Page 86 of By Rude Strength

LA laughed. “Hey, how about just making a pillow or something?”

“I can do that.” Cass kissed him sweetly and then stood, offering his paws. “You can cheer me on!”

LA accepted the help to stand with a grunt. “While I bitch about my ass hurting.”

“I have done nothing to hurt your ass.”

“I’m talking about the chair, Cassie.”

“Oh! Well, I am going to make sure your ass is very comfortable.” Cass giggled as he escorted LA into the kitchen. “Would you like a vibrating option?”

“Look, you can’t offer vibrating without me thinking about your dick.”

“That is not currently an option.”

“Damn.”

Cass smooched his cheek. “Later, Elly. Now! Let’s get you seated, and I will create a masterful creation to cradle your equally masterful bottom.”

Just last night, LA had been hoping against hope that everything was going to be okay.

And by okay, he’d hoped that he would be able to return to his position at the funeral home.

A voice in the back of his brain hadn’t stopped screaming how awful the meeting would go and insisted his life was going to be a disaster and he’d no longer have any value if he wasn’t able to get his job back.

Well.

LA knew now he’d never set foot again in Barrie-Lucas Funeral Home.

And it really was okay.

Because Cass was right.

Everything was going to be okay—because the job was not everything.

The thought was freeing and sweet, and LA felt like he could breathe again.

He had no idea what the future held now, but he knew he didn’t have to face it alone. He had a partner, a friend, who would be there to support him through the good days and bad, someone who would be honest with him and give him the hard truth, even when he didn’t want to hear it, and also happened to love baking peach crumbles and making very comfy cushions for his ass.

Yeah.

Everything was going to be okay.

BecauseCasswas everything.

Cass was everything he’d ever wanted, and LA wasn’t angry or fucked up or broken.

For the first time in a long time…

He feltstrong.

Chapter twelve

LA was really startingto enjoy waking up in the morning.

Having a giant furry imp using him as their personal teddy bear was pretty fantastic, though LA’s inevitable morning piss crashed right in to interrupt as usual. He grumbled and fussed, lightly pushing at Cass’s paws to free himself.

“Morning, Elly,” Cass mumbled happily.