The Gift by Kim Dare

Author:Kim Dare [Dare, Kim]
Language: nld
Format: epub, pdf
Published: 0101-01-01T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter Three

"I gave you permission to bring it with you," Charles reminded him.

Nicky shook his head. "It's not important." This was the important thing, his master holding him close and everything being well between them, everything else, Christmas and all, could disappear and everything important would still remain.

Charles stopped stroking his hair.

Nicky looked up at him.

"Fetch it."

Nicky knew the tone of voice. He went and fetched it.

Taking the tree back to his master's side he put it on the floor and knelt next to it. Charles tapped his knee. "Back up here. Bring your tree with you."

Nicky sat on his master's knee with the advent tree on his lap.

"A portable version to take with you if you visit a house that isn't decorated to your satisfaction?" Charles guessed.

Nicky smiled at the gentle teasing and shook his head. He adjusted one of the branches. "It's an advent tree."

"Like an advent calendar?"

Nicky nodded again.

"And you open one of the little packages each day?"

Another nod.

"You should have told me you wanted one, pet. It sounds more like an appropriate present from your master than something you should have to buy for yourself."

57

The Gift

by Kim Dare

"I um..." he offered the tree to his master.

Charles raised an eyebrow.

"I made it for you," Nicky rushed out. "I know it is silly, master, you don't have to do it or anything, I just thought..."

Charles seemed amused by the idea. He turned the tree around, examining it from each angle. Finding the little parcel with a tag reading 1st December, he unhooked it from the tree.

Nicky bit his lip, wondering if his master would think it all stupid.

Charles unwrapped the parcel. Nicky had decided it was best to start with a safe content and work his way up.

Inside the bright red paper was one of Charles's favourite chocolates. Charles's lips twitched into a smile. He broke the chocolate cream in half. Offering one up to Nicky's lips, he slipped it into his mouth before eating the other half himself.

Charles began to crumple the wrapper in his hand. Nicky put his hand on Charles's wrist. His mouth was full of the sticky cream and chocolate. He couldn't speak. Charles smiled at his predicament and looked at the content of his fist.

Unfolding the paper he found what was written on the inside.

Nicky finally managed to swallow down the chocolate. "It's all different things we haven't done but which I thought you might want to do at some point," he explained nervously.

"A massage," Charles said, separating the main idea from the several lines flowing script.

"I took a course a few years ago," Nicky explained.

Charles didn't say anything.

58

The Gift

by Kim Dare

"I passed," Nicky added, just in case that would make a difference.

"And is this voucher valid for just the first day of December?"

Nicky shook his head. "It's just sort of a way of saying if you want to at some point I can, or I don't mind or..."

Charles studied him carefully. "One a day?"

Nicky nodded.

"And if I were to open them all now?"

Nicky glanced at him.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.