AN: No, not back yet. Need another week to get everything in order. Just didn't want you all to wait another week for a new chapter. So, here you go. I might drop another chapter this week. I'll be back on 1 with the usual daily update. Thanks for all the Powerstones. 🫡
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[Alex's Penthouse] [Night] [Rooftop]
The night air was cool against the warm steam rising from the rooftop jacuzzi. The glittering lights of the city stretched out before them, a glittering sea of neon and concrete. Alex sat back, leaning against the rim of the tub, a glass of wine in one hand. Halle sat beside him, her legs stretched out and dangling lazily in the warm water, the other glass of wine perched beside her.
Their laughter and easy conversation flowed as usual.
"I gotta say," Halle said with a grin, swirling her wine in the glass, "working with JLo on this music video was honestly one of the highlights of my year. She's a pro, but so down-to-earth. Totally different vibe from how I expected."
Alex smiled, glancing over at her. "Sounds like a blast. I think everyone's been dying to see that video. You three are gonna be unstoppable."
"Ha, thanks," she chuckled, sipping her wine. "We had so much fun with the choreography, though. We even made a joke about who could keep up with the other. But honestly, JLo still brings it like she's in her twenties."
Alex nodded in agreement. "She's a legend. Her work ethic is insane. I think this partnership's gonna be huge."
There was a pause, a moment of comfortable silence. Then Halle shifted slightly, crossing her arms over the side of the jacuzzi and looking over at him. "So, I hear you've got a lot on your plate this year. Three movies in production and The Hobbit starting in April."
Alex nodded, keeping his gaze on her. "Yeah, things are going great with Pursuit of Happyness, Devil Wears Prada, and Zathura. We've already kicked off shooting on all three, and everything's looking fantastic."
Halle smiled, impressed. "Sounds like you've got your hands full."
Alex took a sip of wine and shrugged. "Always. But, you know, I've been keeping my schedule light for now. Gonna write a couple of scripts and books for now. Then I will focus on Spider-Man."
Halle raised an eyebrow. "You're gonna direct it?"
Alex nodded, his expression turning serious. "Yeah. I'll be directing Spider-Man around June or July, depending on contracts and permits. I want to make sure everything's in place first. The pre-production is gonna be intense, but it'll be worth it."
"That's gonna be huge," Halle said, her voice filled with awe. She already knew how popular Spider-Man was in comics and the animated movie. And considering this live-action movie was about to start the biggest franchise and multi-starrer movies on the Marvel Multiverse, she knew it'd be great. And she couldn't wait to work on something so big and complex with other great actors.
"Oh, and don't tell me you are going to work on multiple movies and act at the same time."
"Nope. No worries. I know my limits. No more projects until Spider-Man is locked down," Alex confirmed. "I want to give that film my full focus. And... I'm really excited about it. It's a huge deal."
Halle smirked, her eyes twinkling with mischief. "So, what's the story of the Spider-Man movie? Can I get an early sneak peek?"
Alex leaned in slightly, lowering his voice. "No one's getting the full story until the movie's released. Not even the cast. All they get are their lines. Including you."
"Is that so?" Halle replied, a teasing smile playing on her lips. She leaned in a little closer, her voice low and playful. Her hand was on his thighs, slowly going up. "Not even if I ask nicely?"
Alex turned to her, a mischievous glint in his eye. "Even if you seduced me right now, Halle, I wouldn't say a word. But I might have to spank you for being such a naughty girl."
Halle's eyes widened, but she quickly recovered, her smirk turning into a full smile as she leaned back against the jacuzzi's edge, shaking her head. "Oh, so you're gonna play it that way, huh?"
Alex chuckled, taking another sip of wine, enjoying the tension between them. "Always," he said, his smile growing a little wider. "And you know you wouldn't be able to resist." He took her hand from his thighs and kissed while looking into her eyes.
Halle just laughed softly, clearly entertained by the playful banter. "I'm not gonna argue with you about that."
There was a comfortable silence for a moment as they both gazed out at the city below.
"So, there's something on my mind lately and..." She stopped for a moment.
Halle was unsure if it was the right time to say it, considering it's been only like two and a half months since they started dating and living together.
She hesitated, swirling the wine in her glass, her eyes momentarily drifting away from Alex to the sky. The warmth of the water and the tension between them felt almost too perfect, but inside her, a quiet storm was brewing. Her thoughts tangled with her emotions. 'Is this the right time? She wondered. We've only been together for a couple of months... but I can't ignore it. I'm not getting any younger.'
She took a breath, trying to find the right words, but they kept slipping away. "So... there's something I've been thinking about lately," she began, her voice a little unsteady. "And, um, it's kind of... big, I guess? But it's nothing, really." She gave a nervous laugh, trying to brush it off, but her fingers tightened around the glass, betraying her nerves.
Alex, noticing the shift in her mood, turned his body slightly toward her, his eyes narrowing just enough to show he was listening intently. "You can tell me anything, you know that, right?" he said, his tone soft but steady.
Halle gave a small nod, her heart thumping in her chest. She swallowed, feeling the weight of her thoughts pressing on her. 'It's just that… I've always wanted to have a family, and with you… with us…' The words danced on the edge of her lips, but she couldn't quite bring herself to say them. "I... well, I'm turning 40 this year. And, uh, I know that... time, you know, it's... it's ticking. And I really want to have kids before..."
