Return of the Runaway Bride

by Donna Fasano

  "What are you waiting for?" Savanna's deep blue eyes stared into his. "Get her there safely."

  "I will."

  "I'd better get inside," she said, grinning. "Amanda needs a bath. And Jimmy needs some ice cream, don't you Jimmy?"

  Daniel slid behind the wheel and started the engine. Looking in the rear-view mirror as he drove off, he caught sight of Savanna going up the front porch steps, the slit in the back of her red dress showing a sexy slice of thigh.

  When he'd stood in the doorway of Sheila's living room and seen Savanna in that clingy dress, he'd nearly fallen to his knees to thank God she was his date for the evening. The long expanse of lithe leg exposed had caused his heart to thump so hard he'd thought it would burst through his rib cage. His mind had begun to conjure images of them dancing to a slow tune, her body pressed tight to his.

  "Daniel!" Sheila shouted.

  He slammed his foot on the brake pedal and stopped at the intersection. "Sorry," he muttered.

  "Just be careful," she said. Sheila leaned her head against the headrest and closed her eyes. "I can't believe I'm causing Savanna to miss her dinner."

  "She didn't seem to mind," he said, turning left and heading into town.

  He realized his words were true, and that surprised him. A scowl dug into his brow. First, he'd accused her of not possessing the persevering character it would take to pull off this dinner. And he'd continued to hound her with his distrust. Now that she had shown him just how resolved she was, he found it necessary to attack her again. Why was he surprised by the fact that she didn't mind missing all the accolades that were due her for her hard work, all the praise that would have surely been forthcoming if she'd been present at the gala dinner tonight?

  Why, he wondered, did he continue to persist in finding fault in Savanna?

  "She's a good person."

  Sheila murmured her opinion as though in answer to his silent question. Then she began to breathe deeply, in a way that told Daniel he'd better hurry.

  The simple statement Sheila made ate at him. Savanna was a good person. She had been six years ago when he'd wanted her for his wife, and she still was now. Her running away from him hadn't changed that.

  When Savanna had stood in that parking lot and admitted she wanted to stay in Fulton, and then turned right around and promised to leave if he'd stay, she'd touched a place in him that hadn't seen the light of day in a very long time. Her selflessness had warmed his soul, and the cold, hard iceberg that had been his heart since she had left him six years ago had begun the long process of melting.

  He turned on his hazard lights, slowed down, and checked for traffic before cruising through a red light.

  He'd spent the past two weeks rethinking the enigma that was Savanna. She had told him she'd be in town for the fund-raising dinner, but his stubbornness had kept him from believing in her. She'd tried time and again to show him how dedicated she was to the hospital's plight. But his injured pride had blinded him to her efforts.

  Slowly, over the past days, he'd come to the realization that he needed to be honest with her. At the very least, he must congratulate her on her fund-raising achievements. If the charitable forecasts continued on schedule, Fulton General would be well on its way to running in the black. He knew she deserved a pat on the back.

  But if he were to be truly honest with her, he'd have to tell her how he felt. He'd have to tell her…

  "Daniel!" Sheila gasped. "Turn here!"

  Daniel slowed the car and pulled into the hospital's emergency entrance.

  ~ ~ ~

  Putting a mug of water into the microwave oven, Savanna closed the door and pushed the buttons to heat it. She glanced at the clock on Sheila's kitchen wall and thought that, if Ida was keeping to the dinner program, the scheduled speeches should have been over and dinner should have already been served.

  A smile tickled across Savanna's mouth as she remembered Miz Ida's self-doubt when the woman found out that she would be in charge. Savanna had gently encouraged her, giving her detailed instructions and telling her where she could find the master list of who was responsible for what. Savanna had assured Ida that she felt everyone was fully prepared and that she was just a phone call away if anything went haywire. Although Ida had called her several times, it was clear that the event was going off as planned.

  Savanna's smile widened further as she thought about Jimmy and little Amanda. She'd given Amanda a second bath, which hadn't been an easy task while wearing sequins. Then, after reading the toddler a story, she'd tucked Amanda into bed with a teddy bear. Jimmy had been too worried about his mother to fall asleep, so Savanna simply sat with him. It wasn't long before his eyes began to droop and she tiptoed out of his room.

  The microwave beeped, signaling that her water was hot. She dropped a herbal tea bag into the mug to steep, wondering if Daniel would return soon, or stay with Jim until the baby was born. Either way, she hoped she would eventually see him again tonight.

  What was she going to do? She wanted to move home to Fulton so badly she could taste it. And she wanted Daniel.

