At one o'clock, she put the manuscript aside and emailed the legal department to draw up a contract to send to the author. Closing her laptop and turning out the light, she rolled over and was asleep within minutes. The manuscript she had just read had ended happily for the hero and heroine, and Cora dreamed about the couple in the story.
When she awoke to the blaring sound of her alarm clock six hours later, she jumped out of bed and began to hurriedly finish packing for her trip to Texas. Once she had closed the suitcase and dressed in comfortable jeans and a sweater, she threw on a warm jacket and called a taxi to drive her to the airport. She knew that, although it was January, the weather would be mild in Fredericksburg, so she had tried to adjust her packing accordingly.
By the time she arrived that afternoon, she had received the contract from legal and emailed it to the new author and read part of a mystery novel that had been submitted by another prospective new author. Luckily, she didn't have any more to read, having left the majority of them with Kayla. She could catch up on the rest when she returned to New York in two weeks.
She rented a car at the airport and began the scenic drive to Fredericksburg, savoring the familiar sights she saw along the way. Arriving at her parents' home a few hours later, she was greeted by her dad, who had walked out to help her with her luggage.
"Sweetie, it's so good to have you home," he said as he gave her one of his famous bear hugs.
"Oh, Dad, I'm so sorry about Gram. It's good to be home, though. Is Mom here?"
"She and your sister have gone out to buy some last-minute things. I believe they were also going to buy an outfit for the baby to wear to the funeral."
"Ah, my little niece, I can't wait to see Adele."
"She's growing by leaps and bounds."
Cora's younger sister Cassie was now married, having met a young architect while attending college. He was from the San Antonio area, and that was where they had settled after their marriage. Cassie was a nurse and had recently gone back to work on a part time basis. Her baby girl Adele had just turned four-months-old.
Clay, Cassie's husband, was very attractive—light hair, blue eyes, tall, with a delightful dimple in his chin. He and Cassie made a striking couple, as she too had fair hair and blue-gray eyes.
After her dad had deposited her bags in her old bedroom and she had unpacked, she walked downstairs to the kitchen, where he was pouring a cup of coffee for each of them.
"Sit down, Cora; chat with me while the others are gone," he invited as he handed her a mug of steaming coffee.
"Hazelnut, you remembered that I like it," she responded as she gratefully sipped one of her favorite brews.
"Now, how could I forget something as important as that?" he teased as he joined her at the kitchen table. "Tell me what's new in your life, sweetheart."
"Nothing much; I'm busy with work right now, and I'll be going to a show for the company in the next month or so in Los Angeles."
"You lead a pretty exciting life these days, don't you?"
She laughed. "I wouldn't exactly call it exciting, but I love what I do."
"You haven't mentioned that you're dating, I noticed. Is there still no one special in your life?" he inquired as he looked at her over his cup.
"No, Dad, there is no one special."
"Cora, are you planning to remain single forever and not give me any grandchildren?"
"Funny you should say that, because I can remember a time when I would have liked nothing more than to do just that, and you were totally against it," she reminded him gently.
"If you're referring to your high school romance with Dale Barton, that was years ago. Surely, you must realize the timing wasn't right back then," he replied, surprised she'd brought up the subject after all these years.
"Oh, Daddy, of course, I do. I couldn't see it then, but I know it was for the best. I have to admit, though, I've never met anyone since Dale that I would even consider sharing every aspect of my life with," she admitted, taking another sip of the hot, flavored coffee.
"He's an attorney now, in Austin, I believe," her dad remarked, looking speculatively at his oldest daughter.
"That was the last I knew about him. We don't keep in touch anymore."
They were interrupted by the arrival of her mother, sister, and niece then, so the conversation ceased. After hugs and the expected gushing over the baby, Cora asked, "Where's Clay?"
"He'll be here in time for the viewing. He had to finish up some things at work before he could get away."
