Something to Believe in

PART 9

Breezing into the office, Maria struggled to hide the happiness that filled her insides.  The previous night had been like a dream.  Although she hardly knew Michael, she couldn’t deny how hot he’d been in bed.  Granted a small part of Maria screamed out how reckless she’d been, sleeping with someone she didn’t really know, but in the most part she was practically glowing.

It had been strange when she’d woken up though, for a moment believing it had all been a fantastic dream, only to roll over and come face to face with the hunk sharing her bed. 

“Morning Liz!”  Maria announced cheerily as her boss walked out of her office.

“Morning Maria.”  Liz replied.  “You seem awfully happy today.”  She added, helping herself to some freshly brewed coffee.

“Well yeah, I am.”  Maria replied grinning as she slipped off her jacket.

“I take it your dinner engagement with Mr Guerin last night went well?”  Liz enquired.

“Mmm ……. better than ‘well’ I’d say.”  Maria said, a dreamy, faraway look washing over her face.  Her thoughts immediately jumped back to the passion she’d shared with Michael the night before.

“That well huh?  And you say it was just dinner?”  Liz probed.
”Dinner?  Yeah.  But the coffee back at my place made the night perfect!”  Maria grinned, as the realisation of what she was implying slowly hit her boss.

“You’re not saying what I think you’re saying are you?”  Liz queried as Maria slowly nodded her head.  “My god Maria you hardly know him!”  Liz exclaimed.

“I know, I know, but I couldn’t help myself!  He is like gorgeous, handsome, and wonderful!  Once we started kissing things just kinda spiralled out of control.”  Maria replied, trying to justify her actions of the previous night.

“Maria!  Did you get hit on the head or something and loose all your common sense?”  She queried.  “You’ve known him for one day and you’ve already jumped into bed with the guy?  Geez Maria!”  Liz exasperated.

“Oh chill Liz, it was just some fun.  But at least I’m not afraid to get close to someone!”  Maria snapped, not particularly liking the way her boss was judging her actions of the previous night.

“What’s that supposed to mean?”  Liz questioned pointedly.

“That maybe it’s time you stop living in the past Liz.  I know you like Max, it’s so obvious, and I think he likes you too.  How about you give him a chance, let him wine and dine you for a while.  Who knows where it may lead, but if it doesn’t work out at least you can say you gave it a go and had some fun.  Love is a wonderful thing Liz, don’t deny yourself it just because you’re afraid.”  Maria replied, knowing her words were out of line, but also knowing it was something her boss needed to hear.

“I think you’re stepping way over the boundary of colleagues/friends Maria.  What I do with my private life doesn’t concern you.  Max Evans is a business associate who is helping out at the moment with an important project, nothing more, and I would thank you to butt out of my personal affairs.”  Liz stressed firmly, practically glaring at the young secretary.

“Message received mam!”  Maria replied indignantly. 

“Thank you.”  Liz replied, turning on her heal and striding back into the sanctuary of her office.

It wasn’t that Liz had meant to snap at her secretary, more that Maria’s words were rather too close to the bone.  No matter what her head reasoned, Liz’s heart seemed to scream louder.  And no matter how hard she denied it, Liz knew her feelings for Max were rapidly and quickly spiralling out of control. 

She was falling for the suave Max Evans and falling hard at that.  His haunting, piercing eyes invaded her dreams at night, and she could scarcely remember the last decent night’s sleep she’d achieved.  He’d wafted in and turned her world upside down, and Liz was sure he didn’t even know it.  His kiss still burned the insides of her brain, each time she closed her eyes she could still feel his tender hand and soft lips claiming hers in the elevator.  It was a kiss she’d replayed in her head many times over since running out on Max, and each time her heart skipped a beat at his caring touch.

Yet despite her heart’s desire, she was still afraid of getting hurt.  She didn’t want to become another notch on his bedpost, someone to use and discard when another beauty arrived.  She had no aspirations of getting her heart broken, and wasn’t sure she’d survive loosing another love, even if it was to another woman.  She’d endured enough pain in that department to last her a lifetime, and jumping back into the fire, even after so long, took more courage than Liz believed she possessed. 

Yet Maria had said something to start Liz thinking.  She did deserve someone to love her, and although Liz wouldn’t admit it to herself, she craved someone to touch her and make her feel alive once more.  The stress of work was slowly taking its toll; the happy, carefree Elizabeth Parker that use to claim her body was rapidly disappearing into a vault of oblivion.

