Disclaimer: I don't own Dark Angel or any characters featured in either of the seasons.
Fashion Stunt: Photographers and the 180 Stunt
In the distance waves were beginning roll to crash into the sandy beach, causing the current to wash up and wet his feet. The cool water felt amazing against his heated skin that felt like it was baking under the intense sun and above the sand. Leaning his arm onto his bent knee, Alec felt himself become lost in thoughts and memories. Through the pool it he ended up thinking about what was to come soon. 'His girlfriend' was going to be arriving today at the hacienda, whether she knew they were residing together, he didn't know. Nor did he really care to be truthful. All I he wanted to do was his job and finish up his contract with Manticore so he could move on to something else to fill his time and life. Sure the money was great, but being someone's bitch was never a life he could reside in for long. After all that's what he ran away from in the first place. Shaking his head he shook the thoughts from his mind, he didn't need to be dwelling on the past. It did no good, only trouble.
Staring at the ocean, Alec thought once again about his current situation and the 'girlfriend' thing. Tomorrow they had a photo shoot, where they were going to be around people and pretend they were indeed together. Now that the "news" was "leaked" anyone near them was going to be scrutinizing every move they made. Letting out a low growl at the thought, he decided to go swimming in the crashing waves. It would help clear his mind for what was to come soon. The Tidal Crashing of Max. Wonderful.
"Fucking, swinging bipper is going to swing by his head when I'm done with him," Max mumbled to herself as she reached her new home for the next bit of time. As she landed Normal gave her a call to check up on her and to just let her know she was going to be sharing the same hacienda with Alec. Yep, next time she was in the same country as Normal, he was going to be strangled by the nearest wring-able object. Opening the front door, Max half expected to find someone else there, but found no one. The place was immaculately cleaned, no trace of someone being there, much less living there. Walking into the large open living room Max's breath was taken away at the view. Off of the living room a large deck was built out over the beach, facing the ocean. It was beautiful, feeling the breeze from the ocean hit to her softly Max immediately felt drawn to go down to the beach and swim. It'd clear her mind and prepare her for facing Alec; she refused to call him her boyfriend. The word made her purse her lips in being pissed, damned Normal.
Turning from the view Max found the kitchen behind her and sitting on the island was a bottle of Scotch and sniffer. Yep, Alec was here…somewhere. She remembered Cindy's reading of Alec McDowell's biography. Scotch lover, great she was going to be "dating" a drunk. Life couldn't get any better. "I'm cursed," she mumbled walking down the hallway to find a room with a bed and bathroom. The beach was calling her and she wanted nothing more than to just relax on the beach.
Once Max was changed into her bikini she made her way down the beach. The heated sand felt like it was massaging her feet, and the light breeze felt soft with the intense heat. As the hacienda began to disappear into the background and realizing no one else was on the beach, Max felt the feeling being relaxed begin to wash over her like water. Half way to the water Max caught sight of something, or more like someone standing up in the water and walking in land with the current. Golden skin, chiseled body with water dripping oh so sexily down his bare chest, made Max feel like she was in some kind of sexual heat. The person was a walking specimen of walking sex. Slowing her pace, she wanted to take the stranger in as much as possible. As her thoughts became more X rated it suddenly hit her.
The cool and warm contrast of the water and sun washed away all the tension Alec had built up in him. If she could've he would have stayed there for an endless amount of time, but knew he had to get out and face the real world…and his girlfriend. That still sounded so foreign in his mind. He hadn't had a girlfriend in years, sure he had relationships of a "special" nature but other than that nothing had ever been official or someone hadn't been that special. Not since, 'No can't go there, don't go there.' He reprimanded himself as he waded his way towards shore. When he came out of these thoughts, he was greeted with a very sexy looking woman walking towards the beach, wearing a little bikini. 'Now that is – oh shit.'
The two young models realized at about the same time that the other sexy person was on the beach with them. Simultaneously they both slowed their walk, as if it would prolong the inevitable. When they reached each other, both had their guard up…for what they didn't know. Alec was the first to take the first step in conversation, "You must be Max, I'm Alec," he greeted with a charming smile that was making her insides gooey.
"You're a smart one," she bit back smiling a very sarcastically sweet smile. Raising an eyebrow, Alec leaned forward and dipped her, catching her off guard, "What the hell!"
"Shhh, photographers are down the beach," he whispered into her ear. Taking in their position, they likely looked like two lovebirds that hadn't seen each other in awhile. Feeling where her hands were, Max noticed one was around his neck and the other clutching his shoulder. One of his was holding her head and the other wrapped securely around her tiny waist. After a few moments, he straightened, bringing her to standing. "Welcome to Mexico sweet heart," he whispered as he let go of her and started past her to head back to the hacienda.
She was pissed; dropping her things she tackled him to the ground, knocking the wind out of him and cockiness with it. Of course the moment she did that she became aware of what position they were in now. She was straddling his waist, hands in his broad chest, and his holding her waist. "Great," she mumbled, looking out of the corner of her eye and saw a couple of shutterbugs snapping away at the two of them. Looking down at the man underneath her, she was greeted with a cocky grin. "Shut up," she snapped, getting up she headed back up to the hacienda. That just caused him to laugh out loud and start after her. Max had almost reached the hacienda when she was lifted the warm sand and thrown over an equally warm shoulder.
Taking a second to reconnect the dots in her brain, Max realized she was over Alec's shoulder like a caveman, and that's when her defense began. "What the hell are you doing?" She yelled at him, loud enough that it hurt his ears. When she tried to shift herself out of his grasp, she realized that the chiseled look wasn't just a look; he was solid muscle and a lot stronger that she was.
