by Sophie Stern
“Come on,” Bob took my hand. “Let’s go inside.”
6
Bob
We stopped just outside of Savored, and we looked inside.
Like that night so many years ago, there was just one person working. It was a younger gal, and she looked like she was having a great time. She was tidying up the shop, and there were still a few cupcakes in the display case.
“I think they’re closed,” Helena said, slightly disappointed.
“There’s only one way to find out,” I said, and I reached for the door.
The knob turned easily, and I pushed the door open. The woman inside looked up and smiled.
“Why, hello,” she said.
“Good evening,” I nodded. “Are you still open?”
“I’m just about to close up, but I have a few cupcakes left, if you’d like one,” she nodded toward the display case.
“I would like one,” I said. “Do you have any dark chocolate?”
“We do,” the woman walked over and pointed down at the cupcakes. “There’s a dark chocolate with white buttercream frosting, a dark chocolate with no frosting and just a thin glaze on it, and there’s a dark chocolate with red frosting.”
“We’ll take the one with red frosting,” I told her.
“Perfect choice. That’s my favorite, too,” she said.
She packaged up the cupcake in a little box for us, handed it over, and told me the total. I paid the total, thanked her, and then Helena and I went back into the night.
“That’s a nice little bakery,” she said.
“It’s a very nice bakery,” I agreed.
Not as nice as Helena, though.
It wasn’t nearly as nice as growing old with her had been.
The two of us walked a short distance down the road until we came to a little sitting area. It wasn’t outside of a restaurant or café. It was just designed to be a nice, quiet place where people could sit down.
So, we did.
The two of us sat across from each other, and I placed the cupcake box between us. I reached for Helena, and I took her hands. She smiled at me, and suddenly, all the stress from the wedding planning just faded away.
I knew that when I was with her, she made everything better. Helena had always been able to do that. When you were near her, you couldn’t help but be comforted by her affection and by her smile.
“I want to tell you a story. Would that be okay?”
“A story?”
Helena’s eyes twinkled. Yeah, she’d never been able to resist a good story. That was my girl.
“A story,” I repeated.
“I could go for a story,” she told me.
“Okay,” I took a deep breath. It was a little dramatic and over-the-top, but she laughed, so I felt pretty good about that.
“Come on,” she said, chuckling. “Just tell it, already. This cupcake isn’t going to eat itself, sweetie.”
She eyed the cupcake hungrily.
“I know,” I agreed. “We’ll eat it right after, okay?”
“Okay.”
“Once upon a time,” I started the story, “two people fell in love, and they got married. They weren’t perfect people, but they were perfect for each other, and oh, they loved each other very much.”
“This sounds familiar,” she said.
“Shh, let me tell the story.”
“All right.”
“These two people were very happy together,” I continued. “They lived in a cute little blue house with white shutters. They had a little boy who was always happy and laughing. They even had some pet cats.”
“Sounds like a good life,” Helena smiled, tearing up a little.
“A very good life,” I said. “But there was a problem.”
“What was the problem?”
“The couple didn’t always tell each other how they felt,” I admitted. “Sometimes, they took each other for granted.”
“So, what did they do?”
“Well,” I reached for the cupcake. “The husband of the couple decided that he needed to remind his wife how much he loved her.”
“He did?”
“He did,” I nodded.
“Bob, is this story about us?” Helena’s voice was only a whisper, and I smiled as I opened the little box that housed the cupcake.
“Thirty years ago, we celebrated a very special Valentine’s Day together,” I reminded her.
“We shared a cupcake, too.”
“And a promise.”
“I remember it well.”
I broke the cupcake into two pieces. Somehow, it didn’t crumble or fall everywhere. I was happy about that. I handed half to Helena, and I gripped the other half in my own hand, holding it as though my life depended on it.
“Thirty years ago, I promised to love you.”
“I made the same promise.”
“I think we lost sight of each other along the way a little bit,” I told her.
She was quiet, holding the cupcake, looking at it.
“With this cupcake, I want to make you a promise.”
“A promise?”
She looked up at me, her eyes bright.
“We’re two halves who fit together in the very best way,” I told her. “We might be a little crumbly, and we might be a little messy, but we complete each other, Helena.”
I felt it, too. In all of my years, I’d never met anyone who made my heart soar the way she did. Helena always seemed to know how to make me smile. She always knew just how to get my blood pumping and how to get me feeling excited about the world, about everything.
I wanted that for her, too.
I wanted to remind her that she was my everything.
“I promised to love you, and to cherish you, and tonight, I want to make that same promise to you, sweetheart.”
She bit her lip, but then nodded.
“I promise to love you, Helena. I promise to take care of you. I promise that no matter what happens, I will always be here for you.”
“I promise you the same,” she looked up at me, tears streaming down her face. “For better or for worse, Bob.”
