Alex opened his mouth, ready to respond to Halle's invitation, when his phone buzzed. The name on the screen lit up: Max. He hesitated for a second, then gave Halle an apologetic look.
"Hold that thought," he said, swiping to answer.
Before he could say a word, Max's voice exploded into his ear.
"Okay, first of all, surprise! Second, I'm blaming this entirely on your lips."
Alex blinked. "Max—"
"No, listen," she cut in. "I was lying on the couch, minding my own damn business, definitely not watching the tape we made, on the mini theatre, and suddenly I was like, 'You know what I miss? Nibbling on that man's lips like a hungry chipmunk.' And then I thought about your magic massages, and bam! Next thing I know, I'm on a flight with no bra and a duffle bag."
Alex nearly face-slapped.
Max kept going.
"So now I'm at LAX. Alone, unkissed and unmassaged. In desperate need of a croissant and your ridiculously strong hands. Pick me up before I start spooning the baggage carousel."
Alex closed his eyes for a brief second, pinched the bridge of his nose, and let out a quiet sigh. "Haaa... To think you'd just impulse-fly across the state because you were horny and bored."
"Excuse you, sir," Max replied. "I was romantically yearning and artistically under-stimulated. Totally different. Also, you left one of your T-shirts in my drawer and it still smells like you, so really this is your fault."
Halle raised an eyebrow, arms folded, watching him with barely disguised amusement.
"Where exactly are you now?" Alex asked, praying she hadn't dragged a camera crew or a small band of jazz musicians with her.
"Terminal B. Gate 22. Near that depressing juice bar that only sells things that taste like kale." Max paused. "Oh wait. Some creepy guy just made eye contact with me. I'm about to fake sneeze and assert dominance."
There was a loud, obviously exaggerated ACHOO followed by a muttered, "That's right. Look away, Creepo."
Alex couldn't help but smile a bit. "Max, do you have any big luggage?"
"Nope. Just the duffel, my lip gloss, and emotional baggage."
Halle, still standing in the doorway in her robe, whispered, "Max, huh?" with an amused smile.
Alex nodded. "She's at the airport. Apparently because of my mouth."
'He didn't even hide it. Anyone else would have gone a bit further to talk. But he did it right before me. I like it.' Halle smirked. "You must be doing something right."
Max's voice came through the phone again. "Tell whoever you're with that I come in peace, but I am claiming my turn. It's in the bylaws. Don't make me pull receipts."
Alex looked at Halle with a kind of resigned disbelief. "Would you believe this is my normal?"
She replied, "Honestly? This might be the most entertaining Tuesday I've had in years."
Max cleared her throat loudly and said, "Anyway, lover boy, tick tock. You've got thirty minutes before I take a cab, and you'll miss a nice BJ. Love you." She cut the call.
"I'm so sorry," he said, rubbing the back of his neck. "That... was Max. She flew in without warning."
"You have to pick her up," Halle said. She didn't look jealous or mad.
"You're not mad?" Alex asked.
Halle stepped forward, and her robe shifted just enough to remind Alex that he was talking to a dangerously confident mature woman who knew exactly what kind of effect she had.
"Nope, I'm not mad," she said, sliding a hand to his chest. "But..."
Alex tilted his head, intrigued. "But?"
Halle stood on her toes, leaned in, and pressed her lips to his, kissing him gently. He barely had time to react before she pulled away, slowly. It lasted 10 seconds or so, enough to send a pulse of heat through both of them. When she pulled back, her eyes were steady and amused.
"But," she said again, lips inches from his, "I believe in leaving a lasting impression. So when you're massaging Miss Surprise-Duffel-Bag later tonight, and your brain starts to drift, it better drift right back to this kiss."
Alex blinked, trying to reassemble a thought.
Halle stepped back, giving him the kind of satisfied look someone might wear after sinking an impossible shot in pool. "Thanks for returning my stuff," she said, taking the bag from his hand and setting it just inside the door without breaking eye contact. "Very gentlemanly of you."
He opened his mouth to reply, but she cut in with a raised finger. "Don't ruin it with words."
Alex gave a half-laugh. "Skype?"
