Page 47 of Harley

“Um, I’m tempted to agree, but that might be a bit too fast,” I admitted.

“At your own pace, Oakley. If you’d agreed, then sure, I would take you to bed. But I can wait, patience is a virtue I learned a long time ago,” Harley reassured.

A warm feeling flooded through me. That meant a lot. Harley respected me; something I’d not experienced for a while.

Harley

I waited at the bottom of the stairs for Oakley to appear. She’d got ready with Molly, Demi, Jodie, and Serenity. They’d snatched Oakley away before I could kiss her goodbye, so I’d headed down to the billiard room and played some pool with Fanatic before heading up to dress.

Now I stood with Fanatic, who was escorting Jodie and Serenity. Shutout was there for Molly, and Ice stared upwards, waiting to catch sight of Demi.

The orchestra was already playing, and people were arriving in throngs. The snowploughs Mom had booked were doing their job. There was also a truck out salting the roads that Mom had paid for.

Jodie appeared at the top with her arms linked with Serenity. Both had huge grins on their faces.

“Ready, lovers?” Serenity called, and we nodded.

Jodie and Serenity parted, and Demi swept past them. Ice’s mouth dropped open as Demi swished down and stopped on the bottom step. He made to grab and kiss her, and Jodie bellowed out a no.

Looking disgruntled, Ice held out an arm and walked her towards the ballroom. I was laughing as Shutout did the same with Molly, and then I forgot everything as Oakley stepped forward.

“Holy shit,” I murmured. She was a damn vision. I felt like I’d been punched in the solar plexus. Oakley looked stunning but a little unsure.

“You’re beautiful!” I whispered.

A brilliant smile broke across Oakley’s face as she hit the bottom stair.

“Don’t you dare kiss Oakley and mess up her makeup,” Serenity yelled as she descended. I scowled at my sisters, and Fanatic laughed as he took their arms.

“Cockblocked!” Fanatic crowed and led the two cackling witches away.

“Tonight, I’m going to make you mine,” I promised, and Oakley blushed.

Fuck waiting when Oakley looked like that.

I led Oakley into the ballroom proudly and discovered Mom and half the old ladies scowling. The rest were laughing. There was a sea of tuxedos and fancy ballgowns in front of me. Only, mixed amongst the standard black tuxedos were ones with Rage patches on.

“Oh, Phoe is going to kill you,” Oakley muttered as she stepped back and looked at my own patch.

“Blame Dad, but none of us disagreed,” I replied, and sweeping her into my arms, I moved onto the dance floor.

Oakley

Who’d have believed a ball would be romantic and not tedious? I hadn’t expected a Jane Austin-style ball, but that was what I received. Phoe had opened the enormous dining room with a buffet-style meal. The usual large table had been removed, and smaller tables were dotted around.

Meanwhile, in the ballroom, the chandeliers glowed and lit the stained-glass windows up.

Outside, the Christmas lights sparkled under a cloudy sky. The snow glistened under the lights and made it all look magical. Phoe had employed an orchestra, and there was no pop music present, not that the orchestra didn’t play current music. They did mixed in with waltzes and so on.

I hadn’t expected to enjoy it, but I had. Harley made me laugh constantly with pithy comments about people. I wore soft, cushioned slippers, but half the time, Harley carried me aroundthe dance floor in his arms as we danced. Just after midnight, I decided I’d had enough and asked Harley to take me upstairs.

Harley stopped outside my door and cupped my face. “No pressure, Oakley, this is your choice.”

“I choose you,” I whispered.

I almost laughed as Harley booted the bedroom door open and carried me inside. He placed me carefully down and kissed me like he was a drowning man.

Harley backed me slowly towards the bed, his hands running up and down my bodice and cupping my breasts. His fingers roamed my back and discovered my zipper.

---