a/n: -phew- finally, an update! I am sorry that this took me a month to get around to updating. That really isn't my style, I hate making people wait that long. It took me some time to figure out where I was going with this fic! I originally wrote it as a rather pointless one-shot, so I have been hashing out how I'm going to end this now that it clearly is no longer a one-shot! Now that I know for sure where I'm going with this, the next update should come sooner! (I'm crossing my fingers) And just so everyone knows, I am seeing either one or two more chapters total until this story is complete.

This one is longer than the rest. Hope you enjoy!

Chapter 6

Max was feeling increasingly irritated as the number of cheesy smiles she was having to give seemed to grow exponentially. Working up the will-power to be perky and hold a huge grin for Alec as a way of being 'nice' was one thing. Having to deliver a multitude of packages while keeping up the 'Jam Pony spirit' was something entirely different altogether! Max hadn't worked so hard for the j-o-b in all her life.

And the worst part was that she wasn't getting any of the tips.

Max grudgingly shoved a quarter in Alec's eager hand before dramatically plopping back on her bike like a sick puppy. Her face, however, still looked determined, and after her slight show of annoyance, she held a soldier's stance. Yep, this is a battle. And Pretty Boy Alec was the enemy.

Max never thought that a simple game at Crash would be what ultimately led her back to her roots. Manipulating was something Max had been designed for but she had never succumbed to it. At least not for some time now. But without any other strategy, Max felt like she had no other choice. She had to start from scratch.

Which began with one thing. Know your enemy. Max found renewed confidence as she considered what she knew about Alec. Definitely more than he knew about her. He was a cocky smart-ass. As long as she continued to feed his ego, she would have the tactical advantage of surprise. If she was more than 'nice' to him, he'd never expect his own defeat.

She beamed at him with newfound pleasure and shrugged in apology. "I just don't get it! No one wants to leave a good tip today!" Inside, she was holding back laughter for screwing up his cash flow for the day. Not that a transgenic relied on tips from Jam Pony to fill their piggybank, but it was still fun to watch Alec go practically empty-handed. As long as Max wasn't getting any tips, she was determined to minimize his as well.

"I really wish I was getting bigger tips for you," Max commented, looking and sounding as innocent as she possibly could.

Alec pocketed the coin with his token cocky grin, before gripping onto her shoulder encouragingly. "Aw, don't be so hard on yourself, Max. You just need to go about this from a different angle."

Max's eyes rolled over the spot where he was touching her. She was wearing a zip-up hoodie that was loose and slipping off her shoulders, leaving her skin completely exposed to fully feel the warmth that his hand was eliciting.

As his warm hand collided with her naked skin, Max felt a surge of desire go through her. Her body appreciated contact with Alec, betraying her determination to win. She turned toward his touch for a brief moment before meeting his stare. "And what angle is that, Alec?" she asked him.

As soon as the question escaped her lips, she regretted it. Before he even answered, she sensed that she was leaving herself open for an even worse day than she was already having.

"Well…" Alec began, "I suggest something similar to your strategy last night."

Max couldn't help parting her lips in surprise. Just what did he want her to do? She again replayed in her mind their competition the night before, trying to figure out what she had just involuntarily offered to do. Unfortunately for Max, however, all she could picture in her mind were flashing images of Alec's gleaming muscles, followed by the pleasant visual of him exiting his shower that morning. The pictures ended with the sound of Alec's deep, sexy voice, 'My eyes are only on you'.

"Max, don't you remember? You had the whole bar cheering for you," Alec tried to remind her.

Max brought her attention again to the present and couldn't help laughing at his suggestion as she realized what he meant. "Wait. You want me to take off my hoodie?" She folded her arms in defiance but still had an open look on her face. "Okay, Pretty Boy. Explain to me how that's keeping up the Jam Pony spirit."

Alec's cocky grin was firmly in place, but he spoke nonchalantly as he continued. "Well, it worked at the bar. I can't figure why, but the less clothes you wear, the more appealing you are."

Max wanted to slap him for that comment. "You're such a pig!" she couldn't help replying.

