A/N: Well, wine's wet, isn't it? *wicked grin* (I wouldn't want to be predictable...)
Flavour- Infie
"So, then I told him I loved him."
"And?" Original Cindy's voice made it clear that she was not interested in Max playing coy with the info. Max made a face at the phone.
"And nothing! He kissed me, we got... uh... distracted, and then lightning struck the roof, and, well... we just never got back to it."
"Uh huh. And you're planning on letting him away with that?"
Max spun her chair around, not noticing that the shadow at her door was maybe a little too Alec-shaped to be.. well, a shadow. "Yeah. Cause, you know, with Alec and me, it's more hot. I don't think he really knows how to be... well, romantic."
The shadow stiffened with indignation.
"Boo, my girl, if you are wanting romance, you need to be spelling it out for the boy."
"Yeah." Max considered a moment, then shook her head. "No. I don't want to mess this up. He might think I was criticizing, you know?"
The shadow relaxed.
"Ok, Boo. I trust you. But don't let him walk all over you."
Max snorted. "As if!"
Original Cindy laughed. "Catch you later, Boo."
Max hung up and whirled her chair back to face the door, where Alec lounged against the frame. "Ah!" Max jumped. "How long have you been standing there?"
"Just got here." He sauntered the rest of the way into the room, fiddling with the stuff on her desk as usual. "Hey, what time are you planning on getting home tonight?"
Max shrugged. "Eight or so."
Alec's eyes lit up. "Cool. I've got a thing, but I'll be back before then." He dropped a quick kiss on her head, then bounded out the door.
"See ya..." Max sent after him a little weakly. He had a thing? What kind of thing?
Max opened the door to her apartment at ten o'clock, and walked in to a wonderland. Candles covered every available surface, little flames dancing merrily on their wicks. The furniture had been draped with cream coloured silk, and everywhere she looked were rose petals, white, yellow, red, pink, black. All the colours were there. The coffee table was covered in its own silk cloth, this one the deep rich red of a full bodied wine. A tiny fondue set rested in its centre, and Max could smell the mouthwatering scent of hot dark chocolate. A bowl of strawberries sat to one side of the fondue set, glistening in the candle light. The mellow sound of Verdi surrounded her. Max blinked.
"Max."
Her name came from behind her, and she turned slowly. Alec shut the door for her, then leaned back against it and crossed his arms and ankles. He looked golden, bathed in the candlelight, like he'd been bronzed by a loving hand. He was just wearing jeans, and the play of light over his chest and stomach made Max swallow hard. Her gaze reached his face, and her heart stopped in her chest. There was no deprecating humour, no laughing, no mask tonight. Alec's face was serious, intent, and when he smiled...
He reached out a hand and laced his fingers through hers, tugging her closer. He kissed her very, very gently, then knelt to take off her boots. "The petals feel better on bare feet." he told her with a mischievious grin, and suddenly Max's heart started to beat again. This Alec she knew how to deal with.
He returned to his feet and drew her into the living room. The rose petals crunched faintly underfoot, adding their scent to the room, and Max laughed. "They're cold!" Alec nodded.
"Yeah, I noticed that myself." he shivered delicately. "But totally worth it!"
Max, relishing the satiny softness, had to agree. Alec pulled her down to the floor with him, and she saw that he had covered the floor with more heavy silk. "Alec, where.." He stopped her with a finger against her lips.
"Nevermind." he told her. "It doesn't matter where. It just matters that you like it."
Max nodded, entranced. "Oh, I definitely like it."
Alec smiled, and reached behind the table to bring out a bottle of white wine. "Vineland Estates, Riesling, 1996." he told her. "It was a good year." Max just blinked at him. "Trust me."
Alec opened the wine with a flourish, and poured portions into three long-stemmed fluted glasses that sparkled in the candlelight. Max blinked at him again, but this time he remained silent. He stared at her in the candlelight, and the serious expression was back on his face. Max's heart started to pound as he lifted his hand and raked his fingers through her hair, combing it back from her face. "Max." he breathed. "You are so beautiful." Max had to close her eyes. A moment later she felt his lips brush against hers with the lightest touch she'd ever felt. He kissed her again, asking, and she leaned into him to deepen the kiss, but he pulled away gently.
"I want to try my wine." he told her, voice sensuous. He lifted his hands and carefully undid the buttons on her shirt, gliding it off her shoulders and down her arms. She shivered, and Alec pushed her gently onto her back on the scattered petals and silk. He lifted his glass of wine to set it on the floor nearby, then dipped his fingers into the chilly liquid, and painted it across her collarbone. Alec dipped his head to lick the wine off, pulling deeply with his tongue and sending fire coursing through her entire body. Alec groaned against her skin, vibrating her neck. "God, that tastes good."
It felt like there were strings running inside her skin, connecting Alec's mouth directly to her groin. Alec lifted his head and stroked his hand down her side, licking his lips and watching the play of his fingers against her skin. He looked up into her eyes, lips parted, smiling wickedly, breath quickening. "More wine?" he purred softly, and lifted the glass high above her. She gave a quick blurt of protest, but he was already pouring.
