by Nina Levine
He straightened and pushed his shoulders back as he said, “I’d be honoured to be your best man.”
I grinned. A load had been lifted off my shoulders now that we’d had that conversation. Slapping him on the back, I made a suggestion. “We need a beer.”
He returned my grin and nodded his agreement. “Or two.”
Some people didn’t understand the brotherhood of Storm. It was, however, what I believed in the most in my life. To trust and believe in something so much that you would lay down your life for it – that was what the brotherhood was to me.
It was family.
* * *
“Harlow tells me that you’re the one planning the wedding. So weird,” Cassie said to me that afternoon. I’d picked Harlow up from the hairdresser and planned a long afternoon in bed with her, but her best friend had arrived just as Harlow had run her tongue along my cock.
Worst fucking timing.
“Why is that weird?” I asked while grabbing a beer from the fridge.
“Well, firstly it’s just strange for the man to do the planning, but add to that fact you’re a biker…never saw that one coming, dude.”
Harlow laughed the nervous laugh she’d adopted when she was around Cassie and me. Her friend never hesitated to challenge me, and Harlow seemed hesitant about that. She needn’t have been. While I may not have always agreed with everything Cassie said, I respected the hell out of her honesty.
I took a swig of beer and sat at the table on the back deck with them. “So bikers can’t organise shit for their women?”
Cassie drank some of the wine I’d just poured her. “You’ve gotta admit it’s strange. When I think of bikers, I think of men who do manly things while their women run around after them.”
I raised my brows. “When the fuck do you see Harlow running around after me?”
Cassie laughed and nodded. “True. She doesn’t. The fact remains, though, that I think it’s weird for a club president to be taking charge of a wedding.”
I drank some more beer as I contemplated what she’d said. “I’ll concede that it’s not the norm, but I’m not about the norm. From the very beginning, I knew I’d make Harlow my wife. Watching her go through what she has over the last few months, has been hard, but as dark as some of those days were, they only reinforced to me how much I loved her. She gives me so much, the least I can do is give her a wedding she’ll always remember.”
Cassie stared at me like I had two heads. She then turned to Harlow and said, “Jeez, I need me a Scott Cole. You are one lucky bitch.”
Harlow’s eyes had misted over, but she smiled as she said, “I know. And I can help you find your Mr Perfect. I have lots of ideas of where we could look.”
Cassie rolled her eyes. “Please, I’ve searched high and low, there aren’t any good men out there who aren’t already taken.”
Harlow shook her head. “I don’t believe that. I’ll find you one.”
“Okay, girl, you find me a man while I find you an art gallery to show your paintings. Where are you at with those paintings I saw in your art room?”
“They’re finished,” Harlow replied, and for the first time in a long time, I didn’t hear any fear in her voice. Her standard response when it came to her art over the last six months had been a reluctance to even consider pursuing an art exhibition.
Excitement flared on Cassie’s face. “Awesome! And you still want to do this?”
Harlow took a deep breath and then nodded. “Yes. I’m scared, but if it doesn’t make you sweat, it’s not worth doing, right?”
Cassie burst into laughter. “Well, fuck me, you do listen to me!” Cassie had been saying those exact words to Harlow for a long time now, and Harlow had done her best to ignore her. I was fucking ecstatic to hear her change of heart.
Harlow grinned. “Sign me up before I change my mind.”
“Oh no, girl, you never get to change your mind now. This is happening!”
“Harlow!” Scarlett’s voice sounded from the front door.
“Shit,” Harlow muttered as she stood. “She’s probably been knocking on the door and we couldn’t hear her.”
I groaned as she left us. Scarlett had a way of irritating the fuck out of me, and I thought we had tied up all our loose ends with her, and sent her on her way.
“What’s wrong?” Cassie asked. “Don’t you like her?”
“I don’t dislike her, but she has the ability to frustrate me in a matter of seconds.”
Cassie scoffed. “Doesn’t everyone have that ability with you?”
