I gave her a smile and kept moving.
Disregarding his mother’s obvious hostility, Ethan took my hand. She zeroed in on our clasped hands, turning sudden tingles into ice. Recalling Theadora’s experience with the Lovechilde matriarch, I held my head high, refusing to be intimidated.
We entered a yellow room with all the extraordinary embellishments that made it difficult to know where to look. The walls, filled with original gilt-framed art, were a banquet for the eyes.
“Your mother’s not going to be happy,” I said.
Ethan took a plate and passed it to me. “I couldn’t give a shit, to be honest. She’s far from perfect.”
“It sounds like you don’t like her much.”
“I know she’s my mum, but she’s not exactly my favourite person at the moment.” He selected some food from the vast spread of offerings.
I accepted a plate of canapes. “Why don’t you move?”
“Despite spending more time in London, I’m looking around for a place here.” He took a bite of a mini quiche.
“Oh, you are?”
Chewing, he nodded. “My mother’s becoming increasingly difficult to live with. I hate how she is with the staff and how she just treated you.”
I frowned. “You can’t have women here?”
He swallowed his food and blotted his lips with a serviette. “Well, I haven’t exactly been living the life of a monk.” His thin chuckle sounded apologetic. “If it wasn’t for the spa, I’d probably live in London.” He looked me in the eyes. “I hope you’re not going to race out on me for mentioning the spa.”
My stomach sank at how ridiculously petulant my charging out of the hotel that morning now looked.
I sighed. “I probably overreacted. And at least the duck pond is still accessible to everyone.”
“That was never going to be part of the design. We all used to play there as kids. And one day, my…” He bit into a cracker.
“Your children, you mean?” I had to ask.
“Not mine, but nephews and nieces. I’m sure Declan and Theadora will have a brood.”
“You don’t like children?” I tilted my head.
“I do like them. But they come with a lot of responsibility. What about you?”
“Maybe. One day.” This wasn’t an easy subject. Deep down inside, I wanted to become a mother. That desire had intensified with age. “Anyway, about the spa, I like the rock wall façade. It harmonises with the natural surroundings. Your architects have done well. I would have hated one of those steel-and-glass box buildings.”
He laughed. “I had you in mind when I met with the architect.”
My head lurched back. “Really? No. You’re just pulling my leg.”
“I really did.” A smile touched his face. “Although…”
I shook my head. “What?”
His hand stroked my palm, and my nipples tightened.
I laughed. “You did that to get into my panties?”
He kept smiling. “It might surprise you to know that I like natural materials,” he added, shifting the subject away from the bedroom. “I think a building should blend with its environment and not clash, like some of the city monstrosities.”
Is he trying to impress me?“I would have thought all those hard edges and asymmetry your thing.”
He pulled a face. “Hello, I grew up here.”