Title : A Bet's A Bet

Author : CherryWolf713 a.k.a. Melissa

Disclaimer : Do I own 'Dark Angel'? Sure, why not! While we're at it, I also own 'BtVS', 'Roswell', and 'Gilmore Girls' - Plus I also wrote the 'Twilight' series (well, except for the last book cause I heard it kinda sucks, but whatever) Did anyone really buy that? No? Good, cause if ya did, you really need to learn to tell reality from delusions...

Summary : What's a small bet among friends? When it involves sex, it's everything...

Pairing : Max/Alec

Status : Complete

Body-thumping music drowned on in the background of Crash, slowly making it's way to his ears, earning a few head-bobs as his eyes roamed the small dance floor located to his right, taking in the tall redhead swaying her hips to the beats, her long legs seeming to go on forever. He met her sky-blue eyes and smirked to himself before throwing her a charming smile, knowing she saw the glimmer in his eyes from her spot. All it took was that one look and she turned his way now, her body slowly dancing closer as she held his gaze, her hands grazing her sides as he watched, touching all the spots he knew his own hands would be striving to feel before the night was up. And when she grinned and bit her bottom lip, he tilted his head slightly, drawing her in with a lick of his lips.

Like shooting fish in a barrel, Alec thought lavishly, turning to his left to set his beer down, intending to flag the bartender down for a spare drink to give to his new companion when his eyes lazily rolled over to the door and he froze for a slight second. Watching her descend the metal stairs, he blinked a few times before scoffing in some-what awe, quickly shaking himself out of his stupor.

What the hell...

Forgetting about his impending romp in the sheets for the moment, Alec grabbed his refilled beer back up and walked away from the bar, heading lazily toward his new target. Her eyes were trained on something in the back and she wasn't paying attention when he walked up, allowing him to get the drop on her.

"Hey," he greeted, not being able to stop his eyes from eying her up and down quickly.

"What do you want?" she asked distractedly, her dark eyes still taking something in from across the room.

Slightly offended for the rude dismissal, Alec crossed his arms and let a teasing tone color his voice. "Well, well, Maxie...who knew you actually had some legs under all those jeans? Someone's been holding out on us."

Coming to, Max turned to face him. "Excuse me?"

Nice to know I'm here. Rolling his eyes at her lack of response, Alec added, "is it Halloween or somethin'?" When she just cocked an eyebrow and waited, Alec returned the look, but then let his eyes travel her body again, taking his time this turn around, staring much longer than he had intended to at her legs.

Has she always looked this hot, he thought idly.

"What are you doing?" she barked, stepping back from his gaze. "Don't look at me like that!"

Grinning wolfishly, Alec cheekily tossed back, "Kinda hard not to when your belt is bigger than your skirt there, Max." When she huffed, sent him glare that would wilt a weaker man, then turned away from him, Alec leaned back slightly.

God damn Max...

"Not that I'm complaining," he added, taking in her backside.

Max spun back around, her eyes flashing. "You are such a perv," she growled.

"Says the girl showing off all her goodies."

Turning her head to the side, Max crossed her arms under her chest and jutted out her hip. "Just because they're there doesn't mean ya get a taste, dick-head."

Smirking, he leaned down and tsk'd. "No one likes a tease, Maxie..." Her perfume and shampoo, not to mention her own distinct scent bombarded his nose and he took in a deep sniff without even realizing it.

Just a little taste, his mind bartered, flashes of naked skin and throaty moans edging into his thoughts before he furiously edited them, not even willing to go any further. He tossed any other ideas and thoughts like that away and focused back on the present.

She dropped the pose and rolled her eyes half-heartedly. "Don't call me Maxie," she muttered. He knew instantly the small anger and annoyance was gone from her body as she relaxed some and eyed the inhabitants of Crash again. Once more he was being brushed to the side and he rolled his shoulders, not allowing the casual dis get to him...much.

"Seriously, though," Alec said then, ignoring the huff from her mouth at his words, "what the hell are you doing?" When she again just looked at him, he sighed and added, "what's with the war gear?"

"I'm broke," she stated plainly, like that explained everything.

"Ok...so, what? You just dropping off some business cards before you hit the corner?" he asked, quickly backing up and ducking the smack to his head she dished out for the crack about her outfit. Smirking, he stepped back closer when she adjusted her skimpy jean skirt, obviously not as comfortable in the get-up as she was pretending to be. The action drew his gaze again and once more he let his eyes roam her body, ignoring the small pit in his stomach as he took in the snug black-muscle tank, short jean skirt, and black high-heel boots.

