Page 28 of Cross the Line

“Not a fuck.” He holds his arms out to show off a small black void of fur wrapped inside his t-shirt. “A cat. Well, kitten to be precise.”

“A kitten,” Theo repeats, unable to keep the incredulity from his tone. He takes a second glance at Alec, his concern growing. Aside from the split lip, there’s a reddish mark on Alec’s side that looks like it’s going to bruise, a gash in his running leggings, and his shoes are soaking wet. “What happened?”

“Can we come in? I’m freezing my nipples off,” Alec replies in lieu of answering the question. He also doesn’t wait for a reply before ducking beneath Theo’s outstretched arm and stepping inside. “Did you get a new rug? I like it.”

“Uh, yeah, like nine months ago.”

“Suits you.”

The rug is brown with zigzagging stripes and Theo got a killer deal on a second hand website. He says as much, pleased when Alec smiles at him, and then he snaps his mouth shut. What the hell is happening? Alexander King is shirtless, filthy and bleeding in his living room at five a.m. while Theo’s talking about his rug. He’s got to be hallucinating.

“Hmm, no, I’m definitely not a hallucination,” Alec chirps, leaving Theo no room to be embarrassed that he apparently said that part out loud. “I’m gonna take Rio into the kitchen to clean her up. You can follow.”

Theo does follow along, not entirely sure what else to do.

“Where did you get a cat? Are you hurt? Why are you out at five in the morning?”

“That’s an awful lot of questions,” Alec says, far too calm for someone bleeding and dirty. “I could be persuaded to answer them all if you wanted to bribe me with something hot to drink. Preferably with a lot of cream and sugar. Don’t tell the team nutritionist.”

“Pretty sure you can just have coffee however you want it.”

“You’d be surprised,” Alec says, a hint of frustration in his tone. Theo wants to ask about it but Alec switches to his normal sunny disposition. “Can you give me a washcloth to get her clean?”

“Sure, but?—”

“Questions after coffee,” Alec interrupts. Theo is too tired to argue with him and hurries to the bathroom to get Alec a stack of clean washcloths, and then sets about brewing the strongest, biggest pot of coffee his machine can handle. It’s a win-win for them both, because Theo is going to need at least two cups of coffee before he’s coherent enough to make sense of what is happening, and Alec is apparently motivated by bribes.

“Can I at least ask what happened to your face?” Theo says.

While the coffee percolates, the kitchen fills with the occasional mewl of kitten displeasure and the bubbling of brewing coffee. Alec doesn’t immediately answer and Theo takes the opportunity to lean back against the kitchen counter and really get a good look at Alec. The blood on his cheek has dried, which should alleviate any worries, but all Theo can do is stare at the mix of blood and dirt smeared across his freckled cheek. A weight settles over his chest, uncomfortable and unfamiliar.

“It was an unfortunate consequence of rescuing Rio.” He says it so cavalier, as if he doesn’t care that he’s dirty and hurt because of a stray cat.

“Where did you find it, the bottom of the riverbed?”

“Yes, actually.”

“Shit, Alec.” Theo pushes off the counter. He inches into Alec’s personal space, taking in the mark on his side with more scrutiny now. The river bottom runs along the freeway and is bordered by tall fencing meant to keep people out for this exact reason. “Why did you go down to the river bottom? Did you fall?”

“I told you, to find Rio.”

“That was dangerous.” Theo sighs, skimming his fingers over the angry red skin. Alec sucks in a sharp breath and holds it, his entire body strung as taut as a bow. “Maybe I should take you to urgent care or?—”

“No.” Alec interrupts. “I see enough medical professionals with the team. I don’t want to deal with more of them than I have to. I’m good, I promise.” Alec attempts to smile but it comes out as a grimace because of his split lip, which he certainly won’t be able to hide during his practice, but that’s not Theo’s business. Technically nothing about Alec is his business, yet he can’t stop himself from getting involved, consequences be damned.

“I’ll put an extra spoonful of sugar in your coffee if you let me clean your wounds.”

Alec hisses. “You play dirty, Theodore James.”

“Is that a yes?” Theo asks, unsure how to read Alec right now. He’s known Alec for most of his life, but he’s only now realizing how much he doesn’t know about the other man, and there’s no doubt in his mind that Alec is definitely a man now.

Guilt prickles at Theo that Alec is standing there hurt and he’s admiring the flat planes of Alec’s stomach and chest. He’s strong, but lean, and his skin is so smooth. There’s no hair on his chest, and instead freckles cascade across his ribs and curl around his back.

“It is working,” Alec admits, the weight of his exhale palpable. “Fuck it, I want extra cream, too. I want that coffee milky and sweet.”

“I can definitely manage that.” Theo turns to the fridge, pulling out the carton of half and half before taking down the sugar bowl from the cupboard above the coffee pot. He’s pulling down two mugs when he turns back to Alec. “Any chance I could get you to take some Advil for the swelling?”

“Don’t push your luck, mister,” Alec mutters, eyes firmly on the kitten in the sink who seems almost as skittish as Alec. “Pass me another dry wash cloth. Please.”

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