His lips felt soft on her own at first and she enjoyed that, and when he wrapped his arms around her, she didn't move away. Because she really didn't want to do that, not when it felt so arousing. He ran his fingers through her hair and she felt warmth spread through her.

Then she remembered something and she did pull away from him, slowly.

"We're not doing this..."

He tried to slow his breathing down.

"We just did Alexis...unless you're somewhere else."

Alexis looked back at him because she had known what came over her. That she had wanted to kiss him back because she just couldn't help herself right? At least for that moment but she pulled herself out of it.

"It's just us being in such close proximity I think," she said, "and all the excitement around us…It's making us do…well me do things I wouldn't normally."

Julian listened to her rationalize what had happened and her belief that she had read the situation and himself correctly.

"I know…but we're hanging out together at a beautiful beach and…"

She got up and brushed the sand off of her pants.

"I got it," she said, "See you later…"

He looked at her dismayed.

"What's the matter?"

She folded her arms looking down at him.

"Nothing…I just…I've seen you in action, heard the same words and you only mean them for the night or the week whether you're this person or that person…but nothing much longer than that and that's not what I want…to become another woman on your list of people to use to get closer to your enemies."

"Alexis you could never be just another woman…"

"That's what the other men on that list said too," she said, "all of them except Sonny of course."

Julian's frowned and she tried not to smile but he had to know where she stood on this with him.

"Okay…then just forget I even brought it up…"

She studied him.

"I think we should just focus on getting out of this situation," she said, "I have a life to get back to when I'm done rectifying this mistake and you...have to figure out what to do with your business."

Julian furrowed his brow at that declaration but he caught her meaning.

"So what are you interested in then counselor?"

She looked directly at him.

"I'm going to be working on my part of the interview and I suggest you work on yours."

His brows rose at that admission and she sighed, thinking in with a penny, in with a pound.

"Shawn and Carly laid down the gauntlet and I don't want to let them get away with it."

"They won't…"

"I want to make sure of it," she said, "My ex Ric is already trying to take Molly away and Christina doesn't even want to come back home to PC what with the feds coming after her father."

He sighed and stood up.

"I can help you."

She folded her arms at him.

"You'll make it worse Julian. If Shawn nearly got my daughter killed, you and your men…your sister put other people's lives in jeopardy. Morgan's going to need so much therapy to get his life back because of your sister."

Sonny's youngest son had turned state's evidence against just about everyone, wanting no part of anyone in PC. Though he and Michael had started repairing their fractured relationship though that hadn't been apparent at the almost wedding.

"I know what I did. I've got my own decisions to make."

She softened a bit.

"I know and I'm not judging you. I think a lot of us have to do some reevaluating now that everything's about to change."

He couldn't deny that the face of PC might be altered forever and as for him and his sister's role in that…

"Maybe you could do what you wanted to do when you were younger," she said, "Go legit. Spend some more time getting to know Sam and Danny. They're the best thing that happened to you."

"I know…and you played a big part in that."

"I did but what mattered more was my connection to Sonny."

He heard the mixture of weariness in her voice, mixed with anger. Maybe now wasn't the best time to talk about their relationship.

"I mean that's why you went after Carly and Olivia…they were the two closest," she said, "you were hitting me up for information on my relationship with him and I was only too eager to tell you…"

"Yes you were…"

"Sleep deprived…giddy about my grandson's life being saved by someone I thought was a stranger. I gave you all the information you needed."

He paused.

"What you told me made it clear that you didn't have close ties like the other women who associated with him…"

She arched a brow.

"That must have been disappointing for you."

"No…I was relieved. Yes I did pursue the other two but you weren't a part of that."

"But you…"

"I did what I wanted to do with you and Sam," he said, "I wish it could have been more. I was trying to keep it part from the business."

She looked at him ruefully.

"It never works like you think."

He sighed.

"I should have realized that from the first time."

She felt like walking away at that point, back to the house just leaving him standing there but she bit the bullet and decided to stop running.

"What is it that you want?"

Waiting for him to form an answer, she tried not to put much into it.

"You."

Did she just hear him right? She blinked her eyes at that revelation but he had looked her in the eye when he said it, not hiding anything.

"Why…I mean after what you did."

"I think we've both done a lot of soul searching since then," he said, "I know I've been doing it but that part of it never changed."

"Then why?"

He sighed.

"In the beginning it was all about getting Sonny and his territory but I didn't know about you and Sam…you two really messed things up for me and as much as I went after Sonny's operation, I found myself appreciating the unexpected complications more," Julian said, "I'm sorry if I made it sound that's what I wanted from you was as some sort of pawn."

Alexis didn't know if she'd exactly call it that, because she had believed she'd just been a means to an end that had played along when she should have known better. She had decided to move on and Shawn had been part of that decision, she realized now. But not in a good way. Still this latest development was way too much for her to process and she decided she needed some time to think…alone.

"Will you excuse me," she said, "because you've really given me a lot to think about and I just need to do that…and get ready for Spinelli's friend tomorrow."

He smiled.

"Take the time you need," he said, "I'm not going anywhere."

She shot him a look before she headed back to the beach house, not too sure about that.

