Page 24 of The Krampus's First Christmas Gift

Jasper shuffled on the furs. He blinked awake and spotted Kraghol. He sat bolt upright. “Kraghol!” He smiled. “You’re back. I was worried you wouldn’t return.”

Kraghol fought against the desperate urge to smile in response. For a moment, he imagined crossing to Jasper and touching his cheek. But that was a ridiculous thought.

He turned to the dancing flames, trying to collect himself and suppress the wants surging inside him. The fire crackled. Kali, now awake too, yelped and bounded towards Kraghol. After a moment’s hesitation, he knelt and patted her.

“She is so comfortable with you.” Jasper paused. “It’s like she knows you.”

Pulling his hand away from Kali, Kraghol cleared his throat and stood. “I told you that you should not return to the forest. It is dangerous here.”

Jasper laughed. “It isn’t that dangerous. I’ve been coming here since I was a child.” Then he winked. “And I’ve never been one to behave and follow advice. I’ve always been a little naughty.”

Kraghol sucked in a breath. Didn’t Jasper know that krampuses punished the naughty? For a moment, he imagined Jasper as one of those people who taunted the krampuses on Krampus Night, wanting to be chased down and fucked in an alley.

Kraghol’s gut tightened. No, Jasper could not be alluding to that. Could he? No. That was not possible.

Jasper got to his feet and picked up a small box on the floor. “Anyway, I had to come back. I needed to give you this.”

Kraghol’s gaze flicked between Jasper’s face and the box that had been tied with a dainty red ribbon. “What is it?”

“You’ll have to open it to find out.” Jasper held out the box.

Kraghol stared at the petite little thing. He frowned.

Jasper laughed, that beautiful, incandescent laugh. “Take it. It won’t bite. I promise.”

Pressing his lips together, Kraghol took the small box. It looked minuscule in his massive, furred hands. He turned it over. He glanced at Jasper.

“Well! Open it!”

He tugged the ribbon, and it came undone. Slowly, he opened the box slightly and peeked inside. “What is this?”

Jasper, seeming to take pity on Kraghol’s confusion, took the box from his hands. He pulled the box properly open. The red ribbon fell to the floor. Without a second’s thought, Kraghol dropped to the ground, picking up the shiny material. It shouldn’t get dirty on the floor of his cave.

Jasper held the box open. “Chocolate truffles. I made them for you this morning.”

“For me?” Kraghol’s hand clenched around the red ribbon.

“Well, I made enough to sell in the bakery too.” Jasper smiled. Then he leaned forward and lowered his voice. “But I was thinking of you when I made them. It’s just a little thank you for not letting me freeze to death in the snow.”

He shook his head. “You do not have to give me something as a thank you for that. I would not have let you die. Never.”

Jasper’s smile widened. “That’s good to know. But I still wanted to make them for you all the same.” Then he tilted his head. “Do you not like chocolate truffles?”

“I… I do not know,” the krampus confessed. “I have never had one before.”

Jasper’s brows raised. “Really?”

Kraghol shrugged. “I hunt and collect my own food from the forest. That suffices.” His fare must seem so basic to Jasper. He stared at the spherical brown balls. White and brown swirls decorated some. Little chopped nuts decorated others. They looked so small and dainty.

“Well, it’s probably time you tried a chocolate truffle, then.” Jasper shook the box slightly. The truffles slid from side to side.

Kraghol hesitated. He picked up a small truffle with brown swirls on the top.Jasper made this for me.His heart thumped against his ribs.

He opened his mouth and placed the truffle on his tongue. He bit into the ball. A noise of surprise escaped him. He chewed the dense fudgy texture. The truffle melted in his mouth.

He tried to process the sweet, rich taste with a slightly citrusy tang. He swallowed. He blinked. How could such a small thing hold so much flavour? So much complexity?

“You don’t like it?” Jasper’s brows lowered. “Huh. Do you not like sweet food? That one is orange flavoured. Maybe you don’t like orange?”