Chapter Twenty One
Tanya stared at him a long moment. A smile curved her lips and she took in their surroundings, in his little sports car on the side of the highway, and this man, this gorgeous, frustrating man was asking her to marry him! All of this was processed in the space of a heartbeat. "Yes!" she laughed. "Of course! Yes!"
Jesse's golden eyes danced as he reached for the glove compartment. He popped it open one handed and pulled out a small box, opening it and showing Tanya it's contents. A round diamond solitaire, one carat, set in a simple platinum setting. A no fuss ring for his independent bride to be. When she saw the ring, Tanya threw her free hand around his neck and then kissed him.
Jesse returned her kiss and grinned, taking the ring, and placing it on her finger. Putting the car in gear before entwining their fingers together, he eased the car back onto the road, smiling like an idiot the entire time. "Tanya," he said after a few minutes of silence, where he saw Tanya admiring the ring out of the corner of his eye. "Lets get married right now. We can be in Vegas in about eight hours easily."
Tanya looked over at him, her eyes wide. "Right now?"
He looked back and smiled a bit. "I do have a confession to make. I've been shielding you too, as I'm sure you've figured out," he gave her an apologetic look. "I know how much you love the Cullens, and how Alice did such a wonderful job with Kate's wedding, but Tanya, I don't care about all that. I just want you. We can go, get married, and then let them see what we did. Let her plan a repeat performance, whatever. But I just want it to be us." He grinned. "I'm selfish, and I don't want to share you with everyone else."
Tanya didn't know what to say. "I... Kate... Carmen... they'll all be upset." She took her time considering. Jesse waited, letting her figure it out for herself. "Okay, lets do it. They can plan a reception, or another wedding later," she looked at him, grinning. "For us, lets do it now."
Jesse brought her hand to his mouth and kissed it. "I love you," he said as he took the car down the road, heading south.
"I love you too," she replied.
They drove in silence for awhile, but it was a companionable silence, both lost in their own thoughts. Jesse broke it after they'd been on the road about an hour. "Tanya, when I drop the shield on you, I'm doing so on myself as well," he turned to look at her, so she would understand what he was telling her. "I need to let them come to me, but we can choose where that is. It's time to end it, one way or another," he sighed.
Tanya watched his eyes, and nodded slowly. "Then we end it. We'll do what we need to do, and we'll pick a place. You're sure that Kelli will track you?"
He nodded. "Pretty sure, unless Amanda has pissed her off by now, which is a seriously good possibility. If we pick a place near Seattle, it shouldn't take them long to find us."
Running her fingers along his forearm, Tanya bit her lip and nodded.
-
The first thing they did when they reached Vegas was to apply for the license. While they waited for it to be processed, Tanya decided they needed new outfits to be married in. Jesse rolled his eyes, but allowed her to take the reins. It was nearly midnight, but since it was Vegas, and a Friday night, everything was still open. Tanya chose a store that sold only couture, whatever that meant. Jesse didn't care, he'd marry her naked. Now that was an idea. He grinned to himself.
After buying an outfit "worthy of getting married in," they changed and went to pick up their license. Tanya was dressed in a pale yellow gown that had intricate beading on the strapless bodice. It brought out the gold in her strawberry blonde hair. She had dressed Jesse in a pair of black dress trousers and a black button down shirt that he wore with the top two buttons undone. She'd run a hand through his hair, but it was a hopeless cause. Besides, Tanya preferred it messy. It usually meant they were doing something fun.
Her feet were clad in white sling back patent leather heels, and he was wearing a pair of black dress shoes. They had made an appointment to be married in front of the fountains at the Bellagio at 1:30 am. They had also booked one of the villas for themselves for the remainder of the night, and the next day. They would leave at dusk tomorrow.
At 1:30 Tanya and Jesse stood in front of the fountains while they danced to the music playing. The hotel's ordained minister, who was used to this sort of thing on weekends, stood in front of them. They recited the traditional vows, which included "as long as you both shall live."
As he slid the ring he had bought Tanya onto her finger, saying the words "with this ring, I thee wed," he looked down at her through his lashes to see her grin. It had made him wonder just how long she had been longing for someone... for him... to come along and sweep her off her feet. He made a mental note to ask her that later.
When the minister pronounced them man and wife, Jesse leaned in and kissed her. Just as he did, the fountains soared up into the air, heralding the dawning of Mr. and Mrs. Jesse Macgillivray. Slowly, Jesse pulled away, his golden eyes alight with happiness, and lifted Tanya's hand to his lips. He turned it over, kissing her palm while she smiled up at him. It was such an intimate moment, while still surrounded by people, that a few shifted uncomfortably.
"Thank you," Tanya told the minister and the few people who had come to witness. Money really could buy anything. She laughed to herself as they all took their leave rather quickly. Most humans had that reaction, and it failed to bother her on most days, and today was no different.
"Mrs. Macgillivray. Would you care to accompany me to our villa?" Jesse asked, placing her hand into the crook of his offered arm.
She grinned at him. "I think that sounds like a lovely idea." Together they walked through the hotel to the limo that would take them to their villa. Never once did either of them let go of the other, and their gazes clung to each other as well. It was probably a good thing their family wasn't there, Tanya thought to herself. Emmett would have been making jokes.
The limo dropped them off, and as soon as they entered the foyer, Tanya heard music playing. Giving Jesse a questioning look, he just grinned and led her to the living room. The music was something out of the 18th century, Jesse's time. He swept her into his arms and danced her around the room. Tanya was slightly amazed at what a good dancer he was.
Looking down at his wife, Jesse kissed her delicately on the cheek. "Of course we had to have a first dance, my love." Before she could speak, he had her lips very busy, all the while dancing.
When Tanya's fingers started deftly undoing the buttons of his shirt, Jesse pulled away with a grin. Slowly he lifted her hand above her head and twirled her half way around, stopping her when her back was facing him. He reached out and pulled the zipper down. When the dress fell in a pool at her ankles he turned her back around and picked her up, carrying her toward the master bedroom.
By the time they reached the bed, his shirt was missing. He laid her down on the bed, just staring at her. Then he slowly climbed onto the bed as well, crawling over her, gently, and ever so slowly removing her undergarments. He could see she wanted him to just be done with it, and it encouraged him to move slower. When she was completely undressed, he leaned down and kissed her deeply. He groaned as he felt her hands roaming the bare flesh of his torso.
She had his belt and pants undone quickly and pushed him up off her. Then sitting up, Tanya pushed him down onto his back and first took off his shoes and socks, then pulled his pants and boxers off. Grinning she crawled back onto the bed and straddled him, pressing kisses everywhere except his mouth. Every time he tried to capture her lips with his own, she'd kiss the corner of his mouth and move on.
He lay back, and growled playfully. "You're killing me, Tanya."
Tanya looked at him and winked with a grin. "An exquisite torture I plan to unleash on you all night, my dear husband." Then she continued her explorations...