The sunset looked beautiful, sending shimmers of the most gorgeous shades of reds, oranges and yellows merging into the purplish blues surrounding them.

But Alexis didn't have any time to enjoy the scenery. She had taken advantage of the time of day to slip over the electrified fence after taking precautions to protect herself and then landing softly on the sprinkler soaked grass on the other side. After that, she had rushed off to the far side of the building which now lurked in shadow and she looked at the great oak tree for the sturdiest branches before beginning her climb. Mercifully they held her lithe build easily enough and she scrambled up the tree to where it brushed the rose trellis and then after taking a deep breath and mentally counting to three, she gingerly stepped onto the creaking framework. She didn't know if it would hold her for long, but she had no choice. The schematics of the mansion had shown that this entrance offered the best chances for success.

She tried not to pay too much attention to the groans of the trellis or the way it vibrated with each movement she made and finally she reached the window which she knew would be partly open after the sun started going down. She tried to force it open without falling smack on the ground 15 feet below her and the trellis wobbled dangerously causing adrenalin to pool in her veins. God, she had so not signed up for this duty but even as she thought that, she knew she had to accomplish her goal.

She had to free the man she loved from the wicked witch that held him captive but she didn't have much time. To him, the witch appeared to be a beautiful woman named Lucy but Alexis knew better. But right now, the witch would be down in her kitchen concocting her magic brew to place Julian even further under her spell. Alexis vowed even as she struggled to get the window further open that this would never happen.

Suddenly, with a jolt, the window opened wide and Alexis slid in the best she could manage and landed with a thud on the floor. She feared at first that the sound had reverberated through the old house and had announced her arrival but nothing had happened.

She looked around the room, her eyes adjusting quickly to the darkness and she saw him lying in the bed still dressed in the tux that he had worn at the impromptu wedding that he had engaged in once Lucy had put him under her spell.

Alexis approached the slumbering man carefully because after all, Lucy could have booby trapped him. He appeared peaceful but she knew his mind remained suspended in some form of animation or limbo and only she could free him.

But like in a similar fairytale she had to kiss him first…not that it was any hardship. She just didn't know how he would react when he woke up and saw her there. But if he did something like complain, she would just leave him with the witch forever after giving him a piece of her mind. So she told herself as she prepared to kiss him, for the second that their lips would brush and the kiss would deepen and break the witch's spell.

And so she moved closer to him but before she could kiss him, the thunder crashed and the lights flashed and the door to the hallway swept open with a clatter and in the doorway was Lucy. Only not the way that Alexis had remembered her when wait a minute here, she had tried to slice her throat with a scalpel.

The scalpel appeared in Lucy's hand again as her hand rose to slash her again…

Alexis woke up in a damp sweat, damn why her dreams had to end like this, just when things had been getting…interesting…some dream force came between her and Julian. It had to be something in her own psyche that made that happen…perhaps all this excitement. Well, she knew how thanks to this interlude at the beach house but after what he had just dropped on her last night…and then this afternoon. She'd come back to work on the couch and he had joined her, as they both worked hard until deciding to turn in for the night.

She shook her head, tousling her hair as she got out of bed and headed to the shower mostly to clear her thoughts and after that, she picked out a conservative outfit that Spinelli had suggested she wear that made her seem somewhat…demure. She slipped on the dress and matching short heeled boots while getting dressed and then she headed out to the kitchen to make some food before they went to do the live broadcast at Spinelli's impromptu studio.

Julian sat there already and she stifled a chuckle at what he was wearing. He clearly bristled in his three piece business suit but he looked quite impressive.

"I made some omelets, kept it simple and there's some toast…"

She smiled at him.

"Thanks honey…"

She went over to serve herself. His brow arched at her and she smiled at him again.

"We both look the perfect picture of domestic bliss…very prim and proper."

Julian made a face.

"Yeah I noticed…well this plan had better work," he said, "How'd you sleep?"

She shrugged.

"Okay…I must have been really tired from the sun."

He grimaced and she knew he wasn't even going to gloss over it.

"I tossed and turned," he said, "You know I meant what I said last night."

She sat down in a chair next to him with her meal.

"I know you did…but so did I and this is just going to work the way you say you want."

He seemed to understand that and nodded.

"I'm sorry about that but this had been on my mind a long time."

She tilted her head.

"Before or after the feds came to clear the riff raff out of PC?"

He grew silent, fingering his coffee mug.

"That has nothing to do with it."

"So you say but I have a hard time believing it."

"I can't convince you?"

Her brows lifted.

"I may be easy to fool once Julian but not twice."

Julian sighed.

"That wasn't my intention but I think you know that."

She put her hand up.

"Don't blame me for my decision not to get excited at your professed interest."

He rubbed the bridge of his nose.

"I don't…I know I have to prove myself and I'm not worried about that at all."

Alexis looked at her watch.

"Well it and your overconfidence might have to wait," she said, "We've got 30 minutes to get to Spinelli's for the broadcast and if I press the Ferrari to the max, we might just make it."

He threw her a dubious look.

"Alexis it's my turn to drive…"

She shook her head.

"Julian, you turn corners way too fast. We've got to get going…if we're going to get there."

They both headed out of the house to the car to head off to appear via satellite on the morning talk show, trying not to think what was at stake.