“Max… please…” a certain pair of glistening pink lips part to breathe into my ear. Big, brown eyes sparkle seductively as I lean in closer, capturing her body beneath my own.

I nuzzle the side of her neck, relishing the scent of her raspberry lotion and mango shampoo. She’s like my own little fruit basket.

“I want you, baby… let me…” I rasp huskily, postioning myself to slide into her silky depths.

Her lush lips part to say…

“I want you, too. But I have to tell you, I feel the need to date other people.”

I open one eye to find a pair of sparkling blue eyes staring back at me. With a huge sigh, I turn over and throw an arm over my eyes.

“What are you doing here?” I mumble, hoping like hell my face isn’t showing evidence of my supreme embarrassment.

Nick Gannon laughs, a sound rich with pleasure and humor… at my expense, n! o doubt. “Apparently interrupting a particularly raunchy dream. Tell me… what was Liz wearing? Or, was she wearing anything at all?" He punctuates this statement with a devilish wiggle of his blonde brows.

With a groan for the loss of my fantasy, I sit half up in my bed, the sheets falling down my chest. “Nick, you’re my friend and I love you for it… but get the fuck out of my apartment.”

He whistles, disregarding my grouchy tone. Nick is the type of guy who disregards just about everything. Unfortunately, he does it with such good humor that it’s often hard to resent him for it.

Now is not one of those times.

My agitated frown deepens as he picks up a framed picture of Liz on my nightstand, playfully making smoochy noises as he pretends to talk to the photo.

“Oh, Liz… I love you so much. Marry me and let’s have cute little brunette babies with big ears. What do you- oof!”

A smile lights my face as the pillow hits its target. I’m about to laugh maniacally, when he picks up the pillow and stares at it. My face begins to heat.

“The Powerpuff Girls?” He immediately starts cracking up, pointing at the picture of Bubbles and then me. “This is seriously black-mail worthy.”

“It’s Liz’s,” I mumble, giving up and getting out of bed. With a quick glance at the alarm clock, I realize two things.

One, I’m about to be late for class. Which pretty much answers the question why Nick is in my room.

Two, I forgot to call Liz last night as I’d promised to do. At least I can blame that on a long night at work. But I make plans to pick up some roses and make reservations for a romantic dinner to apologize anyway. Just in case.

“Hmm…” Nick responds, scratching his chin thoughtfully. “Nope, I still think it’s yours. When are you gonna come out of the proverbial Powerpuff Girl’s closet, Max?”

I simply ignore h! im, searching for a clean shirt while brushing my teeth.

“You don’t have time for a shower. Kyle and Mike are waiting outside. They sent me in because they were afraid seeing their ugly mugs this early in the morning might be a little too much for ya.”

I grunt in response, tugging a blue rugby over my head. “How are we all going to fit in Mike’s clunker?”

Nick smirks, tossing me a pair of cargo khaki’s. “Kyle finally gave up on that piece of shit he owns and put a down-payment on an LX 2004.”

I pause, glancing at him in interest. “A Lexus? No way.”

“Oh, he most certainly did. With a little help from Daddy’s pocketbook,” Nick grins. “Pays to be the mayor’s son.”

I shake my head in amazement. “I wonder how long before he wrecks this one.”

“He’s taking better care of it than his Stetson. Talks dirty to it and everything.”

I laugh. “Shit, I gotta see this.” I grab my baseball duffel and jam some schoolbooks inside, fol! lowing Nick.

Sure enough, there’s a sparkling silver luxury SUV waiting in the parking lot. Upon our arrival, the horn honks and the passenger window rolls down.

“Check this son of a bitch out!” Michael hoots, rapping the door smartly.

I hear Kyle’s voice inside say, “Watch the exterior! You washed your hands lately, Parker?”

“Shove it, Valenti. Dude, this thing has a DVD player and everything!”

“Hey, now you can watch porn and drive, Kyle,” Nick snickers, hauling himself inside the vehicle. “Your two favorite things.”

“Not anymore,” Kyle smirks, sliding a pair of sport sunglasses on his nose. “I get all the loving I need from your cousin.”

Nick’s mouth snaps shut and Michael and I start laughing.

“Very nice, Kyle,” I murmur in admiration, checking out the cream leather interior. “Gotta love that new car smell.”

“Well, with Mike in here, it won’t last long,” Nick pipes u! p.

“Watch it, Gannon, or we might take the long way in picking up your girlfriend.”

“Tess would kick your ass to Kingdom Come if you’re a second late,” Nick points out.

“He’s so right, man,” Kyle agrees.

Michael leans back in the chair, folding his arms across his chest. “She’s been hanging out with Liz too damn much.”

“Don’t say the L word, Max gets all dopey.”

I scowl at Nick as the three guys start laughing. Hey, I’m not that bad! Okay… so maybe I was grinning. Maybe it looked a little… dopey.

Ah, hell. “Shut up, guys.”

We pull up in front of Tess Harding’s house, and she lets out a long whistle while sashaying towards the car.

“Nice car, Buddha Boy. I definitely approve,” she grins, tossing her blonde curls as she sits next to Nick. He immediately attacks her neck, making her giggle as she half-heartedly attempts to push him away.

“That’s gonna make me lose my breakfast,” Mike complains, mockin! gly holding his hands over his stomach.

“Don’t look back here, then,” Nick mutters between kisses.

“I don’t have to look, I can hear you for God’s sake. You sound like you’re drinking a Slurpy.”

“Eat me, Parker.”

Before Mike can reply, Kyle squeals, in a very feminine way I might add, and turns up the radio. “I love this song!”

Nick is the second to recognize the tune, and he starts rolling his head in a move reminiscent of The Snake. “Bust it!”

Mike starts beating the dashboard like a set of drums, and I sing along with them all.

"This here's a jam for all the fellas, try to do what those ladies tell us,
Get shot down cuz you're over zealous.
Play hard to get, females get jealous.
Ok, smarty, go to a party.
Girls are scantily clad and showin' body,
A chick walks by, ya wish ya could sex her,
But she's in another world like you! was poindexter.
Next day's function, high class luncheon.
Food is served, and you're stone cold munchin'.
Music comes on, people start to dance,
But then you ate so much you nearly split your pants.
A girl starts walkin', guys start gawkin',
Sits down next to you and starts talkin'.
Says she wanna dance cuz she likes to groove,
So come on, fatso, and just bust a move.. "

As the female backup comes on, we all do our various car dancing, while Tess looks on with a mixture of horror and amusement.

“This is so terribly sad,” she shakes her head. “I can’t believe I’m the car with a bunch of extremely good-looking males… and you’re all singing to Bust A Move.”

“Don’t knock it ‘till ya try it, babe,” Nick sings, doing an admirable version of the Cabbage Patch.

“I can’t believe I’m dating you,” she says, but laughs as Nick pretends to faint in her lap, moving his head around w! hile singing to her.

My cell begins to ring, and Kyle turns the music down as I check the ID. Sure enough, a dopey smile appears.

I answer it. “Hey, baby. I missed you last night.”

Mike groans and covers his ears while Kyle blows a kiss to Nick. He pretends to catch it and cradle it to his heart.

“I missed you, too,” Liz answers. “Long night?”

“Yeah, sorry about not calling,” I switch the phone to the other ear, “I passed out when I got home. I dreamed about you though.”

She giggles at my teasing tone. “Oh, really… do tell.”

“Not here,” I murmur, ignoring the snickers and groans from inside the car. “I’m with a bunch of unromantic shmucks.”

“Hey!” Tess cries out in indignation.

“Tell Tess I said hi,” she says, and I hear the sound of a horn from over the line.

“I will, where are you?” I question.

“On the way to school. College fair day.”

“Oh, ri! ght.” A slightly sick feeling hits my stomach. “Harvard better watch out, huh?”

“At this point, I’d settle for UNM,” she sighs. “I’m just so ready for it all to be over. The suspense is killing me.”

“You’ll get in,” I state loyally, pushing aside my own fears. “They’d have to be blind to pass you over. You’re valedictorion this year.”

“Which means diddly when you look at the curve.”

I can hear the nervousness in her tone, and a pang of guilt slices through me. “Wanna hook up this afternoon? You can come to practice and drive me home,” I wheedle teasingly, hoping to get her mind on a different topic.

She laughs. “And get the chance to watch you in action,” she breathes in a seductive voice. “Oh, I’ll be there. But I need to go now. I just wanted to… hear your voice, I guess. I’m so nervous.”

I swallow back a lump of love. “I love you.”

“I love you, too. See you later?”

“Definitely.”

We hang up and I turn to star! e out the window, thoughts consuming my mind.

What if she does get into Harvard? She’ll leave… and you’ll still be here.

“Hey, you all right, man?” Nick asks quietly, noting my forlorn expression.

Nick can be a joker at times, a pain in the ass at others. But one thing is certain: He’s a damn good friend.

I shrug my shoulders, avoiding his gaze. “Sure, I’m just tired.”

He doesn’t buy it, but refrains from pushing any further.

“Did Lizzie tell you about that College thing she’s got herself all wacked out over?” Michael questions from the front seat. “I swear, she’s been driving our parent’s crazy the last week or so.”

“Yeah, she mentioned it,” I say vaguely.

“She’ll get in, no question,” Kyle says proudly, and Mike nods in agreement.

That’s what I’m afraid of.

 

Part Two - Shakin' Things Up


“The Sparta state was a fascist state similar in many respects to apartheid South Africa. Macedonia was a monarchy…”

The guy next to me starts snoring during the professor’s monologue on The Bronze Age. Several snickers sound throughout the classroom.

I exchange a glance with Tess, who rolls her eyes and begins taking notes again. Sometimes I think we’re the only two who actually enjoy our Ancient Greek Civ course.

But today I just can’t seem to concentrate on anything.

I tap my pencil against my leg, narrowing my eyes as I attempt to focus on Professor Jasper. Just as I’m jotting down some information on The Iliad, my cell phone begins vibrating against my pocket.

