2 Broke Girls x 1 Rich Man [TV series 2 Broke Girls ff]

Words: 4.3k. I better see some nice chunks of POWERSTONES. 🫡💎👍

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Caroline's brain had officially left the building.

Her mouth had somehow agreed to join Alex in the pool before the rest of her even processed what was happening. Now, here she was, standing at the pool's edge in nothing but a towel, while Alex Wilson... hot, walking thirst trap, and the man she'd just been low-key spying on, watched her with an infuriatingly amused smirk.

"Didn't expect you to say yes so quickly," Alex teased, stepping into the water.

Caroline blinked. Right. Words. Use words.

"Well…" she cleared her throat, forcing herself to maintain eye contact, not stare at his abs, not think about Max's very explicit review of his 'magic hands,' and definitely not picture him doing—oh God, stop. "It's a pool. Pools are for swimming. And I just happen to enjoy swimming."

Alex leaned back against the pool's edge, arms spreading over the ledge, biceps flexing slightly. It was very annoying. "Mmm. Is that what this is? A casual swim? Not, say… you checking up on me?"

Caroline crossed her arms, her towel still wrapped tightly around her. "Why would I need to check up on you?"

His smirk deepened. "Oh, I don't know. Maybe because you were just sneaking around with your phone like a very unskilled private investigator?"

Caroline felt her soul leave her body again.

Abort. ABORT.

"I... I wasn't sneaking!" she protested, even though she absolutely had been. "I was just… documenting the hotel's luxurious amenities!"

Alex chuckled. "Uh-huh. And I just happened to be in the frame?"

"Exactly!" she said, pointing aggressively at him. "It was an accident! A total, complete accident!"

"Oh?" Alex tilted his head. "So… would you say the first photo was an accident?"

Caroline's stomach plummeted.

"…First?"

"And the second?"

She went pale.

"…Second?"

"And the one where you zoomed in?"

OH HELL.

Caroline felt heat explode across her face. She ZOOMED IN?!

She had no memory of zooming in. But she had been in a daze, and her fingers had moved on autopilot, and oh sweet merciful Jesus take the wheel.

"I... THAT... THAT WAS NOT INTENTIONAL!" Caroline yelped, waving her hands like a malfunctioning robot. "MY FINGERS BETRAYED ME! IT WAS A TECHNICAL ERROR! A... A GLITCH!"

Alex looked way too entertained by this. "A glitch?"

"Yes! Phones do that sometimes! It's very common! Extremely normal!"

Alex nodded, pretending to consider this. "Right. A totally normal glitch that caused you to take multiple pictures of me shirtless and zoom in."

Caroline made a distressed noise. "STOP SAYING IT OUT LOUD."

Alex's grin widened. He was enjoying this way too much.

He tapped the water. "Come in, Caroline."

Her brain screeched to a halt.

"W-what?"

"Don't you want to join in?" Alex's voice dropped slightly, smooth as honey. "Unless… you're having second thoughts?"

Oh, she was having all the thoughts. All the thoughts, and none of them were appropriate.

She tried to think of a way out, but there was no way to run from this without looking even more ridiculous than she already did. And damn it, she was Caroline Channing. She could handle one swim. (Just in a towel and towel slips. Oh, crap!) With her Sugar Daddy... Wait! No, her crush. Who she may or may not have feelings for. (Who am I kidding?) While wearing nothing but a towel. (God, help me.)

'Oh God, this was a mistake.'

Still, she squared her shoulders and inched toward the steps, tightly clutching the towel around her chest like a lifeline.

Alex watched her approach, head tilting slightly, his gaze dipping to the towel. "You're not actually planning on swimming in that, are you?"

Caroline froze. 

"I... uh... well..."

Alex leaned forward, resting his elbows on the pool's ledge, his voice dropping into something dangerously smooth. "Because I doubt swimming in a towel is a good idea. What if it slips?"

'You want me to swim naked?! Are you going to be naked too? Eehh! No, no, no, no... Why am I thinking like Max?'

Caroline's brain exploded.

ERROR 404. SYSTEM FAILURE. PLEASE RESTART.

