Chapter 10 #2
Glancing beside me, I look at him again and smile. “Yeah.” I scoot all the way to the left, as if to make room for him, and set the phone beside me in the large empty space. “Plenty.”
Huey lays across my feet, and I lean back with my arms folded behind my head as I stare up at the darkening sky. “It got darker within the last five minutes. Hopefully whatever you needed didn’t need to be done while it was still daylight.”
“It didn’t.”
“Good. You going to tell me what it is now?”
“Making you work during a relaxing sleigh ride? No way.”
I chuckle lightly. “It’s okay. My eyes could use a break from the starless sky.”
“Not a single one?”
“Nope. We don’t get many out here with all the light pollution. Maybe five max.”
He shuffles around. “That’s what sucks about living so close to the city. One of the reasons I love coming out here. Guess it can’t really be one anymore.”
“Why not? Did you forget . . . you have me here to describe them to you.”
He makes a small sound. “I think I might call you too often. At first, I was worried about asking for too much help, and now . . . now I can’t stop feeling like I need it.”
“In general, or just from me?” My tone deepens.
“I . . . I don’t know.”
I sigh, and look straight ahead at the dancing Santa. “Well, whatever the reason, I think you should know that I like helping you and I don’t even really see it as helping.”
“No?”
“Nah. I mean, I feel I’m benefiting from it too. I finally get to hear how much someone else can’t stand that fucking Christmas song.”
He sputters a laugh. “That’s all?”
“No. It’s been nice having someone to enjoy all this holiday stuff with. Someone who doesn’t bite my ankles and snort.”
He makes a high-pitched sound. “I mean . . . give me some time. I might do some of that too.”
My throat tightens. “You still haven’t told me what you called for.”
“My mail. I . . . my ex stopped by and left it on my porch. He, of course, waited until he left to call me to tell me it was there. I wanted to see who they were from.”
“You didn’t order anything?”
“No. I haven’t quite mastered online shopping yet. Last time I asked Alexa to order me something, it was the wrong kind of mixer.”
Laughter crawls up my throat. “So, they’re gifts, then?”
“I’m assuming so. My best friend and sister both like sending them every chance they can.”
“Okay. Show me these packages and we’ll see how far they went this time together.”
“Let’s,” he says, his voice sounding lighter than before.
It has my heart fluttering and feet feeling light as I climb down from the sled.
Huey moves with me, leading the way home, deciding for the both of us where we’ll go next.
I let him take me there as I keep my eyes mostly on the phone screen.
The camera shakes and stops moving when Henry is sitting on the couch next to a stack of boxes.
Reaching for the one on top, he rests it on its side on his legs, leaning forward. “Can you see the name?”
“Yeah. It’s from Janie.”
One side of his lips lifts and he rips open the center. After pulling out several layers of tissue, he shakes a small box with a number on it and pictures of socks.
“Sounds like some kind of clothes. Underwear maybe?”
“Close,” I say, slowly making it up my porch steps. “Socks.”
“Ah.” He sets the item on the other side of him. “Not often they come in a box.”
“They’re actually Big Bang Theory themed. Advent calendar style.”
His face leans toward the socks. “Oh. An advent calendar? This late in the month?”
“Twelve days. Who knows how long it was sitting in front of your house.”
His eyes blink and he nods. “Right. I haven’t asked anyone to check. Didn’t even think about it. Certainly wasn’t going to ask the person who ended up bringing them by. Then he probably wouldn’t have. He hated it when I asked . . .” His features harden. “Sorry.”
“Hey, no need for that. It sounds like something you really need to get off your chest.”
“Yeah.” He tugs on his bottom lip with his teeth and I lick mine, wishing I was there to nibble on it too.
It’s okay to think it. It’s not the same as doing.
Oh, but I wish I could. I bet it’s as soft as it looks.
Yeah, good thing he’ll be staying away from that park for a while.
Maybe for good since he no longer has a reason to go there. “The socks are Big Bang Theory?”
“Yeah. That your favorite show?”
“Kinda.” He blushes. “Something we always watched together. It was what we did on Thursday nights. Binged three or four episodes until we both passed out on the couch.”
“Doesn’t sound like a bad way to watch a show.”
“No. Not at all.” His lips turn up and I’m happy to see him moving past the war he was in with himself only minutes ago. “I actually miss it. We both got busy, and she’s engaged now.”
“Yeah. Life tends to get in the way of good things sometimes.”
“It does. Um . . .” A muscle ticks in his cheek. “Let’s check out the next one.”
“Ready when you are.” I finally take my key out and place it in the door. Pushing my way inside, I enter the house after Huey and hang up my coat on a hook by the door right next to the purple leash that Huey is happy to be free of.
Henry hums a song I don’t recognize, and as I’m lowering myself onto the couch, I catch myself tapping my fingers on my knee to match the catchy rhythm. He brushes his fingers over both sides of the large envelope and then shows me the label.
“Doesn’t say. It’s from . Maybe there’s a card inside.”
There is and it’s buried between more sheets of tissue paper. It’s a burgundy hoodie with a tiny logo at the bottom of the corner. I squint my eyes, trying to get a better look as I lean closer. “I think it has a Nike check.”
“Must be from my mom. She seems to think it’s all I wear.” He holds up the card.
“Flip it to the other side.” I laugh when he does. “Yup. It says, ‘love mom’ at the bottom after saying ‘to stay warm’.”
He laughs softly and swiftly moves to the next one. This box is bigger than the first, and it also doesn’t have a name. There’s a card inside and it’s from another family member.