I quickly yank it out, careful to be discreet, and glance at the incoming text.

“I love you. I mi! ss you. I want you.”

A grin stretches across my face. I look around, and see everyone else paying attention or staring at the walls in boredom.

I rapidly key in a response.

“What are you wearing?”

I wait a few minutes before I get a response.

“Wouldn’t you like to know…”

Oh, hell yes I would. Biting my lip, I imagine her naked and stretched out in my bed, preferably beneath me. I begin to grow hard.

“I’d like to lick you on your-“

“Max, you ready to go?”

I glance up at Tess, a guilty red flush on my cheeks. “Uh… sure.” Ahem. I tuck the phone in my pocket and grab my duffle, arranging it in front of my lap so as not to disturb anyone on the way out.

We meet up with Nick for lunch, and decide to drive out to a nearby Italian pizzeria. Nick gre! ets the owner like an old friend, and starts speaking in his “version” of Italian, which basically consists of various phrases from The Godfather.

We grab a corner booth and I take a deep breath of the fragrant aroma. “Half-pepperoni, half-mushroom?” I ask, naming our usual fix.

Tess nods, but Nick appears to ponder the question seriously.

“Let’s shake things up a bit,” he says brightly.

Tess and I groan. Whenever Nick feels like shaking things up, someone either ends up in Intensive Care, or a fight breaks out.

“Baby, let’s just get the usual,” Tess tries to mollify him, and I vehemently nod my agreement.

Nick pouts. “I want to try something new.”

The waiter walks up. “You guys ready to order?”

I open my mouth to speak, but Nick cuts me off.

“What’s this garlic-herb pizza thing?”

The waiter explains the gourmet ingredients,! and even I have to admit they sound pretty damn good. So in the end, we allow Nick to order.

“I missed you,” Nick murmurs, nuzzling Tess’s neck as he nips her slightly on the underside of her jaw.

“I can tell,” Tess responds quietly, and I cringe knowing exactly how she can tell.

It never ceases to amaze me how comfortable I am with Tess now that she’s given up any idea of the two of us being together.

There’s no awkwardness between the two of us anymore, and I credit it to the fact that we refrained from ever being intimate. Aside from a few heated making out sessions, we never really had the spark that she and Nick do. Or Liz and I.

Nick is rubbing her hair between his fingers and gazing at her with the same love-struck expression I know is on my face whenever I look at Liz, when our pizza arrives.

“Wow, this actually looks good,” I say, breathing in the spicy scent of garlic.

“Did you ! ever doubt me?” Nick asks smugly.

I raise a brow. “How about the time you decided to make banana’s flambé at the bar?”

He colors slightly, looking away. “How was I supposed to know you couldn’t use lighter fluid? Or that the Fire Marshall would be there that night? Or that Michael’s hair would-“

“Uh huh,” I interrupt. “And the time you wanted us all to dress in drag because it was free beer night at that gay club?”

“That wasn’t my fault!” he claims. “How was I supposed to know I’d look so damn fine as a girl?”

Tess giggles.


***



As I suit up for practice, my thoughts once again turn towards Liz.

As happy as I am about seeing her, the fear that she might come bearing news of her acceptance to Harvard weighs heavily upon me.

It isn’t that I’m not proud of her, or that I wish her not to have her dream come true. I guess I just wish she was even a little hesitant to leave me.

Maybe it makes me selfish, but I hate how excited she is about moving to Boston. Her parents are already talking apartments and in the meantime, I’m thinking of all the blonde Ivy League bastards who are going to take one look at her gorgeous face and fall head over heels in love.

How long is she going to want to be in a long distance relationship with a bartender from New Mexico when she’s constantly around the créme of the university crowd?

Deep inside I know I’m being ridiculous and overreacting, but that doesn’t stop the cold sweat at the idea of her le! aving.

I pull my jersey and pants on, lacing my cleats, then head for the field. Some of the team is already out, joking around as they toss balls around. I nod to a few of the other starting lineup, stretching as I attempt to loosen my pitching arm. I spot Kyle over by the dugout, dozing with a few other players.

“Max!”

The sound of her voice sends my head spinning around. I see her walking across the field, brown hair whipping in the light breeze. She’s wearing a pair of khaki cargo shorts and a tank top, white sneakers with no socks.

God, she’s beautiful.

I notice a few of the guys checking out the long length of her legs and make a point of wrapping my arms possessively around her as she walks up.

“Hey you,” she breathes, meeting my lips. “Mm… I’ve needed that all day.”

My hands lace low on her back, bringing her closer to my starving body. “I need you to tell me you have the night off, so I can say your place or mine.”

She giggles at my desperate tone. “I know… things have been crazy lately, haven’t they?” She sighs and rests her head against my chest, a pleasant purring sound escaping her lips as I continue to rub her back.

Crazy doesn’t begin to describe it. I haven’t had Liz to myself in over two weeks, thanks to conflicting schedules and school starting back up after Spring Break.

“I need to be with you,” I nip at her lobe, “I need to sate myself on you… please…”

Her breathing kicks, and she moans lightly. “I… need that, too.”

“Your place or mine?” I smile against her lips, and she giggles.

“Yours, Michael and Maria are staying at the house.”

“Your parents are gone again?” I ask, noting the team forming up across the field.

“Another restaurant convention,” she says lightly. “You better hurry, we’ll talk later. I have news.”

My heart immediately stops. “N…news? About Harvard?” I ask in trepidation, although I cover! it with a bright smile.

“Evans! On the field! Playtime later,” the head coach calls and I receive a few good-natured ribs from team members.

Liz catches my lips quickly, then gives me a light push. “Later,” she promises, then winks as she heads to the nearby bleachers.

Well, great. Now I know my concentration will be shot all to hell.


***


“Liz! Oh, God!”

“Max!”

I shove her gently against the wall and continue thrusting inside her, our half-naked bodies slick with the sweat of the frantic.

She immediately begins to come, arching her throat as she moans long and low. I stare at her, teeth clenched as my own orgasm spills over.

We collapse into a heap on the floor, and begin to laugh.

“For Christ’s sake, I’m still wearing my cleats,” I say in bemusement, running a hand down her tangled hair. “Sorry about that.”

“Why? I attacked you,” she purrs, rubbing my calves. “I have missed you so much the last few days.”

“I’m sweaty,” I murmur in apology, pulling away slightly lest she pass out from the odors I just know are permeating my entire body.

“I like you sweaty,” she answers. “Watching you pitch… wow. I! wish I could join the baseball team just so I could watch you throw those balls.”

“Anytime you feel like playing with balls, I’m your man,” I quip jokingly. “Seriously, though… let’s grab a shower.”

“Good idea.”

We take turns lathering each other up, laughing as our wet bodies slip and slide against each other. Of course, that only ignites the flame, and pretty soon I have her pinned to the shower wall.

“Max… please…” she murmurs, clasping my jutting hardness to enter her.

I still her hand, breathing heavily. “I want to take you in a bed this time.”

She looks ready to argue, face flushed from the steam and the heat of passion. Then she nods. “Okay.”

We quickly dry off and minutes later, I find myself in the enviable position of licking a trail down her tight stomach.

“Max!” she keens, arching her back as I nip at her hip. Her fingers clench around the sheets as she tosses her he! ad. “Oh…”

I roughly spread her legs further apart, gazing at the wet pink flesh. With a trembling finger, I trace her cleft, delighting in the gasp of anticipation that escapes her lips.

Lowering my head, I lightly touch my tongue to her center, then the force of my hunger overwhelms me and I begin lapping in earnest.

Her hands move into my hair, and dazedly I wonder if she’s going to leave me bald as she grips me tightly. I suckle her clit, and she jerks, climaxing against my face as I slide two fingers inside her damp heat.

As her orgasm begins to subside, I slide up her body, staring down at her with hooded eyes and slip inside her welcoming body.

Her eyes go soft and she purrs deep in her throat, wrapping her legs around my middle. “I love you so much…” she whispers against my throat, kissing and nibbling my neck.

“I love you, too,” I answer, desperation filling me as I drive into her. “Don’t leave me…”

She doesn’t answer as! I lose myself, simply makes soothing noises as I continue to shake and shudder. Afterwards, she says in a quiet tone, “We need to talk.”

I immediately stiffen at the words no man in love ever wants to hear. “Okay…”

She stares at me as I sit up and turn my back on her. Her fingers brush my rigid spine. “Max… look at me.”

I close my eyes, already knowing what she’s going to say. I turn to meet her eyes.

“I got accepted to Harvard. I start this fall.”

And my world collapses.

 

Part 3 - Nice Moves



“Max, did you hear me?”

I just stare at her, my thoughts too tumultuous to try to form a sentence.

She sighs and sits up, wrapping her arms around my middle. “I won’t go if you don’t want me to.”

That breaks through my daze, and a wave of guilt and self-loathing washes over me. “What are you talking about?” I croak out, forcing her chin up. “Of course I want you to go.”

She raises a brow and I wince, knowing just how insincere my statement sounded.

“Liz, this is something you’ve waited for your entire life,” I try again, stroking her arm. “I… I’m not going to stand in the way of that.”

“But you aren’t,” she says earnestly, catching my hand and bringing it to her lips. “Max, plans change. I just want to be with you. Harvard and everything else is second best t! o me.”

Could I feel any worse, hearing her words and knowing that I would love to stand back and allow her to give up all her dreams… for me?

“Maybe I could find a good science program at UNM,” she shrugs, nuzzling my hand as I sit in silence. “Albuquerque isn’t too far away.”

“No, Liz…” I whisper, pulling her close, “I won’t let you do this. You’re going to Boston, okay? You’re going to become the leading microbiologist and I’m going to tell everyone I know how proud I am of my intelligent, gorgeous girlfriend.”

