“It was fate. And chemistry and destiny,” Gillian continued as they drew apart, knowing she had never been happier or more content than she was at that very moment.
“And love,” Cisco added emotionally, as he stroked a hand through her hair. “Love unlike anything I have ever or will ever feel again.”
“For me, too,” Gillian whispered as her heart filled with joy and tears of happiness misted her eyes. “Because I do love you,” she continued huskily, “with all my heart and soul.”
Cisco framed her face with his hand, tilting her face up to his, and kissed her hard, stamping her as his. “Stay married to me, Gillian,” he urged as their kiss deepened and warmed. “But this time do it for all the right reasons. Because you love me as much as I love you and because you want to build a life together, and have a home and family together, too.”
“I do,” Gillian whispered, kissing him back fiercely. “Oh, Cisco, I do, I do!”
GILLIAN AND CISCO SHARED their happy news with the family at sunset. Their announcement was met with hearty congratulations and plenty of well wishes. A beaming Max signed over their inheritances, Cisco officially became Max’s son and Gillian and Cisco both legally became McKendricks, too.
It was a lot to celebrate, and afterward, as Gillian and Cisco both expected, quite a party broke out. And it was during the dancing, that Gillian first spied the gold band and diamond solitaire sparkling on the ring finger of Pearl’s left hand. Gillian nudged her husband, wanting him to see. Grinning, she and Cisco danced closer. “Pearl, is that a wedding ring on your finger?” Gillian demanded.
Pearl grinned proudly. “It sure is.”
“What changed your mind?” Cisco asked.
Pearl cast Max a dreamy look. “Two things. First, I realized how much Max loved me and always had. And second, I found out about the plans he’d had for the two of us all along.”
“I was aiming to ask Pearl to marry me as soon as I had all four of you kids and your spouses hitched and settled in,” Max explained.
“He didn’t want anything interfering with the romantic plans he had for our I Do’s,” Pearl confided.
“But unfortunately,” Max added, possessively tightening his hold on his new wife, “Pearl never gave me a chance to follow through on the surprise I was planning just for her after the quadruple wedding ceremony had ended.”
“Instead, I left the reception altogether,” Pearl reminded as Cisco and Gillian both recalled.
“So,” Max said with a sigh, “I decided to wait it out a day or so—until this woman of mine was calm enough to really listen to the very important words I had to say to her—and then I took her to Silver Mountain for a romantic, candlelit dinner of our very own.”
“Where he showed me the site he’d picked out for our new home on the ranch and proposed to me right there, under the stars.” Pearl smiled.
“Naturally,” Max grinned, too, “she said yes. And the preacher who married the rest of you young’uns led us through our vows.”
Pearl lifted her index finger to her lips. “But now! We don’t want the word about our elopement getting out until after our honeymoon.”
“Which is going to be where?” Gillian whispered, feeling delighted but not all that surprised the two had finally gotten together and made it official. Like herself and Cisco, she’d had the feeling Pearl and Max were just meant to be together.
Max inclined his head at the deluxe silver recreational vehicle coming up the drive. “Wherever our hearts and fancies take us,” he said.
“But don’t you worry.” Pearl smiled, as she laid her face against Max’s shoulder contentedly. “We’ll be back.”
Max nodded. “Retired or not, we intend to be around, conquering new vistas—”
“—and matchmaking for this family,” Pearl added.
“—for years to come.”
THE GUESTS HAD all departed by midnight. Cisco Kidd McKendrick put a bottle of champagne on ice, while Gillian Taylor McKendrick turned down the covers. They changed into matching silk robes and met upstairs on the bed. Cisco poured them each a glass of the golden liquor and offered the first toast. “To a long and happy life together, Mrs. McKendrick,” he said as they settled comfortably against the pillows.
They clinked glasses, locked arms, sipped and kissed.
“To a long and happy life and plenty of children,” Gillian wished, in a voice filled with love and tenderness.
Cisco touched the rim of his glass to hers. All the love he felt for her was in his eyes. “I could go for that,” he murmured sexily.
Gillian put her glass—and his—aside and slid into his arms. It was amazing, but all her dreams had come true. And in just forty-eight hours! “Well, in that case,” she teased, deftly untying the belt on his robe, “how ‘bout we just get started on that right now.”
His grin as wide as all Montana, Cisco reached for her and pulled her so close, they could feel their hearts beating in tandem. He framed her face with his hands and kissed her until they trembled. “You bet.”
eISBN 978-14592-6772-5
SPUR-OF-THE-MOMENT MARRIAGE
Copyright © 1997 by Cathy Gillen Thacker.
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Spur-Of-The-Moment Marriage Page 19