Catching his look, she rolled her eyes again and told him in an off-hand way, "it's a means to an end."

"Which would be..?"

"Me walking out of here with a couple hundred bucks." She grinned then.

Alec nodded. "Yeah; I'm going with the hooker route still."

Sneering, Max tossed back at him, "Please, like I would degrade myself to your standard of women."

Playing up the guilt, Alec placed his hand over his heart. "Max...you wound me..."

"Shut up, ass."

Taking a drink from his beer, forcing himself to act aloof and unattached, he swallowed then crossed his arms. "Planning on picking some pockets? Cause I gotta say, I don't think you're gonna slip by without anyone noticing you in that outfit." As it was, Alec could feel more than just a few set of eyes on her and he stood taller, choosing not to dwell on his sudden discomfort the stares were causing.

"Actually, I plan to win it fair and square," Max defended.

"Win?" he repeated, his curiosity peaked.

"Win it. At pool," she informed him before going to walk past, heading to the back of Crash where the pool tables were.

"Whoa, hold up," Alec tossed out, turning to follow her a few steps, his eyes going down to watch the swish of her hips without his permission. When she actually listened and spun back around, he quickly looked up, pretending like he hadn't just been staring at her ass.

Again.

So, what? She's hot; It's not like everyone else from Manticore isn't, he argued heatedly with his mind. Eyes up top!

And then he found himself staring at her chest and mentally groaned in annoyance at himself.

"Why?"

"Huh..."

Clearly annoyed with his lack of response, Max huffed and snapped a hand out, popping him upside the ear. "Why should I wait for you?" she repeated.

Drawing his attention from her body with a shake of his head, Alec cleared his throat and shrugged while rubbing his ear. "Oh, I don't know...cause you can't play pool, maybe?"

Slitting her eyes, Max crossed her arms again. "I can play pool."

Cocking his head to both sides quickly, Alec tossed out, "if you call what you do playing pool, then yeah, I guess." When Max just glared before going to turn around again, he reached out and stopped her with a hand to her upper arm. "Trust me, Max - you'll never beat any of the regulars here."

Just then Sketchy walked up, grinning stupidly. "I just cleaned up on the tables tonight; easy money, my friends, easy money."

When Max looked at Alec pointedly, he rolled his eyes slightly and caved some. "Point taken."

The lanky bike messenger glanced between his friends, slightly confused, but then he froze when he eyes rested back on the dark-haired transgenic, just then noticing Max's attire. Sketchy reared back slightly and scratched his chest in a distracted way. "Hiya Max..." When it was obvious that he was talking to her legs and then her chest, Max just scowled, her face clearly saying that all men were pigs. "I like the new look..."

"My eyes are up here moron," she snapped, making Sketchy jump like she had slapped him.

"Right, yeah," he coughed out. "Anybody else need a drink? Cause I sure do," he muttered, his eyes eagerly raking over Max's form once more.

Alec's elbow connected with the ordinary's side and Sketch came too, looking sheepish and slightly unnerved. "Right, beer," he tossed out, fleeing the scene.

Turning back to Max, Alec saw her eyes were drawn and he followed her gaze, just then noticing that his hand was still on her, his long fingers wrapped around her upper arm. Coming to, he snatched his hand back like she had burned him, ignoring his mind as it registered just how soft and warm her skin was.

And yeah, if you ever touch that skin again Max just might bite your hand off, he thought with a slight frown. Not that I wanna touch her again...

"Either way Max," he said then, getting back to their conversation, "you're not gonna hustle anyone tonight." He looked thoughtful for a moment. "Well, besides Sketch, but that's so 'been there, done that' that taking his money has almost lost all it's luster."

She just smiled then. "Do you wanna bet?"

"Excuse me?" Alec questioned with his own smirk, crossing his arms once more.

"I bet you 50 bucks I walk out of here tonight with 200 dollars."

Alec thought about it for a beat before stating, "if you're so broke, how can you afford to bet 50 bucks?" To be quite honest he was intrigued; his mind was already running wild with how he could turn this bet to his benefit.

Grinning, she just told him, "cause I'm not losing."

