perfect in his arms. He had to let that thought go as he grabbed the empty velvet gift bag and held it strategically in front of his tent. He waved erratically as he headed for the front door. “Merry Christmas to all, and to all a good night!”
He barreled toward the door, feeling heat rising in waves off his skin. Melody had noticed, but had anyone else? Would she tell them? He didn’t want to know. Escaping out the front, Roman raced over to his truck, wondering why he’d ever agreed to come to L.A. for a visit in the first place—and how he was ever going to go back inside that party and face Melody again.
2
Melody stood in front of the long mirror in her room, pulling the sprig of holly from her hair and unwinding her bun. The tiny piece of greenery had been something she’d intended to stick in a wreath as she worked on the Christmas decorations at Force headquarters, but it worked so well as a hairpiece, she couldn’t resist.
She’d already changed into flannel pajama bottoms with reindeer prancing all over them and a snug cotton t-shirt, and she sighed happily as she set the holly on the dresser. “I just love Christmas. I love that warm, fuzzy feeling it gives me inside.”
“Even when you’re frantically trying to pick out gifts for everyone?” Emersyn asked from the bed, peering over the screen of her laptop. Her hair had been carefully curled for the party, but she’d swept it back into a braid for the evening.
“It’s not that bad.” Melody grabbed her tablet and flopped onto the bed next to her, kicking her feet up into the air. “After all, there’s still plenty of time for online shopping if you really don’t want to get out.”
“It’s not that I don’t want to,” Emersyn corrected. “In fact, nothing sounds better than just taking a long day visit every mall and store in the city and fill the car up with gifts. I wouldn’t mind taking in all the sights and decorations, too, but I just don’t have the time. My work at the clinic gets absolutely crazy around the holidays. I don’t even know if I’ll have much time for Force missions over these next two months.”
“That bad, huh?” Emersyn was actually Dr. Emersyn Cruz, and in addition to the work she did with the Force, she ran a clinic in one of the lower-income neighborhoods. She was very passionate about her work, and Melody knew she often stayed there late at night as she helped those who were the worst off. It was because of her work that Melody had begun watching Emersyn’s son Lucas, back before either of them had ever even heard of the Special Ops Shifter Force.
“Yeah, but it’s like this every year. And every year, we get a bad outbreak of the flu or something else along those lines. I just don’t like seeing anyone in pain, you know?”
“I know.” Emersyn had one of the biggest, most giving hearts of anyone Melody knew, and it was just one of the many reasons Melody liked her so much. “Oh, check this out. Lucas is really into trains right now. Do you think he’d like this?” Melody turned her tablet around to show the adorable set of train pajamas she’d just found.
Emersyn shook her head, but she was smiling. “Sometimes, I think you know him better than I do, Mel. I don’t know what I’d do without you.”
“Oh, I don’t do anything special,” Melody countered. “Lucas and I just hang out while I do my work.”
“The very important work of not just caring for Lucas, but keeping the whole Force running smoothly,” Emersyn replied with an arched brow.
“I just balance the books.” Melody’s cheeks were burning. She couldn’t believe her luck when Emersyn had secured her a spot at Force HQ, working as both the in-house daycare provider and their bookkeeper. She didn’t hate getting to live in a sprawling, spectacular home for free, and she loved the excitement of being so close to the Special Ops vets who fought to keep the many shifter clans in the area safe.
“Bullshit. Even Amar gushes over how organized you are, and you know he’s not the kind to let the light bill slip by unnoticed. It’s because of you that we have all the groceries and supplies we need. You’re the one who did all that insane Martha Stewart Christmas decorating. You were even the one