They’d kissed so many times in the last few weeks, but when the Joe Halpern, the minister, gave Jake permission to kiss his bride, Hannah could barely stand for the rush of desire that shot through her again. When he drew her to him, his hand warm on the small of her back she was grateful the congregation couldn’t know what was running through her mind.
Tonight they’d sleep together as husband and wife. All worry forgotten. All questions answered. They’d given their word; whatever they had to face from now on they’d face together. They’d reach their dreams together, side by side, backed by a family that supported them too.
Jake slipped his free hand under the nape of her neck and lifted her to meet his mouth, starting the kiss gently, but soon deepening it, letting her know he, too, was overcome with desire for their new life together.
The assembled crowd began to clap, then whoop as the kiss went on and on. When they finally broke apart, Hannah was blushing and she hid her face in the crook of Jake’s arm. He led her gently back up the aisle and tugged her into his father’s office for a moment alone before facing the crowd again.
“You okay?” he asked, sitting on the edge of his father’s desk and pulling her between his legs.
“More than okay.”
“Think we did the right thing?”
“I know we did.”
He smiled and kissed her again. “Think we can tell all these people to go home so we can get to bed?”
She laughed. “I think we’d start a riot. Everyone knows your mother and Autumn have been cooking all night. We’ll have to feed them if we want to get rid of them.”
“All right. But don’t plan on leaving our bedroom for days.”
“That’s all right by me,” she said. She kissed his cheek. “I love you.”
“I love you, too.”
The door swung open, and Jake and Hannah jerked apart when Holt walked in.
“I thought I’d find you two in here. No time for your dillydallying; get out there and attend to your guests.”
“Yes, sir,” Jake said, giving him a mock salute.
Holt waited for them to cross the room. “It sure took a passel of hard work to get you two together. How are we going to get your brothers hitched?”