Read The Mighty Quinns: Thom for Free Online

kiss her again? There were so many things racing through her mind, she couldn’t imagine what he meant.
    “I’ll just say good night,” she murmured. “And see you in the morning.” She risked one last glance at him as she hurried out of the room. It was enough to glimpse him in all his naked glory, with broad shoulders, a narrow waist and muscular backside, before he slipped beneath the covers.
    She pulled the bedroom door shut behind her, then hurried back to the living room. She stood in the center of the dimly lit room, waiting for her heartbeat to slow and her head to clear.
    The image was still burned on her brain, and she sighed softly and savored it for a long moment. Then she firmly put it out of her mind.
    * * *
    A FTER THE EVENTS of the day, Thom assumed he’d fall into a deep sleep almost immediately. But every time he closed his eyes, his thoughts returned to the woman he’d invited into his home.
    When he finally drifted off, images of Malin continued to tease at his mind. Then he awakened and realized that she was so close, close enough to call her name, close enough to find her and carry her into his bed.
    Women had a very specific place in his life, a purely sexual place. He’d had a number of affairs over the years, but they’d never lasted long. Sooner or later, women realized that he never had any intention of truly opening himself up to them.
    Something as simple as affection had never been present in his childhood, and he didn’t find it necessary in his adult life, either. Pure desire didn’t require romance to burn hot and intense.
    Maybe Malin was right to keep their relationship on a platonic, businesslike level. He wasn’t capable of romance, and she didn’t strike him as the type who’d indulge in carnal pleasures without it. Hell, in his experience, no woman was truly happy to avoid romance in favor of simple physical pleasure.
    Thom tossed aside the covers and grabbed a pair of sweatpants, tugging them up around his hips before wandering out to the kitchen. He found Malin curled up on the sofa.
    He squatted down beside her and took the opportunity to study her face. He hadn’t realized how much her emotions colored her expressions. In sleep, she looked like a teenager, young and fresh-faced, a light sprinkling of freckles visible across the bridge of her nose.
    He felt the familiar pull, the need to possess her, to touch her and seduce her, to prove that the desire he felt was mutual, even though she’d already admitted it was. Thom reached out and took a strand of her pale hair, rubbing it between his fingers.
    She stirred slightly and he quickly stood, retreating to the kitchen. He made a pot of coffee and put breakfast on the stove. As he waited, Thom observed her from a distance. They had a whole day ahead of them. How would it end? Would they share another kiss, or would she put a quick end to his fantasies?
    When the coffee was done, he poured a mug for each of them, then carried the mugs back to the sofa. He sat down next to her and set the mug in front of her nose, hoping the smell might wake her up. But Malin was obviously a deep sleeper. He tried calling her name, shaking her shoulder, tickling the bottom of her feet and pulling her hair, but nothing seemed to rouse her.
    Finally, impatient, Thom gently pinched her nose shut. A few seconds later, she jerked, then waved her hand in front of her face. Thom quickly sat back and picked up the coffee mugs, clutching them in his hands.
    “You’re awake,” he said, holding out the hot coffee.
    Malin rubbed at her eyes and slowly sat up. Her fingers immediately went to her hair, and she ran them through the tangles before grabbing the mug with a nervous smile. “What time is it?”
    “Early. Seven-thirty.”
    “I fell asleep,” she murmured.
    “I expected to find you curled up in front of the door.”
    She smiled. “I’m not used to staying up that late. I’m usually in bed by ten.”
    “Not much of a party