Cora looked down at the baby she held in her arms. "Are you missing your daddy, sweet thing?"
"Yes, she is. I can't wait for him to get here and get her to sleep. He does a much better job of that than I do." Cassie laughed as she took the baby from her sister. "It's time to get this little princess fed and into her PJs."
"Mom, is there anything I can do to help you?" Cora asked as her mother put away the groceries she had purchased.
"No, honey, the neighbors have brought dinner, so I just need to warm it up. Just sit and tell me all your news while I get it ready."
The family got caught up over a delicious dinner, and after the baby had finally settled down, they all tried to get some sleep.
The next few days were busy as they attended the viewing and funeral for her beloved Gram. She saw many familiar faces and shared many memories with the people who had come to pay their respects.
As they were leaving the gravesite after the funeral, Tori stepped beside her and began walking with her. "I'll call you the end of the week. Maybe we can get together and go out this weekend."
"That sounds good. I'll be busy helping clean out Gram's house and getting it ready to sell, but by the weekend, I'll be more than ready for a break, I'm sure," she replied as she smiled at her old friend.
The two women hugged when they reached Cora's dad's waiting car.
"I'll talk to you in a few days," Cora told her as she got into the car.
"You can count on it," Tori replied as she started toward her own vehicle.
As the week wound down, Tori kept her word and called Cora. "So, how's the packing going?"
"I had no idea my grandmother had so much stuff," Cora told her, laughing.
"Then I'd say you should be about ready for a break any time then, right?"
"Definitely, what do you have in mind? Are we going to the old high school haunts?"
"Oh, no, I'd say we've outgrown all those. I'm going to take you out on the town, big girl style." Tori giggled.
"I can't wait to see the nightlife in Fredericksburg," she replied with a laugh.
"I know it won't compare to the lights of the city, but maybe you'll see some old friends. Even the married ones go out, occasionally."
"Well, since it's Friday night, I guess I can take a break and scope out the local entertainment," Cora agreed, glad of an excuse to get out of the house and away from the memories.
"Just come to my place whenever you're ready to go," Tori told her.
"I'll finish the room I'm working in, then I'll go back to Mom and Dad's to get cleaned up."
"Okay, take your time. The nightlife doesn't get going until around nine, anyway."
"See you in a bit."
"Bye," Tori said as she ended the call.
Cora picked up the box of photographs she'd been about to go through before Tori's call had interrupted her work. She leafed through the first few, and as she picked up the next faded photo, she froze. It was a picture of her senior prom. She was standing in her sequined formal, hair in an updo of cascading curls, with a brilliant smile on her youthful face. Dale was standing next to her with his arm around her waist, looking at the camera with his familiar grin. He was in a tux, and even at eighteen he exuded an aura of sensuality. He'd always been the most handsome boy in the class, and Cora had been the envy of every girl in school.
I wonder what he looks like now, she thought to herself and then giggled. He's probably gained fifty pounds and has starte
d going bald.
Tucking the photo hurriedly into her purse, she put the remaining photos in the box with the others she had discovered and carried it to the car to take to her parents' house.
As she drove the distance between houses, her mind wandered back to that August night, twelve years before. I wonder if he ever got married. I'm sure he has by now. And most of all, I wonder if he ever thinks about me the way I think about him.
Shaking her pretty blonde head to rid her mind of the useless thoughts of Dale that had found their way there, she pulled into the driveway and hauled the box of photos into the house.
"Is that the last box of pictures?" her mother asked as she walked in and set the box on the dining room table.
"I certainly hope so," she replied. "I had no idea Gram had so many of them stashed away like that."
"She always said she was going to organize them into albums, but apparently, that never happened."
"Apparently," Cora replied dryly. "I'm going out with Tori tonight, so I may be in late. She thinks I need to enjoy some Fredericksburg nightlife while I'm in town."
"Maybe you'll run into some of your old friends. I'm not sure how many still live here."
