"And if there really is a DD Martin and it's not Dale, I'm going to feel like the biggest fool on the planet."
"If it's not him, then maybe it's time you told the real Dale how you feel while you're in Texas."
"I believe you have a point." She turned and walked back to her office, packed the things she'd be taking with her, and headed back to the loft to pack the rest of her things and attempt to get a few hours' sleep before catching her flight.
The butterflies in her stomach lasted the entire flight. At ten-fifteen, she walked off the plane, a bundle of nerves as she scanned the faces in the crowd. And then, just as she turned to retrieve her luggage from the baggage claim, she saw it. A huge bouquet of yellow roses and lilies, held by a man whose face was hidden by the flowers, much like the scene on her birthday when Dale had walked into her office in New York, carrying a bouquet and hiding behind it. Her heart racing, she walked toward him. When she reached him, he moved the flowers to one side so she could see his face. "Ms. Watson, I am DD Martin."
"Oh, Dale, it is you!" She smiled up at him through her tears and fell into his arms, the huge bouquet still in one of his hands.
"Was there any doubt?" he teased as he kissed the top of her head.
"I would have felt like the biggest fool in the world if there really had been a DD Martin waiting for me."
"I was worried that you'd tell me my story was rubbish and let it go at that."
"I could never say that touching story was rubbish. Maybe not the most well-written piece in the world, but it spoke from the heart, your heart."
"That was the only way I knew to reach you, by writing a manuscript. I was afraid if I tried to tell you in person, it wouldn't be the same. I almost tried when I was in New York, but I chickened out. It's taken me a month to get the courage to send the damn email."
"Let's go to the hotel and talk about this, rather than discussing it here in the middle of the airport," she suggested.
"Good idea. Let's get your luggage and get out of here. Your chariot awaits, princess."
He drove the Lexus straight to the hotel, and when they finally were alone in the privacy of the suite she'd rented, he set down the luggage and the flowers and took her in his arms for a proper greeting. He looked into the beautiful amethyst-gray eyes that he'd fallen in love with all those years ago before lifting her chin and kissing her. It began as a sweet kiss and gradually deepened until her knees gave way and she had to lean into him. He tightened his hold on her.
Ending the kiss reluctantly, he whispered, "I love you, and we need to discuss a promise I made to you, several years ago."
"Let's sit down," she suggested as she made her way to the bed. Sitting on the edge of the fluffy, white down comforter, she continued in a quiet voice. "I have always remembered the promise, Dale, every day for the last twelve years. I thought it was you who didn't remember."
"First of all, how long are you in town?"
"That depends."
"Depends on what?" he inquired as he touched her cheek.
"However long it takes us to come up with a happy ending for DD Martin's story."
He threw back his head and roared with laughter. "I see."
"Really, Dale, DD Martin?"
"It's my pen name; don't laugh."
She kissed him again. "Okay, I won't. It was the sweetest thing anyone has ever done for me, except for flowers, candy kisses, coffee, surprise visits, a locket, and, oh, yes, can't forget the handcuffs."
"Oh, we surely can't forget the handcuffs." He chuckled. "Seriously, though, Cora, we really do need to talk."
"I know we do. You go first."
"I've pretty much laid it out for you in the email. I made a promise to you, twelve years ago, that the year we turned thirty, we would get together, and if the sparks were still there, we'd get married. When I found you again, I thought fate was sealing the promise the way we had sealed it that night, with a kiss. But you had your fancy life in New York, and I couldn't ask you to give that up. I didn't even know if you remembered."
"And I thought you were a confirmed bachelor and wanted to stay that way. I thought you didn't remember, so I took what I could get and hoped that someday you'd change your mind."
"We're both so stupid," he observed as he kissed her forehead and held her hand.