Her grip on the towel tightened like it was the last barrier between her and total embarrassment. "WELL, I DIDN'T BRING A SWIMSUIT BECAUSE I WASN'T PLANNING TO BE HERE, SO EXCUSE ME FOR TRYING TO BE DECENT."

Alex barely had time to react before Caroline, in a fit of panic, took a deep breath and jumped straight into the pool.

SPLASH.

Water exploded everywhere, drenching Alex as he blinked through the unexpected tidal wave. He wiped a hand down his face, shaking the water from his hair before looking toward the very flustered blonde now resurfacing like a drowning cat.

Caroline gasped for air, sputtering slightly as she pushed her wet hair from her face. "Ha! See? Totally fine. Completely normal. Just a casual, unplanned swim."

She forced a triumphant smile, as if nearly cannonballing into the pool in sheer panic was something she had planned all along.

Then, feeling particularly bold (and also, possibly, slightly unhinged from stress), she shot off with a powerful stroke, cutting through the water like a pro. Alex watched with a raised eyebrow as she swam two full laps, her movements surprisingly smooth and controlled.

By the time she finished her second lap, Caroline surfaced near the edge, flipping her wet hair back with a victorious huff. "There! I swam. No problems. No—"

Then Alex's gaze flicked downward.

Caroline followed his eyes…

…and her entire soul ascended to another plane of existence.

Because there, floating between them like a very unwelcome guest, was her towel.

Her only towel.

Detached from her body.

Casually drifting on the surface of the water.

Caroline's soul left her body for the second or was it the third time that day?

She went completely still, her eyes locked onto the towel like it was a live grenade.

Her mouth opened. Closed. Opened again. She let out a high-pitched noise that could only be described as pure existential horror.

"Oh my God."

"Caroline." Alex's voice was way too calm for the absolute disaster unfolding. "Is that...?"

"Nope," she said immediately.

His lips twitched. "I think it is."

"No, it's not!" she blurted, already sinking lower into the water.

Alex, now full-on grinning, reached out and casually plucked the towel from the water. He held it up, droplets cascading down like proof of her impending doom.

"You were saying?"

Caroline internally screamed.

"Give it back," she hissed, her entire body submerged up to her nose like a panicked sea creature.

"Hmm," Alex mused, twirling the towel lazily in one hand. "I don't know. You did say this was just a casual swim. Not a big deal, right?"

"Alex," she growled, sinking deeper.

Alex chuckled, watching Caroline sink further into the water like she was trying to merge with it and escape reality. His smirk softened slightly, though, as he caught the sheer panic in her wide, blue eyes.

Alright, maybe he'd teased her enough for now. He wasn't a complete monster.

"Okay, okay," he said, holding up his hands in surrender. "I was just messing with you. Here."

He leaned forward, offering the towel.

Caroline peeked up from where she was practically submerged, her eyes narrowing with suspicion. "You swear you're not going to yank it away at the last second?"

Alex gave her an unimpressed look. "Caroline."

"Swear it."

Alex sighed. "I swear. Scout's honor."

She still hesitated, narrowing her eyes further. "Were you even a scout?"

"No," he admitted, "but I was a very well-behaved rich kid."

Caroline snorted. "Doubtful."

"Okay, maybe not that well-behaved," he amended. "But I do know how to be a gentleman. Here." He leaned forward a little more, shaking the towel slightly in her direction. "Take it before I change my mind."

Caroline eyed him for another second before very quickly snatching the towel from his hand and wrapping it around herself under the water like she was handling a high-stakes operation. Once she was sufficiently covered, she finally exhaled, shoulders slumping in relief.

Alex grinned. "See? That wasn't so hard."

Caroline shot him a glare. "I hate you."

"You don't," he said smoothly, stretching his arms out over the pool's edge again, looking way too smug for her liking. "But you do make it very easy for me to tease you."

Caroline let out an exhausted sigh, squeezing some water from her hair. "I should've known you'd pull something like this."

Alex chuckled. "In my defense, you're the one who jumped in fully clothed—well, toweled—without a plan."

She groaned. "I panicked, okay?! You were looking at me like—like—"

"Like what?" he asked, tilting his head slightly, amused by the way she floundered for words.

