Secret Santa Surprise: Book 29 in the Kindred Tales Series - Evangeline Anderson Page 0,55
loved, she thought. I am cared for…I am cherished.
“So beautiful, little one,” Strong murmured, kissing her forehead.
“Gorgeous,” Clear whispered in her ear as he pressed against her back. “Relax, Melanie—just let us hold you. Just let us heal you.”
And to Melanie’s surprise, she was able to do exactly that. All her body issues and uncertainty and anxiety seemed to melt away as she sank into the sweet, three-way embrace and at last drifted off to sleep in the arms of her lovers.
21
Melanie didn’t wake up until dawn the next day.
Christmas Morning, she thought and felt a tingle of anticipation, just as she had when she was a kid. Then she realized what had woken her up—there were only two of them in the bed instead of three.
“Hey,” she murmured sleepily, looking at the empty left side of the bed. “Where’s Clear?”
“Hmm? Oh, he had to go back to the Mother Ship for something,” Strong rumbled. “Don’t worry—he’ll be back soon.”
Melanie thought of rolling over and going back to sleep, but it didn’t seem right when they were missing Clear. Besides, she could hear Aunt Marge already banging away in the kitchen. She decided to go down and help.
Leaving the Dark Twin drowsy, she got dressed in jeans and a sweater—since there was a cold snap and it was actually chilly, even in Florida for once. Melanie had always loved cold weather and she felt completely revived after a night spent between her guys, so she was in a great mood as she came downstairs.
“Good morning, Aunt Marge,” she said, smiling as she walked into the kitchen, carefully avoiding the cats strewn around the warm stove.
“Good morning, Melly.” Aunt Marge peered at her and then nodded. “You look good this morning. Hell of a lot better than when you came moping in here yesterday, anyway.”
“I feel a lot better,” Melanie said, smiling. She wanted to say she felt healed—both physically and emotionally—but she wasn’t sure if her practical aunt would quite understand that.
Aunt Marge nodded again.
“Might have something to do with those two young men, I think,” she remarked, with a sly smile.
“Maybe,” Melanie admitted, feeling her cheeks get hot. She had the urge to tell her aunt that the three of them hadn’t actually done anything the night before except sleep in each other’s arms. But she and Aunt Marge had never had the kind of relationship where they talked about any kind of sex, so she kept her mouth shut.
Aunt Marge frowned at her.
“They’re nice enough young men, but what are you planning to do with ‘em, Melly?” she demanded. “Marry ‘em both?”
“I…I don’t know,” Melanie admitted, her cheeks getting even hotter. “We haven’t really decided anything like that yet.”
“Well, you’ll figure it out, I’m sure,” her aunt said, after one more piercing look. “Come on and help me with this turkey—it’s a monster and it’s gotta go in now if we’re gonna eat it before midnight.”
Melanie spent the morning and early afternoon helping her aunt cook and bake. More than any other year she could remember, Aunt Marge seemed determined to make the most impressive Christmas meal possible, with all the fixings. Besides the turkey there was a honey-glazed ham, homemade cranberry sauce, dressing, both green bean and sweet potato casserole, mashed potatoes, gravy, homemade yeast rolls, and of course pumpkin pie.
By the time they all sat down to eat, it was well past noon and everyone’s stomachs were growling. Strong and Clear had both been shooed out of the kitchen several times, when they asked if they could help. So instead, they had spent the day doing yard work and decorating the Christmas tree which Aunt Marge hadn’t had time to see to earlier.
Melanie felt a warm glow as she looked at all the old, familiar ornaments the guys had hung on the tree. And Aunt Marge puffed up with pride when the twins praised everything on the table and asked for seconds and then thirds of all the dishes.
“They certainly do have nice manners,” she said to Melanie, nodding approvingly after Clear had asked for her recipe for turkey gravy which he called “delicious Earth bird sauce.”
“Yes, they do.” Melanie smiled at her aunt.
“Much nicer than that Steve.” Aunt Marge sniffed. “Did I tell you he’s been coming around again?”
“I don’t think you have to worry about him anymore,” Melanie said, smothering a smile. “He came over here last night and Strong, er, explained to him that he was no longer welcome.”