“I’ll admit I have a temper, but I’ve been working on it. Scarlett messes with my concentration where that’s concerned.”
The back door opened and Scarlett appeared. “Oh hey, there’s the resident moody biker.”
I stood. “And to what do we owe this pleasure?” I asked, not even attempting to hide my sarcasm.
“I left a pair of my shoes here. And I also wanted to say thank you to you.”
“Really?”
She huffed out a breath. “Yes, really. Don’t be a prick, Scott. I’m trying to do the right thing here. As much as you and I have had run-ins and said cross words to each other, you came through for me when most don’t, and I appreciate what you did. So, thank you.”
Scarlett was unlike most women I’d met in my life. She said it like it was, didn’t put up with bullshit, and as far as I could work out, she had balls the size of most men’s. “I appreciate that, but let’s get one thing straight – you kicking me in the balls is not classified as a run-in in my book, it’s a lot worse than a run-in, and it won’t ever happen again.”
A grin teased her lips, but didn’t quite form. “It will if you act like an ass.”
“Jesus,” I muttered with a shake of my head. Eyeing Harlow, I said, “I’m gonna leave you girls to it, but don’t take too long, baby. We’ve got shit to do, if you recall.”
Harlow tried not to laugh. “I do.”
I left her to her laughing about my situation of an unresolved hard-on, and headed into the lounge room. I’d just settled in front of the television and put my feet up when Lisa came through the front door. We’d given her a key a while ago, but she didn’t use it very often, so I was surprised to see her.
“Hi, Scott,” she greeted me.
“Hi, darlin’, how’s your day been?” I motioned for her to take a seat. As far as she’d come with her confidence over the last year, she still had a way to go. Feeling comfortable enough to make herself at home in ours, was something Harlow and I had been encouraging, yet she was still a little shy about it.
She settled on the edge of the couch. “I qualified to compete in the school swimming carnival which is on next week, so it was a good day today.”
“What day is it on next week?”
“Friday. Why?”
“Can I come and watch?”
Her body stilled as she stared at me. “Really?”
I fought to hold my cool. It still killed me when she displayed surprise at Harlow’s or my interest in her life. “Yes, really.”
A smile slowly filled her face. “Sure, that would be awesome. Do you think Harlow can come, too?”
“If she can get the time off work, I’m sure she’ll come.” Harlow would do everything in her power to be at that swimming carnival. Of that, I was sure. “Is your mum going?”
She nodded. “Yes. So, I’ll have you and her there, and maybe Harlow.” Her excited voice hit me in the gut. Hard and swift. It was so easy to make a child happy, and yet some parents failed at it. Harlow and I wouldn’t. We would make sure our child knew deep in their soul how loved they were. And we would continue to find ways to show Lisa how much we cared about her.
“Harlow spoke to you about Saturday?”
“Yes! We’re going dress shopping tomorrow after school. I can’t wait – it’ll be my first real dress.” She suddenly reached into her pocket and pulled something out. Handing it to me, she said, “I nearly forgot, I have your
money to give back to you.”
Frowning, I asked, “What money?”
She shoved it at me. “The money you lent me for my sport uniform.”
I held my hand up to indicate I didn’t want it. “You keep it. Either give it back to your mum or keep it for emergencies.” I hoped she would choose to keep it – knowing she had cash on hand put my mind at ease.
Her eyes held mine, and they softened as she nodded and put the money away. “Thank you.” Her voice was quiet, but full of emotion, and I knew my gesture meant a lot to her.
I also knew she would be uncomfortable with this, so I changed the subject. Jerking my chin at the television, I said, “You wanna watch The Simpsons?”
She grinned and finally kicked back on the couch. “Yeah.”
Lisa loved The Simpsons. Me, not so much, but watching it had become our thing. It zoned her into her happy place, and I would do anything to give her that happy place, so, The Simpsons, it was.
