[On the way]
Lilly adjusted her seatbelt while Alex drove down the road. Loki sat in the back, happily sticking his head out of the window, ears flapping in the wind. Lily kept an eye on him, for his safety.
"You sure this place is good?" Lilly asked.
"Yeah," Alex replied. "It's private, has great instructors, and no one will bother us. Perfect place to settle a little competition."
Lilly scoffed. "Oh, it's not a 'little' competition, Alex. You ghosted me for a month. I tried your number, but it was off. So, I am definitely winning this."
Alex glanced at her, amused. "Alright, then. Let's make a bet."
Lilly raised an eyebrow. "What kind of bet?"
Alex grinned. "Whoever loses has to listen to one request from the winner. No complaints, and no backing out. No limits."
'No limits, huh? I wonder how far I can go with him if I win. No... I gotta win,' Lilly thought for a moment before smirking. "Deal. No limits. But don't say I didn't warn you when you lose."
Alex chuckled. "We'll see about that."
Loki barked from the back as if cheering her on.
[The Shooting Range]
The range was about an hour outside the city, surrounded by tall trees and open land. Unlike the usual indoor shooting ranges, this one had different sections like standard target lanes, moving target stations, and even a small tactical course.
As Alex pulled into the gravel parking lot, a man in his late fifties stepped out from a nearby cabin. He was tall and broad, with graying hair, and a thick beard. He wore a dark green military-style jacket, cargo pants, and heavy boots, looking every bit like an ex-soldier.
"Alex," the man greeted, shaking his hand firmly. "Been a while."
"Yeah, good to see you, Carter," Alex replied.
Carter turned to Lilly, his sharp gaze studying her for a second before he smirked. "And you must be the one about to put Alex in his place."
Lilly grinned. "That's the plan."
Carter let out a short laugh. "I like her."
Alex sighed. "Of course you do."
Before they could head inside, a loud bark came from the side of the cabin. A large German Shepherd trotted over, tail wagging.
"That's Jace," Carter said. "My dog. You can leave yours with him in the back. My caretaker, Linda, will keep an eye on them while you two shoot."
Lilly glanced at Loki, who was already sniffing Jace curiously. "You good with that, buddy?"
"Wooof!" Loki barked once as if giving his approval.
"Alright," she said, giving Loki a quick pat.
With that both the dogs ran toward the backyard. They didn't even need any guidance.
[Inside the Range]
[Round-1]
The inside of the range smelled like gunpowder and oil. The walls were lined with different firearms... pistols, rifles, and shotguns, all neatly secured. A few targets were hanging on the far end, riddled with bullet holes. The place had a professional but relaxed feel, like a spot only serious shooters knew about.
Carter gestured toward the wall. "Pick your weapon."
Lilly ran her fingers over the options before grabbing a Glock 19. Alex chose a Sig Sauer P320.
Carter handed them both ammo and nodded toward the shooting lanes. "Standard target practice first. Then, we'll move on to something harder."
Lilly loaded her gun with ease, making Alex raise an eyebrow.
"You looked experienced. So, it's true, huh?" he said.
Lilly smirked. "Did you think I was bluffing?"
Alex chuckled. "Nah... Ok. Maybe a little."
They stepped up to the firing line. Carter pressed a button, and the targets moved into place.
"Alright," he said. "Five shots each. Let's see who's got the better aim."
Alex adjusted his stance. Lilly did the same.
Carter counted down. "Three… two… one… Fire!"
Gunshots echoed through the range. Both of them fired with precision, their shots hitting the targets dead-on. Well, Alex held back a bit. He didn't want to crush her spirit just yet.
When the smoke cleared, Alex looked at Lilly's target. Every shot was perfectly centered.
He looked at his own. Almost the same.
Almost.
Lilly smirked, turning to him. "Oh, Alex… you were saying?"
Carter let out a low whistle. "Damn, son. She just smoked you."
Lilly blew an imaginary speck of dust off her gun. "And we're just getting started."