"Now, Max," Alec said, followed by a 'tsk tsk'. "That's not very nice of you to say." He held his hand to his heart in mock concern. "After that comment from earlier, you're starting to hurt my feelings."

Max snorted but then managed to hold a concerned look of her own. She reached out to stroke Alec's arm as she apologized. "Oh, Alec. I am so sorry. I didn't realize you were so sensitive. I would be more than happy to strip down to my undies just so you can get a $1 tip instead of a quarter!" She finished with a frown as her stare challenged him to ask her again.

Alec tried to shake the pleasure that her statement gave him, as well as the image of Max traipsing around in her underwear, that he'd gotten the pleasure of seeing for himself earlier that morning. Max. Black bra…

Alec swallowed the image away and spoke immediately so as not to let it go on. "No, Max. That's not how it is." He shook his head for effect as well as to literally shake away his thoughts before continuing, his confidence again in place. "Besides. You shouldn't be so hard on yourself. I'd give you more than a $1." He again flashed his cocky smile.

Max laughed again, remembering his loss for words earlier when she left his bathroom. "I bet you would," she commented.

"Yes, I-"

"Ah!" Max interrupted him. "No need to repeat yourself, Alec!" She made a mental note to quit using that phrase. 'Bet' now had an entirely different meaning to her than it once did.

Max shrugged as she took off her hoodie all the way. She was going to remove it anyway since she was getting warm, but the fact that Alec suggested it pissed her off. She tried not to look tense and instead held a face that showed she couldn't care less. "Whatever," she commented as she handed it to Alec roughly, who couldn't help grinning. "I was getting hot anyway."

Alec nodded as he appreciated the more curve-complimentary top Max was now showing. "Only two more stops!" he told her encouragingly. He wanted to rub it in her face that she'd lost, especially after the stunts she had pulled earlier. But he didn't want to piss her off so badly that she'd quit the charade. Payback was beautiful, but only to a certain point. The goal was for Alec to be happy and have the best day of his life. If Max was truly upset with him, any more than usual at least, he wouldn't be able to find it in himself to be happy.

Alec wondered when it had first come to be this way. Certainly, when he'd first met Max, his own happiness was his only concern. But he had to admit, somewhere along the way, her own started to mean more. And now, he found that he couldn't even enjoy his win fully if she wasn't happy.

Max grinned at him. "Great! I can't wait to buy you dinner!" Her smile looked fake, but the emotion staring at him from her eyes wasn't forced. He knew he had a unique effect on her.

As Max walked up to the next house, Alec was left to admire her form. The sight was almost breathtaking. Her tiny frame still managed to hold all the curves of a woman. Attraction was a given. But there was another feeling that Alec couldn't blame on his genes.

He tried to stay away from deeper thoughts, which wasn't difficult, given the image in front of his eyes. He couldn't help grinning as he appreciated not only the view, but also how wonderfully his plan was going. That's right, Max, he thought to himself, go ahead and think I really care about bigger tips! The truth was, Alec just wanted a better view as she walked up to the doors. Messing with Max was fun, but he was glad there was only one stop left. He hadn't won the bet just to watch her deliver packages.

"So, about dinner," he began once she returned. He kept going, without interrupting to comment on her much larger tip this time. "You've slipped up a few times here. I think you owe me one."

"What are you getting at?" Max asked, trying not to sound impatient.

"Just that we should go to a place where even you can't be in a bad mood."

Max couldn't help rolling her eyes. A thought came to her that she kept to herself. So you're saying there's been a time where it was me and you and I wasn't in a bad mood? Instead, she smiled up at him. "So, what did you have in mind?"

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Max was relieved, yet also annoyed that she hadn't needed to convince him to come to Crash for dinner. She'd already invited Sketchy, Original Cindy, and the rest of the crew. But the fact that Alec came up with the place as well irked her. Again, she was having to act like she was grateful for his idea, when it really had been hers. Not to mention the irritation that came with the realization that he knew her better than she thought he did.

After her morning, she found herself actually feeling guilty about her plan for their evening. He'd graciously accepted her horrible breakfast and didn't even make any rude comments as she used his desire against him. And the way he took his keys, she knew that she had successfully freaked him out with her riding.