"Not stupid, just unsure of each other. And at first, I didn't see how it could ever work with me in New York and you in Texas. But I came to realize that a life with you meant more to me than my life in New York. When Camille said I could keep my job and do it from Texas, I was in Heaven. I just had to find a way to convince you to ask me to move back home. I wasn't about to be the one to suggest it, for fear of driving you away."
"Wait a minute. Back up. Camille said she'd let you keep your job, and you still didn't say anything?"
"I didn't want to push you. Remember, you told me you were a confirmed bachelor Dom."
"I was, until you and I got back together. After that weekend in Austin, I would have moved Heaven and Earth to get you back to Texas."
"Ask me, Dale. That's all you have to do."
Looking into her eyes, he got down on one knee, took a small, black velvet box from his pocket, and opened it. Inside the box was a perfect, oval-shaped diamond ring with accent diamonds on each side of it.
Tears pricked her eyelids as she looked into the dark brown eyes of her lover.
He said in a low, husky voice, "Cora Beth Watson, I've loved you since we were both fifteen-years-old. The time has come to fulfill the promise I made to you the night before we went our separate ways. Will you wear this ring, move back to Texas, and be my wife?"
"Oh, yes, Dale, yes, I will."
He slipped the ring on the third finger of her left hand and got up. Joining her on the edge of the bed, he kissed her. As the two lovers fell together on the bed, they cried together, laughed together, and, finally, loved together.
Hours later, after eating a steak dinner he'd ordered from room service, he informed her, "I have another surprise for you, but you'll have to come back to Fredericksburg with me for this one."
"I'm free to stay as long as I need to, per Camille. So, we can go tomorrow."
"Shouldn't you call Camille? She and the other girls are probably going crazy wondering how this all turned out."
"You're right; I should call her." She dug her cell phone out of her bag and dialed Camille's cell.
"Cora, I've wondered about you all day. What happened?"
"Dale and I are getting married."
"Oh, sweetie, I'm so happy for you. You tell him I said he's the most romantic devil in the world."
"I will tell him that. He met me at the airport with a bouquet of yellow roses and lilies. We came to the hotel and talked, and he got down on one knee and proposed. My ring is gorgeous. I'll take a picture with my phone and send it to you."
"Oh, Cora, I'm going to cry." Camille sniffled into the phone. "Take as long as you want. When you get back to town, we'll figure out your work situation. If you want to stay with us, that is. You'll probably just come back and get your things and go back out there, won't you?"
"We haven't gotten into specifics yet, but I'll let you know when I'm coming back to New York."
"I'll let you get back to your fiancé. That has a nice ring to it, doesn't it? Give him a kiss for me."
"I will. Bye, Camille."
As she hung up, he asked, "What did she say?"
"She's happy for us. She thinks you are the most romantic devil on the planet, and she says for me to give you a kiss for her."
"Well, what are you waiting for? I want my Camille kiss, but only from you, of course."
She gave him his kiss from Camille and many more kisses as the night went on. The next morning, they checked out of the hotel, and he drove them back to Fredericksburg. He held her hand and occasionally let go to squeeze her thigh along the way.
"I just can't get enough of you, CB; I'm so happy."
"I feel the same way,
Dale, like I'm in a dream that I never want to wake up from."
"Our life will always be a dream, baby. I'm going to spoil you for the rest of your life, with flowers and chocolates and exotic coffees, and with kisses, lots and lots of kisses."
"The Dale I'm seeing today is quite different than the Dale I saw last January."
"And that's all because you finally waltzed back into my life."
As they got into town, he drove to a familiar street. Pulling into the driveway of what used to be her grandmother's house, she gasped. "Wow, the new owners really made this a nice place. Thank you for bringing me by to see it."
He got out of the car without saying a word, walked to her side, and opened the door.
"What are we doing? Do you know the owners?"
"Welcome to our new home; we are the new owners. This is your wedding gift from me."
"What? You bought Gram's house? That's why everyone was so vague when I asked about the sale of the house. So, my whole family was in on this the whole time?"