Alex shook his head with a grin. "Don't get cocky. We have just started."
[Round 2]
Carter reset the targets and adjusted the settings. "Alright, the next challenge is speed shooting. Five shots. Fastest and most accurate wins."
Lilly cracked her neck. "Oh, I like this one."
Alex chuckled, loading his magazine. "Let's see if that confidence holds up."
Carter counted down. "Three… two… one… go!"
Lilly fired first, her shots rapid and precise. Her bullets punched into the center ring with near-perfect accuracy.
Alex followed, his shots just as quick. But when the targets reeled back in, Lilly's grouping was slightly tighter.
Carter let out a whistle. "Lilly takes this one."
Lilly smirked, blowing on her nails. "That's two-zero. Maybe I should start thinking about my prize."
Alex rolled his shoulders. "We'll see about that."
[Round 3]
Carter set up a new challenge. This time, the targets would move unpredictably. "This one's tricky," he warned. "Speed won't help if you can't track movement."
Lilly took the first turn. She hit most of the moving targets, but a few shots landed just outside the center.
Alex stepped up next, taking a deep breath. As the targets zigzagged, he adjusted his aim smoothly, firing with precise control.
When the scores showed up, Alex had the better hit percentage.
Carter nodded. "Alex takes this round."
Alex smirked at Lilly. "Two-one. Looks like I'm catching up."
Lilly rolled her eyes but couldn't hide her grin. "Don't get too comfortable."
[Round 4]
Carter led them outside to a mini tactical course with barricades, pop-up targets, and different cover points. "You'll be timed. Fastest to clear the course with the most hits wins."
Lilly went first, moving quickly through the course, ducking behind barriers, and hitting each target with ease. She stumbled once but recovered fast, finishing with an impressive time.
Alex followed, moving through the course. His transitions were seamless, his shots were perfect. When he finished, Carter checked the timer.
Alex had beaten her by three seconds.
"Alex wins this round," Carter announced.
Alex turned to Lilly with a smug grin. "Two-two. You were saying?"
"Just 3 sec," Lilly clicked her tongue. "Fine. There's still two rounds left."
[Round 5]
Carter set up a long-range target at the far end of the range. "This is a precision test. Five shots each. Closest to dead center wins."
Alex watched as Lilly adjusted her stance, exhaled, and fired. Each shot landed close to the bullseye, the last one nearly perfect.
Alex took his turn, dialing in his focus. His first shot was solid. The second, even better. By the time he finished, his grouping was slightly tighter than Lilly's.
Carter reviewed the results. "Alex wins again. That's three-two."
Alex leaned against the counter, arms crossed. "Looks like I'm in the lead now."
Lilly sighed. "Three-two... Not bad. It's just motivation for me to destroy you in the next round."
[Last round]
Carter clapped his hands. "Alright, last round. Sudden death. One shot. Closest to the bullseye win."
Lilly smirked. "Perfect."
Alex nodded. "Let's settle this."
They both loaded a single round, stepping up to their lanes.
Carter counted down. "Three… two… one… fire!"
The shots rang out simultaneously. Both bullets tore through the air, heading straight for the center.
When the targets were retrieved, Carter studied them carefully. His expression was unreadable.
"Well," he said slowly, looking between them. "This is interesting."
Lilly and Alex leaned in, eyes locked on the targets.
"Lily wins. It's three-three. A tie."
[Tie-Breaker Round]
Lilly crossed her arms, smirking. "A tie? That's boring. Let's settle this for real."
Alex grinned. "Agreed. One final shot. No excuses, no second chances."
Carter chuckled. "Alright, one last shot. This time, from double the distance. Let's see who's got the steadiest hands under pressure."
Lilly and Alex stepped back as Carter set up the targets further down the range. The distance was brutal... this was going to take serious aim.
"Who's first?" Carter asked.
Alex gestured to Lilly. "Ladies first."
Lilly took a deep breath, steadied her grip, and aimed. The wind barely moved, but at this range, even a minor shift in stance could throw her off. She squeezed the trigger.
