A Drunken Man's Words
by SexisFan

Chapter 14

Alexis wakened slowly in the soft morning light. Still somewhat exhausted from the night before, she stretched languidly beneath the sheets. Rolling over, she wasn't particularly surprised to find Sonny's side of the bed empty.

With little fuss, Alexis slipped out of her bed and into some clothes. As had become her habit the first week on the island, prior to the hurricane, she donned the bra and bottoms of her swimsuit, then pulled on a pair of cut-off jeans and a white cotton blouse over the swim suit.

Failing to find any sign of Sonny in the kitchen, Alexis headed for the living room. There she found the doors to the deck wide open and Sonny hard at work over the grill.

"Morning," she greeted.

When he returned her greeting, Alexis wondered shyly whether she ought to kiss him or to pretend again as if the previous night hadn't happened. This was still all too new to her, and she just wasn't certain what the proper 'no strings, no expectations' behavior was in a situation like this. Opting for the conservative route, Alexis skipped the kiss and crossed the deck to lean against the railing. Turning an observing eye toward Sonny's breakfast preparations, she smiled broadly.

"Smells good," she complimented.

"Of course it does," Sonny teased confidently.

Alexis could only grin at his arrogance. Sometimes his ego was so frustrating. Other times it was oddly endearing. This was one of those endearing times. Crossing over to make a closer inspection of the morning's fare, Alexis noted the large pot of water heating over the coals.

"Setting up another bubble bath?" she kidded suggestively.

Sonny grinned wickedly and winked at her. "I'm not usually the bubble bath type," he replied. "Besides, I've already showered. And thanks for noticing, by the way," he teased.

Alexis smiled. "In need of a cold shower so early in the morning, Mr. Corinthos?"

"Hardly," Sonny answered in mock seriousness, ducking the terrycloth pot lift Alexis playfully chucked at his head. "And my shower was plenty warm," he added cryptically.

"Okay, I give," Alexis conceded. "What's the deal with this mysterious shower?"

"No mystery. The guy who brought us the ice offered the use of their outdoor shower. They live in that big house right there," Sonny pointed Alexis' attention to an immense structure of several levels. "Pretty nice place. Since they're keeping their generator going day and night, they have hot water. And he invited us to use the beach shower. It's in a stall on the ground level on the oceanfront side of the house."

Alexis nodded. "That was very generous of him." Then turning her attention back to the pot on the grill, "So what's the water for?"

"Shaving," Sonny replied. At Alexis' questioning expression, he explained. "There's no mirror in an outdoor shower, so I couldn't shave. And I'm not about to try using cold water. So. . ." he waved at the steaming pot by way of explanation.

Alexis' heart fell just a little. "I kind of like the scruffy look," she replied, reaching to run her fingertips across the shadow along his jaw. "I think it's sexy," Alexis whispered, feeling a little brazen to be so flirtatious with him in the broad light of day.

Sonny felt a shiver ripple through him at the touch of her skin against his. Dropping his gaze from her eyes to her mouth, he gave an unconscious lick of his lower lip. "So," he asked, "what do I do with all this hot water?"

"Cook up some crabs?" came Beau's joking reply.

Alexis jumped in surprise, pulling away from Sonny's side and turning toward the steps that Beau was climbing.

"Sorry to interrupt," Beaus apologized, grinning with an awareness of the sexual tension that burned between his two new friends.

"You're not interrupting," Alexis tried to cover. "We're just about to have some breakfast. You hungry?"

Beau chuckled. Alexis was so bad at playing cool, at least when it came to romance. Surely she had to be much more talented at bluffing in the courtroom.

"Thanks," he replied, nodding a greeting to Sonny, and turning back to face Alexis. "But I already ate. Hey, I hear you were surprised with some ice last night. Did you enjoy it?"

Alexis' eyes flew open in shock. Turning toward Sonny, she was ready to rage when he looked back at her with a shrug and innocent eyes.

Looking back at a puzzled Beau, Alexis asked cautiously, "What do you know about ice?"

Beau looked at her as if she'd grown a third eye in the middle of her forehead. "I ran into Bart on his way to the grocery first thing this morning. He told me he'd brought y'all some ice to say thanks for the help with his windows yesterday."

Alexis breathed a sigh of relief. "Uh, yeah. That's right. He did bring some ice over. And it was, uh. . ." she avoided Sonny's hot gaze as she spoke, "very much appreciated."

"I'll say it was." Sonny's whispered agreement only served to deepen Beau's puzzlement.

"Anyone ever tell you that New Yorkers are kind of high strung?" Beau asked, only half jokingly this time.

Sonny and Alexis exchanged knowing looks before bursting out in laughter at some shared joke that went right over Beau's head.

"Well, I'm glad to be such a source of amusement," Beau smiled, "but that's not really why I came over."

