The Last One to Let You Down

by K. L. Hiers

  He was able to finish without incident, and he was about to leave the prep room when he saw the watch on the counter. He needed to put it in the safe along with Mr. Ross’s glasses but wasn’t that evidence?

  What if Junior came back for it?

  Everyone knew the code to the safe so anyone, including Junior, could come right in and take it.

  Shit.

  Tom reasoned that he might seem a little less crazy if he actually had something to show Fox to support his suspicions when they went to talk to him tomorrow. He put the glasses in the safe and the watch in his pocket before he could change his mind.

  He felt guilty as hell for taking it, but he was only borrowing it for a little while, and it was for a very good cause.

  Right?

  Overnight bag and Mister Doodles all packed up, Tom drove over to Doyle’s Flowers. He felt responsible for the watch and didn’t want to leave it at home, so he put it in his bag to take with him.

  Once he’d parked and took Mister Doodles for a quick walk, he knocked on the back door. He was a little tense, knowing he and Cypress still had a lot to work out to move forward, but he honestly felt so much better already than he had all week.

  Cypress opened the door and greeted him with a warm kiss. “Hey. How are you doing?”

  “Okay,” Tom replied. “You?”

  “Good.” Cypress bent down to ruffle the top of Mister Doodles’ head. “Hey there, fluffy Hannibal.”

  She yipped and wagged her tail.

  “Missed you, too,” Cypress chuckled. He ushered her and Tom upstairs, saying, “After she’s settled, I’ve got our evening all planned out.”

  “Oh?” Tom couldn’t help but grin as he took off his shoes and reached down to unhook Mister Doodles’ leash. “Really?”

  “Mmhm.” Cypress reached for his hand and took his bag. “Come on.”

  Tom followed Cypress to the bedroom and watched him set the bag on the foot of the bed. Mister Doodles had followed them, her tail still wagging.

  “Have you eaten?” Cypress asked.

  “Shit. No. What time is it?”

  “Eight-thirty.”

  “I may have forgotten,” Tom confessed, cringing when Mister Doodles barked. “Hers, too.”

  “Don’t worry. I’ve got you.” Cypress winked. “Go ahead and undress for me. I’m going to run a bath, and you are going to relax while I feed the man-eater.”

  “A bath?” Tom laughed but obliged Cypress by starting to take his clothes off. He couldn’t even remember the last time he’d taken a bath. He let Cypress lead him into the bathroom, watching him fill the giant claw-foot tub.

  “Lavender to help clear your head,” Cypress said as he drizzled a milky liquid into the water. He turned around to look over Tom, licking his lips.

  His desire was obvious, and it made Tom blush.

  “Thank you,” Tom said as he stepped into Cypress’s open arms and kissed him.

  “Mm, it’s my pleasure.”

  Tom couldn’t help but groan when Cypress hugged him close, his strong hands gliding over his back and his hips as their kiss heated up. It felt so good to be with Cypress again, and Tom greedily slid his fingers through his soft beard and up over his short hair.

  It was all too easy to get caught up in Cypress’s lush lips and his strong arms, and Tom’s cock was getting hard. He gasped when Cypress grabbed his ass, bringing their hips together and grinding forward. He was hard, too, and Tom moaned.

  “Bath,” Cypress murmured, pulling away with an obvious amount of effort. He grinned down at Tom, scolding, “I’m supposed to be spoiling you tonight.”

  “Orgasms are totally considered part of being spoiled, right?” Tom asked hopefully.

  “Later.” Cypress turned off the water and nodded at the tub. “Go on, get in. I’ll be right back.”

  Tom watched Cypress leave with Mister Doodles at his heels, lingering to admire his firm ass as he walked away before turning back to carefully step into the tub. It wasn’t too hot, just warm enough to make him groan as he sank down.

  The smell of lavender was pleasant but not overpowering, and he loved that the tub was big enough for him to stretch out. He got settled until only his head was sticking out, resting back on the edge of the tub, and he closed his eyes.

  Tom let himself relax, ignoring both his very persistent erection and the frantic reservoir of worries that were close to bursting. It was okay now. He was safe here.

