Thanks To Teegs for Betaring.

Chapter Three

His first drowsy thought as he drifted to consciousness was Max. Not unusual in itself, what was unusual was that it wasn't just the tail end of his dream. She was actually here naked in his bed; her cheek on his chest, her arm around him and her leg slung across his thigh.

He'd been drifting in and out of sleep for the last couple of hours. The scent of her phemerones was slight now, his body was also calmer, he wasn't dumping hormones any more and his erection had finally eased.

Her heat's over he thought regretfully, but she was still here in his arms and whatever happened when she woke up, wasn't going to stop him from enjoying this while he could.

Not just her heat he thought, rubbing his cheek on the top of her head. He had been as caught up in it as she had. Just as powerless to resist. He ran the memory of her through his mind, closing his eyes, smiling in satisfaction, as he remembered her moaning his name, as she thrashed beneath him.

It had been so good between them. Too good to give up he thought, as careful not to wake her, he pulled her closer.

Soon he'd have to face the consequences, but that could wait, for the moment asleep here in his arms, she was still his he thought contentedly, nuzzling her hair and gently stroking her arm as he drifted back to sleep.

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Warm, content and deliciously comfortable, her first waking thoughts as she drifted slowly awake. Heat and Alec, I'll never again, be able to think of one without the other. she thought, sighing softly.

Jumbled images of their lovemaking and thoughts of the pleasure and satisfaction he had given her filled her mind.

She lay there feeling the rhythm of his breathing and listening to his heartbeat, steady beneath her ear. I don't want to move she thought drowsily. Snuggling closer, twining her leg with his, her mind flashed to him over her, moving relentlessly into her, his eyes intent on hers.

"We deserve the rest anyway," she though with a small grin, her eyes widened as a memory surfaced. Did I really scream for him like that?

This heat had been different from the others, much more intense, stronger, emotional even. Heat for her in the past, had always been a time when she had grudgingly sought physical satisfaction, but this time the need for an emotional connection had been as strong as the physical need.

She didn't understand this, it was puzzling why she felt this way. Why now and why Alec? Why had she dissolved into a quivering heap of physical and emotional need when he had touched her?

Maybe, it was just because of the amazing sex. Maybe, it's just because with him I felt like he was making love to me, cared about me, instead of the mindless fucking of previous heats. she thought sighing.

*I feel good, she realized with astonishment, for the first time, after heat, I feel good* Still thinking about how good she felt, when she would usually be feeling bad, she sleepily nestled closer and drifted back to sleep.

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Banging, he could hear banging. He glanced down at Max, still in his arms but also awake.

The door, someone at the door, he realized, reaching across her to get his gun, his eyes searching the room for his jeans.

"Max, Max are you in there?"

Logan he realized, his eyes going straight to Max's. Fuck, fuck it's too soon for her to leave he thought helplessly, looking into her wide startled eyes.

No, not Logan, not here, Not now, I'm not ready for this. She thought, scrambling away from Alec in search of her clothes.

"What are you looking at Alec?" she asked furiously, as he leaned on the bedroom door handle watching her dress. "Put the rest of your clothes on," she hissed, eyeing his low-slung partially unfastened jeans in temper. "You can't go out there like that."

"Why not I'm perfectly decent," he looked down at himself. "Its only Logan."

"Get dressed now. If he sees you like that he'll know what we've been doing," she hissed, swaying on one foot, as she tried to shove her boot on the other one.

Alec stilled. "He'll know anyway, Max, the whole of Terminal City knows by now."

Her stricken look cut straight to his heart.

"What am I gonna say to him?"

Alec glanced up from the bed, where he was putting on his boots. "Tell him the truth, Max, it was your heat, you have nothing to be ashamed of and I'm none of his business."

He waited until she left to let Logan in. Fuck what a mess, he thought, leaning forward his head in his hands.

The pounding on the door got louder as she went into Alec's living room. He'll break the door down at this rate. She though exasperatedly.

"Stop banging Logan and give me a chance to get the locks off," she called through the door.

She barely had a chance to open the door before he was pushing his way inside.

"Where have you been, Max? You've been gone for two days, what the hell is going on here?" he demanded.

She could see he was angry, she supposed he had a right to be. Hell she'd just spent two days locked away, making love with another man.

She was tired, hungry and her muscles ached, she just wanted to go back to bed. She couldn't deal with Logan now, didn't know what to say to him, didn't want him here, she needed time to think. And there was Alec, he and Logan were friends, this hadn't been his fault, he had only been trying to help her, she had messed that up.

She had to talk to Alec that seemed more important at the moment, she thought fuzzily. What they had done had changed things between them already she knew this by how confused she was feeling.

She was always tired and depressed after heat. This heat had been different, she was still tired but she wasn't depressed, she felt good in fact.

Satisfied, she realized. This is the first time sex has left me satisfied. I don't want to leave here yet it's too soon, she thought, her eyes drawn to the bedroom and Alec.

"This is Alec's place. So where the hell is he then?" Logan blustered noticing Max's attention had wandered from him.

"Here I am Logan, what do you want?" Alec asked abruptly, impatiently as he moved to stand beside Max. Max inexplicably relieved to see him, looked at him in surprise she'd never heard him talk in that tone to Logan before, he'd always treated him with tolerance at the worst good-natured mockery. Now he sounded annoyed, angry. Why would he be angry with Logan?

Logan hasn't done anything, but Alec and I we…no Alec hasn't done anything either, she corrected herself. I've created this mess my naiveté and stupidity caused this, Alec was just trying to protect me. Now I've dragged him into my messed up life and he's got Logan who doesn't understand who couldn't possibly understand, in his apartment expecting him to explain himself. He's got a right to be angry she sighed tiredly.

Alec heard her sigh, saw how tired and dispirited she looked and didn't like it. She probably should still be asleep, he thought, glancing angrily at Logan. Heat must take an incredible toll on her body.

Logan was Max's friend, for this reason, he had tried to get along with him. But he didn't want him here now, pressuring and upsetting her. In fact at the moment I don't even like him standing next to her, he thought aggressively. My testosterone and adrenaline levels must still be high.

"I want to know what's been going on here, Alec, and I don't want to hear any of your stupid jokes," Logan sneered.

"What I do in my own apartment is my business," Alec said, clenching his jaw in irritation.

"If you want to know Max's business you can ask her but not here and not now. What is between her and me is our business, you'd do well to remember that," he said his voice hard.

Logan gazed at Alec in shock. "Its time for you to leave now Logan. When Max wants to talk to you she knows where to find you." And you better not be standing over her like this again either he thought angrily.

"I'm not leaving her here with you, Alec, you must be mad, if you think I am."

"Max is not a dog, to be left anywhere. She'll leave here when she's ready," Alec said, backing Logan towards the door as he'd talked.

Max watched dazedly, as he ushered Logan out and closed and bolted the door.

What the fuck just happened? Did Alec just throw me out? Logan wondered incredulously standing on the other side of the door his rage building. I'm not fucking well leaving her, he thought whirling around to bang on the door.

Wait think about this. he told himself, his hand going to his still bruised and sore face.

You've already been in one fight over Max this week. Another one is probably not the smartest way to handle this. Max loves you she can barely stand Alec, there's nothing to worry about.

Then why the hell is she still in there with him?

TBC

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