"Doing my job," he replied as he gave her butt a little pat, which only infuriated her even more and lead to her slapping him, open handed, on his back where the sun had been beating on him since he had left the hacienda. She got some satisfaction at the resound the slap made as well as his groan of pain.
"You are a jackass!" She yelled once they were safely inside their humble dwelling. Alec just ignored her after he dumped her on the couch on his way to the kitchen. There he pulled out a glass and poured himself a glass of scotch. "Great I'm "dating" a drunk," she grumbled as she got up to walk into her room.
"Call me all you want sweetheart, I don't give a shit," he threw back in between sips of the harsh alcohol, "but whether you like it or I like it we are here and we are "together" so guess what? Tough shit," she felt her anger boil over at his way of talking to her. Before she could get a word in, he moved quickly around her and into a room, closed the door and left her to stew. He was already getting under her skin and they hadn't even been within each other's presence for more than a few moments.
It was official, this whole thing was a nightmare in the making and she was fucked either way. Going into her own room Max immediately felt the need to vent so she called the one person who would listen to her tirade, Cindy.
"Original Cindy," she heard her best-friend's voice was all she needed to hear before she started spouting off.
"Cindy I can't stand him, he's a pig!" Max exclaimed, "I cannot believe I am stuck in this mess! He's a grade A ass hole who only cares about appearances!"
"Boo, I haven't heard you so wound up in ages, good to hear it. (Laughs) Original Cindy think you liking that hunk of meat you got all to yourself on that lonesome beach." Max wished she could strangle her best friend at that moment. When she knew that she wasn't going to hear anything but Cindy's jabs at her frustration matters, Max hung up even though she knew it would cause Cindy just laugh even more at her expense. Bitch
The next morning came to quickly in Max's opinion. Seemed like the crack of dawn when the crew showed up to start the photo shoot. Walking out of her room she was greeted with her set escort who had a cup of coffee waiting for her as well as the itinerary for the day. Sipping the liquid she nodded as the escort rambled off different shot plans as they walked to the make-up tent set up outside the hacienda. From makeup she went to put on the first outfit of the shoot, a little bikini that was pure white. And when she was ready to she went to the designated area of where the photos would be taken. "Sketchy!" She exclaimed seeing her good friend and photographer. Hugging him she smiled brightly and started to catch up with him. It wasn't until a few moments she realized that Alec was nowhere to be seen. "Am I doing a single shot first?"
"No, Alec had to run back to makeup to have them spray over his tattoos," Sketchy explained a little confused Max didn't know this little fact. It was something Alec did at every shoot. "You know how he doesn't like to do shoot with them showing." Max recovered quickly and smiled and rolled her eyes. Sketchy seemed to by it, and Max made a mental note to learn some quick facts about her impromptu boyfriend.
"That's right, sorry too early in the morning to be thinking about anything past coffee and when I get to sleep next." It was then Alec showed up, wearing nothing by designer jeans that hung dangerously low on his hips. Damn. "Alec." She greeted, attempting to be nice. Cindy's words ringing throughout her head, 'Boo be nice to him, try to be friends with him. This whole thing might not be as bad as you seem to think is. So what if you don't know the guy. You didn't know Logan when you guys became friends. Just give it a try; you might be surprised at what comes to be.' Realizing how she been acting lately, Max had decided she was going to try and get to Alec.
"Good morning Max," Alec responded smiling a very sexy smile, and making a point to appreciate her outfit, or lack thereof. The designer dress was cut and stitched in very few places, it seemed to be more of a few pieces of fabric to keep modesty, but the rest was for the world to see. And did he like what he was seeing. Turning his attention to the photographer he greeted, "Sketch what's new?" He asked, trying to not to let on how much Max was affecting.
At moments like the one that just past made Max want to run and hide in the makeup tent. He seemed to have this effect on her, and it scared her shitless. Another thing Cindy had said the night before rang in her mind, 'Boo I think you are just a little overwhelmed with hot boy being so damn sexy. Like Cindy said, he could make Cindy wanna bat for that team.'
"Not much, just getting the first scoop of seeing firsthand the fashion industries 'it' couple." Sketchy smiled a smile that made them both a little nervous. Oh yeah, this was going to be REAL interesting.
"So… Photo shoot, let's get started!" Alec said clapping his hands together, in hopes of taking the spot light off of his and Max's "relationship" status. It worked, immediately afterwards the shoot began. The only time they paused was to change into the next outfit. Nothing went wrong, it seemed the moment the camera was ready to take their picture, the two young models shifted into professional mode, leaving their issues back at the hacienda. Surprisingly in between takes, the two found themselves needing to get to know each other, so they took advantage of the time. While at the same time it helped to keep up the appearance that they were a couple
Once the long day was done, the two were exhausted and couldn't wait to collapse in their respective beds. "I'm exhausted," Max groaned falling down on the plush couch in the living room. Not really knowing what time it was, Max felt as if she had been awake for an entire day. Following her statement, her stomach let out a loud growl of disappoint of being ignored for the most of the day.
"And hungry," Alec commented smiling at the sound. Ever since joining the industry, he thought it was entertaining to see the female models un-willingly show hunger. By taking in Max's petit shape, he wondered if she ate at all. "I have an idea, how bout we change into something comfortable and head into the square and grab some good spicy food?" Max had to admit, that sounded very appeasing. She had a weakness for spicy food, especially if it was the real deal.
"Last one ready buys the beer!" And with that she jumped the couch and ran to her room. Alec was left standing there shocked, in the last 24 hours she had done a 180 on him, and he couldn't deny it, he liked it.
He liked it a lot. Smiling he headed to his room to get ready.
A.N - Let me know what you think!