"Like you knew I was already spiraling, and you were enjoying it," she accused.

He smirked. "I was enjoying it. It's cute when you get flustered."

Caroline groaned again, dragging her hands down her face. "You and Max both," she mumbled under her breath.

Alex leaned forward slightly. "What was that?"

"Nothing," she blurted, eyes wide. "So... You saw everything?"

Caroline was going to die. Right here. In this pool. From sheer secondhand embarrassment.

She clutched her towel tighter around herself, her face so hot it could probably boil the entire pool. Alex was still watching her, his expression unreadable except for the unmistakable glint of amusement in his stupidly gorgeous eyes.

Why did she have to say that?

Why did she say "So... you saw everything?"

And why, WHY, was he not looking away?!

Alex rested his arms on the pool's edge, tilting his head slightly, looking way too relaxed for someone who had just witnessed a full-fledged wardrobe malfunction. "Yes," he answered smoothly, his lips quirking up into a smirk. "I saw everything."

Caroline sucked in a sharp breath. "And...?"

Alex arched an eyebrow. "And what?"

She scowled, her fingers twitching around the towel. "Don't play dumb. How was the view?" 

The moment the words left her mouth, she regretted everything. Every choice she had ever made in her entire life. Because why was she making this worse?!

Alex grinned like a cat that had just cornered a very nervous mouse. "Oh, you want a review?"

Caroline squeezed her eyes shut. "Forget I asked."

But Alex, of course, didn't forget.

He leaned forward slightly, lowering his voice. "Since you're so curious…"

Caroline peeked at him warily.

His gaze flickered over her, deliberate, assessing, and—oh lord—appreciative. "Well," he said. "Let's just say… the view was incredible."

Her heart slammed against her ribs.

A breath hitched in her throat, and she swallowed hard, trying to ignore the way heat curled up her spine. Alex wasn't just teasing anymore. There was something else in his voice. Something that made her heart flutter in ways she absolutely refused to acknowledge.

"You're messing with me," she said, her voice coming out weaker than she intended.

Alex's smirk softened into something... warmer. "No," he said, quieter now. "I'm not."

Caroline felt her whole world tilt.

She needed to move. Needed distance.

Slowly, she swam toward the edge, keeping her grip on the towel like a lifeline, and pulled herself up until she was sitting on the ledge. Her legs dangled in the water, the cool night air kissing her damp skin.

Alex watched her the entire time.

"You really have no shame, huh?" she mumbled, wringing some water from her hair.

"None at all," Alex admitted, pushing back from the edge slightly, letting himself float lazily. "But you already knew that."

Caroline huffed a laugh, shaking her head. "Unfortunately."

For a moment, silence settled between them. Not an awkward one. Just... a quiet moment. The kind she wasn't used to having with him—where he wasn't teasing and she wasn't scrambling to deflect.

The infinity pool stretched out before them, merging with the Tokyo skyline in a way that looked almost unreal. The water rippled softly under the glow of the lights, and Caroline let out a slow breath.

Then, out of the corner of her eye, she saw Alex push off the wall and start swimming toward her.

She prepared herself.

'Oh no.'

He moved effortlessly, cutting through the water with that smooth, confident ease he had about everything in life. And before she could come up with a good reason to flee, he stopped right in front of her, resting his forearms on the ledge next to her.

His face was close. Too close.

"Tell me something," Alex said, tilting his head. "Are you always this fun when you're flustered, or do I just bring it out of you?"

Caroline shot him a flat look. "You are the cause of 90% of my stress when Max isn't there, so yes. It's you."

Alex chuckled, shaking his head. "You make it too easy, Blondie."

Caroline rolled her eyes, but her heart was still beating way too fast.

She needed space. She needed an out.

But mostly, she needed to not think about the way his stupidly wet hair was making him look even hotter.

So, she blurted the first thing that came to mind:

"You know, Max warned me that if I ever saw you shirtless, I'd need to prepare myself."

Alex raised an eyebrow, his smirk returning. "Oh? And did you?"

Caroline huffed, staring at the sky. "Obviously not enough."

Alex's grin widened. "I'll take that as a compliment."

Caroline groaned. "Of course you will."

This man was unbearable.