"I'm sorry," Alexis giggled. "What's up, Beau?"

"Well, I hate being of those landlords who never goes home, but I've got to get some shingles replaced on the roof today. Debbie damage, you know. I'm sorry to be over here getting in your way. . ."

"Don't you dare apologize," Alexis rebuked. "Not after all you've done. You take care of whatever you have to. And if you need us out of the way, just say so."

"Actually," Sonny cut in, "if you can wait til after we eat, I'll be happy to lend a hand."

"Splendid!" Beau replied with a huge grin. "I never turn down a willing worker."

Settling down at the table, Beau rubbed his hands together and eyed the pans sizzling on the grill. "So," he enthused, "what's for breakfast?"

*******

Following a cheerful morning meal, the men went to work on the cottage roof and Alexis headed down to the beach with Quincy. The tide had come in and gone back out again, washing some of the debris back out to sea. But from the base of the dunes to the high tide mark, the sand was still littered with, as Beau put it, Debbie damage.

Taking in the sight before her, Alexis decided to begin clearing at least a small portion of the debris from the beach. After a short trip back to the cottage, Alexis returned armed with her rake and work gloves from the previous day, she went to work while Quincy amused himself chasing sea gulls, and being chased by breaking waves. Organic debris she raked toward the water where the tide would take it away in the night. Trash she raked into piles near the dunes, where it could be bagged and put on the street for collection on garbage day.

Little by little, Alexis managed to clear a sizable swatch of sand from the dunes to the water's edge. Taking a break to enjoy the fruits of her labor, Alexis dropped to the freshly cleared sand. Tomorrow would be a beach day, she decided. Perhaps Kate would like to bring her children over and let them enjoy an afternoon on a safe stretch of sand. If she worked a couple of more hours after lunch, she might be able to double the size of the area she had clean at the moment. But for now, Alexis was going to take pleasure in a well-deserved break.

Alexis unbuttoned her shirt and slipped it from her shoulders. Laying it out on the sand behind her, she then lowered herself onto her back, resting her head on the shirt to keep sand out of her hair as much as possible. Then closing her eyes, she extended her arms above her head, lengthening her body in a feline-like manner. It felt so good to stretch out her muscles, and to allow the warmth of the sun to soak into her weary body.

Lulled by the sounds of the sea, the gentle ocean breeze caressing her skin, and the warmth of the sun overhead Alexis soon began to doze off. Drifting in that twilight zone between sleep and wakefulness, she wasn't aware of the figure approaching.

Sonny crested the dunes and the sight of her stopped him in his tracks for a moment. She looked so free and innocent lying out in the sun like that. Well, free, innocent and sexy as hell at the same time. Sonny had seen her in the cut off jeans and the white shirt at breakfast, but the red bathing suit bra was new to him. It was a deep wine color, very close, if he was remembering correctly, to the color of the dress she was wearing the night he'd first kissed her in a drunken haze. That night, she'd been bathed in the soft glow of a dying fire. Today, she was stretched before him, her tanned skin kissed by the sun and glowing gorgeously. She was striking, from her dainty bared feet to the top of her brilliant head, crowned in dark, silken waves. And in between, there were her long, shapely legs, the curve of her hips, the rise of her breasts.

Sonny made a decision, ducking back into the cottage for a quick second before returning to the beach.

Alexis was roused from her light sleep by a shadow falling across her face and torso, blocking out the comforting sun. Opening her eyes a slit, she made out the form of a man hovering upside down above her.

"You look like a lady who could use a swim," Sonny smiled down at her.

Alexis raised a hand to shield her eyes from the glare of the summer sky. She stretched and smiled up at him. "Hey," she breathed in greeting.

"So, you up for a dip?"

"You want to swim?" she asked.

"With you," he replied, holding out his hand to her.

Alexis reached up and took the offered hand, allowing Sonny to pull her to her feet on the sand. She noticed then that he was clad in a pair of dark swim trunks that rode dangerously low on his narrow hips. Letting her eyes travel from his navel to the few wisps of hair at the band of his trunks, Alexis reflexively licked her lips.

Sonny smiled inwardly, noting her interest with satisfaction. "Come on," he urged. "Let's go." With that, Sonny reached down and deftly undid the button at the waist of her cut-offs. Slowly he slipped the zipper down and gave the soft denim a nudge so that the shorts fell from her hips, pooling at her feet. Grinning wickedly, he took her hand again and pulled her toward the water. Stepping out of the cut-offs now laying on the sand, Alexis allowed him to lead her into the cool waves.

Sonny suddenly had a thought. Turning to face her he asked, "Do you swim?"

"Of course I swim," Alexis responded.

"How good are you?"

"Pretty good. Why?" she answered a bit defensively.