She gave a side nod, "Skype."
...
[Airport]
Alex pulled up to LAX and parked in the designated short-term spot.
As soon as he stepped out of the car, he spotted Max. She was standing at the curb, leaning casually against one of the columns. She looked as confident and alluring as ever, dressed in her classic black shirt, tight blue jeans, high boots, and that signature red lipstick that could stop traffic.
Alex looked around and saw the bodyguards around the place, hiding in plain sight.
Max's eyes locked on him from a distance, and a wide grin spread across her face.
Before he even had a chance to take a full step forward, Max was sprinting toward him and then, just as expected, she launched herself into his arms. He pulled her up by her waist and wrapped his arms around her.
"Moneybags!" she cheered, as she wrapped her arms and legs around him like an affectionate koala. "Missed you, babe," she said, planting a loud, exaggerated kiss on his lips before pulling back slightly to look him in the eyes. "God, I needed that.
Alex kissed her back. "Hi to you too."
"I'm starving," she said, hopping down and grabbing the duffel from the ground. Then, like a ninja, she snatched his car keys out of his hand.
"Hey! Wait, what are you...?"
"I'm driving," she announced.
"Fine. Just be careful."
Max slid into the driver's seat and adjusted the seat. "Good. Now, let's get some food, and then I'll let you make it up to me. I'm thinking something greasy. Really greasy."
...
[On the way]
As Max cruised down the highway, the low hum of the engine filling the silence between them, she glanced at Alex with a playful smirk. "So, this new girl," she began. "She any good, or is she just another distraction?"
Alex raised an eyebrow, amused by the question. "She's not a distraction. Her name's Halle. Halle Berry."
Max whipped her head to look at him, clearly shocked. "Wait. Halle Berry Halle Berry? The Halle Berry?"
"Yeah, that's the one," Alex confirmed with a smirk. "And if you hadn't called, we'd probably be doing something like... making out or more."
Max let out a low whistle. "Well, damn. She's a bombshell. I'd better amp up my game. Anyway, did you tell her about the harem?"
Alex nodded. "Yeah, she knows. And she's fine with it. Actually, she kind of appreciated the honesty."
Max raised an eyebrow. "So, she's not freaking out about it?"
"Nope," he said, "she wants to take it slow, get to know everyone, but she's good with it."
Max glanced at him, impressed. "Well, well, Moneybags. Looks like you're getting more and more popular with women. Just be careful, a woman of her age can be hungry. She'll eat you up and suck you dry."
Alex simply looked at her as if saying, 'Look who's talking.'
Max gave him a side glance.
"Ok. Fine. That was just a one-time thing. I was horny and in heat."
Alex continued to maintain that look.
"Argg! Fine. It's an everyday thing and I'm always horny whenever I think or see or with you. You can't blame me for that. And don't tell me you don't enjoy it."
"Yeah, I enjoy it," He paused, then added with a grin, "But I'm trying to take things slow with Halle. See where it goes. No rush. She's into the whole, 'getting to know everyone' vibe, and I respect that. So, if she wants to go fast, we'll go fast. But I'm not pushing for anything too... quick."
Max threw him a sideways glance as she maneuvered the car down the highway, then broke into a small chuckle. "You? Slow? That's a first. I swear, you're like a new man every time I see you." She smirked, her eyes still focused on the road. "But hey, if she's worth the wait, I guess I get it."
Alex shrugged, his gaze settling on the passing streetlights. "Yeah. I think she is."
Max seemed to be studying him, her expression unreadable for a moment. Then, with a sudden shift in tone, she added, "Well, just make sure you don't let her devour you whole. That's all I'm saying."
Alex raised an eyebrow, amused. "Is that your expert opinion?"
"Take it or leave it," she responded with a shrug.
Alex chuckled but didn't respond, turning his attention to the GPS as it announced they were approaching their destination. He glanced at the street sign and spotted the restaurant ahead. It was one of those burger places. Max followed the signs and expertly slid into a parking spot close to the entrance.
They both got out of the car and entered the restaurant.
