“Or you could always use one of the guest rooms,” was her quick come-back.

“I’m not that crazy, no,” I responded quickly.

I gulped. “The deck, I think.”

She navigated the car expertly through a series of four-way stops, before pulling up in front of her house. I looked up at the house – in more ways than one, the house no longer resembled or felt like a house that belonged to Lance or even Chris or anyone else. Lit here and there by a few strategically positioned LEDs, it was sparkling now like a jewel in the dark and quiet of the Venice Canal area. No other house in the area could compare. Its elegant lines, beauty, and even warmth that radiated out of it — they were all Harley.

I looked at her, my heart in my eyes, heart-pounding

She caressed my face, and said softly, “Well, we’re here.  C’mon, baby.  Might was well get over the torture of lying in my arms until you fall asleep.”

She laughed lightly at my sputtering and protests as she swung her impossibly long legs out of the car and stood gracefully.  She clicked on the button of the key fob to lock the car after I pushed my door shut.

Twenty minutes later, as I leaned on my forearms on one of the ledges that were built all around the perimeter of the deck, looking up at a night sky that was inky-black and dotted with a million stars, I murmured over my shoulder, “It’s beautiful up here, Harley.  You’re right.”

I turned and saw she was walking towards me, balancing a tray of drinks, and carrying some clothes slung over an arm.  She wore flip flops and had changed into draw-string thin silk-linen lounging pajamas and a tank top.   Doesn’t she ever look like anything apart from that deadly combination of sexy and elegant?

I hurried over to her and lifted the tray up, shushing her light protests with teasing, “Of course even your casual glass-ware has to be stylin’…”

I turned around, heading towards the pair of chaise lounges where I guessed that we’d relax in tonight.  She surprised me by snaking her arms around my waist lightly.  I bent over slightly to lay the tray down on the nearest side table.  I felt her fluttering kisses on my back, and across to my bare shoulder.  She nuzzled on my neck, and nipped here and there on the bare skin around it.  I couldn’t control the shudder that ran through me from the top of my head to the tips of my toes.  She definitely felt the goosebumps race across my skin when she moved her kisses to my arms.