"I like to swim out pretty far. But I don't want to take you into something you can't handle," he replied.

Too late, she thought, her mind focusing on the feelings that were growing daily in her heart for him. But she voiced none of this to Sonny. Instead, she pulled her hand from his and quickly dove into the next incoming wave. When she broke the surface, she'd already covered a good stretch of ocean and Sonny had to make his move quickly to catch up with her.

For several minutes they swam steadily side by side, heading out toward the horizon. The warmth of the shallows gave way to the chill of deeper water as they stroked farther and farther from shore. Growing worried about whether Alexis would be able to manage the swim back to shore, Sonny was about to reach out and stop her when she suddenly halted, switching from a crawl to simply tread water.

Breathing heavily, Sonny mirrored her movements, floating at her side in the salty waves. For a few minutes neither spoke as they struggled to catch their breath. Suddenly Alexis' face broke out in a broad smile and she let out a full-throated laugh, tipping her chin up to let the next wave wash cool water over the top of her head.

Sonny returned her smile, thrilled to see her enjoying herself in a way he'd never seen before. Away from the weight of her daily life, Alexis proved to be all the woman he'd always suspected that she was. If only he could find a way to help her keep some of this woman alive in Port Charles.

"I think we better start back," Sonny suggested, nodding toward shore.

"Let me know if you need a lift," Alexis teased, taking off in the direction of land.

Sonny caught up with her easily. They swam more slowly this time, alternating between a crawl and more restful strokes as they inched their way toward the beach. When the water began to radiate warmth again, they knew they were getting close to being able to touch the bottom again. Finally, near exhaustion, they made it into water only shoulder deep. With their feet firmly planted on the bottom, they were able to finally rest and completely catch their breath.

Alexis smiled at Sonny. "Satisfied?" she asked.

"With what?" he questioned, confused.

"That I can swim," she replied, laughing.

Sonny grinned and shook his head. "I'll give you this, Alexis. When you set out to prove a point, you don't mess around," he marveled.

"And that trait is what keeps your beautiful butt out of jail, my friend," she crowed, tapping his chest pointedly with her finger.

Sonny grabbed her wrist and pulled her toward him, gathering her into an embrace with his other arm. "You like my butt?" he asked leeringly.

Alexis grinned and cocked her head to one side. "I find your ass. . .serviceable," she teased.

"Serviceable?" Sonny replied in mock horror. "I'll service you, lady. . ."

Sonny dipped his head to capture her mouth in a playful kiss. The tip of his tongue swept across the soft silk of her lips, tasting there the salt of the ocean's waters. Her mouth easily parted for him, welcoming him to deepen the kiss, just as a wave pushed Alexis' body up against his own. Sonny's playful flirtation quickly turned heated. Alexis wrapped her arms around his neck as his hands began to rove along her body. From her shoulders to her hips and back again, it was as if suddenly he couldn't get enough of the feel of her against his skin. As his kiss grew more demanding, Sonny cupped the curve of Alexis' hips, drawing her body even closer to his and making his desire completely obvious.

Alexis clung to him as her feet left the sandy ocean floor and her legs bent so that her upper thighs gently rode his hips. Sonny moaned against her mouth, encouraged by her response to continue his exploration of her body.

His passion completely ignited now, Sonny slid his hands along Alexis' bare back until he reached the straps of her suit. Weaving his fingers underneath her wet mane of hair, he found the top clasp and undid it. Lowering the straps, he peeled the scrap of wet fabric downward toward her waist, freeing her breasts to the lapping waves and his own hungry hands. Alexis leaned back, her face turned to the sky, allowing Sonny access for an unencumbered exploration of her chest.

By leaning back, though, Alexis had increased the pressure of her lower body against his. Sonny groaned in desire as his hands slid down to the remaining piece of her suit. When Alexis felt him tug at her swimsuit bottom, she lowered her legs, straightening them enough to facilitate the removal of the last barrier between his hands and her body. As the swimsuit bottom reached her knees, Alexis stepped one foot out of the garment. Reaching into the salty water she pulled the garment over her other foot to remove it. Hooking her arm through one leg hole, she let the bottoms dangle from the crook of her elbow, ensuring that she didn't lose her suit to the ocean waves.

It took only a second for Sonny to slip his trunks from his hips. Lifting one leg free of the trunks, he spread his feet and dug them firmly into the sandy sea floor. Braced as best as he could manage against the waves, he grasped Alexis at the hips and guided her body over his.

Supported by the water and her grasp around Sonny's neck, Alexis drew her knees closer to her chest. Sonny moaned his approval. Slipping first one hand and then the other underneath her raised knees, he hooked her legs over his arms. Returning his hands to grasp her hips, he held her tightly as he moved against her.

