Max hadn’t seen Alec all day and that worried her, what had he been up to? Was he avoiding her for some reason? Probably not but lately she was becoming paranoid about their ‘relationship’.

Walking into crash she spotted him sitting at the bar and he wasn’t alone.

Anger flared in her eyes what the hell was he playing at? “Alec” he swallowed the remaining liquid in his glass and turned around “Maxie” he said with a smile on his face “haven’t seen you all day”

She came to a stop at the side of him and lifted her eyebrows “whose fault is that?”

“Yours?” he offered with a cheeky grin on his face which caused her to roll her eyes at him “been avoiding me?”

He reached out intent on holding onto her hips but she pulled away “ALEC!” she all but screamed while side stepping away from his hands “what?” he asked with an innocent shrug.

“What?” he nodded “do you want to die?”

Alec sighed “would be worth it just to touch you”

Max growled in the back of her throat they couldn’t touch courtesy of Manticore but it didn’t stop him trying every chance he got.

“Alec” her tone softened “what’s up?”

“You mean except I can’t touch my girlfriend?”

“Except that” she confirmed for him “nothing everything is fine”

Max didn’t believe him, he seemed troubled well more troubled than usual. Between the two of them he was the one that had a better sense of humour but that didn’t seem the case tonight.

“Fine” Max turned on her heel and walked away from him “Max” she ignored him “Max wait!” he grabbed hold of her belt to stop her and she stopped.

“It’s just getting me down” he admitted to her.

“Hey Alec” a long legged red head said coming to stop at his side. Max looked at her then at Alec and raised her eyebrows “friend of yours?” she asked in a tone of voice that told Alec he was in trouble no matter how he answered this question.

“Uh hi” Alec said looking at the girl nervously “haven’t seen you in a while” she said smiling and placed her hand on his chest.

“I suggest you remove that hand” Max informed the red head “who are you?”

“None of your business but really move the hand before I move it for you”

The red head looked at Alec “I’ll see you later” he said to the girl giving her a look and she walked away “yeah you do that” Max said once again turning away from him.

He followed “Max she’s just someone I know” he told her as he followed her out of crash.

“Seemed friendly enough to me”

“Will you stop?” he jogged to catch up with her and stood in front knowing she wouldn’t push past him she did however try to step around him but he blocked her.

“God I want to slap you”

Alec grinned “I know”

She frowned “I miss slapping you” Alec laughed at that “out of everything you miss slapping me the most?”

Max grinned back “you bet”

“I miss it too”

“There all over you” Max said suddenly and Alec’s grin faded “Max…” he said in a pained voice.

She held up her hand “and who can blame them? I mean look at you”

Alec looked down at himself “And what? Trying to tell me men aren’t all over you every chance they get?”

“No”

Alec tried hard to suppress his smile “what?”

Her eyes narrowed at him “Alec?”

“That might be because the last guy that flirted with you I made it very clear to him and every other guy in crash that you were off limits”

Max wanted to be angry but she couldn’t “Maybe that’s what I should do”

Alec shook his head “I’ve only got eyes for one girl” he promised “even if you’ll never be able to touch her?”

“I’ll be able to touch you again Max”

“You don’t know that”

Alec refused to allow her to talk like that “Yes I do, I’m Alec I know everything”

“Oh yeah I forgot that”

“Don’t do it again”

They stood in silence for a few more minutes “Guys?” Cindy stopped up on seeing them “what you doing out here?”

They didn’t answer her “Lovers tiff?”

Alec scoffed “I wish we were lovers”

Max scowled at him “shut up” she said and followed her best friend back into Crash “but she wouldn’t let me touch her” he followed them “bet you she hates herself for that”

“Shut up Alec” Max demanded and he smirked at her “you love me really”

“Don’t be so sure about that”

Alec sighed “I’ll get the drinks” he walked off towards the bar.

Cindy was looking at her “what?”

“You two crack me up”

Max shrugged to watch Alec at the bar.

The red head appeared at his side after a few minutes

“Oh hell no” without a word to Cindy Max made her way to the bar.