* * *
Harlow stood in front of the mirror in our bathroom, in her sexy, red lingerie, smoothing moisturiser onto her face. She was completely engrossed in what she was doing, so she didn’t notice me standing in the doorway. I took the opportunity to appreciate her beauty. Harlow was easily the most beautiful woman I’d ever laid eyes on, and as I trailed my gaze over her curves, I grew hard just like I always did. She never failed to turn me on, and I knew I was the luckiest bastard in the world for the simple fact I’d now have her by my side for the rest of my life.
“Are you checking out my ass?” Her voice jolted me from my thoughts.
Finding her eyes, I smiled and moved to stand behind her. Placing my hands on her ass, I murmured, “No, but I was getting there.” I bent and kissed her neck, letting my lips linger on her skin for a few moments.
“I’m sorry Cassie ended up staying for so long.” Cassie stayed for dinner and hadn’t gone home until just after nine, but I hadn’t cared because it made Harlow happy to have her there. And, fuck, seeing Harlow as happy as she’d been over the last couple of days made me happy.
My lips skimmed over her skin along her shoulders as I said, “I didn’t mind, but just so you know, I’m as hard for you now as I was when she first arrived.” My hands slid around her waist to land on her stomach as I ground my dick against her ass. “Jesus, I’m not sure who the fuck I’m kidding, sweetheart, I’m always this hard for you.”
She turned in my hold and looped her hands around my neck. Her lips found mine and she kissed me with the kind of passion that had the power to steal a man’s breath. I knew it did because she stole mine all the time. When she ended the kiss, she said, “That day you brought Monty into the vet surgery, I never imagined in my wildest dreams that we’d end up here.”
“I thought you were so judgemental then. Fuck, was I wrong.” The memories flooded my mind, and I cringed at the thought I could have lost my chance with her because of my wrong first impressions.
“Thank goodness Madison invited me to that barbecue.” Her fingers threaded through my hair and she pulled my face to hers again for another kiss.
I lost myself in that kiss.
I lost myself in Harlow.
My hands cupped her ass as my tongue tangled with hers. I lifted her and she wrapped her legs around me, holding tight while I turned us and backed her up against the wall.
“Fuck, baby, you do know that you own me, don’t you?” I rasped as I drowned in her.
Her gaze met mine. “No, it’s the other way around, Scott. I’m completely yours, body and soul. Always.”
I held her up, pressing my body hard against hers, my mouth devouring her in my desperate need to consume her – to consume everything she offered, and more. I was so fucking greedy for her.
“I need you now,” I growled. “I can’t wait any longer.” Taking a step back, I placed her down, and frantically undid my jeans to free my cock. At the same time, she slid her panties down, and then I lifted her top over her head. When I finally had her standing naked in front of me, my hands went to her breasts right before my mouth did.
“Just a quick taste…” I promised in between licking and sucking her nipples. “Fuck, you taste so good.”
“Scott…” she moaned my name as she climbed into my hold again.
She needs me as much as I need her.
I didn’t wait until I had a firm hold of her – I couldn’t. Instead, I thrust inside, my eyes rolling shut as I groaned at how fucking good her pussy felt pulsing around my dick.
She clung to me as I fucked her.
Finally.
I’d been thinking about this moment all day, and while I knew once tonight wouldn’t even begin to satisfy my need for her, this was a damn good start.
We chased our release as hard and as fast as we could, and it didn’t take long. Pleasure exploded through my body as we came together. It touched every part of me, both physical and mental.
This part of sex with Harlow was what I had been missing all my life. I’d had a lot of sex before finding her, and none of it had ever come close to touching me in the way it did with Harlow.
Harlow joined all the pieces of my soul together.
She made me whole.
21
Harlow
All my life I dreamt of the day I would walk down the aisle and tell the man I loved that I would spend the rest of my life with him. I was a romantic from way back. But I never imagined it would be like this. Never did I imagine the love I found would be what Scott and I had.
Magic.
That’s the only word I could use to describe it that would do our love justice.
The day of our wedding had arrived and I was in full preparation mode. Roxie had done my hair, and Velvet had made my face look more beautiful than I’d ever seen it.
