Page 23 of When Annika Met Thom

Maybe she was just used to the idea of Leo. They certainly hadn’t spent a lot of time together since he’d come east for med school. When he was home, he was in demand, always visiting a relative or a friend. It was always a short trip. Things were always rushed. They had quick kisses on the way here or there, some (admittedly mediocre) sex, and then he left again. She knew she had yearned in his absence for what she didn’t have.

But did Leo ever provide that when he was present?

If she was totally in love with Leo forever, she shouldn’t be finding the idea of joining Thom in his room so appealing. She’d never cheated on Leo. She’d never been with any other guy.

As she lay on the couch in his apartment, while he was somewhere else—maybe Scranton and maybe not—she thought of the woman answering his phone and wondered whether she and Leo were playing by the same rules.

* * *

On Sunday morning,Thom got up early and took Cerberus for a long walk. He didn’t even glance toward the tumble of covers on the couch.

He felt guilty because Sunday was usually his day off, a day he spent with Cerberus, but he’d agreed to take another guy’s shift at the club today. He told himself that dogs didn’t know the days of the week, but he could have sworn his dog did. He spent extra time walking her and playing ball, convincing himself that a day at loose ends in the apartment with Annika would have been a very bad idea anyway.

Annika was still asleep when he got back around ten. A cascade of red had emerged from the top of the tangle of blankets but that was the only glimpse of her. He could hear her soft even breathing.

The apartment was filled with the smell of her and it was incredibly distracting. Women smelled sweeter when they were asleep, Thom was convinced of it, and there was nothing he liked better than waking a woman up to an orgasm. Most of the women he’d known had been pretty enthused about that option, too. In his view, it was a great way to start the day.

He kept his back to Annika, determined to avoid temptation. Still, his thoughts scampered like a ferret in an exercise wheel. What did she sound like when she came? Did she shout or did she purr with contentment? Did she gasp? Did she bite or dig her nails into her partner’s skin? On one hand, she seemed quite composed, but when she lost her temper, he caught sight of a very interesting passionate side to her nature.

He liked the idea of that, of a woman demanding everything he could give and then coming back for more.

It was just a stupid fantasy, though.

It certainly wasn’t going to come true, not if he had any sense at all.

Thom fed the dog and had a hot shower, then leaned against the kitchen counter to check his phone. He hadn’t remembered to check for motorcycle parts the night before, given all the distractions and he thought it would just take a minute. Parts for his vintage bike were few and far between.

It took longer than he’d expected because there were a couple of possibilities on the various sites he followed. He chased down one, discovered it was sold, then was pursuing the other when Annika spoke.

“Big plans?”

He glanced back. She looked sleepy and rumpled and sexy as hell. That white cotton nightgown had slipped from one shoulder, revealing an expanse of super-freckled skin that he wanted to kiss. Badly. “Work,” he said and looked back at the phone. He couldn’t even read the display, his thoughts were so deep in the gutter.

Apparently oblivious to the reaction she was causing, Annika braced herself on her elbows. The move made the neckline of her nightgown gape but Thom would not look. He scowled at the phone, hoping she was unaware of how tight his jeans had become. “Do you work every day?”

“No, but I agreed to take a shift for a friend today.”

“Seems there’s a lot of that going around,” she said wryly. She stretched and swung her legs out of bed, then tipped her head back and rolled her shoulders.

Damn. The nightgown was bunched around her thighs and she was wiggling her toes as she stretched.

Thom determinedly returned his attention on his phone. He grimaced when he found out that the other part had sold, too. He’d just missed it.

“Do you need help with your phone?” Annika asked.

Thom glanced up. Her tone was kind but a little condescending. Her question was unexpected. “No. Why?”

“Leo said you spend a lot of time trying to figure it out.” She smiled. “I could help. You’ve been nice to me. I could return the favor.”

Leo thought he didn’t understand his phone.

Leo had told Annika that he was dumb.

Didn’t that just figure? Thom shook his head, then shoved his phone back into his pocket. “I understand it just fine, thanks.” His tone was clipped and she noticed.

Of course.

“I didn’t mean to offend you…” She was blushing now, a rosy red flush that had to go all the way down to her nipples. Thom couldn’t even glance her way.

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