The Durango Affair - Brenda Jackson [42]
“I now pronounce you man and wife. You may kiss your bride.”
The man’s words intruded on Durango’s thoughts, giving him a mental start at the realization that the ceremony was over. He was now a married man and it was time to seal his vows with the traditional kiss. He turned to Savannah and saw her tense although she gave him a small smile.
At that moment he wanted to assure her that everything was going to be all right and they had done the right thing for their child. He reached out and touched her, gently ran the backs of his knuckles down her cheek while looking deeply into her eyes. And within seconds he felt her relax.
When a sigh of contentment eased from her lips he leaned forward. The kiss he’d intended was to be brief and light. But the moment his mouth touched hers, a strong sense of desire overtook him and he kissed her with a force that surprised even him.
His common sense told him that now was not the time for such a strong display of passion, but slipping his tongue into her mouth, wrapping his arms around her small waist and hungrily mating his mouth with hers seemed as natural as breathing. And the feel of her palms gliding over his shoulders wasn’t helping one iota.
It was only when McKinnon touched his shoulder and jokingly said aloud, “I see these two are off to a good start,” that Durango pulled back.
“I’d rather the two of you not mention anything to the family about my marriage just yet,” Durango said to Ian and Chase a few minutes after the ceremony had ended and he could speak with them privately. “I want to be the one to tell them.”
Both men nodded. Then Ian said, “Mom isn’t going to be happy about not being here at your wedding.”
“Yes, but this is the way Savannah and I wanted to do things.”
“When are you going to tell everyone?” Chase inquired. It wasn’t easy keeping secrets in the Westmoreland family.
“I’m going to call the folks when we get back. Once I tell Mom, the news will spread like wildfire. But it will be another month before we’ll be able to travel home. One of the rangers is out on medical leave and we’re shorthanded.”
“When you do come home expect Aunt Sarah to have one hell of a wedding reception planned,” Chase said, grinning. “She might be upset at first about your elopement, but she’ll be ecstatic that another one of her sons has gotten married.”
Durango nodded, knowing that was the truth. “I don’t have a problem with her planning a reception,” he said, thinking his mother was going to be surprised when she did see Savannah because she’d be showing a little by then. Then Sarah Westmoreland would be happy for two reasons. Another one of her sons would have married and she would have her first grandchild on the way.
“Your bride is on her way over here to claim you for more pictures,” Ian said, grinning since he had been the one to hire a private photographer for the occasion. He wanted to have lots of pictures for his mother once she found out about the quickie wedding. Although Durango hadn’t told him why he and Savannah had eloped, Ian thought he knew his brother well enough to know there was only one reason why a devout bachelor like Durango would have gotten married. Time would tell if his assumption was true.
“Savannah is a beautiful woman,” Ian said, pretty sure his brother already knew it.
“She is, isn’t she?” Durango agreed as he watched Savannah cross the room.
“You’re a lucky man,” Ian decided to add for good measure.
Durango continued to watch as Savannah came closer and at that moment he couldn’t help but think the very same.
An hour or so later Savannah was stepping out of the shower. She glanced around the bathroom and noticed that the spa-style bathtub was large enough to accommodate at least four people.
She couldn’t help wondering what Durango was doing. After sharing a wedding dinner with Ian, Chase and Jessica, they had returned to their suite, said goodnight and