CHAPTER SIX
Neal did his routine early morning stroll on the beach the next morning. He was soon joined by Mozzie, followed closely by Charlie. Mozzie had a huge grin on his face, while Charlie had a look of disbelief.
"Did I hear all that correctly or was the little guy messing with me?" Charlie asked Neal.
"Yes, you heard him correctly." Neal answered.
"Why?" Charlie pressed.
"Because it's the right thing to do." Neal replied.
"And doing the right thing has become a priority of yours all of a sudden?" Charlie retorted.
"Charlie, I understand how you must hate my guts...but believe me, I'm not an evil man. I'm not perfect, I'll give you that. But I'm not as bad a you think I am." Neal told the older man.
Charlie paused to think for a moment before he spoke. "You think that THIS will set things right between you and Alex?" he asked.
"She doesn't know that I'm doing this. I'd appreciate it if you didn't tell anyone. Let's keep this between us." Neal told him. Charlie merely stood there and stared at him. Neal too a deep breath and continued to speak. "I don't expect you to trust me or to like me, Charlie. I know that I hurt Alex...that was never my intention. I've done a lot of things in the past that I can't undo. But there ARE things that I can fix. And I was hoping you could help me." Neal implored him.
Charlie hesitated at first before finally nodding. "Alright, Blue Eyes, I'm in." he agreed. He looked at Mozzie. "I don't know how long you two are planning to stay..." he said, before turning his gaze at Neal. "...but if you hurt Alex in any way, shape, or form while you're here, I will rip every appendage of your body starting with your dick." the older man warned him.
"Duly noted." Neal replied.
Charlie tipped his hat at the two before he walked away.
"Don't look now, but I think we just made it on his Christmas list." Mozzie said, his grin from ear to ear.
"You seem unusually cheerful today." Neal noticed.
"We did a good thing...a lot of people would be happy." Mozzie replied.
"So, you're okay with us staying here?" Neal asked his friend.
"You mean suffer through living in paradise a little while longer? Yeah, I guess I'm okay with it." Mozzie replied, as he and Neal entered Lolana's.
Once inside, Neal let his eyes wander around to look for Alex. He saw her at the far corner of the lounge. Her head leaned by the window, her hands rested on her belly, her eyes filled with sadness, as she she looked out the window gazing upon the children playing on the beach. He was about to approach her when Lima got in his way.
"I think you should leave her alone for now, Blue." Lima told him.
"I am DONE leaving her alone, Lima." Neal answered.
"I'm not telling you to stay away from her, just give her some time to herself." Lima said. "She's been through enough pain...she needs time to heal." she added.
"Maybe the two of them can heal together." Mozzie suggested.
Lima nodded her head slightly, and got out of Neal's way. It was too late though. Alex saw Neal approaching and proceeded to head out the back way.
"She's not ready, Blue." Lima said to Neal.
Neal nodded. "I know. I'll be here when she is." he assured her.
Alex went to her office at the back room when her phone rang. She answered it and was surprised to hear Lastri's excited voice.
"Oh, thank you so much!" Lastri said.
"Thank me for what?" Alex asked.
"For your generous donation!" Lastri exclaimed. She then told Alex how an anonymous benefactor donated a huge amount of money to save the Children's Village from being torn down. "I just assumed that it was you, my dear." she told Alex.
"Lastri, I didn't even know that the Children's Village was about to be torn down. It wasn't me." Alex denied.
"Then who was it?" Lastri wondered.
"It's a mystery." Alex replied, but she has a good idea who. She said goodbye and hung up the phone, before she headed out of her office.
Alex saw Neal and Mozzie sitting at the bar. She quickly grabbed her terry hoodie from the rack and put it on. She then proceeded to head out the door when Neal caught her.
"Where are you going?" Neal asked her.
Alex walked towards Neal and Mozzie. "I'm headed over to the Children's Village." she answered. She started to walk away, then turn around face them again. "By the way, Lastri sends her gratitude." she told them.
"Gratitude?" Mozzie tried to feign innocence.
