Chapter 3

Both transgenics were trying their best to ensure the other's defeat. Max had to admit, the methods she was using to win tonight might have been considered desperate, if you ignored his own cheap attempts to get her to lose. She held no shame, though. She was merely following a simple strategy on how to win- capatilize upon your opponent's weaknesses. In any situation where she had an opponent to defeat, she would first succeed by making them lose their cool so they would find themselves vulnerable for the taking.

With Alec, she knew what would make him lose focus enough to slip up. She had to play on the fact that he was a man, and like all other men, easily manipulated with a little show of some skin, a huge smile, and a compliment to boost the ego that really made her want to take him down a peg or two. Only with Alec, it seemed that there was something more to the fact that he was looking at a woman who was supposedly interested him. The way he was looking at her, the way he'd been looking at her...all of his actions, previous and current, made Max question just who was in control here. He definitely seemed interested in her, but she'd seen the way he acted around usual partners. And it definitely wasn't the same way that he was acting right now or the way he'd been acting up to this point.

Alec's weakness in turn proved to be her own. He wanted her, and as many men that had desired her before, there was a difference in Alec's desire. Her body's reactions were proof enough of that. The longer this game went on, the more she had to stare at his naked chest that seemed to just call for her touch every time she glimpsed at it, the more she had to realize- it was mutual.

That realization and the unwillingness to accept it was causing her to falter. Damnit! Why couldn't I challenge Alec on a night when I was just a bit more sure of myself! Max wished more than anything that he would quit making his usual suggestions.

"So, Maxie," Alec began. Great! Max thought. He's gonna try and get the game point here. What the hell is gonna do this time? "Would you mind using scented oils when you're nice to me later?"

"Anything for you, babe!" Max answered sarcastically. "But if I were you, I'd be thinking more of the excuses you're gonna need when you have to break all of your plans for the next 3 days!"

"Didn't you know, Maxie? My plans are only you, for the next 3 days and every day after. Or should I say nights?"

Max laughed out loud. "Alec, you really don't need to keep making those comments of yours! Didn't you know? I'm completely unaffected! Don't waste your time or breath! Why don't you stick to the game instead?"

Max knew, however, that she was far from unaffected by the comment, not to mention the sexy grin that came along with it. She struggled to keep her focus on the game instead of Alec and whatever feelings and attraction went along with him at the moment.

Alec could not stop grinning for the life of him. He had never expected Max's idea to turn out so successfully. She was more worked up than he'd ever seen, and she was still in complete denial, which only made it more amusing to push all of her buttons. Not to mention the other benefits with how hard she was trying to win. He had to hand it to her, many of her scores on him were thanks in more than a small part to her sexy stares and moves. Max was probably the most desirable woman he'd ever come across. And I'll be damned if I don't get a chance with her.

It wasn't just because she was hot, though that was clearly affecting his game tonight. He had never felt the way he did over anyone with Max. The truth was, many of his come-on's and grins came without any thought. Being around Max brought a certain happiness to him along with the challenge. Something about her just drew his attention toward her, even when it was answered by that tough chick attitude of hers, or worse, a slap upside the head. I must be a massochist! he couldn't help thinking. But if pain looks this good, he thought, again sneaking in a stare at Max's desirable form in front of him, bring it on!

"So..." Max asked him, her voice almost purring.

Alec grinned with the bittersweet moment that was surely going to take place. What would she try next? It would be more than a pleasure to see, but he knew that if it really was amazing, it would end with him losing the game. Though Alec could live with the consequences of losing, the possibility of having Max rub his muscles was not something he wanted to see slip away.

"This is getting boring, don't you think? Maybe we should call it quits. I'll give you a massage, you do my work tomorrow, we'll call it a day. How does that sound?"

Alec found himself disappointed, yet also amused. So she'd given up on beating him? Or was she just buying time to think of a way to defeat him? "I'm far from bored, Maxie," he told her.

Max again found herself tense at his unnerving comment. She started to panic. What if I really end up losing this? "Fine! I was trying to be nice and not completely humiliate you for the next 3 days, but I guess you want to do this the hard way."

"Sure, Maxie," Alec told her simply.

Max felt more unsure at his short reply. Surely he had more to say than that. "And what do you mean by that?" she asked him, though feeling anxious about what the answer would be.

