Page 108 of The Toymaker
Riju nipped at his ear. “I knew you’d still be needy even without the cage.”
Kit buried his face into the crook of his neck, breathing in his scent. “You were right.”
“You’re still happy here with me?”
“Hell yes.” Kit lifted his head to kiss him before resting once more on Riju’s shoulder. They could worry about moving and cleaning up in a bit. He simply wanted to hold onto Riju and bask in the afterglow.
Riju stroked his back and kissed the side of his head. “My pretty Kit.”
Epilogue
Riju opened the box of wool batting to see how much they had left. The glassmaker just outside of Raven’s Landing had always wrapped each and every phallus in white wool so none would break on the way to Pleasure and Play. They’d kept it in a box. Trig had said they could probably sell it back after a while for a small discount, but they’d kept forgetting about it.
Riju had found a use for it, and he wanted a little more to pin around the windows up top where he thought it was looking a bit bare. There wasn’t much left, so if they ever wanted to replace it, they’d have to buy new wool.
The pieces were loose and irregular, and they could be shaped by plucking at the fibers to pull the wool apart. He started grabbing the last of the pieces when his hand bumped something hard in the corner.
At the bottom lay a small velvet box he’d never seen before, and he pulled it out.
Inside lay a man’s gold ring with diamonds around the band.
He wouldn’t put it on, but he was sure it would fit his ring finger. Trig had planned for them to get married, and since it had been a done deal in his mind that would take place after a time, he’d bought the ring at some point and hidden it in a place where Riju was highly unlikely to find it.
They hadn’t checked through the box before moving it, assuming it held nothing but wool.
Perhaps it was why Trig had sent another letter a week ago, asking for Riju to visit and speak to him. Trig must have asked the guards to get a messenger, which would have cost money from his account.
The tone hadn’t been nice, and Riju had used the letter for kindling.
“Fuck,” he muttered as he stuffed it in his pocket. Why say he didn’t want to put something in a letter? Did he think the messenger would read the note and try to rob them later?
Or perhaps he’d been worried that Kit was still around, and he’d steal the ring?
Riju grabbed the wool and headed upstairs.
The shop no longer smelled like old ale or egg stew, and in the past few weeks, they’d been doing quite well for a new place. Word had spread about Toy Wonderland, and plenty had come to see it.
Children, enthralled by the shelves of dolls, accessories, and other little toys, would start asking for one thing or another. Kids with a bit of pocket money often came on their own, and every day, people on the street stopped to look at the two window displays.
Even if they didn’t come in then, they’d remember Toy Wonderland for the future if they wanted a gift for their kid, or a niece or nephew. Lord Levin had come by to make a big order for his niece. Riju and Kit were also sure they had a new, regular customer too. An elderly woman had come twice and made purchases.
Riju wasn’t the only adult who liked collecting dolls.
A woman was letting her toddler look at the collection of soft toys, and Riju didn’t want to bring up anything with anyone else around. Kit had found a box of tacks upstairs, and he handed them up one at a time as Riju pinned more batting around the window up top.
It was meant to be clouds. They’d covered the bottom surface with plain, green cloth and set up a scene with dolls having a summer picnic. Some sat on tiny blankets by baskets, and a few were on stands and posed to look like they were playing tag,dancing, or holding hands. A few were in a circle as though they were playing a game. The other window was similar, except they also had a doll riding on a blue felt cat.
Once winter came, Kit said they should put the batting on the bottom and make a winter scene. Riju thought it was a fabulous idea.
When the woman purchased a soft dog for her kid and left, it seemed they’d have a moment of peace.
“I found something in the box. It was at the bottom.” Riju settled on a stool behind the counter and removed the velvet box from his pocket so Kit could look inside. “I’m sure Trig bought it for me, and he hid it where he figured I’d never look.”
Kit’s eyes widened at the diamond ring. “Ohhh. He never mentioned this to you? Not even a hint?”
“No. I assume he never imagined me saying no or wanting to leave, and he wasn’t exactly rushing things, but he was prepared.”
Kit closed the box and handed it back. “It must be expensive, but you’re not really a jewelry person, and it’s…”