"Don't play dumb, Moz. It doesn't fit you." Alex told him. "Some kind-hearted benefactor donated a huge amount of money to save the Children's Village. She thought it was me. I think it's the two of you." she said.
"Why would you think that?" Neal asked her.
"$962,500." Alex told him. "That's the exact amount that was donated." she revealed. She looked at both Neal and Mozzie. "It doesn't take a genius to figure it out." she added. She paused for a moment before speaking. "Thank you. I really mean that." she reiterated.
"For the record, we admit to none of these accusations of good deeds we allegedly did." Neal told her.
"OFF the record...you're welcome." Mozzie said with a smile.
"It means a lot...not just to me, but also to the people around here. That money is more than enough to buy the land, fix the place up, and provide other amenities for the kids." Alex told them.
"We're glad we could help." Mozzie replied. "But let's keep this as our little secret, shall we?" he said.
"My lips are sealed." Alex promised.
She smiled and gave him a quick peck on the cheek, before she turned around and headed out the door. Neal quickly stood up and ran after her.
"Alex." he called her back.
She stopped walking and turned to face him. "Yes, Neal?" she said.
Neal stood in front of her for a moment and looked into her eyes. Finally, he spoke. "I didn't give away all that money to the Children's Village just to get you back." he convinced her.
"I'm not egotistical to believe that you did this because of me. Besides, having me BACK implies that I was YOURS in the past...and we both know that's not true." Alex replied.
Neal took a deep breath. "Are we okay?" he asked.
"Of course, we are." she answered softly and reluctantly.
"Good." Neal said. "Because you know this means that I'm staying, right?" he told her.
"That's alright, the island's big enough for both of us...for now." Alex replied. With that, she walked away from Neal yet again.
"I'll see you around, Alex." Neal called after her. She didn't stop nor did she answer...and Neal was left there standing and watching her.
In the following days after that, Alex had mastered the art of avoidance and turned it in to an art form when it came to dodging Neal. Most of the time, she was away on a diving expedition. On the times she came back, she kept mostly to herself on her secluded overwater cottage. She had even left word to the ferryman not to let Neal across the lake. Whenever she's on the island, she has managed to not cross paths with Neal.
Even if their paths did cross, it only turned into an awkward situation. She immediately leaves once they see each other at the Children's Village. She usually conceals herself in the backroom whenever Neal and Mozzie were at Lolana's. On rare moments that they have a chance to talk, their conversation was pretty limited to 'hi' and 'hello', followed by other single-word responses and an occasional smile here and there.
Neal finally caught up with her on the beach one morning during one of their early morning jogs. He sneaked up behind her and whispered in her ear.
"Good morning." he greeted.
Alex was surprised and jumped at the sound of his voice. "Neal! You startled me." she told him, smacking his arm.
"Funny...you're not the type to scare easily. Tell me, what exactly is it about me that terrifies you so much? Why are you so afraid of me?" he asked.
"I'm not afraid of you." she corrected him.
"You've been avoiding me." he pointed out.
"I have not." she denied.
"Yes, you have." Neal insisted. He moved closer towards her and rested his hands on her shoulders. "I miss you, Alex." he confessed.
"So, that's what this is about? You 'missing' me?" Alex asked him.
"Yes." Neal answered, leaning closer and brushing his lips on her hair.
Alex pulled away from him. "The thrill is in the chase, never the capture." Alex reminded him, before walking away.
"Yeah, but you have to be curious, at least...about that kind of thrill I can bring you once I do capture you." Neal said playfully. Alex just smiled and then continued her jog. "Keep running, Alex. I'll wear you down eventually." he warned her.
Alex reached the end of the beach, when her cellphone rang. She saw the familiar number and quickly answered it.
"Hello." she said with a smile.
"Hello, darling." the familiar voice greeted her. "Did you miss me?"the voice asked in a seductive tone.
The following late afternoon, Mozzie went to Neal's beach house in search of his friend. He found Neal in the room next to the master's bedroom, which he had turned into an art studio. He was standing in front of an easel, his back was to the window. He had a palette on one hand and a paintbrush on the other. His face and arms had blotches of different colored paint.
