Page 23 of Hidden By the Convicts
“Do I want to know?”
“Not really.”
“Hey, Harlis?” Teagen asked as she approached.
“Yeeesss, princess?” Harlis asked, a smile filling his face. “What do you need?”
“I just wanted to saythank you.”
He turned his cheek and tapped it. “Plant one, right here.”
With a feminine laugh that sounded carefree and happy, Teagen leaned past Harlis, her eyes searching. They stopped on him, sending a sense of need down through Gavin. God, she was lovely and sweet. He absolutely loved hearing her laugh because it was a sign that she’d be okay in time. He could see her being with Harlis or Bowen. Even both, if she could accept them for who they were. Bowen wasn’t the most soft-spoken of people, and Harlis only seemed to think about sex, which wasn’t what she needed. But the kid also made her laugh, so perhaps he’d be good for her.
Gavin merely nodded at her and turned around, giving her the privacy to make her own decision about Harlis. When he turned away, he swore he heard her sigh.
* * *
TEAGEN
For the firsttime in what seemed like years, Teagen laughed. She quickly threw her hands over her mouth. She had to be quiet in the greenhouse, not do anything that could be heard outside.
Harlis was attempting a simple magic trick of making a stone disappear and reappear behind her ear. She could see the stone the entire time, though he tried to distract her with goofy expressions.
When Harlis wasn’t pissing Bowen off, he was trying to make her laugh. Or working really hard to make her happy. Not just little things either, like letting her shower before him or get the last piece of padadou, a fruit native to Narkos that had strong lemon overtones. He’d gone out of his way to dig the pit in the greenhouse and rig a warning system should the guards enter. Harlis was giving her as much freedom as he could, and that was priceless.
Bowen would have a fit when he found out what Harlis had done and probably keep her from returning. Until then, she’d enjoy the chance to work in the greenhouse and be near Gavin.
Her presence made Gavin nervous. He always seemed to be pulling away from her, which was weird because she liked him. She liked Bowen too. Hell, she liked all three of them, even though they were all so different.
“Still waiting, princess,” Harlis said with his cheek turned toward her.
She leaned in to kiss his cheek, but the sneak moved, and her lips met his. Immediately, she pulled back, surprised, yet not. This was Harlis, after all, impulsive and not the least bit sorry for his actions.
He didn’t force another kiss on her, though, but he didn’t back away either. His hands leaned against the table, caging her.
“That was not a kiss,” he scolded.
“You moved.”
“Of course, I moved. Do you think I’d pass up the chance to taste those perfect lips of yours?”
Shocked, her mouth fell open.
“Oh, princess, that’s an invitation I plan to take advantage of, so if you don’t want my tongue down your throat, I suggest you close those sweet lips.”
She locked her lips tight, biting them even. His face fell, his exuberance gone as he released his grip from the table and stepped back.
“It’s okay, Teagen. I promised I wouldn’t touch you unless you wanted it.”
“You promised Bowen?”
“No, I promised you.”
“I don’t remember you promising me anything.”
“I said it while you were sleeping in my bed. You looked so perfect there, like you belonged. But then I remembered. . .”
He didn’t say it. He didn’t have to. He’d seen her scars, and they’d shaken him. Harlis shrugged and looked toward the greenhouse’s entrance.
