The Last One to Let You Down

by K. L. Hiers

  Cypress worked their cocks together masterfully, his face drawn tight in concentration as he started to pant. “I’ve got you, Tom. Come on, my good boy… my very good boy, come for me. Come on.”

  Tom’s arms pulled against the cuffs, and he gasped sharply as he suddenly came, all of the sweet pressure that had been building letting loose in a wave of bliss. His cock unloaded fast, and he couldn’t look away from where they were joined, trying to see.

  Cypress’s grip began to stutter as he let out a deep groan of pleasure, rocking their cocks together. Only when he was done did he begin to peel his foreskin back, a thick ooze of their come dribbling out. He sighed with deep satisfaction, stroking himself a few times to squeeze it out all over Tom.

  “Oh, my God,” Tom whispered, staring stupidly as it dripped all over his cock and balls.

  “Good?” Cypress asked breathlessly, grinning down at him.

  “So good,” Tom promised as he stretched out his legs. “Wow… I didn’t… I didn’t even know that was a fuckin’ thing.”

  “Oh, baby boy,” Cypress teased, “you just wait. I have so much more to show you.”

  “More?”

  “Lots more.”

  More was going to have to wait while Cypress busied himself with cleaning them both up and returning the plate to the kitchen. He called out that he was going to walk Mister Doodles, and Tom was content to stay hooked up to the bed.

  He couldn’t explain why he felt so buzzed, but his foggy mind soon supplied that this must be the delicious subspace Cypress had talked about. Whatever it was, he wanted to stay here forever. He had never felt so good, so beautiful, loving how his body looked stretched out across Cypress’s bed.

  He even liked the cuffs.

  Cypress came back, sitting down beside Tom in bed and checking both of his hands with a gentle squeeze. “Still good?”

  “Yes, sir,” Tom replied.

  “I’m glad,” Cypress said, smiling as he began to unhook the cuffs and remove them. “You’ve been such a good boy for me.”

  “Thank you, sir.” Tom smiled, stretching his arms and rubbing his wrists. He missed being tied up already, noting, “You could have kept me cuffed longer.”

  “Not tonight.” Cypress shook his head. “We’re taking it slow, okay? Now, come on. We’re gonna grab a shower before bed.”

  “Bed?” Tom protested.

  “One of us has to work tomorrow.” Cypress helped Tom sit up and kissed him. “I’ve still got a few arrangements left to make, so we’re taking a shower, and you’re going to bed.”

  “Mm, am I a distraction, sir?”

  “A big one.”

  The shower was hot, and Tom enjoyed the stinging spray against his skin. He smiled when Cypress began to wash him and rubbed him all over.

  It felt so good to be touched, and he took the soap from Cypress so he could wash him, too. He loved how firm his muscles were, unable to resist squeezing Cypress’s pecs and shoulders.

  Cypress chuckled at the groping, returning the affection by sliding his soapy hands down Tom’s thick hips and palming his round ass. He teased his soapy fingers between Tom’s cheeks, sliding over his hole with a soft sigh.

  They kissed, unhurried and gentle, and Tom enjoyed the teasing caresses. Cypress got the shampoo to soap up Tom’s hair, his fingers raking over Tom’s scalp and sending little zings of pleasure down his spine.

  Tom took the shampoo next, squirting a big blob in his hands to wash Cypress’s hair, dragging his fingers into his beard to scrub beneath his chin. Their bodies were covered in bubbles, slippery and wet as they rubbed up against one another, and Tom couldn’t stop himself from stealing another kiss.

  When they pulled away, Cypress started to laugh. “Nice bubble ‘stache.”

  Tom wiped off his mouth with a bashful grin. “Wasn’t thinking. Just wanted to kiss you.”

  “Mm, let’s get rinsed off and get you in bed.”

  “Can we stay a little longer?” Tom wrapped his arms around Cypress’s middle, pressing his face into his chest.

  “Yeah. Just for a bit.”

  A bit turned into staying inside the shower until the water began to run cold. They quickly rinsed the last of the suds away, and Cypress stepped out first to grab some towels. He wrapped one around his waist, turning back to bundle Tom up and start drying him off.

