Snapshot: Chapter 19

“A

nother bite?” I ask Lennox. She’s sitting on my kitchen countertop, wearing my button-down shirt like an open robe draped over her naked body. With her ankles crossed, she’s swinging her legs, her heels tapping the cabinets with a soft rhythmic thud.

Nodding with wide eyes, she answers, “Like five more bites. You’re such a good cook. If I could, I’d marry you again. How come you’ve never cooked like this for me before?”

“Seemed too intimate while you were dating someone else,” I say, cutting another hearty square piece of French toast and dabbing it in whipped cream before popping it into her mouth. It would’ve been much better when it was hot two hours ago, but there were more pressing matters at hand. Now, she’s enjoying the leftovers, still looking happier than I’ve ever seen her. My chest is full. Maybe I’m bursting with pride. I did that. I put that smile on her face. Now my whole life purpose is to keep it there.

“Cooking for someone is intimate?” she asks after chewing and swallowing.

“Oh yeah,” I say. “Even more so than sex. If I caught another man in your bed, I’d ruin his life. But if I caught another man cooking for you, the police would have to scavenger hunt for body parts.”

She squints one eye. “Yeah, okay. That seems…reasonable.”

I smirk at her. “Glad you agree.” Uncrossing her legs, I wedge myself between her smooth thighs. “How are you doing?”

“What do you mean?”

“You went from a breakup, to homeless, to married, to screwing your best guy friend in the timespan of a week. I’m sure your head is still spinning.”

“Technically, inaccurate. Finn’s my best guy friend.” She flashes me a close-lipped, smartass smile.

“I resent that.” I tap her nose. “But did you tell him we got married yet?”

“No,” Lennox answers.

“Why not?”

“Same reason I haven’t told my parents yet.”

“Being?” I prod.

“I’ve been trying to avoid my feelings for you for years. Then, the minute money and your company are on the line…we give in? It doesn’t look good, and I don’t expect people to understand.”

I run my thumb against her cheek. “Since when do you care about what people think?”

“I’m not concerned what anyone else thinks of me. But my parents, Finn, and Avery? They aren’t just people to me. I look up to all of them and I don’t want them to perceive me as a gold digger. If we had gotten married for any reason outside of Hessler Group, I’d want to parade you around, shouting from the rooftops that I’m happy. But…I don’t know. It feels a little weird outside of our bubble.”

“It feels a little weird?” I watch the worry lines form on her forehead.

“Yes.”

“Forget how this happened, Lennox. Let’s just be glad it did. It doesn’t feel weird to me.”

She smiles. “How does it feel for you?”

I search my mind for the best answer. All I want is to put her mind at ease. “It feels like my favorite memory. Like I returned to a home I didn’t even know I had.”

She puckers her bottom lip. “You are so good at that. The way you speak to me…”

“It’s all the PR and public speaking training. I was born to be in corporate or politics.”

She shakes her head and wrinkles up her nose like she smells something disgusting. “I think you have more potential than that, Dex. But I do wish I could borrow your confidence in the matter. You’re not worried about what anyone is going to say? You just appointed a CEO whose most impressive business accomplishment is an unimplemented dive shop business plan she wrote out when she was eighteen years old. You’re going to have hell to pay with your leadership team.”

“First of all, you underestimate yourself.” I kiss her forehead. “You know what my grandma used to tell me?”

“What’s that?”

“Leadership is less about what’s in your head and more about what’s in your heart. Business can be learned, but a cold heart will starve potential every single time. You have the best heart, Len. That’s all you need.”

She rolls her eyes. “Sappy.”

“Roll your eyes at me again,” I say, dropping my voice to a husky whisper. “I’ll bend you over this counter and spank you.”

She chuckles as she clamps her knees tightly around my waist. “Go ahead and do your worst, Mr. Hessler.”

“Second of all,” I say, refocusing before I get too distracted. Now, bending Lennox over this counter is at the forefront of my mind. Every three hours, like a biological timer, the urge bubbles up and I need to have her. Let’s hope the obsession fades or I’ll become the most unproductive, useless piece of shit on the planet, unable to function without my body locked into my wife. “This was my decision. You were my choice. The only other person who gets a say in that is you. If the executive team has a problem with it, they can leave their jobs and pensions at the door and walk the hell away.”

Lennox still doesn’t have a full grasp on how much power I have. How much power she now has. I don’t think she’d care though. It’s my favorite part of her. We could be happy together with absolutely nothing. That’s the kind of love Grandma wanted for me. The kind that withstands all the changes and challenges. She knew from the moment she met Lennox what I wanted. I was too stubborn and distracted to move my feet, so she had to force my hand.

Thank you, Grandma.

