“You need to tell me why you think we don’t stand a chance together. I don’t know about you, but I can’t go through another week like this last one. I need you to think seriously. Need you to be all in before you have your wicked way with me again.” Once more, a playful glint lit Felix’s eyes.
He wasn’t making focusing easy. Thea batted him in the chest, and he caught her hand at the wrist, running his fingers across her pulse point.
“You call this serious?” she giggled.
“Okay, I’ll be serious. Where doyouwant to begin?”
Thea took a breath, her heartbeat doing laps around her ribcage. “Let’s get the big one out of the way. Adrienne.”
The pressure of his fingers on her wrist increased a little before settling back into a slow and steady stroke of her skin.
“I know you were married for years, and you have a son together, but if we’re going to have any chance, I want to have as little contact with her as possible. I don’t even want to hear about her. No midnight texts. No accusations, and no looking down her nose at me.”
Felix grimaced. “I’m so sorry about the hotel. I know her words hurt you, and I should have set boundaries sooner. I was terrified that if she knew about you, she’d spoil things.”
Thea lifted her brows. “Well, she had a good try. I just don’t need the drama of a disgruntled ex, Felix. Nor does Ammy.”
“I know, and I’ve already had that conversation with her.”
“What do you mean?”
“I called her a few days ago. We had along chat, and she agreed to leave the board, disengage herself from the Walsh Group, and never turn up uninvited again.”
Thea narrowed her eyes. “What did you offer her?”
Felix gave a wry laugh. “You have her measure. When Adrienne steps away, she’ll take with her a substantial addition to our original divorce settlement. She will own a charming and rather vast property in the south of France too.”
Thea gaped, a warmth spreading through her chest. “You paid her to leave us alone?” She didn’t doubt the conversation he referred to was tricky. But the idea of a payoff seemed ridiculous to someone who struggled to pay her heating bills in winter.
Felix shrugged and lifted her wrist to his lips, resting them against her skin. “You’re worth every penny.”
“If it was that easy, why had you never tried to disengage her before?”
He returned her hand to the blanket but kept up the steady movement of his fingers. “I’d always avoided the fall-out. For Lucas’ sake. And then I met you, and you gave me all the reasons I needed.”
Thea met his eyes. Tongues of fire licked deep within them. “But what about Lucas? How does he feel about his mum going to live in France?”
Felix gave a flick of his eyebrows. “He’s surprisingly at peace with the whole idea. He decided France wasn’t that far away, and there was always the excitement of a plane ride when he visited. I told you before, Lucas doesn’t always enjoy spending time with Adrienne.”
“It just seems sad, that’s all.”
“It is. But within two minutes, he was talking about digging a pond in the garden. He wants his own set of ducks.”
Thea’s lips curved, and she wondered how much responsibility Ammy bore for that idea.
“You’re beautiful, you know,” Felix whispered as he watched her, his words setting a glow deep within her chest.
“Stop it. Stop trying to corrupt me. I’m trying to have a full and solid discussion here.”
He snickered. “Fine. Assuming I’ve covered your concerns over Adrienne, what’s next on your list?”
Thea readjusted herself on the blanket, but Felix never let go of her wrist, never stopping the slow circle of his fingertips.
“I think we’re too different. Our lives are too different. I live on a farm, not an elegant hotel. You’re always in meetings, and I need all my energy to keep the sanctuary going. I can’t be who you want me to be in London. I’m not built like your fancy friends.”
He shook his head. “You’re built perfectly for me.”
Thea shut her eyes for a heartbeat. He was making all herconcerns seem ridiculous. “What I mean is I can’t just go swanning off to a party at the drop of a hat. I have responsibilities here. And let’s be honest, I was a disaster at your gala with the press. I’ll only let you down.”
