Okay, so here's part 2. I know I said I would post all the parts by the end of the week, BUT I wasn't sure how to begin part 3, and now I have exams coming up. Ughh. So look for the last part of this kiss in about ten days. Sorry :( Also feel free to blame it on the Jerm s/l coz my muse got sidetracked by a possible SamLexis scene. We'll see how that goes.

Oh, and the "Just A Kiss" series now boasts an amazing banner, courtesy of Ayshie. But sadly I don't know how to link it here :( Why does have to be so difficult?!

Anyway, the humor continues, although I'm not sure if I didn't go a little over the top. But what the hell, it's a soap, and I love Mo and Nancy comedy.

I'm also wondering, do you prefer shorter or longer chapters?

If you're reading this, I would very much like to hear your thoughts on it.


Dancing Queen pt.2

Sonny and Alexis stood at her front door as she fumbled through her handbag.

"I can't find them." She held the leather accessory out to Sonny. "You try."

Finding the keys, he unlocked the door and held it open for her, before following her inside.

"Are the girls here?"

Sonny doubted she would be out partying like there's no tomorrow if her daughters were home. She would never let herself be drunk or hung over in front of them, regardless of what any man did to her.

Alexis hiccupped. "Molly's at Ric's for the weekend, and Kristina is at a birthday sleepover. She'll be back tomorrow afternoon." She hiccupped again. "Bathroom!" she yelled, stumbling up the stairs.

After locking the front door and removing his jacket, he went to the kitchen.

Armed with a large glass of water, he proceeded to her bedroom.

The bathroom doors were closed, but he heard the running of water.

"You okay in there?"

"False alarm."

A few moments later Alexis opened the door, her top almost entirely drenched, along with most of her hair.

"What happened?"

"I was just trying to wash my face," she said helplessly.

"Here, drink this." He extended the glass out to her. Taking it from him with unsteady hands, Sonny remained alert in case she dropped it.

Alexis drank the water in a single gulp.

"Good. Now, let's get you into your pajamas," he said, walking her to the bed.

She sat down, and he put the pajamas next to her.

She showed no sign of acknowledgment. "You—uh—need some help?" he asked hesitantly.

"You don't have to be so enthusiastic about it. I'm fully capable of putting my pajamas on by myself, thank you very much."

"Maybe I should step out for a moment."

"Suit yourself."

"Uh—I think I'll just turn around."

"Whatever."

He turned around.

A few moments later, she declared proudly, "I'm done."

He turned to face her again. Her pajama pants were on backwards, her mostly drenched black camisole was hanging out, and her oversized T-shirt was inside out with her head and arms not quite in the right openings. He couldn't help but laugh.

"What?"

He motioned towards the mirror.

She moved along the edge of the bed so she could see herself, and then she gasped. "I can't go to sleep like this."

"Because who knows who could drop by and see you like this in your own house on a Saturday morning?"

"Maybe. You don't know who comes to my house at iall/i hours of the day. And night."

He tilted his head.

"At least pretend that you're not spying on me!"

"I didn't say anything."

"Oh, shut up!" she said, frustrated, as she tried to take off her T-shirt. Instead her arms got tangled in the large openings, the shirt hiding a part of her face.

Sonny laughed.

"Don't just stand there! Help me!"

Sonny gently pulled the garment off her.

"Thank you. This one too," she said, holding her wobbly arms up.

What on earth is she doing?

"Alexis, I—"

"Get over yourself, Sonny. I'm not sleeping in this wet, filthy top. Now, be a friend and help me out of my clothes. It's not like we haven't done this before."

Sonny hesitated.

"I don't know why you're here if you're not going to help," Alexis said, as her arms crossed and grabbed at the ends of the camisole. Her arms gave out halfway up, as the partially removed garment revealed the contours of her breasts.

She's trying to kill me. Slowly. Painfully.

Alexis groaned in exasperation.

Sonny sighed and reached for the camisole, averting his eyes before pulling it off.

"Thank you."

Fully aware of the naked torso in front of him, he forced himself to focus on the night lamp behind her. What he really wanted to do was stare. And then stare some more.

This is wrong on so many levels. She is drunk, and you shouldn't even be thinking about it.

But he did think about it. That's all he could think about.

