Chapter 7

She frowned in her sleep as a vague sense of being tied down tickled the back of her mind. Shifting slightly she bent her knee in an effort to dislodge it from its confinement and the weight immediately lifted. Strange, she thought. She opened her eyes enough to gaze down toward her feet and met the warm familiar eyes of the man who had successfully stolen a piece of her heart.

"Hi."

"Hello."

"Do you have to do that?"

"What?"

"Watch me sleep."

"I find it a very fascinating past time."

"What's so fascinating about how I sleep?"

"You ask too many questions and if I remember correctly it does happen to be my turn to ask the questions."

"Now? I'm not even fully awake yet. What time is it anyway?"

"Around 10, I think."

"Cameron, you didn't have to stay. I'm perfectly able to fend for myself."

"You asked me to stay."

"Excuse me? I don't rem… I asked you to stay?"

"Very seductively I might add."

Gripping the back of the sofa Alexis tried to pull herself up into a sitting position but found it quite difficult. It didn't help any that her clothes were tangled in the blanket and one of the buttons on her vest was actually caught in the fabric of the blanket. She dropped back with a frustrated sigh and heard Cameron chuckle. She glared at him menacingly in an effort to hide the smile that threatened when she realized just what kind of a predicament she was in.

"It's not funny. Do you know what you've done to me?"

"ME? I'm just sitting here minding my own business waiting for you to wake up so I can complete my task for the evening."

"No more, Cameron. I can't move now as it is."

"You can't move, Alexis? Why?"

"My body doesn't want to work right anymore. You've completely ruined me. How in the hell am I supposed to get up and function with any amount of dexterity now that you've turned my body into a blob of jelly."

At the sound of his full-throated laughter she caved. They laughed together, comfortably… finally stopping when Cameron rose to his feet, dislodging himself from the weight of her legs that had somehow found their way onto his lap again as she slept.

"Need some help?"

She watched helplessly as he grasped the blanket with one hand, the offending button with the other and began to work her free. Long, tapering, strong masculine fingers… moving against her... tantalizing that part of her that had remained dormant for so long. An errant gasp was caught just before finding ears that would betray her... before eyes that would sear her soul could look up to pierce her heart, taunting her… teasing her with the secret she desperately needed to keep hidden from him. He mustn't know how attractive she thought him to be. He couldn't know just how much she wanted to pull him to her to cover her warmly as the blanket she lay under did.

"There. Now are you ready? Alexis……… Alexis…………. Hey, where are you?"

"Hmmm…. What? Oh nothing… I mean… here…"

"Where did you go?"

"I was just thinking."

"About what?"

What indeed. What was she thinking about? 'Make it good, Alexis. Think. Think. Think'. She stifled the chuckle that rose as a vision of Winnie the Pooh skated through her thoughts.

"Well, I was just wondering what else you had in mind for me tonight? I can't imagine what else you could do that you haven't already done."

"So you're ready for the next phase I take it."

"I don't know that I am. I seem to remember something about 'no clothes'. Cameron, you aren't going to embarrass me are you?"

"Not in the least. That would defeat the purpose of what we're trying to accomplish. Now, just relax and let me get things set up. It's almost ready, I've been quite the busy little bee while you napped. Is there anything I can get for you while I finish everything?"

"That wouldn't happen to be coffee I smell, would it?"

"One of the richest brews around. Strong enough to put a bit of hair on your chest, but smooth enough for you not to notice."

He watched her laugh and felt the need to reach for her. He tightened his grip on the blanket he still held in his hands. The evening was about her. Somewhere along the way she successfully switched gears on him and ended up with his life's story, but he was back on track now and nothing was going to deter him again. At least he hoped not. After all, this was Alexis he was dealing with.

"Sit tight, angel. I'll bring you a cup."

A flush spread across her face at the endearment and she ducked her head to hide the evidence of her pleasure at being referred to in such an intimate manner. She heard him walk toward the kitchen and the feeling it left her with stunned her. It felt as if he actually took her heart with him. Such an intense feeling… so intense it became almost visual.

'No, Alexis. You will not do this. He is your friend. He is helping you get your daughter back. Don't do anything that could threaten the custody of your daughter. Now stop it. Just enjoy what he is offering and think of him like you think of Jax."

She jumped slightly as a cup of steaming coffee appeared before her. Taking it carefully into her hands she offered her thanks.

"Mmmmm…. Smells good. Thank you, Cameron. I'm not even tired… what are you doing?"

While she was fidgeting around trying to thank him, Cameron moved around to the back of the sofa and pulled her brush from his back pocket. Very carefully he began to brush it back and when all of the strands were laying neatly in his hand he twisted upward and used a hair clip to hold it all up off her neck. She suddenly sensed his absence and turned to find him gone. A moment later he was standing beside her again with a twinkle in his eye.

"Ready?"

"I'm not sure."

"Trust me?"

"Well... I didn't do so bad the last time you asked me to trust you, so…"

"Ok then, hang on."

She yelped as he picked her up in his arms and began to carry her toward the hallway.

"Cameron, what are you up to? Please don't make me regret trusting you."

"Alexis, just remember tonight is and always has been about you."

Reaching the bathroom, he stepped in and gently put her down. His ears heard her faint gasp and he quietly backed out pulling the door shut behind him.

There were a dozen candles scattered around in just the right places to cast one's attention on the reason she now found herself in the bath. A mild scent of mulberry wafted through the air and a mountain of bubbles waited patiently to play havoc against her skin. She had been picked up and transported into a heavenly delight and the smile that graced her face put the glow of the candles to shame. Alexis began to shed the last vestiges of her 'alternate' and stepped into the bath slowly sinking down into its warmth. Just as she began to settle back she noticed the air pillow lying next to the tub and reached for it. Pillowing her head she sank a little further down and began to slowly let go of the tension that lived with her around the clock now. Closing her eyes she slipped a little lower until her shoulders were submerged and smiled as she realized what it was that was gently caressing and tickling her skin. Cameron had placed effervescent tablets in the bottom of the tub and the bubbles were dancing toward the surface gently kissing their way across her skin on their journey toward freedom. Sighing deeply she relaxed even more and found her ears being enticed by what she recognized as the soft rhythmic sounds of Ferrante & Teicher quietly echoing throughout the small room. The only question she asked before succumbing to absolute heaven was, 'If he didn't learn it from his wife, where did he learn it?'

Leaving her in peace, Cameron returned to the living room and began cleaning up. He figured he had about an hour to get everything cleaned up and ready for the next phase.

Once the remnants of dinner were discarded, Cameron poured a cup of coffee for himself and sat down to wait for Alexis. As much as he knew Alexis was enjoying herself, it did not escape him that he was actually benefiting more from the experience than she probably was. In fact, he couldn't remember the last time he felt such an overwhelming sense of peace within himself. And it was because of her... because of Alexis. There were so many things in needed in his life, but right here… in this place… in this moment… everything he wanted and needed was wrapped up in the woman who lay soaking in a sea of bubbles just a few steps away. He smiled… and sat back to wait.