Page 66 of Hayes

"You should be talking it over with my son. You both have some serious issues to iron out. He told me about the plans for the wedding."

"A small ceremony with just close family members. He doesn't believe that I am here to stay."

"Give him some time," Hillary assured her. "In time, he will come to realize that you want to be with him. He knows you love him, but it's taking time to sink in. Now, my dear, let's discuss what you would like for the ceremony."

*****

Her eyes flickered open when she felt the side of the bed depressed.

"I must have fallen asleep." She drowsily turned to him. "You are cold."

"It started raining just as I stepped out of the car." His eyes searched for her face. "I am sorry I ran out."

"Are we okay now?"

He nodded, using the tips of his fingers to push back the hairs from her forehead. "We should talk."

"We should," she agreed. "But first I must tell you that the plans for the wedding are underway. Your mother is seeing to everything. A very small ceremony and I already called Monique about my dress."

Putting her hand on his bare chest, she gave him an intriguing look. "I am here Hayes. You said you felt something when we first met, and it's the same thing for me. We have a bond that has forged us together over the years, one that will never be broken."

He placed his hand over hers and squeezed. "I am an idiot who is intent on driving you away," he murmured huskily. "Fear is very powerful and can be equally dangerous. But I am trying."

"We will get through this together," she whispered. "Because you are stuck with me, and I love it. Do you understand?"

He nodded again. "I think it's time we get some things off our chests and clear the air," he said solemnly.

And they did. They spoke for hours and when they were through, he held her in his arms as she fell asleep. But it took a few minutes for him to follow her. The conversation had cleared some things up, but he was afraid he was going to mess things up again. He loved her so much, that it literally takes his breath away.

Pressing a tender kiss on her forehead, he closed his eyes and drifted off.

*****

"Darling, you look so handsome." Hillary entered the room in a swirl of lilac, the gown cinched in at the waist and the skirt floating around her legs. Her blonde hair was twisted into an elegant chignon at the nape of her neck and diamonds were at her lobes.

Turning away from the mirror where he had been adjusting his bow tie, he smiled at her.

"I left Angela in the room with your bride. I peeped in on her a few minutes ago while Frank was fixing her hair and makeup, and she looks exquisite."

"I always knew that." He stood still as she reached up and fiddled with the tie. It had been three weeks since he was intimate with her, and even though it was torture to be so near to her and not able to do anything about it, he still could not bear the thought of staying away.

Last night, he had slept in one of the guest rooms and it had been the longest night of his life. The doctor had cleared her a few days ago, but he was not taking any chances. Tonight, however, was going to be different. It would be his wedding night, and he had every intention of making love with his wife. He could not wait.

"Mother?" Stirring from his thoughts, he noticed that her eyes were bright with tears.

"I apologize, darling," she said with a sniff. "But I wish your father was here to see this very momentous occasion. He would have been so happy and proud of you." Leaning up, she kissed his cheek fondly. "I love you and I know you and Camelia are going to be very happy together."

"My sentiments exactly.” With a boyish grin, he offered his arm. "Let's get married."

*****

His first sight of the woman who had enthralled him as a girl and snared his heart caught his breath and for a second, he could not breathe. The dress was a champagne-colored wool and clung to every lush curve of her body.

Her stomach was still flat, even though she was heading into three months, and the pregnancy had increased the size of her breasts, leaving the flesh almost spilling out of her bodice.

Diamonds, a gift from him, shone at her lobes and around her neck. Her thick dark brown hair was loose around her face and secured by a jeweled comb at the left.

Her dazzling smile, exposing her lovely dimples, left him dazed and his heart beating fast and hard inside his chest.