Alec nodded. "Ok, I'm in. But," he added quickly before she could turn and rush off to the tables, "lets up the stakes here some, shall we?" He studiously kept his gaze locked on her face, not giving in to his mind or body's more risque fantasies that were floating through his head then.

"Such as?" Max questioned, taking a step back toward him, her voice interested.

"I'll hand over 50 bucks if you win any money tonight, no matter what the amount as long as it was won by playing pool."

"And if I win 200 or more?"

"I'll cover you shifts at work for a week," he offered. "You seem to be a little tense; thought you could use a vacation." He almost offered her an extended trip to his bedroom but refrained, the joke hitting a little too close to home tonight for his comfort.

"Uh-huh...and if I don't?" Max asked, instantly knowing he was up to something.

Taking a swig of his beer, he offered in a calm voice, "you let Cale hang high and dry on his Eyes Only crap for a month." Not that I care how she spends her time, he offered himself as a excuse for this condition, I just wanna piss off roller-boy.

When he saw her mouth drop open and knew she was gearing out for a rant, Alec smirked and raised his eyebrows. "Worried you may loose?"

He could see her literally puffing up to his challenge. The she suddenly relaxed and tossed him a smirk of her own, her eyes sparkling, instantly setting his guard up.

"I'll agree...on one little condition," she practically purred while taking another step back closer to him, making Alec swallow slightly. Did it suddenly get hot in here? His mind thought feverently.

"I don't want your help at work."

"Then what do you want?" he questioned, his voice slightly deeper as he eyed her.

Looking up at him, she held her smirk as she told him, "abstinence."

"As in..." he trailed off, waiting for her to fill in the blanks. When Max just cocked an eyebrow and looked downward toward his pants, his eyes widened slightly. "Excuse me?"

"If I have to hold out a month, so do you."

Laughing, Alec shook his head. Does she really expect me to hold off on sex for a whole month?! God, the way his body was acting, he figured he was gonna be dragging the first girl that comes his way out of here within the next hour, intend on burying himself deep, relieving some of his newly-acquired tension.

"No way in hell," he told her.

Placing her hands on her hip, Max peered up at him from under her lashes. "Worried you may loose?" she purred again, tossing his words from a minute ago back at him.

Dirty playing Bitch, he thought, His eyes turning to slits, Alec clenched his jaw, refusing to back down now...but that didn't mean he wasn't willing to forgo the fairer sex for a month if he could avoid it. "A week."

"A month."

"2 weeks," he counter-offered.

"Nope," Max popped off. "I like the month idea - it's grown on me." Smiling sweetly, she reached out and took his mug, taking a sip of the golden beer.

Inhaling deeply through his nose before he thought better, her scent bombarded his senses again and Alec snatched the glass back. "Fine; but don't come running and complaining to me when Wheels is crying cause he lost his hired legs."

Throwing him a quick semi-glare, Max tossed her long straight locks before spinning and walking away, her hips swaying provocatively as she headed for the pool tables.

Grinding his teeth when he found himself yet again watching her ass, Alec cursed her in his head and slowly stalked closer, intending on watching his newest toy. It only took a few moments for Max to cozy up to a group of guys near a worn pool table, her body doing more talking and persuading than her lips did.

Chumps, Alec muttered in his head, watching them practically drool and fawn as Max wormed her way into breaking. When his mind tried to remind him how his own body had reacted, he just rolled his shoulders, choosing to not listen to it.

Sketchy, a cold mug of beer in his hands, walked over to his side then. "Dude, should I be feeling bad?"

"About what?" Alec questioned, not taking his eyes off of Max.

He couldn't help but notice how convenient her outfit was now, her shapely body drawling every males attention in range as she leaned over the table, lining up her shots. His discomfort from earlier returned as one of the guys from the table shifted slightly closer to her backside, his eyes resting there longer than necessary.

"That," Sketchy informed him, his eyes also glued to Max's curves. "I mean, she's my friend, I shouldn't be thinking certain things..."

Forcing himself to roll his shoulders once more, Alec told his friend briskly, "Keep your eyes off of her." It only took him half a second to realize what he had said and he quickly added, "if you feel that way, I mean."

"Yeah..." Sketch offered finally, looking away from his friend to watch the pool game, but Alec noted with slight satisfaction that he was actually focusing on the game now, not Max's body.

