steel herself for the sight just in case.

Max's repentant gaze stayed on her face, or actually, the curtain of silky dark her that covered her face, a moment until he finally faced forward and leaned his head back letting out a quiet sigh. This is not how he had wanted to spend the rest of this flight with Liz Parker. Which was pretty ironic. For a guy who barely strung five words together in high school, he suddenly felt the overwhelming urge to talk. And not just to anyone. To Liz. Only to Liz.

Her quiet question broke through his silent thoughts. "How did you know?"

Max blinked unsure he'd actually heard her since the question was so softly asked. He glanced at her out of the corner of his eye and noticed she was still turned from him but her posture was a little more open. "My sister, Isabel. She ran into an old high school friend and got the scoop on most of the happenings since we'd left. Well, the major ones at least."

"And I take it my engagement to Kyle was considered major?"

Max nodded slowly. "Considering how popular you were in school…" He took a deep breath and tried his best to choose his words carefully. He was painfully aware of how carelessly spoken words could injure since the sound of her tear-filled voice still rang in his ears. "And considering your fiance'…"

Liz turned to him suddenly, her eyes dark with pain. "You can say it. Considering that Kyle cheated on me. Considering that one of my best friends died because of him and that I almost lost my life too…"

"I was going to say that your fiance' was the high school football star." Max amended quietly, his eyes searching hers trying to gauge how far this conversation should go.

Liz's eyes watered and she turned from Max. "I'm sorry. I..."

"No, Liz. I'm sorry." Max hastened to stop her apology and impulsively reached out to cover her hand with his. "I should have never said anything. I should have..."

"What?" Liz sniffed her tears back and shifted her gaze to his hand savoring the comforting warmth that shot through her with his touch. "Ignored the truth? Pretended I'm just going home for a regular visit and not for the first time in eight years?" She shook her head and attempted a smile. "Something tells me you're not the kind of guy that does that very well. You said it yourself. The boy full of dreams is gone. You like to look reality in the face now, don't you?"

A slight shrug was her visual answer. "Usually. It kinda saves on the whole heartache part of life." He gave her half of a lopsided grin though his eyes maintained a hint of sadness. "What about you?"

Liz's smile widened and Max breathed a quiet sigh of relief. "You said it yourself. I'm your dreamgirl, Max. Dreaming's what I do." Her gaze faltered. "Or at least I used to…"

Max nodded automatically as he sat lost in thought. The silence only lasted a moment and when he spoke it was obvious how difficult it was for him to continue. "Liz. I'm sorry, but I need to ask. Only this once…then I swear the subject will be closed unless you want to open it, okay?"

Liz took a deep breath then released it. "Okay. Shoot."

"Is this something I'm going to need to worry about? I don't know details so…do you think you can trust me enough to fill me in?"

Liz's large eyes turned full on him and she contemplated his question a moment before responding. It wasn't that her mind didn't instantly shout 'yes' to the question of trust. It did. Which was pretty amazing in and of itself after all she'd been through. It was her heart that was giving her problems. It wasn't that she didn't want to trust him, but there was still so much he didn't know.

So she answered him the only way she could. Honestly. "I don't know, Max. I want to. Trust you, I mean. Believe me, even that's not an easy thing for me to do." She paused and bit her lower lip in nervousness. "Do I have to tell you now? About the details?" Liz asked quietly. "I mean…I'm going to be facing this soon enough. Can't I just have these few hours to just…"

"Forget?" Max supplied for her quietly. When he saw her slight nod, he nodded back. "Yeah, yeah you can have this time. I understand."

He leaned back against his seat again and silence engulfed them. But not for long as his mind drifted to the other problem he'd begun to ignore in the wake of Liz's pain. The assignment. "It's just…I need to know now if this is going to be a problem. If you're going to freeze on me…" Max paused feeling that he was saying things all wrong. Glancing over at her, he continued. "Look. I'm not used to…you know, relying on other people. You're the first partner I've had in years and I need to know I can count on you if things get…"

Liz pulled her hand from where it had been comfortably resting under Max's and took his in hers giving it a gentle squeeze. "No matter what happened before, this case…*you*…are my priority now. I won't let you down, Max. I promise."

