[New York – 6:32 PM] [Alex's Penthouse – Private Gate Entrance]
Alex pulled his car into the private drive of his high-rise penthouse and slowed as he caught sight of an SUV parked near the gate. He frowned for half a second. Then his eyes landed on the woman leaning against it, arms crossed, a familiar smirk tugging at her lips.
Evangeline Lilly.
She wore a dark jacket over a white tee, hair loose, slight windblown waves. Black jeans. Boots. The definition of a casual knockout.
Alex rolled down the window as he pulled up. "Well, well. Did I order a surprise company and forget, or is this fate being polite for once?"
Lilly pushed off the car and walked toward his window with a lazy, confident stride. "If this is fate, I hope she's bringing wine. Otherwise, she's underdressed."
He parked, stepped out, shutting the door behind him. "I thought you were flying back tomorrow."
"I was," she said, brushing a strand of hair from her face. "But we wrapped the pilot early. Director wanted to shoot in sequence, and once my scenes were done, they cut me loose."
Alex studied her for a beat. "You just get in?"
She shook her head. "Few hours ago. Slept a bit. Took a shower. Grabbed coffee. And now I'm here."
He lifted an eyebrow. "You've been waiting out here long?"
"Ten minutes," she said, then tilted her head. "Okay, maybe fifteen. But I needed the fresh air. LA makes my soul feel like it's been sitting in an Instagram filter."
Alex laughed and stepped closer. "You could've called. I could have picked you up at the airport."
"I could've. But where's the surprise in that?" she said. Then she paused, looking at him a moment longer. "I just wanted to see you."
There was no pause this time. He stepped forward and kissed her.
A slow, low hum between heartbeats. Her hands rose to his chest without thinking. His hands wrapped around her waist like she was something fragile and necessary. The kiss lasted for a minute.
When they pulled back, their foreheads rested lightly together.
"You always kiss like you're remembering something," she whispered.
"Maybe I am," Alex said quietly. "Maybe I just missed you."
Lilly smiled. "Then let me in, Wilson. I've got stories, flight nerves, and at least three new bruises from pretending to fall down hospital stairs."
Alex smirked, took her hand, and led her toward the elevator.
"Come on in," he said, glancing at her sideways. "Make yourself at home."
"You sure?" she teased as the doors opened.
He turned to her, voice low. "With you? Always."
The doors slid shut behind them.
..
[Living room]
The door clicked shut behind them. Evangeline kicked off her boots the second they were inside, walked straight toward the oversized sectional couch like she was returning to an old favorite spot, and flopped down with a dramatic sigh.
"God, I forgot how good your couch is," she groaned, sprawling like a cat in sunlight. "I'd sell my agent for cushions like this."
Alex smirked over his shoulder. "I'll let the couch know it's appreciated."
He disappeared into the hallway, heading toward the bathroom. Lilly heard the faint sound of drawers opening, a faucet, then the water pressure rising as the shower kicked in.
She exhaled, resting her head back and leaning slightly backward, looking out through the balcony doors. The skyline view outside stretched forever. She could see the sparkling stars. Everything was quiet and peaceful. That rare kind of silence you only get in places built like fortresses for billionaires.
Then she sat up straight...
Her eyes wandered to the coffee table.
Comics, sketches, a couple of scattered pages with design concepts, and one open, unfinished comic book binder caught her eye. Teen Titans. Rough panels. Handwritten notes. Sharpie arrows pointing to lines like "too soft, punch this up" and "emotional cue here – tension builds."
She pulled the binder into her lap, flipping through it carefully. Robin mid-leap. Raven cloaked in swirling shadows. Beast Boy grinning beside Cyborg. Each panel had energy, even the ones left un-inked.
"Damn," she murmured. "No wonder, Teen Titans is so famous out there. Gotta read the series."
She kept reading and was halfway through... Raven and Starfire were facing off against Slade when she heard the bathroom door open.
She looked up.
Alex emerged in nothing but a towel slung low on his hips, steam following him like a second shadow. His hair was wet, a few strands dripping down his temple. Then a few droplets over his abs. The kind of body people hired lighting crews to fake.
'Sweet Lord,' Her heartbeat increased. 'Phew! Is it just me, or is it hot in here?'
He ran a hand through his hair absently. "You're digging through my roughs?"
"Uh-huh." Lilly didn't look away. "You should warn a girl before walking out like that."
He grinned. "Why? Scared of getting distracted?"
"Distracted?" she said, flipping a page. "No. Just tempted to make bad decisions."
Alex crossed to the kitchen, grabbed a cold bottle of water, and took a long drink, never breaking eye contact.
Lilly shook the binder lightly. "These panels are cool. Your Teen Titans arc... what's the angle? Coming-of-age or full dark multiversal war?"