Neal knew that he was there before he actually saw him. "Well, Moz..." he sighed deeply. "In all the urgency of our getaway, I seem to have forgotten something very important." he said as he looked at Mozzie. "I left my talent in New York City." he continued.
Mozzie peeked at the canvas. Neal had painted nothing except a big, black background, with several splashes of different colored paint.
"It's...definitely abstract." Mozzie commented. He saw Neal shook his head and scoffed. "Okay...so you're in a rut. It's not uncommon. You just need some inspiration." he suggested.
"I'm blocked." Neal said. "I can't move forward...I can't look back. I'm blocked." he repeated.
Mozzie observed his friend and saw his anguish. "Have you talked to Alex? Are things fine between the two of you?" he asked.
"We talked...in passing." Neal answered. "She said that we're 'okay'." he added.
"And do you agree with her?" Mozzie asked again.
"I don't know, Moz. Maybe we are okay. Almost." Neal replied with hesitation.
"Almost only counts in horseshoes and hand grenades, my friend." Mozzie told him. "You two need to have a real conversation. An honest, don't-hold-anything-back type of discussion. Just hash it out. You see, what you have with Alex right now is a lot like a boil. You need to drain all the pus out from the abscess before the infection can heal completely." he analyzed.
"Okay...first of all, EWWW at that analogy!" Neal cringed. "Second of all, I can't exactly have a decent conversation with Alex if she keeps avoiding me." he said. "Third, even if I do manage to catch her, I can't guarantee that she'll talk to me." he added.
"Hey, do you remember those days when you can actually smooth talk a woman?" Mozzie joked. "Do all the talking if you have to. Make her listen to you." he advised. "Anything is better than you wallowing here in your sorrow." he added.
"I might hurt her." Neal said.
"She might kill you." Mozzie pointed out.
Neal chuckled. "Yeah, she might. At least it will be an easy murder to solve." he joked. "Fine...I'll try again." he decided.
"Do or do not...there is no try." Mozzie told him.
"Yes, Master Yoda." Neal quipped, with mocked bow.
"No time like the present." Mozzie said. "Go make yourself pretty...we're going to Lolana's." he told Neal.
It was already dark when Neal and Mozzie reached Lolana's. They heard drum beats and saw a huge bonfire by the beach outside the Tiki Lounge. There was a portable bar that served drinks, and people were starting to arrive. Mozzie saw Tango dancing with two of the local girls.
"What's the party for, Tango?" Mozzie asked the young man.
"Who knows...who cares? In paradise, we don't need excuse...we just party!" Tango replied, as he continued to dance.
Neal laughed and Mozzie shook his head. They headed inside Lolana's in search of Lima and Alex. They found Lima by the bar, dressed in a light pink halter top beach dress. Mozzie gave her a quick kiss.
Lima spun around like a model. "You like?" she asked him.
"Oh yeah, I like...a lot!" Mozzie replied.
"Is Alex around?" Neal asked Lima.
"Yes, she arrived like half an hour ago." Lima answered.
Just then, Alex came out from the back room. Neal caught his breath for a moment when he saw her. She was wearing a hazy lavender, strapless lace mini dress. She wore her hair down, her soft curls cascading over her bare bronze shoulders. Her toned legs looked longer wearing those espadrille wedges. She smiled and walked towards them.
"You look beautiful." Neal said once he finally found his voice.
"Thank you." Alex replied. Then, something caught her eye from outside. Her smile grew wider. "I have to go." she told them. With that, she headed out the door.
Neal followed her with his eyes and watched her through the window. He saw a handsome man wrap his arms around Alex's waist. Alex in turn wrapped her arms his neck, as the man gave Alex a deep, slow kiss on her lips.
"Who the hell is that?" Neal asked.
"Uh oh..." Lima said. "THAT would be Colin Henry." she replied.
"THE Colin Henry?" Mozzie wanted clarification.
"Yep...in the flesh." Lima answered. "All of his 6 foot 7 tall, tan-skinned, hard-muscled gorgeous flesh." she sighed with admiration.
