A Merry Little Christmas by Melanie Schuster Read Free Book Online Page B

her high, tight derriere in the slim-fitting black skirt like he’d never seen a fanny before. Fortunately, only Adam caught him doing so. He had materialized next to Donnie and seemed vastly amused at the look in Donnie’s eyes.
    “Stop staring, bro, you’re be ginning to drool,” Adam said slyly.
    Busted. There wasn’t anything Donnie could say when he’d obviously been caught doing exactly what Adam said he was doing. He narrowed his eyes at his brother and slunk off to the buffet table, but it wasn’t an escape because Angelique was there, busily filling two plates with food.   He watched her in silence for about two seconds, then commented on her gargantuan appetite.
    “This is for Miss Martha and Mr. C,” Angelique said, without looking at him. “Older people don’t like to mess around with buffets, you should know that” She managed to take the two plates of food with napkins and utensils to where his father and stepmother waited, all without looking at him one time.
    Suddenly Donnie’s appetite deserted him, while his thirst became unbearable. He went into the kitchen to find a huge glass, and was in the process of filling it with ice and water from the refrigerator’s dispenser when he detected the faint temptation of Angelique’s perfume. Sure enough, there she was behind him, holding two glasses and waiting for her turn at the water. And this time she was looking right at him.   He looked at her and could feel his face heating up, although for the life of him he couldn’t understand why. He gulped the water rapidly and would have filled the glass again, had Angelique not spoken.
    “Adonis, you don’t look too happy,” she said frankly. “It’s not good luck to start the New Year with a bad disposition, you know.”
    Donnie rolled the cold glass between his palms, trying to cool off the burst of warmth that had encompassed him. He eyed her warily as she set down her two glasses on the cupboard.
    “It’s not? Well, I sure don’t want to have any bad luck,” he mumbled. He looked at the water glass in his hand as though it were a relic from an alien civilization. He’d seen one of these before; he just couldn’t remember what it was for. Angelique seemed to know, however, as she took it from his hand and set it on the cupboard with the ones she’d just discarded.
    “I don’t want you to have any bad luck either, Adonis,” she said as she came closer to him . “I want you to have a happy New Year.” And taking hold of the front of his cashmere sweater, she gently pulled him down to her level and kissed him softly and sweetly.
    ***
    The new year dawned bright and cold. There was no snow to speak of, but in Michigan, you never knew about the weather. Angelique lived in hope that there would be a big snow, and soon. She found that the cold weather of her new home suited her and she was anxious for a huge snowfall; she’d never had the chance to really play in the snow. While Paris was relaxing in the living room, Angelique was in her bedroom, rearranging her already fastidiously organized closet. She’d also taken everything out of her dresser drawers and put in new scented liners, dusted and polished all the furniture and put clean linens on the bed. She’d also done a couple of loads of laundry. Angelique didn’t believe in starting a new year with dirty clothes in the house   Finally , she stood in the middle of her bedroom and surveyed her surroundings. Everything was sparkling clean, the way she liked it. The rest of the house was immaculate as always, and everything was ready for the open house the next day. She walked over to the window and looked out; maybe a long walk would do her some good, blow some of the cobwebs away. She was in the same pensive pose when Paris’s voice came though her doorway.
    “My goodness, woman, you’re like a machine! Come work some of that magic in my room, you know it needs it,” Paris said cheerfully.
    Angelique followed Paris into her