Page 38 of Cross the Line

“To answer your question, yes,” Alec says. “I’ve been informed I’m the perfect size for two hands or a?—”

“Want music?” Theo interrupts, pretty sure if Alec finishes that sentence he might actually crash.

“Sure.”

Theo grabs the auxiliary cord, passing it to Alec. “You can plug in your phone and put on whatever you like.”

“Wow, I didn’t know we were at this stage in our relationship. Way to make a boy swoon, Theodore.”

Theo keeps his eyes firmly on the road, refusing to look at Alec because he knows if he does, his entire face might burst into flames. If he’d thought teenage Alec was a showoff, it was nothing compared to Alec now. The difference six years makes is everything.

“I don’t have any emo sweater playlists, so this will have to do,” Alec announces, putting on a loud, fast tempo song Theo’s never heard.

“I’m not emo, fuck you.”

“Oh, Theo cursed! Say shit next.”

“Jesus Christ.” Theo laughs.

“That works, too. In fact, maybe double points for taking the Lord's name in vain.”

“Does that work if you’re an atheist?”

“Good point. I’m more of an agnostic, so I guess you can have half a point.”

“I take it back. I want my half a point back.”

“Fine, one point for a fuck and two points for a Jesus Christ. Happy?”

“Very,” Theo answers, unsure why he wants Alec’s imaginary points.

They’re going to be there soon, maybe five minutes, and he doesn’t want it to end. He flips on his left blinker, merging into the lane with most traffic. If Alec notices, he says nothing.

“Sing with me,” Alec pleads, turning the volume up.

“I can’t sing,” Theo says.

“Me either. What's your point?” Alec taps his fingers on his thighs, drumming out the same quick beat as the song. He catches Theo’s eye and grins, the only warning before he starts singing along, off-key and full of exuberance. When Theo cracks a smile Alec whoops, singing even louder. It’s ridiculous. Alec is ridiculous.

“Sing with me,” Alec requests again.

Alec tips his head towards Theo’s, his big eyes trained on him as his curls fall sideways. As a kid and teenager, his hair had been kept incredibly short. Theo hadn’t even known Alec had curly hair until he’d started growing it out in high school. Even then it’d been wild and wavy. It’s clear he’s been learning to manage it because the curls are soft and thick now, tumbling into his eyes when Alec leans all the way across the center console to rest his cheek on Theo’s shoulder.

To his surprise, Alec’s hair smells sweet like flowers. Theo’s mind conjures up an image of Alec running through the grass, the scent of summer and sun surrounding him.

“Please, Theo. For me.”

He’s using those damn puppy eyes on Theo and it sends all the blood rushing south. There was a time when Theo was the only person who could resist that look, but things change. When Alec bats his thick eyelashes at him, Theo knows he’s a goner. Alec is the embodiment of everything warm and bright, his entire personality written in goddamn sunshine, and there’s not a chance in hell Theo can tell him no.

“Fine, I’ll sing.”

Normally he doesn’t sing in front of people. In fact, he can count on one hand the number of times he’s sung in front of Jason, and each of those were only because he was drunk.

“Yes,” Alec crows. “That’s my boy.”

For some reason those words have Theo’s knuckles turning white on the steering wheel. “You have to put on a song I know though,” Theo says. “Unless you want me to just sing the alphabet or something.”

“As charming as I’m sure that would be, I’ll have to pass. Let me see what else I have.”

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