"What the hell is he doing here?" Neal asked.
"Well...at the moment, he's making out with his girlfriend. Later, who knows..." Lima implied.
Neal continued to watch Alex with Colin. "I don't get it...what does she see in him?" he wondered.
"Are you kidding me? He's tall, has long blonde hair, chiseled features, piercing green eyes. His torso is like carved in marble. His ass is like two scoops of butter pecan ice cream that you can bounce a quarter off. He's like JD...you know, Brad Pitt from 'Thelma and Louise'. Women love that shit!" she enumerated in great detail. "I hate to say this...but you in trouble, Blue!" she told Neal.
"You seem to be REALLY acquainted with the man's body." Mozzie observed suspiciously.
"Oh, you have no idea, darling." she told Mozzie. She turned back to Neal and leaned closer. "FYI, the man is 'GIFTED'." she whispered.
"What do you mean?" Neal asked.
"You know...some men are born endowed...other men are born WELL-endowed..." Lima let her voice trail off.
"I'm almost fairly certain that I'll regret asking you this, but what was Colin born?" Neal asked her reluctantly.
"A tripod." Lima replied, giggling.
"You slept with the man?" Mozzie accused her.
"I did not!" she denied. "But I have seen him in all his naked glory." she confessed. "I caught him and Alex skinny dipping in the lake one time." She saw the curious glare from Mozzie. "What? It was an accident." she swore.
"No freakin' way!" Neal said.
"Yes freakin' way!" Lima replied.
"Skinny dipping is OUR thing! Mine and Alex!" Neal told them.
"And I'm sure you've NEVER skinny dipped with any other woman before, right? You've only skinny dipped exclusively with her?" Lima said accusingly. "Besides, Colin's her boyfriend...you are not!" she pointed out. "She's free to swim naked with her well-hung boyfriend in any body of water at any time she wants." she added.
"Can we stop talking about that man's family jewels, please?" Mozzie interjected.
"You are not being fair with your comparison...you have never seen me naked!" Neal argued. "How do you know I'm not a tripod?" he asked Lima.
"Neal, we are not having a conversation about YOUR genitals in front of my girlfriend!" Mozzie protested. "Besides, so what if the guy is 'bigger' than you-" he said.
"You don't know that!" Neal interrupted him.
"It's not the size that matters, it's how you use it." Mozzie told him.
"Hah!" Lima laughed. "To women who love to be pleasured...BOTH matters." she told them. She looked at Mozzie. "You think I'd always be jumping your bones all the time if you weren't so-" she tried to add.
"OKAY!" Neal interrupted her. "I don't need to hear the sordid details of your sex life." he cringed. "I'm going outside." he told them, leaving the couple to themselves.
Neal joined the party outside, but kept at a comfortable distance from Alex and Colin. He watched while the two danced to the music, as Colin laughed and whispered into Alex's ear. His eyebrows furrowed every time he saw Colin let his hands roam all over Alex's body. Neal's mood became increasingly irritated as he continued to observe Colin with Alex. He was in this state when Charlie found him.
"You know, for a guy who's surrounded by upbeat music, cold booze, and women who are dressed like there's a fabric shortage in the world, you look kinda glum." Charlie observed, as sat beside Neal and offered him a bottle of beer.
"Thanks." Neal replied, only taking his eyes off of Alex for a moment.
"No problem. Have a drink or two, and then we'll see if we can get any of these scantily clad ladies to dance with you afterwards." Charlie told him.
"Not really in the mood." Neal replied.
"Come on! It's a party, pal." Charlie pointed out. Then he noticed Neal eyeing Alex and Colin, and realized why Neal was in such a sullen mood. "Hey, look...if it's a choice between you and 'baby Thor' over there, my vote goes to you." he consoled Neal. He patted the younger man on the back and stood up.
Neal chuckled at the nickname. "You're a good man, Charlie Knight." he told him.
"Don't tell anyone...it'll ruin my street cred." Charlie replied before he walked away.