He leaned against the counter. "Somewhere in between. Real stakes. Real trauma. A generation of kids learning how to handle the world when the world doesn't want them in it."
She tapped the edge of the page thoughtfully. "That line here... Raven saying 'I was born a weapon, but I chose to become a warning.' That's gold."
Alex raised an eyebrow. "You read fast."
"I act fast too." She closed the binder and set it down. "So, I read your post. You are planning on creating two animated series."
He walked over slowly, stopped in front of her, droplets still trailing down his chest.
"You want in?"
Her gaze flicked from his face to his abs and back again. "Depends on the offer. And the view."
Alex smirked, reaching down and lifting the binder off her lap. He set it on the table gently, then leaned in closer, hands on either side of her on the couch.
"The role or the apartment?"
"Both," she whispered.
Their faces were close again.
Too close.
"You're playing with fire," he said softly.
"Then take off the towel," she whispered back. "Let's see who gets burned first."
Alex chuckled low, his lips brushing hers without kissing. "Tempting."
Her fingers teased at the towel knot, eyes locked on his like a dare.
"More than tempting," she murmured.
And just as she was about to undo it...
He pulled back.
Not abruptly. Smooth. Controlled. Like someone who knew exactly how to pull a trigger and never waste a bullet.
Lilly blinked, still mid-reach, hand now hanging in the air like a punchline that didn't land.
Alex smirked.
"You're good," he said, reaching for his water again. "But not quite good enough to seduce the towel off me... before I get to the pitch."
She narrowed her eyes. "You cocky son of a..."
"Silver Sable," he said, cutting in.
She paused. "What?"
Alex took another slow drink, then leaned his elbow against the kitchen counter, still dripping, still shirtless, completely unfazed. "Spider-Man animated series. PG-13 tone, but pushing the edge. Modern animation, new story. And I need a voice for Sable."
Lilly blinked. "Silver Sable? As in mercenary, guns-for-hire, platinum-blonde-dagger queen?"
He nodded. "Tactical genius. No-nonsense, peak human form, and weapon master. Charming, beautiful, and dangerous... but still human under all the discipline. Someone like you."
'Dang! You are good with your words, Wilson,' Lilly leaned back on the couch, biting her lip with a smile. "Voice test?"
"We are still arranging things, so I'll let you know once we get everything set up."
She tilted her head, playful now. "So, wait… was all this towel theatrics part of the casting process?"
Alex shrugged. "Every director has a method."
Lilly pointed. "You're lucky you're hot and famous. Otherwise, this would be a lawsuit."
He grinned. "But I'm both, so it's a callback instead."
She crossed her arms, mock-pouting. "And here I thought you were trying to seduce me."
"Oh, I am," he said, walking back toward the couch. "But I multitask."
He leaned down again, hand brushing her cheek gently this time.
"The towel stays on for now," he murmured. "But you nail that voice test… maybe I'll let you do as you please for 1 hour. So, hungry?"
She raised an eyebrow at the mention of "one hour to do as she pleased," but Alex had already turned away again with smugness turned up to eleven.
She grumbled to herself, standing and stretching her arms over her head. "Alright, Mr. Wilson. Let's eat before I forget I came here to be seduced and hired."
Alex glanced back over his shoulder with a grin. "In that order?"
"We'll see how good the food is."
[Dining area – 7:10 PM]
The kitchen smelled faintly of garlic and herbs. On the marble counter, Alex plated up a simple but elegant spread: grilled chicken wraps with a lemon-yogurt drizzle, a bowl of couscous salad with pomegranate seeds, and a dish of sliced mango and strawberries. Nothing too heavy. Just enough to satisfy without slowing them down.
Lilly took a bite and paused mid-chew. "This is good. I'll find out your secret ingredient one day, just you wait."
Alex smiled, "A twist of lemon, a pinch of black pepper, salt, and love."
She chewed thoughtfully. "I can't decide if you're a heartthrob or a domestic fantasy."
"Plot twist," he said, taking a bite. "I'm both."
They ate slowly, bantering between bites. Comfortable silences, quiet looks, the kind that filled more space than words could.
When they were done, Lilly stood and stretched again, then cracked her knuckles. "Alright. I've had my protein. Time for violence."
Alex narrowed his eyes. "Violence?"
"Console. Street Fighter. Now," she said, already making her way upstairs with the fruit bowl.
...
[Upstairs]
The TV glowed with the logo of Street Fighter. The controllers were synced. The characters selected. Alex chose Ryu. (During the timeskip, he played this game with Max and she kicked his ass. He tried different characters but lost, and finally, he won five times in a row with Ryu. So, he chose that character.)
Lilly picked Chun-Li.
"What?" she said, seeing his look. "I like kicks. Sue me."
