This is where the story probably earns is 'M' rating, so beware ...

I haven't involved music in my stories before, but "You look so fine" by Garbage would be a good soundtrack to this final chapter.

Millie let herself out of the taxi as soon as it drew up at her gates, leaving Max to pay the driver. She strode off into her apartment and by the time he caught up with her, she was already standing at the kitchen sink with a half full glass of water. Silently he took it from her and drained it. They both knew what was coming next, only the how remained undecided. Millie took a step towards him, closing the distance between their bodies, she could feel the heat and tension radiating from him, resting her hips against his, he held her close with one hand. It thrilled her to have power over this man, but of course he had power too. It wasn't as if she was capable of walking away, not now and probably not ever. Even so, she was determined to enjoy the game. Her lips parted, he brought his free hand up to cradle her cheek and she turned into it, branding his palm with an open-mouthed kiss. His sharp intake of breath told her all she needed to know. She laid her hands on his chest and guided him back towards the sofa until he was forced to sit down. Following him down, she straddled his lap, her dress riding higher on her thighs than it already did, running her hands through his hair, tilting his head back so that he was looking up at her in supplication. She sank down against his hips, feeling how aroused he was. Max closed his eyes and groaned, this was almost too much but incredibly wonderful all at the same time. He just hoped that she wasn't going to lead him on before throwing him out. Surely she wouldn't? Any doubt was erased when he opened his eyes to gaze directly into hers. "You belong to me Max and I will not share you. If you ever lie to me or cheat", the 'again' was left unsaid, "even so much as a drunken misguided kiss, that will be the end of us. Do you understand?"

"Yes" he whispered, utterly mesmerised. She lowered her mouth to his.

************

He gently eased her down onto the bed and drew back to remove her boots. From her feet, he ran his hands along her legs, hitching up the skirt of her dress along her thighs to her hips with both hands. Swiftly, he reached up to tug at the waist of her tights and underwear, stripping her legs bare within a second or two. Marvelling at his handiwork, his eyes ran the length of her body to her face looking up at him with a mixture of abandonment and amusement. He felt his blood surge through his body at the sight.

"Turn over" the words were softly spoken but commanding nonetheless. Millie hesitated for a second before complying. She raised herself up on her forearms, hands clasped together to hide their trembling. Max knelt on the bed across her thighs and reached up to sweep away her hair from the back of her neck, allowing him to place the lightest of kisses at her nape, little more than sweeping his lips across her sensitive skin. Her breath hitched at the exquisite sensation and a shiver rippled across her body. She felt his fingers unhook the clasp at the top of her dress before slowly drawing down the zip, his lips attending to each ridge on her spine as it became exposed, unhooking her bra on the way. She dropped her head to her clasped hands, her eyes closed, concentrating on breathing as he worshipped her. She let out a little sob of disappointment when the zip reached the end at the base of her spine. His lips lingered a moment before he repeated his earlier command. This time she did not hesitate as she flipped over beneath him. Her hair cascaded around her like a molten halo, her hands equally incendiary as they came to rest on his thighs. Their eyes locked. Max leant forward to grasp the shoulders of her undone dress, peeling it back from her skin as he shifted from his position on the bed to stand at her feet, meanwhile she lifted her hips to allow him to remove the dress altogether, leaving her naked.

It wasn't the first time he'd undressed her, but somehow it felt more enthralling, more exciting because he'd had to work so hard to earn the right to do it this time. They'd come a long way and been through more in the last year than many couples would do in a lifetime. She raised herself up onto her elbows, bending one leg a little, all the while her eyes never left his. He wondered if she was unconsciously still punishing him. Showing him exactly what he had so nearly thrown away, what he had been missing for so long. She didn't need to do that, he knew well enough. It might have been only a few months since he had last had sex, but that had been with Irina and although he had gained physical release, it had otherwise been wholly unsatisfying, leaving him wracked with self-loathing for having enjoyed it albeit at the most base level.

"I think you're overdressed, don't you?" chided Millie as she swung her legs beneath her to kneel on the bed in front of him. The movement of her body hypnotised him, his mouth went dry with longing. Dumbly he fumbled with the buttons of his shirt, but Millie brushed his hands aside and set to work herself delivering the same treatment to him that he had to her, placing open-mouthed kisses on his chest as she undid each button, his chest hair tickling her lips as she went. He fisted his hands in her hair as her fingers and mouth worked their way down from his chest to his stomach, he could only watch as the top of her head dipped lower and lower. She pulled his shirt out of the waist of his jeans and with the final button undone she ran her hands back up to his chest, smoothing the fabric over his shoulders and down his arms so that it fell to the floor. Max gently pulled back on her hair, silently asking her to look up at him. She was just out of reach of his lips, he drew his fingers from her hair to rest beneath her jaw and tenderly pulled her up towards him. Their eyes searched each other for a few moments before both succumbed to the overwhelming need to press skin to skin, to share the heat that was building between them.

Their kiss was delicate at first, lips danced, teasing, gentle nips capturing each other for the briefest of moments until Millie could bear it no longer. She dug her fingers into his hair and pulled his mouth to hers. Max didn't resist her demand and plunged into her mouth, claiming it for his very own, as she did his. She became aware of his semi-clothed state when he pulled her hips to his. His belt buckle dug sharply in to the bare soft flesh of her abdomen. Urgently she pulled back and her hands flew to his belt, undoing the it in an instant but she struggled with buttons of his jeans. It was Max's turn to brush away her hands, he ripped at the buttons and within seconds he too was naked and lowering Millie down onto her back.

***********

Exhausted but deliriously happy, Max collapsed to her side. It took superhuman effort to force himself to remove the condom, knot it and drop it to the floor beside the bed, before once again crumpling next to her, his face nestled into her neck.

"I love you."

Millie smiled but didn't speak, she hadn't dared to hope he would ever say those words and even if he did, that she would believe him.

Max was puzzled by her silence, insecurity gripped him. "Millie, did you hear me?"

"Yes."

"Well?" The uncertainty was clear in his voice.

Millie shifted herself round to face him, her hand resting on his cheek. "Why say it now?"

"I didn't want you to think that I was only saying it to get you into bed" he mumbled self-consciously.

"Did you really think I would?"

Max shrugged, his vulnerability made her heart ache. "You wouldn't let me say it before, I thought …"

"I love you. I have done from the start, despite everything or maybe because of everything. And I know you love me. I see it in your eyes, in how you hold me. I know you Max and I need you every bit as much as you need me. Never doubt it"