Neal decided to focus his attention on Alex. He observed how she laughed while she danced. How she looked into Colin's eyes as he held her close. How she smiled whenever Colin whispered something into her ear. She was having a great time. Neal had nothing against her having a great time. What annoyed him was that she was having the time of her life with 'baby Thor' and not Neal.
He took a swig of his beer and continued to watched Alex. He was too engrossed in her that he didn't notice a stranger approach him. He didn't see her until she stood beside him and smiled.
"Hi, my name's Delta...Delta Darrow. I hope I'm not being too forward, but I've been watching you all this time from across the bar...and I LIKE what I saw." the woman told Neal in a thick Texan accent.
Neal took his eyes off of Alex and looked at Delta. The woman was tall, her skin was silky smooth, her hair was a mass of honey blonde curls, and her body was curvy that was sure to make heads turn. He stared at Delta from head to foot. She looked like a woman who was used to getting all the attention she craved. She had supple breasts, toned abs and wide sexy hips. She was nearly bare naked save for the very skimpy two-piece bathing suit she had on, and the silver toe ring on her left foot.
Neal gave it some thought. He turned his gaze to Alex, and then back to Delta. He weighed his options. He could choose to ignore Delta and continue stalk Alex till the sun comes up. OR he could give Delta all the attention that she wanted. This option probably won't endear him to Alex, but who cares...she has 'baby Thor'. Plus, Delta looked like she could provide Neal the sweet 'release' he oh so needed at the moment. Neal smiled mischievously at the tempting thought. He could just as easily opt for the cheap lay.
He shook his head and stared into Delta's eyes for a moment before he spoke. "Well, Miss Delta Darrow, I hope I'm not being too rude, but can you do us BOTH a favor? Go back to the bar and keep watching." he answered. He watched her as she dejectedly walked away.
After she disappeared, Neal went back to observing Alex, who now had her back against a palm tree while Colin kissed her mouth fervently. His temper quickly rose when he saw Alex return Colin's kisses with almost equal fervor. Again, Neal was faced with options. He could choose to go over there, pull Colin off of Alex and pummel the man's face with his fists...but that's just not his style.
Instead, Neal chose the other option. He took a last few gulps of what was left of his beer. He gave Alex and Colin one last look, and then he walked away. He walked away before the scene got too painful for him to watch. He walked and walked until he reached the end of the beach, and just lied down on the sand. He looked up at the night sky, admiring the moon and the stars. He closed his eyes and let the sound of the waves lull him to sleep.
Neal woke up to a start when he felt his body suddenly got wet. The tide had rose while he slept on the beach, and he was now drenched with the ocean's water. He shook his head and laughed. This was definitely NOT one of his lucky nights. He rubbed his face vigorously and got up to his feet. With that, he decided to turn around and walk back to Lolana's.
His nap must have been a lot longer that he thought. The party was over once he got back. The bonfire was out, the portable bar was not in sight, the patrons have left. He did hear music coming from inside the Tiki Lounge. He walked closer as the music got louder and he heard some sort of commotion coming from inside.
"Man, I really got going, started picking up speed
I hit 135 and I had everything that I'd need
Started shaking bad, fearing for my life
I let go of the wheel and I flew into the night."
"God bless the child, God bless his soul
God perish the idea that he will die before he's old
Gotta be cool, you gotta behave
Man, there'll be time for that when I'm lying in my grave."
"You gotta watch your step, or you gonna lose your way
Take heed of your elders, do everything they say
Yeah, I gotta watch out for the man who tolls the bells
But if I fear for the devil and I fear for myself then I'm gonna have to fear for everybody else."
Neal took a peek inside from the door's little glass window. He smiled at the sight that beheld him. It was Alex singing along to Steve Wynn's 'Amphetamine'... the music coming from the jukebox. He chuckled softly as he watched her rock out, with a broom stick in her hand that doubled as an makeshift guitar and microphone.
"I am gonna fly
I am gonna live
until the day I die."
"I ain't got time
to wonder why
but I'm gonna live
to the day I die."