  He was relieved he’d finally told Cypress the truth, the weight of that awful secret being lifted right away and making him feel so much lighter. He didn’t know if he’d feel better about it tomorrow if Fox put him in handcuffs, and he could feel the pain in his chest coming back.

  He tried taking a few deep breaths and enjoy the warmth of the water all around him. It helped, and he was able to keep the panic at bay.

  “You look very comfortable,” Cypress noted upon his return, a smile in his voice.

  “Very much so.” Tom opened his eyes, drowsily peering up at him to see a plate in his hands full of white flowers filled with what looked like pudding. “What are those?”

  “Tulip blossoms stuffed with chocolate mousse,” Cypress replied, kneeling next to the tub. He picked one up and offered it to Tom. “Here, try one.”

  “You can eat tulips?”

  “You can eat a lot of different flowers. Trust me.”

  Tom obediently opened up his mouth and accepted the blossom in one bite. He trusted Cypress with having the power to send him to jail; eating a flower seemed to be a reasonable leap of faith.

  Truthfully, he barely tasted the blossom. There was a crisp flash of sweetness, but it was quickly swallowed up by the rich, velvety taste of the mousse. He groaned loudly, his mouth aching from the wondrous flavor. “That is amazing.”

  “Good.” Cypress smiled. “I don’t want you to eat too much and get sick, so after this, you’re going to have chicken noodle soup.”

  “Ha! Am I sick?”

  “Not exactly,” Cypress replied thoughtfully, sliding another blossom into Tom’s mouth. “Drop usually happens within a few hours or a few days after a scene. My guess is that you’ve spent so many years repressing your emotions it took longer to catch up with you.”

  “Well, fuck.” Tom munched quietly. “How long will it last?”

  “Depends. Some subs bounce right back, others take weeks.” Cypress gently slid his fingers through Tom’s hair. “We’re going to take it a little easy for a while, okay?”

  “Define ‘a while.’”

  “Until I’m sure you’re ready.” Cypress offered him another tulip. “Want another?”

  “I’m good. They’re delicious, but they’re so rich. And hey, I really do feel better,” Tom insisted. “Just being here with you, telling you the truth? It feels like I can breathe again.”

  “Thank you for trusting me.” Cypress ruffled his hair. “Now trust me to make the best decision for you.”

  “Ugh. Fine.” Tom flicked some water at him.

  “Easy.” Cypress laughed.

  Tom grinned, resisting the urge to splash him again. He felt a new question bubbling up, and he asked, “Do Doms ever drop?”

  “They can, but it’s not as common.” Cypress picked up a washcloth and a bar of soap, lathering it up as he kneeled behind the tub. He began to gently wash Tom’s neck and shoulders, saying, “I think part of it is that Doms don’t talk about it.”

  “Mmm, ‘cause they’re supposed to be all tough and in control?” Tom’s eyes closed as Cypress’s strong hands worked over his sore muscles. He hadn’t realized how tense he was.

  “Something like that,” Cypress said, kissing Tom’s hair by his ear.

  “I really am sorry about what I said.” Tom sighed. “I wish I could take it back.”

  “Calling me a freak?” Cypress asked calmly.

  Tom winced. “Yes. It was cheap, and it was mean, and I’m sorry.”

  “You’re new to this.” Cypress raised on
e of Tom’s arms to rub it down before moving to the other. “I get it. It’s weird, it’s overwhelming. You certainly aren’t the first one to call me that.”

  “Maybe I’ll be the last,” Tom said, daring to hope this could be fixed. What he felt for Cypress was real enough, and he hated to think he’d ruined what could be the start of something wonderful.

  “Last one to let me down, right?” Cypress teased. “Isn’t that what undertakers say?”

  “Yeah, but it’s not about disappointing someone.” Tom laughed. “It’s talking about letting you down into the grave.”

  “Mm, learned something new today.” Cypress leaned in close, his beard brushing Tom’s shoulder as he lazily dragged the washcloth over his chest.

  Tom smiled, leaning back until he could rest the side of his head against Cypress’s. He enjoyed the warmth, the closeness, and every stroke of the washcloth over his skin was sending him into an absolute state of bliss.

  All he could hear was Cypress’s breathing and the water lightly lapping at the sides of the tub. It was peaceful, and Tom gently caught Cypress’s hand to kiss it.

