Page 77 of Reckless

But she didn’t argue with him over it. Everyone swirled around them, chattering and hugging, filling the narrow hallway with energy. It was good energy. Happy energy, and she wasn’t going to do anything to dampen that. Miles glowed with happiness.

“Fine.”

He laughed and kissed her quickly, pleased he’d gotten his way.

Miles Brown only looked easygoing. Beneath the surface was a spine of steel and the soul of a person absolutely used to being in charge.

They paused long enough to grab their things and then loaded into a row of vehicles that would ferry them all back to the hotel.

Nora stood at her side by that point. “It’s like they keep multiplying. I turn around and there are more. And they’re all like a big happy army,” she said, easing Harlow’s nervousness.

Miles leaned forward a little to see Nora around Harlow. “Resistance is futile.”

“Oh my god. Did you just make aStar Trekreference?” Brian asked, incredulous.

“When my dad toured during school breaks, my mum and I came along in a pretty swanky tour bus. It had a DVD player and we had stacks and stacks of multiple seasons of television shows. Mum is a big science fiction and horror fan, soStar Trekin all its iterations was definitely on our list.”

Brian gave Miles an up and down look and then nodded once. Like…conferring an honor or something. “Cool,” Brian said.

By the time they’d arrived at the hotel, the others had already gotten there and had texted that they’d see Miles shortly.

“This isn’t all of them. Just so you know,” Miles told her when they’d gotten into their room and she looked through her clothes, pulling out a few things.

“Your family?”

“Yes. At least twelve more when you count all my cousins. And Maddie’s family is now mine by association and by marriage as my aunt Mary is with her uncle Damian. That’s three more couples and oh yes, some more kids there too. Last year we all spent Thanksgiving together at Sweet Hollow Ranch in Oregon. That’s where Maddie’s from. We bunked in every open bedroom and then we rolled up in several tour busses for even more beds. Utter madness.” He laughed and then watched as she tossed clothes aside, grabbed others and created an outfit.

His family wouldn’t expect that. But he understood, which is why he took a quick shower as well, though she gave him a long slow look as he undressed, she stayed out of the bathroom, which was for the best. Probably.

He hurried though, coming back out, clean and dressed, not ten minutes later.

She looked so pretty there in nothing fancier than jeans and a short-sleeved blouse, but he could have been surrounded by people in couture and he’d have been drawn to her no matter what. She seemed to emanate a frequency only he could hear.

“Hey. Your phone buzzed a few times and then Poppy texted me. She said to come on up to the top floor when we’re ready. Nora and Brian are stopping in for a few minutes but he’s getting over a cold, so they won’t stay long.”

He moved to her and wrapped his arms around her waist. “Whatever’s best. Does he need urgent care or anything?”

“Nah. He’s drinking those fizzy vitamin C things and chugging as much water and tea as possible. He’s already better than he was yesterday. But thank you for asking. I think he’s decided you’re okay.”

“It was theStar Trekreference, wasn’t it?” Though it was a joke, the truth was, Miles was very relieved to hear her close friend liked him. Brian and Omar had developed a friendship over the last few months as they shared a deep love of merch and D&D. Nora and Poppy and Maddie were all friends with Harlow so now that he’d passed the Brian test, Miles felt better.

Harlow laughed and Miles loved the way her entire being seemed to light up. “I’m not going to lie, I think yes.”

“Good. Whatever it takes,” he said, spinning them both to orient them toward the door. “Ready?”

She looked at her reflection in the mirror near the front door and tucked her hair behind her ear.

“Let’s do this. I’m starving.”

CHAPTERTWENTY-FIVE

The following day, Harlow woke up before Miles—not unusual, he slept like a rock—and went to do yoga and breakfast with Poppy and Nora. Maddie was hanging out with her parents so she was passing on that day’s gathering.

“Hi!” Erin and Gillian both smiled at her as she entered Poppy’s room.

“It’s not an ambush,” Poppy said once she’d closed the door. “They just wanted to hang out this morning. Maddie is with Mary and Damien and everyone else is still sleeping.”

If ithadbeen an ambush, there was still not much Harlow could have done about it. These two women she faced were the most important people in the life of the man she found herself in love with.

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