370 Relaxing after a busy day

Liz started hot water to fill up the tub, and Max ordered dinner to be delivered to their room. They agreed to take care of pesky things like a bath and food first, and Max needed to make a few phone calls before he calls it a day.

Liz was neck-deep in the oversized tub filled with warm water when Max entered the bathroom carrying two glasses of wine.

Liz sipped wine from the glass and enjoyed the sight of Max while he removed his clothes.

"Slower…", Liz demanded with a mischievous expression and started humming a slow tune, giving him a beat to follow.

Max chuckled when he realized that Liz is expecting a striptease show.

He swayed his hips and shook his shoulders while removing his clothes. Each garment ended up being twirled above his head and tossed in a random direction until he ran out of clothes to remove.

"Damn, Max… If the CEO gig does not work for you, you can be a stripper."

"Mhm…", Max hummed with a smug expression plastered on his face. "I hear the pay is good."

Liz giggled and then screamed when Max plopped in the tub, making the water spill over the edge.

"Turn around…", Max told Liz and she obeyed.

Liz scooted toward Max and leaned her back on his chest.

"Thank you for coming, Max, and for getting this suite. I was mentally preparing myself to arrive home after midnight."

"Anything for you,  Liz.", Max murmured into her hair and started gently squeezing her arms in small rhythmic motions, moving higher toward shoulders.

Liz moaned, knowing that Max is starting one of his super-relaxing massages.

Max smiled. "Relax,  love. By the time we are done here,  dinner will wait for us and once your stomach is full, you can rest with your favorite bolster by your side. You had a busy day."

"You had a busy day also."

Max stopped kneading her shoulders and hugged her. "I am fine now, with you."

Liz put her arms over his. "I am fine as well. Everything is fine when you are by my side."

Max's heart swelled when he heard Liz's words that sounded like the best love confession ever.

…

Max and Liz got out of the bathroom wearing fluffy white bathrobes and fuzzy slippers, and Liz's eyes lit up at the sight of the table full of food.

"I am starving.", Liz said while licking her lips and walking toward the table.

Max was also hungry, and for the first half of the meal, neither of them spoke.

"How was your day at the office? I hope that your schedule was not impacted because of me.", Liz said.

Liz blinked. "Harassing witnesses? He looked overbearing, but I didn't think that it would be that bad."

Max pursed his lips. "Nothing was proven, but when several separate complaints exist, there must be something. In a way, Dr. Snobby was useful because if you were on your own, that guy would probably show his fangs."

"Does Chief Lenol know about it?"

"He definitely knows about complaints, but there is no concrete evidence. It's not easy to get rid of a cop without making him look like a martyr. Not to mention that he can risk a hefty lawsuit that will reflect negatively on the whole police department."

Liz nodded in understanding. It's like that in any organization, but the police is more sensitive to such things. There was one more point Liz wanted to address. "Max, thank you for not making a scene."

Max's eyebrows shoot up. "A scene?"

"Because Chris was accompanying me.", Liz explained.

Max chewed slowly and noticed the way Liz addressed Dr. Snobby. "So… he is Chris and not Dr. Snow."

Liz saw hostility in Max's eyes, and she regretted bringing up Dr. Snow, but it's done, and she can't take it back. Well, at least she can clarify…

"We spoke and I made sure to let him know that I am dating Maximilian Anderson and that I am not available. I don't know how much of that got through his thick skull, but he didn't make any moves on me. Unless he crosses the line, I will treat him as a fellow surgeon. I am aware that the two of you had a bad start and I don't expect you to be friends, but I hope that I can maintain a professional relationship with him and that you will respect that."

Max exhaled. He hates that snobby doctor who does not know when to give up, but at the same time, Max trusts Liz and he does not want to act like a jealous jerk.

Max adjusted his attitude and asked calmly: "Did I do anything out of line?"

"No. You did everything right. That is why I am grateful."