Not that I care, he told himself, starting to get annoyed with his own running commentary. He was acting like this for Max's benefit only; she wouldn't appreciate Sketchy looking at her like she was piece of meat; he was just being a good friend for once.

A friend who maybe wouldn't mind sliding a hand under that skirt...

He outwardly groaned and rubbed the back of his head, ignoring his friends look.

When Max stood back up and noticed how close the beefy man she was playing pool with was, she didn't haul off and slug him like Alec predicted she would; instead she just smirked and winked, stepping back slowly to allow him access to the table. Alec could feel his jaw clenching again and rubbed his finger across his right brow, forcing himself to take a drink of his beer.

Then a few moments later when Max leaned deeply across the table, her snug shirt displaying more than a small amount of cleavage, Alec squared his shoulders and slit his eyes, taking a long gulp from his mug, telling himself that he didn't feel the impulse to stride over and knock the guy's eyes back into his head with his fist.

And when Max actually leaned toward the burly man and told him something low enough that Alec couldn't make it out, but earned a eat-shitting grin from the prick, he chugged the rest of his beer and slammed it down on the table with more force than necessary, earning himself a few looks, including Max's, who just raised an eyebrow in silent query.

The game played out mostly innocently after that, ending a few short minutes later when Max sunk the black eight-ball with a grin. "I win," she told the muscled blonde, turning to lean on her pool stick, her hand held out.

"I want a re-match," he said instead, not reaching for his money.

Standing back up, Max lost her lazy stance. "A bet's a bet. Pay up."

"No way, girly," he guy leered, eyeing her up and down in a way that made Alec sit up straighter at his table. "But I'm willing to take it in trade if I win this time..."

"Is that so?" Max asked, walking a few feet closer, looking up at the scumbag. When he just cocked his eyebrows, she told him, her voice losing all the teasing quality, "Be kinda hard to do that if I castrate your slime-ball ass, now wouldn't it?"

The look in the man's eyes was enough to make Alec stand up, his body moving from his friend's side gracefully and effortlessly as he stalked toward the pool table. But when the man's hand simply reached around and grabbed Max's ass, Alec saw red and growled, rushing forward to reach Max's side a second later.

In the end though it was Max who reared back, bringing her pool stick around and jabbing the man in his gut with the handle, forcing him back up against the brick wall, holding him there. The guys friends, having stayed nearby to watch the game and eyeball Max, came too after the quick show of athletics and surged forward, attempting to help their trapped friend, but they halted in their steps when Alec turned on them, his shoulders squared and his eyes promising what he would do if they came another step closer.

"I don't like being called girly," Max told the shaken man in front of her, her voice calm despite the look on her face. "Now we had a deal."

"H-here," he stammered, reaching into his pocket and pilling out a wad of bills. Then he pulled his hands up in a surrender gesture. "I didn't mean anything by it, I was just playin'."

"Not with her, you don't." Alec's voice was cold, even to his own ears and the guy just swallowed. Pulling the pool stick away, Max reached out and took the money. She turned her back on the man then, noticing the slight crowd her actions had pulled in. When she arched an eyebrow at the rubber-neckers, they all turned and walked away.

Holding his stomach slightly, the man threw another look at Max and then at Alec before grabbing his jacket and rushing off, his friends following wearily after him.

"Max...wow, I am in awe," Sketchy exclaimed, coming up to the pair then. "How much did you win?"

"150," Max said, her eyes coming to land on Alec at that. "Plus another 50 I'm owed makes 200 even."

Alec froze then, his eyes widening as their bet from earlier came flooding back. "Max..."

"What? Did I miss something?" their friend asked then, looking between the two, once more feeling left out.

"A bet's a bet," she repeated, her voice mocking this time though, a huge grin lighting up her face.

"We weren't serious," Alec drawled out, sending her his most charming and persuasive smile. A month without sex? I won't last tonight after all this, Alec thought frantically. Max's smile alone tonight was enough to make his heart sputter slightly and while he was too paranoid and scared to deal with what that meant really, he knew damn well that his body was more than warm for her form at the moment.

And in his commitment-phobic and emotionally-stunted mind, the only remedy to that was to find some warm and willing body to run all of those Max-centric thoughts off.

"Try again, Pretty Boy," Max huffed, crossing her arms and cocking her hip to the side. "You know damn well you'd make me hold up my side if I'd lost."

