“Ammy!” yelped Thea, terrified of what would come out of her daughter’s mouth. Had she somehow overheard Felix’s comment on the dance floor?
Ammy’s brow furrowed. “He has a big car.”
Both Amber and Daniel dissolved into giggles. “Your daughter is priceless. If you ever want to trade her for a lifetime supply of vodka, I’m your man.”
Thea looked down at Ammy. She was on her way to the bar now, holding out a handful of sweeties to a bow-tied man who polished glasses.
“There are some days I’d find that offer quite tempting.”
“Where’s Walsh now? I hope he hasn’t ditched you for my mother. I saw her zeroing in on the two of you earlier.”
Thea picked up one of Ammy’s abandoned sweet wrappers, scrunching it between her fingers. “Ha! It’s unlikely. She frightened the life out of him. Told him he reeked of animal magnetism. And I wish you’d call him Felix.”
A high-pitched squeal rang out across the room, and Thea looked up to see Ammy giggling and scrabbling around on the floor. She rushed over to her daughter, mumbling apologies to the barman.
“I dropped my sweeties!” Ammy wailed, settling into a heap on the carpet. Thea bent over to help pick them up.
“Sorry,” she called up to the barman. But before she couldstand up, a pair of expensively dressed feet appeared between her legs. Felix had joined her.
Almost immediately, a warm hand slid around her waist, gripping her gently. With the support, she stood up, her head swimming with the change in blood pressure, and maybe just a little bit of animal magnetism. Maybe champagne, too.
“Steady,” he said, in a tone so throaty that a tingle lit hot in between her legs. So, the flutters she’d felt on the dance floor hadn’t been a flash in the pan, then. No one-time lust-fest. Felix moved closer, placing a soft kiss on her shoulder. Thea’s eyes widened at his boldness, and she spun around to face him, holding up the boiled sweet she still had in her hand.
“Sherbert lemon?” she squeaked.
His lips trembled, and he shook his head. “Can’t I leave you alone for a minute without you getting into trouble?”
“I’m sorry,” she murmured, dropping the lolly to her side. He was probably about to give her a lecture on decorum, just like Persephone Murray had.
Instead, he moved his lips close to her ear. “Don’t be,” he whispered. “Your bottom is the best thing I’ve seen all day.”
Her lips bowed, and a gentle fizz bubbled inside her ribcage. Thea looked down at Ammy. She’d curled up at her feet and was gazing off into space, twiddling her hair with her fingers.
“I think somebody might need to go home to bed,” Felix said.
Thea huffed a laugh. “She has had rather a lot of fondant.”
“Who’s talking about Ammy?” Thea looked into Felix’s eyes, and the minuscule tingle that had sprung a second ago turned into a full-on, ten on the Richter scale rumble. She had to get out of the bar before her legs gave way.
“Having fun, Thea?”
She startled and snapped her head towards Daniel. “It’sbeen lovely, but I think the witching hour is upon us. I better wrestle Ammy to the car.”
“I’ve got this,” said Felix, sweeping Ammy up off the ground and into a piggyback. He’d obviously recovered enough to grapple with a giggling child full of lemonade. “It’s time for you to settle back in with Harry Potter,” he told Ammy. Then to Thea, “I’ll see you in the car.” He nodded a thank you to Daniel and Amber and left as swiftly as he’d arrived.
Daniel grinned. “Well, well. Walsh seems to have made himself quite at home.”
“Felix,” said Amber, giving her husband’s arm a playful punch.
He lifted one palm up in defence. “Sorry. Felix. I’m not one to judge, but if a man with no soul and jowls floats Thea’s boat, who am I to criticise?”
“He doesn’t have jowls,” chided Amber.
“And he has a soul.” The ferocity of Thea’s voice surprised even her. “He’s way nicer than you think. And he’s very tidy.”
The corners of his mouth twitched. “And rich.”
“I wouldn’t know. I’m not a gold digger. Why do you always assume the worst? Felix could be a pauper for all I care.”