And the worst part?

She was actually starting to like it. 

Well, the silence once again fell upon them for a few seconds...

Caroline kicked her feet lightly in the water, inhaling deeply as she tried to calm the frantic mess that was her brain. She could do this. She was Caroline Channing, a woman who had survived socialite scandals, financial ruin, and Max Black's daily chaos.

She could have this conversation.

She just had to act normal.

"So," she started, clearing her throat. "I've been thinking."

Alex leaned against the pool's ledge, looking up at her with an amused glint in his eyes. "Dangerous."

Caroline shot him a glare. "Do you want me to say this or not?"

Alex smirked. "Please, continue."

Caroline exhaled. "Okay. Well… Max, um… She—"

"—has a very creative imagination?" Alex supplied.

Caroline groaned. "Yes, but that's not the point. She, uh…"

She hesitated, tapping her fingers against the towel she was still clinging to for dear life. "She mentioned something about, um… us."

Alex raised an eyebrow. "Us?"

Caroline gestured vaguely. "You. Me. Max. In a very… complicated arrangement."

A slow smile spread across Alex's lips. "Ah. That."

Caroline groaned, already regretting this. "Oh my God, why do you sound like that? You know exactly what I'm talking about!"

Alex chuckled, pushing off the edge and resting his arms on either side of her. "Well, I just like hearing you say it."

Caroline buried her face in her hands. "I hate you."

"You really don't," Alex murmured.

Oh, for the love of—

'Well, what the hell. I'm going for it.' She dropped her hands, inhaling sharply. "Okay, listen. Max is obviously insane, but she does have a point. She and I come as a package deal. You take one of us, you kind of get the other. We're like a two-for-one special at a very chaotic discount store."

Alex tilted his head. "A 'Buy One, Get One' situation?"

"Yes!" Caroline pointed at him. "Exactly! Except, you know, with feelings instead of cheap bath towels."

Alex smiled, nodding thoughtfully. "Interesting analogy."

Caroline exhaled, gathering what little remained of her dignity. "The point is… If this is really something you're considering, I just want to know how serious you are about it."

Alex met her gaze, his usual teasing demeanor softening just a fraction. "And what about you? Are you considering it?"

Caroline hesitated.

For all of Max's wild ideas and shameless confidence, this wasn't just some joke to Caroline.

She cared about Alex. She had since that first stupid cupcake order.

And Max? Well… Max had been her person since the moment they met.

The idea of sharing Alex, of being with both of them in some unconventional, insane way…

It should have scared her.

But it didn't.

What scared her more was the idea of being left out.

"I… don't hate the idea," she admitted slowly. "But I don't want to be some side piece in Max's relationship with you, and I don't want to come between what you two already have."

Alex leaned in slightly, close enough that she could feel the warmth radiating off his skin. "Caroline, if this happens, it wouldn't be about sides. It wouldn't be me with Max and you somewhere in the background. It'd be all three of us, together."

Caroline's breath hitched. "You say that so easily."

Alex smiled. "Because I mean it."

She studied him for a long moment, trying to find any sign of hesitation, any hint that he was just entertaining Max's idea for fun. But there was nothing.

Just sincerity.

Just Alex.

Caroline felt her shoulders relax slightly. "Okay. I guess… I just needed to hear that."

Alex nodded. "And now that you have?"

Caroline huffed, rolling her eyes. "Still processing."

"Take your time," Alex said easily, though there was a flicker of amusement in his gaze. "But just so you know…"

He leaned in closer, his voice dropping slightly.

"You wouldn't be a side piece, Caroline. You'd be mine just as much as Max is."

She was about to reply when—

"OH MY GOD, DID YOU TWO START WITHOUT ME?!"

Caroline nearly fell into the water.

Alex didn't even flinch.

Max had arrived.

She stood at the edge of the pool, hands on her hips, wearing a ridiculously tiny bikini that left very little to the imagination. Her sunglasses were perched on top of her head, and she had a piña colada in one hand like she was auditioning for a reality show.

"Okay, FIRST OF ALL," Max said, pointing at them. "I leave you two alone for five seconds, and suddenly we're having deep emotional conversations by moonlight?"

