Page 55 of Season of Gifts

She couldn’t expect him to reply.He could be busy with any—three dots rippled at the bottom of the screen.Her mouth went dry.

More rippling.Maybe he was writing a book.Henry didn’t really do short.

The audio message icon blipped into the chat thread.Breath shaky, she touched the Play arrow.

Static resolved into a rainstorm.Henry’s voice flowed over the top.

I love you, my sweet girl.I apologize for our snappish exchange earlier; we are all of us encountering unexpected frustrations.I am greatly anticipating our reunion, whenever it comes.Mother has been doing well, and the agency will be pairing us with a day nurse in the next day or two.Once the situation here is stable, I will encourage Jay to join me, and we will hope to see you soon.I had a delightful call with him this evening—perhaps ask him about it if he hasn’t reached out to you yet.I’m stepping into the shower before bed and thinking of you both.If you need me, I remain a mere phone call away.

Not a rainstorm, a shower.Closing her eyes, she drew out the heat of the water.Cool tile against her back.The stretch in her leg as Henry hooked her knee over his elbow and pressed forward, teasing them both with the head of his cock.They would have those days again soon.

Fumbling with the phone, she pressed the microphone icon.I’m thinking of you, too.Sleep well, and dream of the three of us together again.I’m going to solve this work thing quick as I can so I can be in your arms for Christmas.I love you.

Send.Done.Hearing his voice was so much better than seeing the words.Their text string couldn’t capture the handwritten beauty of his letters to her, the shaded weight of the strokes of his pen or the rough grays of his pencil sketches.But his voice held so much of him, so much of her memories of him over the last year.Hopefully hearing hers would do the same for him in this moment when she was certain not to be interrupting, not to be waking him or his mother with her neediness.

Shifting chats, she texted Jay.Delightful call, huh?If that wasn’t Henry-code for phone sex, she’d eat her hat.And it was a knit hat for cold, snowy winters.

Hey stud, how was your day?Wanna talk?

Three dots immediately resolved into a YES YES YES gif.Video?

She nearly lost her pants scooting back on the bed.After bunching the pillows into a nest and yanking up her waistband, she responded.Yes!Call me!

He erupted onto the screen with tousled hair and bright eyes.The room behind him lay shadowed and dim, but the sparkles in his eyes—

“You have the Christmas tree lit up!”

“Hi to you, too.”He smirked at her, his mouth pouty and kissable.“How’d you know?”

“Deductive reasoning.”Cupping the phone wasn’t nearly the same as cradling his cheek.“You have stars in your eyes.”

“That could just be all the fantastic sex I’m having.”Winking at her, he thrust his hand through his hair and pushed it back.“Guy can get a lot done with one hand.”

She laughed before she could help herself, but she peered at every pixel, hunting for stress in his face, for tightness around his eyes and drooping sadness in his lips.Jay could lay on the charm and never let outsiders see the anxieties eating away at him.“Henry’s orders?”

“Oh!You gotta see my gift.”He bounded up, and the phone whirled with him, passing the tree and through the hall to the stairs.“I’m sorry I can’t show you yours; it’s still wrapped.But if it’s anything like mine, you’re gonna love it.”

“My gift?”Maybe Henry had gotten something delivered to the house before he’d known she wouldn’t be there.

“Scavenger hunt, remember?”The picture jumped from head to chest—a bare chest she’d give anything to be laying her head against tonight—as Jay climbed the stairs.“We both won a prize.”

Shit, yes, today’s calendar event.The morning felt like a lifetime ago.At least Jay had been able to tackle this one on his own.They still hadn’t managed to visit the holiday lights at the zoo.“I can’t wait to see your prize, stud.”

“Hang on.”

The phone flipped views, entering the playroom and beelining toward the chair she’d curled up in so often in her old studio apartment.Now it belonged to Henry again—hmm.And maybe her, too, if she wanted to claim it for a scene with Jay.Another thing to talk to Henry about, but not this week.A floor pillow rested in front, and the phone slowly lowered.A monogrammed set of collar and cuffs rested in a display box.

“Can you see it?”No one in the history of the world had ever sounded so enthused on Christmas morning.

Don’t cry.Jay can see you.

She tipped the phone down as if she’d bobbled it, and he exclaimed gleefully about the messenger service logo on her shirt.

Choking back the thick gonna-cry signals in her throat, she produced a barkish laugh.“Probably not winning you a bunch of new clients in a hotel room by myself a thousand miles from your delivery area.But you’re delivering me comfort.Does that count?”

“Are you okay?There’s a box here for you, too.It’s probably the same thing.”

Rattling came through the speaker; woodthunked as she glanced at the screen.He’d opened a drawer.A festive holiday bag filled the left side.The camera zoomed toward a tag with her name.Her gift wasn’t likely to be the same as his—she had those gorgeous brown bracers with the scrollwork.Henry didn’t need to get her new cuffs.

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