The Long Ride Home (Cowboys & Cowgirls)

by Danielle Lee Zwissler

  “What are you doing?”

  “I’m going to round some of the bases…”

  “I didn’t know you were in to sports?” Elena joked.

  “I happen to like water sports,” Holton teased and then continued his path.

  Elena gasped as his hands fingers moved on her slowly, moving up and then down. “God you are so beautiful, Elena.”

  Elena closed her eyes and then leaned back in the claw foot tub. Her breasts surfaced the water and Holton groaned. Soon he was as much out of the water as he was in. Slippery and all over her.

  “Oh you feel so good,” Elena whispered. “Are you sure you want to wait?”

  “Yes…but the decision is a lot more difficult now.” He kissed her on the lips hungrily, his tongue mimicking that of his fingers that were slowly touching her beneath the bubbles.

  “That feels so good,” Elena cried. She arched her body and Holton moved his lips down further, capturing one beaded nipple in his mouth.

  “Mmm,” Holton moaned. “So sweet.”

  “Let’s just…let’s…”

  Holton got out of the tub quickly, dripping water all over the floor and dropped a towel to prevent them from slipping. He then picked up Elena, still wet in his arms, and carried her to his bedroom.

  During the length of her stay so far, she slept alone. It was necessary since he couldn’t be trusted not to kick in his sleep, and with her back and her ankles healing, that was an impossible promise. Elena smiled nervously as he placed her on the center of his bed. She had only been in here a few times, and she was a lot younger. She smiled at the changes and at the man whose arms were wrapped around her.

  Holton moved over her with deft perception. His movements were slow and skilled. His mouth trailed her hot skin, leaving goosebumps in their wake. His hands lovingly stroked her center as his mouth traveled down her navel until finally resting on her core.

  And then he licked.

  Elena arched back as her fingernails trailed Holton’s back. She heard his soft moan as his tongue played inside of her, bringing her to the brink of insanity.

  “Oh, Holton,” Elena cried as the strokes became longer and slower. Her breathing came out in gasps as she went over the edge.

  Holton kissed his way up her navel a few minutes later, smiling like the Cheshire cat. “See, Elena,” I have found a way to keep us both sane until the wedding.

  Elena’s eyes widened. “Oh wow!”

  “Yeah,” Holton said gruffly, and then he felt her hand on him. It wasn’t the first time she touched him, but it was the first time she was able to move with him.

  He lay down on his back and she crawled over him. “Baby, you don’t have…”

  “If I don’t get a taste of you, I think I’ll go insane.”

  Holton smiled and then closed his eyes as he felt her tongue on the tip. She swirled it around, making the tip bead up with moisture. She licked it off and moaned, making his cock twitch with excitement. Her hands alternated fast and slow, long and hard until he was barely able to keep from pulling her on top of him and sheathing himself inside of her. And then he came.

  “That was awesome,” Holton breathed.

  Elena laughed and then laid down on her back, too tired to move another inch. “Yes, it was.”

  “You are perfect.”

  Elena looked over at Holton his eyes were closed. “Do you want to try it again?”

  “Are you trying to kill me?” Holton said, his expression tilted into a grin.

  “Something like that.”

  “Maybe we can in a little bit. How about some dinner first?”

  Elena pouted and Holton laughed. “Just wait until we actually have sex…I’m afraid what I have created.”

  “Race you to the kitchen,” Elena said.

  An hour later, they were still sitting at the table, grinning at each other like two teenagers.

  “So, I was thinking June 1st for the wedding,” Holton said, looking into Elena’s eyes.

  “A June bride,” Elena mused. “Yes, I think that’s perfect. But do you think we’ll have enough time to get ready? That’s not very much time.”

  “Do you want to wait even longer?”

  Elena grinned. “No.”

  “Then June 1st it is. Have you heard from the university when graduation is?”

  Elena had been taking the rest of her exams and classes through online classes. She was almost finished with her last year of college. “Yes, the last week of May.”