Cassie smiled at me. She was my only bridesmaid and looked beautiful with her long hair up and her face also done beautifully. We’d chosen a long, strapless, red dress for her and the colour was perfect against her tanned skin. “Babe, we got ready in record time. Scott would be impressed that you’re ready early.”
My mum laughed as she joined us. Roxie and Velvet had just worked their magic on her, too. She took hold of my hand and squeezed it. “You look beautiful, Harlow.”
Catching sight of myself in the full-length mirror, I had to agree with her – I felt beautiful. With Madison and Cassie’s help, I’d chosen a strapless organza gown with a fitted bodice of ruches and a cascading skirt of ruffles that flowed to the ground. Silver glittered in the narrow band of embroidery at the waist. While the dress was beautifully elegant, I’d still managed to add my country style to the outfit with my turquoise boots. We’d left my hair down in soft curls and Roxie had swept the front part of it back and secured it with my mother’s silver clip that she’d worn at her wedding.
Madison swept into the room, her hands full with things I couldn’t quite make out. Smiling as she came to me, she said, “So, you’ve got the something old, but you still need new, borrowed and blue.”
Touching my necklace, I curled my finger along the chain. “Scott gave me this the other day, so it’s my new.”
Madison narrowed her eyes on the necklace. “Oh my goodness, that is beautiful.” She looked back up at my face. “My brother has surprised the hell out of me this week. Who knew he could be so deep?”
Scott had the necklace designed with a swirly S and H that were connected in the middle with a lightning strike. My heart beat with happiness just thinking about the thought he’d put into it. “I didn’t know the symbolism of lightning until he told me. Apparently the Celts believe that wherever lightning strikes, it is a spot of the sacred and holy, and signifies a connection with infinite power. The Chinese associate lightning with fertility – it’s a blessing that leads to nourishing rains and new life.”
“I knew that man was good from the moment I met him when he brought me a fridge,” Mum said softly, her eyes misting with tears. “It’s because of him that I know I can go away
and leave you in good hands.”
Madison’s eyes had brimmed over with tears, too. “Shit, now he’s making me cry and it’s going to ruin my makeup.”
Velvet handed tissues out. “I’ll be having words with that man for making you all cry and wrecking my makeup job.”
Laughing, I said, “I feel like I should be the one crying, and yet, I’m the only one here without tears in my eyes.” I glanced at Roxie and winked. “Well, besides our resident non-crying, practical ballbreaker over here.”
She raised her brows back at me. “What can I say…me and romance have a long, hard relationship, and it takes a lot to crack through my heart.”
“Wait!” exclaimed Madison. “Did you say you’re going away?” she asked Mum.
“Yes, after the fire at the café, I’ve decided to travel for a few months. I’ve wanted to visit Italy for as long as I can remember, and I’m not getting any younger, so now’s as good a time as any. And with Harlow wanting to pursue her art, and our lease on the café almost up, it feels like the universe is speaking to me and telling me to go.” Her eyes lit up as she added, “I leave at the end of next week. But I’ll be back in time for the birth of my grandchild.”
“You better be!” I said, not being able to imagine getting through that without her.
“So, tell me, how are you getting to the church?” Roxie asked as she packed up her stuff.
“Oh, she’s not getting married in a church,” Madison said with a sly smile.
At Roxie’s enquiring look, I said, “I don’t know where I’m getting married. Scott kept that from me, but I do know that King is driving me there. He’ll be here soon to pick me and Cassie up.”
“King?” Velvet asked, clearly confused.
“Yeah, Scott asked him to stay for the wedding. They’ve got this whole bonding thing happening after King saved my life. I mean, it’s not like the bonding thing that girls experience, but I think it’s safe to say that for the rest of his life, if King asks Scott for help, it will be given, no questions asked. And I think that asking King to be involved in the wedding was Scott’s way of expressing what King’s actions meant to him.” I paused for a moment before adding, “Or I could be reading far too much into male thinking and none of that is true. Really, who knows what our men are thinking…”
