Alex in Wonderland (The Wonderland Series Book 1) (25 page)

43

Love

“My
God!”
Alex moaned. “Why won’t they stop?!”

 
“Alex?”

Alex
shook his head, trying to vanquish the terrible dreams. He heard his name
crackle and fade over the phone again.

“Make
them stop!”

“Alex?
Can you hear me? You’re cutting in and out.”

 
“Cord?” Alex was still struggling to register
the voice. Cord was the last person he expected to hear from, today of all
days.

“Yeah.
It’s me. What’s wrong with you? Why won’t
what
stop?”

As
reality slowly settled in, Alex heard rain in the courtyard and distant,
breaking thunder. “I…I was having nightmares.”

“You’re
sleeping at
eight
thirty
?”

“I
must’ve nodded off.” Alex blinked like an owl in the sunlight, trying with
limited success to sort his thoughts, but Cord’s next words muddied his mental
waters even more.

“I’m passing
through
New Orleans
and thought I’d call and say hello.”

“You’re
what?”

“I’m on
I-10. There’s an exit for Elysian Fields coming up.”

“My God!
You’re so close. Almost to the French Quarter.”

“Is that
where you are?”

“Yeah.
I’m…I’m in a hotel.”

“Really?
Did you finally move out of your folk’s house?”

“Uh, not
exactly.”

“Want to
get together for a drink?” When Alex didn’t respond, Cord said, “I really need
to see you, Alex.”

“I don’t
understand, Cord. I mean, what are you doing here? And where’s
Chandler
?”

“Back in
Key West
.
I’m heading back to
Texas
, Alex.
For good.”

Alex
frowned,
trying to stay focused and decide if his nightmares
were ongoing. “What the hell does that mean?”

“It means
Chandler
and I have split. On good terms, but a split’s a split.”

Alex’s
heart leapt, but he forced himself to stay grounded. The last thing he needed
was another disappointment from Cord. “What happened?”

“Oh, it’s
way too complicated to go into over the phone.” His voice faded, crackled and
returned. “I just passed that exit, Alex. Want me to get off at the next one?”

There was
a long pause as Alex desperately sorted his thoughts. “I…I can’t figure out if
this is real or not, Cord. It’s been…it’s been one helluva day.”

“I’m real
alright,” Cord said. “I promise.”

This time
there was no hesitation as Alex was nourished by the optimism in Cord’s voice.
“Alright then. Listen carefully. Your next exit is St. Bernard. Get off there.”

“I
already see it.”

Alex
finished giving directions, tore off his tuxedo and hopped into the shower. It
would take Cord about fifteen minutes to get there, just long enough to chill a
bottle of Möet if he stuck it in the freezer. He realized too late he hadn’t
brought a change of clothes, and since his tuxedo shirt was soaked with sweat
his only choice was a white terry bathrobe emblazoned with Maison de Ville.

“Not my
first choice for greeting an ex-boyfriend, but it'll have to do.”

Alex went
back into the bathroom and combed his damp hair again, deciding to go commando
beneath the robe and forego the underwear he’d worn all day. Then he returned
to the living room and paced. He felt like he’d been pacing all day, starting
that morning in the parking lot at St. Michael’s, and he forced himself to stop
by sitting on the couch. He considered calling Jolie about this unbelievable
turn of events but changed his mind when he remembered his last encounter with
Cord. There may be nothing to tell, he told himself. You’re jumping to all
sorts of wild conclusions. The guy didn’t say anything about getting together
again and even if he did, are you sure that’s what you want? Are you kidding?
You know you’d take him back in a heartbeat. But so much has happened since
Key West
and you’ve got a whole new life planned in
Europe
. Oh,
shit! What’s Cord going to say when I tell him about the wedding?
 
Do I wait for him to ask what’s new and then
casually mention that I got married a few hours ago?

“Shit!”