"Should've figured," Alex said, settling into the couch beside her. "You seem like a Chun-Li girl."
"And you seem like the kind of guy who never blocks."
They hit Start.
Round One. Fight.
Lilly came out swinging: aggressive, relentless, legs flying like she'd been training under a Shaolin monk on espresso. Alex tried to play it calm, throwing Hadoukens, keeping distance, but she closed in fast.
KO.
Lilly threw both hands in the air. "Boom. First round. Dominated."
Alex raised an eyebrow, rubbing his jaw. "Alright. Warm-up round. I was being generous."
Round Two.
Alex went in harder this time: combos, timing, spacing. He backed her into the corner.
Until...
"Spinning Bird Kick, bitch!" she shouted, flipping over him and slamming him with three perfect hits.
KO.
Lilly leaned back smugly. "Still generous?"
Alex sighed. "You've clearly played this more than once."
She grinned. "Oh yeah. Hours of gameplay. Lucky me."
He smirked, hit the rematch button, and cracked his knuckles.
"You're going down."
"Big talk for a man in a towel."
A few minutes later...
They were tied 2-2. Sweat had started to gather at his brow, though he wouldn't admit it. Lilly had tucked her legs up, sitting cross-legged with total focus.
The final match.
Half-health.
One combo left.
Lilly glanced sideways. "Winner gets the last mango slice."
Alex's thumb hovered.
"So it's come to this," he said dramatically.
The final flurry of moves. Fingers clicked. Joysticks slammed.
"KO."
The screen flashed with Victory: Ryu.
"HELL YEAH! HAHAHA!" Alex jumped up with his arms raised. Then he punched in the air. "Take that."
He dropped the controller like a champion at a WWE finale, arms in the air, eyes wide with mock glory.
"HELL. YES." He pointed both hands at the screen. "Ryu with the fire! Did you see that combo? You didn't even touch the ground. That was martial arts poetry. That was..."
"Button-mashing chaos," Lilly interrupted, deadpan.
He whipped around. "Excuse me? That was a perfectly timed cross-up into heavy punch, two-hit link, cancel into Hadouken, and then the EX Shoryuken finisher."
She raised an eyebrow. "You don't even know what half of that means, do you?"
Alex hesitated. Just for a beat.
Then looked off thoughtfully, like he was considering the meaning of life. "I… may have been desperately pressing everything at once and yelling internally."
Lilly cracked up, folding forward onto her knees. "Oh my God. You're the guy who wins in a sword fight by accidentally tripping and stabbing someone."
He grinned shamelessly. "Victory is victory."
She reached for the final mango slice in the bowl.
But Alex was faster.
He grabbed it, held it in front of her face, and then, with absolute audacity, placed half of it in his mouth and left the other half hanging between his lips.
Her eyes narrowed.
"Oh no," she said.
He leaned closer, face tilting in slowly like a flirty dare.
She didn't move.
Their eyes locked.
Inches away. The sweet scent of mango between them. That slow, low-burning tension flickering to life again like someone was cranking up the dimmer on a very dangerous mood light.
"You know," she said softly, "you play dirty."
He gave her a thumbs up and a slight nod.
Her gaze dipped to his mouth.
Then back up.
Lilly moved forward, quickly biting the mango slice, and their lips touched... They slowly ate the mango.
Then Alex leaned in again. This time, slower. No games. No fruit.
Just him.
And her.
The kiss deepened, her fingers slipping behind his neck, pulling him closer. His hands found her waist, thumbs circling gently over the fabric of her shirt. Their mouths moved in perfect rhythm, slow at first, searching, then bolder as familiarity reignited that old, dangerous chemistry.
Lilly slid one leg over his lap, straddling him without breaking contact. Her fingers combed through his damp hair as she leaned into the kiss, harder now, more hungry. Like months of sexual tension compressed into a single kiss.
Alex exhaled softly against her mouth, then pulled back a fraction, just to look at her.
"You always do that," he murmured.
"Do what?" she asked, brushing her lips against his again.
"Make me forget this isn't a dream."
She smirked, lips still dangerously close. "Then stop waking up."
He kissed her again, deeper now, hands running up her back, pressing her closer. She shifted against him, her hips meeting his, and he groaned low in his throat, almost a growl. Her fingers were at his waist, tugging the towel slowly.
Then...
Alex stilled.
"Lilly…"
"What?" she whispered, biting his bottom lip gently. "You said if I nailed the voice, I'd get one hour to do whatever I wanted."
"You didn't even do the voice test yet."
She tilted her head. "You haven't heard my voice in the last five minutes?"
Alex gave a breathless laugh. "Touché."
....
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[6 advance chs] [All chs available for all tiers]
AN: That's it for this week. See ya all on Sunday.