Free The Mighty Quinns: Malcolm by Kate Hoffmann

her.”
    “Are you finished sticking your nose into my business?”
    “Our business,” she said. “The family business.”
    Mal shook his head as he continued on to the equipment shed.
    It was a risk. Maybe Amy was just a very skilled reporter, adept at getting the truth out of him without raising his suspicions. Hell, maybe his doubts weren’t even about the story, Mal mused. Maybe he just wanted to get them both out of his bed. It had only been a few days, but he’d already wasted more than a few minutes thinking about what his life could be like if she was around for more than just two weeks. Any more time together under the sheets and his career, his very existence, would be in serious jeopardy.
    So he’d take her on this trip, in six days she would be gone and his life would go back to the way it should be.
    Mal found a couple pairs of boots in her size and started back to the office. When he opened the door to the conference room, he found Amy standing amongst the clothes, wearing just her bra and panties, a pair of fleece pants clutched in her hand.
    “What’s the problem?”
    She held up the pants. “Base layer or fleece? And do I wear the fleece over the base layer or instead of the base layer?”
    “That depends on the weather,” he said. “Sometimes, during the day, it could be warm enough in the sun that you could hike topless.”
    “Women do that?”
    “Sure,” he said.
    She frowned. “Isn’t there some mountain we could climb in Tahiti or Bora Bora? Someplace where it’s warm?”
    He bent over and picked up a few pieces of base layer and held them out. “That sounds a lot like whinging, and you promised there would be none of that.”
    “I don’t even know what that means.”
    “Whining? Complaining?”
    “I’ve never done something like this before and it worries me,” Amy admitted.
    “You don’t have to be afraid, Amy.”
    “I’m not afraid. I just don’t want to make a fool out of myself. I mean, I don’t even know the most basic things. For example, what happens when I need to go to the bathroom?”
    “Oh, that’s easy. There are petrol stations every few miles along the trail, we just stop in and ask for the key.”
    Amy giggled. “Funny.”
    He picked up the pants and showed her the waistband. “This opens, you tug down your fleece and base, grab a squat, and Bob’s your uncle.”
    “Bob’s my uncle,” she murmured. “Yes, he is. I understand the mechanics. But you just...do it? Wherever?”
    “Pretty much,” he said.
    “Just promise me you’re not going to watch,” she said.
    “Your naked bum? I’m sure I’ll get plenty of other chances to observe your backside.” Mal pulled her into his arms and gave her a lazy kiss. She was cute this way, all nervous and vulnerable.
    “And would Bob have any toilet paper along?”
    “Yes, we’ll take some. But we’ll have to carry it back out. There are no trash cans on the glacier.”
    “All right,” she said. “If that’s the worst I’ll have to deal with, then I’ll survive.”
    “It’ll be great, I promise. Now, would you like me to help you into your clothes or out of those knickers?”
    “Your sister is right outside the door,” she said.
    “So?”
    “Keep your hands to yourself,” Amy warned.
    “All my rellies and friends know I’m not a virgin,” he said.
    “But they don’t know I’m having sex with you,” she said. He smiled and Amy’s eyes went wide. “They do?”
    “My sister does. But then, she’s always been the nosy one in the family.”
    Amy grabbed up the bottoms from the base layer and tugged them over her legs. Mal set the boots on the table and watched as she yanked the top over her head. “There. How is that?”
    “You look very...sexy.”
    She found a set of fleece and put those on next. When she was finished, she did a slow circle. “And how’s this?”
    “I prefer you naked,” he commented.
    Amy chose a bright blue jacket and black pants. When she was fully dressed,