Disclaimer: Oh just check out the disclaimer in chapter one if you care!
Authors Note: Okay I wrote this chapter for my big sis Ray as promised, lots of yummy Alec in it too! Also I will get back to Flint and Fire soon, honest! I actually forgot I had started that series and left it unfinished, sorry.
EDGE OF LOVE
Chapter 3 - Hanger On The Door
Max stumbled into her apartment. She was so tired from a very long day. Short on money Max had spent the whole of the day searching for a job. No luck so far and it was late and the only offers she had were from bars that, by the seedy atmosphere, implied she would have to put up with constant harassment while working.
Kicking the front door shut behind her Max looked around for Alec. She had missed a lecture today and wanted to borrow her room mates notes. "Alec?" She called before checking her watch. It was late and Friday night. Jerks probably getting hammered at a party or something. Alec was dedicated to spending every Friday and Saturday partying.
Maybe his notes are in his room. Max thought as she threw her bag onto the sofa and headed towards Alec's bedroom opening the door without a single thought to knock.
A startled screech came from a very female figure on the bed but that was nothing compared to the scream that came from Max's throat at the sight of Alec's very naked behind in a very compromising position.
Alec was shocked by the sudden onslaught of feminine screams that assaulted his eardrums. He lifted himself off the girl beneath him and turned to face the woman at the door. "Max!" He yelled, understandably upset at the interruption.
Max squeaked as she caught the full frontal view of Alec and she quickly rose a hand to cover her face. "My eyes, my eyes!" She whimpered.
"Oh my God!" Cried the girl on the bed, pushing Alec away. "You asshole! You never told me you had a girlfriend." Slapping Alec soundly across the face she rose and started pulling on her clothes.
Alec tried desperately to regain control of the situation. "No wait! Stacey! She's not- Not anyone, I swear!" He tried to follow her but tripped over the tangled sheets and fell face first to the floor.
The girl paused at the door next to Max and glared frostily at Alec. "My name is Tracey!" She said in disgust before looking at Max, who still had her eyes covered with her hands. "Good luck with the philandering pig."
Tracey slammed out of the apartment leaving Alec on the floor and Max voluntarily blind by the door. The sudden silence in the room was broken only by Alec's panting. Standing slowly Alec winced from the pain of his sudden fall and after casting a quick look at Max pulled on his jeans foregoing underwear in his hurry.
Max heard the sound of denim on skin and after a few minutes deemed it safe to take a peek. Alec had his back turned to her but his jeans were on. "Uh." For once Max was at a loss as to what to say, her mind was still processing what she had seen, Alec's body…Alec's- Bad Max! Shaking her head Max admonished herself for mentally replaying what she had seen. Max blinked as she realised what the girl Stacey or Tracey, whatever, had assumed about Max's relationship with Alec. "Um. Sorry?" It was the first time Max had said those words to Alec and as a result they came out rather awkwardly and with a questioning intonation.
Alec turned to face Max and her brown eyes widened as she saw him. "Uh Alec, your-" Max started to speak but Alec interrupted.
"I kinda think its my turn Max." He said, anger tensing his jaw. Max swallowed hard and again tried to interrupt him. With a quick wave of his hand Alec cut her dead and continued. "Leaving aside the barging into my room without knocking, which I might add you would kill me for, did you not notice the hanger on my bedroom door?" Alec demanded.
Max's frowned in confusion. Hanger on the door…?
Alec let out a snort of disgusted disbelief at the blank expression on his room mates face. "Max! It's the universal sign! You know, hanger on the door, scarf on the door, whatever on the door, means company!" Alec emphasised the word company just in case Max missed the meaning of the word. To his dismay Alec realised Max's attention had again wandered.
"Alec, your-"
"Max! Do you realise you just ruined whatever chance I ever had of a meaningful relationship with Stacey." Alec decided to try and bring the conversation to a girlie level that Max would hopefully comprehend.
Max raised a delicate brown eyebrow. "Tracey." She corrected with an expression that clearly said she wasn't falling for it.
Alec threw his hands up in the air. "Fine. Whatever. So I'm doing what every healthy red blooded male does and trying to get laid. You still messed it up for me."
"Alec, your-"
"I know, I know, a pig, a jerk blah blah blah." Alec rolled his eyes in frustration. "But don't think I'm going to forget this when I see you flirting with Prof., 'call me Loggie', Cale! Which by the way hello? The guy's practically old enough to be you father. Serious issue points for that Max."
Max's eyes narrowed in anger at that shot and tried to speak once more. "Alec! Your-"
"What! What the hell is so important you keep interrupting everything I try to say!" Alec yelled at Max.
"Your fly's undone." Max gritted out with a pointed glance down.
Alec froze.
Embarrassment flooded him, not helped by the unimpressed look on Max's face. Alec was comfortable with his body but self righteously ranting at a girl while you were, um, exposed without your knowledge… Well it wasn't the most dignified position to be in. Especially not when afore said girl was the most infuriating, gorgeous, nightmare of a woman on the planet.
Max shrugged at Alec's deer in headlights look. "I did try to tell you." Max pointed out unnecessarily. Alec still found himself unable to move and Max wondered if she had permanently traumatised the guy. She pointed to out the room and spoke slowly and clearly to make sure he understood her. "I'm going to have a bath." She paused and looked at him, waiting for a reaction. None came. Hmm. Oh well if he was still like this when she got out she could get help then. Happy with this Max left to relax in a nice hot bath.
When Max was finally out of sight Alec let his head drop down so he could only see the floor. "I hate my life."
****************
"Peace?" Max's voice was unusually gentle as she came and sat next to Alec on the sofa a few hours later, dressed in pjs and a dark red robe.
Alec didn't turn his attention from the TV and grunted non commitally to the petit woman beside him. Max sighed. Alec was a man, she reminded herself. It just wasn't fair of her to expect the same standard of behaviour from him that she would from a girl room mate. Beside she had got him back already for the jab at Professor Cale.
"Look I'm sorry about ruining your night with that girl." Max pulled a leg onto the sofa and curled her arm around the knee, hugging her leg.
Alec nodded after a heartbeat. "Her name was Tracey." He offered lamely in a somewhat despondent manner.
A smile quirked at Max's face and she nodded in affirmation at his correct memory of the girls name. "Right. I'm sure she was a very nice girl and I'm sorry I messed up your chance to…have a meaningful relationship." Max managed to get the sentence out with a serious tone.
Alec shrugged. "Well its not like being alone is all that bad." He said it a self pitying manner. "Never having anyone to touch me, kiss me, love me…" Alec hid an internal smile as Max nodded sympathetically.
"Well you know you will always have someone who will take care of at least one of those three things for you." Max leaned towards him and ruffled his short light brown hair.
"I will?" Surprised Alec faces Max, only inches from her beautiful features. Max cant have fallen for this crap can she? He wondered in hope.
"Of course you will." Max said in a voice full of concern. She stood up and started to walk towards her bedroom. Alec's hopeful eyes followed her. "That right hand of yours isn't going anywhere." Max grinned as she let the door swing shut.
"Hey!"
TBC.
A/N: Oh poor Alec, I do feel bad for him - naughty keyboard for writing that! (I have trouble accepting responsibility for my brain.)