Page 61 of The Playboy Meets His Match
“Which didn’t scare you at all. Jason, that was really low.”
“My singing is that bad? Don’t answer. I know it is. I was desperate without you.” He stretched out his arm and pulled his jeans close to search a pocket, withdrawing something. He took her hand and looked at her.
“Sure? It wasn’t just to stop my singing?”
“I’m sure,” she replied solemnly. He slid the dazzling ring on her finger while he kissed her, and in minutes she forgot her new ring as she wrapped her arms around Jason to love him in return.
Epilogue
The last weekend in May, Jason stood at the front of the church with Ethan, his oldest brother, beside him as best man. Luke, his other brother, Rob, Sebastian and another longtime friend, Matt Walker, were groomsmen. Jason had cajoled Merry into a hasty wedding, but both had the resources to hire enough people to help pull it together quickly. And, to his delight, Merry seemed as eager as he was.
Jason watched bridesmaids come down the aisle, friends and sisters of Merry’s he had met at parties and seen again at the rehearsal last night. Holly was maid of honor. He had been surprised to find she was a beautiful young woman, several inches taller than Merry, with the same wide, smokey eyes and flawless skin. Several of the single guys from home had taken to her quickly, and Jason was glad to see that she had gone out with one of them the night before the rehearsal, then last night after the rehearsal she’d left with Porter Hammons, a cowboy from Royal who was one of the ushers for the wedding.
At the sound of a peal of music, Merry’s mother stood and turned, and everyone else came to their feet, but from that moment on, Jason was aware only of Merry, who came down the aisle toward him on the arm of one of her uncles.
Her hair was piled on her head, hidden mostly by the gossamer white veil. She was radiant, glowing with love, taking his breath in her long, white dress, and then she was beside him, her hand in his as they repeated their vows.
As he promised to love, honor and cherish her the rest of his life, the vows seemed so right, something he had already promised her more than once in intimate moments. Now he felt as though he had waited all his life for her, the perfect woman for him.
“You may kiss your bride,” the minister said, and Jason turned back her veil, looking into her eyes filled with warmth and love. He leaned down to brush her lips lightly, and then they walked back up the aisle together, Mr. and Mrs. Jason Windover, which sounded wonderful to him.
“I’ve got you, babe,” he whispered in her ear as they entered the foyer.
“And I’ve got you, Jason. I love you.”
“Let’s cut this reception short.”
“Be patient. This is a once-in-a-lifetime, and I want to enjoy dancing with you.”
He grinned, wrapped his arm around her waist, and they went through a hallway to go back around to the front of the church to pose for pictures.
The reception was at a country club where Merry’s mother was a member. To Merry’s surprise, her brother, Hank, had come home for her wedding. She watched as he stood talking to Jason, suspecting Jason might be a good influence in Hank’s life.
She studied her handsome husband, and her heart raced in anticipation of their honeymoon. In a black tux, Jason was incredibly handsome, and she had to struggle to pay attention to friends and relatives and mingle in the crowd.
She saw Holly surrounded by a cluster of guys from Royal. They had discovered her during parties there, and to Merry’s enormous relief, Holly seemed to have forgotten Dorian.
“Your sister is having a good time.”
Merry looked around to see Susan Wescott. “Yes, she is. It’s funny how things turned out. She’s getting over Dorian, I’m married to Jason now—”
“That day we met at the Cattleman’s Club, I thought you were going to take the place by storm,” Susan said, smiling, her silver-gray eyes holding a twinkle.
“I don’t want to think about that,” Merry said. “I was dreadful.”
“They deserved to get their staid old club shaken up a little,” Susan said. “I wish you and Jason the best. When you can, I want both of you to come visit.”
“Thanks, Susan. I’d love that,” Merry said, realizing she had a friend. Someone called to Susan, who moved away, sunlight catching red glints in her chestnut hair.
Merry thought about Dorian, who still raised so many unanswered questions. Her marriage to Jason had to have angered Dorian, particularly since she was determined to find out if he’d been involved in murdering Eric Chambers and trying to frame Sebastian.
Jason was talking to a circle of tall, handsome men, all members of the Texas Cattleman’s Club. It was a diverse and close-knit group. Some of the men she had just met for the first time: ranchers Matt Walker and Forrest Cunningham; Blake Hunt; a doctor named Justin Webb; Sheikh Ben Rassad; Hank Langley; Dakota Lewis, a retired air force lieutenant; Greg Hunt, a lawyer; Sterling Churchill. Others she had met before: Aaron Black, Keith, Rob, Sebastian and Will Bradford.
While they talked, Jason looked around the circle of men, well aware that Dorian had been excluded, yet feeling not one shred of remorse.
“Well, Keith, we ought to plan the ball and you better start thinking about the charity you want, because you are the last bachelor standing,” Jason drawled with a smile.
“I can’t believe I’ve won this. I never thought I’d see this happen,” Keith grinned and replied to Jason, gesturing to include the reception festivities.