"I'm gonna make my way
up to the sky
I am gonna live
until the day I die."
Alex wailed into her improvised microphone.
Neal laughed softly after Alex was done with her song. He pressed his forehead on the door and tapped his index finger on the glass to get her attention. Alex looked up and was surprised to see him.
"How long have you been standing there?" she asked as she walked towards the door.
"Long enough." Neal snickered.
"I'm tired, Caffrey. What do you want?" Alex asked irritatedly.
"It's late at night and I'm standing outside a pub, what the hell do you think I want? I want a freakin' drink!" he answered brashly. He saw the annoyed look on her face. "Let me in, Alex." he pleaded in a softer tone.
She hesitated for a moment, but opened the door. He stepped inside and closed the door behind him, and then followed Alex to the bar. She stared at Neal and saw his disheveled appearance.
"What happened to you?" she asked.
"I fell asleep at the beach during high tide." Neal answered.
Alex laughed out loud when she heard this. She went behind the bar and got a towel. She walked towards him and started wiping his face and his hair.
"I'm starting to think that paradise doesn't exactly suit you, Caffrey." she said, as she continued to brush the wet sand off of him.
"I'm not ready to give up on it just yet." Neal replied. He caught her hand and gently kissed her palm.
Alex slowly pulled her hand away and went back behind the bar. "What's your poison tonight?" she asked him.
"Whatever you're drinking." he answered.
Alex placed a shot glass in front of him, along with a bowl of sliced lemons and a salt shaker. "Tequila." she said, as she poured him a shot.
Together, they licked some salt off their hand, drank a shot of tequila, and then quickly bit a lemon wedge. They both banged their fists on the bar as the drink slowly burn down their throats.
Neal spoke first. "You know what this reminds me of?" he asked. Alex shook her head. "The Mexican Riviera." he said. "Years ago, just months after we met...when we did our celebratory body shots after that job we did in Zihuatanejo." he reminisced.
"I am drawing a blank...I don't remember that at all." Alex teased.
"Oh, really? You want a reenactment? Cause I'm game if you are, Hunter!" Neal said playfully. She just shook her head and smiled. "It's nice to see you smiling again." he told her. "You have a beautiful smile." he commented. He noticed her smile slowly disappear. "And of course, I say something to chase the smile away." he said frustratedly.
"Neal..." she started to say something, but decided against it.
"Things weren't always bad between us, Alex." Neal reminded her.
"No...but it only takes one bad memory to make you forget about the good ones." Alex replied.
There was another long, awkward pause. Neal sighed and changed the subject. "So...where is Colin?" he asked.
"I sent him packing. I'm flying solo tonight...hopefully not sober" Alex replied, slamming own another shot.
Neal's face lit up with renewed hope. "Really? Mr. Henry is no more? What happened?" he pressed, as he tried to hide his amusement.
"Well, he sort of let it slip that he has a girlfriend in Australia." she answered.
"That rat bastard." Neal said flatly.
"You should know...you're like one of the biggest bastards I know." she replied.
"OUCH! That hurt." he feigned offense.
"Sorry." she apologized. She rested her head and her palms at the bar. "I'm tired, Caffrey." she told him.
Neal gently touched her head, his fingers massaging her scalp. He heard her moan softly. "You're going to be just fine." he assured her.
"You know what the kicker is? He had the gall to ask me for a 'farewell fuck' before he left!" she revealed. She looked at Neal. "You're a guy..." she said.
"Last time I checked, yes I am." he quipped.
"Would you ask your ex for break up sex?" she asked. Neal didn't answer immediately. "Well?" she pressed.
"I'm thinking." he said.
She drummed her fingers impatiently on the bar. "Caffrey?" she asked, still waiting for his answer.
"Still thinking." Neal replied. He laughed at her annoyance. "Look, Alex...what do you want me to say?" he asked her.
"That men are crap! You people are the human race's only failed gender! That, and your stupid penises have no direct connection to your brains." she vented.
"Feel better?" he asked her.
"To tell you the truth...I'm not even that upset about it. Notice the lack of tears. I just want revenge. What does that say about me?" she asked Neal.