Scooting the plate aside, I plant my hand on the counter and lean into Lennox’s body. I bury my nose in her neck, smelling the light traces of my shampoo that she used. It smells so much better on her. “Are you still hungry? Or can we move on from lunch?” I kiss down her neck and across her clavicle. When I run out of skin, I push my shirt off her shoulders, exposing her tits and pert nipples.

“I’m never going to get enough of you,” I murmur.

I scoot her to the edge of the counter and reach between her legs. The tip of my finger is barely slick from her entrance when I hear a loud, “Oh, shit! Dex, I’m sorry.”

It’s not Lennox’s voice.

I whip my head around to see Denny standing at the entrance of my kitchen, covering her eyes murmuring, “Sorry, sorry, sorry,” as she blindly backs away, getting dangerously close to falling down the stairs that lead to the basement. She’d break her neck tumbling down those stairs.

“Denny, watch out! Stairs,” I shout. Eyes popping open, she dodges the stair landing and pivots before scuttling down the hallway.

“I’ll wait outside,” she calls over her shoulder.

I blink a few times, trying to make sense of the situation. Denny is here in Las Vegas…in my home…and just saw me fingering my wife. I check Lennox’s face. She looks mortified as she pulls my shirt back over her shoulders and wraps herself up as tightly as she can. Her cheeks are scarlet red and her jaw is tense.

“I’m sorry,” I mutter.

“So…that’s Denny, huh?”

“That’s Denny,” I respond.

“Denny with a key, hm?” Lennox looks pissed, but I can’t imagine she’s jealous. Denny is old enough to be my mother. Maybe it’s just embarrassment, but we weren’t doing anything wrong. An uncomfortable sight for an outsider, but there’s nothing wrong with enjoying my new marital bliss however I please in my home. Why she’s here is the big question.

Then again…

“Not a key,” I explain. “She has the code to the front lock. Denny was in charge of arranging the moving and cleaning crew. I gave her the code last week so she could schedule everything.” I grimace as I tuck Lennox’s hair behind her ear. “She was also the one trying to find me a wife. And I ghosted her last night when I asked you to marry me.” I shake my head realizing I caused this uncomfortable situation. “I haven’t opened her texts or answered any of her calls. She probably thought something happened to me.”

Lennox crosses her arms even tighter. “Were you ignoring her because she’s going to be pissed we got married?” There’s a touch of sadness in her eyes.

“Not at all.” Running my hand over her shoulder, then down her arm, I try to relieve the tension. She looks so on edge at the moment, like prey that senses a predator. “I’ve been ignoring everyone. Apparently, I’m a little neglectful of my responsibilities when I’m this happy.”

Immediately, she relaxes. “Well, that’s sweet.” She places her hands on my cheeks. “Now, duty calls. Give me a two-minute head start to get up the stairs then hurry up and bring her back in. It’s chilly out today.” Stepping aside, I let her tiptoe away. She peeks down the hallway before darting across the living room, then upstairs.

I don’t retrieve Denny immediately. I scrape Lennox’s plate clean into the trash then rinse it in the sink. I even wash my hands and take my time drying them off on the kitchen towel. I’m trying to come up with a reasonable explanation before I address Denny. The last conversation we had, she was expecting me to commit to Allie. Canoodling with Lennox was enough of a surprise for her. Finding out she’s my wife, and now the CEO of Hessler Group, might send Denny into a coronary.

When I pull open the front door, I see Denny sitting on the porch. She’s in a tight pencil skirt that goes past her knees, forcing her to sit awkwardly like a land-stranded mermaid. She turns around, and before I can address her, she blurts out an explanation. “You dropped off in the middle of an important conversation and I never heard back from you, Dex.”

I quirk my brow. “It’s been eighteen hours, Denny. Not even a full day.”

She pauses. “Doesn’t matter. Every alarm in my mind was going off. I rang the doorbell, but it didn’t sound. I knocked, but no one answered. So, I used the code because I thought…” She plants her hand across her chest which is rising and falling with her panicked breathing. “I could’ve been walking into a bloody crime scene. You’re so secretive here. Dottie was the only one who could get through to you, and I thought…I thought… What if something happened to you? Who would know? Who would tell me? It’s my job to know, and I couldn’t…” Tears streak down her cheeks as she heaves.

“Oh, Denny.” I cross the short width of the porch and help her to her feet. I pull her into a hug, patting her back. “I’m sorry. I didn’t realize you’d worry so much.”

She returns my hug but smacks my back hard. “Didn’t think I’d worry?” Her tone is scolding. “I’m your family. Of course, I was worried!”

I hold her for a while until she calms down. “Feel better?” I ask as I pull away.

She glares at me. “Somewhat. I’m glad you’re breathing.”

“Sweet of you,” I say with sarcasm. “Would you like to come inside?” I peer up and down the street. “How’d you get here?”

