1:00 AM

Alec, Sketchy and Normal had been at the strip club for Twofer Tuesdays for almost three hours, after which time Sketchy and Normal had spent and tipped all their cash, and were looking around anxiously for Alec, if for no other reason than to say goodbye. But he wasn't at the main stage, and he didn't seem to be on the floor getting any lapdances.

Normal patted Sketchy on the shoulder. "When you find him, let him know I expect to see him bright and early tomorrow morning. Just because you're here late doesn't mean you can shirk your work responsibilities."

Downer, thought Sketchy. And now I have to find him before I can go home. "All right, see you tomorrow."

As Normal left, Sketchy began another sweep of the club.

11:00 PM [two hours prior]

"Would you like a dance, sweetheart?" asked a busty brunette, dragging her fingertips along the expanse of Alec's shoulders.

He'd been at the bar for an hour, getting scotched, and he really wasn't in the mood to waste his dough on a dance. He looked to her, barely peeking over his shoulder. Especially not on some poor lookalike. "No, thanks," he said politely and returned to his ale.

A buzz noise sounded and Alec's cell phone rumbled in his pants. He fished the phone out as the busty brunette said "some other time."

He answered, "Should've known it was you blowing up my pants."

The brunette gave him a suggestive look he didn't see, and walked away.

"What's up?" he asked with a slight smile on his face.

12:00 AM [1 hour prior]

Alec meandered through the crowds of horny men, mouths agape like suffocating fish, looking for Sketchy and Normal, at least so he could say goodbye.

Truth was, he just wasn't feeling it tonight. The dancers seemed to be phoning it in. They were too uninterested, too busty or not busty enough, wearing too much or too little, and some seemed just – thoroughly uninteresting.

But when he found Sketchy, he was mid- lapdance, and seemed to be having the time of his life. And he couldn't find Normal at all.

After a few minutes, he gave up and exited the building around back, where he had parked his bike.

As he stepped out into the chilly night, he felt the buzz of his cell again and pulled the phone from his pocket. Looking at the caller ID, he smiled and flipped the phone open. "Hey. Can't stand an hour without me, huh?" He waited for a response.

"Where'd you park?" came the voice on the other end.

Alec almost panicked, thinking his bike had been stolen, but when he looked up and out to his parking spot, there she was, Max, sitting nonchalantly on his bike, wearing those tight black pants and cropped jacket.

"I'm not sure I've ever seen anything so sexy," he said, walking toward her.

She started to stand, presumably to dismount the motorcycle.

"Please don't get up on my account," he said, nearly grinding his teeth. Max sat back down.

He arrived at the bike and they both hung up their phones.

"Can I give you a ride?" he asked, with no twinge of sarcasm (but a little bit of innuendo).

Max nodded toward the club. "None of the girls in there working out for you, huh?" she asked, scooting back on the bike to make room for him.

Alec swung his leg over and leaned back. He could smell her natural scent and it turned him on something fierce. "None of them are you."

Max swept her hand under his arm and slit it into his pocket. She pulled his keys out and dangled them daintily on one finger. "Take me home, Alec."