“But, Max-“

I cut her off with a gentle kiss. “Of course I’ll miss you, baby,” I murmur honestly, brushing back a strand of hair from her cheek. “But I’ll be right here waiting whenever you get back.”

Tears form in her deep brown eyes, and she crushes herself against me. I bury my face in her hair, swallowing against the salty lump in my throat.

“I just don’t want… anything to happen to us,” she admits in a small voice, and I inhale sharply.

“Nothing will,” I pull her back once again to meet her eyes. “Do you hear me, Liz Parker? No matter how many rowing, ivy-eating guys you meet, I’m coming for you.”

She laughs at that. “What about all the other girls here? How are you going to resist their charms?”

“What other girls?” I whisper, kissing a trail down her neck. She moans lightly, tilting her head to give me better access. “I’m blind to anyone but you.”

“Good.”

We fall back against the sheets, lips roaming and hands searching. Our lovemaking happens at a much slower tempo, consisting of gentle sighs and moans as I slip inside her.


***


Later on, I drive her back to her house. Alex’s VW is in the driveway, along with Maria’s fiery red Jetta.

Liz squeals and jumps from the car. “Alex is back!”

She grabs my hand and drags me to the front door, throwing it open. “Where is he?”

“Nice to see you, too, Lizzie,” Michael smirks from his perch in front of the television. The telltale sounds of Braveheart reach my ears and I clear my throat before glancing at Liz.

“Uh, I’m just gonna go…” I incline my head slightly towards the living room, and she rolls her eyes.

“For God’s sake, go watch your movie.”

I smile sheepishly, place a quick kiss on her lips, and make my way over to Michael. I pass Maria and Isabel in the kitchen along the way, and they smile in greeting.

“What are you ladies making?” I sniff the fragrant air.

“It’s Alex’s welcome home dinner,” my sister answers matter-of-f! actly, continuing to roll hamburger patties.

“Someone say my name?” Alex pops in, Liz attached to him like a remora fish. She’s grinning at him and he has one arm slung casually across her shoulders.

“You are never leaving again, Alexander Charles Whitman,” she proclaims with a poke in his side, “and subjecting me to that torture otherwise known as PE all by myself!”

“Aw, did they play dodgeball while I was gone?” he pouts, then his eyes turn to Isabel. His entire face lights up and he squeezes Liz affectionately before walking across the room to greet his girlfriend.

“I missed you,” he murmurs, hugging her tightly. Isabel looks like she’s on top of the world as he kisses her gently on the lips.

“Enough of that!” Maria breaks in, sidling her way up to Alex. “Where’s my lovin’, Al?”

“Plenty to go around,” he teases, pecking Maria on the cheek, Isabel still firmly in his arms. “God, it’s good to ! be home.”

“How was Greece?” I ask, sneaking a bit of cheese.

“Hot,” he sighs, and I notice that he’s about three shades darker than normal. His ears are slightly burned at the tips. “I now know why toga’s became so popular. I almost had to ditch it all and find a nude beach."

I choke on the cheese, unsure if he’s teasing or not.

The doorbell rings, and I hear loud voices coming from the living room.

“The calvary’s here,” Maria sings, then bounces away to greet Nick, Kyle, Serena and Tess.

“Nice to have you back, buddy,” I clap Alex on the back before walking into the living room. I sit onto the couch next to Michael, and immediately find myself engrossed in a fierce television battle.

“I can’t stay long,” I hear Nick saying, “I promised Joe I’d help him close tonight.”

Liz, Isabel and Maria immediately begin begging him to stay.

“Nick, I haven’t seen you all week!” Maria pouts. “I’m going through withdrawals.”

Michael grunts beside me, and I get the feeling he isn’t so blind to the television as I thought. “Gannon, your hands better be where I can see them.”

“Kinda hard, what with you staring at the television,” he quips back, walking into the living room. “Broadening your horizon’s, Mike? No… wait… that’s Braveheart. Again.”

“This is the part where you see that guy’s brains splatter against the camera.”

“Cool.” He flops down next to us, kicking his feet up on the coffeetable.

“Mar, grab me a drink!” Michael calls.

“Get off your ass, Mikey!”

“Babe, it’s Braveheart,” he whines.

Maria growls and throws a coke can at his head. “There you go, babe.”

Nick snickers. “You sure have a way with women, Parker.”

“Suck my-“

“Hey, gorgeous,” Nick purrs as Tess walks by, grabbing her arm a! nd pulling her into his lap.

“You want a drink, don’t you?” Tess cocks a brow.

“You know what I want.”

“Yeah, a beer!”

“Damn, you’re good,” Nick grins. “Which is why I love you.”

Tess snorts, but places a kiss on his lips and stands to get him a drink. Nick smirks at Michael, brushing his hands together.

“Just takes a little finesse, that’s all.”

“Finesse this,” Michael scratches his brow on the premise of flipping Nick off.

“Children, children…” Kyle claps his hands together as he approaches the sofa. “Don’t make me send you to time out.”

Just then, another fight scene breaks out onscreen, and we all fold our arms and tilt our heads in unison.

“This movie just gets better and better, every time you watch it,” Michael says in awe.

“Hey, guys, what are you… ew! Is that brains?” Serena gasps. “It looks like ground! up beef!”

“Who’s up for some burgers?” Isabel calls, and we all exchange queasy expressions.

“I’ll pass,” Nick says quickly, and the rest of us follow suit. “Do we have any salad?”


***



The next morning I find myself passed out on Nick and Serena’s couch, my face pressed into the cushions.

I lift my head and blink, trying to recall exactly when the night before ended.

I remember Kyle and Michael starting up a Buffy drinking game, where you take a sip every time you see Sarah Michelle Gellar’s bra strap.

Needless to say, we were all pretty plastered after half an episode.

I have vague memories of Nick carrying around one of Alex’s guitars and singing to My Biznitch is the Shiznit, and begging for handout’s because he was a struggling musician.

And I’m pretty sure I recall Serena shoving us into her car and driving us to Nick’s sometime around two AM. I need to remember to thank her. After I can find my tongue again.

I sit up and am immediately hit with the urgent need to relieve myself. Thanks to the Riverdance competition currently going on in my head, I fumble my way around the apartment until I find a door. Any door.

Pushing it open, someone screams and I wince, holding my head as my vision clears.

I see Nick, buck naked and holding one of Tess’s legs up and around his neck. He quickly pulls the comforter over her and raises his brows at me.

“Oh, my God! I’m blind!” I cover my eyes, quickly turning around. “I, uh… I never saw a thing. I’m gonna go… throw up now.”

I walk out, feeling my way down the hallway until I reach what I pray is the bathroom. Closing my eyes, I open the door. Hearing no female screams, I tentatively open one eye.

At the sight of the Porcelain God, I’m ready to genuflect and sing the Hallelujah Chorus. I yank my zipper down and place a supporting arm against the wall.

A minute later, and I’m ready to begin the trek all over again.

I manage to find my way back to the living ro! om, and climb under the blanket. Before I can fall asleep, I hear a door open, and Nick walks out, in a pair of boxers and face flushed.

He flops onto the recliner, adjusting the half-erection still in his shorts.

We stare at the television for a few minutes, neither of us really speaking.

Then I say, “So…”

“So…”

“Uh… nice moves in there,” I mumble, my eyes glued to the blank screen.

“Oh, right. Thanks,” he clears his throat. “You didn’t happen to see…”

“No,” I lie quickly, then add, “And I don’t want to talk about it.”

“Fair enough,” he responds just as quickly.

We both clear our throat and continue staring at the television.

“So… you wanna watch tv?” he asks, reaching for the remote.

“Yes, yes I do.”

Spongebob appears on the screen, and we watch it for a few minutes, before he glances at me.

“Just to let you know, it was a weird angle and it may have looked kinda small…”
“Nick! Let’s not discuss it.”

“I’m just sayin’,” he humphs. “Prude.”

 

 

Part 4 - Still a Tease...


“Prepare to taste the bitter flavor of defeat, Evans.”

“Get real, Gannon, prepare to kiss my ass because that’s all you’re gonna see when you’re on the floor crying your eyes out like a baby.”

“Yeah, well, bend over.” Nick then lets out a hoot of triumph, leaning to the side as he plows away at the controller in his hands. “Oh yeah… oh yeah… take that, you bastard.”

I groan as my tank gets shot down, glaring at his profile. “You cheated. I don’t know how, but you did.”

He blows on his nails, buffing them against his shirt before shooting me a cocky grin. “I am the Master of the Playstation. The King of the Video Game. The Emperor of –“

“Yeah, yeah, I get it,” I snap in annoyance, tossing my controller on the floor as I sulk. “! You won’t be so lucky next time.”

“Name the time and place, Maxie boy,” he murmurs, momentarily distracted as Tess walks into the living room, wearing a knee-length shirt that belongs to Nick. “Hey, hey… pull ova girl, that ass too fat!”

“I need coffee,” Tess moans, smacking Nick’s blonde head as she walks by. “Tell me you two weren’t just playing video games this whole time, and that there is a fresh pot in the kitchen.”

“How good is your imagination?” Nick asks hopefully, then cowers under Tess’s sleepy, one-eyed glare. “Right. I’ll uh… I’ll be right back.”

“Whipped,” I clear my throat, snickering as Nick turns behind Tess’s back and mimics jerking it, flipping me off afterwards.

“Yeah well, Liz wants you to call her,” Tess smiles a little too sweetly. “Something about… you passing out in the middle of a conversation about Harvard…?”

I wince theatrically. “Oh… were we talking about that again? M! y bad.”

She raises a knowing brow. “Uh huh. Well… better hop to it, Max. She was ready to come storming over here this morning.”

As if on cue, the doorbell rings.

“I’ll get it!” Nick comes running through the living room like his ass is on fire. “I love company… it’s like a little surprise party every time you open the door.”

Tess and I exchange a look, then roll our eyes.

Nick throws open the door, bathing his naked torso in golden sunlight. “Well, well… hellooo gorgeous. Come to join my harem?”

