Defending Harlow (Mountain Mercenaries #4)(37)

Lowell took her head in his hands. “Breathe, Harl.”

“I told you once that I’m not an outdoorsy girl. I thought you understood. I just . . .” Her words trailed away.

“What?” he urged.

She’d never admit what she was about to say if they were on an actual date. The last thing she wanted to do was admit to something that would turn him off. But since things between them weren’t like that, she threw caution to the wind.

“I don’t want to embarrass you. I saw a few of the others who’ve already checked in milling about. They’re all . . . athletic looking. Like you. My butt probably won’t even fit on the seat. I won’t be able to keep up with everyone, and then you’ll feel like you have to hang back with me, and you’ll be miserable.”

“Harlow, you could never embarrass me. I’m proud to hang out with you. You’re an amazing person and beautiful to boot. Even half-asleep, you’re exquisite. I thought you would enjoy this. There’s really no athleticism involved. I swear. I saw the bikes we’ll be using, and they aren’t anything professional. They have big, cushiony seats. Hell, you think I like sitting on bicycle seats? That shit hurts a man’s junk. Our balls get all squished and shit. And as far as keeping up, we’ll get on the bicycles at the top of the hill and coast all the way down. It’s not a race, just a nice, easy ride downhill. We’ll be wearing safety gear, and you only have to go as fast as you’re comfortable with. I just figured you might like to do something fun. To get your mind off what’s been going on. But if you really want to leave, we will. I’d never force you to do something you don’t want to.”

Harlow stared into his eyes and could see the sincerity in them. He had a point about the small seats and his manly parts. Thinking about his dick made her feel all squirmy inside, so she tried to distract herself. She licked her lips, and saw his eyes dart down to her mouth before meeting hers once more. She liked the look in his eyes, but she still wasn’t sure about this.

“I’ll make you a deal,” Lowell said. “We’ll watch their safety video, and if you still have doubts, we’ll bail. We can go out to breakfast instead. Then I’ll take you home.”

“But you already paid,” she protested.

He shrugged. “It’s not a big deal.”

Hating that she was being a chicken, Harlow took a deep breath and nodded. “I can do this. I’m not going to wuss out. I just had a momentary freak-out. But if something happens, I get to say I told you so.”

Lowell leaned in close and rested his forehead against hers. It was the second time he’d done that in as many days. Harlow didn’t know what to think about that.

“I’ve got your back, baby. I know you can do this. But more than that, I think you’ll have fun. You won’t have to pedal, all you have to do is steer. I’ve heard the views are amazing from up there, and we’ll get to see the sun rise as we’re coming down the mountain.”

“You haven’t done this before?” she asked.

He pulled back. “No.”

That made up her mind once and for all. For some reason, she’d imagined him bringing other women here to do the same thing. This seemed an awful lot like a date to her, but he hadn’t asked her to come. He’d simply told her he was picking her up, and he’d brought her here. He wasn’t acting very datelike . . . except for picking her up, paying for the bike ride, and holding her hand.

Okay, all those things were very datelike. Although he had told her those things, other than the hand holding, came with being in “his world.”

“Fine. I’ll do this. But if I end up in the hospital with a busted head, you have to call and explain to my mother what happened and whose idea it was.”

“Deal,” Lowell said with a huge smile. “I have no problem talking with your mom. I bet she’s just as funny as you are.”

Wait, what? What just happened? He didn’t have a problem talking with her mother? No one liked to talk to someone else’s parents. It was like . . . a thing. A rule. Something.

Harlow followed behind Lowell as he led her back toward the room with the continental breakfast and scary legal forms they had to sign.

“I went on this date once, and when I got to the restaurant, there was a woman sitting with the guy I was meeting. She was older, and he introduced her as his mother.” Harlow knew she was babbling, but she had a point. “I knew right then and there this wasn’t going to end well, but I stayed anyway. Throughout dinner, she asked me weird questions, like when my birthday was. I swear to God she was trying to get enough information on me to do some kind of background check. But that wasn’t the weirdest thing. No, after our food came, she pulled her son’s plate over to her and cut up his steak for him! She offered to cut mine too. And if that wasn’t bad enough, after we’d finished eating, she told us that we should continue our date at the bowling alley, and she’d already reserved a lane.”

Harlow was practically panting when she got done with her story. Lowell had led them into the room and off to the side, away from the half dozen or so people who were already there.

“You can’t be okay with talking to my mom,” Harlow continued. “She’s my mom. It’s not normal.”

“Do you love her?” Lowell asked.