The Perfect Machine: Kingdom Of Glass (GxG

50. You are afraid of me

I drag Harlow down every corridor. I want to enjoy every moment I can share with her, but then I notice that she stops behind me.

"What's wrong?" I ask, but she provides no answer. She only gazes at me with her dark eyes. Most of the veins on her face turned black, which reminds me that our time could be limited. It creates a lump deep in the bottom of my belly.

"Harlow?" I say her name as I step closer to her and place my palms on her cheek. The warmth of her skin is so soft. So often, I wish she'd open up a little more, but I know she's a complex person. Her strong, quiet appearance was what led me to her. She was and still is a mystery to me.

"What is it?" I smile as she glances at me, which has now become strange. She lays her arms around my waist to hold me tightly to her. I can feel my hands tremble as my heart speeds up.

Harlow narrows her eyes and then lets me go. She takes a step away from me and leaves me in utter confusion.

"I'm sorry," She says and I shake my head.

"Why are you sorry?" I ask as I feel very disappointed with the outcome of this situation.

"You are afraid of me," She explains.

"What?" I blurt out.

"I can hear your heart," Harlow says and I can't help but roll my eyes.

"You're such a dummy," I tell her and grab the collar of her shirt to pull her down to me. I move my mouth on hers, feeling the tingly sensation going from head to toe as she embraced me. Her hands find a way up through my hair, causing shivers to run down my spine.

I take her by the middle of her shirt as I sense my knees are weakening by the touch of her lips. She's so soft and warm and I can't help but want more. I lay my arms around her waist to hug her closely and I'm terrified that she won't return if I let her go.

Harlow's hands slip down my back and down below my thighs. She raises me as if I were weightless and I can't help but grin happily out of surprise. I rest my arms around her neck to lean my forehead on hers. Then, I find her mouth with mine again.

I feel like I've been waiting so long for this to happen. Now it is and it feels so right. She shifts her lips so gracefully against mine, so smooth with intensity and desire. It makes me want more.

However, without any warning, she puts me back down on the floor. I watch her bewildered.

"I'm sorry," She says and just a second later, the door to our right of the hall opens.

"There you are," My mother says. Dad follows after down the corridor with his hands in the pockets of his trousers. Well, that would have been humiliating. Right now, I'm most thankful for Harlow's incredible sense of hearing.

"Do you two want to join us for dinner?" My mother asks both of us and I can't avoid the heat that rises on my cheeks. I only tried to spend my time with Harlow in a manner that was not acceptable to my parents.

"Are you all right?" My dad asks me as I am still flushed.

"Yes," I reply as I clear my throat. I only had the moment of my life before you two decided to interrupt, but I can't say that out loud, now can I?

"How are you, Harlow?" My mother asks as she looks at Harlow with curiosity.

"I'm fine, thank you," She smiles kindly, but at the moment, she appears nervous. I don't understand what's going on. I have to admit it's great that my parents are trying, but did they have to do it right now?

"Come let's go," My mother takes both of us by the arm and pulls us down the hallway with my father on our tails.

My mother won't stop chatting while we were on the way to the cafeteria. She insists on telling Harlow about how she met my dad and how it was back then and how they've always tried to make ends meet. We bump into Mary and Harry in the queue, too, to get our food. Then we find a place to sit in the back. Not long after, Lara comes to join the group as well.

They're all in deep conversation about the country. However, I'm lost, trapped in my head about what happened with Harlow and me in the hallway. I can't help feeling the chills going down my back as I keep the kiss alive in my head.

A hand on my leg wakes me up. I turn to Harlow, who seems concerned. I smile back as I take hold of her hand in mine. People who walk through the tables keep staring at Harlow with unanswered questions. It's happened before, but now that it's all shown up in her face. The black lines that she can't hide anymore make the looks increase.

"Can we play afterwards?" Harry wonders as he stares at Harlow and me. A part of me wants to say no, but he's a nice boy and he deserves some company. I know he misses Harlow. I believe her presence reminds him of his father but in a good way.