  “Well, I guess we have to make a trip to Sunnybrook, get your diploma and then bring you back here so we can get hitched.”

  “I think that’s perfect. While we’re there, I’ll ask Cheryl to be my maid of Honor, her and Sarah. And I’d like Kate there, too. They have all helped us. Hell, I’d have Joe, but I figured you were going to ask him yourself.”

  Holton laughed. “I’ve already asked him. I have been ready for this for a while now.”

  “Me, too.”

  ***

  On Saturday, May 24th, Elena was a proud owner of a Bachelors Degree in Nursing. She smiled at the certificate she held in her hand and then looked into the mirror at her old apartment. She was still wearing her cap and gown and felt like a million dollars. She took a deep breath and thought of all that she had been through since her freshman year of college.

  ***

  “Elena Rose, I want you to be careful on campus,” her mother, Claire, said as she leaned in and gave her a kiss. They had just parked the car in the front parking lot of her freshman dorm—Eastway Hall, and came out to help carry her things up to her room.

  “I will, Mom,” Elena said, smiling. She looked off toward her home for the next four years and grinned. “Do you think Holton will miss me?”

  Elena’s mom looked at her with a knowing smile. “Oh, I don’t doubt that he will, Honey.” She shifted her weight to her other foot and she held Elena’s gaze. “Give him time. He’s going to have a rough time at home without you there. You guys have grown close.”

  Elena reddened. “He’s my best friend.”

  “He’s more than that, and you know it.”

  “I wish,” Elena admitted, embarrassed that she was so easily read. “He keeps telling me to wait.”

  “He probably just wants to make sure that you go to school…he wants what you want.”

  “But I want him,” Elena said, looking at her mom with her heart in her eyes. “I…it doesn’t matter. I’m going to get an education, come home, get a nursing job at Ricon and marry Holton.”

  Claire laughed joyously. “Wouldn’t that be something? The boy next door and my daughter. That would be wonderful.”

  Elena grinned. “Yeah… It would.

  ***

  Elena walked into her old bedroom and picked up a few remaining boxes that were left from the last time she was in Sunnybrook. Cheryl was an absolute gem. She handled everything, along with Holton. They packed up some of her most precious things…including some of the mementos her parents gave her along the way. She saw a picture of her Mom and Dad in front of the University. The photo was taken just before her mother passed away. Elena felt the tears on her skin before she realized she was crying. “I miss you, Mom. I miss you, Dad.”

  ***

  “Now, you get yourself that education, Elena!” Claire pleaded as she was laying in the hospital bed. The doctors said it would be any time now. The cancer had finally taken its toll on her body.

  “But…how am I supposed to go and do those things without you!”

  “Elena, do you remember the day we dropped you off at school?”

  “Yes,” Elena whispered as she held her mother’s hand.

  “I can’t tell you how proud I was to see you in front of that school. You had all those dreams in front of you and you had such a determined grin on your face. Do you remember what you said you wanted?”

  Elena nodded and closed her eyes. She didn’t want to upset her mother even more by crying, but she couldn’t help it.
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  “Well, I am not going to be the end to those dreams! I want you to get the things you want. I want you to become the nurse that you want to be. You were always meant for great things, baby. Those things don’t have to end because I won’t be here.”

  “I know, Momma, but…Who am I going to go to when I need to talk about things?”

  Claire looked at her daughter sadly and moved her left hand up to cradle Elena’s face. “Your father, and if he’s not there, then Holton.”

  “What if it’s about him?”

  “About Holton? Honey, it’s time you told him. You can see that life isn’t all about having all the time in the world. Life is about the moments you have left and the risks you take. I’m going away. You have to live for you, Elena.”

  Elena’s lip trembled and she leaned in to her mother’s hand. “I love you, Mom.”

  “Honey, you are my greatest joy.”

  ***

  Elena wiped the tears from her eyes before she packed the photo away. She closed her eyes once more and then opened them. She looked up toward the ceiling and felt an overwhelming comfort. She knew that they were all with her once again: her mom, her dad and Holton’s parents.