  “Thank you.” Tom grinned as Cypress fluffed his hair, letting him take the towel to finish up. He felt so relaxed, and it honestly wouldn’t take much for him to fall asleep. He wrapped the towel around himself and tried unsuccessfully to stifle a yawn.

  “Mmm, tired?” Cypress smiled knowingly, picking up a small amber bottle and splashing a yellow oil in his hand. He began to rub it into his beard, saying again, “I’m serious about you crashing. It’s been a pretty crazy day.”

  “Yeah,” Tom agreed. “I’m full and tired and mm. Sleep sounds very good.” He paused, sniffing the air as Cypress continued to work the oil into his beard and hair. “That. What is that?”

  “Argan oil.”

  “That’s why you always smell so good?” Tom was curious, leaning in to catch a whiff.

  “This and coconut oil,” Cypress replied as he unscrewed the lid of a small plastic tub. Inside was a white, creamy salve. “I put a little in my beard, use the rest everywhere to keep my skin from getting dry.”

  “Could I…” Tom glanced at the coconut oil and back to Cypress’s naked body, not sure if his request would sound too strange.

  “You wanna put it on me?” Cypress asked, clearly reading Tom’s ravenous gaze.

  “Please?”

  “Go right ahead.”

  Tom grabbed the tub almost too fast, slathering his hand and globbing the oil right in the middle of Cypress’s broad chest. Not the most subtle application, but he began to smear it and rub it in everywhere. He stroked Cypress’s shoulders and arms, sliding their fingers together as he coated his hands.

  He did his best to make sure it was all rubbed in, enjoying the tropical, warm scent all over both of them now. He made sure to get Cypress’s back and his stomach, letting his fingers dip below the edge of his towel just enough to earn himself a playful smack.

  “Watch it,” Cypress scolded.

  “What happened to having more to show me?” Tom teased back.

  “Work happened.” Cypress laughed. “Mm, maybe if you’re lucky, I’ll show you some new stuff tomorrow.”

  “Fine.” Tom pretended to pout, grinning when Cypress pulled him in for a deep kiss. “What was that for?”

  “To make sure you know I’d much rather be doing you all night than putting together some flower arrangements.”

  “Ah, you really say the sweetest things.”

  “Right?”

  Tom finished getting ready for bed and tucked himself in, saying good night to Cypress before he headed downstairs to work. It was easy to get settled down, still warm from the hot shower and buzzing from the awesome sex.

  He noticed that he didn’t have the familiar sense of dread and urgency about having to go to work tomorrow, precisely because he wasn’t going. Instead, he had a guilty rush of pleasure as if he was playing hooky.

  It was nice.

  He wasn’t worried about the awful mess that was waiting for him back at home or what was going to happen with Junior and all the burglaries. In this bed, snuggled in tight, he felt safe. The only thing he had to fret over was whether or not Mister Doodles was going to sneak in here and try to nibble his face.

  He laughed softly to himself at that thought, closing his eyes and drifting to sleep.

  Mister Doodles did join him in bed at some point, but she didn’t try to eat him. She curled up by his feet and remained there until Cypress came to bed. Tom drowsily cuddled up next to him as Mister Doodles repositioned herself up against his side.

  Cypress kissed his cheek, whispering, “Good night, Tom.”

  Tom smiled, mumbling sleepily, “Night.” His smile grew as Cypress’s arm curle
d around him, and he was back asleep in moments.

  When Tom woke up the next morning, it was only him and Mister Doodles. It was a quarter after eight, and he was pleased to have slept in so late. He rolled around and dozed back off until his bladder demanded he get up.

  He saw he had a text waiting for him from Cypress, rubbing the sleep out of his eyes as he read it:

  The house is yours. Hope you slept well.

  Thank you, he texted back. Slept awesome. Hope you did, too.

  Tom used the bathroom, skipped shaving, took Mister Doodles out, and then he tried to decide what he was going to do with himself today. He hadn’t had this much time off in years, and he had no clue what to do.

  He made breakfast for Mister Doodles and was pleased to find a fresh pot of coffee waiting for him. He made himself a cup and headed into the living room.

  Sitting down in front of the television seemed to be a good start to this impromptu vacation, but he couldn’t figure out how to work the damn remote. He gave up and sent a pleading text to Cypress.