And there was only one man since Kyle who had managed to capture her now steel heart and stir up the swell of passion in her body she’d buried so deep ……… Maxwell Evans.

Having him in her life complicated matters no end, mixed her up and messed with her head, but in her heart, Liz couldn’t help but like the fact Max had arrived into her life.  The fact she couldn’t control proceedings however certainly did unnerve her.  Control and composure was her security blanket, but somehow that cover was always blow out the window when Max stepped into the room.

A little after 3.00pm Maria headed back into Liz’s office, this time holding a bouquet of a dozen pure white roses.  They were most beautiful flowers Liz had ever seen, each one exquisitely sculpted and perfectly formed in every way. 

“From loverboy?”  Liz enquired, assuming Michael had sent them to Maria.  It was clear their relationship was no cheap fling, and roses as stunning as them certainly wouldn’t have come cheap.

“Nope, not mine anyway …….. They’re for you.”  Maria replied, handing the flowers to Liz and trying not to let the pang of jealously that flashed through her body show.  She had hoped, and thought, that when she’d picked up the flowers from Reception they might have been from Michael, but no, the flowers were for Liz, the self-confessed loner in life.

“Me?  Who would be sending me flowers?”  Liz asked, obviously puzzled.

“How should I know?  Seeing through envelopes isn’t part of repertoire.  May I suggest you open the card for a clue?”  Maria replied, suddenly curious to know the identity of her boss’s mystery admirer.

Carefully removing the small white envelope embedded in the flowers, Liz slowly opened it.  Scanning her eyes over the meticulously written words, Liz allowed them to sink slowly into her brain before her heart skipped a beat.

[I][center]How about dinner ………?  This time as friends rather than business associates?  I promise no more lift fiascos!

Call me …………… Max[/center][/I]

“I was right!  I knew he liked you!”  Maria announced, in her [I]‘I-told-you-so’ [/I]voice.

“Maria …………”  Liz started, trying to keep hold of her composure.  She really didn’t want Maria to know what sort of effect Max had on her.  It was bad enough to feel things for Max which she had no control over, but to inform Maria of this was like telling Max herself.

“Oh come on Liz, you can’t tell me it doesn’t feel good to get some attention for a change, not to mention receive flowers.  And I might add that white roses are a sign of class and good taste.  Enjoy it for goodness sake!  Hell if you don’t want him at least make that clear so some other woman can have such affection showered over her.”  Maria responded.

“Please Maria ………..”  Liz started once more, trying to protest at her friend’s words.  She didn’t need Maria pushing her; she was trying desperately to think of a reason not to phone Max.  Her head was screaming out it wasn’t a good thing to do, but her heart was rapidly overruling her mind as she thought back to the sizzling kiss they’d shared, and it was taking every ounce of strength to stop her hand reaching for the telephone.

“Call him Liz ……. Do it now before you have second thoughts.  At least give the guy one date, he deserves that after sending you such beautiful flowers.”  Maria insisted.

“But I don’t have ……….. his number.”  Liz stumbled thinking, lamely, for an excuse.  After her slip the day before, and their kiss, she wasn’t sure if she’d be able to keep her emotions and true feelings in check throughout a dinner engagement.

“Well then, that’s where your trusted, reliable and always organised secretary comes into her own!”  Maria replied, heading out of the office for a moment before returning with a sticky note containing a telephone number. 

“Call him Liz.”  Were Maria’s last words before she exited her boss’s office.

Standing with his back to his desk, Max stared absentmindedly out of the large window that decorated the back wall of his office.  The beautiful afternoon Los Angles sun streamed into the lightly coloured room, making it even brighter.

To an onlooker, Max was simply staring out the window, perhaps trying to obtain inspiration for a project or task.  But to a more trained eye they would be able to tell he wasn’t really looking out of the window, more looking through and past it.  For he was certainly a man who looked like he was carrying the weight of the world on his broad shoulders. 

He was pondering, wondering if he’d just made the worst decision of his life.  Not two hours earlier he had called the florist run by one of his mother’s best friends.  He’d asked Susannah to arrange the most beautifully stunning bunch of white roses and send them as soon as possible to Liz Parker. 

From the moment he’d put the phone down he contemplated calling back and cancelling the order.  He was never indecisive, always knowing what he wanted, but his present co-worker was something else.

He could read Liz better than the simplest book, or at least he thought he could; yet she continued to surprise him with her actions.  A knock back he could take, as long as there was a good reason.  Yet Liz seemed insistent on keeping him at arms length for no good reason. 