"It says that you know your worth and that 'baby Thor' is not worth a single drop of your tears." Neal replied.
"Baby Thor? You've been talking to Charlie." she noticed.
"Oh, yeah...he and I are tight now. We're pals!" Neal told her.
"He trust you now?" Alex asked. "Can I trust you with something?" she pulled him closer. "I did something very naughty." she whispered into his ear.
"What is that?" he inquired, raising his eyebrow.
"I may have told a little lie and tipped Customs off about Colin. They're probably giving him a full body cavity search right this very moment." she confessed, her tone filled with glee.
"That wasn't very nice." he told her.
"I'm NOT nice." she reminded him.
"Wow...I am so glad that you like me enough that I managed to stay in your good graces through the years we've known each other." Neal said.
"I figured I've put you through enough hell already." she told him, her tone more somber.
"What do you mean?" Neal asked.
"Oh, come on, Caffrey! Don't tell me it's never occurred to you! I'm the reason why your life is such a mess! I am cursed, and you are cursed by association." she said. Neal looked at her, confused. "If it weren't for me, you wouldn't have known about the music box. My life's quest cost you yours!" she added.
"You're not making any sense, Alex!" he told her.
"I am making perfect sense!" she yelled. "Don't you see, Caffrey? If I hadn't told you about the damn music box, your life wouldn't be in such a mess. Your beloved Kate would still be alive! She would have never left you. You probably wouldn't have served time in prison. You'd be married by now, with children and a house with a white picket fence in the suburbs! No...wait! Actually, you'd be living in a villa in Côte d'Azur, if I remember correctly." She stared into Neal's eyes. "I took everything away from you-" she said.
"STOP IT!" Neal interrupted her. "You can't make me hate you, so don't even try!" he told her sternly. "I take full responsibility for everything I have done in my life, and for all it's consequences. I don't blame you for anything." He held her face and gently lifted it up. "You hear me? MY mess was not your fault." he reassured her.
"I'm tired, Caffrey." she told him again. She pulled away from him.
"So you keep saying." he noticed. "What exactly is it that you're so tired of, Alex?" he asked.
"I'm tired of being angry...at myself, at the world, at everyone. I have so much anger in me." she confessed.
"So, quit being angry." Neal told her.
"It's not that easy." she scoffed.
"Sure it is. Just let the good memories wash away the bad ones." he advised her. "What else?" he asked her.
"I'm tired of running away." she answered. "There have been far too many good things in my life that I've ran away from..." she let her voice trail off.
"Then, stop running away." he told her. "Sometimes, staying can be a lot more rewarding." he added.
Alex stared at him. "You have had such a shitty life this past several years, Caffrey. How is it that you can still stay so positive?" she wondered.
"I try to eat right." Neal replied. They both laughed. "Keep smiling, Alex. Don't ever lose that smile." he told her.
There was another awkward pause. Alex broke the silence. "You know what else I'm tired of? Kissing frogs." she told Neal.
"Kissing frogs?" he asked curiously.
"Yes. I have been kissing frogs since I was 13 years old. I'm tired...where is my prince?" she asked.
Neal chuckled. "Well, Alex, seeing as I am one of those frogs you've kissed in the past, I don't really know how to answer that." he replied.
"He doesn't even need to be a crown prince. I'd settle for a duke." she said.
"Alex, you don't need a prince. You don't need a duke." Neal told her. "You need a man...who will fight for your honor." he said with a mischievous smile. "You need a hero-" he continued before Alex threw a lemon wedge at his face.
"Seriously? I pour my heart out to you and you give me Peter Freakin' Cetera!" she said in mocked anger.
"Yes...you know why? Because Peter Freakin' Cetera knows what he's talking about. What...you've never watched The Karate Kid?" he asked playfully.
"Shut up!" she told him. Her tone was brash but she had a smile on her face.
Neal laughed. He walked over to the jukebox. "Let's see...do you have Peter Cetera in here?" he asked.
"God, I hope not!" she answered.