  Cypress kissed Tom’s hair, letting their fingers weave together and rest against Tom’s chest.

  Tom smiled, feeling his heartbeat beneath their joined hands, holding them there for a long moment. He opened his eyes to look up at Cypress, saying quietly, “I want to try again. I do. I really like you… so, can we start over?”

  “I like you, too.” Cypress nosed along Tom’s cheek. “I do appreciate you being honest with me.”

  Tom didn’t like that Cypress hadn’t answered the question and tried to ease his anxiety by teasing, “You have any skeletons I need to know about?”

  “No,” Cypress replied. “The whole bondage and domination gig is pretty much it.”

  “So? Dating?”

  “That word is important to you, hmm?” Cypress sounded amused.

  “Having something real, yeah.” Tom frowned. “It’s important because I don’t want this to be a casual thing. I want a boyfriend. Maybe even one who isn’t going to blackmail me would be cool.”

  Cypress was quiet, rubbing his thumb over Tom’s knuckles. “I’m not going to do that to you. If you wanna be with me, it’s going to be because you want to and not because I’m making you.”

  Tom turned around in the tub so he could look at Cypress face to face, grinning excitedly. “Really?”

  “Don’t sound so surprised.” Cypress chuckled. “As long as you fully understand I’m still going to be your Dom. I’ll take care of you, make sure you feel good, and teach you everything I know.”

  “Okay,” Tom whispered, drawn in with a nudge of Cypress’s hand for a kiss. He wanted to come out of the tub and crawl into his arms, but Cypress held him in place.

  “Now, come on. Let’s get you that soup.” Cypress smiled, standing up and grabbing a towel. He helped Tom step out of the tub and dried him off, trading little kisses and hugs.

  Tom couldn’t remember ever being pampered like this, but he could definitely get used to it. Bundled up in a towel, he followed Cypress back into the bedroom for his pajamas. He had brought a pair of sweats and a t-shirt, and after got dressed, he pulled the pockets of the sweats out.

  To the kitchen they went, and while Cypress was fixing a bowl of soup, he asked, “Why do you do that?”

  “What?”

  “Pull your pockets out like that.”

  “Habit.” Tom laughed, tugging on one of them. “When we pick people up, we have to check their pockets. We call it bunny-earring or rabbit-earring them. It’s to help make sure we don’t miss anything.”

  “Expecting to be picked up soon?” Cypress blinked as he offered the bowl out.

  “No,” Tom said quickly. “I know it’s silly, but I always think that if I can make my own removal easier, I should? If I happen to drop dead in the middle of the night, at least no one will have to check my pockets. They’ll already see that they’re empty.”

  “That is weirdly considerate of you.”

  “I’m a very considerate guy.”

  “And still weird.”

  Soup in hand, Tom followed Cypress over to the couch. Mister Doodles joined them, but she only seemed interested in exploring Tom’s bowl. They picked out a movie and cuddled up together, the conversation devoid of murder, blackmail, or sex.

  They didn’t need all of that to enjoy each other’s company. Just being with Cypress, laughing and chatting about the movie together, was so much fun. The simple pleasure of having Cypress’s arm around him and holding his hand was somehow as intimate as when they had sex.

  Shit.

  Now Tom was thinking about sex again.

  He knew Cypress wanted them to wait, and he did his best to keep his thoughts clear of carnal activities. As the movie credits rolled, he noticed Cypress messing with his phone. “Everything okay?”

  “Texted Fox,” Cypress replied. “He’ll stop by tomorrow for our hypothetical conversation.”

  “Can’t wait.” Tom grimaced.

  “It’s gonna be fine,” Cypress promised, giving his hand a big squeeze. “Mm, how are you feeling?”

  “Really good,” Tom said, smiling brightly. He’d said as much earlier, but this time it felt like he really meant it. “Since I’ve been here, I haven’t heard her once.”

  “Good. If she comes back, tell me.” Cypress kissed Tom and made as if he was going to pull away, but he paused.

  Tom kissed him back, murmuring pleasurably. He didn’t want to stop, not yet, and tried to encourage Cypress to keep going.

  Cypress went on kissing him, using his arm around Tom’s shoulders to draw him in closer.

