Suddenly Dakota was there, kneeling in front of her, looking up at her.
“Do you love me, Jaz?” she asked softly.
“Yes,” Jazmine said breathlessly.
“And do you believe that I love you?” Dakota asked then, her voice serious.
“Yes,” Jazmine said, nodding, tears still sliding down her cheeks.
Dakota stood, taking Jazmine in her arms as she did, and Jazmine wrapped her arms around Dakota’s waist crying in earnest.
“Can I come home now?” Dakota asked, grinning against Jazmine’s hair.
“Please?” Jazmine asked.
Dakota chuckled.
Savanna watched from the kitchen window, her heart swelling seeing her girl happy again.
***
It was Shiloh and Harley’s date night and Shiloh dressed with care. She wore a teal blouse with an empire waist and a lace up neckline, exposing a decent amount of cleavage. She also wore a black hi-low skirt; the front was short, and back was sheer black that fell to her knees. She added black heels. She took her time with her makeup, making sure it accentuated her eyes and made her skin absolutely glow, although she was sure excitement was doing that too. She took her time to curl and style her hair so it fell in silky waves. As she looked in the mirror at the finished product, she was pleased.
She walked downstairs and saw Harley was in the kitchen. Once again, she was completely taken aback by Harley’s attire. She wore black pants that fit her snugly but perfectly, black dress boots and a sapphire-blue dress shirt left open at the throat. Around her neck, she wore a silver flat linked chain and her usual riot of earrings and rings on her fingers. Instead of her usual thick black leather-banded watch, she wore a sleek silver Movado watch with a sapphire-blue face. Over the shirt she wore a black tailored jacket that was a combination of formal and casual, with leather accents on the lapels and pockets. She wore eyeliner and a touch of mascara and just a little color on her cheeks and lips. She looked absolutely amazing.
“Oh, I think I got the hotter look…” Shiloh breathed, her eyes reflecting her awe at Harley’s appearance.
Harley smiled, her eyes twinkling as she turned and picked up a bouquet of flowers. She walked over to hand them to Shiloh. She leaned down as she did whispering in Shiloh’s ear.
“And I think you look much hotter,” she said. Her eyes swept over Shiloh again. “You look amazing, Shy,” she said her tone impressed.
Shiloh bit her lip, smiling as she smelled the flowers.
“These are beautiful,” Shiloh said. “When did you have time to do this?”
Harley grinned. “I have my ways…”
“I see,” Shiloh said, smiling.
“Shall we?” Harley asked, gesturing toward the garage.
Once in the car, Harley drove them to Santa Monica, toward the pier. She led Shiloh to a restaurant near the pier called The Lobster. It had beautiful views of the ocean and Santa Monica Pier. Shiloh was very impressed with Harley’s excellent taste.
They had appetizers, dinner, wine, dessert, all the while talking about whatever occurred to them at the time. Shiloh had known that Harley was an engaging conversationalist but she was still pleasantly surprised by Harley’s wit and intelligence during their dinner.
“So how did you get into computers?” Shiloh asked at one point.
By this time they’d taken their drinks out to the terrace where Harley could smoke. They were sitting at a small table across from each other. Shiloh couldn’t help but notice how Harley’s eyes sparkled in the setting sun.
“I got into them in high school, really,” Harley said. “Remember Mr. Saran? He was the most incredible teacher…”
“The computer lab guy,” Shiloh said, nodding, remembering the man with the glasses and the pocket protector, the classic geek.
“Yeah, he was really smart, and he knew so much about computers… I would sit and talk to him for hours and he’s the one who talked to me about programming. He showed me how to work in C Sharp when it was getting more popular and I loved it…” Harley said, smiling widely and Shiloh could see the joy in her eyes.
“I can see that,” Shiloh said, smiling brightly.
“I got really into it in my junior year, and then in my senior year I just got better and better. I knew what I wanted to do then. I had applied for the scholarship to MIT, before…you know… All that stuff happened.”
Shiloh grimaced, nodding.
“Fortunately I’d gotten the award of the scholarship before I got kicked out, and as long as I was able to pass the GED they didn’t care about what had happened.”
