CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
-:- DALLAS -:-
Opening my eyes slowly, I realize how hot I am, I don’t mean hot as in sexy, but as in temperature.
It’s like an oven underneath this comforter, and as I try to throw it off me it doesn’t want to move.
Then I feel Cork pressed against me. Well, I feel a certain part of him pressed against me.
He has me pulled into him and although I can feel his whole-body spooning against mine, one part is demanding to be acknowledged.
After the gymnastics last night, he can wait a few hours to be recognized.
Cork is like a goddamn sex machine. I shouldn’t complain, but the man has no limits in the bedroom.
I know it’s been a while since I had a man, but I feel like I’ve been bull riding.
Slipping gently out of bed, I grab my pajamas from the floor, where they’d been unceremoniously dropped the night before.
I step into them and then head for the kitchen while the coffee machine works its magic, you know, producing the life-giving brown liquid.
I grab myself a cold orange juice from the fridge while I wait.
Sitting at the table, I reflect on our relationship.
As yet we haven’t gone down the ‘I love you’ route, but my feelings are already there.
I can honestly say I’ve never been so happy with how my life is going and the direction it is taking.
I can’t wait for my daddy to walk me down the aisle, but I may be jumping the gun there and I need to speak to Cork on that score.
I’m happy being his ol’ lady, but walking me down the aisle has always been on daddy’s bucket list, probably item number one on that list. Talking to Cork about this might be a red flag for him, I’m not sure.
Hearing movement behind me, I don’t have time to turn before I’m wrapped in two arms and a face is snuffling in my hair and neck. “That can’t smell good after all the sweating last night, and I need a shower, a solo one before you get all excited about the idea.”
“Too late, I woke up excited just thinking about you. You smell good enough to eat!” He begins biting my neck and leaving little strawberries on my skin. He was quick to learn what effect this has on me.
“If you’re hungry, get some toast or something. I think there’s some of your Pop Tarts in the cabinet.” I stand up, face him, give him a quick peck on the lips and then dodge out of range.
Getting two mugs of coffee, I sit opposite him at the table, nicely out of harm's way. I can however, still see the lust in his eyes, and I like it. I wonder how quickly talking about marriage will extinguish that fire!
“Cork, can we talk for a while?”
“Why would you even need to ask such a question? Of course we can talk. I think our conversations are as stimulating as our lovemaking. Well, almost.” He winks at me, giving me the most genuine of smiles at the same time.
“I’m more than happy to be your Ol’ Lady, you know that, right?”
“I was rather hoping you’d consent to being my wife when I get around to asking you.
I can’t imagine anything better than standing at the end of the aisle and watching you walk towards me, escorted by your father.
It’s always been my dream to have that experience and create the first memories of a fantastic life with my wife.
I suppose that sounds a bit feminine for a guy to want.
” His eyes are focused on mine, and mine are welling up.
Seeing a tear track down my cheek, he jumps up and hugs me.
“It’s okay, Dallas. I’m happy just being together, I don’t need it to be validated with a piece of paper.” He holds my head to his chest, and it’s the most amazing feeling of being wanted and needed I’ve ever had.
“Cork, when you ask me, I’ll gladly accept. You just described the most perfect wedding I could wish for. It will make my daddy so proud to walk me down the aisle. I can’t tell you what that would mean to both of us.” Giving in to happy tears, I make little sobbing noises into his chest.
Slipping me off the chair, he stands before me, holding my hands in his. Slowly going down on one knee, I gasp when I understand what he’s about to do.
“Dallas, we need to sweep under the table, there are crumbs everywhere.”
“Yes, I’ll…Wait. What?” I’m completely thrown and don’t understand what he’s just said.
“Will you do me the honor of being my wife?” He grins at me and I could punch him in the mouth.
“I’ll need time to run the vacuum around the kitchen, but when that’s done, I suppose I could consent to that in principle. We’d need to get a schedule set up for the cleaning though, because most of these crumbs are yours.”
Picking me up, he twirls me around, and I quickly wrap my legs around his waist before he whacks my ankles against the table and chairs.
“You’ll need to call your parents with the good news and give them a date.
You can let me know too, when you’re sure.
We need to go ring shopping, and unless you have someone else in mind, let Raven know she’s going to be your Maid of Honor.
” Cork is way ahead of me at this point and I just sit back and listen as he babbles away.
“So, groom-to-be, is there anything left for the bride-to-be to do? Seems like someone has been giving things a lot of thought in the last few weeks, unless you had plans with some other bride-to-be in the past?”
“There’s never been anyone else, and there will never be another. No matter what the future holds, my heart will always be yours, Dallas.” This brings forth another bout of happy sobs, and he places me on my feet to enfold me in his arms yet again.