Whimpering slightly, Alec refused to give her the satisfaction of agreeing. And then he had an epiphany; a completely comforting and relaxing thought that instantly relaxed all my mucles :

She can't watch me all the time, he reasoned. And when she's away, the cat will play...

Almost as if sensing what he was thinking, Max, told him, "don't even think about it."

Knowing he was busted already, Alec figured why the hell not, and said, "you can't watch me 24/7, Maxie."

For her part though, Max just grinned innocently then. "Don't worry, I don't think I'll have to..."

Huh? Alec's confused face mirrored Sketchy's and Max spun around, walking away to the bar.

"Am I the only one lost?"

"No," Alec said to his friend, shaking his head as he stepped away from Sketchy to follow Max without any real conscious thought to do so. He was only a few steps away from the bar when the red head from earlier was suddenly there, blocking his path.

"Hi," she told him coyly, her blue eyes eyeing him from under her lashes. "I seemed to have missed you earlier..."

Alec opened his mouth but it was Max's voice that told the leggy girl, "and you're missing him now too. Buh-bye." Slightly ruffled, the red-head sniffed and turn on her heel, revealing Max to be standing behind her, two full beers in her hands. She handed one out for Alec and he took it silently, at a loss for words for once. Max didn't seem at all phased by the encounter and contentedly took a drink from her mug, confusing Alec even more.

"So, think I needed help, did you?"

Freezing, Alec stopped the mug a few inches from his lips, his pulse quickening slightly. How the hell was he supposed to answer that without making it look like he thought she couldn't handle herself against a few normal humans or giving away any of his new and creepy...whatever-they-were he was feeling for her?

It's just residue cause she's hot, that's all - pure lust, he reasoned with himself. But then if that was the case, why did he swallow when she glanced up at him from under her lashes, her dark eyes unreadable in the darkened club's lights.

"Max, you know I'm more than well aware that you can handle yourself," he said finally, knowing she was waiting on a answer. He couldn't count all the times Max has handed him his ass for even looking at her sideways.

"My point," she said, her voice colder now. "You better be glad I'm in this skirt or I'd kick you ass right now."

Rolling his eyes, Alec huffed and tossed out, "you know, most girls like it when a guy tries to defend her."

"I don't need anyone to defend me," she snapped. "I had everything under control."

Scowling down at her, he asked, "so you were gonna take out all 3 of them?"

"You saying I couldn't?"

Her voice was deadly now and Alec just smirked, moving in closer, not being able to stop himself from egging her on even more. "Without causing a scene? Or well...you already did that, didn't you? Coming in dressed like that..."

"I will dress anyway I want to, go it? You have no say in anything I do."

"Oh, trust me, I'm well aware," Alec sneered, taking a long swig of his beer.

Sending him a sneer right back, Max told him, "If I didn't know any better, I'd say you were jealous..."

"I am not jealous," he argued heatedly, even pointing a finger at her.

Oh, gee, there's a way to make her believe you, he taunted himself in his head. That wasn't at all obvious.

Max got a look in her eye and crossed her arms, leaning back to regard him for a beat. "Ok. So you wouldn't care if I went over there and asked that guy to dance?" She gestured to a tall dark-haired man seated at a table in the corner.

Clenching his jaw, Alec shrugged his eyebrows. "Like I care what you do."

Uncrossing her arms, Max simply sent him a look and turned to walk off, shaking her hips as she went around him, making Alec's eyes follow as he mentally ordered his feet to stay planted. She hadn't even gotten a full arms length away before he spun suddenly and yanked her back toward him, crashing her chest up against his.

Suddenly his mouth was on hers, his lips and teeth demanding a response as he fisted his hands in her long dark hair. And when Max gasped in surprise, Alec slid his tongue between her lips, moaning deep in his throat when she opened up more and started to kiss him back, her own tongue demanding the upper hand as she wrapped her arms around his wide shoulders.

By the time they pulled apart, both were wide-eyed and breathless.

And when those 30 days were up it was Max's door Alec burst through, snatching her up into his arms, his hands gripping her ass as she wrapped her legs around his hips, both of them grasping at clothes as they stumbled toward her bedroom.

It had been a long month.

A/N : I know, not my best work; but I wrote it a few months back and gave up on trying to save it and make it any better; I figured I should just post it and get it over with!

Thanks for reading and, as always, reviews are appreciated but not demanded (though they do help with the writing process...lol)

Melissa