“Where is he?” I hear Liz’s voice sound, and I cringe at the hint of irritation on her voice. “And don’t even think about hiding, Max Evans! I know you’re in there!”

I guiltily freeze in my trek towards Nick’s room. Nick and Tess turn around and I shrug my shoulders. “Uh… coming, babe,” I call in a bright voice, swallowing as I turn and trudge towards the front door where Nick stands smirking at! me.

He stealthily makes the whipping motion with his hand, and I accidentally knock him into the wall as I walk past. I see Liz standing there, tapping the porch with her foot as she glares at me. “Hi, sweetheart.”

“Don’t you sweetheart me, Max,” she shakes her head, and the brown tendrils fly about in the light morning breeze. I trail my eyes down her skimpy pink tank and the low-slung jeans hugging her hips. Without meaning to, I lick my lips. “Don’t even think about it,” she growls, but I detect the breathless hint in her tone.

I look up and meet her eyes with a sexy smile. “How do you know what I’m thinking… unless you’re thinking it, too?” I murmur in a low voice, because I just know Tess and Nick are standing there eavesdropping shamelessly.

Liz groans and shoves me inside, slamming ! the door behind her. She points a finger at me, then down the hall. “You, Nick’s room, now.” She turns to Nick. “You, stop smiling and make something to eat, I’m starving. Tess, you can sit down.”

“Why does Tess get to sit down?” Nick whines. “This is my apartment.”

“Yeah, so make some friggin food,” Liz snaps over her shoulder, dragging me down the hall. “And it isn’t just your apartment, Serena lives here too!”

“I was here first,” Nick mutters, but obligingly walks into the kitchen. “Don’t blame me if you end up with food poisoning!”

“Come on, honey… think of how many times you’ve watched The Iron Chef on The Food Network. It’s just like that,” Tess snickers, propping her feet up as she gets comfortable in the chair that Nick vacated moments ago.

I miss Nick’s retort as Liz shuts the door to his room. I stand there, watching her as she turns to me. “So…”

! “What do you have to say for yourself, Max?” she asks, raising a brow. “You got completely plastered last night, ran around acting like an idiot, and didn’t even have the courtesy to-“

I cut her off, pulling her into my arms as I capture her lips with mine. “Let’s discuss this later,” I murmur huskily, already unsnapping her jeans. “God… you look sexy when you’re angry.”

She moans as I lick the shell of her ear, and clings to me as we fall onto the bed. “Fine… but we will be discussing this later.” She kisses my chest, already bared by our fervant haste.

“Oh yeah… definitely…” I answer, shoving down my pants and pulling her against me to slide inside her silky depths. “Ah… “ I curse at the feel of her clamping around me. “Oh, yeah…”

“Nick is gonna be so pissed,” she whispers, brown eyes alight with mischief as she pushes me back to l! ay on top of me. She plants her hands on my chest, rising and falling as we both gasp and moan.

“Fuck that, I saw him and Tess doing the wild thing earlier,” I answer, bringing my hands up to settle on her hips, hissing as she grinds against me, riding me like a sultry gypsy. I can almost smell the smoke and incense as I focuse on her lush lips and velvet eyes.

“Hmm… is that why you’re so… eager this morning?” she giggles, lifting up to sink down on me. “You and Nick always have to outdo each other.”

“Please, I’m not in competition with Gannon,” I smirk, biting my lip as she reaches behind to cup my sack. “Besides… why are we talking about him, when we could be doing this…”

Her only response is, “Oh… Max…”

“I saw Nick do that,” I admit, after we both come hard and fast. We both look at each other, then start cracking up.
We quickly clean up, and make our way back into the living room where Tess is watching an episode of The View.

“How many animals do you think died to make Star Jones’s dress?” she asks, catching sight of us. “I love the woman… but her fashion statements make me wanna run and hide all forms of wildlife.”

“Who the hell is Star Jones?” I ask, scratching my head in confusion. Liz and Tess just exchange a telling feminine gaze and roll their eyes. “What? I don’t watch The View. Michael does.”

“Okay guys, I know I’m no Chef Boyardee… but make do, all right?” Nick says, walking in with a big platter of… peanut butter and jelly sandwiches.

“I can tell you put such effort into this,” Liz smirks, lifting a slice of bread and seeing a happy face drawn in jam. “Wow… very artistic.”

I lift mine, and see the words U Suk. I lift a brow towards Nick, who simply smiles back. ! “Wow… and you can spell, too.”

“Who wants coffee?” he answers like a good little host, handing out steaming mugs of caffeine.

We all take a sip, then make similar faces of revulsion. Nick simply grins behind his own cup.

“Shittles, taste the rainbow.”


***


I glance over at Liz as she drives us back to my house. She’s singing softly to Tori Amos on the radio, a pair of sunglasses on her nose. Her hair is stuffed into a battered Orioles fielder cap, making me smile at how adorably sexy she always looks.

She glances over at me and catches the soft amusement on my face. “What?” she smiles, turning onto Murray Lane.

I reach over and pluck a wayward lock from under her cap, rubbing the silky strands between my fingers. “Just thinking about how cute you are,” I say honestly, smiling widely as she frowns.

“Cute?” she mock growls. “Oh, that’s reassuring.”

“Yes, cute,” I repeat. “And sexy and beautiful… but definitely cute. You, Liz Parker, are cute as a button.”

She flashes me a very uncute expression. “Word of advice… girls don’t like to be called cute. It puts us in the same category with puppies and ducks…”

“And buttons?” I add helpfully, snickering as she sticks her tongue out at me. “God, I love you. I’m sorry if I was an ass last night.”

She sighs, parking her tiny Civic in my driveway. “You weren’t… in fact, you were actually very happy. Running around playing Pirate Lord with Nick and Michael… very cute.”

I feel a very unmasculine flush heating my face. “Pirate Lord? You’re kidding me…”

“Oh, no boyfriend,” she chuckles maniacally. “You and Nick threatened to kidnap Tess and I and turn us into your serving wenches. I think you even said, shiver me timbers once or twice.”

“Shut up,” I blush furiously. “Wow… that’s… embarrassing.”

She sobers. “Then you completely passed out after saying something about following me to Boston…?”

I glance over at h! er, and see the banked curiosity in her eyes. “What?”

“You tell me,” she says gently. “Is that what you want, Max? To come to Boston with me?” Her expression is earnest and inquisitive.

I look away, feeling my heart clench. “You know I can’t,” I say quietly. “Liz… my life is here… in Roswell. I’m so proud of you, believe that… but it isn’t the same for me. I don’t feel the need to leave… I love it here.”

“I love it, too,” she says in a troubled voice, but she doesn’t sound completely convinced. “Max, haven’t you ever wanted to… get out? Just to see what it’s like out there?”

I meet her gaze. “I have, baby,” I remind her gently, referring to the summers Michael and I spent roaming the country when we first graduated high school. “Roswell is home for me.”

“How did you know,” she says, blinking back tears as she turns to face the windshield.

I smile. “That’s easy. Because you were here… and I knew ! I could never be anywhere else.”

She turns to look at me, lashes spiked against her lids. “Really?” she whispers in a soft, feminine tone that sends my pulse racing even as my heart swells.

I lean over and our lips meet. “Yes. You know how I’ve felt for you all these years,” I teasingly pinch her side, determined to bring this conversation back around to a lighter tone.

She snorts, nuzzling my cheek. “You did a good enough job of hiding it. Bringing all those girls over to the house…”

I tug on her ponytail. “Hey, as far as I was concerned… you were jailbait, remember? And don’t act so innocent… you brought your fair share of guys around my house… I don’t know how many times I wanted to punch Kyle in the face while you two were dating.”

She giggles lightly, resting her head on my shoulder. “You aren’t still mad about that time you caught us making out in the den, are you?”

“Are you kidding? It’s ! forever implanted in my brain,” I frown. “Here I was, coming home after a long week of school… prepared to suffer through the torment of unrequited love… and there you and Valenti are, sucking face on my living room couch.”

“You did kind of flip out,” she reminds me. “I ended up crying when you yelled at us, and Kyle took me home. I think we broke up the next week. I felt so ashamed that you thought I was… a slut or something.”

I bring her chin up, and place another kiss on her lips. “I was jealous as hell, but you already know this.”

“Now!”

“And let’s not forget how you’d always prance around in those short shorts whenever I was around the house. I don’t know how many times I ended up taking a cold shower when I stayed over at your house,” I growl, the memory giving me a boner. “Michael still thinks I have a weird obsession with hygiene.”

“I was hoping you’d noti! ce,” she sighs playfully. “Oh, my God… remember the french maid Halloween costume?” she bursts out laughing.

“It’s only a continuing fantasy of mine,” I admit sheepishly. “I still can’t believe your parents let you go out of the house like that… you were what, fifteen? And you had the most gorgeous pair of-“

“I was sixteen,” she breaks in with an endearing flush. “And they didn’t exactly know. Maria and I snuck out the window and Kyle picked us up to take us to the party. We both wanted to impress you and Michael so badly. Maria was Marilyn Monroe, and I was-“

“Bernadette, the naughty foreign servant?” I wink at her, laughing when she smacks me on the arm. “Don’t worry… I was impressed. I kept waiting to see if I could get a glimpse of your panties underneath that tiny lace skirt thingy. You can imagine my disappointment when there wasn’t a wind that night.”

“Oh, please… you spent all night dancing with Brooke Stevens. I doubt you even noticed I was t! here,” she accuses.

“Which was exactly what I wanted you to think,” I counter. “And besides, I danced with you, didn’t I? I remember, because you smelled so damn good… and all I wanted to do was kiss you. A few more beers and I might have.”

“Yes, we danced… and you kept looking around like you were embarrassed to be seen with a lowly sophomore,” she says sarcastically. “I was crushed.”

“I was looking around for a place dark enough to take advantage of you,” I mock growl. “You were such a tease that night, at least I thought so. You kept licking your lips… God, you have no idea what it does to me when you do that.”