Caroline groaned. "Max—"

"SECOND OF ALL," Max continued, dramatically setting her drink on a table before gesturing wildly at Alex. "Why are you still wet and hot at the same time?! Like, how is this fair?!"

Alex smirked. "Good genetics."

Max scowled. "Unacceptable. I demand compensation."

Caroline sighed. "Max, for the love of—"

But before she could finish, Max had already cannonballed into the pool.

A massive wave soaked Caroline, and she let out a very undignified shriek, clutching her towel like it was the last thing tethering her to sanity.

Max resurfaced, flipping her wet hair back dramatically. "Ahhh, perfection." She blinked at them. "What? What did I miss?"

Caroline looked at Alex, who clearly wasn't going to help.

Max narrowed her eyes. "Wait. WAIT. Were you two flirting?"

"No!" Caroline blurted immediately.

"Yes," Alex said at the same time.

Caroline whipped her head toward him. "You are the WORST."

Max gasped. "OH MY GOD, IT'S HAPPENING!"

"Nothing is happening!" Caroline protested.

Max grinned, swimming up to her and resting her chin on Caroline's knee. "Oh, honey. It's SO happening."

Caroline groaned, rubbing her temples. "I regret everything."

Max turned to Alex, grinning. "Sooo, you ready for Sugar Daddy + Two Sugar Babes? Or do we need a contract?"

Alex smirked. "Do we get matching jackets?"

Max gasped. "I LOVE that idea."

Caroline covered her face. "Why are you both like this?"

Alex and Max exchanged a look.

Then, at the exact same time, they said:

"Chaos."

Caroline was so doomed.

[Later That Night – Max and Caroline's room]

Caroline knew she had made a mistake the moment Max got that scheming look in her eyes.

It had been a normal evening (or, well, as normal as things could be when you were vacationing in Tokyo with your best friend and the billionaire you may or may not have feelings for). After a long day of sightseeing, Max had declared that it was time for "mandatory relaxation."

Caroline had assumed this meant face masks, a bad rom-com, and maybe some overpriced hotel chocolate.

She was wrong.

So deeply wrong.

"Alright, Blondie," Max announced, flopping onto the couch with a satisfied sigh. "It's your turn."

Caroline, who had been mid-sip of her tea, blinked. "My turn for what?"

Max grinned, wiggling her toes. "A legendary foot massage from Moneybags over here."

Caroline promptly choked on her tea.

Alex, who was seated comfortably in an armchair across from them, smirked but said nothing—watching. Waiting. Probably enjoying how flustered she was.

"I... WHAT? No! Why would I...?" Caroline sputtered.

Max rolled her eyes. "Caroline. Sweet, naive, repressed Caroline. Do you have any idea what you're missing out on?"

Caroline pointed aggressively at her. "I literally do NOT want to know!"

Max ignored her, dramatically tossing herself onto the couch as if recalling a life-changing event. "Alex Wilson's hands? They're actual magic. A gift to womankind. It's like if a spa day, a religious experience, and an Olympic-level performance all had a very sexy baby."

Caroline covered her face. "Oh my God."

Max grabbed her shoulders. "No, listen to me. You're denying yourself a life-altering experience. An experience so powerful it nearly sent me into the next dimension. I am a NEW WOMAN, Caroline."

Caroline peeked between her fingers. "I don't believe you."

Max's eyes narrowed. "Oh? Oh?" She turned sharply toward Alex. "Moneybags, tell her. Tell her how incredibly talented you are with your hands."

Alex exhaled through his nose, clearly amused. "I don't think I need to convince her, Max. She seems pretty set on suffering."

Caroline's face burned. "I AM NOT SUFFERING!"

Max gasped dramatically. "YOU ARE."

Caroline buried her face in a pillow.

Max leaned in. "Do it. Just once. For me. For science. For all of womankind."

Caroline, against all better judgment, peeked out. "...Science?"

Max nodded solemnly. "Science."

Alex, still watching with that infuriating smirk, finally spoke. "Caroline."

She flinched. The way he said her name—low, smooth, like a promise—made her stomach do something very, very annoying.