  Just then the door opened. Holton, her future, was standing there with his arms out. “Come here, baby.”

  Elena gladly walked into his arms and surrendered to his touch.

  “You okay?”

  Elena nodded. She could feel the beat of Holton’s heart against her. “Yes, I’m okay.”

  “Good. Are you ready to become my bride now?”

  Elena smiled and looked up into Holton’s eyes. “I’ve been ready for a very long time.”

  Chapter 18

  With the help of Sarah Marie, Kate and Cheryl, she planned her wedding to Holton. They were going to get married between both properties near the East Pond where they first kissed on her 18th birthday. She never would have imagined that life would have turned out quite like this, but she couldn’t for the life of her had planned a more perfect wedding.

  June 1st, 2013 was a perfect day. The sun was out in a cloudless sky, and the weather was mild for Dallas. Elena wore a beautiful white Vera Wang gown with tiny crystals down the bodice that formed into lace-like formations down the train of her dress. She wore a veil the length of her dress and carried a large bouquet of red long stem roses.

  Holton wore a black suit with a bolo tie and a white Stetson. He wore a single red rose as a boutonniere, and Joe Thomas stood up for him as his best Man with Cheryl and Sarah as her maid of honors and Kate as her bridesmaid.

  The wedding took place at 3:30, with half of the town serving as guests.

  At the half hour, the wedding began as Kate started the procession. Red roses were scattered in the lawn as a makeshift aisle. Then Sarah walked down, looking at Joe with a grin on her face as she neared the front where Holton was waiting on his bride. And then finally Cheryl. She wore a long red gown that trailed at her feet. She smiled at Holton and gave him a thumb’s up before turning to face the front. The few people that saw laughed.

  Soon, the music changed from Trumpet Voluntary by Handle to Mendelssohn’s Wedding March. Then all eyes were on Elena.

  Her hair was worn long and crazy just as Holton liked it. Springy red curls cascaded down her back like a waterfall over the strapless white gown. She held a bouquet of red roses that matched her hair, just like Holton promised he’d give her all those years ago. She grinned just before making the solo walk.

  Holton’s eyes sparkled with happiness at the sight of Elena. He waited until she was half way down the aisle and slowly walked to meet her. When he got to Elena he whispered in her ear, “I will always be here to meet you half way. For the rest of my life and all of yours I will be here for you.”

  Elena smiled tearfully and she moved her hand up to touch his face. “I love you so much, Holton.”

  The two walked the rest of the way up the aisle and waited for Pastor Mike to begin.

  “Dearly beloved, we are gathered here today to celebrate the joining of Holton Pierce and Elena Rose in Holy Matrimony. It has been a long way coming for these two.”

  Several people in the crowd laughed and then Pastor Mike continued. “When there is love, there is God. And when there is God, there is love. The two go hand in hand. And strength in love shows us our trust in God. Everyone that is here today knows the strength in Holton and Elena’s love and a bond like that cannot be broken easily. These two have been through many trials, yet they have surpassed those with trust in one another and trust in God.”

  Holton smiled at Elena and held on to her hand tightly.

  “Holton, would you repeat after me?” Pastor Mike said. “Elena Rose, I will honor you, love you and cherish you for the rest of the days in my life.”

  Holton repeated the words with emotion as he looked into Elena’s eyes and then Elena repeated the same vows to Holton. Shortly after, they exchanged rings and the pastor pronounced them man and wife.

  Holton removed Elena’s veil and took her in his arms and dipped her low and then brought her up slowly. “I love you Mrs. Dade,” he said happily as he brought her lips to his.

  The kiss last a little longer than appropriate, which was just fine with Elena.

  The reception was held in Holton’s red barn. It was cleared out a week before the wedding and Elena’s family’s barn held all of the animals from both Elena’s and Holton’s stock. Everyone that came told stories of the two when they were kids through their teenage years.

  “We never thought he was going to figure it out, Elena!” Joe Thomas joked at the reception.