Alex
started pacing again. He brushed his damp curls for the umpteenth time, telling
himself he'd tear his hair out if he didn’t stop. He gargled with mouthwash
again and was about to apply more deodorant when he heard the buzzer. He rushed
to the intercom.

“Cord?”

“More
like a drowned rat.”

Alex
buzzed him in, took a deep breath and opened the door. The rain was coming down
in sheets as the shadow hurrying through the courtyard turned into Cord. When
he reached the light, Alex gasped.

“Man, you
weren’t kidding.” He stepped aside so Cord could come out of the rain.

“About
the drowned rat I mean.”
 

They
stood silent for a moment, just looking at each other. Even with Cord’s wild
hair clinging to his face and his nose dripping water, Alex found him sexier
than ever. The feeling deepened when Cord peeled off his windbreaker to reveal
a wet tee shirt. He was soaked to the skin, pecs abs and nipples prominent
through the thin cotton. The rest of the package, encased in jeans and boots,
was equally, undeniably appetizing.

Alex
smiled and nodded. “You look great, Cord.”

“So do
you.”

A second,
more awkward silence fell. Alex was about to suggest Cord dry off and change
into a robe when reason was vanquished by the feel of the other man’s arms
around him. He thought of nothing except the hardness of Cord’s wet body and a
familiar insistence that flooded him with erotic memories. Cord leaned down as
Alex looked up. Their lips were barely an inch apart.

“Cord,
what are we—?”

“Don’t
talk, baby.”

When that
critical inch disappeared, Alex knew he was a goner, and he returned Cord’s
kiss with fervor. They clung tight, like children lost in the storm, separating
just long enough to strip and scramble under the covers. As they rediscovered
each other’s bodies, Alex was thrilled to find Cord even more aggressive than
he remembered. He surrendered eagerly as Cord took control, and the moment grew
a little frantic before it peaked and passed like the storm howling outside.
They were drained and exhausted, still clinging with labored breathing. Alex
recovered first.

“Well,”
he murmured in a dreamy voice, “the perfect end to a perfect day.”

Cord
propped himself on one elbow and ran a hand through the tangle of blonde curls.

“I spent
all day on the road. What did you do?”

Alex
caught himself before blurting the truth and weighed the ways to explain about

Jackie.
Past history warned him how Cord felt about arranged marriages, and Alex didn’t
want to unravel what had just happened.
 

“Just
promise you’ll hear me out before saying anything or jumping to any
conclusions.”

“I
promise.” Cord was massaging the base of Alex’s skull. “Feel good?”

“It feels
wonderful, Cord, but please listen. This is important. There’s a reason I’m in
this hotel.”

“Does it
have something to do with the tuxedo hanging over there?”

Alex
cursed himself for not closing the armoire. “Yes. Yes, it does. I…uh, went to a
wedding today.”

“Obviously
a fancy one.”

“I did
more than go to it, Cord.” Alex took a deep breath. “I was…I was in it.”

Cord’s
fingers tightened on Alex’s neck. “Please tell me you were a best man or an usher
or something. Please don’t tell me you were the groom.”

Alex was
getting panicky. “Remember you promised to hear me out. Cord?” When Cord
turned, Alex grabbed him and stared into eyes much darker and more intense than
he remembered. “I did get married but it’s definitely a good thing.”

“A good thing?!” Cord pulled away
and folded his big arms across his chest. “Suppose you cut the Martha Stewart
crap and tell me what the hell you’re talking about.” Alex tried to snuggle closer,
but Cord pushed him away. “On second thought, I don’t want to hear it. I’m not
ready for another of your crazy roller coaster rides. Not after Chandler
told me you’d left that girl at the altar and—”

“I married someone else,” Alex
interrupted. “But she’s a lesbian, and it’s all part of a plan to—”

“I should’ve known better,” Cord
grunted. “I should’ve known I’d just be walking into another chapter of Alex in
Fucking Wonderland. Man, you’ve got to be the craziest dude I ever met.” He
rolled out of bed, shaking his head as he stomped naked into the living room
and grabbed his wet tee shirt off the floor. He wrung a puddle onto his bare
feet. “Shit!”

