Page 119 of Cross the Line

“I love you.”

Theo’s eyes soften as he leans over to kiss Alec’s nose and each of his cheeks before sitting back down. He links their fingers and then lifts joined hands to his mouth, kissing the back of Alec’s hand and each of his knuckles. His smile is easy and gentle, and Theo might not be ready to say the words back, but Alec holds no doubts about the depth of Theo’s feelings.

When the announcement comes that visiting hours are over, Theo lingers long enough a nurse has to kick him out. As he leaves, he promises to return tomorrow, a promise Alec knows Theo will keep. Theo will always come back to him. They will always come back to each other.

Epilogue

Theo

Early morning light filters through the curtains, casting a warm glow throughout the room and illuminating the sharp angles and soft curves of the beautiful man beside him. Even without Theo’s glasses, looking at Alec is always a treat, from his bare legs and the curve of his equally bare ass to his sleep-tousled curls spilled all over his pillow. His pillow, in their bed, in what has become their house. Not that Theo had ever officially asked Alec to move in. What had started as convenience had organically grown into something else entirely.

After Alec’s accident, he’d been unable to move back into his dorm on campus because of his extensive medical needs. Once his cast came off and physical therapy began, it became clear his college apartment with its cramped quarters and flights of stairs, would be too much. Alec alternated between crashing at his parents’ house and Theo’s. Eventually he’d spent more time at Theo’s than his parents’ and his stuff had started appearing. One day all his shoes were in Theo’s closet and the next, his garage was full of soccer balls. A week later Alec’s most prized possessions lined the top of Theo’s dresser next to his glasses and cologne. The last and most permanent had been when Alec’s beloved blender had found its new home next to Theo’s coffee pot.

While the shift from dating to living together had been surprisingly easy, the rest had been anything but. Alec’s recovery and transition back to school had been fraught with pain and stress. After a prolonged break to recover both mentally and physically, Alec had eventually returned to classes in the spring, albeit with a shift in goals. He’d ultimately decided against switching his major and instead, with the help of his favorite academic advisor, devised a plan to take some needed prerequisites along with his required classes so that he could apply to a doctorate of physical therapy program once he did graduate.

It was amazing to watch Alec blossom, his exuberance for life and playful nature returning more every day. Which wasn’t to say his recovery was easy. The months had been brutal and painful, and Theo had loved Alec more.

Love.

Just thinking about it makes Theo’s belly swoop and his heart race. It’s been a few months since he finally got the courage to say those three little words to Alec, after which Alec had flat-out sobbed, ugly snot-filled tears that soaked Theo’s sweater. He’d been so beautiful with his teary eyes and soft lips, looking at Theo like being loved back was the greatest thing that had ever happened to him, when the truth was Alec was the best thing to ever happen to Theo. Alexander King was the light of his life, and Theo intended to spend every moment making sure Alec was as happy and loved as he deserved.

“You’re thinking about me, aren’t you?” Alec mumbles, pillow lines on his cheek visible when he rolls onto his side at the same time the automatic feeder in the kitchen dings and Rio is off like a flash, bolting from their room.

“What makes you think that?” Theo asks, skimming his fingers over the exposed flat of Alec’s tummy. He is almost always thinking about Alec, unless he’s hyper-focused on a report at work, but sometimes admitting that out loud still makes Theo feel painfully vulnerable.

“Because it’s a day that ends in Y,” Alec replies easily. He throws both his arms overhead while his legs and back arch in a full body stretch. “Besides, who could wake up next to all this and not be starstruck.”

“Your modesty never fails to astound.” Theo laughs.

“Theodore, we’ve talked about this. Modesty has no place in this much perfection.”

“You are perfect,” Theo agrees, taking the opportunity to get on his knees to scoot closer so he can throw one leg over Alec’s slim hips and straddle his body. For so long they had to be careful during moments like this and while Theo had enjoyed every moment of that fragile intimacy, he’s relieved to have Alec fully healed.

The days of uncertainty and pain are finally behind them, and there’s nothing but joy and peace on Alec’s face as he grins up at Theo like he hung the goddamn moon.

“Is this my birthday present?” Alec smirks, trailing his fingers over Theo's soft tummy before lowering them to wrap around Theo’s cock, making Theo whimper. He’s never going to tire of seeing Alec’s long, delicate fingers with his freckle-covered knuckles stroking his cock. “You didn’t even wrap it, but I accept.”

“Oh, is it your birthday?” Theo gasps, struggling to think straight with Alec’s teasing strokes taking him from half-hard to fully erect in seconds.

“If you forgot my birthday, I’m not going to suck your cock,” Alec says seriously, like that wouldn’t be the world’s largest punishment for himself. Still Theo plays along, delighting in this side of himself that Alec has pulled out. Not even when he was a teenager had he allowed himself to be so carefree, but Alec makes being alive, being in love, feel as easy as breathing.

“Well, we can’t have that,” Theo replies, reaching towards Alec’s mouth. He drags a thumb over Alec’s bottom lip, anticipation coiling around his heart when Alec’s mouth falls open on a tiny whimper. Theo’s not sure how he got so lucky as to have a boyfriend whose deepest desire is to wake up every morning and be allowed to suck Theo’s cock. Sometimes it’s hard and fast, and other times Alec’s barely awake before he’s opening his mouth and begging for it to be filled. On a few recent occasions, Alec’s taken to doing nothing more than holding Theo’s soft cock in his mouth like just having it in there is perfect.

“Fuck, Theo.”

“So needy,” Theo whispers, pulling Alec’s bottom lip down. “You want something, Alexander?”

“You know I do,” Alec whines, his hands moving from Theo’s cock to his ass as Alec tries to physically move Theo up so he will sit on Alec’s face. Eager to prolong the teasing just a little longer, he doesn’t allow himself to be moved, earning him a pout.

“What did you want?” Theo asks, trying not to laugh. “Breakfast?”

“If by breakfast you mean your thick cock, then yes,” Alec groans, fingers digging into Theo’s ass. “Theodore, I swear if you don’t sit on my goddamn face right now I’ll…I’ll?—”

“You’ll what, baby?” Theo presses his thumb into Alec’s mouth, his own cock leaking precome when Alec immediately sucks on his thumb.

Mouth full, Alec doesn’t respond, but he does whine in the that low, needy way of his that he knows makes Theo feel insane. Playing it up with the sole purpose of making Theo crazy. Alec lets his eyes fall half shut as he drags his tongue along the underside of Theo’s thumb, a teasing imitation of what he plans to do to Theo’s cock. Unable to resist those sweet brown eyes and wanton expression, Theo crawls up Alec’s body, hands braced on the headboard as he lowers himself over Alec’s face.

“Happy fucking birthday to me.” Alec grins, opening his mouth and making the world’s most blissed out, desperate sound as Theo slips his cock inside.

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