“And I’m sure you passed the GED with both eyes closed,” Shiloh said grinning.
“Oh yeah,” Harley said, rolling her eyes. “So friggin’ easy.”
Shiloh shook her head, knowing it would have been for Harley, since what most kids didn’t pass was the algebra portion of the test. Harley could do algebra in her sleep!
“So what about you?” Harley asked then. “What happened for you after high school?”
“I went to business school,” Shiloh said. “My dad wanted me to work for his church.”
“And how’d that go?” Harley asked.
“It was okay, at first, I just did whatever they wanted in those days.”
Harley nodded, remembering that well.
“You do know that it wasn’t me that told my dad about the kiss, don’t you?” Shiloh said then, addressing her biggest concern.
“Didn’t matter to me if it was you or not,” Harley said, her look completely honest.
“It matters to me, Harley,” Shiloh said, reaching out to touch Harley’s hand. “I need you to know that it wasn’t me that tried to get you kicked out. It was my best friend, Kim.”
“Oh, I remember that one for sure,” Harley said, her look pointed.
Shiloh tilted her head slightly, giving Harley a narrowed look. “What does that mean?” she asked.
“’Cause she tried to come at me.”
“At you?” Shiloh asked.
“On to me,” Harley replied, with a shrug.
“When?” Shiloh asked her tone shocked.
“Right about the time I was tutoring you,” Harley said.
“Are you serious?” Shiloh asked, stunned.
“Yeah…” Harley said, grinning. “I guess she didn’t tell your dad that part, huh?”
“No, no she didn’t,” Shiloh said, her look irritated. “That little bitch!”
Harley laughed out loud at her exclamation. “Guess she didn’t tell you either?”
“No! She acted like you were white untouchable trash…” She thought back to the things that Kim used to say about Harley. “Oh my God, she wanted you and that’s why she talked like that…”
Harley pressed her lips together, her blue eyes sparkling.
“What?” Shiloh asked.
“She came over to try and console me when I got kicked out,” Harley said. “Like really console me…”
“Wow…” Shiloh said, her voice sharp. “She tried to ruin your life and then actually tried to screw you literally… never spoken to her again after I found out she was who told my dad about you and me, so…”
“Really?” Harley said, surprised by that statement.
“Really! I wouldn’t forgive her for that. I told her that I was confused about the kiss and she made me out to be crazy. Little did I know she was making a play for you instead. What a little…”
“Doesn’t matter now, does it?” Harley asked.
“No, it doesn’t,” Shiloh said, biting her lip and looking over at Harley. “What matters is that I’m here with you now.”
Harley grinned, nodding. “And I’m really glad you are,” she said, her blue eyes looking directly into Shiloh’s eyes.
They talked for a while longer, and then decided that they’d go to The Club to round out their evening.
Walking into The Club with Harley as her date was a very different experience. Harley held her hand and
led her over to the group’s table. Everyone knew they were on an official date and were very happy.
“Now this is the right of it!” Quinn said, hugging Shiloh and kissing her on the cheek.
Shiloh smiled shyly, the red-haired Irishwoman was always kind to her, and she found it very sweet.
“Happy for you two,” Devin said, hugging Shiloh. “Hold on to her with both hands,” she whispered in Shiloh’s ear, making her smile widely.
“I’ll try,” Shiloh said.
The rest of the group was also full of congratulations and smiles. Harley was extremely attentive the entire evening, getting Shiloh drinks, holding her hand, or having her arm around her. At one point, Shiloh glanced up to see Harley looking to her left with narrowed eyes. Shiloh followed her line of sight and saw the butch that had been chatting Shiloh up the night of Roslynn’s misadventure.
“What’s that about?” Shiloh asked Harley.
“Just warning her off,” Harley said, leaning down to kiss her ear.
“I see,” Shiloh said, shivering at the feel of Harley’s lips on her ear. “Maybe if you dance with me, it’ll really tell everyone,” she said, smiling up at Harley.
“By your command,” Harley said, gesturing to the dance floor.