"It sounds to me like you're not so sure you're going to beat me here," he explained. "Or maybe the truth is, you want to lose."

"I cannot believe you!" Max replied. "Why the hell would I want to lose? You are so full of yourself!"

Alec shrugged. "I don't know, Maxie. You tell me. From over here, it looks like you're getting pretty worked up over a little game."

"Yea?" Max answered. "What about you? You're actually sweating over there. I wonder what's raising the temperature so much?" She was now the one smiling confidently.

Alec laughed slightly. "Well, that would be the sight of you, wouldn't it?"

Max tensed immediately at the comment. Her focus flinched for a split second as she looked up to directly meet his eyes instead of block his shot. What did he just say?

As she stared at him, she noted the golden glints of desire evident in the green swirls she was looking into. Their eyes held for a moment before her senses took in the delayed sound of a puck entering her goal.

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"Maxie, babe, why don't you come a little closer? Or do you know a new technique that allows you to soothe my muscles from all the way over there?" he asked her with a satisfied smile.

Max frankly didn't want to soothe anything of his at the moment. She was too pissed that he'd just beaten her. It was a fluke, really. He'd practically been openly cheating the whole time, the way he was taking advantage of how confused she was feeling. Was it the dark lighting of the place, the music getting to her? Something about her desire toward him in spite of how pissed off she was only enhanced her anger and passion.

She had to hand it to him. He did look like he could use some rest and relaxation at the moment. His muscles did look really tired. But why should she have to be the one to "soothe" them?! Maybe because you're the idiot who agreed to his stupid bet! she reminded herself, wondering why oh why she hadn't reconsidered it. He'd asked her in the heat of the moment. It was hardly fair.

"Max…?" he repeated, wondering why she wasn't reacting at all. He expected either some raging explanation to why the rules didn't apply to her, a slap across the face or a kick to his groin, or why the hell not- her touch against his tired arms. But silence?

Max held up her hand in protest. "Hold on," she said.

Here it comes!, he thought, still smiling. She was going to try and work her way out of it. He couldn't wait to hear what excuse she could come up with for why a deal they had made fair and square somehow no longer applied to her now that the result had come through. He folded his arms and gave her a pressing look to continue.

She opened her mouth to say some reason why it wasn't going to happen, but found that she couldn't come up with a good reason why. She closed her lips and said something neither he nor herself was really expecting. "I'm going to need a shot first. Don't follow me, I'll be right back."

Now it was Alec's turn to be speechless. This was quite amusing to him. Was she going to take the opportunity to bail? No matter, it would only make him laugh. It wasn't like she could escape the fate of what had happened. Sooner or later, she'd have to accept that she couldn't run away from the stakes they'd agreed to.

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"Max! I can't believe you lost!" Cindy told her as Max approached the bar again.

"I need a drink!" she told the bartender. "3 shots. Lay 'em out."

"Don't you want a chaser?" the man asked Max as he poured them all in a row.

Max answered him by immediately downing the first one by itself.

"What are you gettin' ready to do?" Cindy asked. She wondered why Max was drinking instead of kicking Alec's ass for winning. But Cindy didn't know that the two transgenics had placed stakes on the game.

Max turned to her friend. "If I'm going to do this, I'm gonna do it right, and I may as well enjoy myself."

Cindy was confused. "Huh?"

"Who said I had to suffer? I just have to be nice to him. It won't be that hard, really!" She didn't look the least concerned. And she definitely wasn't going to allow herself to recall her thoughts during the game that had contributed to her loss.

"And is that why you're taking 3 shots?" Cindy asked her with a doubting stare.

Max shrugged. "I was thirsty."

Cindy nodded. "Riiight. Okay, Max. So I guess there was a bet goin' on? You have ta…be nice?"

Max nodded as she handed the bartender the first glass back which was now empty. "I have to be nice to him for 3 days."

Cindy laughed.

"What?" Max asked. Now Cindy, too, felt that Max being nice to Alec was amusing. "Is it so hard to picture?" she asked. "I'm nice to Alec!"

Cindy only kept laughing. "Girl! Define nice!"

Max threw her a defensive stare. "He just gets on my nerves sometimes, that's all."

"And under your skin," Cindy pointed out.

"Yea!" Max admitted. "So what? You'll see. I am going to be so nice to him that it'll drive him insane! He'll be begging for me to leave him alone! You wait!"

