I'm so happy that you enjoyed their somewhat unorthodox wedding. But it isn't quite over yet!

The conference dinner

Bill deposited them at the small chapel and waited until they were safely inside before he got out of the car and crossed the street to talk to the driver of the black sedan parked across the road.

"So how did it go?"

"Just the bodyguard and the PA as expected. But since you're here are you going to get a couple of shots anyhow?" Bill asked.

"I may as well. But you'd better not be seen talking to me or you won't be popular."

"Okay. Just don't forget who gave you the tip off when you sell the shots." Bill said.

"IF I sell them? Unfortunately, there's going to be a heap of shots of the two of them together from the dinner tonight. With so many available, it's going to bring down the price. But I'll see what I can do."

---

The wedding inside the chapel went off without a hitch. Keith and Annabel went through the motions like true troopers and Ryan and Marissa knew that no one that worked at the chapel would be any the wiser. Ryan had noticed a guy with a camera enter about half way through the short ceremony and he figured that he was probably a friend of Bill's but he knew that as far as anyone was concerned nothing unexpected was happening. Unfortunately, they were going to have to maintain the pretence for a while yet until they would be clean and clear.

After the ceremony Keith and Annabel posed for photos outside the chapel and Keith even managed to sneak in a couple of Ryan and Marissa at the end that he knew they would want to keep for posterity. They all piled back into the car and Bill returned them to the Bellagio. Marissa and Ryan wanted some time alone but they knew that wasn't really an option just yet. If they were going to get away with keeping what had just happened, a secret …then they were going to have to continue on with their day as expected. Bill escorted the four of them to one of the cocktail lounges in the hotel and they toasted the happy couple with French champagne until it was time for Ryan and Marissa to leave to attend the conference dinner. Unfortunately Bill had joined them so they had all had to keep the pretence going.

When Bill finally excused himself and left, Ryan and Marissa were also about to leave but Ryan turned and thanked Keith and Annabel for all their help. "Thanks you two. I owe you big time." He said.

"Don't worry about it. We had fun." Keith stated.

"Yeah. I guarantee this is one weekend I won't forget in a hurry." Annabel replied.

"Well thanks, anyhow. Are you sure you don't want to come to the conference dinner with us?" Ryan asked.

"What on our wedding night?" Annabel asked rhetorically. "Not likely. I think I'll just get my husband to escort me to my room." She added.

Keith just rolled his eyes indulgently at her and then said to Ryan and Marissa. "You'd better get going. Since you are the guests of honour, you wouldn't want to arrive late."

"I feel a bit guilty about deserting you after everything that you've done for us today." Ryan said reaching for his wallet to extract some money. "Why don't you two go out on the town … my treat."

Keith looked at Annabel and then back at Ryan and refused the money. "Thanks but no thanks. We can look after ourselves. I'm sure that we are going to have a better time than you are. We don't have to sit through a boring speech" he teased.

"How would you know that my speeches are boring? You've never even heard one." Ryan exclaimed pretending to be offended.

"And I'm more than happy to stay that way." Keith responded.

"Remind me again why I hired you?" Ryan teased.

"It wasn't for my looks, so it must have been for my irresistible charm." Keith suggested.

"That's true. Just ask Emily." Marissa suggested.

Ryan and Keith both laughed.

"Yeah. Pity it only works on four year olds." Keith replied.

"I think you're charming." Annabel said giving him a pert smile. "I wouldn't have married you otherwise. But you need to get me to my room right now because this dress is cutting in to me. If you don't, I'm likely to start stripping it off right here and I think that would attract attention even in Vegas." she said as she started to pull him towards the lifts.

"Okay okay." Keith replied. "We'll see you two in the morning. And congrats and good luck." He commented as they faded from view.

Ryan and Marissa looked at one another.

"They seem to be getting on rather well together." Marissa stated.

"You noticed too?" Ryan said.

"Yeah. I wonder what Skip would make of it all?" Marissa asked.

"I'm sure that Annabel is just trying to keep herself amused while Skip is away." Ryan replied.

"Yeah maybe." Marissa replied. "But come on, let's get to this dinner. The sooner we get there, the sooner we can leave."

"In a hurry to go somewhere?" Ryan asked a smile on his face.