In reading the signs he was convinced Liz had feelings for him, yet no matter what he did she continued to ignore what was blatantly running through her veins.  Their kiss had practically blown him away, stunning Max at his unashamed loss of control.  But the moment had presented itself so perfectly, he couldn’t have ignored it.  If he tried to reason his actions, Max would say it was just a kiss to calm her down, but his heart knew so much better.  It was a kiss he’d dreamed about for a long time, and one no matter what his head said, he couldn’t deny he enjoyed very much.

So here he was, a little after 4.30pm waiting for her call, hoping she would accept his dinner invitation.  Something told Max if only he could open her up a little more, put to rest the playboy image she had of him, maybe then he’d have a chance of turning Liz Parker into more than just a business associate.  He prayed and hoped the kiss would be the turning point, the tip of iceberg for the relationship he desired to share with the sparking young woman.

Standing at his door silently for a few moments, Isabelle took in the sight in front of her.  Never before had she seen her brother so obviously lost in his own world.  She was certain of the origin, or more to the point the identity of the young lady who had captured his thoughts.  Isabelle wasn’t used to seeing Max fall head over heals in love, something she’d seen only when he was a young student, but she was sure he was smitten by Liz Parker. 

She hadn’t even met Max’s new business associate, but Isabelle was sure Liz was the route of Max’s pensiveness.  The change in his demeanour had taken place since accepting the contract with James Valenti, and starting to work with Ms Parker.  A smile crept over Isabelle’s face as she thought about her brother in a situation he couldn’t control.  For it was clear that Liz Parker wasn’t falling for Max’s normal charms, making him work that little bit harder, and Isabelle had felt instant admiration for the business woman, despite the fact she hadn’t even met Liz yet.

“Erm Max …….”  Isabelle started softly, not wanting to startle her brother.

“………….. yeah Is.”  Max replied eventually, tearing his eyes away and turning to face her.

“There’s a call on line one for you.”  She replied gently.

“Can you take a message, I’m kinda busy right now.”  Max said, slightly distracted, his mind clearly not on work.

“I think you’ll want to take this.”  Isabelle pressed, knowing he wouldn’t want to pass up the opportunity.

“Who is it?”  He finally asked.

“Yeap”, she thought as she stared at her brother, “He’s been well and truly bitten by the love bug!”

“It’s Liz Parker.”  Isabelle replied, watching an immediate dance of joy rush over Max’s normal steely face.

His heart lurched, his pulse raced and head pounded.  She must have received the flowers, got his message to call him.  But what was her answer?  Would she grace him with one date?  One more chance to fan the flames of passion that so blatantly filled her body when he stepped into the room? 

His only way of knowing would be to pick up the phone and take the call …….

PART 10

“Oh right …….. I erm ……. guess I’d better take it then.”  Max stumbled slightly, spinning round to drop into his chair as Isabelle slowly disappeared.

On hearing the shrill ring of his telephone, Max stretched out his hand and took a deep breath before picking up the receiver.

“Max Evans.”  He announced, praying he sounded collected and professional, although not altogether convinced, it was obvious his normal calm manner had deserted him in his hour of need.

“Max, it’s Liz Parker.”  She said softly, her breathing slightly laboured as she spoke.  Her heart was racing, practically pounding so hard it nearly burst through her ribcage, she was certainly nervous about talking to him.

“Hi Liz, how are you?”  He asked coolly, trying not to ask the obvious question.  In his heart he desperately wanted to know the reason for her call, praying his flowers had hit the spot.  But his mind overruled his heart’s desire, airing on the side of caution, not wanting to put his foot in it and scare her away.

“I’m fine thanks, and you?”  She responded, trying to stall for a few minutes longer.  She was still trying to decide if accepting his dinner invitation was a good idea or not.

“I’m good.  So …… to what do I owe this pleasure?”  He replied, forcing the issue slightly.

“Well ……. I wanted to thank you for the flowers, they are beautiful.”  She said, allowing her fingers to touch one of the delicate silk petals.

“You’re welcome Liz.”  He replied calmly, but feeling anything but that.  He was instead holding his breath, waiting patiently for her next words.

“……… and ……….”  She hesitated.

“And?”  He probed softly.

“And …….. against my better judgement, Maria thinks I should accept your dinner invitation to say thank you for your gift.”  Liz replied trying to make the acceptance more Maria’s idea than hers.  Perhaps if he thought she had only accepted because of Maria he wouldn’t notice or uncover her true feelings.

