Defending Harlow (Mountain Mercenaries #4)(51)

His eyes were heavy lidded when he did as she ordered, dropping his gaze from her face to her chest, down to where their hips were mushed together, then back up to her face. “You couldn’t get any more beautiful, Harlow. I like you exactly how you are. Come on, let’s go get you some chocolate. There’s a coffee shop down there too. I have a feeling a nice big cup of joe wouldn’t be amiss right about now.”

Harlow looked back as Lowell took her hand and led her to his car. “You’ve really done it? Climbed all the way to the top?” she asked.

“Yup. It sucked. Won’t do it again unless I have to.”

All Harlow could do was laugh. Thank God he hadn’t really expected her to climb all those stairs. If he had, this morning probably would’ve made it right up there with one of her bad dates.



Black smiled at something Harlow said, but inside he was questioning himself.

He’d seen the look on her face when she’d asked if he was joking. He’d thought she’d laugh when they arrived at the incline and tell him to fuck off. But instead, she’d seriously thought for a moment that he’d planned an outing that included climbing a shit-ton of stairs.

It had been a miscalculation on his part, and even though he’d done it as a joke, he could’ve ruined everything he was trying to build between them if she’d thought he was serious. He’d been smiling and saying the right things as they walked around the town, but he couldn’t let it go.

“Lowell,” she said.

“Yeah?”

“You haven’t heard a word I’ve said, have you?”

Oh shit. “Sorry, Harl. Honestly . . . I can’t stop thinking about what a bad idea it was to tease you about the incline.”

She grinned.

Black frowned at her.

“Lowell, you’d be a dick if you actually expected me to climb all those stairs. You’d be a dick if you didn’t apologize. You’d be a dick if you didn’t feel maybe a little bad about it. But you’re obviously not a dick.” She held up her large coffee and gestured to the bag he was carrying with all the chocolate she’d let him buy her. “You’ve more than made up for the minute or two that I felt uncomfortable.”

He stopped walking and turned to face her. “Does this . . . is this going to change things between us?”

“What? No.”

“Good.”

“Lowell, I like you. You’re funny, you’re selfless, and you make me feel safe. I know that when I’m with you, I don’t have to worry about anyone messing with me. Or even bumping into me. I like being around you. You’re smart, and I love watching you interact with the kids. I’d hate for my lack of athleticism to change anything.”

“Just like I’d hate for my bad attempt at a joke to change anything,” he returned.

“Great. Now, come on. I saw some beautiful stained-glass pieces in the artist co-op that I want to check out.”

This time, when Black smiled, it was genuine. He didn’t know what it was about women and shopping, but he was very glad he’d made time to do this with Harlow today.

The other good thing that had come out of the morning was that he now had another idea for a “nondate.” She’d given it to him herself. He wasn’t sure if he’d be able to pull it off before their dinner, but he was going to try.



That night, after work and after Lowell had followed her home, Harlow sat on her couch, staring into space for a long while. The morning had started off on slightly shaky ground, but Lowell had quickly turned it around.

But thinking about how easily she’d forgiven Lowell for his joke made her rethink all the other bad dates she’d been on.

Had she been overly critical of them? She didn’t think so.

Deciding she needed some advice, Harlow picked up her phone and dialed. It was late back home, but she knew her mom wouldn’t care.

The phone rang twice before she heard her mom’s voice. “Hey, sweetie.”

“Hi, Mom.”

“Is everything all right? It’s late.”

“I know. I’m fine. I just hadn’t talked to you in a while and thought I’d call to see how you and Daddy were.”

They chatted for twenty minutes about nothing in particular. Harlow got caught up on her mom’s volunteering job at the local theater and about the good, and bad, shows she’d seen for free. She learned her dad had started selling online some of the stuff he made in his woodshop.

Eventually, her mom said, “So why don’t you tell me why you’re really calling? Everything okay with your new job?”

Harlow sighed. Figured her mom knew she wasn’t calling just to shoot the shit. “The job is fine. Mom . . . how did you know Dad was the man for you?”

“Wow, that was kind of out of left field,” her mom said.

Harlow laughed. “I know. Sorry.”

“Are you dating someone?”

“No!” Harlow said immediately. Then gentled her tone. “I mean, not really. You know how I feel about that. I’ve had my fill of bad dates to last me a lifetime.”

“Not really, huh?” her mom asked, picking up on her words.

“I’ve been hanging out with someone . . . I went to high school with him. Lowell Lockard. Remember him?”