"Tori says quite a few, actually," she answered as she walked to her old bedroom.
"It probably seems strange to you to be back here after living in New York and Chicago all these years, doesn't it?"
She thought for a minute before replying, "In a way, yes, and in other ways, it's as if I never left."
She walked into the bedroom and gathered her things before heading into the bathroom to shower. As the steamy stream of hot water cascaded onto her luscious body, her mind went back to Dale. I wonder what my life would be like now if I'd stayed here, if I'd followed my heart and married Dale, if he hadn't broken things off that night. I can't think about that. Look at the fantastic life I have. I've traveled all over the world, met all kinds of people, live in a great place. Alone… I live alone. Stop this, Cora… stop it now.
She hadn't thought about Dale in months. She should have known coming home would bring back a flood of memories. For years, she had dreamed about him and counted the days and months until they could reconnect. She remembered the promise and the kiss that had sealed it. Then, finally, one day, she didn't think about him; the next day, she didn't think about him, and eventually, she'd come to terms with the fact that it really was over and the promise they'd made had been a silly thing between young lovers. They were adults now, leading very different lives in very different cities.
She stepped out of the shower and tied her golden hair up into a towel, turban style, as she briskly dried her body with another towel. She had chosen black jeans and a shimmery black shirt, with designer boots, for her evening out. She then chose her jewelry carefully. As she applied her makeup and dried her hair, she wondered what the evening would bring. Grabbing a small bag and filling it with the essentials, she was ready to go. As she threw a jacket over the shirt, she yelled goodbye to her parents and headed out the door to the Toyota she had rented at the airport.
She arrived at Tori's and, of course, had to wait for her friend. Tori had never been ready on time a day in her life. She sat down and looked around at the condo her friend owned and smiled. It was modern yet homey. Tori had done a marvelous job decorating it.
When Tori finally appeared, Cora asked, "Is Jonathan meeting us there?"
"Nope, I told him this was our night. I only see you once in a blue moon. I see him every day."
"Are you two ever going to tie the knot? You've been seeing each other—how many years now?" she teased her pretty redheaded friend.
"We probably will, someday. It's been five years, but neither of us has been in a hurry. He's been hinting lately, though, so it may not be too far off. I'll surprise you someday and give you a call, asking you to come home and be my maid of honor."
"I'm glad you found someone like him. He seems perfect for you."
"He is perfect for me. But what about you, Cora, is there someone special back in New York?"
"No, there's no one special at the moment. I go out, but I've just never been lucky enough to find Mr. Right. Maybe I'll be a single career gal all my life."
"I don't believe that for a minute. Just look at you. You always were beautiful, but you are absolutely stunning these days."
"Oh, Tori, you're still nuts." She giggled.
"Let's get out of here. Who knows, maybe you'll meet him right here in Texas? Wouldn't that be a hoot?"
"Yeah, that'd be a hoot, all right. I'll probably meet some cowboy."
"Maybe those New York guys aren't right for you, because you really do belong with a good old Texas boy."
Cora giggled as they walked out the door, but deep in her heart, she knew that what Tori had said was true. She had always belonged with a certain good old Texas boy, and that boy was Dale Barton.
Chapter 2
Dale Barton walked out of Club Discreet and to his car. He'd spent the evening scening with one of the new subs at the club. The girl had shown great promise. Dale was known around the club as the Gentle Dom, so he was often paired with the new trainees before they moved on to the Doms who liked to go a little further than he did.
Since being dragged to the club years ago by a couple of coworkers, he'd entered into the lifestyle, going to a couple of different clubs in town most weekends. During the week, he was a prominent attorney in Austin, Texas. He tried hard to keep his nightlife quiet, for obvious reasons. So, he dated vanilla women occasionally to keep up his image.
Truth be known, he was getting tired of scening with different women. He was ready to settle down, start a family. But before he could do that, he'd have to find the right woman to do it with. He wouldn't marry someone he didn't love just for the sake of getting married.
