Free Loving Him: A New Adult International Romance Serial (Angelique's Greek Book 5) by Kay Brody Page A

either end, while her sisters Claudine and Cherie and Josette huddled around her. They did not notice him for a moment.
    “Still,” Angelique’s mother Anna said, somewhat fiercely, “you shouldn’t have run away like that and scared us all half to death. You just shouldn’t . No matter how you’re feeling.”
    “I already told you I’m sorry, Ma,” Angelique said. Her voice was flat and monotone, and Theo felt an ache in his chest as she spoke. She sounded a million miles away from the passionate woman he’d lost his heart to.
    “Didn’t you hear us?” he said softly.
    They all looked up at him, surprised to see him there.
    Theo expected a glare from Angelique, but as she gazed up at him, she just looked tired. “I put my headphones in and came back just a couple minutes after. I just wanted to clear my head.”
    Mr. Felix stood and crossed over to the kitchen. “Well, next time, you’ll take your phone with you.”
    “Yes, Dad.”
    Theo looked around at each of them, and noticed how his proposition had changed the mood of the room so drastically. They had all been so happy, chattering away and enjoying their curry chicken. Now there was a heaviness lingering in the air.
    “I just wanted to say—” Theo began, about to apologize and tell them he would retract his offer on Mermaid Hole.
    “Let’s talk outside,” Angelique interrupted. She got to her feet and came over to the door, not meeting his eyes.  
    Once outside on the veranda, they walked into a swarm of mosquitoes. Angelique tutted, flapping her hands in front of her face to try and get rid of them. She then clicked a switch and the porch was flooded with light. The garden, which had been softly illuminated by the moon’s weak shine, was cast into darkness.
    Angelique flopped down on a chair. Theo followed suit.
    “I didn’t mean to upset you,” he said. “At all. In fact, quite the opposite.”
    Angelique let out a deep, long breath. “I know.” She reached out for his face and pushed her dark fingers through his light hair at the temple. It was comforting, and her voice took on a softer tone. “I know, Theo. You were just trying to do something nice for me.”
    “It didn’t turn out so well,” he said.
    “Not exactly,” she agreed, but there was no condemnation in her voice. “Theo, I love you. It still scares me to say that but I do, even though it’s early. I love your passion. Your personality. You’re so … go-getting. But this is all moving too fast for me.”
    “I know,” he said. “I agree. You’re right.”
    “And I’m not saying that because I don’t love you. I’m saying it because I do love you. Because I really want things to go right. I don’t want us to rush and mess it up, you know?”
    He took her black hands in his white ones. The contrast was beautiful.
    “Me neither.”
    “It was a really nice thought, my boy,” she said.
    He smiled at that. That Caribbean term of affection he so loved to hear pass her lips. It all but disappeared whenever she was angry.
    “It was a really nice thought,” she said again. “And maybe one day in the future I would like to run Mermaid Hole. But not just now. Right now, I don’t want any responsibilities. I want to think long and hard before I get myself into anything.”
    Theo nodded. “I understand. And I’m just going to work on my book and do my thing and stop interfering. I’m a guest here. And when I’m getting annoying you just tell me and I’ll go get a hotel or whatever. No pressure.”
    She giggled and slapped him on the arm. “Oh yeah, you’re so annoying, my boy. Go get a hotel, right now. Get out of my sight.” She giggled again and snuggled into his arm, then breathed a satisfied sigh. “You’re so silly. You’re great.”
    Theo wrapped his strong arm around her thin waist. “Thanks. You’re pretty spectacular yourself.”
    They settled into silence, but after a moment or two she stood up and held her hand out to him. “Come, let’s