Said lips quirk into a sexy smile as her fingers slide across the bulge in my pants. “Oh, I think I do…” she purrs, and I swallow, looking around at the bright sunlight exposing us to everyone who passes by.

I tsk lightly, refusing to shake as she rakes her nails across my hardness. “Liz Parker, what would your momma say if she saw! you taking advantage of a poor, besotted fool in broad daylight?”

“I’ve got a better question… what would she say about the bite marks on my-“

I hush her, laughing against her lips as a car drives past, honking playfully at us. “Still a tease,” I murmur as we pull away. I run a finger down her cheek. “Can you come by the bar tonight? I’m closing with Nick all week.”

“Maybe I will, maybe I won’t,” she sings, placing another light kiss on my lips. “It’ll keep you guessing.” She flips her sunglasses back into place as I get out, standing against the driver side door.

“Thanks for the ride, gorgeous,” I purr, leaning down to capture her lips one last time. “And I’ll be seeing you later.” I flash her a knowing wink.

She rolls her eyes, but giggles girlishly before driving off with a wave.

 

 

Part 5 - Testosterone Overload


“You’re so full of it!”

“What? I’m telling you the truth, man.”

“Max, this guy is swimming in bullshit,” Aidan gestures across the bar to Nick while building a Guinness. “Have you been listening to this crap?”

“Do I ever listen to you guys?” I retort, wiping down my section of the bar as Slade pumps out over the loudspeakers. “It’s always a load of crap.”

“It’s always a load of crap,” Nick mimics, tossing back a glass of water. “I’m telling you guys, the King’s have a chance at the Cup. Maybe not this year, but next for sure.”

“Ottowa’s going take it this year, and next year, too,” Aidan shoots back, shaking his head. “You are so barking up the wrong NHL tree, my friend.”

“W! e’ll see,” Nick murmurs, eyeing the door as a group of college-aged girls enter the bar. “Yowza.”

I look over and raise an eyebrow at the attractive females scoping out the club, letting out a long whistle. “Damn.”

Aidan laughs. “You two better not let your women see you gawking, or else you might find your balls dangling from the rearview mirror.”

Nick and I both shift uncomfortably at the thought. “Tess knows I’d never touch,” Nick says, shrugging off the women’s lustful gazes as they approach the bar. “And Max has his own hands full trying to keep up with Liz.”

I take a moment to consider that comment. “Because it’s true, I’m not going to kick your ass.”

“Hello, ladies,” Aidan grins smoothly, his accented voice purring as the women pull up beside Nick. “Can we get you anything tonight?”

One of the women, a tall blonde, runs her gaze over Nick. “Maybe,” she purrs, running a nail down the bar next to his arm. “What’s your name?”

Nick laughs and shakes a finger in her face. “Sorry, sugar, this stallion’s already got a jockey holding the reins. Try the Irish bloke across the bar, but the other one… between you and me, he’s batting for the other team.” He makes a vague movement with his head, gesturing towards… me?

Oh, hell no.

“Really?” a pretty brunette pouts, eyeing me up and down. “That’s a shame.” She licks her over-ripe lips and tosses her head. “You don’t know what you’re missing,” she promises in a tone that tells me she’d love to show me.

Nick wiggles his brows, and I scowl at him. With a tight smile I mutter, “Sorry.”

“What is going on?”

Nick’s smile fades and he swivels around to see Tess and Liz glaring at us. The blonde sidles closer to his side, even as he tries to move away. “Oh… hey, sweetheart, we were just trying to get Aidan a date,” he says, pulling Tess i! nto his arms.

“Excuse me?” Aidan props an arm on the bar, tossing a rag across his shoulder. “Please tell me you’re kidding.”

The blonde who had been staring at Nick narrows her eyes on Tess. “Who are you?” she demands in a snappy tone.

Tess bristles, her forehead creasing as she glares back. “Who are you?” She elbows Nick in the ribs when he tries to snuggle her into his lap. “Let me go, you idiot! This is all your fault.”

“What did I do?” Nick looks amazed, releasing her as Tess spins around to glare at him.

“When don’t you do something?” she snaps, brushing back blonde curls. “And I’m his girlfriend, by the way,” she adds to the females looking on. “Or I was, anyway.”

“What?!” Nick demands, looking shocked. “What the hell does that mean?”

Tess’s lips quiver. “Figure ! it out, asshole!”

She stomps away, leaving a completely bewildered Nick behind. He glances at me and Aidan, avoids Liz’s disapproving glare, and hurries after Tess’s retreating figure.

“I need to speak with my boyfriend,” Liz says coolly, brushing past the women to meet my gaze head on.

“I thought he was gay?” one of the girls answers in confusion, leading Aidan into a coughing fit.

“Sorry… I’ll just be over… here,” he snorts, turning away as his shoulders shake. His twin brother Ben walks by and Aidan grabs him and soon the two are sending me evil glances of amusement.

“I’m not gay!” I call out, cursing Nick with my very soul. Liz just stares at me, and my eyes narrow as I glimpse a hint of amusement in her eyes, as well. “That’s it, I’m taking a break. Aidan! Get your ass over here!”

Ignoring the murmurs of the women, I grab Liz’s hand and yank her towar! ds the back room, muttering beneath my breath.

“Gay, huh?” she cocks a brow. “Honey, you’re not dumping me are you? Oh my God, is it Michael?” she gasps theatrically. “You can’t resist his grungy-oops-I-forgot-to-bathe style? Or maybe it’s Nick, he is a hottie-”

I shove her into the dark room, pushing her up against the wall. “Shut up.”

I claim her lips voraciously, and she giggles as I press the proof of my desire up against her.

“You better not be thinking of Kyle,” she says breathlessly, and I reach back and slap her on the ass lightly for her teasing. She sucks in a startled breath, and my pulse kicks up as I realized she enjoyed the light tap.

Before I can even wrap my mind around the repurcussions of this revelation, someone sneezes across the room.

We spin around, and the light switches on, revealing a disheveled Nick and Tess staring at us sheepis! hly.

“We gotta stop meeting like this,” Nick tsks, shaking his head at me.


***



“Max, what’s on your mind?” Joe pulls up a stool with his heel and sits down across from me a few hours later.

I quirk a brow, continuing to clean out glasses and stacking them on the shelves behind the bar. “Why do you ask?”

My boss simply shrugs, glancing around the club. “You’re frowning pretty hard over here, just thought I’d find out what’s bothering you.”

I glance up, meeting his dark blue gaze. I look over and see Liz laughing with Kyle by the DJ booth. After stacking the glass on the shelf, I turn back to Joe.

“Have you ever wanted something really bad, even though you know it’s completely selfish, and that if the person you want it for found out, it would really hurt her?”

Joe reaches over and picks up a handful of peanuts from a bowl on the bar, munching on them thoughtfully before answering. “Want to say that again in English?”

I sigh, leaning against the bar. “Liz got into Harvard! .”

“And you don’t want her to leave,” Joe surmises. “Have you talked to her about it? Or did you pull the typical I’m-so-happy-for-you speech while secretly hoping she’d change her mind and tell you she’d rather stay in Roswell with you and wait tables for the rest of her life?”

I frown at his blasé tone. “That’s not what I want.”

“Good,” he murmurs. “Then what do you want?”

“I…” I bite my lip in frustration, glancing back over at her. “I don’t know. I guess I want her to stay in New Mexico… but how can I ask her to do that when she’s dreamed about going to frickin’ Boston since she was a little girl?”

Joe raises a brow. “Why don’t you go with her? There are plenty of schools in Boston. Study there and be with Liz. Or is the real problem the fact that you want her to stay for you?”

I glare at him. “You make me s! ound like an ass.”

He simply grins, reaching over for more nuts.

“Everything I want is here,” I say, trying to make him understand. “I’ve never even thought about living anywhere else. But… if she leaves…”

He just stares back at me with sympathetic understanding. A strange light comes into his eyes. “You know… there was this girl I was crazy about, back when I was in my second year at UNM."

I raise an eyebrow. “Really?”

I must admit, the details of Joe’s past are pretty sketchy at best; the only person who knows anything but what’s on the surface is Nick. Joe just isn’t the type to talk about himself. So the fact that he’s bringing up anything leaves me extremely curious.

“Yeah, she was pre-med,” he continues, chewing contemplatively. “Great girl. I wonder what ever happened to her.”

I stare at him, waiting for him to continue. When he picks up another handful of nuts, I frown. “That’s it?”

He shrugs. “She left and went to California, I got over it.”

“Great story, Joe,” I mutter, picking up another dirty glass. “Thanks so much for sharing.”

“The point is, you can’t change her mind. If you try, she’ll only end up resenting you. You have to figure out what you want,” he says, sounding an awful lot like Mr. Miyagi from the Karate Kid. “In my case, it wasn’t worth following Kathleen to Stanford. And if I had left, I’d have never found Nick. God knows what would have happened to him.” He shakes his head, affection in his eyes.

I run the rag along the inside of the cloudy glass, silently musing over his words. “So you’re basically telling me to stop mooning over what I can’t change, and figure out what I can.”

“You got it,” he sla! ps a hand on the shiny mahagony, then stands. He takes a few steps, then throws over his shoulder. “Oh, and by the way… the stock room isn’t a hotel suite. You and Nick want to show your ladies a good time, take them out to dinner or buy them a freaking box of candy. I don’t want to have to worry about walking in on something that might make me age prematurely.”

I’m sure my face is flaming red at this point. “Uh… point taken.”

“Glad we had this talk,” he calls, heading over to bitch at Kyle who is attempting to sneak in a Tim McGraw CD. “Yo, Valenti! I hope that’s a coaster for your drink, or else you’ll be working OT this weekend.”

He looks up at Joe and quickly hides the case behind him, smiling guiltily. “I was just about to put in some Sabbath, Joe. No need to get huffy.”

