Butterfly Hunter 01 by Julie Bozza

Author:Julie Bozza [Bozza, Julie]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Gay, contemporary romance, gay adult romance
Publisher: Manifold Press
Published: 0101-01-01T00:00:00+00:00

Eight

It finally happened that afternoon. They’d set up camp, and then eaten lunch together. Nicholas had washed and dried the dishes, and then he’d headed off to wander around documenting the area surrounding the dark gold wattle. Dave spent an hour or so fussing around the campsite, making sure everything was organised as it should be.

Eventually, though, even Dave had to declare himself satisfied. He put a kettle of water on to heat on the gas stove, and ambled over towards Nicholas to ask whether he wanted a cup of tea, even though he already knew the answer would be yes. Maybe it was just an excuse to summon up another of those smiles. Dave pictured it now: the pleasure and happiness and gratitude lighting Nicholas up from the inside, his lovely lips curving and his dark blue eyes glowing … Dave was beginning to admit to himself that he was not immune to the charms of this man. Which didn’t mean that anything need necessarily happen, of course, and actually no doubt nothing ever would, but still. It was kind of an earth–shattering thing for a straight Aussie bloke to deal with, when the only thing he’d dreamed about for all the years of his life was Denise and their own versions of little Zoe.

And that was when it finally happened. Dave was mulling over a few last poignancies for Denise and all the things that could never now be, and Nicholas was walking towards him with just exactly the pleased, happy, grateful smile Dave had imagined lighting him up – Nicholas was saying, “You’re making tea? You wonderful man, you must have read my mind!”

When Dave suddenly froze. “Stop,” he said quietly, lifting his hands just far enough to insist on stillness.

Nicholas froze, too, and for a moment he was wide–eyed with fear, trying to glance sideways at the waterhole without moving more than his eyes, perhaps thinking there must be a crocodile emerging to stalk them, or something equally dire. “What is it?” he whispered after a moment.

“Stay still,” Dave advised. “I’m going to reach for your camera.” It was tucked into the top of the open satchel at Nicholas’s left hip.

By the time Dave straightened again with the camera in his hands, Nicholas had made a better guess, and was almost quivering with anticipation. “Is it … ?”

“A scrap of the sky. Yes. On your Akubra.”

“Oh, David … You bought me this hat.”

He puffed out a silent laugh. “I didn’t realise it was a butterfly catcher, too.” He took a pace round to his left, and slowly lifted the camera. Zoomed in, and focussed it. Took a few snaps with the butterfly filling the screen. Even while concentrating on photographing it, Dave was astonished by its beauty. A vibrant blue, with black markings, and scalloped curves round the edge of each wing, trailing down to long black tail–like things. Just amazing.

Dave zoomed the camera out a bit, and took a few of the butterfly and the Akubra, and Nicholas’s eyes peeking at him from under the brim, wild with excitement and joy.

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