Page 64 of When Annika Met Thom

He also liked what her thumb was doing.

He belatedly remembered her question. “Fried tofu with onions, garlic and hoisin sauce, tossed with noodles and spinach and something crunchy.”

She picked up the opened can on the counter, her other hand trailing to his elbow. “Tonight’s winner is sliced water chestnuts.”

Thom nodded, because no reply was necessary.

Annika leaned forward to sniff. “Smells good.”

Thom nodded again. It was a reliable recipe, which was what made it the house special. He thought that was self-evident.

If she was trying to drive him crazy, it was working a bit too well.

“Enough for two?” she asked after they’d both watched him stir for a minute.

“There could be.” He risked another sidelong glance at her and when she smiled, his heart did a backflip. He covered his reaction by taking the skillet off the burner, acting as if it was a bigger concern than it was. He couldn’t stand it, though. He had to know. “What happened with Leo?” He thought he managed to sound casual and indifferent.

“Nothing much,” she said with a shrug. She met his gaze, her own bright. “He’s no longer my concern.”

“Then why did you go to see him?”

“I had to know for sure. Like testing a hypothesis. I theorized that I was over him, but I’d only know for sure by seeing him. Would my heart skip a beat? Would I forgive him everything if he asked? What if he begged? I didn’t think so, but I had toknow.” She stole a water chestnut out of the can as he reached for them, intending to dump them into the pan. Their hands brushed and he felt a heat slide over his skin again.

He pretended it hadn’t happened, but Annika was watching him. Their gazes locked and held in that electric way that could make him forget all his principles in a hurry.

He forced himself to look back at the pan then stirred in the water chestnuts, putting the skillet back on the heat again. “And?” he managed to ask.

“Nothing,” she said with satisfaction. “Nada, zero, zip. He acted like a guilty kid and I didn’t even care enough to insist he take a time-out in the corner.” She brushed her hands together in a dismissive gesture. “All done.”

Thom eyed her. “You must be devastated by the end of your twenty-year-long relationship?”

“Please.” Annika rolled her eyes. “I’m ready to celebrate. That’s why I brought this.” She pulled the bottle out of the bag and he saw that it was sparkling wine. Prosecco. “The guy at the shop said it would go with anything salty, like Chinese food or pizza. I figured one of those might be on the menu, given the take-out options around here. Hoisin sauce is a perfect match.” She smiled at him. “Two minds as one.”

“I don’t understand,” Thom said warily.

Annika abandoned the bottle and stepped closer. “I want to celebrate. I want to feel alive again. So I have a diabolical plan to seduce you thoroughly. Tonight.”

Thom’s body responded with predictable enthusiasm to that suggestion. “Is that right?”

“I’ll drag you into the bedroom and make love to you all night long.” She spoke with confidence and Thom had a hard time thinking about anything other than her suggestion. “It’s what I’ve wanted to do since I got here and tonight’s the night.”

“You’ll never manage it,” he said gruffly. “I’m too much bigger than you.”

“That’s why I stopped for wine. I might have to get you tipsy to take advantage of you.” She met his gaze. “Just be warned that I have zero principles when I want to accomplish something. Resistance is futile.”

Thom knew that, without a shadow of doubt. But still, he tried to do the right thing, having learned all he ever wanted to know about romance on the rebound—and its inevitable result. She would do him. He would fall for her. And then she’d leave. Thom wasn’t going to play along.

“That isn’t going to work,” he started to argue. He thought he’d go with the biological reality of the effects of alcohol upon one specific body function, but Annika backed him into the counter and kissed him. She caught his face in her hands and stretched to her toes, her mouth locking over his with a hunger that sent a jolt of desire right to his toes. Her kiss drove every rational thought from his head and made him forget everything except how perfectly she fit against him, and how good she tasted. When she pressed herself against him and slid her tongue across his mouth, Thom couldn’t stand it. He abandoned the skillet, pushed one hand into her hair and wrapped his other arm around her waist, then kissed her back.

If resistance was futile, he might as well surrender early.

He’d worry about the inevitable result later. For now, there was only Annika and her hungry kiss.

He’d call it living in the moment.

* * *

If Thom’sgaze hadn’t been simmering while he’d insisted they couldn’t have sex, Annika might have had doubts. He might be gay. Rhea might still be in the picture. Maybe there was someone else.

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