Page 146 of Torin

Alexandria surveys what’s left on the table. “Well, nobody needs to cook tomorrow.”

“Or possibly the rest of the week,” Gunnar says.

She gives him a look. “You’re welcome.”

“I wasn’t complaining.”

Orson pushes his chair back. “Can I have another spano-pie thing?”

Alexandria looks at him. “You’re still hungry?”

“Yeah.”

She shakes her head, smiling as she passes him the platter.

I pick up my plate and reach for Torin’s.

“Leave it,” Alexandria says. “You’ve had a long enough day.”

“And you’ve been cooking since lunchtime.”

I take Torin’s plate anyway and carry them both to the kitchen. Gunnar starts collecting dishes from the other end of the table while Torin carries the leftovers into the kitchen.

It doesn’t take us long to get everything packed away and the dishwasher loaded.

Alexandria yawns as she closes it.

“Bed,” Gunnar says.

“I’m going.”

He puts an arm around her shoulders, and she looks over at me.

“Sleep well, you two.”

“You too.”

Orson disappears after them, leaving Torin and me to finish clearing up the last few things.

And suddenly I can’t look at him.

I concentrate on putting the last couple of glasses away, aware of him moving around behind me.

This is ridiculous. We’ve kissed. I know how badly he wants me, and he knows I want him.

But now we’re alone. There’s no one to interrupt us, nowhere we need to be, nothing else we have to deal with. And tonight I’m staying.

I close the cupboard and turn around, nerves and desire prickling inside me.

“You must be exhausted,” Torin says.

“I am.”

“Want to go to bed?”

My cheeks heat instantly.

He smiles.