Here - Chapter 14

They step into the darkened penthouse, still buzzing from the strong coffee. Sonny closes the door on Johnny, eliminating the light from the hallway and leaving them both in dusky blackness. The shadows are hazily defined by overcast moonlight dusting through the dining room window.

Carly spins to look at her host and says accusingly, "You promised me dessert. All I got was coffee."

He steps closer to her and says huskily, "Maybe next time."

She widens her eyes and tries to gauge his sincerity, "Next time?"

He is taking her jacket from her shoulders, "It wasn't so bad."

"Is that why I got promoted to the limo for the ride back here?" she asks softly, feeling his fingers beneath her shirt as he pulls it over her head.

He grins at her playfully, then leans in and covers her mouth with his as his hands stroke her breasts through her bra.

When he backs away, Carly's eyes flicker open. Her vision is adjusting to the darkness and she runs a hand along the side of his face, down his neck, to the collar of his shirt. She unbuttons his shirt with one hand, then allows her fingers to wander over his now-familiar chest. She uses one finger and trails down the center of his stomach to his navel, then she pulls at the waist of his slacks and drags him closer to her.

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They are both perspiring by the time he lets out a long, satisfied groan and collapses onto the floor next to her.

She closes her eyes and blows air through her lips.

He sighs tiredly, throwing his arm over her waist and trapping her to the floor. The caffeine has worn off and now they are both exhausted.

She blinks, feeling unsure as she does after each of their sexual encounters. "I guess," she begins, somewhat reluctantly, looking at her watch, "I better get going..."

His arm does not move. He can not believe it, but he does not want her to leave. He sniffs, "If you want." Then he adds, "But you don't have to go."

She shoots her eyes over to him and he is staring at her openly, a question on his face. She answers with, "I better call Bobbie so she won't worry..."

He nods, removing his arm and watching her as she walks, nude, to the telephone on the desk and dials her mother's number.

Carly looks away from Sonny, well-aware that something is happening here past the sex. When a half-asleep Bobbie picks up the phone, Carly says, "Just wanted to let you know I won't be home -- " She pauses and turns to ask Sonny with her eyes. He lowers his head and shrugs, " -- until morning."

Bobbie murmurs into the receiver, barely listening to her daughter, "Okay..."

Then Carly hangs up and stands at the desk, uncertain what to do next.

Sonny wipes his face with a hand and sighs, "Carly..."

She meets his eyes.

"Come here," he puts out a hand.

Relieved, she smiles and rejoins him on the floor.

*******

When Carly wakes up the next morning in Sonny's bed, she is shocked to find herself there. And even more shocked to feel so comfortable. She is alone in the bed.

The sunlight is streaming through the window, so she knows that it is definitely the next day. She looks around and finds Sonny's alarm clock on his nightstand. "Shit!" she mutters, seeing that it is after seven o'clock. She needs to get home.

She jumps into the shower and quickly washes herself. Then she steps back into her old clothes, which were dumped unceremoniously in a heap on the bedroom floor the night before.

**************

"Yeah," Sonny swallows some orange juice and calls in response to Francis's knock.

Francis pokes his head inside, uncharacteristically nervous, "Uh, Ms. Scott is here."

Sonny winces, glances toward the stairs to make sure Carly isn't up yet, then nods to the guard.

The bodyguard opens the door a little wider and steps aside to let Hannah inside. Then he leaves the apartment.

"Agent Scott," Sonny says blandly. At the sight of her, all of the humiliation of being duped rushes through him. He remains outwardly calm, "What can I do for you?"

She is hesitant, then she opens her mouth, "Sonny...I...I just wanted to see how you were doing."

He puts his hands out to his sides and lets her look him over, his face beginning to show the rage he feels inside, "I'm fine."

She swallows, "It's just that I heard that Jason left."

He rolls his eyes and turns away from her.

She rushes on, "I know how much you relied on him. How close you two were. I just wondered if he was okay...?"

He grits his teeth and tries to control himself, "So, what? You're worried about Jason and you come to see me?"

**********

Carly, hair wet and fully dressed, starts for the stairs but stops in her tracks when she hears voices. After listening for a few seconds she recognizes Sonny's visitor. Bitch, she simmers.

She thinks for a moment, then she rushes back to the bedroom.

**********

"Yes, Sonny," she says, trying to calm the growing beast she can see growing in front of her eyes. "I thought that if anybody knew if Jason was okay, it would be you..."

