Page 25 of The Buck Stops Hare

“Ahh, I get it. Godhood doesn’t really pay all that well, I take it.” I leaned back and Storm’s expression went from mild adoration of my brother to light incredulity that ceded to Rayne’s light glare.

“Godhood pays nothing. It’s what we do for people that evolves into a unique kind of wealth. Also, my IT service company is doing pretty good. We get by nicely.” He focused his attention on Vida again and I had to tamp down the jealousy spiking in me. “Now, where do you two intend on staying? Wehave a room here for you two, but fair warning—gods get freaky and I don’t want to hear your whiny little bottoming noise.”

“Or topping,” Buck added, leaning back as he spread his arms along the back of the couch with a grin full of absolute shit-eating smugness.

“Oh.” Rayne eyed me up and down with a hint of doubt before huffing. “Well, damn. Stop making it harder for me to rag on you, jeez. Also, Buck, you didnothit me as a switch.”

Buck shrugged. “I was adapted at a time when gay wasn’t really considered a thing. Roles and preferences were largely on the couple. A man may have had a wife, but he could have a husband, too. They might share her for the legacy, provide for a woman to balance out family lines or something, but having a male companion was a common thing. Finding pleasure between the two was largely inconsequential. As long as they weren’t related… Even then…”

Rayne’s mouth pursed into a fine line. “Right… Okay. Anyway. Moving on!”

“As you wish. I could give you more details?” Buck gestured and made Rayne pantomime a gag before holding a hand up in protest.

I really like him. A lot.

“Right, so moving on! You can stay here, or in the barns if you’re going to get loud, or one of the packhouses for a while until you build something…” Rayne gave me a pleading look.

“Packhouse will do fine,” Buck agreed before reaching for my hand for a squeeze. “I want Cliff to see the wolves, too.”

Rayne nodded along and smiled. “Maybe a trip out to see Sal later if River allows? River isn’t really ideal for getting more knowledge about the whole omega thing, but Sal is gold.”

An oven in the kitchen beeped and Storm sidled off, patting Rayne’s knee as he puttered about.

I’d seen the boars, a few of them during my brief hold with Grim, and they’d surprised me, but nothing shocked me. Every new revelation made me feel like some long-distant thing I was missing had returned.

“Rayne, I think this cornbread is done. Smells done. Want me to pack it up?” Storm shouted from the kitchen.

“Yeah. Put a towel over the top to keep it moist, not the wrap or foil. It’ll get soggy otherwise.” Rayne’s casual toss over his shoulder caught me off guard.

“Who are you and what have you done with my brother? You burned a salad once for fu—frick’s sake?” I blanched and Rayne gave me a wicked glare that faded into indifference. Storm snorted from the kitchen.

“The witches are teaching him how to cook because he isn’t one of the boys’ club.” Storm huffed as he carried a few pans out of the kitchen, stacked, making his way outside to what I assumed was his vehicle. He returned to the kitchen and came back with another two pans stacked; lips twisted guiltily as he passed by.

Rayne smirked. “He thinks I don’t know he stole a piece. But no, I wanted to learn to cook, and all the witches are like really cool aunties and grandmas.”

“No shit? They like you? And they’re cool with the whole…” I gestured toward him and made a limp-handed motion.

“Gay? Omega? Babies?” He tilted his head as Vida fussed and pulled from his chest with a cranky little grunt.

“Yeah.”

“Oh yeah. They knew and helped me into the mindset. You think I just walked in here one day and went ‘Gee, I sure hope I can make babies!’ Really?” He rolled his eyes and procured a towel from somewhere before burping Vida over his shoulder. She spit up and he patted her bottom, confirming what I suspected was a dirty diaper.

I really hoped they’d offer me some of that comfort. The way Rayne grinned at me as he excused himself told me that was likely the case.

“Want me to handle it?” Buck offered to take Vida, but Rayne waved him off.

“Go get Cliff ready. I got it.” Rayne slid out of sight as Buck did just that, offering me a wide smile.

Maybe having a kid with him wouldn’t be bad. He seemed to be content with doing his parental duty. As I thought about it, Buck caught my gaze and smirked before leaning in to catch me for a soft kiss.

He smelled like stone and earth, petrichor and the stale air of caves, but not in a foul way. He welcomed me into his presence, and I found myself kissing him back, perhaps a little chastely.

The deep green of his eyes flared, and I wanted nothing else but to drown in them, to have him in my bed again, but my libido stilled when he rested our foreheads together. Rough fingers combed the side of my head and into the fringe of my hair as he inhaled deeply. “Come on. We won’t get much alone time until we go to bed. And beware of River. He’s squirrely.”

I snuck a soft peck before Buck gestured me out to my car, the old thing sitting a little unevenly on the gravel drive. I dusted off a headlight before climbing in and waiting for Buck’s direction. He bent low to scoop Jacque into his arms.

In a moment, he was beside me, buckling his seat belt without provocation. I didn’t think he needed to, but it was nice not to hear the twangy dinging every ten seconds. Jacque nestled into his lap.

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