"Awww, such a gentleman," Alexis teased, making no attempt to cover herself up. "Can you get me a tank top? It's the second drawer from the top."

Relieved, Sonny walked to the dresser. Opening a drawer filled with a variety of tops, he reached for the first one he saw. Taking it to Alexis, he made sure he focused on her face.

"Not this one. I want the purple one."

Sonny walked to the dresser again. Just at first glance he saw three purple items. He sighed.

This is going to be a long, long night.

He took all three tops to Alexis, and held them up, still successfully ignoring her partial nudity. "Which one?"

"The one with the heart on it."

Sonny unfolded each item to look for a heart. He found none. But he desperately needed her to not be topless. "This is it," he said, holding out one of the tops to her.

"No, it's not. This is a halter top. I don't wear halter tops to bed. And it doesn't have a heart."

"None of these purple tops have hearts."

He felt his eyes straying. Surely, he could take a peek. She wouldn't even notice; she'd already said that he was being a gentleman.

But you'll know. And you'll feel like an ass for violating her privacy while she's drunk. God, why did she have to be drunk?

Of course, this would never happen if she weren't drunk. Get a grip, Sonny. She's naked because she's drunk, and she's drunk because of Jerry Jacks. She may have fallen for you once, but she's not going to fall for you again. You may be are a better man than Jerry, but not by much.

"I meant black. Sorry," she said, not sounding apologetic in the least. "With spaghetti straps."

Sonny walked back to the dresser, and searched for the right top.

How many tank tops can a woman need?

I've never even seen her wear any of these. But then again, she could be wearing anything underneath all those suits of hers. A camisole, like today. A tube top. Sexy lingerie. Nothing.

Focus, Sonny, focus.

There must have been at least a dozen items resembling a black tank top. He pulled them out one by one, looking for a heart. A lot of silk and cotton, but his lips curved into a smile whenever he felt satin under his fingertips. Black satin. Memories of another time he'd been in a bedroom with a topless Alexis filled his mind. Luckily, she hadn't been drunk that night.

She's drunk. No ifs and no buts. She's drunk. Period.

Sonny unfolded yet another cotton top. He smiled when he saw a little silver heart below one of the straps. Glancing at the messy drawer, he left it open as a reminder to reorganize it once Alexis was asleep.

"Found it."

"Are you sure this time?"

"Heart, check. Spaghetti straps, check. Black, check."

She lifted her arms over her head. Focusing his eyes on the ceiling, Sonny placed the openings over the right parts of her anatomy, and he pulled the top down. It went over her head, down her shoulders, and as it finally covered her breasts, his hands accidentally brushed against the soft skin.

She's drunk. Wasted. Plastered. Smashed. Drunk.

Drunk, drunk, drunk.

Managing to pull the top down all the way, he quickly stepped back and stared at her. And her breasts. The peaks were saying hello.

Oh boy.

"Are you okay?" Alexis asked.

"I'm fine."

"Then help me put these pants on properly." She stuck her legs out to him.

He approached her cautiously. Impatient, she sawed the air with her legs. He caught her feet with his hands, before he tugged at the official Yale item.

What a surprise: She has to be smart even when she's sleeping.

The garment came off easily, but Sonny pulled at it gently for her sake, and slowly enough for his sake, her long legs gradually freeing themselves from the confines of the university apparel.

I can stare at her legs, right? If she were at the beach, I'd be able to see her legs. So legs have to be allowed. Her insanely touchable legs.

All too soon he was covering them up again.

She stood up to assist him, but lost her balance and fell into his chest.

No touching!

"Looks like it's bedtime for the dancing queen."

"I need to brush my teeth," she said, as she proceeded to walk unsteadily to the bathroom.

A few moments later, she called to him. "Sonny, I need you."

He felt a strange thrill at being needed by her again.

Chapter revision: She's drunk.

"What's wrong?"

"I don't know. It's like my mind knows what to do, but my body won't listen. See?" She demonstrated her point by yanking at the toothpaste cap with no success.

He took the toothpaste from her, squeezed a bit onto the toothbrush and ran it under water.

"Here you go," he said, handing her the toothbrush.

Alexis smiled, as she pushed the toothbrush into her mouth. "Oww." She attempted to brush her teeth, but it was obvious from her uncoordinated movements that she was hurting herself more than she was benefiting.