Cindy gave Max a doubting look. "Max, have you really thought about this?"

Max shrugged. "What is there to think about? I'm going to be nice to him. It's not like it'll be hard. Give him a little compliment here and there, make him a good meal, give him a massage, do some of his runs at work-"

"Woah, wait!" Cindy interrupted. "Give him a massage?"

Max rolled here eyes. "I know, can you believe his nerve? He actually already brought that up. Whatever. It's not like I haven't had to do more ridiculous things before."

Cindy stared at Max. "Girl, ain't you forgettin' something?" Max was acting oblivious to the game that had just taken place. It hadn't gone unnoticed, the tension between the two. That had contributed to the amusement the whole place was getting in watching the match.

Max gave her an expression indicating she didn't understand what the problem was. "Like...?"

"Girl!" Cindy continued. "Now I realize that I'm not swingin' that way, but even I got to say 'damn' when I see Hot Boy without his shirt. You tellin' a sista that you aint just a little bit turned on by your boy?"

Max frowned. "What are you trying to say, Cindy?" Please, turned on? Max knew that she was a little flushed after their game, but duh, she'd just worked her butt off in a crowded room. Like Alec's sex appeal was responsible, yea right! Wait...Alec's sex appeal? Max continued to consider Cindy's question. Wait.. Alec's appeal? Please! He's about as pleasant as Normal on a bad day!

But Max couldn't shake the feeling that something in Cindy's question held some truth to it. Max couldn't deny in her mind that Alec was fairly attractive. But he'd been designed that way. And besides, it wasn't like Max even cared about that type of thing when it came to guys. Then how do you explain how you reacted earlier? she asked herself.

"Just...I don't know, Max," Cindy explained. "I'm picturing you givin' ya boy a massage, and I don't know, girl. If I was in ya shoes, havin' to be nice to some fine-ass female, I don't think it would be easy! It'd be killin' me, ya know? Bein' that close to someone that damn fine..."

"Don't worry!" Max quickly stopped her from going further. The last thing Max needed was to picture Alec shirtless as she stroked his tired muscles. The thought alone was enough to make her question just how easy this would all prove to be. "I'm gonna be so nice to him that he won't know what hit him!"

"Kill him with kindness?" Cindy asked, guessing at Max's new plan to still somehow be the one in charge even though she'd lost.

"Exactly!" Max said, liking the sounds of that. She happily downed the 2nd shot.

Cindy shook her head.

"What now?" Max asked, wishing Cindy would quit pointing out how great of an effect Alec had on her.

"Girl, I really don't think you will last 3 days!" Cindy admitted. "Like I was sayin' earlier, I'd be done after prolly 10 minutes!"

"Thanks for the vote of confidence!" Max returned with a frown. "And anyway, I got it covered!"

"Sorry, boo. I tell it like it is, you know that."

"No worries, Cindy. Like I said, he can only handle so much kindness from me." Max smiled, looking quite confident. She took the last shot. "He has no idea what I'm capable of."

Cindy laughed to herself this time, since Max was already headed back to find Alec. Whatever, girl! Something told Cindy that Alec had a fairly good idea as to what Max was capable of, maybe even more than Max herself. This should be interesting. Cindy couldn't wait to hear what happened the next day at work.

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Max was shocked to find that Alec wasn't standing by the table where she specifically had asked him to wait. She turned around and scanned the room to see where he was. "Where the hell did he go?" she wondered out loud as she looked.

"Max!" Sketchy called. "That was an amazing game! Well…the parts that I saw."

"You mean you didn't spend the whole night in the bathroom?" Max asked him rudely. It seemed being nice to Alec meant letting out her frustration on everyone else.

"Ah.. hey now, I thought you were going to be nice?" he asked her.

Max eyed him suspiciously. "And how would you know that? You weren't here when we decided that. Did you just talk to Alec?" she asked.

"Well, yea. He went home. He thought you left."

"I told him I'd be right back!" Max complained angrily.

"He looked really tired," Sketchy continued.

"Oh, really?" Max asked with a devious look coming over her face. "Poor, tired, Alec," she said out loud, mocking and practicing concern. "I guess I better go help soothe those tired, aching muscles, huh?" She smiled as she finished. Alec was most assuredly just getting home right about then. If he thought he was in for a nice long night's sleep, he had another thing coming! She would make sure that he didn't get any rest tonight!

