Melted By The Bear: A Paranormal Shifter Romance by Amira Rain Read Free Book Online Page B

rolls that accompanied the meal were amazing, as was a small salad with crisp greens, plump cherry tomatoes, and a tangy vinaigrette dressing.
    I had a feeling that I might gain a pound or two if I stayed in Cormack’s cabin-mansion for any real length of time, which would be fine. I’d always had curves, as far as fairly full breasts and hips, but with a small waist that had only gotten smaller in the chaotic, nightmarish months after the nuclear disaster. Adding an extra pound or two wouldn’t kill me. Besides, I’d always thought that gaining a little extra weight as a result of exceptionally good food could never be a bad thing, within reason. The nuclear blast, and even the years before then, had taught me that life could be very unpredictable and very short, so pleasures should be enjoyed while they could be.
    I’d already found and had changed into a pair of pajama pants and matching top while Hazel had been getting my meal, so once I’d finished every last delicious bite, including a silky-smooth dark chocolate square for dessert, I trudged off to the in-room bathroom to finish getting ready for bed. After finding a new toothbrush and tube of toothpaste, I brushed my teeth leaning over the sink, eyes closing, then did a very perfunctory job of washing my face by splashing it with warm water. Once done with those tasks, I shuffled out of the bathroom, turned off the bedroom light, and flopped onto the four-poster bed. I was out like a light within a minute.
    I slept hard, not waking until ten the next morning, completely rested and refreshed. Good thing, because I was going to need every ounce of strength in order to endure the ordeal I was soon to experience while out and about in the village. 

CHAPTER FOUR
     
    After showering and dressing in jeans and a t-shirt, I found my way through the cabin-mansion to the kitchen, where Hazel was cleaning, wiping down the granite counter tops with a sponge dampened with a pleasant-smelling, orange-scented cleaner.
    When she saw me, she said a cheerless good morning, gave the counter top a few more quick swipes, then set the sponge down. “Would you like some breakfast?”
    I said that I would, and she took out her phone and began tapping out a text. “I’ll let Cook know that you’re up and wanting breakfast. What would you like her to make for you?”
    I was fairly hungry, but I didn’t want to rattle off a list of what I’d like to eat like I was at a restaurant or something. “Scrambled eggs would be great.”
    Once she’d pocketed her phone, Hazel asked if I’d like a quick tour of the house before returning to the kitchen to eat, and I said sure. I actually didn’t get a tour of the entire house, though.
    On our way out of the kitchen, Hazel said that the third floor was staff quarters, and the second was primarily extra bedrooms. “With your bedroom on the ground floor, I expect the ground floor is where you’ll spend all your time in this house.”
    I wondered where exactly Cormack’s bedroom was in the house, if it was maybe anywhere close to mine, on the ground floor, but I wasn’t sure there was any tactful way to ask that question. I wondered why I even cared, considering how cold he’d been to me the previous day.
    The ground floor was vast, though Hazel just breezed us through each room, keeping us moving, so it really didn’t take long at all.
    In short, I found the house just as perfect as the dinner that had been made for me the night before. I loved it. From the casual kitchen, to the formal dining room, to an immense-yet-somehow-cozy living room with no fewer than three fireplaces, it was all warm and inviting, all the floors and polished woodwork in various shades of honey, caramel, and amber. Massive wooden beams lining the ceilings added to a rustic vibe, while at the same time, opulent touches throughout the house made it clear that this was the home of the commander-in-chief.
    In the living room, I particularly liked a chandelier