Love is Always Write Anthology Volume 2

him while he relived it. "So, I'm sure you'll have to write me up for this, but I don't care," Cory admitted.
    "I'm not writing you up for a damn thing." Cory felt relief wash over him. He'd been sure his boss would be angry for their risky maneuver. He'd been mostly worried that he would get TJ in trouble for treating the lion without a backup team. Lora chuckled. "Ben would probably haunt me. We will be talking about a better backup plan for coverage in the future, though. You can bet on that."
    Cory rolled his eyes at the thought of those meetings. "If you insist."
    "Are you okay? That's all I really care about, you know."
    "Yes, thanks to TJ, I'm more than okay." TJ kissed his cheek. Cory smiled up at him.
    "Okay, I'll be there in thirty to cover obs. Why don't you get the night keepers to take over until I arrive and you can head home."
    "We'll stay until you get here." Cory couldn't bring himself to leave just yet.
    "Okay, but don't make me walk in on any funny business. What am I saying?" Lora laughed. "Never mind. Do what you must. Maybe I'll make it in time for the late show."
    "Har-har. See you when you get here."
    "She wants to watch, huh?" TJ was grinning down at him. His face was red, but there was laughter in his eyes.
    "She's just yanking my chain." Cory rolled his eyes. "That's what we do best."
    Cory took another look at Bogo. He was resting his head on his paws watching them with weary eyes. Cory turned in TJ's arms. "I'd rather let the boys watch." He stood on his tip toes and dragged TJ's mouth to his. He poured every bit of himself into the kiss. He felt TJ run hands down his back to grip his ass. Cory moaned into TJ's mouth, tasting his minty flavor. TJ brought one hand up to gently cradle his head, and Cory's heart swelled.
    He ended the kiss when he heard the sound of Bogo puffing from right behind him. Cory turned his head to find Bogo seated at the front of the cage looking at them with curious eyes. "OMG, I told you he was gay. He's totally into this." Cory started to laugh. TJ joined him.
    "Maybe he's a romantic," TJ whispered into Cory's ear.
    "Maybe." Cory turned back to the man in his arms. His heart started to race. He looked into TJ's beautiful brown eyes for a long minute. Bogo puffed again as if to say, "Just do it."
    "Dr. Dylan?" Cory cleared his throat. Those three scary words were right on the tip of his tongue. Instead, he said, "We'll make a really good team, won't we?"
    TJ's smile widened. He was looking into Cory's eyes. "Yes, Cory, I believe we will."
    Cory pulled him into a hug, gripping handfuls of TJs shirt. He buried his face in the crook of TJ's neck and inhaled deeply, realizing he knew that smell after all. It smelled like home.
     
    THE END
    Author's Note: This story is a spinoff from The Ravens Crossing (TRC) , a project Amanda Corlies is very proud to co-create with two other published authors, Andi Lea and West Thornhill. Each storyline at TRC is the work of each individual author, but all stories work together in an overall story arc that is set within a shared fictional world. If you enjoyed this story and are intrigued by Wildwood and the cameo characters at The Broussard Center, you can read more about them over at TRC , where new stories post for free six days a week.
    Author bio: After many years as a professional zookeeper, Amanda Corlies broke out of her cage to follow her muse. This led her down a sometimes rocky and wild path. So far, she and her muse have remained friends. They now live on her family farm in Virginia, where she enrolled at a small woman's college to complete her BA, double majoring in creative writing and studio art. She recently received a master's degree from Goddard College in interdisciplinary art focused on creative writing, studio art, and environmental studies.
    Amanda's creative antics share a recurring theme of seeking greater respect for all living things. It is her highest priority to focus on embracing our similarities to others, rather than fearing our differences, because she feels a greater respect for each other is the first step to finding a greater respect for the world around us. She believes none of us are simply the labels society would place upon us. We are a beautiful mixture of light and shadow and color. The lines of our being easily seen by the naked eye that are blended and shaded with our less obvious, but no less glorious, places in between.
    She has published poetry, fiction, creative non-fiction, and