The Castle of Gold [Bk 2]

ch.14 Lee-yum

“Can I come in?” he asked.

I nodded slowly.

“Wow” he smiled as he looked around the semi-crowded room of partially intoxicated guests.

“Looks like you guys are having a good time celebrating” he grinned.

“Yeah, I guess so” I smiled.

Harry turned and saw Liam. He rushed to my side quickly, but calmly as he remembered when I scolded him for trying to hurt Liam earlier. Then he wrapped his arm around my waist, holding me just close enough to show that we were together, even though Liam already knew.

“Hi Harry” Liam greeted him cautiously.

“Hi” Harry grumbled with clear hatred.

Neither one held out a hand to the other in a friendlier greeting. They just stood there.

Harry glared at Liam and Liam tried his best not to let the glaring make him uncomfortable.

I nudged Harry in his abdomen and his lips went up in a semi-smile, which was better than the way he was glaring.

“Are you hungry?” I asked Liam, trying to break the intensity of their stares.

Liam looked at me as if it was for the first time. Like both he and Harry had forgotten I was even there.

“No. I just got out of another round of apple pie. I’m stuffed” Liam explained and he patted his stomach lightly.

I smiled.

“Angie, could I talk to you for a minute?” he asked carefully. He was clearly very aware of Harry’s harsh stare.

I nodded and turned to Harry, expecting him to let go of my waist so that I could talk to Liam.

Harry didn’t even seem to realize or at least acknowledge that Liam had said anything and he just stood there a moment with his arm around me, holding me to him possessively.

“Harry?” I asked quietly.

Harry blinked and let that laser glare of his stop burning into Liam’s soul for a minute. He turned to look at me.

Then he loosened his grip slowly and I started to walk toward Liam. But, I hadn’t moved more than a few inches when Harry took my wrist and tugged until I hit against his chest.

He took my face in his hands and pressed his lips to mine and pulled my tongue along, too.

I moved back slightly, feeling awkward that Liam was just standing there and seeing this, but Harry didn’t budge. Instead, he let his hands lower to my waist and pulled me tightly against him. It was almost like he wanted an audience, especially if that audience was Liam.

I pushed at his chest slightly, letting him know for the second time that we…he should stop.

Harry obliged after a lingering moment. When I moved back, I saw that he was grinning ever so slyly and a dimple furrowed near his mischievous mouth.

I walked to Liam hastily.

Harry seemed fairly satisfied with his little show and he stood there and watched me and Liam walk away.

I glanced at Liam briefly. He was looking down and seemed even more uncomfortable by Harry’s charade than his harsh glare.

“I’m sorry” I mumbled quickly to Liam and walked to him.

Liam shook his head quickly.

We stood near the kitchen, where it was a bit quieter now that everyone had gotten desert and there was no need for the ruckus of plates and silverware.

Becky saw Liam and she waved at him from across the room. Then she walked over and kissed him on the lips. I looked away casually when Becky added more tongue. Now I knew exactly how awkward it was for Liam when Harry had done the exact same thing.

“So” Becky began. She always meant something by “so.”                

Liam looked at me a moment and swallowed hard, almost apologetically.

“Did you have a nice time with your family?” she half-whispered close to his ear.

“Yeah. We went out to eat” he answered casually.

Becky wrapped an arm around Liam’s shoulder and let her fingers play his hair. She messed up his semi-quiff and then let her fingers trail down his neck and tug at his tie.

“Becky” he interrupted her flirtatious touching.

“Yes Lee-yumm” she spoke in a low hum.

“I need to talk to Angie for a minute” he said slowly.

Becky turned to look at me and it seemed like she had forgotten I was even there.

“Oh, yeah. No problem” she hissed close to his ear.

“We can celebrate later” she winked and then returned to her conversation with the other guests.

“I’m sorry” Liam apologized, too.

I shook my head.

“No worries” I said.

Liam smiled.

“Uh, could we go somewhere quieter?” he asked. He turned slightly to look at Harry over my shoulder, like he was afraid Harry might run over and kill him if he dared say another word to me.

 I nodded and led him into one of the back rooms. We sat down at an empty table.

“Did you like my speech?” he asked bluntly.

I turned and looked up at him.

He sat closer to me know and had his hands in his pockets, like he was too nervous to hold them out as he would normally.

I looked down for a second, contemplating my answer.

“Yeah” I told him.

The gold in his eyes light up momentarily.

“You did?” he asked cautiously, like he didn’t expect me to like it.

“You were great up there” I smiled kindly.

“Thanks. It feels good to be spekaing to just one person” he told me carefully. He held my gaze for a moment, as if trying to relay a sort of message that way.