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“Matt! Put me down,” she insisted.
“My wedding ring is on your finger,” he reminded her, whispering in her ear. “The vestry is only ten paces to my right.”
“What?” She looked befuddled.
The congregation was clapping.
“We can get back to our appreciative guests much faster if you’re not wearing pants.”
She focused on his teasing eyes and began to laugh. “You can’t...get past...my chastity belt,” she gasped out between giggles.
“What?”
“No key...until you’ve signed...the marriage certificate.”
“Okay.”
He carried her over to the table set for the final deed and sat her down on the chair which Tony, grinning from ear to ear, had swiftly drawn out for her. Even Megan had a genuine smile on her face as they went through the last formalities of signing and witnessing the marriage certificate. Matt felt so happy he was right in tune with the song being sung, “I Finally Found Someone.”
Not even the taking of an excessive amount of photographs dimmed his good humour. Then it was party time at the reception place Peta had chosen and the next few hours flashed by him, which seemed odd, because most wedding receptions he’d been to tended to drag on. Somehow it was different with his own.
Occasionally there were awkward moments when some of the guests—mostly Peta’s aunts—gushed over him with sentiments he wasn’t quite comfortable with. Women did get very mushy at weddings. However, he was delighted to see his mother getting on well with the Kelly clan. They were nice people. He looked forward to being part of their family.
They were certainly a productive lot. Paul had four children, two boys, two girls. John had three, all boys, his wife pregnant with the fourth, hoping for a girl this time. Megan only had the one so far but she was the youngest. Matt understood Peta feeling like a very late starter in the family stakes, understood about the tests, too.
Just as well he’d passed the sperm count with flying colours. Though, of course, he’d had every confidence he would. Nothing amiss with Peta’s fertility, either. Not that he’d imagined there would be. A woman built like Peta was made to have babies. This time next year...
The urge to check out if Peta was wearing pants was very strong.
Wrong time and place, he sternly told himself. He needed hours to do all he wanted to do with her. A rushed coupling in a broom cupboard would not suffice, however tempting and exciting the thought was. Besides, the long train on her dress probably wouldn’t fit into a broom cupboard. Maybe the cloakroom... No, he’d waited this long. Tonight would come fast enough. Their first time together should have some class to it. But he sure was ready for it!
His mother grabbed him as he was circulating amongst his friends, Peta having been snaffled from his side by her nieces who were demanding yet another photo opportunity.
“Do you know Peta’s mother is only the same age as me?” she said in wonderment.
“You look younger, Mum,” he declared. “You look great. I bet all the older guys here have been flirting with you.” It felt as though champagne was fizzing through his blood, though he’d barely drunk a glass of it.
She laughed and shook her head. “You are a wicked boy today! I was just amazed she already has eight grandchildren and another on the way.”
“Well, I’ll be working on it for you, Mum. I’ll throw my whole heart into it. Not to mention my body. Four grandchildren coming up.”
“You didn’t really marry Peta for me, though, did you?” she pressed.
“Nope. All for me, Mum. Look at her! She’s my queen.”
“Your father used to call me that.” She heaved a deep sigh. “I do hope Peta lives up to it for you, dear.”
“No worries on that score,” he said with ringing confidence.
“Her mother was just telling me how pleased all the family is that you rescued her from some terrible affair with an Italian.” She paused, looked hesitant, then scanned his eyes anxiously. “She’s not still hankering after him, is she, Matt?”
“As far as Peta is concerned, the guy is buried, Mum. The future is ours,” he assured her.
At that moment, Matt felt absolutely secure in that belief.
The Bridal Waltz was announced and he moved to claim Peta from her family. She was laughing up at him as he whirled her onto the small dance floor with all the panache of Fred Astaire. Matt was revelling in panache today. He loved the sparkle it put in Peta’s beautiful blue eyes.
“Ladies and gentlemen,” the master of ceremonies called pompously, “I give you Mr. and Mrs. Matt Davis.”