“Oh, darling, it’s going to be for better. It’s got to be.”
We bit into our cupcakes, looking at each other as we did, and as we let the sweet frosting overwhelm our tastebuds, I let myself relax with the woman of my dreams. She’d been busy loving me for years, and I’d been busy loving her right back. We’d made plenty of mistakes, and we’d make more in the future, but right now, we had a special chance to remember where we’d come from.
We had a wonderful chance to remember where we were going.
We finished our cupcake, and then we stood. I kissed her there in the moonlight, silently promising her everything I’d already said out loud. I was going to love Helena for the rest of my damn life. I would give her the world if she’d only let me.
When she pulled away, she smiled.
“Now, that was a date,” she laughed.
“It was kind of perfect, wasn’t it?”
“It was.”
“The night’s not over yet,” I said.
“Should we go show those young whipper-snappers what they’re missing?” Helena laughed, shaking her head.
“Nope,” I told her. “But we should go show them what they have to look forward to.”
I kissed her one more time, and then I took her hand, and together, Helena and I walked off into the night.
Epilogue
Helena
Once upon a time, I’d fallen in love with a man who showed me everything the world had to offer. He’d made big promises, but he’d followed through, and he’d offered me the chance to feel totally, completely loved.
And I did.
Now, as I sat in the front pew at the church and watched Matthew and Dora make each other the same promises Bob and I had made all of those years ago, I couldn’t help but tear up. I reached over, squeezing Bob’s hand. He was right there. He was beside me, just as he’d been
all of the years before.
He’d always been right by my side.
“I love you,” I whispered, looking at him.
He grinned, leaned over, and pressed a soft kiss to my cheek.
“I love you, too.”
We sat back and watched the rest of the ceremony in silence. Matthew promised to love Dora for the rest of their lives, and she offered him the same beautiful vow. When they kissed, the entire church clapped and cheered, and I’d never seen my son look quite so happy as he did in that moment.
The bride and groom left the church and slowly, the rest of the pews emptied as everyone tried to rush to the reception all at once. Bob and I stayed put, though, looking at one another.
“It’s been a good thirty years,” he told me. “I can’t wait for thirty more.”
He kissed me, then, right in the church, and I kissed him back. My heart swelled with happiness. I really had gotten my happy ending, and I was so happy it was with Bob.
THE END
Author
Sophie Stern writes vampires, cowboys, werewolves, dragons, and fairy tales. Her books feature deliciously wonderful characters and deliciously naughty adventures. If you enjoyed Valentine’s Sugar Rush, you may like one of her other contemporary steamy romances, such as Dark Favors or The Feisty Librarian.
This story takes place in the town of Ashton. You can read more about Ashton and its special little bakery in SAVORED, or in one of the other ASHTON SWEETS stories.
Please make sure you subscribe to Sophie’s mailing list here.
You can also follow her on Facebook for frequent updates.
Sophie posts on Instagram here.
Thank you so much for reading.
Books
Other books by Sophie Stern
HONEYPOT DARLINGS
HONEYPOT BABIES
DRAGON ISLE
THE FABLESTONE CLAN
DON’T DATE DEMONS
POLAR BEARS OF THE AIR FORCE
DARK FAVORS
SAVORED
Sophie’s books are available wherever eBooks are sold.
If you enjoyed this story, you might enjoy STARBOARD by Sophie Stern. Starboard is the first book in the Anchored series. Check out the description + chapter one here!
*
STARBOARD
Christina hasn't had a regular Dom since her husband died in Afghanistan. She's a war widow with a daughter: she doesn't have time for relationships, but she does make time to play.
Christina goes to Anchored to unwind and to have her submissive needs met. Whether she's playing with a Dom or Domme, Christina's partners all know one thing: she's there to serve, not to find love.
It's all fun and games for the Damsel of the Dungeon until a new Dom arrives and he sets his sights on her.
Only, he's not just interested in scening with Christina.
He's interested in everything.
Zack has always considered himself a good lawyer, a loyal friend, and an observant Dominant. When his business partner and best friend, Tony, invites him to visit a local sex club, Zack's ready for anything.
Except the feisty brunette who doesn't want to be taken care of.
After the third time he sees Christina refusing aftercare, Zack decides to do something about it, only Christina isn't like other subs.
It's a good thing he loves a challenge.
*
CHAPTER ONE
Christina
“Are you ready?” Odessa’s shoes click loudly as she makes her way across the locker room floor. She’s wearing five-inch bright-red stilettos tonight and honestly, I have no idea how the hell she manages to walk in those things. I prefer to be barefoot, myself, but that’s probably just because I don’t have half the grace Odessa has.
“Just about,” I tell her. “Let me finish my mascara.” I twirl the mascara brush over my eyelashes one last time. I really should invest in falsies, but I’m just not confident enough in my ability to put them on. Besides, the double-dark mascara I’m wearing tonight makes me look incredible.
