A Whisper of Eternity - By Amanda Ashley Page 0,88

Do you know how much I want you? How often I have dreamed of possessing you?"

She stared up at him, certain she would melt from the heat in his eyes.

"Marry me."

Her eyes widened. "You want us to get married?"

"Yes.Now.Tonight. Say yes."

"But... marriage."She thought of what it would mean to be married to him. She would never see him during the day. Never have a normal life. Never have children. And yet, how could she deny him again?

He had loved her, waited for her, for centuries.

Closing his eyes, he rested his forehead against hers. "I cannot go on without you. The future means nothing to me if you are not there to share it with me. I want to hold you in my arms when the sun goes down, and make love to you until it comes up again."

"We don't have to get married..."

Lifting his head, he opened his eyes and gazed down at her. "I am an honorable man." A wry grin touched his lips. "Or I was, when I was alive. I will not make you mine unless we are wed."

She smiled up at him, touched by his words.

"Say yes."

He looked down at her, a silent entreaty in his eyes. How could she deny him again?

"Yes, Dominic, I'll marry you."

He stared at her for several moments,then crushed her in his arms, his lips moving in her hair.

Tracyclosed her eyes, a sense of peace enveloping her.

After a moment, he drew away. "Do you want to change your clothes?"

"You really mean for us to get married tonight?But how? We need a marriage license." She paused. "Blood tests."

He waved his hand in a gesture of dismissal. "I will take care of all that."

Tracyglanced down at her jeans and T-shirt. "I always wanted to get married in a long white gown..."

Dominic took her hand. There was a rushing sound in her ears, a sense of disorientation, and when she opened her eyes again, she was in a bridal shop in the city.

"I wish you'd give me some warning before you do that," she said.

"Time is of the essence."

Tracylooked through the gowns, choosing three she liked. Carrying them into the dressing room, she tried them on. The first was sleeveless with a square neck and a straight skirt. It looked very modern and fit beautifully, but it didn't feel like a wedding dress. The second had short puffy sleeves, a high neck, and a poofy skirt. She looked at her reflection in the mirror... and shook her head.

The third dress was perfect. It had a round neck, long sleeves, a full skirt with a short train, and it fit as though it had been made for her. She picked out a shoulder-length veil to go with it.

When a saleslady came to check on her,Tracy said she would take the dress and the veil.

They made several other stops.

Dominic bought a tuxedo.

They both bought new shoes.

Tracybought new underwear.

Standing outside the last store, her arms full ofpackages, she looked up at Dominic and grinned. "Well, all we need now is someone to marry us."

With a nod, Dominic took her hand again; when she opened her eyes, they were standing in front of a wedding chapel inLas Vegas .

Hand in hand, they went inside.Tracy glanced around while Dominic spoke to the woman behind the desk. A few moments later, she was being escorted to a dressing room by a rather buxom woman with dyed blond hair.

"Need any help, honey?" the woman asked.

"No, thank you."

The womanlaughed, a deep, throaty laugh. "No doubt that man of yours will give you all the help you need."

"No doubt,"Tracy replied, and shut the door.

She changed out of her clothes and into her gown, unable to believe they were actually in Vegas, about to be married.

She studied herself in the mirror for a moment. Maybe it was the dress, maybe there was something magical about wedding gowns that made all brides beautiful, but that was how she felt.Beautiful.

She shoved her jeans, T-shirt, and old underwear into one of the other sacks, ran a hand over her hair, took a deep breath, and left the dressing room.

Dominic was waiting for her. He was a man born to wear a tuxedo. His white shirt and black coat were the perfect complement to his dark hair and gray eyes.James Bond, eat your heart out , she thought, biting back a grin.

The buxom blonde entered the room. "This way," she said.

Dominic slipped his arm aroundTracy 's waist and they followed the blonde into a large chapel. The pews