“Noted,” she whispered.
The corner of Felix’s mouth lifted, and he swept his thumb a little up her inner thigh. “Thank you.”
For the first two miles, Thea swore she held her breath. After the next three, she prayed to Himeros, Eros’s sexier twin, for deliverance, and by the time they pulled into Small Oaks, she was an absolute mess. Every bump in the road, everychange of speed, caused Felix’s fingertips to nudge higher against her thigh. She must remember to write to the local council and thank them for their lack of recent road repairs.
All she could think about was what would happen if his hand were just a few inches higher. He was a man of few words, but if Ammy hadn’t been in the car, it would only take one, and she’d vault over the centre console right onto his lap.
Mercifully, they pulled into the yard, driving slowly over the cobbles to the front door. Felix removed his hand and double-gripped the steering wheel, his knuckles glowing white in the outdoor light.
“Fuck, shit, fuck,” he hissed through his teeth.
Thea scowled. Of course! His crown jewels would still be tender. There was only so much Tylenol could do. No matter how good the car’s suspension was, each pass over the uneven flooring would bring a brutal thumping against his delicate skin. Thea giggled. She honestly couldn’t help it. That he was even continuing their passage across the yard was crazy. “Stop! I don’t want to be held responsible for any permanent damage.”
“It’s not funny,” he growled, finally coming to a standstill in the middle of the cobbles.
“I’m sorry,” she said, forcing the corners of her mouth downwards. “Do you want to come in for a coffee? A cushion?”
“How about something stronger? I think I’ve earned it.”
The chilly air kissed Thea’s skin as she slid to the ground. She walked around to unbuckle a comatose Ammy and carried her towards the house.
“I hope the door isn’t unlocked,” Felix said, obviously expecting the worst.
“Not at all. After receiving dramatic reports of all the sinister folk in Tottenbridge lining up to take off with the family silver, I’ve begun locking it.”
Felix grunted, rolling his eyes.
They reached the little porch, and Thea pointed her foot ata withered fir tree in a red pot. It wore a faded frond of tinsel around its body, and a dulled star hung from its top. “The key’s under there.”
“That’s the Christmas tree you mentioned?” asked Felix, his monotone punctuating the crisp air.
“Yes. I can’t bear to throw them away in the New Year. It just feels wrong.”
“But it’s dead.”
Thea cringed. “Shh. Keep your voice down. I forgot to water it, and I don’t have the heart to tell Ammy it’s not deciduous. I was just going to replace it in November.”
Felix snorted a laugh, retrieved the key and opened the door, holding it open for her and Ammy. She cast her eyes about the hallway, giving herself a mental three cheers for doing a quick tidy-up before she left. Not that she’d hoped he’d come back for a drink, of course.
23
THEA
Thea left Felix down in the kitchen while she put Ammy to bed. After tucking her in and putting on her night light, she ducked into the bathroom to survey the damage of a day with no access to foundation.
The reflection that stared back at her echoed the inner turmoil that roiled in her gut. Her wide eyes were almost wild, her pupils dilated. She’d invited Felix in for a “drink.” Everyone knew what that meant. He’d spent the best part of an hour with his hand nine inches from her lady-bits, and there’d been definite touching today. Good, rousing touching that’d brought up sensations she’d long forgotten. If she remembered the rules of dating correctly, every action they’d taken pointed to sex.
After splashing her cheeks with cold water and applying a light dab of perfume behind each knee, Thea took a deep breath and headed downstairs to the kitchen.
The moment she entered, Felix looked up from where he sat at the table, and the room was charged with electricity. With expectation. With light tendrils of energy winding around every vibrating molecule.
A single lamp in the corner lit the room, its cosy glow casting shadows against the floral wallpaper.
“I hope you don’t mind, but I helped myself,” Felix said, lifting a tumbler containing a dark brown liquid. “Brandy?” he asked, offering it to her.
“Thank you,” Thea mumbled. She took the drink with trembling fingers and moved to the sink. Turning her back to Felix, she took a gulp, coughing a little as it slipped down the back of her throat. Nausea bubbled in her gut, and although she’d put away all the clean dishes earlier, she searched the countertop until she found the tiniest speck of something on the tap. Picking up a cloth, she scrubbed at the metal. Anything to delay the moment.
“Big day, huh?” she said, horrified by the uneven pitch of her voice.