  As a rule, confrontation was her forte. It was simply her nature to boldly go after whatever it was she wanted. The tactic was how she'd become a professional success. But the memory of confronting Daniel at the board meeting made her extremely hesitant to admit her feelings to him.

  Still, the overwhelming need to know if she and Daniel had a chance refused to go away. She had to find out, one way or the other. So taking a sip from her steaming mug, she devised a plan. A moonlit, romantic plan.

  Around ten o'clock that evening, she was sitting on the front porch swing, its chains squeaking a slow, rhythmic tune, when two sets of headlights broke through the darkness. She was happy to see a smiling Jim get out of his car. But the sight of Daniel ambling toward her, still in his tux, had her feeling nervous. Breathless.

  "Well?" she asked Jim excitedly. "Do you have a new son, or a new daughter?"

  "Danielle Savanna Thompson weighed in at seven pounds, eleven and a half ounces." Jim's mouth split into a proud grin.

  "A beautiful baby girl." Daniel thumped the new father on the back.

  "Congratulations!" Savanna said, feeling honored that the baby was named after not only herself but Daniel too. "How's Sheila?''

  "She's just fine." Jim came up the porch steps. "A little tired, but real happy. She told me to scoot on home so you and Daniel could go to the country club."

  "It's only a few minutes past ten." Daniel stared up at her, his hand on the newel post. "We could make it over there in plenty of time for the last dance."

  "I'll need to go home and lock up," she said. Savanna descended the steps toward him, calling over her shoulder, "Good night, Jim. And congratulations again."

  "Thanks for everything, Savanna," he said.

  Daniel took her hand and tucked it in the crook of his arm and they made their way along the sidewalk.

  "Daniel," she began haltingly, "would you mind... terribly... if we didn't go to the country club?"

  "No." He shook his head. "But I thought you might like to check on things."

  "I've kept in touch with Ida. Everything's going smoothly." She offered him a sheepish little smile. "There's something else I'd rather do."

  "Anything," he murmured tenderly. "This is your night."

  By then, they had arrived at her house. She turned to face him at the base of the porch steps.

  "My night?" she asked.

  He nodded, moonlight throwing shadows on the smooth planes of his face. "I want to congratulate you on your success. Both of your fund-raising projects have gone much better than I ever anticipated. I should have said it before but..." He let his voice trail off and looked at the ground. Lifting his gaze, he said, "There's been talk." One corner of his lips quirked up. "A rumor, you might say, that Fulton General should become a client. Of yours, I mean."

  She couldn't hide her surprise. The news that the board wanted to hire her took a back seat to his prais
e. In the weeks she'd been working on the dinner, not once had he complimented her.

  "If it's not too far for you to travel," he quickly added.

  "Oh, no," she assured him. "I have clients up and down the East Coast." Besides, she wanted to add, if I have my way, I'll be living right here in Fulton. But for some reason she couldn't utter the words. She still couldn't get over the fact that he'd said something nice about the job she'd done.

  "Good." He stepped away from her and tugged at the hem of his dinner jacket. "I'll let the board know you're open to the idea." He cocked his head slightly. "So what was it you wanted to do?"

  She felt a devilish anxiety tingle in the pit of her stomach. "Wait right here. I'll only be two seconds."

  Dashing into the house and through to the kitchen, she snatched the small transistor radio off the top of the refrigerator and went back outside.

  "Let's go," she said, grabbing his hand and propelling him around the side of the house toward the backyard.

  "I have something I want to tell you." She felt breathless and excited. She fiddled with the dial until she found a slow, romantic love song. "But first…" She leaned the radio against the tree trunk, stood and kicked off her red shoes. "Will you dance with me?"

  Starlight caught the quizzical gleam in Daniel's eye. He seemed too perplexed to reply. Deciding to take his silence as affirmation, Savanna stepped close and his arms closed around her as if it were the most natural thing in the world.

  "You want to go under the gazebo?"

  From the way his question was expressed, Savanna could tell he felt as jittery as she.

  "No," she told him. "Here is fine."

  The grass was soft and cool against her stockinged feet, and she felt cocooned in Daniel's arms. He smelled so good; that sensuous scent of sandalwood that always started her nerve endings jangling. His hand enveloped hers in a loose, warm grasp. Slowly they started to sway under the night sky.

  The scene was set. The perfect number of stars, the perfect amount of moonlight, everything was perfectly romantic. Now she only had to find the perfect words.

  "The six years I was away," she began, "changed me."

  She watched his throat muscles tighten as he swallowed.

  "I'd agree with that." His voice came out in a husky whisper.

  "I've become...self-reliant." She looked up at him through lowered lashes. "Some would even use the word bold."

  Daniel held back a grin. "I'll agree with that too."