Sonny gently placed his hand on her wrist and took the toothbrush out of her hand. He sat her down on the edge of the bathtub.

"Open wide."

"Aaaaaaaaa," Alexis sounded out.

Holding the back of her head with one hand, he used the other to run the toothbrush over her teeth in careful movements.

When she gurgled, he helped her to the sink to spit out the diluted toothpaste. She sat on the bath tub.

"Can you get me some floss?"

"Maybe you can skip flossing tonight."

"Flossing is just as important as brushing. Do you want me to lose all my teeth?"

"You're in no condition to floss your teeth, Lex."

"You stopped me from having the time of my life, so the least you could do is floss my teeth. You already brushed my teeth in the gentlest, most tender way possible, and I don't think of you as any less manly, so there's nothing to fear." She gave him a goofy grin.

She thinks of me as manly.

Of course she thinks of me as manly: Kristina wasn't conceived out of thin air.

But hearing her say it—

"Please, Sonny." She stuck her lower lip out and looked at him with pleading eyes.

It was the same look Kristina gave him when she wanted something. It was a look he had not yet managed to say no to.

"You win."

"Yes!" she exclaimed, giggling.

Shaking his head, Sonny looked through the medicine cabinet. He was relieved to find dental floss sticks.

"Here we go."

"Aaaaaaaaaaaa."

Holding her chin with one hand, he took a deep breath, as the other hand carefully pushed the floss between her teeth.

She said I was manly. I am manly. Flossing a woman's teeth can be manly. I'm making it manly.

"All done," he announced, impressed with himself that he hadn't made her gums bleed.

"Now we brush again."

"But we already brushed."

We? The longer Alexis is out of the warm confines of her bed, the more dangerous this night becomes.

"It's brush, floss, brush, wash."

"Every night?"

Alexis nodded. "You mop after you sweep, don't you?"

"If you say so." Sonny's tone remained light to mask his irritation. He wasn't sure if his ego was annoyed by having to fulfill her demands, or by the fact that he was enjoying fulfilling her demands in spite of knowing that it wouldn't lead to anything but Alexis asleep in her bed. Alone.

He brushed her teeth again.

After she spat out the toothpaste, she stuck her white tongue out to him.

Confused, he paused for a moment before asking, "You want me to brush your tongue?"

She nodded.

How on earth am I finding this attractive?

He proceeded to brush Alexis' tongue.

"Good?"

She nodded, and turned to the sink again, rinsing her mouth.

"Mouthwash."

He reached behind her into the medicine cabinet again.

"Lex, be sure not to swallow, okay?" Just to be sure, he diluted it with water. She gurgled and spat it out.

"All done?" he asked.

She smiled. "All done."

"Now have some more water."

She gulped it down.

"Ready for bed?"

"I just need to use the toilet."

"Oh, okay." Sonny took a quick look around the bathroom before closing the door behind him.

In the next few minutes, thuds and clatters were heard, regularly accompanied by Alexis' yelling: "I'm fine."

Eventually she stumbled out the bathroom, and Sonny helped her into the bed.

"Good night, Sonny. And thank you," she said quietly.

"Any time, Alexis. Sweet dreams."

He watched her as her eyes closed, and she drifted off. He felt a strange tinge of regret that the night—their night—was over.

Should I stay?

Maybe she'll wake up feeling sick again. Or thirsty. She should be kept hydrated: who knows how much tequila she actually drank.

As Sonny found enough reasons to stay, he sat on one of the chairs. An old memory slowly resurfaced, of the night that she had put him to bed. He had teased her relentlessly with sexual innuendos, but she had persevered. Then she'd sat by his bedside as he slept.

There are so many memories that connect us. So much history. And most of it—most of the important parts all happened before Kristina was conceived.

Now, like so many other days when he found himself alone, he couldn't help but miss her. He missed her stubbornness, her nervous rambling, and even her crazy obsession with popcorn. He missed the scared little girl inside her that knew the scared little boy inside him. He missed his friend.

. . .

His elbow slipped off the chair's armrest, causing him wake up. Rubbing his eyes, he looked to the bed: Alexis seemed to be fast asleep. He checked his watch: it was almost 4 a.m.