Her afternoon, however, had provided more than enough motivation for her to go through with her plan with confidence.

She grinned as she took in her surroundings. This is where it began, she thought, speaking as though it was truly a war. And this is where it's gonna end!

Max turned to smile at Alec. Her grin looked innocent, but her mischievous eyes gave away how she was truly feeling. "I've got the tab tonight!" she insisted to him.

Alec tried not to laugh in spite of how amused he was. He wondered how she'd try to make this situation fall into her advantage. "Well, when you put it that way!" he replied, commenting like he hadn't already known she was paying.

Max eyed Cindy come in as he finished. "Cindy!" she hollered to her friend. "What are you doin' here?"

Cindy laughed. "Suga, you act like I'm not chillin' here all the time. What I wanna know is what you doin' here? Goin' fa round two?"

Alec laughed. "I'd still win," he insisted with a cocky grin.

Max returned his laugh. "We really don't know that, Alec," she commented in a light voice, though her eyes were staring daggers.

"What's up, my friends?" Sketchy asked as he wandered over. "So…" he winked at Max, "any chance you're gonna light up the air hockey table again tonight? I'll play you this time!"

O.C. snorted. "Boo, ain't nobody want to see you without ya shirt."

Sketchy gave Cindy a short look. "Hey, the night is young. Let's save those comments for when I'm intoxicated beyond the point of responsiveness. Or at least understanding. Which will be in approximately 20 minutes, after I've consumed my share of our pitcher. Which reminds me... Bartender!" He turned again to the group. "First one's on-"

"Max!" Alec replied, nudging her.

Max gave him a pleading look not to, but he continued. "Come on, Max! You've got the tab, right?"

Max studied his face to see if he was serious. It unfortunately, also gave her a moment to again appreciate his attractive features. His hazel eyes held a twinkle that seemed only for her as they sparked with something Max didn't want to acknowledge. Her own mouth twitched into a smile as her eyes rolled over his soft lips that were curved upward in his signature smirk. As Max pulled her stare back into his eyes, she saw how determined they were. It only increased her frustration to notice that in some twisted way, she was attracted to a guy that at the same time had a way of annoying and upsetting her more than anyone else.

"You got a sugadaddy tonight, Boo?" Cindy asked Max.

Max grinned deeply at her friend as she stood up. "Girl, you know I don't need one of those!" She held out her half-gloved fist for Cindy to return the pound.

Max rested a hand on Sketchy's back. "No worries tonight, Sketch. Alec is right. I've got the tab."

"Hey, thanks, Max!" Sketchy commented, taking his seat again.

Max left the table still feeling confident that the night would turn out well, despite the fact that Alec was still running the show. Not that she didn't mind buying for her friends once in a while. It just would have been nice to come up with the idea on her own, instead of as some suggestion of Alec's, which had come off more like an order. And Alec should know better than anyone, I don't take commands from anyone. Not even my CO.

Max almost ran into someone's back before she finally took in just how crowded it was around the bar. She scanned the area and found her hopes fading again. Why does it have to be so busy tonight? I don't feel like waiting in a line! Knowing there was nothing else she could do, Max slumped onto a stool. The grin that Alec had unknowingly placed on her face quickly changed into a tight frown as she found her patience wearing thin.

"Hey," someone said to her as they moved one seat closer.

Max eyed him and realized she hadn't the slightest clue who he was. She rolled her eyes. Great, just what I need. Some drunk, lonely idiot. Now she was really getting irritated.

"You look awfully familiar," he continued.

Irritated? Make that pissed off! Max told herself. She turned to finally face him. "Well you don't," she returned before coldly turning away.

"I'm Sean. And you are?"

"Done talking to you. I'm here for a drink, not conversation." As if I'd even get an intelligent conversation out of you, she added in her head.

"I know your name," he said with a laugh. "But I gotta say, you looked a lot friendlier last night. Or was it the guy?"

Max turned to face him, her anger getting the better of her. She had to be nice to Alec, but not this guy. "What are you talking about?" she snapped at him. "Like I said, I've never seen you before."