  Elena grinned and held up her champagne glass and toasted her husband. “It took him long enough,” she joked and then smiled at Holton lovingly. “But when he wants something badly enough, he finally goes after it.”

  Holton smiled and leaned in for a kiss.

  Cheryl stood up next and reached for the microphone. She looked at both Holton and Elena and held up her glass. “These two have been through hell and back. I was Elena’s roommate at Sunnybrook. The day she got into the accident was one of the scariest moments of my life. I texted Holton as soon as I found out, and he didn’t miss a beat. He was on the next flight out of Dallas and arrived in Sunnybrook a few hours later. I knew that Elena loved him, but I didn’t know the extent of his love until he arrived at the hospital. Any man that marries me will have a legacy to live up to.” She looked over to Denny and smiled with a wink. She then looked at the happy couple; she smiled lovingly and continued. “I have never seen anyone in my entire life love someone the way that Holton loves her. He told me about growing up with Elena, he told me about how she was when she was a teenager, when she was a child, when she was a woman. I think if he really thinks about it, he can say that he has loved her her entire life. I could only be so lucky to find someone like that. So here’s to Elena and Holton. May you two be happy for the rest of your lives together, and may you have children. Lots of children…”

  Everyone laughed and Elena and Holton kissed once more. People hit their glasses, signaling more kissing until Holton stood up. “I just want to say something to all of you before we continue with this reception.”

  Elena looked up at her husband and waited.

  “I have waited a very,” Holton gestured and everyone laughed, “very long time for this day. And as terrible as this may sound to some of you,” he waited for effect, “I can’t wait any longer.” He grinned at Elena and put the microphone down and leaned down to whisper in her ear. “I can’t wait any longer.”

  Elena looked shocked at first, but then wrapped her arms around her husband’s neck and he grabbed her and carried her as they heard catcalling and hollering around them.

  ***

  “I can’t believe you just did that,” Elena said as he carried her into her family home and started up the stairs to her childhood bedroom.

  “Really? After weeks of you touching and torturing me… you can’t believe that I couldn’t wait
any longer?”

  Elena giggled. “Well, I can…did you see Mrs. Jones’s face?”

  Holton chuckled. “Yes I did. We’ll send her an apology later.”

  “What about our first dance as a married couple?”

  “Do you want me to go back?” Holton asked. “I didn’t think about those things…that probably meant a lot to you.”

  Elena laughed. “Are you kidding? I now have something I can use later in arguments.”

  Holton laughed. “You little brat. Just for that I am going to keep you in here a lot longer than necessary.”

  He walked into the bedroom and kicked the door closed with his foot.

  “When did you have time to do this?” Elena asked, looking around her bedroom. It was completely transformed. Instead of the goofy posters she used to have up, they were taken down and there were roses everywhere and there were beautiful white down blankets on the bed.

  Holton placed her on the bed and stepped back and pulled a lighter out of his pocket and lit candles that were placed around the bed and on the dresser. The dim light from the candles lit the place in a warm glow.

  Elena smiled as Holton came up to her and held out his hand. She stood up and he turned her around slowly, taking his time with her buttons. Elena’s skin had goosebumps on it as he spread feather light kisses down her neck and back, tracing the pattern that his hands took as he loosened the dress. Minutes later, he moved the fabric down and she stepped out of it. To his delight, she wore the famous red lace bra and panties that she spoke of on the phone all those months ago.

  “Dear God,” Holton whispered as he looked at his wife. “You are stunning.”

  Elena smiled and started undoing his buttons on his shirt. “As are you, husband.”

  Holton smiled. “I like the sound of that on your lips, wife.”

  Elena reached for Holton as soon as she had his clothes removed and kissed him deeply. He wrapped his arms underneath her legs and picked her up, placing her back on the bed softly as he slid on top of her.

  “I love you, Mrs. Dade,” Holton whispered as he kissed down her neck and made his way to her breasts, stopping just above them. He looked up into her eyes and then used his tongue and licked down to her nipple and put it in his mouth, and then to the other, suckling on them until they were hard buds. Elena’s back arched off the bed.