Todd and Nick Talk About Favorite Gifts

This was originally posted on SJD Peterson's Blog for Author A-Z

Naughty or nice?

That was the question posed to me by SJD Peterson for her Authors A-Z month, what sort of gift would I rather receive, naughty or nice? I thought the answer might be more interesting if I asked the naughtiest nicest guy I know: Nick Ruger. So, I conned—um, invited Todd and Nick Ruger to join me in pondering that age old question: what sort of present is better, Naughty or Nice?

I thought they’d like meeting at a café for coffee. “Have a seat, guys, and thanks for helping with this.”

They settled in chairs across from me. Nick leaned over and tapped Todd’s arm, whispering, “She promised coffee.”

Nodding, Todd leaned back in his chair, casually dropped his arm over the back of Nick’s chair, fingers resting on Nick’s shoulder. “He’s got a point,” Todd said, looking at me.

“I did. I know you guys are as much coffee addicts as I am.” Good thing for me the coffee arrived just then, Todd has one serious stare.

“You’re the one who wrote us that way.” Nick took his coffee, inhaling deeply over it.

“Do you want to be alone with it?” Todd and I asked together.

Nick looked over the rim of his mug, shook his head and sipped his brew, smiling shyly.

“Okay, so you’re the one who wanted to do this, and it’s your name that starts with ‘N’, so…it’s ‘N’ day on this blog…” Todd said.

“Me?” Nick’s gaze shifted between Todd and I.

“Yes, Nick, you.” Todd sipped more coffee and watched Nick.

“Um…well Todd’s s given me some gifts. I love every one of them. There was a hunting knife he sent me when I turned sixteen, and then when I first went to live with him he’d gotten me a little carving of a bear. ” He touched the woven leather band around his throat. “My collar of course.”

“That wasn’t really what I had in mind.”

Todd set his coffee down, leaned forward, laid one arm flat on the table and dropped his forehead onto his arm. “Nicky, I don’t think that’s what she had in mind.”

“Oh? No?”

“No.” Todd sat straight and shook his head.

“Oh.” Nick took another sip of coffee, looking thoughtful. “Oh! OH.”

Todd straightened. “Oh?” He motioned go on with one hand and reached for his mug again with the other.

“Me?” Nick ducked his head and looked up at Todd from under those adorably shaggy bangs.

“Your idea, your name begins with ‘N’, so yeah, you.” Todd leaned back, smiled and winked at me.

“Okay, well…in our apartment, Todd made me a whole room. He likes building things from wood, and recently he’s also made a—”

“Dude! No spoilers,” Todd said.

“That’s a spoiler? I can’t even give a little hint about what happened after we left the Chancellor’s Estate?”

“That’s a spoiler and that book won’t be out for another few months yet,” I reminded Nick.

Todd added, “No hinting.”

“My favorite gift from Todd that I can mention then is rope.”

“Rope?” I ask.

Spitting coffee out, Todd choked, gagged and coughed. “Rope?” Clearing his throat he dropped his voice an octave. “Rope?”

“Rope,” Nick repeated, smiling and nodding. “There are four sections about this long.” He held up both hands about two feet apart. “They’re really soft and very comfortable, you know around my wrists and ankles.”

Todd shifted a bit in his chair. “Oh geez.”

Ignoring his mate, Nick went on, “There is a longer section that can wrap around my chest, legs, shoulders…you get the idea. It’s…fun and gets the blood pumping.” He leaned closer to me and lowered his voice. “Don’t tell Todd I told you, but he’s really very romantic with all the kissing and licking, sometimes tickling, when I can’t move and just as much when I can.”

“I can’t believe you told her, hell, everyone all about the rope.”

Nick ducked his head, smiling softly. “You said since my name started with ‘N’ I had to answer. It’s really all your fault, Todd.” He eased closer to Todd and brushed a quick kiss over his cheek.

“So, I guess since shy, quiet Nick likes the rope best, and has a bit of kink going on, the answer to our question would be naughty?” I asked them.

“You have your answer, we had our coffee. It’s been lovely, thank you,” Todd said as he stood up and held one hand out to Nick, palm up. “C’mon Nicky, we have to…uh…do something important. Right now.”

“What?” Nick looked up, his face the picture of innocence until he glanced at me and winked. “Oh. OH. We have to go now, thanks for the coffee.” He took Todd’s hand, standing he whispered to Todd, “Did you bring the rope?”

Big thanks to SJD Peterson for kindly including me—well us—in her month of fun.