Sketchy looked at her like she'd lost her mind. "Am I still drunk?" he asked.

Max ignored the question and only held that strange grin that was spread across her face. "Gotta blaze, Sketch! I promised Alec I would be nice to him!"

Before Sketchy could reply, she'd already made her way to the door. He looked again to the bar. "I need another beer!"

He approached Cindy, who didn't even need to ask what had happened this time. He turned to face her as he paid for his latest drink. "I am gonna feel like shit tomorrow," he told her.

"It's Jam Pony," Cindy reminded him. "You feel like shit every day."

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Max pulled up to the familiar place feeling annoyed. Here she was having to go out of her way just to finish this the right way. Oh, well, it would only be that much more satisfying to see the shocked look on his face. There was no way he could actually believe she would go through with it. But I'm not gonna back down, she decided. A bet is a bet. And I'm gonna deliver. And like she'd said, it wasn't so horrible. She'd had to flirt before with more disgusting looking men to get what she wanted or make something easier. She could at least appreciate that Alec was good looking. It wouldn't be hard to pretend not being repulsed by the sight of him or having to make contact with his skin.

At least, it shouldn't be. Cindy did have a point. Max had a way of turning everything about Alec into something annoying that she didn't want anything to do with. Time to get over it! she told herself as she crept up to the door.

Max let herself in with ease. Hmph! she thought, amused. Typical. On the counter was an open bottle of champagne. Champagne? Celebrating, are we? She helped herself to the glass that was half full. Hope he doesn't mind me finishing his glass! she thought happily.

She wondered where he was exactly. Great, on top of everything else, I have to wait for him? But then she heard the water going in the shower.

Max threw her head back in annoyance. Patience wasn't her strongest suit. She threw off her jacket and walked over to the door, anticipating the look on his face that was sure to be complete shock once he opened the door to find her standing on the other side.

Good thing she didn't have to wait long.

As the door opened, steam escaped with it. But Max found that it was herself that was left holding a shocked expression with her mouth gaping. The visual she was getting of Alec wearing a loose fitting blue towel as his only cover left her speechless. The abs that she'd been staring at all night were now only inches from her, wet and gleaming.

"Max?" he asked her in a low voice. What was she doing there? He thought she'd be happily avoiding him right about now.

"I…" she began, putting back on her face that of someone as nice as she could possibly imagine. She couldn't believe he'd rendered her speechless. She hoped she hadn't blushed or something ridiculous, but the burning she felt indicated that she was probably pretty transparent in that moment.

"Thought you'd enjoy the rest of my champagne?" he asked her, noting the empty glass in her hand, and also taking some of the pressure off of her of coming up with something to say.

She nodded. "Yea, that's it. I didn't think you'd mind."

He shrugged as he rubbed the back of his neck. "Whatever. I'll just get another glass. I was celebrating something."

"I gathered that," she told him, trying not to look annoyed.

"Well you see, I don't know if you knew this, but I won something tonight," he told her with the smile of a boy who'd just opened his first present on Christmas morning.

Max mocked a look of confusion. "Really? And in the rare occasion of you winning you just had to break open the bottle, huh?"

Alec laughed. "Yea, that's it! You mind pouring me a glass while I get dressed?" He wasn't asking though, as he disappeared into his bedroom.

Just what am I doing here? Max asked herself as she went ahead and got out a 2nd glass for him to enjoy. Trying to be nice? Max knew she'd had some sort of plan in mind when she'd come here, something about making Alec miserable, but for the life of her, she didn't know what to do next. Maybe I should give up on planning, she decided. After all, seeing as she'd lost the game, it was getting her no where.

She tried to take herself back to her good, carefree mood that she'd started the night with. Maybe being nice to Alec wouldn't be that big of a deal.

"So," he said as he returned from getting dressed. He took the glass and enjoyed a sip. "What brings you here, Maxie?"

She rolled her eyes. "Do I need to remind you? A certain game? The win you're celebrating?"

"Am I celebrating?" he asked her, as if his memory had just been wiped.

"Haha!" she said, giving him a look but still smiling. "I get it, okay. You don't think I'm capable of being nice to you! But you're wrong."

"Am I…" he said out loud, wondering the possibilities that were still in store for the evening.

