Read Online The Mighty Quinns: Jack by Kate Hoffmann - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Kate Hoffmann
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game.
“I’ll be sure to call you the next time I’m in Chicago,” she said.
“Give me your cell phone,” he said, holding out his hand. She handed it to him and he quickly put his number into her lists of contacts. “There. Now you’ll have no excuses. You have my number.”
She stared down at the number on the phone, then smiled. “All right. But you need to have my number.” She hit a few buttons on her phone and a moment later, his rang.
Chuckling, Jack pulled it out of his pocket. “Hello.”
“Hello,” she said, smiling coyly. “It’s me. Next we’ll be moving on to a place that makes the most delicious wild mushroom tarts. The crust is so buttery, you won’t be able to stop at one bite.”
He grabbed her hand and laced his fingers through hers, slipping his phone back into his pocket. Jack stared down at their hands, unable to tell whose fingers were whose. Holding hands was such a simple thing, but yet it represented a giant admission to them both. They enjoyed the physical contact. They needed it, even in a public place like this.
But a few seconds later, she pulled away and walked toward a booth that sold kitchen supplies. Jack trailed after her, determined to continue the conversation.
“You know, I get out to California fairly regularly, as well. In fact, I’ll be back in San Francisco next month when the Cubs play the Giants. I think you need to come to a ball game with me.”
“Maybe,” she said. Jack watched as she picked up a ladle and examined it. He got the distinct sense that something was bothering her, but he was almost afraid to ask what it was. Was she worried about her father and his mother? Or were her concerns about the two of them? Maybe she was just tired.
He stood next to her and picked up a spatula. “This is nice.”
“It is,” she murmured.
“So, what’s the problem here, Mia. Are you really not interested in seeing me again after I leave? Was I just good for a roll in the hay and that’s it?”
She dropped the ladle onto the table with a clatter then spun around to face him. “What? No!” Mia shook her head. “Why would you think that?”
“Listen, I understand if that’s the way it is. I can handle the whole no-strings, friends-with-benefits approach. Okay, so I might feel a little used, but I can accept that.”
“I would never—”
Jack bent close and stopped her words with a long, lingering kiss. “But,” he murmured, “just in case you aren’t aware, I enjoy your company, Mia. And I wouldn’t be opposed to spending a little more time together—if we could.”
“You wouldn’t?” she asked, her eyes wide and searching.
“I wouldn’t. What about you?”
“All right.”
“All right?” he repeated.
A pretty blush rose on her cheeks. “I would, too.”
Jack chuckled. “And here, I thought you were just using me for sex.”
“I was,” Mia said. “But this is good, too. I think.” She spied a tent and her face lit up. “There. These are the tarts.”
Mia pulled him along until they reached the table and she ordered a mushroom tart and an onion tart. They were wrapped in paper and she held one out for him to take a bite. The egg was like custard, rich and creamy, and the mushrooms were earthy and flavorful.
Jack groaned softly. Every moment with Mia seemed like a delight for the senses. Between the sex, the food and the breathtaking scenery around them, he was constantly off-kilter. “You are a very dangerous woman,” he said after he swallowed. “More.”
She offered him another bite and he nodded. “So good.”
“Me or the tart?”
“Aren’t you the tart? Oh, wait. No. You’re talking about the quiche?”
She slapped him playfully. “The onion is good, too.”
He leaned forward to take a bite, but at the last moment, shifted and kissed her lips. They were buttery from the pastry and she tasted delicious. A giggle slipped from her lips and he drew back. “One more taste, my little tart,” he murmured.
“I’ll be sure to call you the next time I’m in Chicago,” she said.
“Give me your cell phone,” he said, holding out his hand. She handed it to him and he quickly put his number into her lists of contacts. “There. Now you’ll have no excuses. You have my number.”
She stared down at the number on the phone, then smiled. “All right. But you need to have my number.” She hit a few buttons on her phone and a moment later, his rang.
Chuckling, Jack pulled it out of his pocket. “Hello.”
“Hello,” she said, smiling coyly. “It’s me. Next we’ll be moving on to a place that makes the most delicious wild mushroom tarts. The crust is so buttery, you won’t be able to stop at one bite.”
He grabbed her hand and laced his fingers through hers, slipping his phone back into his pocket. Jack stared down at their hands, unable to tell whose fingers were whose. Holding hands was such a simple thing, but yet it represented a giant admission to them both. They enjoyed the physical contact. They needed it, even in a public place like this.
But a few seconds later, she pulled away and walked toward a booth that sold kitchen supplies. Jack trailed after her, determined to continue the conversation.
“You know, I get out to California fairly regularly, as well. In fact, I’ll be back in San Francisco next month when the Cubs play the Giants. I think you need to come to a ball game with me.”
“Maybe,” she said. Jack watched as she picked up a ladle and examined it. He got the distinct sense that something was bothering her, but he was almost afraid to ask what it was. Was she worried about her father and his mother? Or were her concerns about the two of them? Maybe she was just tired.
He stood next to her and picked up a spatula. “This is nice.”
“It is,” she murmured.
“So, what’s the problem here, Mia. Are you really not interested in seeing me again after I leave? Was I just good for a roll in the hay and that’s it?”
She dropped the ladle onto the table with a clatter then spun around to face him. “What? No!” Mia shook her head. “Why would you think that?”
“Listen, I understand if that’s the way it is. I can handle the whole no-strings, friends-with-benefits approach. Okay, so I might feel a little used, but I can accept that.”
“I would never—”
Jack bent close and stopped her words with a long, lingering kiss. “But,” he murmured, “just in case you aren’t aware, I enjoy your company, Mia. And I wouldn’t be opposed to spending a little more time together—if we could.”
“You wouldn’t?” she asked, her eyes wide and searching.
“I wouldn’t. What about you?”
“All right.”
“All right?” he repeated.
A pretty blush rose on her cheeks. “I would, too.”
Jack chuckled. “And here, I thought you were just using me for sex.”
“I was,” Mia said. “But this is good, too. I think.” She spied a tent and her face lit up. “There. These are the tarts.”
Mia pulled him along until they reached the table and she ordered a mushroom tart and an onion tart. They were wrapped in paper and she held one out for him to take a bite. The egg was like custard, rich and creamy, and the mushrooms were earthy and flavorful.
Jack groaned softly. Every moment with Mia seemed like a delight for the senses. Between the sex, the food and the breathtaking scenery around them, he was constantly off-kilter. “You are a very dangerous woman,” he said after he swallowed. “More.”
She offered him another bite and he nodded. “So good.”
“Me or the tart?”
“Aren’t you the tart? Oh, wait. No. You’re talking about the quiche?”
She slapped him playfully. “The onion is good, too.”
He leaned forward to take a bite, but at the last moment, shifted and kissed her lips. They were buttery from the pastry and she tasted delicious. A giggle slipped from her lips and he drew back. “One more taste, my little tart,” he murmured.
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