Bang.
The bullet hit just a hair off the bullseye.
Alex whistled. "Not bad."
"Let's see if you can do better," Lilly shot back.
Alex exhaled, raised his gun, and fired.
Bang.
Carter checked the targets. His eyebrows raised slightly, and he turned to them with a smirk.
"Well, well," he said, dragging out the suspense. "Looks like the winner is… Lilly."
Lilly blinked. "Wait, really?"
Carter flipped the target around. Alex's shot had landed almost exactly where hers did. Almost. But hers was a fraction closer to dead center.
Alex ran a hand through his hair. "Damn. By a millimeter."
Lilly pumped her fist. "Yes! Victory is mine!"
...
[The Lounge]
Lilly walked into the lounge like she owned the place, grinning from ear to ear. The cozy space had a rustic feel... leather couches, a small bar stocked with whiskey and coffee, and a TV mounted in the corner playing some old action movie.
Alex followed behind her, shaking his head. "Alright, alright, you won. No need to rub it in."
Lilly gasped dramatically, placing a hand on her chest. "No need to rub it in? Alex, sweetie, what do you think I'm here for?" She flopped onto the couch, stretching her arms behind her head like a queen on her throne.
Alex grabbed a bottle of water from the mini-fridge, taking a slow sip. "You know, it was a close call. Almost too close to count."
Lilly sat up, pointing at him. "A millimeter, Alex. That's the difference between victory and losing. And you, my dear friend, are on the losing end."
Carter chuckled from across the room, pouring himself a coffee. "She's got a point, Alex. A loss is a loss."
Alex groaned. "Carter, whose side are you on?"
Carter sipped his coffee as he sat down. "The side of entertainment." He knew how good Alex was. He saw Alex smoke the records in the past. So, Carter knew that Alex held back.
Lilly leaned forward, resting her chin on her hands. "Sooo, about that bet… You remember the deal, right? No complaints. No backing out. No limits."
Alex sighed, leaning against the armrest. "Yeah, yeah. Just tell me what I have to do and let's get it over with."
Lilly grinned mischievously. "Oh, we're not rushing this. No, no, no. I'm savoring my win. I'll let you marinate in your defeat for a little while."
Alex groaned again, running a hand through his hair. "That sounds worse than whatever the actual request is."
Lilly smirked. "Oh, you bet it does."
She grabbed her phone and started typing something. Alex leaned over, suspicious. "What are you doing?"
Lilly didn't look up. "Oh, just making a list of potential requests. You know, fun little things. Maybe I make you wear something ridiculous. Maybe I make you sing in public. Maybe I—oh! What if I make you publicly announce that I, Lilly, am the undisputed champion of shooting?"
Alex rolled his eyes. "You're enjoying this way too much."
Lilly beamed. "More than you'll ever know."
Just then, Loki and Jace trotted in, tails wagging. Loki jumped up onto the couch next to Lilly.
Alex scratched behind Loki's ear. "At least someone here isn't rubbing it in."
Loki wagged his tail, then promptly flopped onto Alex's lap like a sack of potatoes.
Carter chuckled. "Looks like he's taking pity on you."
Lilly burst out laughing. "Even Loki knows you took the L."
Alex just groaned. "This is gonna be a long day."
Lilly smirked, patting him on the shoulder. "Oh, buddy… you have no idea."
...
[A few minutes later...]
Carter chuckled as he stood, stretching his arms. "Alright, kids, I'm gonna check on the others. Got a couple new folks out on the range who might need some guidance." He grabbed his coffee and made his way to the door. "Lilly, good shooting today. You ever want a real competition, come back anytime."
Loki ran after Jace again.
Lilly grinned. "Careful, Carter, I might take you up on that."
Carter smirked. "I hope you do." With that, he strolled out, leaving them alone.
Lilly exhaled, sinking into the couch. "Man, that felt good. I needed this."
Alex raised an eyebrow. "The shooting? Or humiliating me?"