Max's intense gaze never left her eyes. A calm washed over him as he saw the echo of her words waiting for him with reassuring confidence. "Okay." Max leaned back in his seat and mumbled as if to reassure himself. "Okay."

Sensing Liz's eyes still focused on him he turned back to her with a questioning glance. Amusement danced in her eyes once more and Max marveled at her strength. It was true he didn't know the details of the Kyle-Liz relationship, but whatever happened it had been devastating to her. That much he could read in her eyes. Yet, she was willing to go back and face it all. Her past. It's ghosts. And the amazing thing…she was still smiling. That took guts. And Max's admiration of Liz Parker grew by leaps and bounds.

Giving her a rare smile, Max leaned toward her and whispered. "Just so you know our couples practice run earlier must have been pretty convincing because the old woman across the aisle gave me words of wisdom about true love while you were gone."

"Really?" Liz's eyes moved past his shoulder and she lifted her hand to give the little lady a grateful wave when she saw they were still being observed. Leaning forward, her eyes moved back to Max's face. "So, what did she say?"

Max cocked his eyebrow. "Well, I'm not sure I should…" Chuckling lightly when he received a playful slap, Max continued. "All right. All right. It was something about what a great catch I am and how you should be on your knees thanking the stars that I was created and sent down here to you." He half-smiled at his own private joke.

Liz laughed as her eyes began to twinkle. "She did not!"

"Okay, so maybe she didn't use those exact words…"

"What exact words *did* she use?" Liz queried with a curious smile.

Max's expression grew serious and his eyes locked with Liz's willing her to understand the meaning of his own words disguised as the woman's. "She said you were going to make it. That no matter what's waiting for you down there in Roswell, you are strong enough to face it. And if there comes a moment you aren't…I'll be right there to help you."

Liz's eyes began to shimmer with unshed tears. Somehow, this time Max didn't mind as much that he'd caused them. Because, with these tears, came a smile that made his heart soar. "Thank you, Max."

"Sure. What are partners for?" Max responded softly amazed he was able to speak at all. He blinked and cleared his throat breaking the spell he felt himself falling under as he watched Liz blink away her tears and replaced them with a spark of hope in her big, ebony eyes. Not wanting this sudden closeness they'd found to end, Max swallowed hard and tried to sound casual. "Is she still watching?"

Liz glanced at the lady then back and Max. "Yep."

Max's brow furrowed in mock worry. "Well, then I guess we need to keep up the pretenses, right? I mean, we wouldn't want her to think we haven't made up…"

Liz shook her head and her expression was open while her eyes danced with silent laughter. "Oh, no. You're right. I think we should at least do something…"

A nod of his head was her answer. "Yeah, me too. So, dreamgirl, what do you think your dream boyfriend would do now if he were here?"

Liz looked up at him coyly. "Well, I'd say he might have the overwhelming urge to wrap his arm around my shoulder about now."

"You think so?" Max pursed his lips and gazed off into the distance as if lost in thought. "Yeah. Yeah. I could see that as a possible next move." He smiled back down at Liz with a wink then wrapped his arm around her shoulder and shifted so she could lean into him. He let out a shaky breath and tried to still the shiver that ran through his body when Liz pressed up against him. "How's that?"

"Perfect." Liz answered quietly as she breathed in his scent then let out a sigh of contentment. As she settled against him, Liz felt a sudden sense of peace and belonging wash over her. This was it. The feeling she'd instinctively known she would find in Max Evans' arms. Liz felt Max smile against her hair and wondered if he felt the same. Unable to stop the smile that she knew must be plastered to her face, she closed her eyes to savor the moment.

Max leaned his cheek against the top of her head and closed his eyes as a dreamy smile claimed his lips. "Anything else?"

Liz smiled against his shoulder already falling in love with the kind of practice he was suggesting. "Well, what if you…" Liz pulled away from him slightly so she could look up into his eyes. Her breath caught in her throat when his dark emotion-filled eyes met hers and she saw desire burning with an intensity that shocked her.

"Yes?" Max breathed quietly against her skin as his eyes held hers.

Liz's eyes dropped to focus on Max's lips as her hand automatically gravitated to caress his cheek and Max wasn't all that surprised to hear her next gentle command. "Max. Kiss me…"