"Yep, every last one of them was in on it," he admitted, apparently quite proud of himself.
"I can't believe Mom or Cassie didn't give it away."
"Or Tori, she was in on it too."
"You are such a sneak, Dale Barton! And I love you so much."
"Come on in and see all the renovations I made. I hope you like it. It was all done with you in mind."
Looking at him in wonder, she let him lead her into the house. When they stepped inside the front door and she looked around, she began to cry. "I can't believe you did this for me. Dale, it's exactly the same. It's your condo in Austin. It looks just like it."
"When you went on and on about how much you liked the condo, I came up with the idea. I had already decided to talk to your folks about buying this place. I met with a contractor and told him exactly what I wanted. It took forever, but he finally got it done. That's the only reason I didn't give you the ring and propose in New York. I wanted the house to be finished, first. I bought the diamond after our weekend in San Antonio."
"And all this time, I was having serious doubts about us, and you had already bought the engagement ring you promised you'd buy me."
"After I told you I didn't want you to date anyone else and you agreed, I came back home and bought it—the prettiest one I could find, just like I promised."
"After we had that first big, awful argument," she reminded him.
"And the great make-up sex afterward," he added.
"And then there was the night I fell asleep and you got so angry with me."
"I was never angry, just worried sick."
"Give me a tour of the rest of the house." She marveled at the perfection as he led her from room to room. The house had been transformed into an exact replica of the Austin condo, except that her grandmother's living room had been larger. He had used the extra space for an office, with French doors connecting it to the living room. The office was perfect for either of them to work from home.
His condo had been a two-bedroom. There was a third bedroom in the house, which was empty. When they walked into it, he took her in his arms and explained why he hadn't done anything with it yet. "I thought we'd use one of the extra bedrooms as a guest room, in case Cassie and her family want to visit. I thought Camille or Audrey or Kayla might want to come out occasionally, too. But this room, I left empty, thinking we might want to turn it into a nursery at some point."
"Oh, Dale, yes." She grinned up at him, her eyes shining with tears of joy.
"But not right away. I need some time with my new wife all alone, first. I've done without her for far too many years. And if we decide to have more than one baby, we can always build another room. There's plenty of room in the back to add a room or two."
"You've got it all planned out, don't you?"
"Only if it's what you want, Cora," he assured her.
"It is what I want, but right now, I just want you, here in our new home."
"I'd better hide my car in the garage then, because if your mom or dad sees it here, they'll stop in."
"Do they know we were meeting in Austin yesterday?"
"Oh, yes, and my folks knew, too, as well as my sister and your sister. You can't keep a secret in a small town, Cora."
"Then go hide the car. We'll talk to all of them later."
When he returned, she was waiting for him in their new bedroom, wearing nothing but a smile and a diamond ring.
Epilogue
On a gorgeous October evening, as Cora walked down the aisle on her father's arm, she smiled at the friends and family who had joined them to share in their joy.
Funny how she and Dale had beat Jonathan and Tori to the altar, as well as Bruce and Sara. They'd both decided that three months was long enough to wait to become man and wife. After all, they'd already waited twelve years longer than they should have.
Camille and Joe had come from New York, bringing Kayla and Audrey with them.
Bruce was Dale's best man, and Clay was a groomsman. Jonathan had agreed to be the other groomsman.
Cassie was her matron of honor, and Tori a bridesmaid. Dale's sister was her other bridesmaid. Sara was taking care of the guest book and all other details, and Denita's husband was the usher. Little Adele was a beautiful flower girl as she proudly walked up the aisle holding her mother's hand and scattering yellow roses from a basket. Dale's nephew was the ring bearer, and his niece was the miniature bride.
Cora had chosen a classic simple gown with a scooped neck and sequins. She wore flowers in her hair, and her bouquet was, of course, yellow roses and lilies.
As she arrived at the altar on her father's arm, he proudly handed her over to Dale.
