Page 54 of Texas Honor

“Why do you think I came after you?” he murmured dryly. “I couldn’t stand it here without you. Not that I admitted that to myself in any great rush. Not until that rattler almost got you, and I had to face it. If anything had happened to you, I wouldn’t have wanted to live,” he added on a deep, husky note that tugged at her heart.

“I feel that way, too,” she whispered, searching his eyes. “Can we really get married?”

“Yes,” he whispered back, bending his head down. “And live together and sleep together and raise a family together...”

Her lips opened for him, welcoming and warm, just for a few seconds before Lillian came in with breakfast and knowing grins. Ward glowered at her.

“All your fault,” he told her. “I could have gone on for years living like a timber wolf but for you.”

“No need to thank me,” she said with a big smile. “You’re welcome.”

She vanished back into the kitchen, laughing, as Ward led Mari to the table, shaking his head with an exasperated chuckle.

THEWEDDINGWASa week later, and old Mrs. Jessup and Belinda had come home just for the occasion. They sat on either side of Lillian, who was beaming.

“Nice girl,” Belinda whispered. “She’ll make a new man of him.”

“I think she has already.” Old Mrs. Jessup grinned. “Spirited little thing. I like her, too.”

“I always did,” Lillian said smugly. “Good thing I saw the shape he was getting in and brought her out here. I knew they’d be good for each other.”

“It isn’t nice to gloat,” Belinda reminded her.

“Amen,” Mrs. Jessup harrumphed. “Don’t I seem to remember that you introduced that Caroline creature to him in the first place?”

Lillian was horrified. “That wasn’t me! That was Belinda!”

Mrs. Jessup’s eyes widened as she glared past Lillian at the restless young woman on the other side. “Did you?”

“It was an accident,” Belinda muttered. “I meant to introduce her to Bob Whitman, to get even for jilting me. Ward kind of got in the way. I never meant for her to go after my poor brother.”

“It’s all in the past now, anyway,” Lillian said, making peace. “He’s got the right girl, now. Everything will be fine.”

“Yes.” Old Mrs. Jessup sighed, glancing past Lillian again. “If only Belinda would settle down. She goes from boyfriend to boyfriend, but she never seems to get serious.”

Lillian pursed her lips, following the older woman’s gaze to Belinda, who was sighing over Mari’s wedding gown as she walked down the aisle accompanied by the organ music. She’d have to see what she could do....

The wedding ceremony was short and beautiful. Mari thought she’d never seen a man as handsome as her Ward, and when the minister pronounced them husband and wife, she cried softly until Ward kissed away the tears.

Lillian, not Belinda, caught the wedding bouquet and blushed like a schoolgirl when everyone giggled. The guests threw rice and waved them off, and Mari caught a glimpse of tall, slender Ty Wade with his Erin just on the fringe of the guests.

“Alone at last.” Ward grinned, glancing at her.

“I thought they’d never leave,” she agreed with a wistful sigh. “Where are we going? I didn’t even ask.”

“Tahiti,” he said with a slow smile. “I booked tickets the day after you said yes. We’re flying out of San Antonio early tomorrow morning.”

“What about tonight?” she asked curiously and flushed at the look on his face.

“Let me worry about tonight,” he murmured softly.

He held her hand as he drove, and an hour later he drove up to a huge, expensive hotel in the city.

He’d reserved the bridal suite, and it was the most incredible sight Mari had ever seen. The bed was huge, dominating the bedroom. She stood in the doorway just staring at it while Ward paid the bellhop and locked the door.

“It’s huge,” she whispered.

“And strategically placed, did you notice?” he murmured with a laugh, suddenly lifting her clear of the floor in her neat white linen traveling suit.