Inside, the atmosphere was just like any other burger place, with a low buzz of conversations and the smell of sizzling meat. Alex walked behind Max as she slipped into a booth in the corner.
"Let's make this quick, I'm starving," she said, grinning at the waitress who had approached them. The young woman handed them menus.
Max barely looked at it before making her choice. "I'll have the biggest burger you've got, with extra cheese, fries, chicken wings, and a big chocolate smoothie."
Alex glanced down at the menu. "A classic cheeseburger, fries and Coke."
The waitress nodded as she wrote down the order and left.
"So, how's Caroline doing?" He asked.
"She's doing good. With the new workers doing most of the work at the shops, she now has some time to breathe and boss them around. By the way, you know there's a new shop just opposite our main branch? And they are using those cupcake machines. Can you imagine all you gotta do is put the money and it pops out cupcakes?" Max explained the situation.
Alex raised an eyebrow. "Cupcake machines? Are they serious?"
Max nodded, her eyes narrowing as she leaned forward. "Dead serious. They even dare to call their products 'artisan cupcakes.' Can you believe that? Those are just ready-made cakes, and they even got Japanese maids."
"Ah! I see what's going on," Alex said, leaning back in his seat as he took a sip of his water. "But I guess that's business for you. Everyone's always trying to get a piece of the pie."
Max shook her head, looking a little irritated. "It's not just that. It's the nerve. We've been working our asses off for years, perfecting the recipes, getting the right machines, making our brand stand out. And now they come in with their flashy 'new technology' and think they can just steal our customers." She let out a frustrated sigh. "We need to find a way to deal with this."
Alex smiled slightly, recognizing that familiar fire in her eyes. "I thought you liked competition."
"I do," she said, her tone softening, "but I like it when it's fair. This? This feels personal."
A waitress came by with their drinks and quickly set them down on the table. Then she left.
"Alright, so what's the play then?" Alex asked. "You are the boss. So..."
Max stared at the ceiling for a second, deep in thought. "We need to outsmart them. You know, show them that no one does it better than us."
"Sounds like a plan," Alex said, grinning. "What do you have in mind?"
Max grinned back, the mischief in her eyes returning. "I've been thinking about a little 'exclusive launch event.' Something flashy and big. I'll drag in Scarlett and Lilly to give us that extra edge. Make sure everyone knows who the original Cupcake Queens are."
"Now that sounds more like it." Alex leaned in, getting more into the idea. "Let them try to outdo us then."
Max winked. "Exactly. Maids vs Celebs, well, they won't even hold a candle to them."
Their burgers and drinks arrived moments later, and they started eating.
A few minutes into their meal, Alex took a sip of his Coke and glanced over at Max, who was halfway through a pile of fries.
"Hey," Alex said, leaning forward. "While you're in town… How about we do a photoshoot?"
Max raised an eyebrow, a fry halfway to her mouth. She glanced at him with the kind of mischief only she could muster.
"A photoshoot?" she asked, her voice dropping into a teasing tone. "Is this one of those 'show me your abs' kind of shoots?"
Alex smirked. "Yes. I'm thinking… sensual. It'll be for the perfume series."
Max paused. The fry hovered just above her mouth, then slowly lowered as she looked at him, genuinely intrigued. She wiped her hands on the napkin again and leaned in slightly, her eyes gleaming.
"Hmm," she mused, looking at him as if he were a puzzle she was just starting to enjoy solving. "So you're talking like... sensual sensual? Or is this one of those 'let's pretend it's sensual but actually just awkward and artistic' kind of deals?"
Alex grinned, feeling the challenge and heat of the moment. "No, no. Very sensual."
"Like that shoot with Angelina?" She asked. 'I've been waiting for this moment for months. Hehehehe. Time to make everyone jealous.' She kept her usual face, but gave a sinister laugh in her mind.
"Let's say, a bit more than that," He replied. "I'll be mostly shirtless most of the shoot."
"Deal. I'm in," Max quickly agreed. "So, when's the shoot?"
"Let's see," Alex thought for a moment. He got another free day and then 4 days of shooting. So, probably on Saturday or Sunday. "Probably Sunday. I gotta check in with Rachel first and set things up."
---
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