Unaccountably the sparkle was suddenly drowned by a welling of tears. Matt swept Peta into a close embrace as he led her into the waltz. “Something wrong?” he murmured anxiously.
“No...” She burrowed closer, hiding her face. “A bit emotional...that’s all.”
Weddings, Matt thought. Women always shed tears at weddings. Nothing to worry about. He felt a rush of tenderness. It was probably nervous exhaustion with Peta. He’d take it slowly tonight, make her feel really good about everything, especially having him as her husband. He’d be a lot better for her than the Latin lover.
Matt frowned over that last thought. He didn’t want to get into comparisons. He hoped Peta wouldn’t, either. Their relationship was different. It meant more. It had to mean more. He was going to be the father of her children.
The rest of the bridal party joined them on the dance floor, his mother waltzing with one of Peta’s uncles. Partners were exchanged and Matt reluctantly passed Peta to her father. She was blinking furiously and clutched her dad as though he was a raft in stormy seas.
He found himself dancing with Megan and tried to steer a steady course through his troubled mind. “You did a fine job helping Peta today, Megan,” he said, giving her due credit.
“You’re a good guy, Matt,” she answered with a hint of strain. “I’m glad she found you.”
The words were generous. Perhaps he was oversensitive right now. He heard a “but...” in them and couldn’t stop himself from trying to nail it. “But...?” he prompted, looking directly into her eyes.
They were blue, too, but not as vivid a blue as Peta’s. He saw the flash of uncertainty in them, then the deep concern emerging. “You will hold on to her, won’t you, Matt? No matter what?”
Why wouldn’t he? Matt frowned at her, disliking the doubt she’d raised. “I never make promises I don’t intend to keep, Megan,” he asserted strongly.
>
She shook her head. “I didn’t mean...” A sigh, an apologetic grimace, a look of appeal. “Forgive me. This has happened so fast... I truly do wish you and Peta every happiness.”
What had she meant?
No use pursuing it. She’d closed off. Matt tried to make sense of what she’d said. If her doubts weren’t centred on him...what did she know about Peta that he didn’t?
The thought unsettled him further. He hated the feeling, needed to get rid of it. His instincts raged for positive action. He danced Megan straight over to her father and reclaimed Peta, almost crushing her to him in needful fervour. She was his. He wanted her... every part of her. The yearning ripped through his body, barely containable.
She wound her arms around his neck, her overbright eyes questioning his, her cheeks flushing as though suffused with the blast of heat coming from him.
“I’m dying for you,” he said bluntly.
“I want you, too, Matt,” she answered, fueling a desire that rocketed to intense urgency. “There’s a change room waiting for us. We could go there now.”
Change room? He’d forgotten that one. “Peta...” He struggled with his previous intention to wait for less limited time.
“I need you right now,” she said, her eyes flaring with the irresistible promise of instant satisfaction, hot, hard and reckless. “Come with me.”
Come with her! Wild horses couldn’t stop him.
She took his hand and led him off the dance floor. “Going to change, Mum,” she said as they passed her parents who were now dancing together.
“Do you want help, dear?”
“I’ve got my husband to help me.”
My husband. It sounded good to Matt. It sounded great!
No holding back from Peta.
She had his wedding ring on her finger—the symbol of good faith—and she wanted him in her pants every bit as much as he wanted to be there.
No matter what!
It was more than enough to zoom Matt’s confidence in their future together sky-high.
CHAPTER ELEVEN