Shiloh led the way with Harley right behind her. They danced to a couple of fast songs and then the DJ slowed it down. Shiloh looked up at Harley to see if she wanted to leave the floor, but instead she felt Harley’s hand slide around her waist and pull her close. Harley’s lips grazed her temple. Shiloh slid her hands up around Harley’s neck, pressing closer and feeling Harley’s hands slide further around her back to gather her closer. Shiloh had her face right at Harley’s neck. She inhaled the intoxicating scent of this woman she’d been craving so much. Closing her eyes, she let herself completely experience every moment of their dance. She felt the rise and fall of Harley’s chest as she breathed. She leaned her head against Harley’s chest and could feel her heartbeat. She could not believe how wonderful it felt to in this woman’s arms.
Shiloh slid her hands down Harley’s arms, feeling the strength in them, and feeling so happy she couldn’t even think of a way to express it adequately. She felt Harley glance down at her, evident by the way Harley’s neck muscles shifted. Shiloh looked up, her eyes connecting with Harley’s. Her breath caught in her throat as Harley lowered her head and kissed her lips. Harley’s lips were soft and warm. Shiloh felt the gentle sucking and the wetness between their lips, but her body felt it all the way to her core. As if there was a direct connection between her lips and her groin, she felt a pulse start, and she jumped significantly as Harley’s hand came up to cup her face. She deepened the kiss, her lips taking on a more demanding quality.
Shiloh moaned softly against Harley’s lips and her hands grasped at the front of Harley’s shirt. She felt a corresponding expelling of breath from Harley, and Harley’s hands grasping at her back, pulling closer, caressing Shiloh’s back. When their lips parted, Harley leaned down to put her lips next to Shiloh’s ear.
“God, Shy, I want you so much…” she said, her voice husky with desire.
Shiloh felt a thrill go through her unlike anything she’d ever felt before in her life.
Turning her head she said, “I want you too, now, right now…” She was practically pleading.
Without a word, Harley stepped back, taking Shiloh’s hand in hers, and led her off the dance floor. She walked over to the table, picked up her jacket, and handed Shiloh her purse.
“We’re out,” Harley said, her tone telling the group everything they needed to know.
There were a series of looks and knowing grins exchanged, as many of them nodded politely.
In minutes, Harley and Shiloh were in the car and Harley was driving as quickly as it was safe. Soon they were getting out of the car in the garage. Harley opened the passenger door for Shiloh, taking her hand to help her out. She closed the car door behind Shiloh and then pressed her back against the car as she kissed her again, making them both extremely hot. Harley turned and led Shiloh into the house turning off the alarm as she walked past it.
Shiloh stopped suddenly, causing Harley to turn around to look at her. The look in Shiloh’s eyes held so much desire Harley could only gasp as she took her face into her hands to kiss her again. Their bodies pressed as close together as they could possibly get. Shiloh was grasping at Harley’s shirt, unbuttoning it so she could slide her hands inside. Harley tore her lips away from Shiloh’s, groaning loudly at the feel of Shiloh’s hands on her torso.
“Shy, Shy…” she murmured, as she lowered her lips to Shiloh’s again, pulling at her, wanting her so desperately.
They made it as far as the stairs. Harley kicked off her boots, as she pulled Shiloh’s shirt up over her head. She laid Shiloh against the stairs, kissing and licking her skin while Shiloh’s hands buried themselves in her hair.
Harley reached around Shiloh, unclasping her bra with the expertise born of a lot of experience with women and their undergarments. She kissed the more sensitive skin, as she pushed Shiloh’s skirt up on her hips, putting her body between Shiloh’s legs, still fully clothed. Harley pressed her body against Shiloh’s and felt Shiloh’s body shudder. She moved her lips to Shiloh’s nipples, feeling Shiloh go ridged and heard her gasping and groaning moments later as she came. Harley kept up the pressure of her hips against Shiloh’s groin, causing her to come again.
