The Long Ride Home (Cowboys & Cowgirls) (17 page)

Chapter 18

W
ith 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 18
th
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 1
st
, 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.

Ho
lton 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 cha
nged 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 recepti
on 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.”

Ho
lton smiled and leaned in for a kiss.

Cheryl stood up next and reached for the mi
crophone. 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…”

Ev
eryone 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.

Ho
lton 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 Ho
lton 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,” Ho
lton 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 Ho
lton 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.

“Oh, God, that feels good.”

“You taste even be
tter than I thought, Elena,” Holton whispered. His hands moved to her breasts and he squeezed and kneaded them as he moved his mouth down her navel and down into the area between her thighs.

She gasped as he brought his hands lower. Her breathing was labored as his tongue darted out and licked the sweet spot he had been going for.

“Oh, Holton.”

“Mmm, I’ve been waiting forever for this,” Holton whispered.
His tongue moved expertly and she started to fall apart in his mouth. “Come for me, Elena.”

“I want to do this with you,” she tensed.

“We will, but let me do this for you first,” he whispered. He moved his tongue faster, and then inserted one finger and moved it slowly, up and down and then in and out. Elena’s breathing was rough as she came closer to fulfillment, and just as she was ready to come, Holton moved slowly inside of her. She gasped quickly at the pain and then Holton stopped. He looked into her eyes and what was once tense eased into a seductive dance of pleasure.

“Oh,” she said, smiling. “I had no idea.”

“Me either,” Holton replied and closed his eyes. “Me either.” He moved slow as Elena stretched for him. Her hands went down his back and then moved up slowly as she grabbed him tightly and moved her own hips in tandem with his.

They were both finding their own
rhythm when Elena started taking small gasps.

“Oh, Ho
lton, this feels so good,” she whispered.

“Yes.”

“I am so close, I can feel it.”

“Yes, baby,” Ho
lton coaxed. “Come with me.”

Elena felt the start of the tremors run through her as she gave in to the pleasure. At tha
t moment it was only she and Holton. “I love you, Elena.”

“I love you, Ho
lton.”

Epilogue

N
ine months to the day of their wedding, Holton and Elena welcomed a beautiful baby girl into their family. Emma Moira Dade. She had bright red hair just like her mother’s and brown eyes like her father’s.

As they were in the hospital
room, hours after delivery, Holton held his daughter in the crook of his arm. He looked down at her and remembered doing the same thing to another woman in this room years before.

He smiled at his daughter and then looked at his wife. She had a curious look on her face.

“What are you thinking, Holton?” Elena asked softly as she watched father and daughter.

“I remember holding you for the first time, Elena. You were just as small as she was. I just turned
eight and your mother said it was okay. I was so nervous. You were so fragile and all lacy. Your mom told me your name and I told her that one day I would marry you. She smiled and told me that that sounded good to her. I just remembered that, after all these years. She looks just like you did. Just as beautiful, Elena.”

Elena had tears streaming down her face just
then and she smiled back at Holton. “I can’t believe we have known each other this long. Sometimes it feels like a lifetime, sometimes it doesn’t feel long enough.”

“I know what you mean. It’s been a long ride home for us.”

“Yes. I finally feel like I am home now. Thank you, Holton. Thank you for being my family, thank you for loving me, and thank you for being my husband.”

Ho
lton looked at his daughter and brought her over to his wife and placed her in her arms. “Thank you, Elena, for keeping your promise.”

The End

Danielle Lee Zwissler is from rural, Northeast Ohio, where she lives with her family. She has a degree in Music Education from Kent State University, where she met her real life hero and fell in love.

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