I rolled my eyes. “I’m notthattall.”
“Says the giant,” he deadpanned, then rolled onto his side and gestured at the presents. “Open them.”
“I didn’t get you anything for Christmas,” I said. “I do have an idea for a birthday present, I just didn’t have time to look into it before now.”
He shrugged. “It’s no big deal. I’m more of a gift giver myself, but I think I value presence and touch more when receiving.”
Ah, the love languages thing. Samira had been obsessed with it a few years ago.
“Well, I’ll be getting you something in the very near future,” I promised anyway.
“Start with that one.”
I picked up the smaller package and opened it, feeling more excited than I thought I had the capability for.
When I saw what was inside, I burst out laughing.
“You said nobody had ever gifted you one, so…” Rey smirked, lifting his hands in a “what you gonna do” gesture.
I spread the vanity apron with a muscular male body in front—thong and all—on the bed.
“Holy shit, baby, this is amazing,” I patted the washboard abs in the print. “Just don’t think this is what’s underneath the apron.”
When he didn’t say anything, I looked at him. He seemed…stunned.
“What?”
“You just called me baby.”
I blinked and thought back. “Yeah, I guess I did.” I tried to figure out what the look in his eyes meant. “Is that…not okay?”
He shook his head quickly. “No, no, it’s…it’s good. I just…” He attempted to appear nonchalant, failing miserably when his eyes brimmed over. “I didn’t think you’d ever…”
“Oh, baby,” I exhaled and gathered him into my arms.
He sobbed against my chest for several minutes, while I wiped at my own cheeks every now and then.
Eventually, he groaned and leaned over to grab a tissue from the same box he’d used last time we were here together. He realized that and chuckled wetly while blowing his nose.
“We shouldn’t make this a habit,” he said. “Now open the other one.”
I held my hand out for a tissue and wiped my own face, then started on the second present.
It was wrapped in a fancier manner, it was a box with tissue paper and even some hay or straw stuff. I pulled aside the paper and—I was completely stunned.
I knew what it was immediately, of course I did, but something like this…
“Baby, how did you…?”
“I saw your old one. It’s a bit…frayed around the edges and the snap doesn’t really work, so…”
I picked up the clearly handmade knife roll and lifted it to my nose to smell the leather. The color was sort of forest or moss green—my favorite color—the accents lighter, and the straps you closed it with had buckles so it would always be secure.
I rolled it open and saw that it had enough space for all my knives.
“I might’ve had the idea pretty early, so I measured your knives to make sure they all fit. And there’s a pocket for your whetstone and a spot for your sharpening steel.”
I could see all that. I could tell how much thought had gone to this gift. Whomever had made it had done a wonderful job, too. All the stitching was pin neat and just…