“Maria thinks you should huh?  What about you though Liz ………. Do you think you should accept?”  Max asked pointedly, feeling more courageous, the flowers had done the trick, he thought to himself!

“I ……. I think dinner would be great.”  Liz replied, surprising herself with how much real feeling laced the words. 

At that moment she finally realised how much she liked the idea of going to dinner with Max.  Subconsciously her fingers touched her lips, remembering the branding he’d made with his own soft lips only a day ago.

“That’s great, how about tonight?”  He suggested, deciding to push it slightly.

“Tonight?”  Liz pondered.  “Sure ……… tonight’s fine.”  She added, deciding to take her courage in both hands.

“How about I pick you up at 8?”

“Ok …… I’ll see you then.”  She replied, before gently hanging up the receiver.

Placing his phone down, Max finally exhaled the breath he’d subconsciously held from the moment she’d called.  Leaning backwards, Max rested his head on the back of the large leather chair. 

A smile crept across his lips as Max thought about his evening rendezvous.  He was certainly under no illusions, Liz Parker was still as far away from his touch as before, but there was hope.

It was only a simple dinner, lunch the previous afternoon, but it was a start, and the kiss, he hoped, would work for him instead of against him.  Sitting across a dinner table Max was sure he’d be able to slowly but surely unravel the intricate person and delve inside to find the real Liz Parker.  

She had a secret that weighed her down, Max was sure about that.  He’d seen the flicker in her eyes during their lunch, a fear that had consumed her for a few moments before dissolving back into the depths of darkness.  In his heart, Max hoped he’d be able to open her up enough for her to trust him and maybe share the burden.  Maybe then she’d finally realise he could be so much more than a work colleague, and that he could show her real love and affection.  He knew nothing of previous acquaintances of Liz Parker, but in reading the signs he was sure she hadn’t tasted love or desire in quite a while, and that was something he was determined to change, given time.

As she rummaged through her wardrobe, Liz could feel the panic staring to rise from the pit of her stomach.  Her bed was a large mess of clothes and garments.  Trousers, jumpers, cardigans and tops lay strewed across her normally pristine room.

Inside her head, Liz felt as jumbled and messed up as her room was at that moment.  Pulling yet another top up and over her head, Liz tossed it onto the growing pile and flumped down onto the bed.  Exhaling a large breath, she rubbed her eyes with the palms of her hands.

She was a mess, plain and simple.  The normal calm, collected and in control Liz Parker was a nervous wreck.

On more than on occasion since getting home from the office, Liz had thought about ringing Max and calling the whole thing off.  Her stomach was doing flips and summersaults as if its life depended on it.  Her head was practically spinning and her hands constantly felt sweaty and sticky. 

It had been a very long time since Liz had been on a ‘date’ for the want of a better word.  She’d tried to convince herself it wasn’t a date, but she couldn’t fool herself.  It was a date, there was no question, no work would be done, and Max had invited her out with him.  It would be one to one company and her feelings would be under intense scrutiny. 

Although she liked Max very much, Liz wasn’t ready to abandon the security walls she’d built up over the years since Kyle had died.  She was still too afraid, scared of getting hurt, rejected and in some ways loved.  It had been such a long time since she’d truly felt loved and that feeling scared her also. 

“God what’s wrong with me!”  She yelled frustrated at herself as she stared at the bomb of a mess on her bed.  “Why can’t I even choose a top to wear!”  She yelled again to the four walls of the comfortable room.

She’d settled on black three quarter length trousers, they were smart but casual and could be construed as conservative but sexy.  All she had to do was find a top to go with it.  But that was proving a much harder task.  All of her tops were either too frumpy, like polo or turtlenecks, or too daring and sexy exposing a plunging neckline or baring flesh of her midriff.

She didn’t want to give Max the wrong impression, it was just friends having dinner after all.  But then again, subconsciously, she wanted to show Max there was someone different away from the office, someone more caring than the Liz Parker who fought tooth and nail to conduct takeovers in the board room. 

In the end, she dug out a pastel pink shoestring v-neck top.  It was quite simple and plain, but showed enough of her skin to be somewhat sexy.  Sitting at her dressing table, Liz started to pin up her hair in the normal manner, but got halfway through it before ripping out the pins, nearly tearing her hair out in her anxiousness to remove the offending clips. 

She was used to wearing her hair up, always doing so for work, but this time she wanted to let her hair down and have a little fun.  So instead she brushed it back down into a velvet river along her back, before adding two small diamante diamond clips to one side. 

