Page 31 of When Annika Met Thom

“I’m not going to tell you anything.”

“It would benice.”

“This from the woman who was going to lock me out of my home so she could have sex in privacy.”

Annika blushed at that. “Guilty as charged,” she admitted. “And I apologized.”

“You did.” He toasted her with the empty can then tossed it in the recycling box. “And now I apologize. It was wrong to bring it up again.”

“But it made you really mad.”

“Yes, it did.” He considered her, studying her as if she was an unusual specimen. “How long since you’ve seen him?”

“Four months. Christmas.”

Thom made a dismissive sound. “The good stuff is worth waiting for.”

“How long has it been for you?”

He cast her a surprised glance. “Are you seriously asking me when I last had sex?”

“Yes.”

He shook his head, then rumbled a reply. “Six months.”

“Is that when you split up with Rhea?”

She earned a hot look for that. “Doesn’t matter.”

“Not my business. Message received.” She smiled and he eyed her for a moment, as if he didn’t believe her, then turned around. He reached for dog food, a move that made Cerberus raise her head with curiosity—and one that gave Annika a good view of some prime masculine butt. She also appreciated the flex of his trapezoid muscles and wow, he had great hands. A woman wouldn’t miss the weight of them on her body.

But she knew he’d be gentle. Powerful. Thorough.

The possibilities made her salivate.

And six months alone. He was prepared to wait for great sex, which meant he would make it amazing. Annika felt a respect for that of epic proportions.

She tried to pull her mind out of the gutter as Thom busied himself preparing the dog’s dinner. She really did. She’d been so sure that she and Leo would spend the whole weekend in bed, and she’d been ready for that. Four months of chastity was way too much, no matter how she looked at it. And that was giving her ideas she had no business having.

Leo was her soulmate—at least, she’d thought as much until very recently.

But Leo wasn’t the most passionate lover. It always felt like he was calling it in, or fulfilling a duty. She wondered how it would feel to be with a guy who was really into it, or a big guy like Thom. He’d surround a woman, maybe overwhelm her. He’d be able to carry her away easily, make her feel delicate and precious—and Annika had a feeling that he’d be both protective and passionate.

She got up to cut the brownies and served two big ones onto plates. Thom fed the dog then held up the milk. She almost smiled that he preferred to ask a question with a gesture and shook her head. “I’ll make more tea.”

“I’ll stick with milk.”

They’d just sat down opposite each other at the kitchen table, as formal as if they’d just been introduced, then her phone rang. She snatched it up from the table, triumphant when she saw that the caller was Leo. He was somewhere close. He had a romantic plan. They’d have dinner and sex all night long.

She was wrong to have doubted him, so very very wrong.

“Leo!” she said to Thom and answered on speaker.

Just because.

It was a moment to gloat.

“Hi!” she said to Leo.

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