Showered and dressed, we’re at the kitchen table once again. I sometimes feel we spend more time at this table than anywhere else, and we should have something a bit special.
“I think we should talk to Fox at his Bespoke Furnishings shop about getting a new table and chairs. If we’re going to sit here every day and talk, make important decisions or just shoot the breeze, we should have one that is worthy of those tasks.
What do you think?” Cork tilts his head and looks from the table to me.
“I’m amazed that we are so in tune with each other's thoughts. That’s exactly what I was thinking this minute.” I smile as he grins back at me. My phone pings, and I take it from my back pocket.
Star: How about some lasso fun tonight as the boys are going for their fun without us?
Me: Sure thing. I’ll ask Cork about their fun as he hasn’t mentioned anything.
Star: Oh bugger. Sorry talk later.
Showing the message to Cork, I sit there with my eyebrows almost disappearing into my hairline. “Something you need to tell me? This better not be your stag night already, Kemosabe.”
“Meat will be in trouble if Pres finds out he blabbed to Star. We were told to keep it strictly confidential. He even stated that it stayed in his office. I’m not sure I should say anything, even now.”
“Well, that’s up to you. I’ll respect your decision either way, but if you do tell me, it won’t leave the kitchen. Not even in a text.” Cork looks at me as he considers his decision, then speaks.
“For whatever reason, Pres has decided to deal with the ranch we found. His idea is the same as Meat’s idea, only he’s letting the thugs walk away.
`He wants their operation shut down, or blown up, and them sent packing with a warning.
We all agreed that we should send the thugs to hell with their still, but Axel said no.
I think he's thinking about the fallout if the four thugs go missing. They are well connected in the city with a finger in many pies. Some of those connections could start to wonder where they are and come looking. It’s a bit of a knife's edge to walk on, and he may have a point.”
“I can see how he’d think that way. Sending them off with their tails between their legs could be enough to ensure they stay away.
Let’s just hope that they don’t decide to make a statement in the future and come back,” I say, looking long and hard at Cork.
“You be careful out there, my man. I have a very bad feeling about this. You’ve just made me the happiest woman in the world.
If you get hurt, you’ll have me to answer to, and you won’t like that, I assure you.
Get yourself killed and I swear to God, I’ll have you stuffed, mounted and stood in the corner of my living room where I can curse you 'til I die. Then I’ll have you put in my coffin with me so I can curse you 'til eternity. How’s about them apples, eh?
You just remember that while you’re out playing with the other boys later.
” I give him the meanest, hardest, squinty-eyed look I can manage.
“Getting hurt or killed isn’t on my agenda this time. You needn’t worry.”
“It wasn’t on your agenda last time, but you managed it anyhow!” I leave the table and taking my phone I retire to the couch. The phone only rings twice before I hear my daddy’s voice.
“Hello, Sweetpea. Are you okay? What do you need? What’s happened?” I hear Mom’s voice in the background, ‘For heaven’s sake, let her speak.’
“Hi, Daddy. Everything's good here. Nothing to worry about but I do have some exciting news for you and Mom.”
Mom’s voice pops up again. ‘What’s his name and what date have you set?’
“How does she do that, Daddy?” I’m flabbergasted that she can be so accurate with her questions. She’s been like that my whole life, and with Daddy, too.
“She had a dream a couple of nights ago that you were going down the aisle but you turned up for the service on a damn great motorcycle. I knew that couldn’t be right because I’ve never ridden one.
Wouldn’t know where to start at my age.” He sighs, like he does, as if he’d never done anything in his life.
He had his own car dealership for years and used to come home in some very special cars.
My favorite was a Mustang convertible because it had the pony badge, of course.
I remember when Mom one day told Daddy to empty the trunk.
At first he argued that he didn’t need to.
After the third time she told him, he’d come home with a new vehicle, and he did as she asked.
Mom knew before he did that he was going to get something new that day.
Emptying the car became a ritual that I would help him with, and then wait expectantly all day to see what he brought home.
As soon as I passed twelve and the cowgirl came out in me, I would beg him to come home in a truck.
“I don’t have a date set yet, he only asked me a few minutes ago. His name is Cork, and he’s a part owner of a wine shop that he helped set up and runs as his own successful business…”
“Where does the bike come in? It was important in my dream,” my mom says.
“He’s a brother in a motorcycle club, Mom. They are called the Raging Barons MC. You’ll meet them all when you come to the wedding.”
The call lasts an hour as we go back and forth between what they have been doing of late, Cork and the upcoming wedding. Cork joins me on the couch and banters with Daddy like they’d known each other for years.