“Love you back, my girl.” He gave her a quick hug and then let her go.
Kate’s mind was swirling as she tried to come to terms with the idea of Carl and Gloria diving into the fetish lifestyle. She knew everyone had their kink; she just didn’t want to think about theirs, let alone accidentally see it one day on the dungeon floor.
She laughed and moved toward the front table.
Before she reached it, the woman met her halfway. “Kate, I’m Lily, Dex’s mother. He can’t hide you from us any longer.” Her wide smile made Kate feel welcome and instantly put her at ease. “How are you feeling after your ordeal?”
Dex had told his family only that Kate had been in a bad car accident, and then was in physical therapy, so wasn’t up to having visitors yet. The excuse had started to wear thin under his family’s persistence, but Kate could tell they loved him and were merely curious about the new woman in his life.
“I’m much better. Finally back to normal, and driving again.”
“I’m so glad. We’ve been dying to meet you. Dex has been positively glowing every time we’ve seen him over the last several months. And I know that’s because of you.” She gave Kate a quick hug, and Kate couldn’t help but hug her back. The woman’s happiness was infectious. “You and I will have to set up lunch or Starbucks very soon so we can talk. Dex can give you my number.”
“That sounds terrific,” she said, and meant it.
“Come meet the rest of the family.” Lily smiled, making her even more stunning. Now Kate knew where Dex had gotten his beautiful brown eyes.
She was whisked away by his mother’s exuberant energy to meet Dex’s father and two sisters, who seemed much more laid back than his mother. But all of them seemed very happy to meet her, and very welcoming.
Lily laid a gentle hand on Kate’s arm to get her attention. “We met your father over by the other side of the stage. He seems like a very nice man.”
Kate pasted a smile on her face and nodded. She and her father had forged the beginnings of a new, closer relationship since the hospital, but it was still in the fledgling stages, and she wasn’t quite used to him being pleasant and open with everyone yet.
After a few more minutes of small talk with the Alexanders, Sandra and Brent came by and there were hugs and greetings all around. They had obviously met Dex’s family many times, and they all seemed like old friends.
Kate drifted away and found Min and Sherri, two of Dex’s old subs. He no longer played scenes with them, but they’d all remained good friends. Min seemed to have recovered from her ordeal, but she still seemed a bit skittish, not that Kate blamed her.
Sherri was outgoing and exuberant enough for the both of them.
Even though Kate had stolen their favorite Dom, Min and Sherri had welcomed her to Club Desire, and she enjoyed the Subs’ Dessert Bonanza meetings every Wednesday night after Dex’s self-defense classes. Nothing like a good dessert after a hard workout with a sexy Dom as the instructor.
They also often met outside of Club Desire for Starbucks or shopping.
“May I have your attention, please?”
Dex’s deep voice through the speakers surrounding the stage surprised her. She hadn’t seen him come in since she’d been busy chatting.
He looked good enough to eat in his tux with the green vest and cummerbund. Kate’s mouth watered as she fantasized about undressing him later up in their room.
“Kate and I would like to welcome you here for our pre-housewarming party.
“Our house will be move-in ready in about six months, and we’ll be having the actual housewarming party then. Just in time for summer, so we can make it a pool party and christen our fire pit. But for tonight, there’s an open bar, plenty of food, and rooms upstairs if anyone can’t drive home.” He paused as he studied the crowd.
“Kate, come up here and help me thank everyone for coming.”
She smiled as she walked toward the side of the stage where the steps were. She hoped she didn’t break her neck in these heels.
Dex must have seen her uncertainty about the narrow stairs, because he jumped down from the stage and scooped her into his arms. The crowd cheered as he carried her up the stairs and set her gently on her feet.
He pulled her against him, and Kate was thrilled at his possessive gesture in front of all their friends and family.
But then he took her breath away when he held her hand and knelt in front of her. All six foot eight of him looking up at her with love and devotion in his eyes.
“Kate,” he began in a booming voice that didn’t require a microphone to be heard by everyone in the room. “I kneel before you, a man in love. You’ve captured me body and soul, and I humbly ask you to be my wife.”
Emotion swelled inside her chest, and tears streamed down her face as she watched him pull a box from his pocket and hold it up to her.