“Why don’t you take a breath?”
Thea scowled. “A breath? I’ve ruined Kitty’s favourite top! It’s made by some fancy designer, and I don’t have the money to replace it.” She dropped her hands to her sides. “One look at the damage could push her over the edge. She’s had somebloating issues, and I don’t want her blood pressure to shoot up too high. I can’t afford for her to be on bed rest. I need her help.” Thea widened her eyes. “What if she goes into premature labour?”
Felix huffed. “Because of a dirty top?”
“She’s all hormonal, and sometimes even the saintly have their moments.”
He walked towards her, carrying one towel that Persephone had given him. His hands were a lot cleaner now. “Use this. And Kitty will forgive you. It was an accident. Just because she’s expecting doesn’t mean she’s irrational.”
Thea took the offered towel and wiped at the stain on her boob, rubbing furiously. “You’ve obviously never been pregnant. You wouldn’t understand.”
He snickered. “I agree. But I can be ofsomehelp.”
“How? How can you fixthis?” she said, gesturing to the now giant brown stain on Kitty’s top.
Felix leaned against a set of lockers, the metal clunking under his weight. “I have the best dry cleaners in town. They can remove anything. They’ve had a lot of practice with my suits lately.”
Thea looked up at his half-smile, and her lip trembled. “But look at me. I’m a laughingstock. I knew it was a bad idea to borrow something so glamourous. It’s far too skimpy for a woman my age.”
Felix’s eyebrows quirked up. “I think you look fantastic.”
Holy hell. Why did he suddenly have to be so reasonable? Why couldn’t he just laugh at her, tell her she looked like mutton dressed as lamb and storm off in his usual way? Thea let out a long breath.
“I wanted to wear a dress tonight, but the only one I found was covered in cat fur and claw marks. One of my rescues must have used it to nest in. We get pregnant cats in all the time.” Thea knew she was rambling, but desperate to fill the silence,she couldn’t stop herself. “And now everyone is laughing at me. Poor Thea. Can’t even behave herself at a school function.”
Felix shook his head. “Nobody’s laughing at you. You’ve done nothing but impress all evening. Your bar, though I hate to say it, was a triumph. And you must have raised a lot of money at the auction.”
Thea sucked on her lips. She’d forgotten. Forgotten how cross he’d been with her for selling him off. Even after she’d humiliated him, all he could do was say nice things about her. His kindness must be because of Persephone’s “widow” comment. He’d forever pity her. Treat her differently.
The chill of the hallway sent a shudder through Thea, and Felix stepped towards her. “You’re cold. Come with me,” he said, putting an arm around her shoulder and walking her around the corner towards the bathrooms. The weight of his arm and the touch of his skin against hers made Thea’s breath skitter a little. Just a very little.
They stopped outside a blue door. It had a painting of a girl in a triangular skirt on the front. Thea waited, heart pounding, unsure what he wanted her to do. Perhaps he was going to douse her under a tap? Instead, though, he threw his jacket on the floor. He must have put it back on before he found her. Slowly, Felix reached for his shirt buttons.
Thea’s gaze followed his hand as he popped open the first button. Then, the second and the third, and like waking up from a dream, the reality of what he was doing hit her. Felix Walsh was undressing. He was actually taking his clothes off. In front of her. Thea glanced around in case they were being watched, but the corridor was empty.
She swallowed hard, fighting to keep her eyes on his shoes, but the effort was torture. Surely a quick peek at what lay beneath his shirt wouldn’t hurt? Just to check that he had no lasting damage from the fountain incident. No. She needed to stay focused. Disinterested. If she started drooling, she’d onlylook like a desperate widow who got her rocks off watching rich and grumpy men stripping in primary school corridors.
Thea dragged her gaze to his face and found Felix watching her.
“Are you okay?”
“Yes.” Her voice was far too breathy for comfort. “I just hope I haven’t given you the wrong idea.”
“What do you mean?”
“Well,this,” she said, gesturing at the vague area of his slowly emerging chest.
Felix scowled at her. Then, after a moment, his eyes widened before a smirk tipped up one side of his mouth.
“Thea,” he said, low and steady. “I’m not trying to jump on you. I’m trying to give you my shirt. It should keep you looking chaste for the rest of the evening.”
A burn swept over Thea’s face, and she pleaded for the floor to melt and consume her whole. Only five minutes ago, he’d been holding her boob, and now he must think she was after more. Way to make a complete and utter fool of herself in front of the man she took great pride in irritating.
“Here you go,” he said.
Without thinking, Thea looked up. Felix stood in front of her, shirtless and looking anythingbutlike a man who owned a double chin. Her mouth ran dry, and she licked her bottom lip.
His skin wasn’t tan, and it wasn’t precisely pale, either. Tiny freckles stippled his defined shoulders before thinning out across his pecs, where they met a smattering of fair hair. Thea took a slow breath.
