Lycan Christmas by S. Yule (best contemporary novels txt) 📗

So that’s what that door hid. She’d only taken a quick tour of the place with Rose and hadn’t bothered investigating any further last night, figuring she’d explore all the nooks and crannies today before she was supposed to meet with Lorent.

“Oh. I hadn’t found the laundry room yet.”

“Would you be a doll for me and do this load? My washer is broken, and I’m late for my meeting with Rindy to discuss the Thanksgiving menu.”

Shannon started for the door.

“But—”

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Lycan Christmas

S. K. Yule

Shannon waved a hand at her as she started out the door she’d just opened. “Thanks so much, hon. I’ll swing by later and pick them up. Oh, and please be very careful with my unmentionables. They can only be washed on delicate. Ta-ta.”

And just like that, Shannon was gone as quickly as she’d blown in.

Melony stared at the offensive basket of laundry. Puss wandered out of the bedroom, down the hall, walked up to the basket, sniffed it, turned her back, and walked away.

I feel the same way.

What had made Shannon think that Melony should, would, or wanted to do her laundry? The girl was probably still irritated at Sherry’s dismissal from last night, but she’d bet her favorite pink sweater that Shannon wouldn’t ask Sherry to do her laundry. Anyone with eyes could tell Shannon had it bad for Lorent, but what did that matter? And why was she getting punished for it?

Because she’d sat by him last night?

Wow. If that’s the case, I’m in big trouble if she finds out he walked me home. She shrugged it off, glared at the laundry basket, and started for her bedroom to shower and get dressed. But before she’d made it too far down the hall, another knock sounded on her door. She sighed and shuffled back to it while rubbing the sleep from her eyes. This time Rose stood outside.

“Hi, Aunt Rose. Come in?”

“If you don’t mind. Just for a minute.”

Melony stood aside and let Rose come in before closing the door. “It’s gotten so cold overnight.”

“I think the unusually balmy day we had yesterday was a fluke. It likely won’t be that warm again until March or April.”

“Lovely.”

Rose laughed. “You’ll get used to it. I stopped by to see if you would help us prepare the food for the Thanksgiving feast. It’s less than a week away, and it would be nice to have an extra pair of hands. We prepare anything in advance that will keep or that can be easily frozen. It makes it much easier on Thanksgiving to just heat everything up.”

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Lycan Christmas

S. K. Yule

“Sure. I’m not much of a cook, but as long as I have a recipe to follow, I should be okay.” Maybe. She hoped.

“Good. I’ll let the others know. Why don’t you have Lorent walk you to Brent and Rindy’s cabin after your lesson? We usually gather there for the holidays because it’s big enough to accommodate everyone.”

Melony started to tell Rose about the laundry situation with Shannon when Puss gave out a loud bellow then butted her head against her legs.

“Okay, okay,” Melony muttered to Puss. “She’s gets a bit testy when she feels I’ve ignored her for too long.”

Rose laughed then gave Melony a quick hug before she turned to leave.

“See you later.”

“Bye.” Melony started for the shower again, determined to ignore any further knocks on her door that may come until she was dressed and feeling human.

No one else stopped by, and after she’d showered, dressed, and done her hair, she made breakfast for her and Puss. Once she’d cleaned up the dishes, she glanced at the clock, which told her she had a couple hours to kill before Lorent was due. She supposed now would be a good time for a more thorough investigation of her new home.

Two hours later, she felt she knew her place from top to bottom. It was stocked with all the basics, even cleaning supplies. The dark hardwood floors were beautiful and were throughout the house with the exception of the tan slate-tiled bathroom. All in all, she’d been pleasantly surprised by the overall modern amenities and rustic decor. It was something she could see picking for herself had she been house hunting.

The furniture was a subtle sage color, and the coffee and end tables were the same pecan color as the dining table. A few small personal touches and the place would feel just like home. She decided to make a list to give to Knox of things she’d need, but she’d only jotted a couple things down when someone knocked at the door for the third time that day.

This time it was Lorent.

“Hi.” Melony stepped to the side of the open door, but he made no move to come in. “Don’t just stand there. Come in.” She smiled and 39

Lycan Christmas

S. K. Yule

motioned for him to enter. “You’re a tad early, and I have a list I’d like to finish up before we leave if you don’t mind.”

He hesitated, and she laughed.

“I won’t bite. Come on.”

After a few moments, he sighed—probably in resignation—and stepped inside. Damn, he looked good. She licked her lips as she eyed the way his snug jeans hugged his delectable backside. But when he turned around and caught her ogling him, her cheeks flushed hot. She caught a brief flicker of light in his eyes, and what gorgeous eyes they were. While she’d been able to see that his eyes were hazel by the firelight last night, the daylight enhanced the beautiful color.

The pure hazel color had just the right amount of gray and blue to make it impossible to call them one color or another. “Hazel” was the only way to describe that perfect blend. She’d seen people with hazel eyes, and the first thing that had always come to mind was gray. His? Not so simple. His were mesmerizing, unique,