"Liz, I will not interfere with your work or friendships, but I want you to know that I don't like the way he is looking at you. He is a repeated offender who already got plenty of warnings. If he tries anything funny, the gloves will come off."

Liz was content with Max's answer. "I know. I hope that he finds someone and gets out of whatever infatuation he has with me. You will not ask why he was with me at the police station?"

Max shrugged. "Probably for the same reason he was with you at that store. To stick close to you."

Liz felt that this conversation needs to end before it escalates, and she remembered why she went to the store.

She got a box from her purse and handed it to Max. "This is for you."

"Is this why you went to that shop? To get me a present?"

"Mhm… A souvenir. Open it."

Max opened and smiled at the sight of the silver spoon. He turned it on each side and observed the engravings and the shape of the stag at the top.

"I saw the stag and reminded me of you.", Liz said.

"I always saw myself more like a stallion."

Liz burst into a laugh. "OK. Next time, I will look for a horse."

"A stallion.", Max corrected her. Stallion is a word for a non-castrated horse, usually more muscular than the others.

Liz laughed louder and Max enjoyed seeing her relaxed.

When she calmed down, Max asked: "Did anything else happen other than Dr. Snobby stalking you and you beating up a robber?"

Liz thought for a moment and then her eyes flashed when she remembered one email. "Dr. Thomas said that she is close to finding a cure for the virus I am helping her analyze. She will write a paper that will include my name and I will need to collaborate on it. Also, she invited me to visit her lab."

Max's smile dropped. "What?"

Liz missed the reason why Max's mood changed, so she repeated: "Dr. Thomas said that she is close to…"

"The last part.", Max interrupted Liz. He does not need to hear everything.

"Oh…" Liz realized. "She invited me to visit her lab in South America."

"Will you go?"

Liz shrugged, indicating that she is not sure. "I am curious. It's like a military base in the jungle and not everyone can get in. Dr. Thomas said that her work is classified as a top-secret because they fear that the virus can be used as a biological weapon. Her assistants work on bits and pieces, and she is the only one who knows everything. I help her analyze various states of the nervous system that she recorded on her specimens, but I don't know the details about the vaccine she is working on."

Max listened to Liz without blinking and the more she spoke, the more worried he was. "If it's top-secret, why do you want to go? Will they let you in? What if they don't let you out?"

Liz was not sure why Max got serious suddenly. "I didn't say that I want to go, however, I am curious. It sounds like it came from a spy movie. Do you think they will not let me out?"

"I can't be certain about that, but… you should not take it lightly. Once Dr. Thomas is done with her work, she might be in danger. The fewer people know about the virus and the cure, the more suspicious thing is."

Liz didn't like the way this conversation is going. "Dr. Thomas said that she is fine."

"I'm sure she is, and she will be until her vaccine is completed." Max observed Liz's expression that showed she is worried. "Liz, she is already there, and you can't do much about it. Focus on yourself."

"She is a good woman, a top scientist. Do you think they will hurt her?"

Max would like to tell Liz that everything will be fine, but he knows that she will not believe such a lie. "For a virus that can be a biological weapon? Liz, people get killed for much less."

Liz bit her lower lip and thought about Max's words for some time. The more she thought, the deeper her frown became. "What if Dr. Thomas is only pretending everything is fine because someone is watching her, and her casual invitation is a call for help? What if during our chats she is sending me subtle messages I didn't notice because I only focused on the data?"

Max was not sure how to answer this. "How about you don't jump to conclusions? Do you have a way to confirm her usual behavior?"

"Dr. Kaviraj and Dr. Thomas go back a long way. I can talk to Dr. Kaviraj and see what her opinion is."

Max thought it's a good idea. At least it will give some time buffer for Liz to calm down and think straight about this situation. For a moment, Max thought that Liz will recklessly go into a jungle in South America on a rescue mission that includes a deadly virus and military. She wouldn't do that… right?

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