"And like I said, you looked friendlier last night. Max, right? That's the name they were chanting. Man, I was wasted, but how could I forget a sight like that?"

Max was relieved that the bartender had finally come her way. "I need a pitcher," she told him. "Make that two," she continued, not wanting to have to come back.

"Hey, dude," Sean motioned to the bartender, "this is that girl from the other night, Max. She really brought the crowd."

Max finally lost her cool. She didn'tappreciate some weird guy being all up in her business. Max reached out a hand and gripped onto Sean's throat before lifting him off his seat. "I'm gonna bring somethin' else if you don't shut the hell up!"

He waved his arms in surrender and Max lowered him back to his stool and released her grip. "Thanks!" she mumbled to the bartender for the pitchers before giving Sean one last glare and heading back to her table.

She slammed the beer onto the table. "Here's your pitcher!" she snapped before aggressively taking her seat back.

"Max, what's wrong?" Sketchy asked. "A little hot in here, right? Maybe you should take your jacket off!" He finished with a wink, as if it was needed to get the point across.

"Maybe I should take your face off!" she returned before folding her arms. She suddenly was sick of the place, with everyone's annoying reminders of last night. Did they have nothing else to occupy their dormant little minds? "What do you want to eat?" she asked Alec, hoping to order it and get out of there as fast as possible.

"Max, I'm sorry!" Sketchy commented. "I was just joking around. Hey, if it bothers you, I won't bring up last night any more."

"That would be fabulous," she answered flatly without looking at him.

Alec cleared his throat before interrupting the awkward moment. "Well, I hope you don't mind if I bring it up!" he began. "I mean, at least until after I eat something."

Max rolled her eyes. "Whatever. Just tell me what you want already."

"A sandwich, some fries, and a damn good massage, pretty please with cherries, or at least, a bet on top."

"Coming…" Max trailed as she reconsidered his sentence. "You wanna repeat that last part for me?"

"Top," he repeated.

"Before that."

"on?"

"Before that!"

"bet?"

"Alec!"

"Pretty please?"

"The part about a massage! I asked what food you wanted!"

"You asked what I wanted, Max. And given the audience we have, what with Sketchy here," he nudged him as he referred to him before continuing, "I gave you the PG version."

Max held out a wad of cash to her friend Cindy. "Will you get this poor, starving, underpaid Jam Pony worker a sandwich?" she asked her with sarcasm.

"Actually, the beer's just fine," Sketchy commented.

Max rolled her eyes. "I mean the annoying one."

Cindy looked between the two men. "Yep, still don't know which one we talkin' bout here."

Max moved her chair behind Alec's and grabbed onto his shoulders roughly. "This one!" she said.

Cindy nodded. "You got it, suga! Be right back!" She grabbed Sketchy. "You better come with. These two got some U-S-T ta deal wit."

As Sketchy pondered what that meant, Cindy dragged him along until they disappeared into the line at the bar, leaving Max and Alec completely alone.

Alec let out a light laugh. "Thanks, Max. I have a name, you know."

"Yeah? Well so do I, and it isn't 'Alec's Bitch'. Take your shirt off."

"What?" As much as Alec wanted to enjoy whatever she meant by that, she didn't seem herself. He tried to brush it off. "Max, you know I'd be more than happy to do this later."

"Do I need to repeat myself, soldier? Or is it that you're incapable of undressing?"

Alec turned his head, which was a bit awkward, given that she was seated directly behind him. "You know that's not true." Far from it, in fact. Alec had been shirtless within the first 5 minutes of meeting Max. "What's going on, Max?"

What's going on? She rolled her eyes as she considered his question. What's going on…Gee, I'm pretty sure that we're in the middle of Crash. And excuse me for being a little irritated by some loner dweeb at the bar hitting on me while I'm already confused because in some sick way, your twisted come-ons actually make me smile and I can't tell if it's because I really like you or I'm just going insane!

"Max?" he interrupted her silent thoughts.

"I'm giving you a massage so you'll shut up about it!" she told him. "I'm sick of you having it over my head, so let's just do it already!"

"But I'm not tense right now."