Neal looked at the song selection on the machine. His smile grew wider. "Hah!" he shouted triumphantly. "I found it!" he told her. He walked over behind the bar and pulled on Alex's hand.
"What are you doing?" she asked.
"Dance with me, Alex. If it helps, you can pretend that I'm a prince. I have posed as one before, as you may well know." he said to her.
"I am NOT dancing with you...especially if it's to 'Glory of Love', Caffrey!" she protested.
"It's not 'Glory of Love'." Neal assured her. "I've found our song." he told her.
"We don't have a song." Alex reminded him.
"We do now. From this moment on, this will be OUR song. I decree it!" Neal told her.
He went over to the jukebox, put some coins in it, and pushed a few buttons. He then held out his hand for Alex to take. She obliged and reluctantly took it. He led her to the floor and twirled her around before pulling her close to him. Then the music began to play. He wrapped her arms around his neck and then slid his hands down and let it rest at the small of her back.
"All of these lines across my face
Tell you the story of who I am.
So many stories of where I've been
And how I got to where I am.
But these stories don't mean anything
When you've got no one to tell them to.
It's true...I was made for you."
Alex held her breath as she listened to the song. She looked into Neal's eyes as he swayed both their bodies to the music.
"I climbed across the mountain tops
Swam all across the ocean blue
I crossed all the lines and I broke all the rules
But baby I broke them all for you."
"Because even when I was flat broke
You made me feel like a million bucks
You do
I was made for you."
Neal smiled at her as he held on tighter around her waist, afraid that she might pull away from him. He leaned closer, relishing her scent. She smelled of the ocean and gardenia.
"You see the smile that's on my mouth
It's hiding the words that don't come out
And all of my friends who think that I'm blessed
They don't know my head is a mess."
Alex couldn't bear to stare into Neal's eyes anymore. She rested her head on Neal's shoulders. He could feel the moisture of her tears dampen his shirt. They had stopped dancing.
"No, they don't know who I really am
And they don't know what
I've been through like you do
And I was made for you..."
Neal lifted her head up and cupped her face with both hands. His thumbs wiped her tears away. He leaned closer and kissed both her eyelids...and then her nose...and then her cheeks...before finally placing a firm, open-mouthed kiss on her lips.
"All of these lines across my face
Tell you the story of who I am
So many stories of where I've been
And how I got to where I am
But these stories don't mean anything
When you've got no one to tell them to
It's true...I was made for you."
The music has stopped, but Neal continued to kiss her fervently. The kiss escalated with great intensity and passion. It became more intimate when Neal held her tighter, his tongue probing the depths of her mouth. He heard Alex moan and felt her start to pull away, but he would not allow her.
He had one arm wrapped around her waist, the other one had a firm hold of the back of her head, allowing her no escape. Alex moaned louder when Neal sucked on her tongue, savoring all her flavor. Neal didn't want to let her go, with fear that she might run away from him.
Alex's head was spinning from all the pleasure she was feeling. The intensity of Neal's kisses have made her weak in the knees. She felt that her chest was about to explode. Just when she thought she was running out of air, he breathed into her and revived her.
"Mmmm." she moaned into his mouth. "Caffrey..."she managed to whisper in between kisses.
Neal responded by pulling her tighter and deepening his kisses. Never had she been kissed in that manner before...not by any man. Finally, with all the strength that was left of her, Alex managed to press her palms against his chest. Gasping for air, she stared passionately into his eyes.
"Take me to bed, or lose me forever." she told him, once she regained the use of her tongue.
Neal's face lit up. "As you wish." he replied with a smile.
With one swift move, he swept her off her feet and into his arms, and carried her off to take her to bed.
~END OF CHAPTER SIX~
FOOTNOTES:
*The first song was "Amphetamine" by Steve Wynn and the Miracle Three.
*The song "Glory of Love" by Peter Cetera was one of the songs from The Karate Kid soundtrack.
*The song that Neal and Alex danced to was "The Story" by Brandi Carlile.
*Many thanks for taking time to read this chapter. I hope you liked this installment of the story. I'll try to write faster next time.