Rescuing Harlow by Aubree Valentine
Chapter 1
Harlow tossed her head back against the headrest in Zane’s cruiser and sighed.
“What is it?” he asked while popping a French fry covered in gravy in his mouth.
“So, you know that fancy event my parents like to host every year?”
“Yup.” Zane nodded.
“Yeah, well. This year, the pressure is on. I need to bring a date, or they’re going to set me up with someone. Apparently one of their friends from out of town is coming in with their very single son and they’ve already told him that I’ll be more than happy to accompany him.”
“Ooookay. Over my dead body. We’ll go together.” If there was one thing that Zane could not stand, it was the Keller’s always trying to set Harlow up with random guys. And the thought of anyone else touching her, he admitted only to himself.
“Ugh. Zane, I can’t keep calling on you to bail me out when I need a date.”
He turned sideways and raised a brow, “Why the hell not? It’s not like we haven’t dated off and on for the last seven years. You went to that stupid Policeman’s Ball with me last month.”
The memory of that night flashed through Harlow’s mind and her face flushed. Zane smirked and shot her a wink. “See, that’s exactly what I’m talking about ‘Low.”
They did have a good time together. A really good time. And the sex with Zane was always off the charts. So, why not take him to the winery’s big event? She’d get to see him all dressed up, which was always a turn-on, and with any luck, by the end of the night he would undress her, and she would get to see Zane stripped bare. The thought alone had her squeezing her thighs together.
Zane’s voice dropped, “What time’s the gala, Harlow?”
“Six. Six pm, sharp. On the twenty-seventh.”
“I’ll make sure my suit is clean and pressed and tell Dad I need the night off.” This time he picked a fry from the tray and held it out for her to take. “And I’ll even stop by the florist and order a corsage.”
Harlow laughed and nearly choked on the fry. “I don’t need a damn corsage. You’re such a smartass.”
“It’s part of my charm.” He smirked and took a drink of the chocolate milkshake Harlow had ordered along with his lunch. “I’m only working eight today, want to grab dinner with me later? Maybe go back to my place after?”
Zane did his best to try and hide the fact that he was already getting hard thinking about spreading her out on his bed and having his wicked way with her.
She swallowed the sip of her own milkshake that she’d just taken and shook her head. “I really want to, but I have to work this evening until close.”
“Come over after. I’ll run a bubble bath for you,” he sweetened the offer.
Harlow let out a groan that went straight to the appendage between his legs. “You don’t play fair.”
“Never said I did.”
If she was being honest with herself, a night at Zane’s place was exactly what her body needed. Between the bubble bath and the way he’d worship her body. Has it really been a month since the last time she spent the night with Zane?
“Fine. I’ll come over after work.”
“If you happen to be wearing those sexy pink panties I love, I wouldn’t be disappointed,” Zane shamelessly wiggled his eyebrows.
“You’re really something else, Zane,” leaning over she gave him a quick peck on the cheek. “And I need to get going. Give me your trash and I’ll toss it.”
“You’re too good to me,” he winked, handing the paper bag over to her. “I’ll see you tonight?”
“Yes. Yes, Zane, you will see me tonight. You know the bubble bath is an offer I can’t refuse.”
Zane watched with careful eyes as Harlow got out of his patrol car, tossed their trash in a nearby trash can and then climbed in her car. She rolled the window down and gave him one final wave before pulling off. He sat for only a few seconds more before he got back to work, patrolling the city and making sure no one was up to mischief.
He snorted at the thought. The only mischief Weintraube saw most days was a group of teenagers doing something silly like beating up someone’s mailbox or TPing someone’s yard.
* * *
“‘Low, I think it might be time to see a doctor,” Zane’s baritone voice echoed in the tiny bathroom as he held her hair back and placed a cool washcloth on the back of her neck. After all, he was pretty sure that vomiting every morning for a week wasn’t normal.
They had both been sleeping soundly only a few minutes ago before Harlow’s stomach revolted, sending her stumbling groggily into the bathroom. The sound of her retching, again, pulled Zane from his slumber to check on her.
Once she caught her breath and was sure that round of nausea had passed, she looked up at Zane and gave him a weak smile. “I have a doctor’s appointment on Friday, but I’m pretty sure I already know what he’s going to say.”
Zane raised a brow when she handed him the plastic stick. There was no mistaking the word Pregnant on the small digital screen. “‘Low,” he sighed in defeat.
Fuck. The last thing Zane needed right now was a child to take care of. “I know. This wasn’t supposed to happen. I’m sorry,” she apologized as she pulled herself up from the floor with a little help from Zane.
No. It wasn’t supposed to happen, but there damn sure wasn’t a thing they could do about it now.
“I thought you were on birth control?” he asked without thinking.
Harlow rinsed her mouth with water and spit it out. “I was. It’s not foolproof though.”
“No, I know that,” his voice softened. He didn’t blame her, not one bit. This was the kind of thing that happened when you had sex. He wasn’t a fool. He knew the risks, but thought they were okay. Why was it so hard to avoid having sex with Harlow? He’d have her all day everyday if he could. Shit. This was bad.
“I guess the ring fell out at some point. That’s never happened to me before, all this time… but when I went to take it out, it was gone. I didn’t want to freak us both out about it until it was something to worry about. Then my period never showed up.”
Zane ran a hand over his face and cursed.
If this wasn’t the type of luck Zane was prone to. The kid who was tired of living in everyone’s shadow. The kid who fought every day to prove he wasn’t the shithead troublemaker everyone thought he was growing up. Now he’d gone and knocked up his best friend.
Best friend with benefits. Earth-shattering, toe-curling, orgasm-inducing, blow your mind...benefits.
And right when he was on the verge of finally leaving this town once and for all.
Fuck.
“I’m sorry,” this time tears rolled down her cheeks as Harlow apologized again.
Zane wrapped his arms around her and pulled her in for what he hoped was a comforting hug. “‘Low, stop apologizing. You didn’t do anything wrong.”
“I just don’t want you to think I did this on purpose,” she sniffled as he rubbed circles on her back.
“Seriously?” he put some space between them and tilted her chin up, so she was looking him in the eyes. “The thought never crossed my mind. I’m just as much responsible for this as you are. We’ll figure it out, okay?”
“But...this changes everything.”
She was right. It did change everything.
A week ago, they were sitting in his cruiser talking about going to a vineyard formal and eating greasy food while sipping milkshakes.
Six weeks ago, Zane sat in a room hooked to a polygraph with two FBI agents watching his every move. For some, that would mean they were in a world of trouble but for Zane it meant he was one step closer to his dream.
It was all thanks to a chance meeting with Cruz Livingston on a joint task force with the Weintraube Police Department. They immediately hit it off and Cruz mentioned that he saw something in Zane that would make him a great candidate for a spot on his team. Hearing those words felt like a dream come true for the twenty-three-year-old who longed to be a part of something much bigger than the small-town police department that he practically grew up in.
The inquisition that the FBI was putting him through now felt like a cakewalk compared to being the Chief of Police’s son and the younger brother of Shelby and Hudson Clark – two men who seemed to be living legends in their hometown. Maybe one day, people would stop comparing him to Shelby, the San Antonio police officer; or Hudson, one of the youngest Texas Rangers.
While they poked and prodded at every corner of his life, Zane remained cool under the pressure and answered all their questions to the best of his ability. When they were finally finished, Zane was excused with nothing more than a simple, “We’ll be in touch,” from one of the agents who was observing him.
He left San Antonio that day feeling more confident than he had in a long time, now it felt like the wind was being taken out of his sails.