He takes a big gulp from the glass of orange juice on the table, "And would this information be for the FBI or the PCPD? As far as I know, Jason's still a law-abiding citizen who can go anywhere he wants."

She lets out a long sigh and rubs her eyes with two fingers, "This isn't for anyone but myself."

"Oh yeah?" he raises a brow, thinning his lips and stepping toward her menacingly, "Not even your buddy Taggert?"

She can not help but show a bit of satisfaction on her face. She lifts her chin and speaks suggestively, "Keeping tabs on me?"

"Sonny! Why didn't you wake me up?" Carly's voice precedes her from the top of the stairs.

Sonny closes his eyes in frustration, Damn it.

When Carly appears at the top of the staircase, she is wrapped in Sonny's sheets, holding it together with a fist and rubbing her eyes with her other hand. Her shoulders are bare and the sheets flow down to the floor.

Hannah's eyes widen. She can not believe what she is seeing. She looks back and forth from Carly to Sonny. Sonny has turned off. He is looking at the desk, his lips pursed in resignation.

"Well, well, well," Carly says, as if just realizing that Hannah is there, "Agent Scott...what can we do for you?"

Her mouth agape in shock, Hannah can not speak for a moment. The scene before her is so surreal, so unreal, that she thinks she must be hallucinating.

Carly walks down the steps and over to Sonny. She places a hand on his shoulder possessively and kisses his cheek. Sonny is so angry and amused he does not move.

"Oh my God..." Hannah breathes. Then she rails at both of them, "This is why Jason left, isn't it???" She shakes her head, backing for the door, "Oh my God...you two are disgusting!!" She waves a finger at them, only to be met with the blank stares of people who already know and live the repercussions she's spewing. "Jason was nothing but loyal to the both of you and this," she motions with her hands toward them, "this is what he gets in return??"

Her face screwed up in outrage, Hannah opens the door and prepares to leave. "You two deserve each other!" she hisses, then slams the door behind her.

"Sheesh..." Carly mutters, stepping away from Sonny. "What's her problem? I'm going to get dressed..."

Sonny says nothing. He scratches his cheek with a finger and looks Carly over. Suddenly, as she is heading for the stairs, he reaches over and tears the sheet away from her body.

He looks her up and down, not surprised, and shakes his head, "Games. Always games with you."

She is wearing her jeans, her bra is on but the straps are under her arms, and her feet are bare. She bites her lip sheepishly and tries a smile, "I couldn't resist..."

"Don't you need to get going?" he asks, looking at his watch. "I'm expecting someone soon."

Insulted at the dismissal, Carly stomps back up the steps and throws her clothes on. When she returns to the living room, she grabs her jacket and heads for the door. As she places her hand on the knob, she spins and taunts him, "I used your toothbrush."

He makes a face, "Aw, man..."

She smiles prettily at him and is about to open the door when it is opened for her. She nearly falls over and bumps into an entering Benny.

Benny, obviously confuse, looks first at Carly, then at Sonny. "Uh, hello, Carly."

"Hi, Benny," Carly mutters and scoots out of the door.

Benny sneaks a glance at his watch but does not ask any questions.

Sonny motions him in.

Neither man mention Carly's presence.

*******

Hannah is distraught when she bursts into Kelly's. She is heading for her room, but Tammy notes how upset the younger woman seems. "Hannah!" Tammy calls.

Hannah stops and runs a hand through her hair, trying to compose herself. She has been crying and does not want anyone to see her this way.

"Are you all right?" Tammy asks as Hannah makes her way to the counter.

Plopping into a stool, Hannah shakes her head, "No. I'm not all right."

"What's the matter??" Tammy probes, worried about her friend.

Hannah takes a deep breath, trying to hold herself together enough to spit the words out. Finally, she utters, "It's Sonny..."

"What about him?" Tammy is growing impatient and wary now. "Is he okay? Has something happened to him??"

Shaking her head, Hannah says, "Sonny is -" her voice catches, then she rushes on, "Sonny is sleeping with Carly!!"

It is when Hannah is saying those words that Bobbie comes out from the kitchen. Bobbie's heart skips a beat and she whispers, "What did you just say??"

At the sight of Bobbie's shocked and pained expression, Hannah buries her face in her hands.

The women are so lost in their own thoughts that they do not even realize that Mike has been sitting at the nearest table and has heard every word.