Chapter 9

Alexis awoke refreshed the next morning ready to face the world. She had slept deeper and longer than usual. She didn't know whether to attribute it to her experience with the memory of her mother or the knowledge that there had been someone watching over her through the night guarding her safety, not because he was being paid to, but because he wanted to. She knew she had a friend now and it was a precious gift for Alexis.

Standing she pulled on her robe and went to the phone to order coffee and breakfast for both herself and Johnny. But, before she could finish dialing, she heard a knock at the door. She fairly skipped to the door to open it. She half-heartedly scolded herself for acting so unprofessional. It was most likely Johnny letting her know that it was almost time for Sonny to arrive.

Opening the door, she gasped in horror. It wasn't Johnny. In fact, Johnny was nowhere to be found. She was face to face with Sonny. In the instant she recognized that it wasn't Johnny on the other side of the door, she realized she was still in her negligee and Sonny's eyes were no longer on her face. Alexis felt her face grow warm, then hot. This wasn't happening!

"Uh, I th -thought you w--were Johnny."

"Good Morning, Alexis. I sent Johnny down for some coffee and breakfast. I thought we had a meeting this morning at 10:00?"

"Mm-hmm we did, uh.. do. Uh, please excuse me for a moment." Alexis ran back to the bedroom to get away from those eyes. She didn't miss the flare in his eyes at the sight of her undress. If it were actually possible for his eyes to grow darker, they definitely had. She felt absolutely mortified when she noticed he was trying to hide that smile of his. 'I wonder if he knows his dimples peek out whether he allows a full grin or not. ALEXIS DAVIS... get a grip! This is a professional meeting. I wonder why I've started talking to myself only when he's around. What time is it? Oh no, I overslept. This has got to stop. What am I doing here? Oh yea, right Michael. MICHAEL.'

As Alexis was scolding herself she quickly retrieved a pair of jeans and a sweater from her suitcase. Once her thoughts were once again under control, she dressed and rejoined Sonny; fully focused on the reason she was here and ready to get down to business.

"Sonny, where's Michael. Is he ok? Did Carly get to him?"

Sonny turned at her voice and stopped dead in his tracks. He had not been prepared to see Alexis so casually attired and barefoot. There standing before him was the most incredibly attractive woman he had ever seen and he knew he was in trouble before his eyes met hers. When he did make contact with her eyes, he visibly gasped and felt his body tremble. Oh yea, he was definitely in trouble.

"Sonny? Are you alright? Do you need some water? SONNY, Breathe!"

"What, oh yea, I'm fine. Michael's fine." Bless you Johnny, Sonny breathed in relief as he heard a knock on the door.

Alexis turned away from Sonny sending him a 'What's with you' look. She opened the door to Johnny and smiled widely at him.

"Good morning, Johnny." Did you have a good night?"

"Yea, Miss Davis, I did. Thank you. Here's some breakfast for you guys."

"Come on in and join us, Johnny. You can take up residence back outside the door once you've eaten, unless you already have, that is. And please, Johnny, my name is Alexis."

"I ate a couple of hours ago, Miss Davis. But, thanks for the invite." As he formally used her professional name again he looked directly at Sonny and then back at her and quickly raised an eyebrow toward him and lowered it again to let her know that calling her by her first name would not go over very well with the boss. Alexis understood and winked at him to let him know she got his message. She was rewarded with a blush on his face that would put an apple to shame and giggled as she shut the door.

She turned back to Sonny and took a step back at the purely dark brooding expression on his face.

"What's with you and Johnny?" As soon as he said it he regretted it.

"Just what do you mean, Sonny? Johnny and I are friends, not that it's any of your business. And isn't that why you're here, business? Don't you think we need to focus on Michael right now?"

She had done it again. She had the ability to send his head spinning one moment and take him down a peg or two the next. And he didn't seem to be able to have the ability to keep a serious thought in his head for any length of time when she was in the room.

"Where is he, Sonny?"

"He's at my place with a private nanny I hired and Max is on guard outside the suite."

"Don't you think Carly will look there first?" Alexis was unfamiliar with the way Sonny handled his affairs so she was unaware of just how insulting her question was to him.

"I think, we should go over to my penthouse, so I can show you the setup." Reigning in the immediate flash of temper at her question, he figured given her involvement in his custody bid it would probably be best just to take her to see Michael.

"That's fine. Give me a minute to finish dressing and we'll be on our way."

As Sonny assisted Alexis into the limo he left waiting downstairs, he again took in her casual attire and wondered where the power suit was.

Alexis noticed his perusal of her attire and figured before he had a chance to comment on it, she should probably let him know what her agenda was. She needed to prepare him before they reached his penthouse. So, as he closed the door away from the prying eyes and ears of outsiders, she turned to Sonny to explain.

"Sonny, I want to meet Michael this morning. And since he has been through enough discomfort in his life. Seeing a suit coming at him would probably cause him to become more distressed. So, I dressed appropriately."

Sonny remained quiet after he heard her explanation. He was no longer looking at her as a woman but as an officer of the court. He was thinking of Michael. His son had been through so much and he did not want him upset any more. He studied Alexis for the longest time without speaking.

Alexis knew she needed to give Sonny some time to absorb her explanation. So she patiently waited, enduring the intense gaze he leveled at her.

Finally, Sonny, spoke. "What are you going to talk to my son about?"

Alexis expected the question. She would have been concerned if he hadn't asked it.

"Sonny, I may not talk to him at all. Michael's response towards me when you introduce us will determine whether I engage him in conversation or not. I saw enough in the park yesterday to know that Michael does not want to be with Carly. He is afraid of her. And he feels secure with you. That was very evident also in his response to you when he saw her. I simply need to make a physical connection with him. That may mean simply touching his shoulder or not, depending on his reaction. He will probably be seeing more of me before were finished with this and I don't want him to be afraid of me. That is all I'm interested in this morning, just making a visual connection."

Sonny quietly listened to her and the more she explained the more he regretted doubting her. Ducking his head he stared at his shoes. Alexis waited for an answer and when she didn't get one she place one finger under his chin and lifted his face to meet hers. She knew she was walking a thin line, but for Michael's sake, she and Sonny needed to be on the same page when they reached his place. What she saw took her breath away. There was a thin mist covering his eyes. And she saw guilt in his face.

Sonny jerked his head away, ashamed that she was a witness to his weakness. But, before she had time to take offense at his action she heard his quiet voice and it stilled her heart.

"Alexis... I trust you with my son completely. Do what you need to. I'll back you up."

"Thank you, Sonny."

Sonny had questions he wanted to ask Alexis. Like how was it she had come to be in the park yesterday afternoon. Did she confront Carly after he left? She seemed to know more than he told her in their previous meeting. There was so much more he needed to know. He was a man of detail and he needed to have the blanks filled in. But, now wasn't the time. He had to concentrate on Michael. Questions and answers would come later.