Love is Always Write Anthology Volume 2

He tugged on the collar of TJ's shirt and pulled him down for a taste. TJ might be a little uptight, but he immediately responded, biting at Cory's lower lip. Cory smiled as he took the kiss deeper. TJ moaned, and Cory felt hands gripping his hips.
    Forcing himself to step back, Cory licked his tingling lips and said, "Much better." He grinned and winked. TJ blushed and pushed his glasses up. "It seemed like maybe I needed to loosen you up a little," Cory said.
    TJ's face grew brighter. He put his hands in his pockets and looked at the floor. "Um, yea, I'm not very good at this."
    Cory frowned. He hadn't meant to make things awkward. He reached out, cupping TJs cheek, waiting for him to look up. "You're doing just fine," he said. "Thanks for agreeing to go with me tonight. I know a memorial sounds kind of weird for a first date, but I promise the dinner before and the party after will be well worth it."
    "It's a great cause," TJ said. He laughed when Cory gave him questioning look. "I've already heard all about The Broussard Center and their annual Breakfast for Dinner fundraiser from Kat. Plus, I'd be attending Ben Larabee's memorial, anyway. It's expected, I'm sure, as a contract employee for the Larabee foundation."
    Cory felt a sudden wave of sadness wash through him at the sound of Ben's name. He blinked his suddenly stinging eyes. "Well, thanks all the same," Cory choked on the words.
    "Ho. Hey." TJ pulled him into a hug. "I take it he was a friend?" TJ rubbed gentle circles on Cory's back.
    He sighed and let himself take the comfort being offered. Cory couldn't speak, so he just nodded his head against TJ's solid shoulder and wrapped arms around his waist. TJ backed him to one of the chairs and gently pushed him onto the seat. He pulled another chair closer and sat with their knees touching. He rubbed soothing strokes on Cory's thighs.
    "Tell me about him."
    Cory squeezed his eyes shut for a minute. When he could speak, he said, "I met him at a donors' meeting just like the other night. It was right after I took this job, so he was one of the first people I met. I admired him so much." Cory stopped and swallowed several times.
    "Not surprising," TJ said. "I read about how he got involved with animal rescue after he went undercover to expose animal abuse at a circus."
    Cory let out a hollow sounding laugh. "He did. That's actually where he met Pierre, too."
    "At the circus?"
    "Yep," Cory said. "Pierre and Kat were both performers back in the day."
    "Wow." TJ looked surprised.
    Cory remembered how much that revelation had surprised him, too. It was so far removed from the wealthy philanthropists they had become. "Anyway, I admire them all, more than I can say, but to me, Ben was the most amazing. Finding out he started the animal park because he wanted to rescue Bogo and Pogo had a lot to do with that," Cory admitted.
    "Really?" TJ smiled, sitting up straighter. Cory was struck by how sexy he looked when you gained his full attention. It was something about the way TJ tilted his head and looked at you with those big, inquisitive eyes.
    "Apparently, the circus got Bogo and Pogo as cubs from the wild. They were using them for photo ops until they got too big to put in people's laps. But, they didn't have enough room to deal with two adult males, and all of the zoos and rescue places were full." Cory frowned and clenched his fists as he thought of all the people who bought cute cubs having no idea what to do with them once they were grown.
    "Not surprising." TJ pointed towards his laptop. "I just read the report yesterday from the lion Taxon Advisory Group calling for specific genetic pairings only this year, since exhibits around the country are still overstocked,"
    Cory smiled. "Doing your research?"
    "Always," TJ smiled.
    "Not surprising." They both laughed.
    "So, what? Ben found some donors to help him build the lion house?" TJ asked.
    "No, actually, he spent his own money to build it. Luckily for Bogo and Pogo, Ben comes from wealth, and he was moved enough by Bogo and Pogo's situation to rescue them. Otherwise, who knows where those boys might have ended up. Ben spent millions of dollars buying the land, building the exhibits, and hiring the staff. I was so lucky to call him my friend. He was such a good man. This is so fucking unfair." Cory covered his face with his hands as he started to cry. He couldn't stop himself. He let TJ pull him into a hug, and he clung to him.
    When he was able to regain control,