He was going to have to think about finding a place in the small town, though, soon. His realtor had assured him the condo would go quickly, so he had to be prepared for the move. He really didn't want to live with his parents until he found something. He was planning another trip over to look at houses soon.
His cases were nearly all finished in Austin, except for one that might linger after the move. So, time was running out. He really couldn't put it off much longer.
One Friday night, he walked into the club and asked if Poppy was around. The club's monitor told him that she hadn't come in yet that night.
"Has she been around at all?" Dale asked.
"Oh, yeah, sure, a few nights a week, in fact. She's fitting in well. Most of the Doms are pleased with her progress."
"So, she's been experimenting with Doms, eh?" he asked, wondering why he cared.
"You thinking of making it exclusive?" the monitor inquired. "I'm not so sure she'd agree to that."
"Oh, no, nothing like that. For one thing, she's too young. And I'm moving out of town soon. I'll only be able to make it back occasionally for a while, so that wouldn't work out."
"Hate to see you go. You've been an asset to the club."
Dale laughed. "I guess every club needs a gentle Dom, huh?"
"A few of them, yes. Anyway, you're welcome here any time."
"Thanks, I appreciate that."
After that, he walked around the club, observing some scenes, waving to friends he'd made over the years, and stopping to talk to a few other Doms.
He was debating about hooking up with another sub for a scene when he spotted Poppy on the other side of the room where he was currently watching a scene with some others. He made his way over to her.
"Good evening," he said when he reached her.
"Hello, Sir," she replied.
"How are you doing? Still taking some sub training classes?"
"No, Sir, I've finished all my classes. I've been doing some one-on-one learning."
"And the club, the lifestyle, it's working out for you?" he asked. "It's all you expected it to be?"
"Oh, yes, Sir. All that and more. I think I've found the place I need to be."
"Poppy, would you like to do a scene with me tonight?" he asked after making small talk for a bit longer.
"Yes, Sir, I'd like that very much," she replied shyly.
"Private?" he asked.
"Yes, Sir, please, if you don't mind," she said, still a bit shy about scening for spectators.
Dale smiled. "Of course." He went to reserve a private room for them and returned to her, telling her it would be thirty minutes before a room was available.
They joined the rest of the crowd gathered to watch the scene before them. Dale asked her a few questions, and she replied, letting him know that she found the scene interesting.
When their room was finally ready, he escorted her there, made sure the curtain was closed to let others know the scene was private, and watched as Poppy started to remove her clothes, folding them neatly and placing them on a chair in the corner. She then proceeded to get on her knees, head bowed, waiting for his instructions.
Dale was impressed. She'd come a long way in the past few weeks. He removed his shirt, throwing it aside. His socks and shoes were next until he stood in front of her in only his jeans, which he'd unbuttoned. He was unaware of how sexy he looked in that moment, with the dark, curly hair on his chest that disappeared at the juncture of his jeans. His muscles rippled, and the dark hair on his head was disheveled, completely at odds with his normal professional appearance.
"Stand," he ordered.
Poppy looked up, and her breath caught at the sight of her Dom for the night.
"Yes, Sir," she said obediently as she stood, facing him.
"Go to the bench," he said next.
His sub obeyed, taking the position when she reached the spanking bench, bending over so that her bottom was upright, ready for her Dom to do with it as he wished. He secured her hands and asked her if she was ready. She started to nod, caught herself, and said, "Yes, Sir."
Dale flexed his hand, getting ready to warm her up. She had the most delectable bottom, he noticed. Perfect, creamy white skin, waiting for him to redden it.
remained quiet, awaiting the first swat. Spankings turned her on. He knew she probably hoped the punishment would end in a sexual encounter as it had the last time the Gentle Dom had paired up with her.
Time to begin, Dale thought as he raised his hand and let it swoop down on her right cheek. Poppy jumped.
"Count," he ordered.
"One."
Another swat landed on the other cheek, turning it slightly pink. "Two."
He continued to rain down on her now reddening bottom until she had counted twenty smacks. After the twentieth, he rubbed her cheeks and ran his hand up her spine, caressing her back to calm her until her breathing returned to normal. When he was confident that she was ready to continue, he walked over to the wall of implements in the room and chose a good-sized paddle. It was wooden, with holes, and he thought Poppy was ready for it as he took it from the hook and walked back over to her. He noticed her eyes following him as he walked around her.
"Are you doing all right, sub?" he asked.
"Y-yes, Sir."
"Remember your safe word, should you need it."
"Yes, Sir."
He gently caressed her back again before bringing the paddle up in the air and making contact with her red butt. He heard the swoosh as he brought it up and back down again.
Poppy moaned.
He waited, giving her time to recover before applying six more swats, one right after the other, to each cheek, to her sit spots, and back to her cheeks again. He watched for signs of distress to his sub. Seeing none, he continued to paddle her cherry-red ass, taking the time to rub out some of the sting after each set of six. He could tell she was getting heated, and not just her bottom.
