Star-Spangled Bride

She would do anything for him at that moment, fight a dragon, blow up CNN's satellite. 'What?' she whispered.

'Don't tell the entire world I slugged you.'

FIVE

It hadn't been too bad so far, Ronnie thought as her gaze swept over the sea of reporters and cameras. There was James Ketrick, who had been with ABC in Kuwait. She recognized a few other faces. Damn, she wished she was out there with them instead of here on this blasted podium.

The news conference had gone on for over an hour and focused almost entirely on Gabe's experiences during his captivity. Whenever questions came up concerning her part in his escape, he had deftly changed the subject or deflected the question with a promise to address it later. With any luck she'd be able to scoot out of this with a minimum of attention and get-

'And now that we've gone over all the depressing details, we'll move to the more colorful aspects of the story.' Gabe leaned forward intothe microphones on the podium. 'Dan has prepared a news release to give you all regarding the exact details of my escape, and I'm sure you've already heard rumors of my colleague's part in it.' Ronnie stiffened as he inclined his head in her direction. 'It wasn't just a part. She planned, set up, and executed every detail of my release with no help from any government or private agency.'

A rush of murmurs swept the audience.

'She did so at the risk of her life and danger of her own captivity.' His lips thinned. 'And believe me, the latter is no small risk, as she knew very well. Let me tell you a few things about Ronnie Dalton. You all know her work. Among other stories she did Jed Corbin's camera work in San Salvador, the Los Angeles riots, and the hurricane coverage at Homestead.

'What you haven't heard about is a few other episodes in her life. That she turned in film of atrocities in Kuwait to the Human Rights Commission rather than sending it to the networks.'

Ronnie could feel the heat in her cheeks. She should never have told Gabe about that, she thought in disgust. He was making her sound noble, for heaven's sake.

'You probably also never heard that inSomalia she drove an unescorted relief truck to a village in an area beset by bandits.'

Her mouth fell open.

He smiled at her. 'Sorry, Ronnie, I know you're going to want revenge after this.' He turned back to the reporters. 'And you might be interested in the fact that she paid for that relief truck out of her own pocket and offered similar help to the homeless in Homestead. There are probably several other instances you can dig up that will prove what kind of woman she is. I've never met a braver or more honest individual or one more worthy of representing the United States around the world.' He paused and then added soberly, 'There are a few things that aren't as wonderful in her life, and she won't talk about those either. To save you from digging them up, you'll find a complete dossier on Ronnie Dalton with the material Dan will hand out. What won't be in the dossier is that I will have the extreme honor of marrying this remarkable woman tomorrow afternoon at four o'clock.' He held up his hand to stop the outbreak of questions. 'I've been away a long time and I'm homesick as hell. It's my hope that the American people will be generous enough to permit my wife to come home with me.' He paused. 'Because I won't come home without her.'

Ronnie stared at him, stunned. 'You can see she's a little surprised. We agreed to go public, but she didn't expect me to put her on the spot like this.' He grimaced. 'She'll make me suffer for it later.'

He ignored the laughter as he reached out his hand to pull her to her feet. 'Come on, Ronnie, I'll let them ask you three questions and then we'll escape from here.'

Her knees were shaking and she needed his support as she joined him in front of the microphones. 'Don't you dare leave me,' she said in an undertone.

'I'll be here.' He held her hand as they faced the cameras. 'Be kind to her. She deserves it.' He lifted Ronnie's hand to his lips and kissed it.

The old-world gesture should have looked phony coming from such a contemporary powerhouse as Gabe Falkner. It didn't appear anything but graceful and caring and just right. He was just right. She couldn't stand here and stare at him. Cripes, she must look a complete dunce.

She straightened her shoulders and turned to face the audience. 'Okay, I'm here. I don't want to be here. I'd much rather be out there with you. So fire away and let me blow this joint.'

The room erupted and Gabe stepped forward. 'Three questions.'

'How did you manage to secure Falkner's release when the other attempts were unsuccess-ful?'

'I had the help of my father.'

'You'll find several references to Ronnie's father in the dossier.' Gabe pointed to another reporter. 'Next.'

'We've never heard of you in connection with Falkner. How long has this relationship been going on?'

'Years.'

She pointed to James Ketrick. 'You, Jim.'

Ketrick was smiling cynically. 'You're trying to tell us you rescued Gabe Falkner because you love him, Ronnie?'

Cripes, there were going to be soppy headlines from New York to Bangkok. She looked at Gabe in panic. He was smiling ruefully at her, giving her support, strength, and warmth, making everything all right again.

Shock rippled through her and she inhaled sharply.

'Ronnie,' Gabe prompted softly.

She tore her gaze away and faced the reporters. 'Yes,' she said shakily. 'What else could I do? I love him.'

She stepped back and Gabe's arm immediately went around her. 'That's all.' He nodded to Dan, who immediately began distributing the news releases. The distraction allowed them to reach the door without interference, and the guards had been given orders to let no one leave the room for five minutes after they had made their getaway.

'You did very well,' he said as he swept her down the hall toward her suite. 'Just the right amount of professionalism and sentiment. For a minute I thought that honesty of yours was going to get us into trouble.'

'Soppy.' She didn't look at him. 'They'd be nuts to believe us.'

'You were very credible.'

Credible. She almost laughed hysterically. She had felt stripped, naked. 'You should have told me you were going to lay everything out on the table.'

'I wanted to go public with the whole package. If we're perfectly open at the outset, there won't be any scandal stories dribbling in over the next few weeks to undermine us.' He added, 'Besides, you were nervous enough as it was. Now it's over.'

'It's just begun. Now there's no place to hide.'

'You won't need a place to hide.'

'And you shouldn't have told them you wouldn't go home without me. You're going to look like an ass when you have to do it.'

'I decided to up the ante. If they want to get the captive home, they have to take you too.'

'Look, even if Immigration goes along with us, it will take a long time.'

'Then we'll wait.'

Commitment. She should have known he would go all the way once he had decided to help her. She walked faster. 'And what's this about the marriage ceremony?'

'Strike while the iron is hot. Today they write about a heroine who fulfills their imaginations.'

'Who is incidentally a criminal,' she added grimly.

He ignored the qualification. 'And tomorrow we give them pictures of the bride to stir their hearts.' Gabe stopped before the door of her suite. 'You'll need a wedding gown. What size? Eight?'

'Six. Where are you going to get a wedding gown?'

'Dan will find something appropriate. It may not be haute couture, but no one will expect that on such short