"Well, I can make you tense first, if you'd like!" she told him, the fury in her eyes showing just how serious she was.

"Max…" he said slowly, hoping to calm her down and bring her to her senses. Something was obviously upsetting her. Even though she'd been fairly pissed the entire day, he wasn't seeing this kind of anger until…

"Did something happen when you got the pitcher?" he asked her.

Yeah, I had to front cash out of my pocket. Max really didn't feel like discussing any of it, especially since he was part of the problem. Instead, she moved in front of him and sat on his lap to face him, straddling him in the action.

Alec immediately held onto her waist while his eyes traveled from her eyes to her lips as he noticed just how close they now were. They were just as full and soft as they'd always been, but in their proximity, they were calling to him now more than ever before to be tasted. He tried to gulp down his desires, but swallowing wouldn't shake her scent that was taunting him. He wondered what she was doing as he forced his stare back into her eyes that were scanning his entire body. "Max…?"

Max enjoyed being held by him more than she wanted to admit. As she felt his thumbs gently stroking her, she realized she needed to distract herself somehow. She reached to his forearm and squeezed it gently before looking into his eyes. Even with his clothes hiding them from her view, his muscles still called for her touch. She resisted giving him the satisfaction of knowing the effect that the feel of his skin had on her. She was careful to conceal the rush she'd felt shoot up her spine with the contact and instead allowed her lips to curl slightly upward in amusement.

Alec was glad to see a thin smile finally reappear on her face, although he wished she could smile while still touching him. The look she was giving told him she'd found whatever she was looking for.

"You're such a liar," she told him.

"What do you mean?" For a brief moment, he felt like someone working undercover who'd been made.

"You're tense, whether you want to admit it or not. But I'll play your little game." With that she leapt off him and held out a hand to pull him up. "Let's go outside, see if we can make you even more tense."

Alec looked back at the bar to see that their friends were still in line. He shrugged before following her. He thought her reactions were predictable, but here Max was, surprising him like he didn't even know her.

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"So…" she trailed before spreading her legs and planting her feet in a fighting stance. She lifted her arms and waited to make a move.

Alec looked at her as though she were crazy. "What are you doing?"

"You aren't tense enough," she said simply before tossing a hard hook toward his jaw line.

He barely dodged it in time and was about to ask her to cut it out when she sent another array of punches.

Alec continued to block her attacks, but he couldn't stop all the kicks that came next. She sent him a spiraling kick to his chest that he missed blocking entirely.

"Are you always this nice?" he asked her as he decided to put her on the defensive for a change.

"I'm so nice that I'm willing to punch you so you'll be tense enough to fully enjoy your massage," she told him in between blocks and a few more attacks of her own.

"Well you've done a hell of a job!" he replied as he successfully pinned her to the ground and entangled her legs.

Max struggled to get out of his grip. "I'm not finished yet!" she told him.

"Well I am!" he insisted, shoving her hard against the dirt to get the point across.

Max answered his move by head-butting him. He was stunned enough for her to break free. She quickly removed her jacket and tossed it to the side with a smile. "That ought to help me maneuver better now."

Alec prepared himself for another hit from her. "This is ridiculous, Max!"

Max eyed his shirt. It was getting wet from the workout. "Take it off, Alec," she told him.

"Right! So you can kick me while my vision's blocked, right?"

Max shrugged. "Guess that's a risk you're gonna have to take. But I'm not gonna stop fighting you until I can see that we're done."

"And when will that be?" he asked her.

"When your muscles need a break."

He gave her a cocky smirk. He couldn't believe he was doing this with her, but he couldn't resist. He pulled his shirt off in one swift motion, expecting a hit before his view came back. As his eyes again rested upon her again (a sight that he didn't want to stray from for another reason!), surprise came to his features. She hadn't taken the opportunity to get a clean hit at him. An amused smirk spread across his face as he prepared himself. "Don't worry, Max. I'm not tired yet." His eyes challenged her to try harder.

Max deepened her smile as she noticed him rising to the challenge. Not to mention, she couldn't help grinning as she finally saw his gleaming abs again. "Oh, you will be soon enough, Pretty Boy!" she told him with a grin.