The couple had chosen to write their own vows. And when the minister asked Dale to read his first, he spoke in a shaky voice.
"Twelve years ago, I made a promise to you, Cora Beth. And not one day has gone by during those twelve years that I have not remembered that promise. I longed for the day it could be fulfilled. Today is that day, and so, on our wedding day, I make another promise to you. I, Dale David Barton, take you, Cora Beth Watson, to be my wife. I promise to love, honor, cherish, and spoil you every day for the rest of our lives. In sickness and in health, for richer, for poorer, until death us do part, with this ring, I thee wed." He slid the diamond studded-band onto her finger.
With tears in her amethyst-gray eyes, she began, "Many years ago, we went our separate ways with a promise to reunite the year we both turned thirty. There was a time when I thought that would never happen. And then, one January night, you walked back into my life, and I knew we were meant to be together. I never forgot the promise that we sealed with a kiss that long-ago night. You have always been the love of my life. It's always only been you, Dale. And so, today, I, Cora, take you, Dale, to be my husband. For richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, as long as we both shall live, I will love, honor, cherish and obey you, every day for the rest of our lives. With this ring, I thee wed." And she placed the matching diamond-studded band on the third finger of his left hand, showing the world that he was hers.
The minister spoke again. "By the power vested in me by our Lord and by the state of Texas, I now pronounce you husband and wife. Dale, you may kiss your bride."
Looking deeply into the eyes of the only woman he had ever loved, he put his arms around her and kissed her gently as their family and friends applauded happily.
He whispered in her ear, "I love you, Mrs. Barton."
"Ditto, Mr. Barton, Sir."
Four years later, on a sunny, Texas afternoon, Cora picked up the phone and dialed the number to her husband's office.
"Hi, sexy," she began as he answered in a professional tone.
"Hello, you, is everything all right?"
"Everything is fine. Your son is napping peacefully in his room, and your daughter hasn't decided to make her appearance yet," she responded as she rubbed her aching back and looked down at her swollen stomach.
"Wh
at's up, little mama?" he inquired, relieved to hear that everything was fine.
"I just wanted to let you know that the contractor finished early this morning, and Mom and Dad have been here all day. The crib is assembled, and as soon as Mom finishes hanging the curtains, our little princess's room will be ready."
"Great news, just in the nick of time. How does it look?"
"Your idea about the yellow roses and lilies was perfect. Mom stenciled the flowers in each corner, and it's beautiful. Our little girl is going to be quite spoiled, I'm afraid."
"That may be, but not half as spoiled as her beautiful mama is." He chuckled into the phone.
"There is one more thing; are you sitting down?" Unable to control her excitement any longer, she waited anxiously for his response.
"Yes, baby, I'm sitting down. What are you so excited about?"
"We made the New York Times bestseller list!"
"Are you serious? Who would have thought that when you decided we should finish our love story and publish it, it would ever go this far?"
"I know—oh!" she cried out as she sat down.
"Baby, what is it? Are you okay?" he asked in a worried tone.
"I think you'd better come home, honey. I'm afraid your daughter heard something about being spoiled and has decided it's time to start cashing in on that."
"Give me ten minutes. I'll be home in ten minutes, I promise."
"Then we have nothing to worry about, because I know you always keep your promises."
"I love you."
"Ditto, Mr. Barton, now get off the phone. You've already wasted thirty seconds."
And she smiled, when, exactly eight minutes later, she heard his car pulling into the driveway.
The End
Isabella Kole
Isabella Kole lives in southern Indiana, where she enjoys spending time with her family and friends. Always an avid romance reader, she began writing several years ago.
Although she has had several sweeter romances published under a different pen name, Accepting His Terms is the first erotic romance in her collection. The Desire for Discipline series includes Accepting His Terms, Submitting to Bryan and The Longing Within.
Her Promised Dom (Dominant Men Book 3) Page 19