  Sorry to bug you, but can you please tell me how to work your TV?

  He didn’t get a response right away and decided to scroll through a few neglected social media apps. When his phone suddenly rang, his initial hope was that it was Cypress calling him.

  It was the funeral home.

  Heart sinking, Tom sighed and answered it. “Hello?”

  “Hey, Tom,” Aaron’s cheerful voice greeted him. “Sorry to bother you on your very first fancy day off, but uh, is there any possible way you could come in today?”

  “Come on,” Tom scoffed. “I’m on vacation.”

  “Recovering from your surgery, I know,” Aaron said very purposefully, no doubt for Mr. Crosby’s benefit, “but there’s a problem with Mr. Lundy.”

  “What kinda problem?”

  “While the guys were getting him ready, his makeup maybe might have gotten a little tiny bit squished.”

  “Oh, fuck.” Tom sat up, immediately in a panic. “When is his viewing?”

  “Not until tomorrow,” Aaron replied quickly. “If you could possibly stop by for a little bit to fix him up, I would so appreciate it. Gerald tried to fix it, and he really just made it worse—”

  “Oh, God.” Tom could picture Gerald’s clumsy fingers screwing around all in his waxwork, and he wanted to scream. “Yeah, look, I’ll be there. I don’t know when.”

  “No problem. Get here whenever you can.” Aaron paused. “And uh, did you ever bring back that watch? Gerald was talking to that agent guy and told me not to worry about it—”

  “Oh, it’s fine. Yup. Everything’s fine. See you soon.” Tom hung up, grimacing miserably.

  So much for enjoying his time away from work.

  He couldn’t bring himself to tell Aaron what was going on with the watch and the break-in at his house, deciding it was better to keep him out of it. After still not getting a text back from Cypress, he decided to call.

  Tom knew he was supposed to stay here, but this had to qualify as an emergency.

  “Hey, sorry,” Cypress greeted him. “I saw your text, just got caught up with deliveries. Did you know Sunnyside Nursing makes you bring flower deliveries to the back of the damn building?”

  Tom laughed, replying, “Yeah? That’s where we pick up bodies from, too.”

  “By the dumpsters?”

  “Look, if you wanna know where bodies get brought out of hospitals and nursing homes, the best bet is to find where the trash is taken out.”

  “That’s delightful.” Cypress snorted. “Anyway, yeah, sorry I didn’t get up with you. There are actually two remotes, one for the TV and one—”

  “I’ve gotta go to work,” Tom suddenly blurted out. “Uh, so, don’t worry about the TV stuff. I’ll figure it out.”

  “Whoa, whoa! Work? As in the funeral home? The last place you need to be right now?”

  “Something happened, and Mr. Lundy’s face got messed up,” Tom replied urgently. “I have to go fix him. No one else can do it.”

  “Tom.” Cypress sounded serious. “Fox told you to stay away from there. I talked to him a little bit last night when he came by to pick up the watch. You were already asleep, and I didn’t want to wake you.”

  “What is it?”

  “They’ve put a warrant out for Junior’s arrest. As soon as they can find him, he’s going in cuffs.”

  “Shit.” Tom made a face. “I thought they didn’t have enough evidence or whatever?”

  “Fox didn’t give me details, but they’re definitely going after him for the burglaries. I don’t know about the murder—”

  “Look, I’ll be so quick,” Tom cut in. “It’ll take me like thirty minutes tops.”

  Cypress sighed.

  “I know it sounds crazy, but I have to do this. It’s not the family’s fault my crazy ex-boyfriend might be after me. They deserve to see poor Mr. Lundy looking peaceful and happy, and I’m the only person who can fuckin’ do that.”

  “All right, little tiger,” Cypress said, still sounding none too pleased. “But you’re waiting until I can be there with you.”

  “Just tell me a time. He’s not being viewed until tomorrow.”

  “After I finish here, I’ve got…” Cypress paused for a moment. “Two more deliveries downtown, so I can meet you at the funeral home at like eleven or so.”

  “Okay.”

  “Wait for me, okay?”

  “I will, I swear.”