Alexis let loose of Sonny's neck and wrapped her hands around Sonny's wrists as his hands held her hips. Leaning back even further, she allowed her body to float near the surface of the waves. Sonny watched her breasts rise and fall in the water, the dark peaks breaking the surface between waves. Seeing her laid out before him drove his desire higher, fueling the power of his passion.

Alexis couldn't believe what she was feeling. So many sensations at once had put her near sensory overload. The warm undulation of the waves moved over her even as Sonny moved rhythmically against her. The warm summer sun was shining down on her upturned face while a cool ocean spray left its refreshing kiss on her skin. A gentle breeze moving over the surface of the water touched her hot skin and left her tingling from the barest hint of a chill. Closing her eyes, Alexis let the sensations soak into her being. When Sonny started to move his hand between their bodies, she gripped his wrist tighter and gently shook her head. She couldn't explain it, and wouldn't attempt to try at this moment, but she didn't want to experience that fulfillment this time. She didn't want closure on these moments, on this feeling. She wanted to carry this feeling with her as long as she could. She was certain that as long as she lived, nothing in her life would rival the breathtaking beauty of what she was feeling as Sonny made love to her on this day, in this sea.

Sonny reached his peak alone, his passion stoked by the blissful expression Alexis wore as she gave herself to him under the open sky in the broad light of day. He felt a bit selfish taking his pleasure without completing hers, but from the look on Alexis' face he wondered if she wasn't experiencing another type of pleasure that he was jealous to know for himself.

Alexis felt his fulfillment when it came, and it brought a smile to her lips. Her moment would end soon, but she'd burned it into her memory - into her very being. There would be nights, she knew, when she'd return to this moment in her mind. And she would relive the most fulfilling sense of completeness she'd ever experienced.

As Sonny's breathing began to return to normal, Alexis opened her eyes and lifted her head. Smiling at him, she began to disengage from their lovemaking position. When her feet touched the sandy bottom, Sonny drew her into his arms and kissed her tenderly.

"Are you okay?" he asked, fearing that perhaps he'd pushed her too far, taking her out in the open as he had.

Alexis' smile broadened and she returned his kiss with one of her own. "Perfect," she purred, easing his mind with a squeeze of his hand.

Sonny was still a bit confused, but reassured that he'd done no harm.

In the rocking water of the ocean, they struggled to return their wet garments to their appropriate positions before emerging from the water hand in hand. Sonny watched Alexis surreptitiously as they trekked through the sand and back up the path to the cottage. She'd never looked more beautiful nor more at peace, he thought, feeling a pang of sorrow at the thought of either of them having to return to the real world and to Port Charles.

Beau was setting out sandwiches and drinks as Sonny and Alexis climbed the steps to the deck.

"Hey there," he smiled at them. "You must have had a good swim," he remarked, noting to himself the aura of deep contentment emanating from Alexis.

Alexis smiled up at Sonny as she answered Beau. "It was wonderful," she replied with a conviction that told Beau she wasn't talking about swimming.

*******

The three amigos were finishing off their quick lunch when they heard the sound of a car pulling into the driveway. A moment later Kate's bright voice greeted them as she came around the corner of the cottage toward the deck.

"Are you ever NOT eating, brother?" Kate teased as she approached the table.

"Only when you're the one cooking," he joked back, smiling.

"I'll remember that one," Kate laughed, nudging her brother's shoulder. "And so will you," she warned.

A laugh rose from everyone at the table in response to Kate's playful threat.

"So, what's up, sis?" Beau asked.

"I just came over to invite Alexis to go out for a bit. I'm taking the rascals down to the lighthouse to let them blow off some steam and burn off some energy. I thought you might like to bring Quincy and come along while these two slave away at manual labor," Kate explained breezily.

Alexis hesitated. "Well, I'm really not ready. . .we just came off the beach and I'm all salty. . ."

"Don't worry about it. Grab some clothes and you can clean up at mom's. She's doing laundry today, so she has the generator going and there's plenty of hot water for a shower. In fact, if you have anything you want to get laundered, you should bring that over, too," Kate replied.

"I feel kind of bad leaving Sonny here. . ."

"Go, Alexis," Sonny prompted her. "I'm going to be working here anyway. Go on and take a break."

Alexis shrugged. "Okay, if you don't mind. It does sound like fun," she smiled.

"Go," Sonny ordered playfully.

It didn't take long for Alexis to gather up clean clothes and her puppy. In no time, she, Kate and Quincy were in Kate's car and pulling out of the driveway.

Sonny raised his hand and waved his good-bye before turning to Beau. "Kate knows what to do?" he asked.

Beau nodded. "She'll keep Alexis plenty busy for the afternoon, and will bring her back around sundown."

Sonny nodded in return. "Good. Thanks for the help."

"No problem," Beau answered. "Now hadn't you better get to work on her surprise?"

chapter 15