Beguiling the Boss(31)

Though Marsh laughed, he dropped her case with a thud and strode to  draw her into his arms. "While I seriously doubt that will ever be  necessary, I'm both humbled and grateful to hear you say it."

If there had been so much as a tiny question in Jen's mind about  Marsh's declaration of love for her, hearing him admit to being humbled  erased it forever.

Spearing her fingers into his hair, she thanked him with a searing  kiss. Naturally, one kiss led to another, and then another, all the way  into the house and up the stairs to his bedroom.

Physically and emotionally exhausted, they fell asleep still wrapped in each other's arms to sleep most of the next day away.

* * *

Over breakfast at seven that evening, dressed in Marsh's luxurious  robe at his request, Jen listened to his suggestions for the  holidays-and for planning their wedding.

First on his list was shopping for Jen. Then calling a friend of his...who just happened to be a judge.

They left early the next morning for San Antonio. Once in the city,  they went their separate ways, agreeing to meet for lunch at the same  restaurant along the River Walk where they had dined the previous time  they had been there.

Excited about her venture, Jen went looking for the perfect wedding  dress. Two hours into her search she found it. In what the saleslady  referred to as "barely white," the dress was dressy but not formal. The  filmy material clung to her upper body while the slightly flared skirt  swirled around her legs just below her knees.

Her major purchase made, Jen set about looking for the perfect  accessories. She decided on black pumps with three-inch heels along with  a black clutch purse with a gold tone clasp. She chose a black pearl  necklace with a matching bracelet and teardrop earrings.                       
       
           



       

The last-and to Jen the most important-purchase she made was a  Christmas gift for Marsh. Delighted with her choices, she strolled along  the River Walk to the restaurant. Marsh was waiting for her next to  the entrance, a bemused smile on his face in response to her  self-satisfied expression.

"You look very pleased with yourself, my love," he murmured, sweeping her into his arms right there in front of the world.

"I am," Jen said, giving him a quick kiss on the mouth. "I'm only a few minutes late."

His laughter ringing with the sound of happiness, Marsh ushered her into the restaurant.

"You spoke with the judge?" Jen asked anxiously the minute she was seated.

Marsh smiled. "Yes, he will be delighted to marry us at city hall the day before Christmas."

Jen sighed with satisfaction. "Good."

"Yes," he agreed. "Very good."

Later, over an after-dinner liqueur, Marsh reached for Jen's left  hand. "I have a Christmas gift for you, but I can't wait. I want to give  it to you now."

Jen began to tremble, almost certain she knew what it was-he  was holding her left hand, after all.

She was right.

Reaching into his jacket pocket, Marsh drew out a small dark blue  jeweler's box, opened it, then slid a large, many-faceted diamond  solitaire engagement ring onto her finger.

"Oh, Marsh," she whispered. Without words, she let her misted eyes  speak for her as, taking his hand, she brought it to her mouth to place  a soft kiss on his palm.

"I guess that means you like it." His voice was rough with emotion.

"I love it," she said, "almost as much as I love you."

Jen waited until they were getting ready for bed that night before she  presented him with the large boxed gift she had purchased. "I can't  wait till Christmas, either."

Upon tearing away the festive wrap and whipping off the box lid, Marsh  laughed as he pulled out an exact match to the terry robe he had given  to her.

The last few remaining days before the holiday flew by. Jen and Marsh  worked together during the day as they had before, he in his office,  she in hers. She tidied the house and cooked the meals. He worked  outside with the horses.

Although unchanged, the house looked barren to Jen. She longed for  bright, glittering decorations. Marsh promised her he would help her  deck every room of the house next Christmas...then surprised her with a  small but fully decorated tree that he set in the center of the table.

Throughout those few days, being together was the same, yet different.  There was a new depth of feeling, a sense of utter rightness and  contentment that had been missing before. This time, they belonged  together.

Jen called her mother on the day she and her father returned from  their cruise. She offered a brief explanation of the situation between  her and Marsh, and promised they would both be there for her mother's  traditional family Christmas noontime brunch.

Christmas Eve day dawned bright and sunny. By midafternoon the weather  was mild. Marsh was awed by the way she looked in her beautiful  wedding dress, and she complimented him, for her husband-to-be looked  devastatingly handsome in a charcoal-gray suit, white shirt and  pearl-gray striped tie.

"One would think we were going to do something special," he remarked  dryly as he helped her into the freshly washed and gleaming car.

"One would be correct," Jen agreed, her voice uneven due to the excited flutter of her heart.

"Then let's do it," he said, leaning in to kiss her cheek before starting the car.

At four-thirty in the afternoon the day before Christmas, it was quiet  inside the Mission Alamo as two people stood, alone, together. As  always, Jen was filled with a sensation of peace inside the structure.  The very air they breathed held a sense of holiness. It was the perfect  setting for their intentions.

They stood facing each other, arms at their sides, their hands tightly clasped.

"First off," Marsh began, "I swear to love you with every beat of my heart and every part of my body."

"And I," Jen replied, "I swear to love you with every beat of my heart and every part of my body."

He smiled before going on. "I, Marshall David Grainger, take thee, Jennifer Louise Dunning, for my lawfully wedded wife."

"I, Jennifer Louise Dunning, take you, Marshall David Grainger, for my lawfully wedded husband."                       
       
           



       

They were silent a moment. Both had wet eyes. Then Marsh drew Jen into  his arms to hold her as if she were the most precious person in the  world. Crying softly with joy, Jen wrapped her arms around his neck and  clung as if she would never let him go.

Hand in hand, Marsh and Jen walked from the mission into the twilight of Christmas Eve.

Tugging gently on her hand, Marsh slanted a grin at her and said, "Now let's go see that judge."