Page 45 of When Annika Met Thom

“Well, good.” He headed for the door.

“Can we have sex when you get back?”

Thom froze, then glanced over his shoulder. Annika appeared to be perfectly serious. He couldn’t think of one thing to say.

“You’ve told me all your assumptions about women, which just happen to be wrong in this case.”

“Is that so?” Thom studied her, wondering whether he was the gullible one now.

“I took this job so I could see Leo so we could have sex. Lots of sex. But that’s not going to happen.” She moved closer. “And I think you’re hot, and I’ve noticed you looking, and I thought maybe we could do something about that.”

“I told you I’m not a consolation prize.”

“Of course not.” She smiled. “But I’m thinking that sex with you might be exactly the therapy I need tonight.” She raised her hands. “It could be celebratory. My new start.”

There had to be a trick in this somewhere that Thom couldn’t work out because he was too busy imagining what it would be like to have Annika wrapped around him. “I’m not a rebound…”

“Oh, quit making so much of it,” she said with impatience. “I’m talking about living in the moment. I’m talking about having sex and remembering what’s so great about it.” She wrinkled her nose. “Unless you don’t like women.”

“I like women just fine,” Thom managed to say.

“Well? If I promise not to start rhapsodizing about forever and commitment, can we just do each other until we’re dizzy?”

Thom opened his mouth. He shut it again, tried to gather his objections, and couldn’t find them. It couldn’t possibly be that easy. Women weren’t like that.

“I never thought I’d have to argue so much with any guy to convince him to have sex,” Annika said, watching him closely. “I thought you were all ready for it, all the time. I thought that was why men and women couldn’t be friends.”

“I’m not like Leo.”

“But presumably you like it.”

“Of course.”

“And so do I, such as it’s been.”

“What does that mean?”

She glanced toward her phone on the kitchen table. “No one ever shouted that they were bringing it home.” She wrinkled her nose and looked adorable. “I feel like I’m missing something.”

“Sounds like you are.”

She raised her hands, smiling as she invited his agreement. “I promise not to go commitment crazy on you. Maybe we’ll both learn something, and I’m always up for more educational experiences.” Her eyes were twinkling as if she was messing with him.

Thom wasn’t sure what to expect from her.

And that was—interesting.

But he knew his limits. And this could just be part of a game.

“No,” he said flatly.

“You’re turning me down?”

“This is already a shit show,” he said, gesturing to the apartment. “And that would only make it worse. We’re not going there because I’m not going there. Afterward, you would have regrets like nobody’s business.”

“And you?”

He shook his head. “I never regret sex.”

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