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Kryptonite

Part Two

Her friend. He wanted to know why he wasn't her friend anymore. The question was almost comical- if not for the fact it nearly broke her heart and if she was a weaker woman she would just start sobbing right now and never stop.

Her friend. Unbelievable. After all they had been through, they weren't really friends, per se. That was true. But they were a myriad of other spoken and unspoken things.

For a moment she just stared at him. He had the nerve to look gorgeous when she was soaking wet and resembled a drowned rat more than the professional business woman she prided herself on being.

"You want to be my friend again?" Her tone was filled with irony.

"No, you don't," she answered for him. "Cause you might have to change if you went and did something crazy like spend time with 'too law abiding for her own good' Alexis. Like be nice to Jax, Sam, break Ric's legs for taking Molly from me..."

"Do you want me to break his legs? I could enjoy that."

"No! I'm just saying...you have your world, I have mine, they only meet where Kristina is concerned and for the sake of familial harmony, world peace and global warming I think it should probably just stay that way, don't you?" The last two word gave her away, and she knew it. Damn.

He leaned slightly closer. "You don't sound so sure."

"Oh, I'm sure. I'm very sure. Why are we even talking about this? People don't talk about being friends. They either are or they aren't. Or they are acquaintances or associates or two people who share a child and some other relatives in common and a past that is better left..." She couldn't finished the sentence without lying, so she just let out a breath. Breathing would be good about now, anyway.

Friends. What a crazy idea.Sure, they could hang out like it was no big deal. She could stop by the coffee shop and he could make her an espresso. They could walk their child through the park for the first time ever together. He could make her pasta, and she could make him popcorn, then they could watch the stars come up over the lake behind her house...it was an insane thought.

Because two days of that and she would be dreaming about him again. She just stopped having those dreams right after Molly was born, there was no way she was going back there now...unless...no, she refused to even think it.

It could end differently this time, shot through her mind. She groaned at the part of her that did not know when to leave well enough alone.

"Better left forgotten?" Sonny asked, his tone seemingly gentle and teasing- except she could her traces of bitterness and pain beneath that. "I think you're scared of me."

"I am not! Is Carly's crazy rubbing off on you?"

"You are scared. Terrified. If you stopped hating me then you might actually have to admit I'm not wrong about everything from the way I treated Sam today to what school Kristina attends next year to the way we should handle Ric."

"First, I don't hate you. That's a strong word and completely uncalled for. Second, Kristina is not going to Saint Mary's Holy Mother of whatever academy. I already told you that six months ago. Third, you don't have to do a thing about Ric because I have that under control. His day is coming, believe me. Fourth... wait a minute, I think that's it, right? Hate. School. Ric...yeah, that covers it. Oh, and I am not scared of you. Not in the least."

A small smiled came to his lips.

She knew he was only messing with her. It was late, they were alone in an empty house- if you didn't count the staff. They hadn't been like this in years. She really should just get up and leave now before she let his dimples and smooth talking ease its way into her subconscious again. He was already too much a part of her soul and her heart...she had to hold back what she could, it was the only logical thing to do.

Max brought in the robe and tea. She watched as Sonny automatically set about putting sugar in hers, and realized he still remembered perfectly how she liked it. Such a small thing. Still, it didn't take much to break down the wall of defenses she tried to keep between her and this man.

Sonny nodded at her cup. "Try it. Its..."

"Gourmet. Like everything else in your kitchen."

"The best you can buy."

"Of course, it is," She took a sip. Delicious. It figures. "Mmm. Good. Happy?"

He nodded, letting his eyes drop and raise in that causal way he had. Even nodding was sexy when he did it.

She found it completely and utterly unfair.

There should be rules...no, a law...there should be a law against him being so damn good looking and making her want what she could never have. And should never want. And didn't want...except when she did. Like now.

Stop! she ordered herself. You are doing it again. What has it been? A half an hour in his presence and you are thinking about him naked again..you are! There will be none of that. Its foolhardy. Its worse than foolhardy, its madness. It is...

He cut off her thoughts by saying, "You could stay the night."

She choked on her tea.

"You're wet," he added, as way of a reason why.

"People drive home wet everyday."

"What people drive around wet?"

"People people. Wet people. Water people."

He started to laugh. "What are water people?"

"I don't know. Swimmers and the like. People drive wet. Its done. I will do it in a few minutes and be fine."

Stay the night. God. And have him be a bedroom away. The dreams would start before Alexis even went to sleep if she was crazy enough to do that. But she wasn't. Even if she was soaked to the bone and starting to get chilled.

She took another sip of her tea.

When she glanced at him again, his eyes had changed. They were studying her intently in a way she only saw him do once before. That night they made a child, and broke each other's heart. She knew it couldn't last, his kisses, his body moving against hers, his hands stroking and caressing and entering her till she forgot all the reasons why he wasn't a man she could love. Till she just loved him. She knew that fact as they moved as one that night, she knew they would only have a limited amount of time. She tried to prepare herself, shield her heart, but it had been too late.

How could he look at her like that again now? It wasn't fair. She wanted to stand up and yell objection, but her mouth went dry and she had to swallow before she could even speak.

Alexis opened her mouth, not even sure what she was going to say to him, maybe just squeak out "Good-bye," and then flee the room.

But he spoke first. "Stay the night," Sonny repeated.