Ian smiled at his older brother confidently. “A bit impatient, to tell the truth. Oh, not because I’m nervous about tying the knot, or having even the smallest doubt about getting married.”

“In other words, you’re looking forward to the wedding night more than the wedding itself,” supplied Colin helpfully. “Well, if I was marrying a woman as hot as Tessa, I can tell you right now I wouldn’t have even bothered with all of this pageantry. I would have eloped to Las Vegas or Scotland and then taken a month long honeymoon somewhere warm enough where she didn’t have to wear much clothing.”

“That thought did cross my mind once or twice,” admitted Ian. “But I wouldn’t have had the nerve to break the news to Mother that we’d eloped and denied her the opportunity of finally seeing me married off in front of everyone. And even though Tessa would have willingly done anything I suggested, she deserves to have the sort of wedding most girls dream of.”

“It’s a good thing, what you’ve done,” Hugh assured him. “The right thing, to have all the family here together. With you living in the States and Colin over in Hong Kong, we don’t see each other nearly as often as we should. Spending so much time together over the past week has been fantastic. And I can see how happy it’s made the parents. So you definitely made the right decision, Ian. Both about the wedding and your choice of bride. I’ve never mentioned this before, figured it was none of my damned business, but Davina wasn’t the right woman for you, mate. Oh, you would have had a good life with her, a pleasant life. But you wouldn’t have had a happy life. Not like you’re going to have with Tessa.”

Colin nodded. “I agree. Davina’s a pretty girl, classy, smart, all that sort of thing. But she doesn’t have an ounce of passion in that skinny body. Can you imagine her agreeing to give Ian a lap dance? Or letting him kiss her in public like someone who hadn’t seen a woman in twenty years? Your bride-to-be, though - she’s a real tigress, isn’t she? Shy on the surface, but I’ll bet behind closed doors she’s anything but. Am I right?”

Ian scowled. “I’ve told you more than once, you nosy bastard, that I won’t discuss my physical relationship with Tessa.”

“You don’t have to give us any raunchy details,” cajoled Colin. “Well, not unless you want to, that is. In which case, I am all ears. Just answer one simple question, Ian, that’s all. Is she as hot in bed as she looks on the outside?”

Ian couldn’t help the grin that split his features. “Hotter. In fact, if she was any hotter I’d need to keep a fire extinguisher by the side of the bed. And that,” he told his two brothers sternly, “is all I’m going to say about it. Subject closed. Permanently.”

Colin was about to protest when the photographer walked in and began to set up his camera equipment. Edward joined them moments later, looking as elegant and dignified as his three sons in his tuxedo. Ian had elected to go with a very formal and very traditional black evening suit, white shirt, and black bow tie. He rarely fussed about his clothes, preferring simple, classic styles and neutral colors, and had done the same in choosing his wedding suit.

“Where’s Mother?” inquired Hugh as the photographer motioned Ian to stand between his two brothers for a shot.

“She’ll be along in a few minutes,” replied Edward. “She and Francine are helping tend to the bride, I believe.”

Colin snickered. “Better hope that old witch Mrs. C. isn’t giving your bride any fashion tips, Ian. Otherwise, Tessa might be walking down the aisle wearing a white tweed suit and horn rimmed glasses. Then again, she’d probably look hot even in that - sort of the sexy secretary image.”

“I sincerely doubt Tessa is taking fashion advice from Mrs. C.,” replied Ian drolly. “Francine is - well, something of a surrogate mother to Tessa, hard as that is to believe. And it means the world to Tessa to have her here today.”

“I get that,” replied Colin gently. “Though when I worked for the Dragon Lady during that summer of hell, she was more like a surrogate dungeon master to me. Longest bloody summer of my life that was.”

Hugh nodded. “For all of us, mate. Ah, here’s Mother now. Just in time for the family photo.”

Ian endured the next forty-five minutes or so of a seemingly endless round of photographs - ones of him alone, others with his brothers/groomsmen, more with his parents, additional ones with all five of them. He silently cursed himself for having selected the biggest, most elaborate package the photographer had offered, and wondered how many more photos he was going to have to endure before getting to the actual event.

Fortunately, the photo session wrapped up just a few minutes later, though Ian was well aware that this was just the beginning. Once the wedding ceremony was finished, there would be dozens of other photos he’d be expected to pose for with Tessa and their attendants. He sighed impatiently until he reminded himself why he was doing all of this - so that Tessa could have the wedding of her dreams, the sort all women deserved, but especially her. He knew that her first wedding to Peter had been worlds apart from the lavish event that would be taking place in just a short time, that the teenagers had married in a brief, impersonal civil ceremony at their local city hall, with no family or friends present, no flowers, no photographers. And the extent of their post-wedding celebration had been dinner at some chain restaurant in a shopping mall.

No, he chided himself. Whatever minor annoyances he would have to endure over the next few hours would all be worth it, just to see the joy on his bride’s face. He would do absolutely anything for Tessa, anything at all to make her happy, and if posing for an endless round of photographs was part of the package, then he would do so gladly.

Fifteen minutes before the ceremony was due to begin, Ian, accompanied by his two brothers, left the air-conditioned comfort of his parents’ suite and made his way to the outdoor chapel where guests had already begun to assemble. Two of Ian’s younger cousins, plus one of Joanna’s godsons, had been tapped to fill the roll of ushers, taking turns escorting female guests to their seats.

Everything, he noted with satisfaction, had been set up and arranged according to his and Tessa’s very exacting specifications. The rows of padded white chairs had been precisely arranged in rows, an intricate, beribboned floral arrangement affixed to the chair on the end of each row. Hundreds of cream and lavender roses adorned the arch that stood at the front of the chapel where the ceremony would take place in just a few more minutes. Off to one side a string quartet was playing pre-ceremony music, and a well-known tenor from the San Francisco Opera was warming up his voice for the aria he would sing as Tessa walked up the aisle.