Kissable.
Fuckable.
It makes me look unstoppable.
“You look great, love,” Odessa kisses me on the cheek and manages to pry me away from the vanity mirror. “But it’s time. The night is in full swing and if I’m not mistaken, you have a date with Destiny tonight.”
“Her name is Mistress D,” I smile, but Odessa is right. We both know Destiny from outside the club. It should make playing together a little weird, but somehow, it doesn’t. Somehow, playing with Mistress D is different than working with Destiny.
Odessa just rolls her eyes and gives me a once over. She reaches out and adjusts the corset I’m wearing, pushing my breasts up just a little higher. Then she walks around me, smoothing out the miniskirt I’m wearing and making sure each part of my outfit looks good, perfect. She makes sure I look complete, and for that, I am grateful.
I’ve been playing at Anchored for months now, but sometimes, I still get nervous. Tonight isn’t my first night playing with Mistress D and it certainly won’t be my last, but sometimes I still worry that I’m not going to be good enough to please my partners. Sometimes I worry that I’m not going to be good enough to make this fun for them.
“Stop over-thinking,” Odessa warns me sternly. “Stay focused on the scene. Remember, Christina: stay focused.”
“I will.”
She grabs my chin and turns me toward her. Odessa’s bright brown eyes practically glow as she gazes at me.
“You are not a mother tonight. You are not a widow. You are not a childcare provider. You are not anything but a submissive. Do you understand?”
“I understand.”
“Say it for me, love.”
“I am only a submissive tonight.”
“That’s right,” Odessa nods, seemingly satisfied. “Don’t make the mistake of spacing off during your scene, okay?”
I blush, embarrassed she remembers the debacle from a few weeks ago. I had been playing with someone new and just couldn’t really get into the submissive mindset. As a result, I was spacing off, thinking about grocery lists and errands, and the scene fell short.
Really short.
“I won’t space off tonight,” I tell her. Odessa is a submissive, too, and she’s going to be playing with her regular Dom tonight. Theodore is a kind-hearted tax-attorney who is seriously cut. He’s huge, and if I was at the end of his whip, I’d be terrified. Odessa isn’t, though. She loves it, takes it in stride. She’s a perfect fit for him and sometimes, I wonder why the two of them aren’t dating.
“Good girl,” Odessa says, pressing a kiss to my cheek. I give her the same once-over she gave me, fixing her top and adjusting her boy-shorts to make sure every part of her looks perfect. We each take one last look in the mirror, but then it’s time.
It’s time to leave the safety of the locker room.
It’s time to go to Anchored.
Odessa takes my hand and we leave the room together. Instantly, the sound of the heavy music hits our ears, reminding us where we are. Tonight is about fun and excitement. It’s about relaxing. It’s about unwinding, but it’s about more than that, too: it’s about submission.
Tonight is about giving ourselves to our partners, and in return, they’ll give us a little bit of themselves, as well. That’s the true beauty of submission. In giving of myself, I get something in return. The feeling of offering myself to my partner is satisfying in and of itself, but knowing that it meets my partner’s needs, as well, is even more fantastic.
I like knowing that my Dom or Domme feels good about themselves when we’re through playing together.
I like knowing that they’re having just as much fun as me.
And I like that at the end of the night, when I walk out of Anchored, I’m leaving them at the door.
It’s fucked up, but I don’t really care.
Anchored is my release. It’s my safe space. It’s my haven. Anchored is where I go because I have
nowhere else to go. Anchored is the only time I get to myself, and I take it. It’s the only time I have away from my daughter. It’s the only time I can be me.
I’m not the best mother in the world. I certainly wasn’t the best wife. When Cameron died, he left me alone. He left me without anyone in the world. Even now, I don’t have anyone. It’s been two damn years since he died and I have no one.
No one.
But I have Anchored.
I have this place where I can forget, for just a couple of hours, that I’ve lost my true love.
I have this place where I can forget, for just a little while, that my life fell apart and I’m only starting to rebuild it.
I have this place where I can forget, for just a tiny bit of time, that I am completely alone in this world.
I have this place.
And I’m not giving it up.
I’m not going to get in a relationship with one of my play partners only to have us break up. Then coming to the club would be awkward, weird, and uncomfortable. I’m not going to get into a relationship where we have a fight, and then neither one of us goes to the club. I’m not interested in that.
I don’t want to sacrifice my safe space for the temporary satisfaction of being someone’s romantic partner. That’s not what I want and it’s certainly not what I need. That’s not for me.
So at the end of the night, after I play with Mistress D, I’ll spend some time crying in the locker room showers. I’ll wash my hair. I’ll clean my face. And then I’ll get dressed, get in my car, and go back to the real world, where I am a mother, and a childcare worker, and a widow.