Another line of hits were exchanged back and forth between the pair. This time, it ended when Alec shoved Max against the wall.

"Can't you beat me on your own, Alec?" she asked him in a taunting voice.

Their faces were close, and since he was blocking part of her lung with the hand pinning her against the wall, her breaths were deeper. He bit his lip to hold his position in spite of the advantage she had given the situation. She didn't realize how distracting she was, being this close to him.

"We're equals," he gave in. He was grateful to feel her body loosen under his arm at the comment. It seemed she was finally done fighting him.

He moved his arm from pinning her to helping himself stand as he held his balance against the wall, their faces still inches from each other.

Max eyed him with a new look in her eye. There was a hint of vulnerability looming in her large brown eyes as she stared into his.

He was now the one breathing heavily. He'd been holding in how tired he was from her attacks, but now that it was over, he didn't waste any more energy in hiding his exhaustion.

Even though she was now free to leave, without Alec pinning her against the wall, Max still couldn't find it in her to move away from him. She could only stare at him, so close to her, and study him once more.

She'd never paid so much attention to him before all of this, their game. Now that she was forced to see him- all of him- she was noticing the unique effect he had on her. We're not equals! she protested in her mind. She couldn't accept it. It was his way of a truce, and she wasn't going to give in to him that easily.

But as she noticed how tired and worn he looked, she realized that she at least owed him a massage. She couldn't help smiling a bit, despite how confused she was. He looked kind of cute, all exhausted and anxious.

"Alec…" she said to him in a soft, tired voice as she reached out to touch him. Her hand traced the muscles on his chest that she'd effectively rendered tense.

She smiled and pulled him gently toward her to whisper into his ear. "I think you've earned that massage."

Alec tried not to grin too much as he allowed Max to guide him toward her. He had never seen this side of Max before, even though he was sure it was there.

He cocked his head to one side and made a half smirk as he answered her. "I'm all yours."

Max let out a light laugh. "Come on, turn around."

Alec turned around, even though he really didn't like having his back to Max. Especially a Max he couldn't predict. For a second, a horrible thought entered his mind, threatening to ruin the otherwise glorious moment. Alec recalled his morning when she'd purposely ruined his breakfast. Was she going to butcher this in some weird attempt to make him feel like the loser in spite of his win?

The betraying thoughts to the pleasure he was feeling in anticipation of having Max rub his tired muscles left abruptly with the touch of Max's fingers as they grazed the back of his neck. Soon the gentle stride held more strength as he felt Max's hands rub his shoulders in a slow and rhythmic motion.

Every thought left him then, and his head leaned forward luxuriously of its own volition to allow her better access. Her hands were small and soft, but strong and firm. With every touch of her hands, his whole body shivered in pleasure.

His original suspicions of her somehow using this moment as a trick quickly faded into almost blissful pleasure. No, if having Max to his back meant more of this, he definitely should turn around more often!

Max could feel Alec loosen up and become putty in her hands. It gave her an incredible thrill that she couldn't understand, having Alec be so completely hers right then, knowing what her touch could do to him.

The feel of his muscles excited her and gave her a burning sensation on her palms. They moved rhythmically over his body, a masterpiece that was simultaneously soft and hard, covered with smooth skin that just begged her to touch it. Working the tension out of Alec's gleaming body somehow put an unidentified anxious tension into Max's own. The sensation raced from her hands to her heart, her temperature rising with every delicate stroke.

The rush that she'd felt earlier with the light grazing of his skin against hers was ignited to something much more powerful as she continued. She had never anticipated enjoying her 'punishment' for losing the bet just as much as he had.

Of course, she hadn't anticipated being serious in giving him a massage. But after being taunted with their sight for so long, she couldn't deny the urge to touch him any further.

a/n: Thanks everyone for reading this! I would love to hear your thoughts, definitely feel free to review this. They are why I made this longer in the first place.
Oh, and I know, you are probably thinking I'm evil for ending it there! I don't want to give you false hope, so I will just tell you, the massage scene is done at the end of this chapter. (Sorry! I think I got the point across, so that is as far as I'm going with that. I really think anything more is unnecessary)