But something was happening that had never happened to him before. He realized that he didn't want to finish the scene with sex. What was wrong with him? Was it the thoughts he'd been having recently about moving home and settling down that were stopping him? Was that what this was all about? Was it all the thoughts of Cora Beth that had been haunting him recently? That was a lost cause, so he might as well forget about that right now, he admonished himself sternly.
He finished Poppy's paddling and proceeded with her aftercare, carefully loosening her hands from the restraints and rubbing her wrists to start the blood flowing again. He sat down and pulled her into his lap and cuddled with her, whispering to her, "Good girl, you were a very good girl. You handled that paddling like a pro."
He reached over to the table next to the chair and took the cap off a bottle of water for her. He helped her sip it slowly before reaching for a piece of chocolate and unwrapping it for her. He handed it to her and said, "Here you go."
She gratefully took the candy from him and ate it slowly.
When he was sure she had sufficiently been coddled, he surprised her by saying, "Poppy, I'm not going to be able to stay tonight to finish our scene. I'm moving soon and have things to do. I'm sorry. I'll arrange for you to finish with one of the other Doms."
He could see the disappointment in the young sub's eyes, but it couldn't be helped. He might be a Dom, but he wasn't going to scene with a sub if his heart wasn't in it. Sex was more than just sex to him, even with a sub from the club. Even he had his limits, and this, apparently, was now one of them.
"Yes, Sir," Poppy said. "I'll be sorry to see you go."
"I may be back occasionally; you never know. I've enjoyed my time with you, and I wish you nothing but good luck, Poppy. Now, let me see about finding another Dom for you, as I'm sure you aren't ready to end your night yet."
"Yes, Sir, thank you, Sir," she managed to get out.
Dale felt bad for her as he put his socks and shoes on, grabbed his shirt, and left the room. He quickly found a friend of his and explain
ed to him that something had come up and he had to leave. He told him that he'd left his sub Poppy in the private room and she needed to finish the scene with someone else. Of course, the other Dom readily agreed. Poppy was fast becoming a favorite at the club.
He watched as Zach, the other Dom, walked toward Poppy's room, and he shook his head. What is happening to me? he wondered as he went to his locker and retrieved his things. He told the monitor goodnight and walked out into the cool night air.
Not quite ready to go home, he drove to a local coffee shop and went inside. After ordering, he sat at the table alone, trying to organize his thoughts. What the hell had happened back there? It had just hit him, all of a sudden, that he didn't want to have random sex with a club sub. He had even requested Poppy, sought her out for the evening. Was the idea of moving back to a small town to take over the family firm changing him already?
His coffee arrived, and he drank it slowly, continuing with his troubling thoughts. Finally deciding that he couldn't change what happened at the club earlier, he paid the tab and drove to the condo, where he got ready for bed. Of course, he couldn't sleep, so he turned on the TV and drifted off between programs.
The next day, he received a call from his dad, setting up another visit to Fredericksburg to discuss some things at the firm. He agreed to work out his schedule and told his dad he'd get back to him with dates.
After checking his calendar and talking with his assistant, he was able to make plans to go home in two weeks. The move was getting closer, whether Dale was ready or not. Dale, Sr. was anxious to become semi-retired. He and Dale's mom wanted to do some traveling.
He spoke with his realtor, set a definite date to list the condo, and began to wrap things up at the office. It was still going to be a few months before he actually vacated the property, but things had to be put in order. It was time to get the ball rolling.
Two weeks later, he was in Fredericksburg. He'd spent the past few days in the office with his dad, looked at a few properties, and he was ready for a night out. His old friend Bruce King had invited him to dinner. After that, Bruce had plans to meet his fiancée Sara at a local club and he'd asked Dale to go with him.
"It'll be fun. You might even meet up with some of the old gang," Bruce had said. "And Sara has a lot of friends. I might be able to hook you up with one of them if you're interested."
Dale had laughed at that. The hometown folks were already trying to play matchmaker, and he hadn't even moved back yet.
Over dinner, Bruce asked, " So, how do you think you'll like practicing small town law after being in the city all these years?"
Dale finished chewing his steak before he said, "It'll be different; that's for sure. In some ways, I'm looking forward to the more laid-back lifestyle, the slower pace. In other ways, I'm sure I'll miss living in the city for a while."
"Ah, the life of a swinging bachelor. I'm sure you'll miss that the most," Bruce replied with a chuckle. "I, surprisingly, don't miss it."
"You've found the love of your life, though. I haven't. There's the difference."
"I think, once you get settled, things will change for you in that respect. I mean, you have to think about settling down at some point."
"Oh, I've thought about it, more lately than ever, but there just hasn't been anyone who's held my attention long enough to consider it."
"Not since high school? You and Cora were pretty tight, if I remember. Everyone thought the two of you were in it for the long haul."
"So did we, for a while, but things change. We changed. We went our separate ways, and that was it. Neither of us came back home after we finished college."
"Do you ever wonder what happened to her?" Bruce asked.
"Occasionally, but I've never tried to find out. I'm sure, once I move back, I'll find out soon enough. After all, everyone knows everyone else's business here, am I right?"
Bruce laughed. "True that, my friend. Some things never change. Are you about ready to hit the club?"