Standing up, she slipped her feet into her sandals before staring at herself in the mirror.  It felt strange to see herself, the net end result of all her stressing had been very good, and she looked very beautiful. 

Her heart lurched at what lay before her though, as she thought forward to the meal.  How on earth was she going to act cool and calm while staring at Max Evans all night?

It took all of her willpower to maintain her composure at work and while talking to him on the telephone, but seeing him, talking to him, that would take so much more to keep up the pretence of nothing more than friends.  And Liz wasn’t sure if she had enough self-control to maintain that façade. 

Right up until the moment her doorbell rang; Liz was still having second thoughts.  Doubts and worries followed her down the stairs and it took a moment standing by it before she finally mustered up enough courage to flip the latch of the door open. 

Seeing him standing on her doorstep stripped Liz of yet more willpower and composure, he looked simply breathtaking.  Taking in a subconscious breath, she allowed her eyes to roam quickly over the occupant standing on her doorstep.

Dressed in black jeans, a royal blue shirt that hung loose over his waistband and an expensive looking black leather jacket slung over his right shoulder, Liz couldn’t deny her heart skipped a beat. 

All her well-prepared rationale of ‘friends having dinner’ disappeared out the door at that moment, and she knew she was in serious trouble.

“Hi.”  He said softly, smiling at her.  “You look lovely Liz.”  He added tactfully, trying to decide how far he could go, not wanting to push his luck to early on in the night. 

In truth, to Max, she looked anything but lovely.  Lovely was a word he’d use to describe how Isabelle or his mother looked, and the heavenly beauty decorating the space in front of him was so much more than ‘lovely’.  She looked breathtaking, dreamy, and sensual.  She managed to look sexy, sophisticated and casual all at the same time, the perfect outfit to test the water for their date, he thought.

“Thanks, this is ….. erm ….. nothing.”  She brushed off his compliment bashfully, praying she wasn’t blushing too much.

“Are you ready?”  He asked gently.

“Yes, I’ll just grab my bag.”  She replied, leaning around the door to collect her purse before slipping it in the small black rucksack she was using for the night.  After turning and locking up, they headed down to his car.

Stepping in front of her, he opened the door to the green ‘X’ type Jaguar before racing round to the driver’s side.

“Sorry it’s not the best of cars, mine is still in the garage being repaired.”  He grinned, thinking back to their first explosive meeting.

“Oh yeah.  You know I don’t know if I said it, but I really am sorry for shooting off at you like I did that day.”  She said, instantly feeling embarrassed and guilty.

“Forget it Liz, that’s history.”  He replied, pushing the car into drive and pulling away.

The drive to the restaurant was smooth and fairly quiet.  Soft music of U2’s album ‘All that you can’t leave behind’, filled the dead air as they both tried to calm themselves for the dinner in front of them. 

Liz fiddled almost non-stop with the strap to her rucksack, holding on to it for dear life as if it contained her very existence.  Not for the first time that night she somewhat regretted her decision to go out with Max, fearing her feelings would overwhelm her in to admitting them to him.

The meal itself passed by very peacefully, both relaxing somewhat.  Their conversations were purposefully light, it was almost as if they were both slightly wary after the passionate kiss they had shared the previously day.

As desert was served, of lemon and strawberry cheesecake, Max decided it was time to breach the subject of the underlying current of passion that clearly ran between them.  Pausing for a moment, he tried to think of the most delicate way of bringing up the subject, not wanting to force Liz back into the shell of denial she normally occupied.

“Liz ………… about yesterday …… in the lift……….”  He started tentatively watching her face for any flicker of nerves or fear.

“Max ……. yesterday was a mistake.”  Liz said softly, dropping her head and looking down. 

Her heart was pounding as she said the words, her mind screaming out that she was mad.  But it was the only way she knew how to deal with the magnitude of feelings threatening to drown her.  To have fallen so easily and quickly for Max was almost too much to handle, and putting up her defensive walls was instinctive for Liz.

“No Liz, I don’t think it was a mistake.”  He said gently but firmly, reaching across the table and slipping his finger under her chin so as to lift her eyes back to his level.

The deep brown eyes that met his spoke volumes, communicating exactly how she was feeling at that moment, and it was exactly what Liz was afraid of.  She couldn’t deny how much she had craved his touch since his warm arms had comforted her in the lift, how soft and gentle his lips had felt caressing hers. 

He had stirred up every ounce of feeling and emotion she’d buried since the day Kyle had been taken so brutally from her.  It felt good to suddenly feel alive again after so many years, but terrifying all at the same time. 