  The music ended and they stood facing each other, their gazes locked. A flash of self-consciousness ripped through her and she reached up to tuck back the curly tendrils of her hair that had escaped from the pins, but Daniel caught her wrist in his fingers.

  "Don't," he whispered. "It's perfect just the way it is."

  She smiled. Another slow tune began to drift on the warm evening air and they once again began to move to the alluring rhythm.

  Dancing in lazy circles, enveloped by Daniel's strong arms, Savanna knew without a doubt that she wanted this man to know all that was in her heart. There could be no easy way to tell him. If he wasn't able to overcome the distrust he felt, then she'd have to learn to live with that.

  "Daniel," she whispered, "I want you."

  He stopped dancing and stood motionless, his arms still around her, his questioning eyes fastened on hers.

  "I want you," she repeated louder. "I want to move back to Fulton, and I want you in my life. I love you, Daniel."

  It was obvious that her revelations stunned him.

  She rushed on, "I made a mistake six years ago…"

  He cut her off by lifting his hand and placing a finger gently against her lips.

  Shaking his head, he replied, "Don't ever say that. Don't ever call it a mistake."

  Daniel caressed her cheek and Savanna leaned into it, closing her eyes and reveling in the feel of his touch. Then he rubbed the pad of his thumb over her bottom lip.

  "If you hadn't left," he said, "you wouldn't be the person you are now. You needed to go. You had to go. I didn't understand that before. But I do now."

  She looked into his eyes and her heart swelled with love.

  "I tried so hard to prove myself."

  Again he stopped her words with gentle fingers.

  "You did," he said. "Although you shouldn't have had to, you did prove yourself. You proved a lot of things, but I was too damned pigheaded to realize."

  She reached up and took his hand in hers. And after kissing the fingertips resting against her lips, she pulled them away to grin and say, "I'd agree with that."

  He chuckled, a rich, sexy sound emanating from deep in his chest.

  "But," she whispered, her gaze taking on an utter seriousness, "that doesn't make me want you any less."

  "I want you too," he said. "I've wanted you since the day you arrived back in town." He pulled her even tighter against him, his desire laid bare by his lowered eyelids, his burning gaze, his gravelly sigh. "I love you. I don't think I ever stopped."

  The breath she expelled overflowed with relief. "I was so sure you regretted sleeping with me."

  "Not for a second." He cupped her jaw in the palm of his hand and covered her mouth with his. His lips were warm and moist, and they kindled in Savanna a passion that overwhelmed her with its intensity. Her heartbeat quickened and, without thought, without excuses, she gave in to the sensual aura encircling them. With an excruciating slowness that bordered on erotic, she traced the tip of her tongue across his hot, silken lips. It was all the invitation Daniel needed.

  Lost in his hungry kiss, Savanna vaguely discerned the sound of ragged breathing and couldn't tell if it was Daniel's or her own. The sudden urge to be closer to him compelled her to blindly fumble for the button of his suit jacket. Once she'd unfastened it, she slid her arms under the satiny lining and around his waist. The taste of his lips on hers, the feel of his touch on her skin, even the scent of him, made her dizzy with pleasure, delirious with happiness.

  Finally she drew back, her eyes growing misty as she looked at him. "Once, I ran away from the perfect man." She rested her forehead lightly against his chin, astonished by the sheer perfection of being in his arms.

  She lifted her gaze to his. Her voice grew sultry as she reached up and slid her hand behind his neck to pull him closer. "And now that I've found him again, I never want to let him go.”

  She kissed him then, under a velvet black sky filled with twinkling stars. And as Savanna was surrounded by the Southern summer night, enveloped by the heady scent of lilacs and the warmth of Daniel's love, she knew she was home.

  ~ ~ ~

  A note from the author

  I hope you enjoyed this updated and expanded version of Return of the Runaway Bride. I completed the original book in 1993 after overhearing a conversation between a mother and daughter in an elevator. The women had just picked up a bridal gown and the daughter said, "I just don't think I can go through with this." Her anguish touched me to the core, and before I knew it, a story began to take shape. The original manuscript was published by Silhouette Books in 1994.

  After acquiring the publishing rights to the book, I decided the story needed a little more romance… a little more sensuality. I hope you enjoyed these small additions.

  For more information about me and the books I've written, visit my website at:

  www.DonnaFasano.com

  ~ ~ ~

  Other Donna Fasano titles that are

  currently available or will be coming soon:

  The Merry-Go-Round

  Mountain Laurel

  Taking Love in Stride

  Wife for a While

  Nanny and the Professor

  Fortune's Bride

  Daddy Down the Aisle

 

 

 
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