by Tara Rose
Arizona glanced around at the crowd. “If it hadn’t been for my sister offering up Celina as bait for one of her bets, none of this would have happened. She bet me and Dallas that two Doms couldn’t share a sub for a week without killing each other.”
“And when Celina accidentally overheard her,” said Dallas, “she offered to help us win the bet.”
“But we want you all to know that none of us thought it would come to this.” Arizona stepped behind her and placed the necklace around her neck, then fastened it. He kissed her gently on top of the head, and then stepped in front of her again. “Celina had no preconceived notions, and neither did we.”
“But we did lust after her for years,” said Dallas.
His remark was followed by several chuckles from the crowd.
“And then something happened to all of us,” said Dallas. “Something magical, and amazing, and perfectly wonderful.” He bent down and kissed Celina on the lips. “We fell in love with her, and as bizarre as I know you all think this is, she fell in love with us.”
She smiled at his joke, knowing he was only trying to keep her from crying. Her emotions were on edge. They had been since last Friday when she’d told The Caldwell Law Firm she needed the weekend to think about taking the job.
As soon as Lucie had left that morning, she’d called them back and declined it. And then Dallas and Arizona had taken her back home to get the remainder of her things, and she’d moved into both houses on this hill.
“And now,” said Arizona, “we have a question to ask her.” He brushed a finger along her face. “Celina, I love you. Will you wear this collar as a symbol of that love? Will you pledge your submission to me now and always?”
“Yes, Sir. I will. I love you, too.”
The emotion in his beautiful eyes brought tears of joy to her own. “And I in turn will pledge my love and protection to you as one of your Doms, for the rest of my life.”
He kissed her, and then Dallas moved to stand in front of her. He cupped her face gently. “Celina, I love you. Will you wear this collar as a symbol of that love and of your submission to me?”
“I will, Sir. I love you, too.”
“And I will pledge my protection and my love to you, for the rest of my life.” Dallas kissed her, and then he helped her stand. He held her close, and then they were surrounded by family and friends wishing them well and admiring Celina’s collar.
She had everything she wanted, right here. She had always had. And she’d spend the rest of her life thanking her lucky stars for Arizona and Dallas, and silently thanking Lucie for offering her up as bait for that bet.
Epilogue
Ten months later…
Celina squeezed Arizona’s hand on her left and Dallas’s on her right. Their palms were damp, but she could hardly blame them for that. They were about to board a plane for the first time in their lives. A plane that would take them across the Gulf of Mexico to New Orleans.
Once the curse was lifted, it had taken almost a month before any of the Durante and Raleigh men had dared to try to leave the island. These two were the first. Asa and Tim had tried everything to talk the two out of it, starting with the fact that they were both the future CEOs of Phoebe’s Playthings.
That point had finally been the catalyst for an airtight argument that even Asa, always concerned over the bottom line, couldn’t refute. His son reminded him that as a future CEO and marketing department head, it was his job to study their competitors. And what better way to do that than to take a tour of those competing shops around the country in person?
Asa had only asked one question when it became apparent he wasn’t going to change their minds. “Are your wills current?”
Arizona had laughed and patted his father on the shoulder. “Yes. But we won’t need them.”
But now, as they ascended the steps of the plane that would fly them to New Orleans to begin their tour, Celina wondered if they’d get off the ground before these two changed their minds.
“Will I get airsick?” asked Dallas.
“You might. Drink ginger ale. It helps me when I fly.”
“As long as you put some scotch in there, sure.”
She laughed and ushered him into the window seat, then made sure he was buckled in securely. “There we go.” She pointed to the seat behind Dallas’s. “You sit there, Sir. That way you both have a view of the ocean.”
Arizona peered out the window, then tapped it. “How thick is this?”
She laughed again. “Stop that. You’ll be fine. The curse is gone. This is going to be so much fun.”
Once he was buckled in and the safety features had been explained, their flight attendant brought Arizona and Dallas their drinks, even though they were still taxiing toward the runway.
“It goes pretty fast before we’re airborne,” said Celina. She had taken the seat next to Arizona, and leaned forward now so she could address Dallas as well. “So don’t let that surprise you.”
“Faster than a Jeep?” asked Dallas.
“Yes. Considerably. If you get dizzy as we lift off, just close your eyes for a second. It helps.”
Arizona gave her a droll look. “You know, that really doesn’t help.”
She smiled and hugged him, then settled back as the plane made its way toward the runway. As they lifted off the ground, Dallas swore under his breath, but Arizona had his face pressed up against the glass. “This is pretty fucking amazing.” He pointed. “Look! There’s Phoebe’s Playthings. And, dude… there’s your house and mine.”
“Yeah. Whatever.”
They were out over the ocean now, and she gave Arizona’s arm a squeeze. “See? We’re there. We’re off the island. Over airspace that is far off the coast now.”
“How long of a flight is it?”
“Less than an hour.”
Dallas and Arizona both downed their drinks and were given second ones, but Celina sipped ginger ale. She distracted the guys by talking about their plans, which she had laid out on a spreadsheet on her laptop. As they became absorbed in what she said, and made a few suggestions and changes to their itinerary, the voice of their captain came on the speaker, telling them to look out their window toward the north.
“Oh my God…” Dallas’s voice was filled with awe. “Is that…it can’t be.”
“It is,” she said. “The Superdome. And there’s Lake Pontchartrain. We’re there.”
“This is amazing.” His voice was filled with awe.
Arizona pulled her close and kissed her. When he released her, she swore he was about to cry. “We never could have done this without you. Thank you.”
“I’m honored to be here with you two.”
So much emotion bubbled up that she could hardly contain it. The past ten months had been the best of her entire life, and now they were on an entirely new adventure. The first of both families to successfully leave the island, and she was here not only to witness it, but to spend two months with them on the mainland.
Arizona pulled out his cell. “When can we call Asa?”
“When we land. Hang on, Sir.”
As they made their way to the terminal, she squeezed Arizona’s arm again, then reached into the seat in front of his to hold Dallas’s hand, too. Celina loved her two Doms with her entire heart and soul, and the only way she’d ever have left the island was with them. Her life was entwined with theirs, and it always would be. They were everything she’d ever dreamed of, and she would spend her whole life making sure they knew that.
THE END
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Tara Rose loves to write about small towns and the quirky people that inhabit them. You’ll find engaging characters, budding romance, intrigue, and plenty of hot steamy ménage sex within the pages of her books. You never really know what goes on behind closed doors, but her books will take you there, and leave you panting for more.
When she isn’t writing, Tara spends time with her husband—her
real-life hero. She loves to cook, collect antique pottery, and she will read just about anything. Tara also plays the cello, and loves decorating her house for Christmas.
For all titles by Tara Rose, please visit
www.bookstrand.com/tara-rose
Siren Publishing, Inc.
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