Married By Midnight. Mollie Molay

and Max.

      “Something wrong, Dad?” Kelly said.

      Kelly’s father turned his angry gaze on Kelly. “Stupid is more like it!”

      From her father’s accusing look, Kelly instinctively knew she and Max were involved. “What’s the problem?”

      “The problem is the base chaplain refuses to marry you and Max. Father Joe insists the two of you need to know each other better before he’ll marry you.”

      “But, Dad, I told you Max and I are already married!”

      “An elopement in a Las Vegas hotel?” her father snorted. “That was no marriage. When I asked Joe to perform a real wedding in the base chapel, the fool refused. He wants to wait until he has a chance to meet and counsel the two of you to be sure it’s not a classic case of marry in haste and repent at leisure.”

      With a cautionary glance at Max, Kelly moved closer to him. “That’s okay with us, but later, please. I insist on a honeymoon now. Max has to go back to work.”

      Behind her, Max stirred. “Let me handle this, Kelly.”

      “No!” Kelly glared at Max. “I’m tired of being told what to do. It’s my life! I say we’re going on a honeymoon. Starting tomorrow morning.”

      “Now see here, Kelly,” her father growled. He shook a finger at her. “You’re putting the cart before the horse. You have to get married properly before you go off on a honeymoon. After all, there might be consequences.” His eyes blazed beneath his bushy eyebrows.

      Consequences? No way, Max reassured himself. When he’d changed out of his tuxedo back at the hotel, he remembered checking his wallet for the protection he usually carried. To his relief, he’d come up empty.

      On the other hand, maybe he’d jumped to the wrong conclusion too fast.

      There had been a deep, satisfied feeling of peace when he’d awakened this afternoon with Kelly’s creamy shoulder up against his bare chest. Judging from the contented smile on her face and the condition of the bed they had been in, the night must have been filled with more than pleasant erotic dreams.

      Definitely, once hadn’t been enough.

      Max felt his stomach begin to churn.

      Maybe it was a good thing he was so sure he and Kelly were married.

      At the rate the argument between Kelly and her father was going, and at the accusing looks Patrick and Damon were sending him, Max realized the redheaded O’Rourkes were too stubborn to compromise easily. He was a stranger, a civilian, definitely not Irish and, according to Kelly, therefore suspect. Still it was up to him to do something before things got out of hand. Before he jumped into the fray, he tightened his arms around Kelly in warning.

      Kelly’s father glanced at Sean’s grinning face. “This isn’t the time nor the place for this discussion. We’ll talk about this later.”

      Kelly mentally crossed her fingers and backed into Max’s arms. “I think you’re wrong, Dad, but that’s okay, too. One wedding is good enough for me.”

      “Well, it’s not good enough for me,” her father replied. He regarded Max with deep suspicion before he gave in. “However, since I’m sure no reputable minister or priest around here will marry you if the word gets out about Joe turning me down, I’m willing to compromise. I’ll rent you a houseboat for the honeymoon. That way, you’ll be close enough to come back and meet the family. If you agree, I’ll go along with a short delay. What do you say?”

      Max thought about it. “How long are you talking about?”

      “A week.”

      Kelly gasped. “No way!”

      Max held her closer. She might be feisty, a stubborn redhead like her father, but he still felt her tremble in his arms. His respect for her grew, and so did his determination to protect her. But he could see there was no way he could sway her father without creating a hell for all concerned.

      He eyed his father-in-law. “You’re right. We accept. As long as we can leave tomorrow morning.”