Home for the Holidays (Siren Publishing Classic) Read Online Free
Author: Diane Leyne
took the opening.
“I’m dying to see the kids.” She escaped downstairs to the family room. She was quickly mobbed, and there was no chance to talk about Jack while she tried to figure out what to do. With the bad weather and the fact that her dad had that stupid new car, there was no way he was getting away after dinner. But the house was huge. He could crash somewhere tonight and head out in the morning.
It was sweet of him to play along. She’d figure out some way for him to gracefully leave without actually telling the family the truth. And then at some time in the future, but definitely before Christmas, they’d “break up” and her family would be sad and harass her, but she certainly couldn’t expect him to keep playing along.
Hopefully, she’d be able to get him alone for a few minutes to figure out a plan.
A few minutes later, her brother Ned came downstairs, the water dripping off his hair. “Sis, Mom says you looked like a drowned rat when you came in. Now that you’ve had time to greet the kids, you have half an hour to go upstairs and make yourself presentable so you don’t scare away Jack. The parents seem to really like this one. I have no idea how you landed him, but you have to keep him around at least until he can teach me and Michael how to rebuild an engine. Oh, and you owe me. Dad made me go out and get your stuff and put it in your usual room.” With that, he turned and headed back up the stairs.
Shawn looked her up and down. Nelly looked at her enquiringly. Shawn nodded. “Drowned rat, partially dried. Not a pretty picture.”
Nelly headed up the back stairs to her old room on the third floor. The house was actually a former inn that her dad bought when her mom was expecting number six. After renovations, it had twelve bedrooms, and each bedroom had its own bathroom. It was in a great location but needed a lot of renovations, which all of the kids had helped with. And it was just a half-hour commute from their dad’s work and with great schools in the area for all the kids. It was far bigger than they had needed, but her mom and dad were looking down the road to children and grandchildren all gathering in their home.
She checked her watch. She had time for a quick shower to warm up. She wouldn’t have time to wash and dry her hair, but hopefully it wasn’t too bad. She didn’t have time to unpack right now, so she grabbed her bag and took it into the bathroom with her and placed it on the closed toilet seat.
It would be nice to be back in her old room, even if it was just for a night. It was so warm and cosy, with a nice big bed and the handmade quilt her mother hand made when she was expecting Nelly. The only thing missing from her room was a fireplace, but you couldn’t have everything. Her room was cosy and had a great view.
Fifteen minutes later, she was feeling much better. She’d showered, the water nice and hot, brushed out her hair and tied it back, and fixed her makeup, since the raccoon look wasn’t in this year or any year. Then she wrapped herself in a big fluffy towel, picked up her bag, and went back to her bedroom to dress.
She was surprised and slightly unnerved to see a man undressing in her bedroom.
Chapter Four
It only took her a moment to realize it must be Jack. He had his jeans unbuttoned and was pulling his T-shirt over his head. She found herself admiring the view. He was as well muscled as she suspected. And they looked like muscles gained from working hard and not at the gym. These muscles weren’t just for show. She admired his firm pecs and his amazing six-pack. His strong chest was lightly furred, and she followed the “treasure trail” down to the gaping opening of his jeans. She was taking in this enchanting sight when he finished pulling the tee over his head, dropped it on the bed, and turned to walk toward the bathroom so abruptly that he almost bumped into her. He grabbed her upper arms to steady both of them.
For a moment, they
“I’m dying to see the kids.” She escaped downstairs to the family room. She was quickly mobbed, and there was no chance to talk about Jack while she tried to figure out what to do. With the bad weather and the fact that her dad had that stupid new car, there was no way he was getting away after dinner. But the house was huge. He could crash somewhere tonight and head out in the morning.
It was sweet of him to play along. She’d figure out some way for him to gracefully leave without actually telling the family the truth. And then at some time in the future, but definitely before Christmas, they’d “break up” and her family would be sad and harass her, but she certainly couldn’t expect him to keep playing along.
Hopefully, she’d be able to get him alone for a few minutes to figure out a plan.
A few minutes later, her brother Ned came downstairs, the water dripping off his hair. “Sis, Mom says you looked like a drowned rat when you came in. Now that you’ve had time to greet the kids, you have half an hour to go upstairs and make yourself presentable so you don’t scare away Jack. The parents seem to really like this one. I have no idea how you landed him, but you have to keep him around at least until he can teach me and Michael how to rebuild an engine. Oh, and you owe me. Dad made me go out and get your stuff and put it in your usual room.” With that, he turned and headed back up the stairs.
Shawn looked her up and down. Nelly looked at her enquiringly. Shawn nodded. “Drowned rat, partially dried. Not a pretty picture.”
Nelly headed up the back stairs to her old room on the third floor. The house was actually a former inn that her dad bought when her mom was expecting number six. After renovations, it had twelve bedrooms, and each bedroom had its own bathroom. It was in a great location but needed a lot of renovations, which all of the kids had helped with. And it was just a half-hour commute from their dad’s work and with great schools in the area for all the kids. It was far bigger than they had needed, but her mom and dad were looking down the road to children and grandchildren all gathering in their home.
She checked her watch. She had time for a quick shower to warm up. She wouldn’t have time to wash and dry her hair, but hopefully it wasn’t too bad. She didn’t have time to unpack right now, so she grabbed her bag and took it into the bathroom with her and placed it on the closed toilet seat.
It would be nice to be back in her old room, even if it was just for a night. It was so warm and cosy, with a nice big bed and the handmade quilt her mother hand made when she was expecting Nelly. The only thing missing from her room was a fireplace, but you couldn’t have everything. Her room was cosy and had a great view.
Fifteen minutes later, she was feeling much better. She’d showered, the water nice and hot, brushed out her hair and tied it back, and fixed her makeup, since the raccoon look wasn’t in this year or any year. Then she wrapped herself in a big fluffy towel, picked up her bag, and went back to her bedroom to dress.
She was surprised and slightly unnerved to see a man undressing in her bedroom.
Chapter Four
It only took her a moment to realize it must be Jack. He had his jeans unbuttoned and was pulling his T-shirt over his head. She found herself admiring the view. He was as well muscled as she suspected. And they looked like muscles gained from working hard and not at the gym. These muscles weren’t just for show. She admired his firm pecs and his amazing six-pack. His strong chest was lightly furred, and she followed the “treasure trail” down to the gaping opening of his jeans. She was taking in this enchanting sight when he finished pulling the tee over his head, dropped it on the bed, and turned to walk toward the bathroom so abruptly that he almost bumped into her. He grabbed her upper arms to steady both of them.
For a moment, they
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