"Sure, let me get dinner. You can buy the drinks at the club."
Dale followed Bruce to the club after paying the bill. Just as they were getting ready to walk in, Dale's phone pinged. He took his cell out of his pocket and saw that it was his realtor. He waved Bruce to go on and said, "I've got to take this. I'll join you in a few."
He finished the call and went inside, his eyes adjusting to the dim light after a few minutes. He looked around for Bruce and, seeing him, waved. He was getting ready to walk over to the table when he stopped suddenly and took a closer look at the other people at the table. Sara, Bruce's fiancée, was there, of course. He recognized another woman, Tori. He'd know her anywhere with that red hair. But the other person at the table was the one who had made him stop and take a second glance. Could it be? What was she doing here? She was still as beautiful as ever, her hair a little shorter but still as blonde as it had been way back then. She looked more sophisticated, but it was definitely Cora Beth!
He watched her for a few seconds longer before he walked over to their table. When he reached them, he spoke to both Sara and Tori, but when his eyes came to rest on Cora's face, he froze for just a second. Quickly regaining his composure, he smiled and said, "Cora Beth, is that you?"
"Yes, it's me."
He sat down beside her. "Wow, how many years has it been? Are you still in Chicago?"
Chapter 3
"So, where are we headed, my little red-haired matchmaker?"
"I thought we'd try Buc's over on Llano. They have a DJ, and we can dance if we want to."
"Okay, let's check out the local talent then."
Tori drove to the bar and found a parking spot near the front of the building. "Good, it's not too crowded yet. We should be able to get a good table."
The two girls walked into the bar, and Tori quickly grabbed a table near the dance floor. When the waitress came to take their order, they ordered burgers and beer.
Cora looked around to see if she recognized anyone in the bar but didn't see a familiar face in the crowd.
As she sipped her beer, she looked at Tori and said, "This is going to be fun. I wasn't sure, at first, but a Texas night on the town may be just what I need."
Just then, a couple walked by the table and Tori called out to them, "Traci, Lonnie, look who's here. Do you remember Cora?"
The couple stopped, and the woman said, "Of course, I remember Cora. You look great, girl. I was Traci Clarke. This is my husband, Lonnie Greene. He was a few years ahead of us in school."
"Yes, I do remember both of you. It's so nice to see you again after all these years."
"I think the last time I saw you was at our five-year class reunion," Traci observed.
"That's right. I wasn't able to make it home for the ten-year."
"Are you still in Chicago? I believe that's right, isn't it?"
"I was in Chicago until three years ago. I'm in New York now."
"Wow, who would have ever thought you'd end up someplace like that. Everyone was so sure you and Dale Barton would get married and settle down right here in good old Fredericksburg."
"That was a long time ago, Traci," Cora reminded her.
"Yes, I suppose so. I never thought I'd end up married to Lonnie, either. He never gave me the time of day in high school. We got together six years ago at a wedding reception and figured out we have a lot in common."
"Life is funny like that." Tori laughed as she glanced at Cora.
After the couple had walked away, Tori asked her, "You haven't said much about Dale. He's still in Austin, as far as I know."
"I haven't heard from him in years. We stayed in touch for a while, and then, one day, we just stopped. I'm not sure which one of us stopped calling or emailing first; it just happened."
"Oh, look, there's another familiar face walking in." Tori waved at a woman who looked familiar to Cora, as well, and she joined them at their table.
"Are you here alone?" Cora asked the girl, whose name was Sara.
"My fiancée is meeting me. He was having dinner with an old friend, tonight. They should be here soon."
"Who is your fiancée? Anyone we know?" Tori inquired.
"You probably remember him. He was on the football squad in high school. Bruce King."
"How could I forget Bruce? He and Dale were best buds back in the day." Cora laughed as she remembered the boy who'd been Dale's best friend.
"Oh, that's right, you dated Dale. That's who he's having dinner with. Dale is in town this week."
Cora paled at Sara's words. "Dale is in town?"
"Yes, his dad is beginning to think about retiring, and Dale is here because he is going to join the firm. When his dad retires, Dale will run it."
"Dale is leaving the firm in Austin to come home?" Tori asked in surprise.
"Apparently so," the pretty brunette replied.
"But I thought he was a very prominent lawyer in Austin. At least, he was the last time I spoke with him." Cora looked at Sara in disbelief.
"We were as shocked as the two of you, but evidently, this has been in the works for a while. Mr. Barton wants to get Dale established with the local clients before he actually retires."
"Is Dale coming here with Bruce after dinner?" Tori inquired, glancing at Cora.
"I think so. It will be a little tame for him, though. I guess he's quite the rounder. He goes to all the Austin clubs and is part of the Austin social set. They say he is hardly with the same girl twice, always has a new one on his arm."
"Is he still as hot as he was in school?" Tori asked, again looking at Cora.
"Oh, my, even hotter than back then. The years have been good to him; that's for sure."
"Do you mind if I stay with y'all while I wait?" Sara asked.
"We don't mind at all, do we, Cora?" Tori smiled innocently at her friend.
Her Promised Dom (Dominant Men Book 3) Page 3
