“Do you want some help?”
♥♥ MERRY CHRISTMAS, shining_phoenix! ♥♥
HOW IT SHOULD BE
Lynnette Sampson & Nick Sherwood
Lynnette had never really been a fan of wrapping, as a general rule. In her birth pack they hadn’t been big on observing holidays of any sort, and it was rare that gifts were exchanged at all, even on birthdays. Hunting and sparring had been more the norm. The ring she wore on the fourth finger of her left hand was one of the only gifts she had ever received in her birth pack, and the value and significance of it had only continue to grow over the years. The pendant on the chain around her neck was the other, and without it she felt naked. As a result of her upbringing, she had never really understood the tradition, but in recent years it had dawned on her, and now she could see the joy to be had in giving a gift and seeing the recipient’s eyes light up when they took it in their hands. It was the little things that she had never really been able to enjoy when she had been younger. Things were different now. Better.
With a sigh, she looked around, trying to find the tape, her fingers holding the paper closed over the edge of the gift. “I had it…” She trailed off, muttering to herself, her nose wrinkling in frustration and confusion.
“Lose something?” There, dangling not far from her face when she turned forward again, was the roll of tape. Nick was smiling as he stood there with one hand outstretched. The tape was hooked over one finger. “Need a hand?”
“I feel like I need six,” she said, shaking her head. Around her, tubes of wrapping paper and gift tags and string were scattered and strewn, despite the fact that she had told herself she would keep everything neat and tidy. Perhaps it hadn’t been the best idea to get everyone in her dance company a gift after all. “I don’t know how people do this.”
“Usually they have help.” Nick sat himself down at the table to her side. “Do you want some help?” He was still smiling.
Lynnette studied him. “You don’t want to help.”
“Sure I do.” He looked down at the wrapped box she was fighting with. Without a word, he took the tape, pulled out a length, broke it off and then stuck it over the tab she was struggling to keep closed. “See?”
Lynnette couldn’t help but smile. “You know I have about seven left to wrap, right?” She nodded her head to the pile stacked on the chair to her other side.
“Many hands make light work,” he reminded her. “And besides, I can do more than add tape.” When she lifted her brows in a silent inquiry, he nodded his head, and said, “I can grab snacks and drinks from the kitchen. And I’m not too shabby when it comes to holding those corners closed. I’m a man of many talents.”
She laughed then, taking her hands from the box now that one end had been secured. With a smile, she met his eyes, feeling the familiar rush of affection and contentment that always overcame her whenever she was with him. Nick had that effect on her, she had learned, and she had come to enjoy it, and a good deal more than she enjoyed giving gifts to her small circle of friends. “Thank you,” she said, putting her hand on his and giving it a small squeeze.
“You’re welcome,” he murmured with a smile, before he leaned over the table to kiss her, a little gift in and of itself, and one that Lynnette returned gladly.
HOW IT SHOULD BE
Lynnette Sampson & Nick Sherwood
Lynnette had never really been a fan of wrapping, as a general rule. In her birth pack they hadn’t been big on observing holidays of any sort, and it was rare that gifts were exchanged at all, even on birthdays. Hunting and sparring had been more the norm. The ring she wore on the fourth finger of her left hand was one of the only gifts she had ever received in her birth pack, and the value and significance of it had only continue to grow over the years. The pendant on the chain around her neck was the other, and without it she felt naked. As a result of her upbringing, she had never really understood the tradition, but in recent years it had dawned on her, and now she could see the joy to be had in giving a gift and seeing the recipient’s eyes light up when they took it in their hands. It was the little things that she had never really been able to enjoy when she had been younger. Things were different now. Better.
With a sigh, she looked around, trying to find the tape, her fingers holding the paper closed over the edge of the gift. “I had it…” She trailed off, muttering to herself, her nose wrinkling in frustration and confusion.
“Lose something?” There, dangling not far from her face when she turned forward again, was the roll of tape. Nick was smiling as he stood there with one hand outstretched. The tape was hooked over one finger. “Need a hand?”
“I feel like I need six,” she said, shaking her head. Around her, tubes of wrapping paper and gift tags and string were scattered and strewn, despite the fact that she had told herself she would keep everything neat and tidy. Perhaps it hadn’t been the best idea to get everyone in her dance company a gift after all. “I don’t know how people do this.”
“Usually they have help.” Nick sat himself down at the table to her side. “Do you want some help?” He was still smiling.
Lynnette studied him. “You don’t want to help.”
“Sure I do.” He looked down at the wrapped box she was fighting with. Without a word, he took the tape, pulled out a length, broke it off and then stuck it over the tab she was struggling to keep closed. “See?”
Lynnette couldn’t help but smile. “You know I have about seven left to wrap, right?” She nodded her head to the pile stacked on the chair to her other side.
“Many hands make light work,” he reminded her. “And besides, I can do more than add tape.” When she lifted her brows in a silent inquiry, he nodded his head, and said, “I can grab snacks and drinks from the kitchen. And I’m not too shabby when it comes to holding those corners closed. I’m a man of many talents.”
She laughed then, taking her hands from the box now that one end had been secured. With a smile, she met his eyes, feeling the familiar rush of affection and contentment that always overcame her whenever she was with him. Nick had that effect on her, she had learned, and she had come to enjoy it, and a good deal more than she enjoyed giving gifts to her small circle of friends. “Thank you,” she said, putting her hand on his and giving it a small squeeze.
“You’re welcome,” he murmured with a smile, before he leaned over the table to kiss her, a little gift in and of itself, and one that Lynnette returned gladly.