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She narrows her eyes at me in thought. “What kind of underwear? Please don’t say they were briefs.”
I open my mouth in mock outrage. “Excuse me, but are you trying to find out what kind of underwear I wear?”
She smirks at me. “I was trying to find out what kind of underwear you wore ten years ago, if you must know.”
“They were boxer briefs, actually,” I say.
“So, all the bits were covered,” she says. “A shame.”
I eye her for a moment. Is she teasing me or flirting? And where is Cole? He seems to have slipped out of the room sometime during my story. I didn’t even notice him leaving.
“What does that mean?” I ask.
She shrugs. “Just that you could have made some girl’s night by giving her a glimpse of the goodies.”
I shake my head. “Did I forget to mention that it was early November? And we were in the middle of a cold snap? It was 42 degrees. And while yes, all the bits were covered, those boxer briefs didn’t leave much to the imagination.”
Harlow’s biting her lip to keep from laughing, but I can see the amusement in her eyes. “So, there was some shrinkage? Did you run into anyone you knew?”
I roll my eyes upward. “I don’t know why I’m telling you this story,” I say with a sigh.
“Because it’s hilarious and you like making me laugh?” she suggests, grinning widely.
I look over at her and take in her blue eyes sparkling with amusement and the smile at my expense that she can’t quite hide. I nod.
“Yeah,” I say softly. “I like making you laugh.”
My eyes linger on her mouth, and I allow myself the briefest of seconds to imagine what it would be like to lean over and kiss her. Something in my chest constricts and I shake away the image as quickly as it comes. I clear my throat and blink a few times.
“But to answer your question,” I say. “Thankfully, no one I knew saw me running across campus in my underwear. Until I got back to my dorm, that is.”
“Oh, no,” Harlow says. “Who was it?”
I grin. “Luckily, it was just Luke. He was my roommate, remember? He didn’t let me live that down for a long time. And it’s his fault that Cole knows about it at all. He told him one night when we were all drinking. No honor.”
Harlow laughs. “He’s your brother,” she says. “If anyone has the right to know embarrassing stories, it’s your siblings.”
“I guess,” I say. “Didn’t give him the right to tell you about it.”
She shrugs. “To be fair, you’re the one who told me.” She nudges me with her elbow.
I narrow my eyes at her, but she’s not wrong. Cole might have brought it up, but I’m the one who told the whole embarrassing tale.
“I’m glad you told me,” she says. “I like thinking of young Linc off at college and making questionable choices. You’re so serious all the time.”
“Not all the time,” I argue.
“It’s not a bad thing,” she says. “I like that you take your responsibilities seriously. It’s admirable. Not everyone is like that. Believe me. I know.”
It hits me that she’s probably talking about her cheating, piece of shit ex. The guy whose tools I now own. I hate that she’s thinking of him at all. Or of any man who might have let her down in the past.
“Harlow,” I say, reaching toward her just as she moves to stand.
“I should really get going,” she says. “It’s getting late, and we both work tomorrow.”
I feel a sharp stab of disappointment at her words, but I tamp it down and nod. “I’ll walk you out.”
“Thanks for dinner,” she says. “The food was great and Ella’s amazing.”