There had only been one great love in his life—his high school sweetheart, Cora Beth Watson. He'd been the school's football star, and she was the head cheerleader. They were the golden couple, all through their teens. Everyone, including the two of them, had thought they'd marry and raise a family in the old hometown of Fredericksburg. But, that hadn't happened. Caving in to the pressure from both of their families, he'd broken up with her the night before he left for college. They were attending different schools, which, as he had pointed out to her, would make it nearly impossible for them to be together. He had even made a crazy promise to her, one that she probably had long forgotten. He'd told her that if they were both still unattached when they were thirty, they would reconnect and give it a go again. Ha! Fat chance of that ever happening, since he didn't even know if she was still in the Chicago area.
She'd been heartbroken, and it had torn him apart. All he'd wanted to do was to take back the words and tell her they would be together forever. But he hadn't done it. They'd stayed in touch for a while, but life had taken them in different directions. He was in Texas, but she'd stayed on in Chicago after her graduation, working for a publisher. He often wondered what her life was like. Was she married, living in the suburbs? He didn't go down the path of what-ifs very often, but every once in a while, the thought crept up. Oh, sure, it would be easy enough for him to ask around at home and find out about her life, but did he really want to know that she was happy with someone else? He could just go on wondering what might have been and live his life, leaving her alone to live hers. That was the best thing to do.
They had been as vanilla as they came back then, two young lovers experimenting with sex for the first time.
He wondered what she would think of him now. Would she turn her nose up at the fact he was a Dom—however gentle—who acted out scenes with different subs for his enjoyment? Or would she be willing to give it a go with him? He would never know.
He was moving back to the old hometown soon, to take over his dad's law practice upon the older man's retirement. He'd be giving up his condo in Austin, putting it on the market soon. His Austin nightlife would be curtailed for a while, while he got settled
in. But there was no rule saying he couldn't keep his club memberships and go back to the city on occasion, was there?
He thought about Poppy the young sub he'd been with that night. She was cute, too young for him, but very pleasant. He would request her again. She'd taken his spanking well, had said and done all the right things, hadn't fought him, and the aftercare was easy as she was so sweet. Sex had followed. It didn't always, but Poppy had been very willing and quite aroused by his hand spanking and paddling. She called him Sir, did as he said, and was on her way to becoming a regular part of the club, he figured.
He pulled into his garage and went inside, setting his alarm system as he did so. It was a Saturday night, so he planned to take it easy the next day. Soon enough, he'd be packing for his move, something he wasn't looking forward to. Oh, he didn't mind that he was moving back home. That had always been the plan, after he got some experience in another firm. But, moving back home brought back memories of Cora Beth. Would he ever be able to settle for anyone else? Eventually, he was going to have to settle down. He couldn't stay a bachelor Dom forever, especially if he was living in Fredericksburg. But how easy would it be to find a woman who could compare to his one true love? How difficult to fall in love again, and if he was that lucky, would it mean giving up the lifestyle and going back to being vanilla, after all these years? He didn't even dare to hope that he could fall for someone who would be willing to enter into a D/d or D/s marriage. Could he? Especially not in a small Texas town, where he knew everyone and everyone knew him, and he was a well-respected attorney.
He sighed as he got ready for bed. When he crawled between the sheets, naked, he resigned himself to the fact that, most likely, his Dom days were nearly over.
Well, I have a few more weekends, at least, he thought as he rolled over. May as well make the most of them.
The next few weeks found Dale very busy at the office, finishing cases on his schedule before making his move. His employers were fortunate in that he had been able to give them plenty of notice, and they were working with him to make sure his cases were resolved before he left. They all wanted the same thing, a smooth exit. And, of course, his dad was more than willing to work with him, letting him come to Fredericksburg occasionally in the interim to get acquainted with things there and make a slow transition.
Her Promised Dom (Dominant Men Book 3) Page 2
