Page 15 of The Buck Stops Hare

Mrs. Pemberlin nodded sharply with approval. “I was worried sick. I didn’t know who the hell I could call, a lost omega just out here unprotected.”

Buck shrugged. “It worked out. Shame he had to learn that way.”

“Well, a crash course does wonders. You rutted him through a heat? I’m too old to have no pee sticks that aren’t expired but I could run out—” she said, but I choked and waved my hands dismissively.

“No! No. No need. Nope. Nothing like that happened.” I sighed as Buck laughed and agreed with me.

“Not breeding with him until a whole lot of cussin’, discussin’, and consentin’ has been done.” Buck gave me a simmering look that told me what we did was safe. “And consent isn’t given in heat.”

Mrs. Pemberlin gave Buck a slow nod and folded her arms. Her pale, freckled skin rasped dryly as she moved. “I have respect for gods. Not patience.”

“You may ask him any questions and I will not intervene.” Buck raised his hands, and Jacque galloped back over and into his lap for a snuggle. His little bunny chittering purr made my cheeks warm.

“Alright. So you got thrown into heat artificially. Who all touched you?” She stared me down, and I swallowed a lump in my throat.

“Grim kept me safe. I— Nobody put anything in me, I mean. Not really. Buck wouldn’t—” My cheeks burned, and she rolled her hand as if demanding I carry on. “Nothing happened!”

“Nothing,” Buck said as he made air quotes and Jacque barked in disagreement. Even my own bunny betrayed me. The god slouched into the couch and patted between Jacque’s ears.

“Define nothing, god.” She glared at me.

“Nobody put their dick in him, if that’s what you’re asking. Didn’t even allow him to suck my cock, but he got what he needed.” Buck poked Jacque’s nose and earned an affectionate nibble. “Still pure as the driven snow—back there, at least.”

“Well, how did you handle that much omega for that long?” She glared at him once more.

“He handled himself. And if he needed more, he had my body to use as needed.” Buck kept his tone polite. “And I’m old and wise enough to control myself.”

She pursed her lips and rolled her eyes before shaking her head and gesturing at me. “What’s the game plan? You moving out to live with him?”

“I dunno. I just woke up, ma’am. I was about to walk over and ask if you needed anything.” I sagged and her expression softened.

“Too good to me, boy. I’m fine on my own. Your godfriend takes care of something in my backyard for me and we’ll be golden and even.” She gestured at Buck, who raised a brow.

“The dead man you’ve buried out back?” Buck halted his ear scritches.

I knew it!

“Mhm.” She stared at the wall in that direction, face a mask of something.

“He deserve it?” Buck resumed his strokes.

“Ain’t my business to hand out karma. But he wasn’t kind, that was for certain. I need someone to look like him while we go get some legal stuff tied up and freshen up the corpse to have him buried.” She examined her nails. “His pension’s almost out, anyway. Left it all to some floozie up north, so if he died…well, you know.”

Buck twisted his lips. “How’d you do it?”

She shrugged. “It’s more of what I didn’t do. I stopped reminding him to take his medicine, stopped pestering him to go to the doctor every time he felt a twinge. I stopped being a nag, and it was enough to end him. Don’t get me wrong, I had my eye on some furniture polish on the stairs for a while when he was being ornery.” She shook her finger at me and I believed her. It was hard to believe I’d lived fifty feet from a dead body for the past few years.

“Make the appointments you need to, and I’ll offer my services. Cliff needs rest and my care for the time being. It’s my intention to see to his happiness, and if that’s in my current lands or elsewhere, it’s not up to me.”

“I wanna see Rayne. And my niece. I want to—” I shook my head. “I’ve got two classes left and was going to take them this summer. I can do them online. I want my degree.”

“I’m not too terribly tied down as of yet, Cliff. I can visit my lands if we need to stay here.” Buck’s little smile made my heart flutter.

“Alright. Stay however long you need. I’ll be heading downstairs.” Mrs. Pemberlin waved me off and shuffled away, leaving me alone with Buck and dreading the conversations to come.

He didn’t try to start the dialogue, nor did he ignore me. Quite the contrary, Buck stared intently, though he did spare enough to keep Jacque preoccupied, which made me jealous. “Bunny boi! Want to snuggle and get a lettuce?” I said the words and cringed the moment I did.

As if he understood my hesitancy, Buck laughed and nodded his head toward the fridge. “I picked up an assortment while I was out.”

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