He should probably have her drink another glass of water before letting her sleep the rest of the night.

"Alexis," he whispered. "Hey."

No response.

"Alexis," he tried again, tapping her shoulder.

"Mhhmm," she groaned, turning her head away.

"C'mon, Lex. Just one more glass of water."

She slowly opened her eyes and squinted at him. He gave her his biggest smile.

Alexis slowly smiled back. "Dimples."

As she pushed her elbows back, he helped her sit up.

Sitting next to her on the bed, he brought the glass to her lips. Her warm hands covered his, as she slowly drank the water.

"Good girl. More?"

She shook her head, and he placed the glass back on the nightstand.

"Then back to your sweet dreams."

"Thank you, Sonny. This is all very kind of you."

He smiled.

Her hand reached out to his face and caressed his cheek. "I always found it strange how your face is so soft. But your hands are rough." Her hand slid down to find his. She traced her fingertips along the calloused palm. "Rough and manly." Her hand moved up to his face again, as she stroked his jaw. "See? Soft."

Her sensitive touch had caught him off guard, sending tingles through his body. The innocence of her subtle movements reminded him that it wasn't genuine. She seemed to be in a dream-like state. He searched her eyes for a glimpse, for any sense of reality. He couldn't find any. But her chestnut eyes looked back at him, vulnerable and unguarded, as they used to do a long time ago.

Her fingertips moved to the edge of his mouth, and began tracing his lower lip. Gently. Slowly. Almost erotically. Reaching the other end of his mouth, she gave a little sigh, as her fingers began moving along his upper lip. Gently. Slowly. Erotically.

How he wanted to touch her.

Her face inched towards him, and her mouth met his. He felt the warmth of her breath on his skin, and he let his eyelids drop. As her softness brushed against his, her lips parted slightly, capturing his lower lip in between hers in a tender, lingering kiss.

And then her lips were gone.

He opened his eyes in time to see her contented sigh turn into a smile, before she slipped under the covers.

He observed her carefree expression as she drifted off to sleep once again. It was his turn to sigh. It would all mean nothing tomorrow.

But perhaps he could make the night last just a little bit longer.

Looking around the room, the dresser drawer caught Sonny's eye. Walking to it, he collected the purple tank tops from the nearby chair.

As he reached inside the drawer he hesitated.

Is it okay to do this? To go through her dresser?

Well, she already gave me permission by letting me find the top. I've already seen all there is to see. And I won't go through her dresser—I'm going to reorganize. Just this drawer.

His hands started refolding the tops and moving them around randomly until he realized he wasn't doing much to restore order. Not the Alexis kind of order. After moving all the messed up tops to the chair, he eyed the remaining of Alexis' neatly folded garments. Fingering each one, he realized Alexis organized her tops by strap type, subdivided by material. He smiled: he'd hardly expect anything less.

Holding up each top, one by one, he examined it before folding it and placing it on the correct pile. He found himself admiring Alexis' good taste, imagining what she would look like in each top. Only in the top.

He picked up the purple halter top Alexis had complained that she didn't sleep in.

She's always looked good in halter tops. Well, she looks good in anything. But when she puts on a halter dress, it's like wow! Like in Puerto Rico. That dress ... and I wouldn't have minded if it had been shorter.

He folded the top and placed it on the other cotton halter tops.

Sonny reached for the last top left on the chair. He held up the sexy black camisole, smiling as he realized why it looked familiar. The material felt worn out under his touch, as he traced the lacy design below the thin straps. He brought the garment to his face, inhaling the scent of Alexis. He couldn't help but chuckle against the silk: she was still using the same fabric softener. Reluctantly, he folded the sexy item and placed it inside the dresser.

Having completed his first task, Sonny closed the drawer quietly. He proceeded to pick up the dirty clothes from the floor and placed them in the laundry basket, as he cleared the items she'd knocked down in the bathroom. He also refilled the glass and placed it on Alexis' nightstand.

Sonny looked around Alexis' bedroom once again; it appeared tidy. His eyes strayed to the figure of the sleeping Alexis.

Should I leave?

Or sleep on the couch?

His eyes went to the chair. That way she would be the first thing he saw in the morning.

A yawn crept up on him: it had been a very long day. In only a few moments, Sonny too was fast sleep.