The cold liquid splashed against her skin in a tiny, frothing wave, sending icy trickles down her sides and pooling in her belly button. She inhaled in a rush of air, sucking in her stomach. Alec gave a low, throbbing laugh and covered the puddle with his mouth, cheeks hollowing as he sucked at her belly. Max gasped again, twisting under him, body thrumming with reaction. Alec nipped her with his teeth, then traced the path of each trickle with long, lingering strokes of his tongue. Max twitched and shuddered under his ministrations, the heated trail of his tongue cooling on her skin quickly, raising gooseflesh all over.
Max caught her breath as he raised his eyes to meet hers, the depth of emotion reflected there making things clench low in her body. She swallowed hard, feeling tears prickle the back of her eyes at the intensity of the moment. Alec licked his lips, then his nose twitched, and his gaze shifted to the nearby table. He reached for the strawberries, placed one on a fork, and dipped it slowly into the hot melted chocolate. He pulled the strawberry off of the fork, and gave her a glowing look. He trailed it across his lower lip, then sucked the smear of chocolate off. Max could feel her skin flush with heat as she watched him. Her heart thudded against her ribs, and she could taste her pulse in the back of her throat.
God, he was desire personified, sex made flesh. She couldn't believe he was hers.
She felt her eyes grow heavy-lidded, and Alec laughed again low in his throat, delighted at the effect he had on her. He drew the strawberry along the centre line of her body, starting at her navel and ending at the point of her chin, leaving a long trail of dark chocolate along his route. He crouched over her on all fours, then followed the same path with his mouth. He licked and nibbed at he skin, ensuring that every trace of the chocolate was gone before continuing to the next silky inch. The sensations his mouth stirred danced along her nerve endings. By the time he reached her jawline she was moaning on every breath. He chuckled, vibrating the bone of her jaw with his teeth, then leaned back. He popped the strawberry between his teeth, then offered it to her by the simple method of kissing her.The taste of the chocolate filled her mouth like sin given flavour, and as she bit down the delicious tartness of the strawberry flooded over her tongue. Alec pulled away long enough to swallow his half, then swooped back down and delved his tongue between her lips. Max had been thinking that the chocolate and strawberry was the best thing she'd ever had when he returned, and the taste of Alec mixed with the fruit and candy was absolutely intoxicating. She licked his lower lip, and the flavour of wine mixed with the rest. "Oh my god, Alec."
Alec withdrew his fingers and moved back from her, visibly fighting for control. As he pulled away, Max helped herself to another chocolate strawberry, and took a long drink of her wine. "Wow." she said, closing her eyes. "Who knew wine would be so nice?" Alec dropped back to her side, and she pushed him onto his back, dribbling a little on his chest. She bent over him and licked it off. The musky, faintly salty taste of his skin took the wine to levels of flavour she could never have predicted. "Oh." Her voice was faint, her eyes closed. "Oh my."
Alec grinned. "I had no idea, either."
Max's eyes opened, and she looked at him hungrily. "We will explore this further," she told him firmly. "Another time." Max's breathing slowly came back under control, and she reached over for another strawberry. Alec snagged it expertly, popping it into his mouth with a grin. Max glared and got another, then slid off of him to let him sit up. He rose to his knees, slipping one of the coverings off the chair and wrapping them both in creamy silk.
"You heard me on the phone with Cindy today." Max watched him carefully. He threw his head back and laughed.
"Yep." He dipped another strawberry into the chocolate and ate it whole, closing his eyes in ecstacy. "'Doesn't know how to be romantic?' That was a comment I could not let go unchallenged." He looked at her, and while his face was smiling, his eyes were shadowed with uncertainty.
Max was touched, and awed, at the power she wielded over him. "This is wonderful, Alec. A romantic fantasy brought to life."
Alec grinned, shadows banished. "I hoped you'd like it."
"You know," she said teasingly, looking up at him through her lashes. "You still haven't said it."
"No?" Alec's face stilled. "Are you sure?" He smiled. The flickering candlelight caressed his face, traced the gold in his eyes so they looked lit from within. Max had to touch him, so she danced her fingers over the planes of his cheek. He hummed appreciatively, leaning into her touch. Max's lips curved, and she looked around the candle filled, petal strewn, silk-shrouded room. She had to blink rapidly, but when she turned back she was still looking at him through a haze of tears.
"OH," she said. His smile widened, and he wrapped his arms around her and lifted her in an exuberant hug. As he set her back on her knees he snuggled his face into the curve of her neck, nuzzling behind her ear. Max hugged him back with all the love in her heart. Alec pulled away so he could look at her directly. When he spoke, he voice was husky, and as he raised his hand to brush a lock of hair away from her face his fingers trembled ever so slightly.
"I love you, Max."
"Of course you do." she echoed, smile luminous in the candlelight. "You tell me all the time."
{End}