I just grunt and shake my head at the typical banter. Turning back I see Liz and Nick dancing and apparently in the middle of a very intimate conversation.

My eyes narrow,! but I don’t feel worried about the way Nick’s hands are laced low on her back, his head tilted close to hers. As big a flirt as Nick is, I know he feels very strongly for Tess.

But that doesn’t stop me from glaring a warning at him as he looks up and meets my eyes. He winks in response, bending to dip Liz almost to the floor. She laughs and shakes her head at him.

Tess comes out from the bathroom and rolls her eyes as Nick grabs her arm as she passes by, pulling her into the dance. Then she starts laughing, grinding against his front as Liz ducks out.

“One crisis diverted,” she calls out over the blaring music. “I swear, Nick is going to get himself in real trouble one of these days.”

I quirk a brow. “It looks like he came out on top,” I incline my head to where Nick’s nibbling on Tess’s shoulder.

Liz rolls her eyes. “Nick’s such a flirt. He doesn’t even realize he’s doing it, and it doesn’t mean anything, but I think it really hurts Tess’s feelings.”

“He’s crazy about her, though,” I point out.

Liz laughs. “I know. Half the time he has this look of complete bafflement on his face when he looks at her. He doesn’t know what he’s doing, but at the same time he’s in too deep to care.”

“Reminds me of someone else I know,” I say teasingly, capturing her in a hot gaze. “You turn me inside out, Parker.”

She blushes prettily. “Oh, please. You knew exactly what you were doing when we got together.”

I stifle a laugh. “You have no idea how nervous I was. It’s hard for a guy to admit to himself he’s hopelessly hooked.”

“Hopelessly?” she arches a brow. “I make you feel hopeless, huh?”

“You make me feel lots of things, babe,” I answer cheekily, nodding at Ben as he walks by and tosses me a bottle of rum. “Hopeless is one of them. Hopelessly hard, for instance.”

“Keep talking like that, and I’m gonna have to wash your mout! h out,” she murmurs in a sultry voice. She looks down at her watch. “Damn, I really need to leave. Maria and I are going to Alburquerque in the morning, all day shopping spree."

“Sounds fun,” I wrinkle my nose distastefully. “I’m assuming our date is still on for tomorrow night?”

“Definitely,” she leans over and kisses me lightly. “Call me later.”

As she walks out, I have to keep from sighing my appreciation as her ass swings back and forth in the short-hemmed fringed skirt she’s wearing. “Damn,” I mutter, reaching down to adjust the suddenly tight fit of my jeans.

“You’re a lucky dog, Evans,” Ben says, eyeing Liz’s departure as well. “She’s a sweetheart.”

“Find your own girl, Gallagher.”

Nick walks up and playfully sniffs the air. “Hmm… I’m sensing testosterone overload in this vicinity right… here…” he motions with his hand towards the space in front of me. “Stop growling, buddy, everyone knows Liz has eyes only for you. Poor Ben he! re was simply admiring your obvious good taste.”

Ben rolls his eyes. “Remind me never to get in a serious relationship,” he mumbles, a faint trace of his native Ireland lilting his voice. “You two act like frigging ninnies.”

“You’re going to end up eating those words,” Nick nods solemnly. “Believe me. You just dug your own grave.”

“What the bloody hell is he talking about?” Ben looks at me.

I smirk. “Nick resides on his own plane of understanding. We pretend to understand him, or more often we just ignore him.”

“Suck me,” Nick sneers. “Sideways.”

“If that wasn’t so completely disgusting, I’d like to see it,” Ben snickers.

Nick and I glare at him, and he shrugs and walks off.

Part 6 - Early Dessert



“I’m bored.”

I grunt, rolling over on my back and scratching my bare chest as the sun seeps into my skin. The gentle lap of pool water reaches my ears, and I sigh in total relaxation.

“Did you guys hear me? I’m bored.”

“So go wack off in the poolhouse,” Michael snickers, and Kyle and Alex laugh with him at Nick’s expense.

Nick suddenly jumps up and starts plaintively singing to the heavens, arms stretched wide open. “I’m boooooreeed…. boooorrrriiinnggg!”

“Someone shut him up,” Kyle groans. “God, my ears are bleeding.”

“See, this is why we should never let the girls go away and leave us alone,” Alex adds wisely. “All we end up doing is sitting around the pool, or playing video games. Or watching Nick make a complete ass out of himself.”

“Hey!”
I wave a negligant hand. “He does that everyday.”

“For those comments, I’m not going to share my Chunky Monkey with you little people,” he sticks his nose in the air, reaching over to grab the melting carton of ice cream.

“You do whatever the hell you want with your monkey,” Michael answers blandly. “Just keep it the hell away from me.”

“Funny… I heard Maria tell you the same thing the other night,” Nick smiles innocently. We all crack up at Michael’s astounded expression.

Yeah, we’re typical guys. We laugh at dick and fart jokes, and over-exaggerate our sexual experiences.

We’re also completely comfortable with each other, and know that the others have our back in any situation.

“So, do you guys know of any good community colleges in Boston?” I say casually, prepared for the comical turning of heads and blinking that happens almost in unison.

Nick is the first to react. With a groan he collapses against the chaise, arm throw! n over his blue eyes. “Oh, Christ… another one bites the dust.”

“Boston?” Michael bellows, while Kyle and Alex just continue to stare at me like Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dum.

I shrug lightly, taking a sip of the Corona laying at my side. “I was just thinking of ways to be closer to Liz, that’s all. After all, I can’t be a bartender for the rest of my life.”

“I thought you were going to go to the police academy in June,” Nick says with a frown. “What happened to your criminal investigator courses?”

“I can still do that and be in Boston,” I mutter, rolling the bottle between my hands as I stare at the golden crown label. “What’s keeping me here, guys? Liz is leaving… maybe all of you will eventually. What’s so great about Roswell?”

No one answers for a moment, and I know they’re all asking themselves the same thing. The truth is, Roswell is just a small town in the middle of the desert. Even with all the lore that comes with it, it’s just a pla! ce.

It’s the people that make it a home. Friends and family. Even the annoying guy across the street who wakes up at five in the morning to mow his lawn in the middle of the summer.

But that’s why I love it. I love knowing I can walk down the street and I’ll know seven out of ten of the people I’ll see. I love the idea that my kids will someday walk the same halls I did when I was in school, play on the same sidewalks that my friends and I haunted.

Call me sentimental, but I’m just a small-town boy at heart. I don’t have anything against big cities, and I enjoy when tourists come to town and get that glazed look in their eyes when they realize most everything closes around ten pm.

The bar is one of the major hot spots for locals and tourists alike, so I spend most of my time hearing crazy stories from travelers. And the guys and I always take a huge road trip every summer.

“This place may be light years behind modern times, but it’s home,! ” Nick finally breaks the silence. “I don’t want to leave.”

A tiny smile lights my lips as the others all nod and murmur their agreements. It’s funny… Nick is the one of our group who would have gladly left Roswell given the first chance. But something about this place just ingraines itself into you.

Michael’s eyes narrow. “This sounds like Liz’s handiwork to me. Has she been bugging you about leaving with her?”

“No, but I can’t deny that her leaving has made me sit up and take notice,” I admit. “I mean really, I don’t want a long distance relationship. They all eventually burn out.”

“But you and Liz trust each other,” Kyle points out. “You shouldn’t worry on that front. And it’s only for a few years, she’ll be back.”

“A few years is like a lifetime,” Nick grunts, propping his head on his hands as he looks out over the water. I raise my brow, wondering what’s going on behind his cloudy gaze.

“I agree,” I say out loud. “And yes, we tr! ust each other, but it isn’t even that so much. What if she gets there and decides she likes the city? What if she decides she wants to stay in Boston, or wherever else her work takes her? I don’t want to be the factor that keeps her from pursuing her dreams. Joe said-“

“Joe?” Michael chortles, shaking his head. “I should have known he’d get up in this. He loves watching us squirm. What did he say?”

“He just told me I needed to figure out what I want. And he mentioned something about some girl he used to date, Kathleen or someone, and how she left for California.”

Nick straightens. “Kathleen? Kathleen Topolski?”

I frown at his sudden alertness, and shrug. “He didn’t give a last name. Why?”

Nick chuckles dryly, and crosses his legs as he pulls on a pair of sunglasses. “That’s the woman Joe was going to marry.”

All our mouths drop open.

“No way,” Kyle shakes his head. “Joe was engaged? Joe… as in, the guy who never sleeps with th! e same woman twice?”

“No, it’s true,” Nick swears, and we all have to believe him. After all, who would know better? “He was ass over eyeballs for this chick, apparently. It’s before we met, but I remember when I lived with him, he used to mumble her name in his sleep.”

“What were you doing in his bed?” Michael smirks, and gets assaulted with an empty ice cream carton. “Dammit, Gannon! That’s gonna leave a mark.” He rubs his forehead.

“He was a loud mumbler,” Nick glares. “Anyway, yeah, he was in love with this girl. And then she just up and told him she was going to California. Didn’t have time to mess around with a blue-collar club owner from New Mexico, I guess.”

The bite in his voice raises my eyebrows. I know Nick is possessive where Joe is concerned, so I hope for this woman’s sake that if she ever comes back, she’s prepared to butt heads with an extremely stubborn blonde bulldog.

“I think Joe’s right,” Alex pipes up. “Max, you need to! figure out what you want, and do it. But do it for you, not for Liz. You don’t want to end up resenting her for influencing your life.”

“That was very profound, Alex,” Kyle nods solemnly. “Anyone wanna help me throw this guy in the pool?”


***


Later that night, I knock on the Parker’s front door, leaning against the jamb as I hear the sound of pounding feet.

The door is thrown open and I look down to see a pair of huge brown eyes staring up at me. I smile. “Hey, Connor. You remember me?”

The little boy stares for another moment, then throws his arms around my legs. “Maaax! You come to play with me?”

