Defending Harlow (Mountain Mercenaries #4)(8)

Black recognized her attempts at feeding him were just another way she was trying to deal with her nervousness. He didn’t like that she was uncomfortable around him, but at the same time, he hoped it meant she felt the same crazy chemistry he did when they were around each other.

“I had something earlier,” he reassured her, then gestured toward the table off to the side. “Shall we sit while you tell me about the trouble you and the others have been having?”

Harlow nodded and brushed by him. The tantalizing smell of vanilla teased his nostrils once more as she passed. Black resisted the urge to wrap his arm around her waist and pull her back into his body. Barely.

It was crazy. He hadn’t reacted this way toward a woman in years. The last time he’d had chemistry like this with someone, he’d been in his early twenties. He’d dated the woman for a year, but in the end it turned out that their chemistry had been completely sexual. They’d had nothing in common and nothing to talk about when they weren’t in bed.

Shaking his head and concentrating on the here and now, Black followed Harlow to the table and held her chair as she sat. He took the chair next to her and pulled it a bit closer than was socially acceptable. He’d learned that making people slightly uncomfortable generally encouraged them to talk more.

He didn’t start the conversation, but instead let the silence stand between them. Again, this wasn’t an interrogation, but he had a feeling that Harlow would try to downplay what was happening, and he wanted her a little off-kilter so she’d be more apt to tell him the truth.

“I guess you want to know more about why I called you, huh?” Harlow asked after a moment.

Black nodded, still not speaking.

His tactic worked, as Harlow licked her lips and began to babble. “It’s not as if anyone has done anything wrong. I mean, they’re annoying, but isn’t everyone? Generally, I get along so much better with kids than I do adults. I like being by myself too because most of the time people are just irritating. Loretta met with the cops—I told you that, I think—and they said until the guys do something illegal, their hands are tied. And aggressively whistling at women and telling them how hot they are isn’t against the law. I can’t imagine why anyone would think it’s a good idea to hang around outside a women’s shelter and ask out the residents. I mean, men are dumb, but they can’t all be that stupid.”

“Men are dumb?” Black asked when Harlow stopped speaking.

She nodded. “I can’t tell you how many dates I’ve been on when the guy acted like a dumbass. If there was an award for being on the craziest dates, I would have won the Oscar equivalent by now.”

“Really?” Black was intrigued.

“Yes. Men really are ridiculous. And when they think they might get some, they get even dumber. So I’m guessing, since the guys hanging around here are young, maybe they’re just horny or something.”

Black couldn’t stop the smirk from forming.

Harlow shook her head, brought a hand up to her face, and rubbed her forehead. “I’m sorry. I’m going on and on.” She dropped her hand, looked him straight in the eyes, and said, “I don’t think they’re horny. I don’t know what their agenda is, but I dread running into them when I get here. Sometimes they’re here, and sometimes they aren’t. Sometimes there’s just one of them, and other times there’s a pack. They whistle and jeer, but they haven’t touched anyone yet. Though, one afternoon after my shift, I went to my car in the public lot and someone had stuck those plastic googly eyes all over my driver’s-side window. It sounds funny, but it wasn’t.”

“I don’t think that sounds funny at all,” Black said, all humor gone from his expression now.

“I just . . . I love this job. I love the people who live here. I want them to get back on their feet. I want the kids to gain some confidence. But it’s hard to work when I’m wondering what some punk is going to do next. It’s hard for the women to move on when they’re scared to walk outside this building. It’s frustrating, and I just want them to stop.”

Black reached out and took one of her hands in both of his. She didn’t pull her hand away. In fact, she closed her fingers around his and held on.

“My team and I will figure this out, Harlow. We’ll make sure you and the others can come and go without worry. We’ll make them stop.”

Harlow bit her lip, then nodded.

Black didn’t let go of her hand, but tilted his wrist to look at his watch. “What time are you off today?”

“Now. I had breakfast and lunch duty today. Zoe’s got dinner and breakfast tomorrow. I just stayed around because you said you were coming over.”

Black felt bad that he’d made her stay. “I still need to talk to Loretta,” he told her. “How about this: you go home now, and I’ll pick you up later and take you to dinner. We can discuss the situation more then. I’m sure I’ll have more questions for you after I talk to Loretta.”

Harlow eyed him for a long moment before pulling her hand from his grip and sitting back. “I’m not going on a date with you,” she said.

“Who said anything about a date?” Black asked gently.

If he was being honest with himself, he had been thinking along those lines. The connection between him and Harlow was strong, and he never would’ve thought she’d turn him down. Except . . . then he remembered what she’d said about her bad dates and wanted to kick himself.