  “This is really stupid. Like, splitting up in a horror movie stupid.”

  “I know,” Tom groaned, “but this is important to me.” He immediately thought about his mother, hoping Cypress would understand. “If there’s something I can do, anything at all, to help that family, I’ve gotta do it.”

  “I understand,” Cypress said quietly. “I get it, but this is it. After this, no more funeral home until Junior is arrested.”

  “Deal.”

  “Lock up when you leave. I’ll give you my house key when we’re done. I’ll see you in a little bit.”

  “Okay. Bye, Cypress.”

  “Bye, babe.”

  Tom smiled at the pet name as he ended the call, looking down to find Mister Doodles staring up at him. “Yes, I know. Your Daddy is gonna go do stupid things, but it’s for a very good reason.”

  She did not look convinced.

  Even though he was going in on what was meant to be a day off, Tom got dressed in his scrubs like normal. He finally figured out how to work the TV, but he couldn’t change the channel. He was stuck mindlessly watching a documentary about sharks before it was time to go.

  After taking Mister Doodles back out, he was ready. The drive to work was tense, and he was having trouble holding onto all the good feelings he’d cultivated last night. Reality was crashing back in, and he was nervous about what might happen when he walked into work.

  Gerald was going to somehow know about the missing formaldehyde and have him arrested, or maybe Junior would pop out from around a corner and attack him, or maybe sweet Miss Edie would reveal herself to be the true villain all along like some crazy Scooby-Doo plot gone wrong.

  Ha, right, and she totally used to be a bank robber, too.

  Tom dismissed his crazy thoughts as he pulled into the funeral home parking lot, smiling when he saw Cypress’s big van. He parked next to him, waving as he got out of his car.

  Cypress rolled down his window, saying firmly, “Thirty minutes. Do what you gotta do and come right back out. I’m staying right here. If I don’t see you in thirty minutes, I’m coming in there.”

  “I’ll be fine,” Tom said, trying to believe his own words. “In and out, I swear.”

  “Okay, baby. Go on. Sooner you’re done, sooner we can leave.”

  Tom rubbed Cypress’s arm. “Thank you. I’ll be so fast you won’t even notice I’m gone.” He turned to go, walking quickly to the back door to punch in the code and step inside.

  The hallway was only minimally crowded with two
caskets and one stack of boxes today, and he was able to wiggle through to the prep room in no time at all.

  He found Mr. Lundy dressed and casketed, and all the wax on his forehead had been smeared to reveal the stitches beneath. The wax Tom had used was pretty firm, and he had no idea what could have caused so much damage.

  Brushing up against him shouldn’t have left more than a smudge, but this looked like it had been done on purpose.

  “Fuck, I really am getting paranoid,” Tom mumbled to himself. He put on gloves and got to work repairing the wax, smoothing it back out to hide the stitches once more. It didn’t take him as long as the first time, and he was able to reapply the makeup quicker, too.

  As much as he didn’t want to go into the office, he figured he needed to let Aaron or whoever else was here know that he was done.

  In and out, super quick.

  He peeked his head into the main office, spying Scott the removal tech snoozing at his desk, and Earl was on the phone.

  Earl hung up when he saw Tom. “Thought you were supposed to be out on that doobiedigger, that vacation of yours.”

  “Hey.” Tom waved. “Aaron called me to fix up Mr. Lundy. Just popping in for a quick second.” He frowned at Scott when he started to snore. “Long night?”

  “Five new calls,” Earl replied grimly. “He was first up, and he’s back on tonight.”

  “Nobody to cover?”

  “Junior’s MIA, you’re on vacation, and none of my part-time guys are available. Scott is in no shape to work. He fell the fuck asleep trying to open his damn Pop Tarts a second ago.”

  “I’m done with Mr. Lundy, so I’m headed home,” Tom said quickly. He didn’t want to be rude, but he could feel himself getting pulled in. He needed to get out of here.

  “Ah, well. I trust your magnificent restorative efforts have been fruitful?”

  “Yeah, all apple and oranges.”

  Scott’s head suddenly shot up, and he loudly exclaimed, “Banana!”

  Tom stared as Scott looked all around in sleepy confusion before dropping back down on the desk without another word.