I lock my legs as he starts jumping up and down. “Actually, I’m here to see your cousin-“

“Con! Stop humping Max’s leg!” Michael yells from the living room. “Get in here, you little freak of nature.”

“Michael Guerin Parker, I can’t believe you just said that about your baby cousin!” the sound of Mrs. Parker’s scolding can be heard from the kitchen.

Michael manages to look chagrined. “Hey, I was talking about Max.”

I give him a glare as I walk inside the house, Connor dragging after me. “Hey, guys.”

“Max! Sweetheart, it’s so ! good to see you,” Mrs. Parker comes out, smiling and wiping her hands on a towel. “And how many times have I told you not to knock?”

I smile, placing a kiss on her cheek. “Sorry, ma’am. It’s those darn good manners rearing their ugly head, time and time again.”

She arches a brow. “Well, see if you can get some of them to leak their way into Michael’s brain. Elizabeth! Max is here!”

“I’m on the phone!” Liz’s voice returns from upstairs, and I fight back a sigh as Connor starts jumping up and down again, still attached to my legs.

“Play, play, plaaay!” he yells, his sneaker-clad feet stomping the floor.

“Connor, let Max go,” Nancy says, and the little boy starts wailing. “I think I hear The Wild Thornberry’s starting,” she adds in a singsong tone.

Like magic, the tears dry and he runs off to the living room. I hear Michael shout, “Hey! I was watching that! Oh, Nickelodeon? Hey, cool…”

“Oka! y, that would be wonderful,” Liz says as she walks into the kitchen, still on the cordless phone. “This Saturday…? Um, hold on, let me check.” She pumps a fist in the air and does a little dance before saying in a professional tone, “No, I’m free… great! I’ll definitely see you then! Thanks for calling.”

When she clicks off, she turns to us and squeals. “That was Christopher Perkins from Cambridge! He’s the Harvard rep from the college fair.”

My eyes narrow as she takes a breath and continues, “Anyway, he’s going to be in town until next week and he wants to take me out to dinner to discuss some possible internships, isn’t that great?”

Nancy smiles at her daughter. “That sounds wonderful, sweetheart. Michael! Get in here and set the table!” She gives Liz a hug, then departs, leaving Liz and I standing there alone.

She beams at me. “Can you believe it, Max? This is all really going to happen!”

I force a smile. “Yeah… wonderful. Listen, Liz… ho! w old is this representative?”

She shrugs, looking distracted as she walks over to grab her purse. “Who, Chris? He’s in his third year, so I’d think around… twenty-one or twenty-two? Your age, I guess.”

Chris? I think grimly. “And he wants to take you out to dinner?” I ask politely, barely resisting the urge to growl. “Don’t you think that’s a little… strange?”

“How so?”

I follow her as she heads towards the refrigerator to jot something down on the calendar. “I mean, this guy just calls out of the blue and invites you out to dinner?”

“He wants to discuss internships,” she points out, “and it wasn’t out of the blue. He told me he would be in touch.”

“Oh, really?” God, I sound like a junkyard dog.

She laughs. “I thought you weren’t going to be jealous?” she reminds me, looking over and winking. “Come on, Max, it’s not like we’re going to skip the app! etizers and go at it in a room full of people.”

My vision turns red. “God, Liz…”

She reaches over and wraps her arms around me. “Baby, don’t let it worry you, okay? You trust me, right?”

With her breathing like that in my ear, the scent of her light perfume blinding me to reason, I nod dumbly. Then shake my head stubbornly as logic returns. “I trust you, not Chris.”

She sighs and starts to drag me out of the house. “Come on, we’ll be late for our reservations.”

When we reach the Jeep, she gets in and buckles her belt, leaving me standing there breathing hard. I stiffly pull the door open and just stare at the windshield.

“Max?”

Her voice sparks me into action, and I start the car, looking over my shoulder as we squeal out of the driveway. She gasps and holds onto the roll bar as I manuever the Jeep down the road, keeping my eyes peeled for a good p! lace to pull over.

“Max, what are you doing?” she yelps, when I make a sharp turn and park behind an abandoned bank.

I turn to her, and run a finger down her cheek. “Suddenly, I’ve lost my appetite for dinner,” I say silkily, desperately needing to lay claim to what’s already mine.

Good Lord.

She stares at me. “You’re always hungry,” she says in a knowledgable tone.

I lean across her, lifting one leg up over the dashboard as she gasps and continues to watch me. “Hmm… maybe I’ll just eat you instead,” I purr in a dark tone that has her swallowing, my hands inching up her skirt.

Oh yes, baby. You should be afraid.

“M… Max, aren’t you overreacting just a lit-… oh my God!” she moans, as my fingers find their destination.

“You’re so wet,” I groan, tracing my thumb across her slick heat underneath the lace ! panties. I glance up and meet her glazed look. “You want me, don’t you?”

She breathes heavily, her expression unsure and yet beyond aroused as I reach down and shove her seat back as far as it will go. “Max, we’re out in public…”

“Do you want me?” I repeat, ignoring her statement as I pinch her clit. “Do you?”

She falls back and nods in resignation. “Yes, I always want you.”

“Good answer,” I growl, ripping the scant material down her legs and then licking her from core to clit. She arches her back and lets out a moan that has me hard and aching.

Her fingers tunnel through my hair as I continue to pleasure her, keeping my eyes trained on her flushed features. “You taste so fucking good, Liz.”

“I can’t believe… you’re doing this,” she manages to gasp out. “Here!” But she holds my head firmly against her even as she rebukes me. I smile wickedly and suck her engorged nub into my mouth.

“No on! e’s watching,” I point out, sliding my hands up her silky thighs. “You can get off all you want, and no one will ever know.”

“What has gotten into you,” she moans, drawing her lip between her teeth as I brush over her sensitive flesh yet again. “Oh, God…”

“You’re mine,” I say simply, then plunge my tongue deep into her hot center. She bows off the seat, coming in fierce contractions against my face as she moans and thrashes her head.

After she calms to small pulses, I give her one final lick, then sit up, gently dropping her legs down to the floor. I take out a napkin from the glove compartment and wipe my mouth, stuffing her panties in my pocket.

“That was nice,” I say huskily, “thanks for dessert.”

She just stares at me again, and drops her head back as I start the car and begin driving towards the restaurant.

Part 7 - The Perfect Plan...?


We sit across from each other at Chez Pierre, neither of us really saying anything. Finally, I can’t stand it anymore and I reach across the table and take her hand.

“Baby, you aren’t embarrassed are you? About earlier… in the Jeep,” I clarify, secretly enjoying the flush that creeps up her cheeks. “You shouldn’t be. I love going down on you, you know that.”

“Max!” she hisses at me, looking around at the elegant surroundings. “Oh, my God…” She throws a smile at a passing waiter, then gives me a mild glare. “Could we not talk about this here?”

I shrug. “I just thought I’d clear the air… you’re sitting there all uncomfortable.”

“That’s because my panties are in your pocket,” she whispers, shifting in the seat. “It… feels a little strange to be sitting here with no underwe! ar.”

I smirk, for some reason enjoying the feeling of dominance. “I like knowing you’re sitting there… bare-assed naked underneath that flimsy little thing,” I nod towards the long, flowy skirt covering her hips and legs beneath the table. “And that I’m the only one who knows about it.”

“You are in a mood tonight,” she mumurs, shaking her head. “Honestly, Max, what’s this all about? While I appreciate the alpha-male approach as much as the next girl, you aren’t normally this…”

“Horny?” I growl, staring at her intently.

“No…” she laughs, “I guess exuberant would be the right word. I don’t know… I’m half-expecting you to throw me over your shoulder and take me back to your cave.”

“Not a bad idea,” my teeth flash in the dimly lit room, and I see her swallow. Don’t ask me what my reaction is about… but I have the unmistakable urge to tattoo my name on her most secr! et places.

Okay, I’d never stain her perfect flesh with a needle. I could settle for a permanent marker…

“Max? What are you thinking about?”

I look up to see her watching me with curious hesitation. You don’t want to know, I think wickedly. I suddenly remember her reaction to the brief spanking in the stock room at Heaven’s Door. I resist the urge to rub my hands together. Instead, I simply say, “Oh… nothing.”

She looks dubious, but at that moment our waiter comes by with the check.

As I lead her out the restaurant I allow my hand to rest on her lower back, and run teasing circles across the dip in her spine just above her ass.

The ride to my apartment only takes fifteen minutes, but it feels like five hours. I practically jump out the car and resist the urge to haul her out along with me.

Once we’re standing in front of my apartment, unable t! o control my raging emotions any longer, I use one hand to grasp her butt and push her against the door with the other.

Catching her gasp with my lips, I grind my hips into hers so she can feel the obvious proof of my desire. “Come to bed with me,” I murmur in her ear, nibbling the lobe and licking it roughly. “Let me fuck you.”

“Maax…” she moans, breathing heavily against my neck as I caress her tight little behind beneath the skirt. “Wha…”

Her knees nearly buckle as I slide my fingers between the cleft of her cheeks, finding her moist and slick. “Oh, yeah…” I growl, and reach over to unlock the door. “That little taste earlier was nothing, baby… I’m going to love you hard and fast and then nice and slow, until you’re begging me to let you come.”

I have the sincere pleasure of seeing her huge brown eyes go soft and dilate with desire. “Are you going to take me, or stand outside talking about it?”

Her words are clipped with need, her face flush! ed and I smile wickedly before shoving open the door and yanking her into my arms. Her legs automatically wrap around my waist, and I blindly stumble for the bedroom.

We fall onto the bed, and the mattress bounces. I sit up, leaving her lying there staring at me with half-lidded eyes, and I reach a fist back and yank my shirt over my head. Her eyes drop to my chest and she licks her lips, causing a groan to work its way from my throat.

She reaches for me, but I move out of her range. “Don’t move,” I whisper in a dark voice, reaching down to unzip my pants. “Unless you want me to spank that pretty little ass of yours.”