"That's right!" she said. Kill him with kindness. "A toast," she offered, holding up her glass.

Alec gave her a curious look but waited to see what she would say next.

"To Alec," she said, causing him to snort out of amusement. "For being…so amazing." She held her glass against his and he returned the gesture.

"Wow, Maxie. 'Amazing'? This has got to be killing you."

It's supposed to be killing you! she thought. She was a bit annoyed but held a satisfied expression nonetheless. "On the contrary," she argued, "Being nice to you is a lot easier and more natural than you seem to think!"

"Okay, Maxie, whatever you say," he told her with an amused smile as he took another sip of his drink. Should I make this difficult on her? he considered.

He didn't get a chance to further consider that thought, though, as Max caught him completely off guard by doing something he'd never expected. She quickly removed the glass from his hand and began to move her hands underneath his shirt to slowly lift it over his head.

"What are you doing?" he asked her, wondering if he was dreaming all of this.

Max enjoyed seeing him so surprised. She leaned closer to whisper something to his ear. "Being nice. Isn't this what you wanted, Alec?"

He didn't answer, though, as he found himself speechless with the action of Max removing his shirt.

"There we go!" she said with a smile as she stared at his muscles.

"I don't know, Alec…" she said as she let her fingers glide across his naked abdomen. "Your muscles feel fine to me. Maybe I wasn't hard enough on you earlier today."

"Well!" she continued, lifting her hands off his chest. He found himself wanting to grab and pull her toward him again but he let her finish whatever it was that she was doing.

"I guess you don't need a massage after all!" she decided, feigning a look of disappointment. "Too bad, I was really looking forward to it." Max grinned up at him. "Oh well! I guess I'll be letting you get your rest, then, Alec! See you tomorrow! Your great day will start when I make you breakfast!"

"But…" he finally returned as he found his voice again. "Wait, does that mean you're staying the night here?"

Max nodded. "Well, of course. How can I be nice if I'm not even here? You go and get some rest, though. Don't mind me, I don't sleep. I'll just be anxiously waiting for you to wake up so I can show how much I appreciate you!"

"Maxie…" Alec said, giving her a quizzical look again. "Are you sure that you're fine?"

"Of course I am fine! I'm better than fine, Alec. Because I'm spending my night with you!" The words were meant to be fake and meaningless, but she couldn't deny the rush she felt as she realized she was going to be all alone with Alec for the next few hours.

"Well," Alec returned, "If that's how you feel… It would be really nice of you to come lay with me until I fall asleep. I mean, since you're feeling so nice and all." He tried not to smirk too much as he couldn't help taking advantage of the situation just a little. She might have thought she was fooling him, but the uncertainty was visible in her eyes. This was driving her crazy, and he loved it!

Max wanted to glare at him but instead only widened her smile. "That sounds…amazing!"

Alec laughed. "Now there's that word again. Anyway, don't worry. I don't snore or anything."

"I'm sure!" Max blurted. "I mean, of course not!" she tried to save herself.

Whether Alec noticed the slight slip or not, he didn't comment on it. It was true that he was tired, so he only withdrew to go to sleep.

He was surprised that Max actually followed him, but didn't say anything about it.

As his head rested upon his soft pillow, he couldn't believe the situation. He was falling asleep with Max laying next to him. And he wasn't going to get his ass beat for it the next day. He let a quiet yawn escape his lips before turning over to give Max a quick kiss on the cheek. "Night, Maxie!" he said and then swiftly shut off the light.

Max tensed as his soft lips touched her skin. She hadn't been expecting that. Or the pleasure that it gave her to feel his lips against her. And she couldn't yell at him, because she was too busy being nice!

Max frowned as his back turned, his scent surrounding her. Well, she was in in his bedroom after all. She had smelled it before, but it had never engulfed her like this, as she laid next to his sleeping form. The rugged scent of Alec had an appeal to it that she couldn't deny. Maybe this whole "being nice" thing was going to be more difficult than she thought...

a/n: thank ya all so much for the reviews! they really help motivate me to keep going with this! anyway, if you can't tell, I had to agree with everyone that it just didn't make sense to have Max win. I actually tried hashing out a scenario where she won, and it really wasn't feeling right, so this is what came out instead! I hope you enjoyed! let me know if you did!