No matter how much she had fallen for Max, succumbing to a relationship was something completely different, and Liz wasn’t sure she’d have the courage to take the step towards him that was required.  Max Evans was a gentleman, Liz knew that, and he would never force himself on her, it would be down to Liz to bridge the gap between them.  At that moment, it felt like a void, a vast open space of time between them, not a simple, small dining table.

As if he could read her very thoughts, Max placed his right hand over hers that was lying on top of the table, before scouting round to the spare seat next to Liz.  The movement was simple, but brought them so much closer and made a bold statement that he wasn’t going to let her close up again. 

For a moment Liz felt like she was suffocating, the fear of claustrophobia flooding her senses, but this time her heart ruled her head.

This time, when Max slowly leant towards her, she didn’t shirk or cower backwards, but instead rose to cover the empty distance.  It was a simple act, but one that Max knew meant so much. 

In a simple gesture she was finally admitting that maybe she did have feelings for him, and perhaps they could be more than business colleagues and rivals.

As his lips touched hers, Liz was instantly catapulted into heaven.  A gentle, unintimidating kiss, soft, sensual, but still reserved.  Her hand broke free of his grasp, and without thinking she instinctively wrapped her arms around his neck, as Max’s hands descended into the deep depths of her luxurious hair.  The kiss rapidly spiralled out of control, both grabbling at the other, unable to get enough, a moment in time they had both wanted for too long. 

His tongue danced along the edge of her bottom lip, before repeating the feat along her top lip.  It was a silent, but deadly request, needing the passion of a deeper, more forcefully embracing kiss.

Her head was spinning, her mind foggy of all sane thoughts, her body awash with feelings she never thought she’d experience again.  She was too far gone, unable to think about the consequences, unable to think at all …. only feel. 

Without a moment’s hesitation she granted his request, delicately parting her lips and allowing his tongue to explore the deep crevices that hadn’t been touched in a very long time. 

Her head continued to spin out of control; a dizzy, giddy feeling drowned her body.  She felt like she was floating, like a wanton balloon caught in a gust of unreserved wind.  His lips captivated her mind, her feelings and senses fried by the sizzling passion. 

By the time they finally parted, Liz was aware of one thing, he’d literally kissed her breathless! 

It had never happened before, not even with Kyle.  The passion she and Max were both feeling was enormous, and perhaps deadly.  Both, trying to regain a small amount of sanity that resembled a rational thought, dragged in deep, strong breaths. 

It was clear to any onlooker that the magnitude of the kiss had blown them both completely away.  It was almost as if they had denied themselves for so long that the kiss was as much need and requirement as passion.

“Wow.”  She breathed, quietly and somewhat shyly.

“Yeah.”  He responded.  “I think we put on quite a floor show!”  He added, sensing many eyes glancing in their direction.  They were in a very expensive restaurant; such openly reckless shows of affection were not normally so blatantly exposed.

Normally Max was more careful, he’d learnt the hard way that paparazzi snappers lurked in some of the most respectable establishments.  Snapping eligible bachelors was their quest in life, and the unscrupulous photographers would not have thought twice to interrupt Max and Liz by snapping a few pictures for the morning edition.  Usually he was more reserved in public, but that was the affect Liz had on him.  Common sense and reason didn’t seem to function properly when Liz Parker was around. 

“Oh!”  She exclaimed, glancing round quickly before burying her head gratefully in Max’s chest.  She felt embarrassed, the way they’d lost control so blatantly tinting her cheeks red. 

“Don’t worry …… I’m not.”  He replied softly, touching her hair once more with his hands as he soothed away any remnants of mortification. 

And he certainly wasn’t worried about the views of nosy onlookers.  Liz had finally opened up to him, let him in and clearly kissed him back; that was worth any amount of embarrassment in the world. 

“What happens now Max?” Liz asked when she finally lifted her head back up to face him.

“I think that’s down to you Liz.  I sense you’ve got a few demons hidden away that could do with eliminating, and maybe some restoration of your faith?  What do you say, do I get the job of slayer?”  He asked softly, praying she’d say yes.

His big doe eyes shone back at her and Liz felt her breath quicken instantly.  Inside, she wasn’t sure if it was fear or passion that had affected her breathing.  Passion for the feelings she felt for Max ……… or fear due to the possibility of opening up once more and letting someone back into her life ………. and the potential of getting hurt once more.

As their eyes locked, Liz pause while she considered her options; allow Max to become her knight in shining armour, or to become her own keeper locked up in her past once again.

TBC .......................?

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