Okay, maybe that was a little too far, as she raises her brows at me. “Excuse me?”

But I don’t want to back down… not when I’m just dying to see how far I can take this. “You heard me,” I grunt, running the zipper over my heavy erection. It springs free, blade-hard and pointing to my chin. I releas! e a sigh of relief, and quickly step out of my pants and boxers, then crawl over her. “God, you are so beautiful…”

She sighs and reaches up to caress my cheek, but the soft sound dissolves into a shriek of surprise when I pull her across my lap in one firm movement. I shove her skirt up and bring my hand down firmly on her ass.

“Max!”

“I told you not to move,” I chuckle, and tap her again, angling my hand so that the shock goes straight to her clit. Despite her righteous indignation, she moans and presses herself up into my hand, which is now caressing her silky skin. “You like it, don’t you?” I murmur, slipping a finger down to trace her tender folds.

“I… don’t know what you’re talking about,” she manages to gasp out, stiffening as I let my finger dip inside. “Oh… God…”

“Oh, yeah… let’s get you good and wet,” I say huskily, adding another finger and stretching her wide. “Oh, baby… you’re so tight. I lov! e that.”

She moans my name again, and I feel her tensing as her orgasm approaches. I withdraw my fingers, ignoring her cry of frustration and bring them to my mouth. “Mm… sweet,” I chuckle as she turns her head to stare at me. “Ready to beg yet, sweetheart?”

She frowns at me. “I’m not going to beg,” she promises me, her lips swollen from the nibbling she’s done. She wiggles and the movement brushes against my cock, and I can’t hold back the groan. An evil smile lifts her lips, and she rolls her hips again, purposefully rubbing against my hardness.

“Stop,” I rasp, and I’m honestly afraid I might be the one to beg after all. Because the last thing I want her to do is stop.

“Make me,” she whispers back, licking her lips provocatively and batting her lashes as she moves again. “Mmm… that looks like it hurts,” she murmurs, nodding towards my cock.

“Oh, you’re living dangerously,” I promise, and flip her back against the bed, holding her hands up near her head. “Better be careful, you might get more than you bargained for.”

This dire threat doesn’t frighten her, but makes her laugh, a low seductive sound that almost breaks my control. I literally have to close my eyes and concerntrate on not coming.

“Enough,” I whisper harshly. “Either stop talking or I’ll put that mouth to good use.” My lust-filled words leave little to the imagination as to what that comment meant.

She glances down at my aching cock and licks her lips. “You know… I never had my dessert,” she answers, and my dick flexes once in anticipation. “Ooh… I’m getting hungrier by the second.”

“God, Liz!” I bite my lip as she slowly slides down my body and I release her hands, holding onto the headboard as she takes me in her hot mouth. I throw my head back and force myself not to thrust all the way into her! throat as she moans around me. “Oh, nice…”

Her hands stroke the weight of my testicles and I let out a broken groan as she flicks her tongue across the senstive tip of my cock. “Harder!”

She sucks me so deeply that I have to pull away or else I know I’ll come. “I have to be inside you, now,” I mumble, and pull her up to align her entrance for invasion.

I reach down to make sure she’s ready, and my fingers slide through the wet heat like silk and we both groan. “Oh yeaaah, that’s it,” I whisper, bending down to kiss her.

At the same time, I drive inside her and she screams into my mouth as I take her hard and fast, as promised. The bed shakes with our fevered lovemaking, and I sit up and tilt her hips to better receive my thrusts.

“I’m coming!” she cries, arching up as I deliver a particularly deep plunge.

“Yeah!” I ! bellow, moving faster towards that blind edge of release. "Yeah, oh you hot little-" I break off as her fierce contractions milk me past the point of speech. I collapse on top of her, our orgasms combining.

Long minutes later, I feel her move beneath me and I mumble in sleepy incoherence, “You, ‘kay?”

She lets out a purr of satisfaction that makes me smile. Then she says, “God, baby… did you get into your dad’s Viagra or what?”


***


The next day I find myself playing a furious game of two-on-two on the outside basketball court at Guffey Park.

The sun beats down on my back as the sound of Billy Talent’s grating vocals pulse out of a nearby stereo. Breathing heavily and concentrating despite the perspiration dripping down my forehead into my eyes, I dodge right then left, dribbling around Michael as he lunges forward.

“Max!” I glance over to see Nick, arms outstretched. He wiggles his fingers, gesturing for me to toss him the ball. Reacting quickly, I duck under Michael’s grasp and aim the ball towards Nick’s hands.

He catches it and neatly dribbles between his legs, taunting Kyle in low tones as he edges closer to our goal. Kyle growls, guarding Nick’s taller body as best he can, and comes close to making a personal foul when an ill-timed move to recover the ball knocks Nick back a few steps.

“Try that again, Valenti, and you’ll be eating co! ncrete,” Nick huffs out, holding the ball behind his back as they glare at each other.

“Eat me, Gannon.”

“Sometime today, ladies,” Michael calls out in a bored voice, and just like that, the tension is dissolved. Nick sets up for a perfect three-pointer, and we all watch with held breath as the ball arcs through the air.

When it swishes in the basket, I let out a shout of triumph, slapping Nick on the back as Kyle and Michael groan.

“Best two outta three,” Michael breathes heavily, mopping his brow. “And this time, we’re switching goals. The damn sun was in my eyes.”

“Excuses, excuses,” Nick sings, walking over to a nearby bench and pulling out a bottle of Gatorade. He yanks off his shirt and tucks it into the back of his shorts before taking a sip. “You guys want?” he holds out the bottle.

“Nah, man, I got my own,” Michael answers, chugging on a water bottle. Kyle and I drink from Nick’s and wip! e our mouths with the backs of our hands.

We all sit down on the pavement, resting in various stages of exhaustion. I stretch my arms behind my head and stare at the cloudless sky. “Did you guys know some guy from Harvard is taking Liz out to dinner?”

“Whaat?” Nick asks from his spot on my left. He sits up on his elbows and scratches at a spot on his stomach. “What guy?” Kyle looks equally confused.

“You mean that Cambridge guy?” Michael grunts. “Yeah, I heard about that. What’s the deal exactly? He’s talking to her about internships or something?”

“What do you need an internship for in biology?” Kyle asks.

“Hello?” Nick throws his sweaty shirt at Kyle’s head. “So she can compare notes with all those smart bastards and get even smarter and then take over the world, one ignorant moron at a time. And guess what, Kyle… they’re coming for you.”

“Shut up,” Ky! le mutters, throwing the shirt back at him. “You are such a dumbass.”

“Why does he have to take her out to dinner?” Nick asks. “Wait… how old is this guy, anyway?”

“I asked Liz, and she said he was around my age,” I answer grimly as they all whistle. “Yeah, that was pretty much my reaction.”

“What the hell, and you agreed to this?” Michael demands, shaking his head. “I’d never let Maria go out with some Ivy League bastard.”

“Maria wouldn’t tell you, just for that reason,” Nick points out. He ducks the bottle of water Michael tosses at him. “Listen, you’re freaking for nothing. It’s just a random dinner.”

I glare at him. “What if it was Tess going out to a random dinner with some Christopher guy?”

His eyes narrow and for a long moment he stares at me. Then, “You’re right, we must stop the madness.”

“His name is Christopher?” Kyle grunts. “Sounds no good to me.”

I sit up, pull! ing the hem of my shirt to wipe my face. “Listen, I have a plan, all right? But you guys have to swear you won’t let Liz know. She’ll kill me for interfering with her dinner with Chris.”

“Chris?!” they all groan and shake their heads.

“What’s the plan?” Nick asks. “And by the way, if you get caught… I knew nothing of it. I like my nuts the way they are, thank you, and I heard about what she did to Sean.”

“Well, I’m not scared,” Michael puffs out his chest. “She wouldn’t knee me in the balls, that’s for damn sure.”

“Are you crazy?” Nick blinks. “You’re the first person she’d aim for.”

Kyle snickers. “That’s so true, man.”

“Guys, listen,” I snap to try to regain their attention. “God, ya’ll are so fucking ADD. Okay, all I want to do is go… supervise this little get-together.”

“I think the correct word is spy,” ! Nick blinks innocently. “You want to go spy on Liz and her date with Chris.”

“It isn’t a date!” I growl, running my hand through my hair in frustration. “It’s a get-together.”

Nick exchanges a look with Kyle that clearly says, “Whatever you say, pal,” complete with eye rolling.

“So you wanna spy on Liz and Chris,” Michael nods. “How are you going to do that? You know where they’re going?”

“Not yet, but I will,” I say in determination. “Liz wrote it down on her calendar. All I have to do is accidentally stumble upon it, and write down the time and place.”

“I think the correct word is-“ Nick breaks off at my sharp glare. “Right… accidentally... of course.”

“I don’t know… I don’t want to be involved if this messes up,” Kyle scratches his head thoughtfully. “I kinda like my nuts the way they are, too.”

“Oh, you two are such pansies!” Michael punches! Kyle on the arm. “I’m in. And so is Nick, Liz won’t hurt him. She likes his baby face too much.”

I nod. “And if worse comes to worse, we can leave him there while we make a mad dash for it,” I add.

“Hey, wait a minute!” Nick looks suspicious.

“I hope you guys know what you’re doing,” Kyle says skeptically.

“I know exactly what I’m doing,” I say in assurance, ignoring the little twinge that tells me maybe I want to think about this a little longer. “I’m making sure this Chris kid doesn’t think he can waltz into town and offer my girlfriend anything more than an internship.”

“Well, good luck,” Kyle checks his watch. “Shit, I gotta go. I have a date with Serena at four. We’re going to that monster truck rally.”

“That’s my cuz,” Nick says proudly. “She’s such a guy-girl.”

“Oh, she’s one hundred-percent wo-man,” Kyle winks, rushing off before Nick can grasp that statement.

“Hey!”