"If you really don't want to, you don't have to," he said. "But if you're just afraid you might like it a little too much…"

Caroline's entire body combusted.

"THAT IS NOT WHY!"

Max whooped. "Ohhhh, he got you GOOD, Blondie."

Caroline glared at both of them. Then at Alex. Then at Max. Then at her own aching feet.

"...Fine," she muttered.

Max gasped. "REALLY?"

Caroline sighed. "Yes! Okay! Whatever! But if I hate it, I get to kick you!"

Max beamed. "Knew you'd come around. Strip."

Caroline choked. "WHAT?!"

"Your socks, Blondie! Relax. Jeez, you'd think I was asking you to get naked."

"With you? I wouldn't put it past you!"

Alex chuckled. "She's got a point."

Max shrugged. "I have no regrets."

Caroline, grumbling the entire time, kicked off her socks and plopped herself onto the couch. "This is ridiculous."

Max clapped her hands. "Now, Moneybags, do your thing."

Alex moved from his chair and sat at the edge of the couch, right in front of Caroline. Too close.

Caroline suddenly regretted everything.

His hands were big. Strong. Warm.

And then, he touched her.

A simple press of his thumbs into the arch of her foot.

Caroline tensed.

Not because it was bad.

Because it was too good.

Alex's touch was firm, precise, and calculated. His fingers worked their way over every sore muscle, pressing just right, kneading, soothing. It was like he knew exactly where to apply pressure like he could sense where she needed relief the most.

Caroline's eyes fluttered shut against her will. 

She exhaled—a very embarrassing sound escaping her lips. "Mumm~"

Alex's fingers paused.

Max's grin turned devilish. "Oh-ho-ho, what was that?"

Caroline's eyes snapped open. "Nothing! Shut up!"

But Alex had noticed.

His smirk deepened.

"Oh," he murmured, applying just the right amount of pressure to her heel. "That wasn't nothing."

Caroline twitched.

Max squealed. "She LIKES IT!"

Caroline's traitorous body betrayed her completely.

Every time Alex moved his hands, a new wave of warmth spread through her.

It was… too much.

Too much sensation.

Too much tension.

Too much Alex.

And then... disaster.

He pressed just right. 

She felt like a jello in a cup as all her exhaustion seemed to vanish just like that. She forgot all about her tension and... just smiled with her eyes closed. She felt a shiver run through her body as he cracked her toes and ran his fingers over her soles, teasing her in her sweet spots. 

And the way he massaged her under her knees, slowly moving down, pressing her legs... Well...

Caroline's entire body tensed. 'Fucking hell! What's going on here? Why is my tussy tingling from... Oh, oh... OH GOD!'

And then... it happened. She had absolutely no control over it. It just happened instantly.

A wave of something hot, tingling, electrifying surged through her system, and...

Caroline arched off the couch, biting down a gasp as something dangerously close to an orgasm overtook her entire body. 

Max's mouth dropped open.

Alex?

Smug.

Caroline?

Completely. Mortified.

Silence.

Then—

Max EXPLODED.

"OH MY GOD. OH MY GOD. IT HAPPENED!"

Caroline threw a pillow at her face.

Alex, very, very pleased with himself, leaned back, watching Caroline slowly implode.

"Wow," he mused. "I didn't even have to try that hard."

Caroline buried her face in her hands.

"I AM NEVER RECOVERING FROM THIS."

Max cackled. "Blondie. You came from a FOOT MASSAGE. And this fast. Hahahahaha!"

Caroline wanted to die.

Alex just stretched, looking entirely too satisfied. "See?" He turned to Max. "Told you I could do it."

Max gasped. "WAIT. You bet on this?!"

Alex smirked. "I bet that she'd enjoy it."

Caroline shrieked. "YOU ARE THE ACTUAL DEVIL."

Max, still laughing, wiped away fake tears. "Blondie. I can't wait to see what happens when he actually..."

"NOPE. NOPE. WE ARE DONE HERE." Caroline grabbed a pillow and threw it at both of them.

Max dodged. Alex caught it.

And Caroline?

Caroline knew she would NEVER live this down.

-[POWERSTONES AND REVIEWS PLS]----

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[7 advance chs] [All chs available for all tiers] 

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