“Plaid slippers and a matching robe.”
“Oooh. I really will be staying warm.” He hums lightly, holding the soft-looking material to his face.
“Yes, and in style too. Your family really loves you.”
“They do. Not all of them are aware I’m here alone and would probably come banging down that door if they were to find out. My sister knows better than to try to talk me out of something once I set my mind to it, though, and my friend gave up after the fifth attempt.”
A chuckle pushes past my lips. “Your friend sounds like my brother. He’s as stubborn as me but doesn’t like to admit it.”
“Is he as good at describing Christmas trees as you are?”
I grin. “No one is as good at that as me.”
“We can go ahead and pretend that’s true, so I don’t have to go back to watching movies with my robotic voice friend.”
I give half a laugh. “Hey, I’m here to tell you about all the trees you see whenever you need me to be. Even outside movies.”
“Even the one in town that gets lit at the beginning of the month?”
“Especially that one. I think I’d like to see if it’s any better than the one we have here.”
“It is.”
“You’re going to have to prove it,” I say in a sultry tone without meaning to.
“I just might soon. Whenever I’m brave enough to walk further than the sidewalk here.”
“You’ll get there. You’ve done it all before. There’s just a small hurdle to get over now is all, and you’re already doing so well getting over it when it comes to everything inside.”
“Yeah.” A smile cracks his face. “All thanks to you.”
“No, Honey. All thanks to you. I’m only here for all the movies I’d never watch on my own. Oh, and the tree you’re going to show me.”
His cheeks pinken. “And the tree I’m going to show you.”
He stops asking me to read the labels when he gets to the last box. He shakes it first and lifts a brow. “Sounds small for such a big package.”
“Open her up and let’s see why it needed so much room.”
He laughs, tearing open the top and his hand freezes once inside. Brows pushing together, he shakes off the paper and the metal between his fingers sparkles under the light. “It feels like metal.”
“It is. Lift it higher.”
His hand moves away from the box with the object in hand, and my throat goes dry once I’m able to get a better look. “Maybe we shouldn’t have skipped the label.”
“What is it?” His voice shakes as he slides his fingers between the small openings. Him touching it is only increasing the blood flow in my cock.
“I kind of don’t want to say in case it was delivered to the wrong house by mistake or . . .”
“Or?” He looks confused.
“Or this isn’t exactly something you’re ready to tell a guy you barely know about.”
“Twenty-one calls hardly makes us strangers. Not sure my sister and I have even had that many between us yet, and we grew up together.”
“It’s . . . I don’t know if I should just come out and say it or—”
“Just say it.The suspense is killing me.” He shifts on the couch, knees bouncing a little.
“It’s . . .” I take a breath, scratching my head.
“For crying out loud, Raf. Tell me before I assume it’s a ticking time bomb and toss it out the window.”
“You definitely don’t want to do that if you have any neighbors close by,” I say sheepishly.
“And why not? Hmm . . . because if I did, they would see a . . .” He tilts his head, waiting for me to finish the sentence.
“A cock cage,” I say, squeezing my knee.
I swear all the blood rushes out of his face, and he looks toward his hand, eyes as big as saucers. “Did you say a . . . a cock cage?”
“Yes. A metal cock cage. Looks expensive too,” I say, trying to lighten the mood a little.
The item slips from his fingers, crashing to the floor.
“I take it you weren’t expecting it.”
He shakes his head. “No . . . not at all. Has to be meant for someone else.”
“Want to lift the box for me? Then we can know for sure who it was supposed to go to.”
He nods, lips pressed tightly together, and with shaking hands, he lifts the box.
“It says your name.” And address. I can read it as clear as day now.
Fuck. No. No. No. I know his address. I’ll remember it when I’m sleeping too.
I remember everything. I didn’t even think about it when I offered to help him sort through his mail.
That happens with him sometimes. All my comprehension and reasoning goes straight out the window.
“That can’t be right. Who’s the sender?”
“It came from . It has the shop name. Someone ordered it straight from there.”
His nose flares. “Travis would use my account sometimes and pay with his card. He wanted free shipping.”
Anger boils inside me. “You think he ordered this for you before the breakup and forgot?”
“Not for me.” His voice goes quiet and his eyes point down at his shuffling hands. “For him. The guy who’s more exciting and fun in bed. He’d never get something like that for me.”
“Oh, Honey. Screw that asshole and his stupid cock cage. He may think he’ll find happiness with this new guy, but I give it two more weeks before he’s bored with him too.”
“Maybe.” He scoots back, knees knocking together. “I guess I better text him that I have it so he can get it to the right person.”
“Or throw it in the trash, and if he asks, act like you don’t know what he’s talking about. Serves him right for ordering his new boyfriend gifts using your account. The hell with both of them.”
His shoulders lift, jaw twitching. “You’re right. They can think it got lost in the mail. It’s not like he’d ever know the difference. It’s happened before.”
“And as long as he keeps using your account, his shit can keep vanishing.”
“Or . . . I can make sure he’s never able to use it again. Want to help me change the password and order a few things for myself using his credit card before I take it off my account?”
“Abso-fucking-lutely. And then I get to pick the movie this time.”
“You already have one in mind?”
“Do cock cages have keys?”
He laughs, lifting a set from the box. “It appears they do.”
“Then you have your answer.”
“Will I be able to guess what it is?”
“We’ll see after we get you some shoes that match that new hoodie. Ready to experience our first shopping trip together?”
His lips spread into a smile, and he when they slowly part, he says, “Abso-fucking-lutely.”