She cut herself off, flustered by her own stumbling words. She cleared her throat, trying to mask the vulnerability she felt. "I mean, I'm not saying I'm in a rush or anything," she added quickly, her voice picking up speed as she backpedaled. "I just—I don't know, maybe I'm thinking about the future, and... uh, I guess I just want to make sure I'm not waiting too long to... you know, start a family."
Alex sat silently for a moment, his gaze fixed on her, but his expression soft, thoughtful. Halle's heart began to race, but she couldn't bring herself to meet his eyes. She stared into the glowing water, unsure if she'd said too much, if she'd scared him off with the weight of it all.
'What if I freak him out? What if he thinks this is too soon? What if I've ruined everything by bringing it up?'
Just as she was about to say something to change the subject, Alex's hand reached out, gently lifting her chin so she had no choice but to meet his eyes. The intensity of his gaze, that deep, unwavering look, made her stomach flutter, but it also steadied her nerves.
"Okay," he said simply, his voice low, but full of sincerity.Â
Halle blinked, caught off guard by his calm response. 'Okay? That's it? No panic, or second thoughts?'
Alex leaned in, his lips brushing hers softly, his hand still cradling her chin. The kiss was slow, gentle, and filled with a quiet promise that spoke louder than words ever could. When they pulled away, Halle's heart was still racing, but in the best way. She could see it in his eyes. He wasn't running from her, from her feelings, or from the future she wanted.
His lips curved into a small smile. "We'll take it one step at a time. But yeah, I can see us having a family, Halle."
Tears pricked at the back of her eyes, but she blinked them away. It wasn't how she expected things to go, but somehow, it felt right. This moment, with him, felt like the first real step toward something bigger, something they could build together.
She smiled softly, her heart lighter now. "You sure? I mean... you're okay with all of that?"
"Of course," Alex said, his voice quiet but resolute. "Well, the thing is, I was trying to bring it up, but I wasn't sure how to approach you. It's been two and a half months since we started dating and living, and I thought you might say it's too early or think I might be rushing things. So, I keep stalling and... I kinda planned something special for tomorrow, and I was going to finally say it. But thanks for taking all the pressure and making it easy for me."
Halle blinked at him, her mouth falling open slightly. "Wait, wait, wait," she said, sitting up straighter. "You were going to say it tomorrow? And you even planned something special for me?"
Alex chuckled, looking a little sheepish. "Yeah," he admitted. "The whole surprise package."
She stared at him, her mouth open in mock outrage. "So, let me get this straight… I was up here freaking out, heart pounding, overthinking every single word, and I took all that pressure for nothing?"
"Pretty much," he said with a grin, sipping his wine. "But, hey, at least you beat me to it."
Halle groaned dramatically and sank lower into the jacuzzi until the water was up to her chin. "You gotta be kidding me. You have no idea how nervous I was. I've been holding it in all night, trying to figure out how to say it without sounding like a crazy person."
Alex raised an eyebrow, amused. "Holding it in, huh?"
She shot him a look. "Don't laugh! I was literally holding my pee because I didn't want to ruin the moment!"
That did it. Alex burst out laughing, almost spilling his wine. "You were nervous enough to risk a bladder explosion? That's dedication."
Halle started laughing too, shaking her head. "You're not supposed to make fun of me! I was having a very serious emotional and physical crisis!"
"Oh, I'm aware," Alex said between laughs. "But come on, you've got to admit, that's adorable."
She splashed a little water at him. "It's not adorable! It's tragic!"
He leaned back, still grinning. "Well, your tragic moment just made my night. But the way, you could've just said you needed a bathroom break before proposing we start a family."
"Oh, sure," she said, rolling her eyes. "Nothing says emotional sincerity like, 'Hold that thought, I need to pee before I tell you I love you and want your babies.'"
Alex chuckled, leaning in closer. "Well, for what it's worth, that would've been a first."
"Yeah, well, congratulations," Halle said with a playful smirk. "You bring out the best in me... and apparently, the most embarrassing."
He reached over and brushed a strand of hair off her face, his smile softening. "Hey, I think it's perfect. You being nervous just means you care. And honestly, you saying it first? That made it even better."
Her expression softened, the laughter fading into something tender. "You really mean that?"
"Every word," he said.
For a moment, they just looked at each other. Then Halle said. "You know, I can't believe I ruined your big romantic plan."
"We can still go tomorrow," He said.
Halle stood up. "Done. Now, if you'll excuse me... I gotta go to the bathroom. And then give the good news to the girls downstairs." She got out of the tub, wrapped a towel around her shoulders and walked toward the door.
"Hey," Alex stood up.
She looked back.
"We start tonight?"
Halle simply smirked as she pulled the side ribbons of her panties, and it fell to the floor, giving him the full view of her butt cheeks. Then, to tease him further, she bent down to pick it up, showing him her wet pussy. She took the panty, rolled it and threw it at Alex.
He caught it.
Halle winked with a smile before walking out...
"That was so sexy..." Alex mumbled to himself as he clenched her wet panty.
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