  Tom went willingly, his hands sliding up Cypress’s broad chest as they kissed. It was slow, deep, and they took their time finding the perfect fit. From there, the heat increased, with an open-mouthed kiss and nimble slides of their tongues that made Tom start to pant.

  He was trying to behave, but it was difficult when Cypress could drive him this crazy with only a kiss. He kept his hands where they were, determined not to grope, but his fingers did dig in a little when Cypress groaned.

  That low sound made Tom shiver, and he did not want to stop at kissing. His cock was already getting hard, and desire was making his head feel light. “Mmm, Cypress.”

  “We really need to go to bed.” Cypress’s voice was hoarse, and he inhaled sharply before clearing his throat. “You need to rest.”

  “Right. Yeah.”

  Rest was the last damn thing on Tom’s mind.

  They left Mister Doodles sleeping on the rug and retired to the bedroom to brush their teeth and take their turns in the bathroom. Tom had to sit down to piss, cursing at his hard dick to stand down.

  When he joined Cypress in bed, he realized he was exhausted.

  Even the marrow in his bones was tired, drained from the physical and emotional labor of the day. It wasn’t enough, however, to stop him from letting what was meant to be a sweet good night kiss turn into another juicy make out session.

  Tom simply couldn’t get enough of Cypress’s lips, so velvety and full, and he could feel the very air around them starting to boil from the intensity. He wanted more, so much more, and he kissed Cypress with everything he had.

  They should go right to bed, but Tom needed this. More than Cypress’s words, Tom needed to have something physical to secure all the loose moorings in his mind. Cypress could say that they were fine and starting anew as much as he wanted, but it didn’t feel real.

  Tom wanted proof, a tangible act to bring them together beyond those sweet promises, and he didn’t know how to express that except to keep kissing Cypress. It was desperate, a bit messy, but it seemed to be working.

  Cypress gently urged Tom onto his back, his thigh sliding between Tom’s legs and pressing into his groin. The friction felt good, and Tom arched up against him with a needy moan. He let out a hushed cry when Cypress grabbed his hip, holding him in place.

  “Cypress
,” Tom murmured. “Will you… please…?”

  “Slow down,” Cypress soothed, tenderly kissing his way down Tom’s neck. “Just me and you tonight, okay?”

  “Okay,” Tom agreed, his eyes falling closed as Cypress continued to kiss and suck at his throat.

  “No safe words. No scenes. None of that.” Cypress slid his hands up Tom’s shirt, reverently kissing his bare chest. “Let me take care of you.”

  All the soft layers of clothing peeled away until there was nothing between them. The feeling of naked skin pressed against his own made Tom’s desire increase tenfold in seconds, and he curled his legs around Cypress’s hips to draw him in even closer. He loved how their bodies looked as they twisted together like this, his fair skin so much paler up against Cypress’s rich dark brown.

  Cypress’s hands stayed on the move, stroking the curve of Tom’s thighs and his sides, squeezing and petting every inch of him. He bowed his head to kiss Tom’s nipples, lightly sucking each one until they hardened. He circled them with his tongue, squeezing and teasing them with his teeth.

  Tom was nearly frantic now, and he didn’t recall his nipples ever being this sensitive. It was like there was a cord connecting each one right to his dick, and soon he was squirming. He had to have more, pressing his heel into the small of Cypress’s back with a short grunt.

  Chuckling underneath his breath, Cypress finally seemed to take pity on Tom and got the lube out from the bedside table drawer.

  Tom was certain Cypress was going to drag this on for too long, and he took the bottle from him.

  “Impatient, are we?” Cypress breathed. “I wanted us to take things slow tonight…”

  “This is slow,” Tom argued.

  “I wasn’t planning on having sex. I wanted us to relax.”

  “This is relaxing,” Tom continued to protest, soon pumping his wet fingers inside of himself and shuddering. “Mmm, orgasms are very relaxing, remember?”

  “Fuck, Tom,” Cypress whispered, dragging his teeth over his ear and rolling his hips forward. His cock was hard, pressing into Tom’s inner thigh. “I thought about you all fuckin’ week…”

  “Yeah?” Tom panted. “Missed your little tiger?”