Defending Harlow (Mountain Mercenaries #4)(62)

“What? What’s wrong?” Harlow asked, looking at him in confusion.

“Looks like our nice, relaxing evening for two just got shot to hell.”

“Why?”

He gestured to the parking lot with his head. “Because we have company.”

Harlow turned to look where he was gesturing. Gray, Allye, Ro, Chloe, Arrow, and Morgan were climbing out of the two cars. The men had shit-eating grins on their faces, and the women were smiling happily.

Gray walked up to them and held out a hand. Black shook it, but also shook his head at the same time. “Heard you were grilling out,” his friend said. “Figured we’d stop by and chill with you.”

“We brought food,” Allye offered, somewhat apologetically.

“I made brownies,” Morgan said with a smile. Arrow put his arm around the much smaller woman. She was holding a glass pan with her brownies, and Arrow had a grocery bag in his free hand.

“I brought the alcohol,” Chloe said triumphantly. She held up a bottle of tequila and margarita mix.

“Hey, Black,” Ro said with a grin. He was also carrying a grocery bag filled to the brim with enough food to feed everyone.

Knowing his plans for the night had changed, Black rolled with it. “Well, let’s not stand out here all afternoon, we’ve got steaks and chicken to grill.”

“Hi,” Harlow said. “It’s good to see everyone again.”

“And just so you know, just because we brought food doesn’t mean we expect you to cook it for us,” Allye said. “Black’s talked about what an amazing chef you are, and I looked you up online. I’m impressed.”

As they headed inside, Harlow waved off Allye’s praise. “I wouldn’t mind. I love cooking. Obviously, since I’ve made it my life’s work.”

“Nope. They invited themselves over, so they can cook their own damn meal,” Black said, knowing he sounded grumpier than he’d intended.

Ro chuckled. “If you’d have let us invite you over to our place, we wouldn’t have had to show up out of the blue,” he scolded.

Black didn’t want to get into it at the moment. He’d turned his friends down repeatedly, telling them he and Harlow weren’t dating. That they were simply discussing what was happening at the shelter. They’d obviously called bullshit and taken matters into their own hands.

Black paused at the doorway, holding Harlow back after everyone else had entered. “Now’s our chance to escape,” he said, only semijokingly. She turned to face him, and he was struck anew at how pretty she was. It wasn’t what she was wearing; it wasn’t makeup or lack of it. It was simply her. Her eclectic hair, her blue eyes, her personality.

“If you bailed, they’d never let you forget it,” she chided. “Besides, I wouldn’t mind getting to know them better. I haven’t met too many people here in the Springs yet.”

Suddenly feeling like a heel, he pulled her close and kissed the side of her head. “They already like you, Harl. Don’t feel as if you need to be anyone you aren’t around them.”

“I like them too . . . at least the little I saw of them the other night at that escape-room thingie.”

“You guys comin’?” Arrow called out.

“You ready for this?” Black asked Harlow, ignoring his friend.

“Bring it,” Harlow said with a small smile.

Grabbing her hand, Black followed his friends to the elevators. He didn’t know what the night would bring, but it probably wouldn’t be making out on his couch, as he’d planned.

But he’d get to spend time with Harlow, so it would be a good night no matter how it turned out.





Chapter Eighteen

“Have you been able to see Nina much since you moved here permanently?” Harlow asked Morgan.

It was late. Dinner had been cooked and consumed. The girls had been steadily drinking margaritas, except for Allye, who had passed.

They were currently sprawled on his oversize couch, the one Black had visualized lying on with Harlow, making out and getting to know each other better. Morgan had just finished telling Harlow and the others about the little girl, Nina, who’d been rescued from Santo Domingo with her.

There weren’t many places to sit in the apartment, which was generally why Black didn’t have a lot of get-togethers. He and the other guys were currently standing in the kitchen, letting the women have some girl time.

“So . . . want to deny that you’re dating Harlow some more?” Gray asked with a smirk.

Black took his eyes off Harlow and looked at his friend. He shook his head. “I knew that’s why you assholes came over tonight. To harass me.”

Ro smiled and sipped his beer. “Nah, not completely.”

“But seriously, it looks like things are going well between you two,” Arrow observed. “I thought you said that she was gun-shy about dating and refused to enter the fray again.”

“She was. Is. But I kinda snuck under her radar.”

“Knew you would,” Arrow said. “In fact, I had fifty bucks on you.”

Black glared at his friends. “You bet on whether or not she’d go out with me?”

Gray and Ro looked only slightly chagrined. “Have to admit that it’s unusual for a chick to not want anything to do with you,” Gray said.