She tilted her head, pretending to think. "Mmm… both, honestly. But mostly the shooting."
Alex let out a short laugh. "Yeah, I get that. You were tense when we got here. Now? You look way more relaxed."
Lilly nodded. "Yeah. Between work, life, and..." she hesitated for half a second, but covered it up with a shrug, "other things, I had a lot of pent-up energy. This was the perfect way to blow off steam."
Alex studied her for a moment, sensing there was more to that sentence than she let on. But he didn't push.
Instead, he leaned back, stretching out his legs. "Well, I guess if losing helped you feel better, then I'll take the L like a champ."
Lilly smirked. "Oh, look at you, being all noble."
Alex shot her a dry look. "Yeah, yeah, don't get used to it."
She laughed, then turned toward him, suddenly more serious. "Alright, about my request..."
Alex straightened, bracing himself. "Here we go."
Lilly grinned but didn't say anything at first. She let the tension build, enjoying the way he squirmed just a little.
Finally, she leaned in slightly, lowering her voice. "I've thought long and hard about this."
Alex rolled his eyes. "Spare me the dramatic buildup, Lilly. Just say it."
She smirked, then, as casually as if she were asking for a cup of coffee, said, "I'll settle for a nice kiss."
Alex blinked. His brain short-circuited for half a second before he let out a small laugh. "Wait, that's your big request? After all that build-up?"
Lilly shrugged, playing it cool. "What, you thought I was gonna make you run through the city in a pink tutu? Or..." She leaned near his ears, "Ask to see you naked, maybe a little sexual favor."
'Wow! Where did that come from?'
Alex turned his head toward her, their faces barely an inch apart. His eyes locked onto hers, a flicker of amusement and something tempting, dancing behind them.
"What if I had won and asked to see you naked?" His voice was low, almost a whisper, but there was no mistaking the challenge in it.
Lilly held his gaze, unflinching. A slow smirk curved her lips. "Then I might have granted your wish." She leaned in just a fraction closer, her breath warm against his skin. "I'm a woman of my word, after all. No limits, remember?"
Alex's jaw tensed. He hadn't expected that answer, not that direct, not that bold. His fingers twitched slightly against the couch.
His eyes flickered to her lips, and before he could second-guess himself, he closed the distance.
Their lips met, slow at first, testing. Lilly didn't hesitate. She kissed him back just as eagerly, her fingers curling into the fabric of his shirt. Alex shifted, deepening the kiss, tilting his head to taste more of her. She opened her mouth, allowing him to push his tongue into hers. Both of them explored each other's mouths, sucking on each others' tongues.
Lilly felt the heat rise between them, her body instinctively pressing closer. One of Alex's hands found its way to the back of her neck, his thumb tracing slow, teasing circles against her skin.
When they finally pulled away, their breaths were uneven, eyes locked.
"Well," Alex murmured, his lips still inches from hers. "That was… something." He gave her another little peck on her lips.
Lilly let out a small laugh, her fingers still curled in his shirt. "You sound surprised." She also gave him a little kiss.
"I'm not... Maybe a little," he admitted, brushing a stray lock of hair from her face. "I just didn't think you'd actually..."
"Kiss you?" she interrupted, arching a brow. "Please, Alex. We both knew this was coming."
His lips twitched. "You that confident?"
She leaned in, just enough for her lips to ghost over his again. "Always."
Alex smirked, his fingers tightening slightly in her hair. "Dangerous trait."
Lilly's grin widened. "I know."
Neither of them moved away. The moment stretched between them...
Alex tilted his head. "So, since you're so into keeping your word… what else were you willing to do if I had won?"
Lilly chuckled, running her fingers lightly along the collar of his shirt. "Wouldn't you like to know?"
Alex let out a low laugh. "Oh, I really would."
Lilly's eyes twinkled with mischief. "Guess you'll have to win next time to find out."
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[6 advance chs] + [8 chs of Two and a Half Men: Waking up as Charlie Harper] [All chs available for all tiers]