“He was so grateful that we found him. As were his family members. They’d been frantic.” He rolled his shoulders. “Sometimes it just hits me hard when we come so close to losing someone.”
“But you didn’t. So celebrate that.” She reached across the table and linked her fingers with his. Even though the pub was noisy and people were milling around, the moment between her and Nick felt intimate.
“You’ve got a point,” Nick conceded. “I’m a big believer in seizing the moments. I’m trying to teach Miles how important that is.”
Seize the moment.Why not? She could look back on her time in Mistletoe and be able to savor all of her memories.
“Dance with me,” Harlow said as she jumped up from her seat, grabbing Nick’s hand and pulling him to a standing position.
“I don’t know,” he hedged, slightly resisting her tugging. “It’s been a while. I might be a little rusty.”
“Come on, Keegan,” she pleaded. “Remember, you’re celebrating. I’ll help you dust off the cobwebs.” Nick let out a full-throated laugh, tilting his head back a little as he did so. His unbridled laughter and easygoing personality served only to heighten her attraction to him. In her experience, most men who looked like Nick were stuck on themselves.
She tugged on Nick’s hand and led him over to where everyone was dancing. Stella couldn’t contain her huge grin as she watched their approach. Harlow made a mental note to tell her friend not to start dreaming about bridesmaid dresses and her relocating to Mistletoe. Ain’t gonna happen.
Truthfully, she had a hard time envisioning Nick as a terrible dancer. He did everything with finesse. He even walked with a certain swagger. She didn’t really care either way. Right now all she wanted to do was dance…with him.
Before she could even process it, Nick reached out and whirled her around as he moved his hips and feet in time to the music. Harlow almost had to stop and catch her breath. His movements were graceful and razor sharp. She was going to have to step it up to keep pace with Nick.
“Rusty? Seriously? You were totally playing me, weren’t you?” Harlow shook her head and laughed at the expression on Nick’s face. He seemed extremely pleased with himself.
“Maybe,” Nick said, smirking down at her. He placed his hands around her waist and pulled her against him. Harlow reached up and laced her arms around Nick’s neck, enjoying the way their bodies fit together. Everything around them faded away as Nick held her in his arms and they swayed to the music. Harlow rested her head against his chest as the music soared and pulsed in her ears.
For now, she wasn’t going to think about the future or worry about her blossoming feelings for Nick. Right now she was simply going to lean in and enjoy herself with this delicious man. Being in Nick’s orbit felt like a little slice of heaven and she wasn’t going to squander a single moment of this precious time.
***
By the time Baxter’s closed and Nick walked Harlow to her vehicle, it was midnight. Somehow the night had flown by without his even realizing the hours rushing past them. Nick reached for Harlow’s hand as they walked in lock step down a nearly deserted Main Street. The hush of an empty street combined with the soft glow of lampposts made Nick feel as if they might be the last two people on earth. A brilliant full moon hung in the sky, providing a romance-worthy backdrop.
“What’s so funny?” Harlow asked, looking over at him as they walked. “Come on. Share the joke with me.”
Nick hadn’t even been aware that he’d been chuckling. “I was just thinking it’s the type of quiet that one sees in a zombie-apocalypse movie right before all hell breaks loose.”
Harlow’s hearty laughter caused his stomach to do flip-flops. The sound of it was pure unbridled joy. “Now that you mention it,” she said, “this does remind me of the setting of a zombie flick.” She cast a furtive glance over her shoulder. “Any moment now we’re going to be swarmed by them.”
“I think as long as we stick together we’ll be fine,” Nick drawled. He squeezed her hand.
“Phew!” Harlow said, swiping her hand across her forehead. “This is me right here,” she said, jerking her chin toward a Saab parked a few feet away. Nick felt a stab of disappointment that the night was coming to an end.
“I enjoyed myself tonight. Funny how sometimes we don’t know how badly we need downtime and a night out,” Nick said. Hanging out at Baxter’s with Harlow and his friends had served as the best type of medicine.
“Food for the soul,” Harlow said, nodding in agreement.
“I’m having fun getting to know you. I like you a lot, Harlow Jones. Matter of fact, I like you more than I’ve liked anyone in a really long time.” He didn’t want to say anything over the top, but he wanted her to know where she stood with him. “I just thought you should know.” He hoped his words hadn’t sounded lame. He may not have been rusty at dancing, but he was a bit out of practice in the wooing department.
Nick grazed his thumb against her cheek. She was looking up at him, her brown eyes full of secrets he wanted so badly to uncover. He needed to know everything about her. What made her smile? What was her favorite book? What was her love language? Nick was eager to fill in all the blanks. He sensed there was something in her past that made her put up walls. He was hoping she would open up to him as they grew closer so there was nothing standing between them. He’d told her all about Kara and the accident for that very reason.
A hint of a smile danced around her lips. “I like you too, Keegan. Thank you for letting me into your world.”
Bam!Her words hit him right in the center of his solar plexus. He dipped his head down and swept his lips across her own. Harlow met his kiss with unbridled enthusiasm. He slid his tongue past her lips as the kiss intensified. Nick ran his hands through her wavy hair, then pulled her even closer, anchoring her to him. She murmured his name against his lips, placing her hands solidly against his upper body. He had to wonder if she could feel his heart beating fast and furiously inside his chest. Her lips tasted fruity, like the sangria she’d consumed. His lips trailed to her neck, where he breathed in the floral scent of her. Her skin was as soft as butter. A little sigh slipped past her lips as he continued his exploration and rained kisses on her supple skin.
Sweetness!
“Night, Nick.”
“Good night, Harlow. Get home safely. Text me when you get there.”
“I will,” she promised. With a wave she stepped into her vehicle and within seconds roared off with her taillights blazing in her wake. Nick stood on the sidewalk for a moment and watched her drive away. Wanting to know she’d made it home safe and sound was tied up in his wife’s fatal accident. He took nothing for granted now. Nick didn’t believe he ever would.