Alex tugged on his robe and found
another for Cord. “Put this on and we’ll worry about those wet clothes later.
I’ve got a bottle of Möet chilling, so why don’t I pop the cork and explain
what happened?”

Cord was flabbergasted. “Are you
serious? Didn’t you hear what I just said?”

“I heard every word, but remember
you promised to hear me out.” Alex’s heart was racing at the thought of losing
this man again and he struggled to sound calm. “Please, Cord. What have you got
to lose?”

“Only my sanity,” Cord muttered. He
put on the robe and flopped on the couch while Alex popped the champagne. “I
ought to have my head examined.”

For the next half hour, Cord
listened with a mixture of bemusement, disbelief and outright shock at Alex’s
audacious tale. When Alex finished with Camilla being thrown in the drunk tank,
Cord realized he’d been entertained in spite of himself. He had also drunk half
the bottle of champagne and was floating on a very pleasant buzz. He gave Alex
one of his crooked half-smiles.

“Not just one goofy stunt this time
but a whole bunch of them. Man, your friend Jolie has got some damned big
balls.”

“I know it sounds preposterous,
Cord, but things just got curiouser and curiouser and Jolie kept finding ways
to get me out of the next fix. I wouldn’t believe it myself if I hadn’t lived
through it.”

“Oh, I believe it after some of the
things we did on that damned bus ride, but I do have one question.”

“Fire away.”

“Where was Ethel Mertz during all
these shenanigans?”

The joke came as an enormous
relief. Alex even believed his story had salvaged the situation, but Cord’s
next question torpedoed those hopes.
 

“Why haven’t you told your father
you’re gay?”

“I will!” Alex said quickly. “As
soon as Jackie has her money, I'll be free to tell the bastard off once and for
all.”

“So it’s all about the money and
not about honesty.”

Alex was uneased by Cord’s edginess,
dangerously reminiscent of what precipitated the fight that drove them apart in
Florida.
“C’mon,
babe.
Don’t you see it’s only a means to an end? The honesty will come,
I promise. Until then you can come to France
with me, and we can start all over again.” He reached for Cord’s hand, heart
sinking when it was pulled away. “Cord, please don’t—”

“We’re right back where we started
from, Alex. Same song, second verse, and frankly I’m tired of the tune.”

“Well, you know what? I’m tired of
it too,” Alex retorted, temper slipping. “Why is it so damned important for me
to come out to my father? There’s no law that says everyone has to do it, and
lots of people don’t. God knows you never did!”

Cord sloughed off the accusation.
“As usual, you’re taking the easy way out.” Alex watched in horror as he
dropped his robe and pulled on the wet tee shirt. “You always have and you
always will.”

“And you’re not?” Alec shot back.

“What the hell’s that supposed to
mean?”

“What happened between you and Chandler?
That’s got to be one of the shortest romances on record. Did you get going when
the going got rough? Huh? Is that it, Cord?”

Cord snorted. “You don’t know what
you’re talking about.”

“I know one minute you two lovebirds
were restoring a house together and the next minute you’re heading back to Texas.
How’d you get here anyway? Did Chandler
give you a car as a going-away present?”

“I pay my own way, pal, remember?”
Cord unleashed a string of expletives and glared at Alex as he struggled into
wet jeans. “I’m driving my old man’s truck. Some fancy fucking legacy, huh?

“Your father’s…dead?”

“As a doornail. And for your
information he’d stashed a few thousand bucks around the place, so Darcy and I
had two reasons to celebrate.”

 
“What…what happened to him?”

“The bastard fell off the front
porch and hit his head. One of his neighbors saw him later and figured he’d
passed out. The guy took his sweet time calling the paramedics but it didn’t
matter because Pop was already gone.” Cord zipped the soaked jeans with
difficulty. “In fact, it happened that day you came by the house. The way I
figure, you were one of the last people to see him alive.”