Shiloh felt like she was turning to liquid as Harley expertly guided her to orgasm after orgasm. Her hands grasped at Harley’s shoulders, and then moved to her torso as she tried to pull Harley closer to her. After at least three orgasms, Shiloh felt Harley move away, and she groaned, trying to pull Harley back to her. She heard Harley chuckle and then she felt her body being lifted.
Just like the old movies, Harley carried Shiloh upstairs and into her bedroom, laying her down at the end of the bed. She took her time to remove all of Shiloh’s clothes, her lips and hands never losing contact with Shiloh’s skin. Harley brought her to her climax twice more.
Shiloh pulled Harley up so their eyes met again. Slowly she got up off the bed, standing to face Harley as she pushed the shirt off Harley’s shoulders and unbuttoned her slacks. Harley obliged by assisting her in removing her clothes. Shiloh’s hand went to the tattoo above Harley’s left breast, it was a yin and yang symbol, but rather than black and white, it was blue and yellow orange, and looking textured.
“Yin and yang?” Shiloh asked.
“Fire and water,” Harley replied, smiling softly.
Shiloh’s hand touched the other tattoo on the right side of Harley’s bikini line. It was done in the shades of the rainbow starting from red, going to orange, then yellow, green, blue and purple. The symbol itself was an almost cross shape, but the lines of the cross, looked like lizards with a circle in the very center.
“I have no idea what that is,” Shiloh said.
“I got that one from Rayden actually. It’s the Cherokee symbol for unity in diversity,” Harley said.
Shiloh nodded, smiling. “Yeah that sounds like you too.”
Shiloh’s hand smoothed over Harley’s skin, as Harley stepped closer to her again. She kissed her lips and pressed her back onto the bed, positioning her body over Shiloh’s. Shiloh touched and caressed Harley’s skin, mimicking what Harley had done to her and feeling Harley’s breath quicken in response. Harley surprised her by laying on her back, pulling Shiloh over her, her hands holding Shiloh’s body close.
Shiloh lowered her head, kissing Harley’s skin and marveling at the lean muscle of Harley’s body. She kissed Harley’s neck and felt her jump and gasp in response, her hands burying themselves in Shiloh’s hair, holding her head. In response, Shiloh continued her exploration of Harley’s neck, kissing and sucking at her skin, even biting gently. She received a loud groan in response, spurring her on.
Within minutes, Harley was crying out in her release and Shiloh could not believe the feeling of power it gave her to k
now that she’d caused this in Harley. In the end they spent hours making love, exalting in exciting each other over and over again.
Finally, in the wee hours of the morning, they lay on the bed, their bodies intertwined. Shiloh rested her head against Harley’s stomach facing her, who half sat up against the headboard.
“I think Devin might have been right…” Shiloh said languorously.
“About?” Harley asked grinning.
“She said that to have someone like you decide to make me their own is the most incredible thing in the world… I think she’s probably right.”
“Is that what you want?” Harley asked, looking inscrutable. “For me to make you my own?”
Shiloh sat up and touched Harley’s cheek tenderly.
“More than anything in the world,” she said softly.
Harley looked back at her, her look wondrous as she smiled. “Well, I think I just did.”
Shiloh bit her lip. “Then I think you just made me the happiest woman alive.”
“Good.”
***
A month after Jazmine and Dakota got back together, Dakota finished the Craftsman house and gave Cassandra a final walk through. Cassandra had shocked Dakota by asking her to bring Jazmine with her. Jazmine had further shocked Dakota and accepted the invitation, wanting to see what Dakota had been working on that she loved so much.
Jazmine was both stunned and impressed by the house that Dakota had worked so hard to make beautiful again.
“Dakota, this is amazing,” Jazmine said, holding Dakota’s hand, her green eyes sparkling in pride.
“I agree,” Cassandra said, smiling as well.
“I’m glad you like it,” Dakota said, nodding to Cassandra and smiling at Jazmine fondly.
They finished the tour and walked out to the front. Cassandra pulled an envelope out of her purse and handed it to Dakota.
“Final payment,” Cassandra said in explanation.
Dakota looked confused, but opened the envelope. As she read the paperwork her eyes widened, and she looked at Cassandra.
“Are you kidding me?” Dakota asked.
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