Now What?
by Darlene

Part 8

“When I wasn’t looking, you became the most important thing in my life. I don’t know when or how or why it happened, but it has. You make me want to be a better person, and sometimes I succeed. I want you to approve of me and when you don’t, I find myself hating myself. You make me smile and laugh more than I ever have in my entire life. I feel happy and carefree when I am around you. And I’m scared to death right now that what I’m about to say will scare you away and I will have lost the best thing in my life. I’m afraid you don’t want to hear it. But you alone have the power to make my dreams come true tonight. Alexis –“

“Sonny, what are you getting at?” Where is this leading?

“Alexis, look at me. What I’m trying to say is that . . .(just say it Sonny) I love you. I don’t know when or how, but I can’t help it and I had to let you know.”

Oh. My. God. I’m hallucinating. Sonny did not just say that to me – I need a psychiatrist.

“Alexis? I’m dying here. Please say something, anything. What are you thinking, feeling right now? Did I just destroy the best thing in my life?”

“Sonny, I don’t think I heard you right. Could you please repeat yourself?

Can she be serious? She really didn’t hear me right? All right, here goes. Sonny let go off her hands and put his hands on both sides of her face. He looked deeply into her eyes and said, “Alexis Davis, I. Love. You.”

Omygod, he really did say that! I’m going to faint . . .

Alexis was helpless to stop the tears from streaming down her face. “Sonny, you say that I have the power to make your dreams come true. But don’t you understand? You have made my dreams come true. Actually, never in my wildest dreams did you ever say that to me. I thought it was so impossible I couldn’t even dream it. No, you have not ruined everything because . . . Mr. Sonny Corinthos, I love you too. God help me, but I do and I have for a long time.”

Sonny leapt to his feet. He yanked Alexis up from the blanket and spun her around in his arms, laughing all the while. “I love you, Alexis Davis!” He stopped spinning and said, “Look at me. I want to see your eyes when I –“

“Sonny, you talk too much. Kiss me already!”

With that, Sonny leaned in to kiss Alexis. His heart almost stopped when he felt her enthusiastic response. This is better than I ever imagined.

I can’t believe that the man I love more than life itself is kissing me. Can this really be happening?

Alexis pulled away. “Sonny, I have to say this before we go any further. I have tried so hard not to love you – I mean, you’re a mobster and I’m a lawyer – it’s laughable! But I couldn’t help it – you touched my heart in so many ways. I found myself opening up to you and telling you things I have never told anyone else. I never thought I could love anyone like this – it was so unexpected and I was in agony because I didn’t think you felt the same way. In fact, I was trying my damnedest to try and forget all about you. I tried to move out, but I just didn’t have the strength to make myself do it. Then last week I just holed up in my apartment and ate popcorn, trying to forget those adorable dimples. Then that horrible date with Charles. When I came back home, all I wanted to do was to see you, but I knew that you’d just laugh at me. I –“

“Alexis, you have no ide—“

“Ssh.” She put her fingers to his lips. “When you came over last night, all I wanted to do was take you in my arms. Instead, I yelled at you and told you to get lost.”

“Alexis, I –“

“Then, this morning, I thought I would faint at the sight of you. When you kidnapped me against my will, I was so angry I could scream. But then a few minutes later I was in love with you all over again. I just couldn’t seem to stay mad at you.”

“I couldn’t tell. I thought that you were gonna spit nails at me.”

“Good. You deserved it! Then when we arrived here on this beautiful island, I was so confused. It seemed so romantic to me, especially with the gardenias and the memories of Puerto Rico. But I thought that you felt only pity for me, poor Alexis, who has no life whatsoever. So, you see, all of this is soooo unexpected and soooo wonderful. You won’t believe what I did when you were sleeping on the couch – I can hardly believe it myself.”

“What did you do, Alexis?”

“Now don’t laugh. When you were sleeping, I leaned down and kissed you on the forehead.”

“You did?”

“That’s not all. When you didn’t wake up, I pressed my lips against yours and kissed you. I was so scared that you would wake up and think I was insane.”

“If I had woken up then, believe me, we wouldn’t be here, on this beach, right now. We would be in a bed!”

“Then I’m glad you didn’t wake up because this is heaven, being here with you, in this beautiful place.”

“Alexis, I have to tell you what the last week and a half has been like for me. First of all, I didn’t know how I really felt about you until I woke up from the most erotic dream I’d ever had.”

“You dreamt about me? In that way? I think I’m embarrassed.”

“Did I ever.” He laughed. “I realized right then that I did not have simply friendly feelings for you. I knew that I had been in love with you for quite some time. I practically ran over to your apartment to tell you. But you weren’t in a very good mood and then you made that date with Charles while I was there. So, I decided to tell you later. But then I could never get you to answer the door or the phone. I was so miserable thinking that you were out living your life without a thought for me.”

“I was home the entire time. I was just determined that the only way to forget you was to distance myself.”

“Well, you had me in agony.” By this time, Sonny had his arms around Alexis’ waist, his mouth very close to her right ear, and they were almost slow dancing to their own private music. “You know, I waited for you to come home from that date with Charles, praying that you would be by yourself. You were out so late I thought maybe you—“

Alexis looked at him. “You know where I was? I went driving around with the sunroof open. I couldn’t bear to think of going home so early when all I could look forward to was pining over what I thought could never be.”

“Oh, Alexis, we’ve wasted so much time.” He kissed her once again on the mouth. Alexis moaned in pleasure. Sonny reluctantly pulled away. “I hated having to kidnap you this morning. It went against everything I believe in. You were right when you asked if I had – what did you call it? – a personality transplant. I couldn’t think of any other way to get you here, though. I so wanted to show this place to you and for this to be the place where we would become lovers. At least that’s what I hoped would happen.” Sonny laughed. “You probably won’t believe this, but you’re not the only one who secretly did something while the other was sleeping.”

With a very serious look on her face, Alexis said sternly, “Sonny, what did you do?”

He gave her a sexy grin. “Well, I entered your cottage looking for you to be all dressed and ready. Instead, I found you asleep on the couch. I wanted to wake you with a kiss so much. I couldn’t stop thinking about it. So, first I stood behind you and kissed the back of your neck. You didn’t wake up. So I stood in front of you and kissed you very lightly on the mouth.”

“You did not! You’re just saying that to tease me! Sonny, you’re bad!”

“No, Alexis, I swear on my mother’s grave –“

When Alexis heard that, she knew that Sonny was serious. He really had kissed her when she was sleeping. He would never swear anything on his mother’s grave that wasn’t the absolute truth.

“My god, Sonny, think of all the time together we’ve missed. I love you so much my heart feels like it’s going to burst.” She smiled wickedly. “But the question is, now what?”

Without saying a word, Sonny knelt down on the blanket and pulled Alexis down with him.

THE END