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“Compliments make me suspicious.”
“Is that right?” he asked, intrigued. “Why?”
“Because in my experience they aren’t handed out for free.”
His lips twisted into a smile that hinted at his motive. “And what is it you think I want in return?”
Raising her brows, her smile turned sly. “I’ll leave my suspicions up to your imagination.”
“You’re a beautiful woman, Tess. I don’t doubt you’ve featured in many men’s imaginations.”
THREE
“THREE!”
The abrupt shout startled both of them. Harry was striding across the patio from the direction of the games room.
“What’s the problem, Hades?” Hugo asked, relaxing in his chair again. “This isn’t the time for business.”
“I have to talk to my daughter,” Harry said when he stopped between them. “Alone. I’m sure you understand.”
“Yes,” Hugo said, enjoying some wine before rising. “I’ll give you privacy.” Before he went, he opened a hand to her. “If you’ll permit me, Tess…” Permit him to what? She wasn’t sure but put her hand on his. Just like inside, he pressed his lips to her fingers. “It’s been a pleasure. I look forward to getting to know you better… much better.”
Without giving Harry another glance, Hugo returned to the house.
Harry didn’t bother to sit down, he just loomed there, forcing her to look up at him. “Tess,” he warned. What exactly was his concern? “You don’t want to get mixed up with him.”
“He’s the first person who’s treated me as more than an inconvenience,” she said.
Citing Daire wasn’t an option. Mentioning him in relation to her would be risky. Her father’s role required him to know people, to read people. Tess didn’t want to venture into murky territory… Though, truth be told, everything between them was murky.
“I don’t have time for games.”
“No, you don’t have time for me,” she said, swallowing the last of her wine and standing up. “A conversation is not a game. Sitting around day in, day out, it’s nice to do more than work on ways to be quiet and stay out of everyone’s way. It’s fine, Harry, really. You stay out of my way, and I’ll stay out of yours.”
It was her intention to go back into the house. After two steps, Harry grabbed her arm to pull her back.
“It’s dangerous,” he said, his volume low. “Loyalties are strained at the moment.”
“And you think he might use me against you?” She inhaled. “For something to be leveraged against someone else, it first has to mean something to that person. Mom is dead. It is what it is. I was wrong about you and me, about what we could be. It’s no big deal. I believed something that wasn’t real…” Casting her gaze to the side, she muttered, “which has been a problem for me before.”
“Tess…”
“It’s fine,” she said, peeling his fingers from her arm. “I came downstairs to say that. I shouldn’t have expected anything from you, and I shouldn’t have confronted you in the way that I did. I appreciate what you and your men are doing. This is the safest place for me right now. I’ll do my best to lie low. That doesn’t mean I can be invisible. I still exist. All you have to do is ignore me. I don’t expect gallantry. I know men. I know what men are interested in… It’s my decision whether I give it or not. I promise, I don’t expect you to swoop in and save me. If he threatens to put a knife in me unless you do something, let him put the knife in me. No guilt. No obligation.”
“Will you talk some sense into her?” Harry snapped at the man approaching behind her.
Tess hadn’t seen him and had been too busy talking to sense her Heart joining them.
“Seems fair to me,” Daire said.
She still hadn’t seen him, which was for the best. Her poker face was lousy, and Harry couldn’t know about their feelings for each other. After witnessing how Daire responded to her one conversation with Hugo, she understood that need even more.
“Ridiculous,” Harry said, spinning around to storm back inside.
She breathed out.
“Not,” Daire said, moving in closer. “The answer is you will not give it.”