“The family jet and then a car service. The driver went off to get gas the moment I got into the house. He’ll be back shortly if you want me to leave.”

“Don’t be silly. Come in.” I nod to the door.

“Is your guest still…”

“Getting dressed. She’ll be down in a moment, and I’ll introduce you.”

Suddenly recomposed, Denny crosses her arms in a way that tells me a lecture is on the tip of her tongue. “Dex, I understand you have your life here, but out of respect for your new wife, it’s probably best to keep your dalliances minimal. The last thing we want is people insinuating that you’re having an affair mere moments after getting married. Allie, or any woman for that matter, wouldn’t want to be embarrassed in the media like that.”

I let out a heavy sigh, deciding to rip off the Band-Aid right here, right now. “The dalliance you’re referring to is not a one-night stand. Her name is Lennox Mitchell. She was a very good friend of mine. Now, she’s my wife.”

Denny gawks at me. “I’m sorry…what?” she hisses. “What do you mean ‘your wife?’”

I clear my throat and give Denny a warning look. I understand she’s shocked, and my communication has been pretty piss-poor, but disrespecting Lennox is not a line she nor anybody else is allowed to cross. I mentally plead for her to respect some boundaries before I have to kick her off my porch. “Denny, I won’t be marrying Allie or any of the other women you suggested. Last night, I asked Lennox to marry me, and she agreed.”

Denny breathes out in relief. “Oh, you mean you’re engaged. So, there’s still time to talk you out of⁠—”

“And then last night we got married at a chapel just outside The Strip.”

She goes back to jaw-dropped gawking.

“Denny—”

“I thought we talked about you running this stuff by me?”

I pinch the bridge of my nose, controlling my temper. If Denny was a normal employee this condescending attitude wouldn’t be accepted, but this woman helped change my diapers and used to buy me rubber bath duckies. I have to grant her a little grace. “There was no changing my mind. And I’d like to convey how completely devoted I am to my marriage. Please understand that anything you say moving forward about Lennox is about my wife. You know how unreasonably protective men get when they’re in love, right?”

“In love?” she practically spits out. “How come I’ve never heard of her once? Now you’re in love? Dex…be with whomever you want after Hessler Group is yours again. Surely you can wait a year. This isn’t what Dottie wanted.”

“I’m pretty confident it’s exactly what she wanted,” I chide.

It seems like we’re both puffing up our chests, trying to prove who has the superior point in the argument. But it really doesn’t matter what Denny wants. She’s not the heir of Hessler Group. I am. Denny doesn’t need to obsess about my company. She’ll be well taken care of for the rest of her life. I’ll make sure of that. She doesn’t need to bear the burden of my business decisions…or my personal ones, for that matter.

She rubs her arms when the brisk breeze cuts through the porch.

“It’s cold. Come inside, Denny. You’ll love Lennox. She’s the most amazing woman I know. You guys will be fast friends, and she’ll need your help just like Grandma did. I’m adding to our family, not taking away. I’d really like your support in this because I don’t want to say goodbye to any more members of my family.”

I’ll admit, I’m laying it on a little thick. But maybe if Denny realizes she’s safe, she’ll see Lennox as less of a threat.

Denny hangs her head, her eyes watering again. She wipes her nose with the back of her hand and sniffles in a very un-Denny-like fashion. “I stood by Dottie through everything. She lost Melody and was left to raise you. Harrison all but abandoned her with an empire she was unprepared to run. I watched this woman become a phenomenon, never cracking under the pressure that would’ve broken anyone else. She worked so hard for everything we have, Dex. I don’t want to see it fall apart in front of my eyes. Protecting you is the only way I know how to honor her now. So, please pardon me for being skeptical of any woman who says she loves you after you wave a billion-dollar company in her face.”

My eyes drop to the ground. “Isn’t that exactly what Allie and the other women did? They agreed to be my wife in exchange for a payout?”

“No, those were business transactions. Love is an entirely different matter. You can trust one, not the other.”

“I agree.” But I know we’re talking about two different things. Denny trusts paperwork. Grandma wanted me to trust my heart.

Denny’s driver returns, slowly pulling up in front of the house.

“Denny, she’s everything to me. Everything. So can you please play nice?” I point to the car over her shoulder. “Or are we about to say goodbye?”

I swear she glares at me before adjusting her expression. She pats my cheek, which should feel like an affectionate gesture from a maternal figure. Instead, it feels condescending. “If you’re happy, I’m happy.”

“You sure?”

She nods. “I’m just scared, Dex. What you have now, the world wants to take it away. And they will attack the moment you let your guard down. You need to be surrounded by people you can trust. That’s all.”

“Don’t be scared.” Gently placing my hand on her back, I guide her into the warm house. “Come inside and meet my wife.”