Page 35 of Alec in Wonderland (Rainbow Tales #1)

Alec rolled over into a spot of warmth. His hand stretched out to touch Bax and then went flat, rubbing around. Searching. He opened his eyes. Bax wasn't in bed.

Frowning into the darkness, Alec peered around the room. No Bax. He yawned, stretched, and slipped out of bed. A shiver ran down his spine with the slap of the cool air. He grabbed the velvet robe he had tossed on the bench at the foot of the bed earlier that night. Pulling it on, he kept looking around the room as if Bax might magically appear.

Then he did.

Well, Bax didn't pop into existence. Alec just noticed the open balcony door and peered around it. He saw the looming shape of his lover, dark against the moon. Smiling to himself, he padded out to the balcony. Then stopped in the doorway.

Bax was sliding something over the low wall of the railing. It was silver in the moonlight, but Alec knew it was purple. A memory rushed back as he watched Bax roll the little car back and forth.

The little boy with the pink hair laughed as he rolled Alec's new Hot Wheels over the low wall of a flower bed. Alec grinned at him. Bax. He was so pretty and kept staring at Alec as if he was the most amazing thing he'd ever seen. Alec felt the same way about Bax. He was the most wonderful boy Alec had ever met. And Alec was overjoyed to finally meet someone his age in Wonderland.

They played together while the gardeners smiled at them, still dying the white roses red. And although they had just met, Alec felt a connection form between Bax and him. As a child, he didn't realize that this was unusual. Children make friends so much faster than adults. It felt natural for Alec to love his new friend.

Then he leaned over and kissed Bax on the cheek.

Bax didn't pull away or stare at Alec strangely. He smiled. He smiled as if the kiss was the best gift he'd ever had.

“Let's be friends forever,” Bax said.

“Okay!” Alec readily agreed. Then he gave Bax the little car. He felt as if it was important to give his new friend something. Something more than a kiss.

Coming out of the memory, Alec had to swipe at his eyes. Bax still had that toy. He'd kept it. And he was playing with it just as he had when they were little. What did it mean? Again, Alec thought it must be destiny, and he wondered why that blue-haired psychic hadn't seen this. Why hadn't he warned Alec of what awaited him at the Hearts Fortress?

Maybe it wasn't fate. Or maybe the Caterpillar didn't think this romance mattered. It wasn't as important as saving Wonderland from the Queen of Hearts. But it was important to Alec. Bax was important. He had been the first boy Alec loved. A love so pure and innocent that Alec hadn't realized what it presaged. He'd forgotten all about it. But now he knew it was the moment he formed his sexuality. Bax had awakened love in him. Romantic love. And that first love had sunk into Alec's mind, secretly sabotaging every love that followed.

Because no one could hold a candle to Bax.

Quickly composing himself, Alec took a deep breath, blinked away any remaining tears, and stepped forward as he also stepped back into his past. It felt like coming full circle. He'd been searching for Bax ever since he left Wonderland, never knowing that he waited for Alec here. Just a tumble away.

“Hey, you.” Alec stepped out onto the balcony beside Bax. “What you got there?”

Bax flinched, then looked over at Alec, and smiled. He held the toy up. “I forgot about this. I should have shown it to you the other day when we were talking about Alec. You know, that boy from the human world.”

“Oh, yeah. What about him?” Alec tried to be as casual as possible as he reached for the toy, but his hand shook as he took it. “What is this thing?”

Bax put an arm around Alec and leaned his chin on Alec's shoulder to stare at the car with him. “It's a toy from the human world. Alec and I played with it while he was here. Then he gave it to me.” Bax nuzzled Alec's cheek. “I've just remembered what else he gave me.”

“Oh? What?” Alec turned to look at him.

“A kiss,” Bax's voice dropped to a seductive purr. “I think he liked me. But we were so young. Too young to understand such things.”

“I'm sure he did like you. How could he not?” Alec turned to face Bax and brushed their lips together. “Should I be jealous? Was he your first love?”

Bax blinked and looked to the side. “I've never thought of that, but I believe he was.” He looked back at Alec. “We barely knew each other. We didn't even have a full day together. But he awakened my heart. I think you were right, Mal. That's why you remind me of him. I have loved no one since him.” He tapped the toy. “I've held onto this like a talisman. Whenever I got lonely or sad or when I needed to clear my head . . .” He lifted his stare to the dark sky. “I held this piece of him and remembered. It has always comforted me.”

Alec pressed his lips together to stop their trembling and blinked rapidly to keep from crying. But then he sniffed, and Bax looked back at him.

“Are you crying, Mal?”

“It's just so sweet,” Alec whispered and brushed away his tears. “I know he thinks about you too, Bax. That little boy grew up, and he's out there, looking at a different moon, wishing that it was the same one you're looking at right now.”

Bax's smile went tender. “You are such a romantic.”

Alec sniffed and held up the Hot Wheels. “You still haven't told me what this is.”

“Oh, uh, he called it a car. Alec said it’s a tiny model of the immense machines that humans ride inside. Like a carriage, but it moves on its own.”

“On its own?” Alec tried to sound skeptical.

“Yes, I know it sounds mad. Maybe he was teasing me. But look at it.” Bax tapped the car. “The wheels. The tiny doors. Look, I think this panel here is a window so the humans can see where they're going.”

Alec stared at Bax instead of the car. “I think you're right. What a wondrous little toy. Human children must have all sorts of strange things to play with.”

“Indeed.” Bax looked up at Alec. “I believe they do. This was just one that he carried in his pocket. Can you imagine? They carry toys in their pockets in case they get a sudden urge to play. How incredible.” He shook his head and looked off into the distance again. But as he did, he wrapped his hand around the toy car and put it in his pocket. “To have such freedom. Such joy that it randomly comes forth and inspires them to play wherever they are.” He looked back at Alec. “That's how you make me feel. I burst with joy when I'm with you. I get urges to play.”

He picked Alec up and spun him around until they were both laughing. Then he set Alec on his feet and kissed him. Alec poured all his love into that kiss—the love that he'd been hoarding for Bax since he was a child. He had no idea there was a hidden hoard inside his heart, waiting for this man. But there it was, opened with a kiss, and claimed with no awareness.

Alec eased back from Baxenvir's lips. “I have an urge to play too.” He bit his lower lip and took Bax's hand. “Will you play with me?”

Bax went still, staring at Alec strangely, and he suddenly knew why. One last memory came to him, as it must have come to Bax. Little Alec asking the very same thing.

But Bax recovered, blinking away the past. “Oh, yes. I want to play with you. I want to play with you all night.” And then he picked Alec up and ran back to bed with him.