"You betcha." Marissa replied.

---

Ryan and Marissa arrived at the Function Rooms to be greeted by the national president and his wife, Warren and Rita Simpson. They fawned over them, introducing them around and then escorted them to their table where they were sitting with other members of the executive committee.

Fortunately, dinner passed quickly with Ryan and Marissa managing to get by with just a few touches here and there. They were both anxious for the night to end, so that they could be alone together to celebrate. But they knew that Ryan needed to complete his obligations here or people would know that something was amiss. After dinner, Ryan was called upon to speak. Marissa sat and watched as he took the podium and marvelled at this man that was now her husband. She felt like she should pinch herself. Her life was like a dream.

Ryan spoke about the work that he had been doing in the lower income areas and the differences that his company had managed to achieve in only a short space of time. The obvious improvements, like the standard of housing and the reduced unemployment levels but more importantly the intangibles … like the hope that the teenagers now had …. that their lives would be better than those of their parents and the spin offs in the reduction of petty crimes in the areas as the residents took more pride in themselves and what they had. He outlined the assistance that he had been able to obtain through government channels and urged the other architects there, to consider similar schemes or adding their expertise when ever they had some free time and assured them that the rewards they would obtain, while not monetary, would be more significant than any others they were ever likely to get. Marissa noticed that the more Ryan talked, the more the audience liked and admired him. It was hard not to. Even for her.

But she saw more. She saw the strength that had developed in him. It was hard to believe that with his background, growing up with his family and what life in general was like in Chino, that this man could emerge that cared so deeply for the people around him. There was no cynicism or self-pity for what he had been through, just a quiet strength that he was prepared to share with all those that he touched. His gorgeous looks, those eyes to die for, that body that just made her melt whenever he touched her … she loved it all but it was his hidden gentleness that made her heart swell with love and pride until she felt that it would explode in her chest.

When Ryan finished, to a standing ovation, he looked across at Marissa and smiled. She felt the warmth of it reach all the way to her core, as he tried to move through the crowd of people who had gathered to talk to him. He was trying to get back to her. She watched as he politely fended off questions, all the time moving slowly closer and closer to her. He was moving at a snail's pace as it seemed that everyone wanted to speak with him. But she knew that he wouldn't want to brush them off. They may have been able to volunteer some assistance to his charity work and she knew that he would never say no to that. Eventually the music from the band started up and people started to make their way on to the dance floor but Ryan seemed to have gotten stuck with Warren Simpson and some others and she could see Ryan sending silent messages to her with his eyes.

Marissa walked over to the group and excused herself. "I'm sorry to interrupt gentlemen, but I was wondering if you would allow me to steal Ryan away for a dance?" she asked.

The architects all parted like the Red Sea around Ryan's absolutely breathtaking companion and nodded their agreement. Ryan took Marissa's hand and led her on to the dance floor as he overheard the comment behind him. "I would have been happy to dance with her." Only for someone to reply. "Wouldn't we all."

Ryan took Marissa into his arms and started to move around the dance floor. "Thanks for saving me." he said.

"I think I was saving me. I don't think I could have lasted much longer without touching you." Marissa replied.

Ryan smiled. "The feelings mutual." He replied and pulled her in closer to him moving his hips to grind in to her.

Marissa held him close matching his movements with ones of her own and then asked "Is that a gun in your pants or are you just happy to see me?"

Ryan laughed. "I'm very happy to see you. And I can assure you that what's in my pants could very well go off if you continue to do what you're doing."

"Well then maybe we should get out of here. I'd hate to cause a scene." Marissa suggested.

"Stay right where you are." Ryan replied. "If you move away from me right now, then we are guaranteed to cause a scene. I need to try and think of something besides you and what I want to do to you … otherwise we are going to have to stay fused at the hip. Maybe I could think of wrinkled old grannies." Ryan suggested.

"Or Luke's hairy back." Marissa added.

Ryan burst out laughing. "Where did that come from?"

Marissa shrugged. "Did it do the trick?" she asked.

Ryan hesitated. "Surprisingly yes."

Marissa looked at him hopefully. "So can we say our good byes and head off to bed yet? I am getting sleepy."

"I'm happy to take you off to bed but I can't guarantee sleep for quite a while." Ryan replied.