Chapter 32

He had to look at the papers again to make sure he was reading it right. Looking at her and seeing she was in shock, he touched her hand. “Baby, do you know what this means?”

She shook her head, looking back at him. “I’m not sure if I do.”

“Your father has given you the New York company. You are the sole owner of it. He’s keeping the other ones, but this one belongs to you.

“You are the boss and can design your own line of clothing. He will also put your designs in his other businesses around the world.”

“Why would he do this?”

“Maybe he believes in you that much, and also out of guilt for not making you a partner in the first place. It says here you can change the name to make it more yours.”

Her hand shook a little when she picked up one of the papers. “I don’t know if I can do this. I’ve always just done the design, never been the boss before. What am I going to do?”

He took the paper from her hand and laid it down. He put his hands on each one of her cheeks.

“What you’re going to do is get up on Monday, get dressed, and go down to your office and walk in with a smile on your face and hold your head held up.

“You will let them all know you’re the boss and change things to the way you’ve always wanted it to be.”

“Do you really think I can do this?”

“Baby, I have the utmost confidence in you, and I know you’ll make it a bigger success than it already is.”

She threw her arms around his neck. “Thank you for believing in me.”

She smiled at him. “It looks like we both have new jobs to go to on Monday. I just thought of something. That check I got from my father, I know what I want to do with it.”

“What have you decided? Oh lord, please tell me you aren’t going to buy more clothes and shoes.

“We don’t have the room. The spare bedroom is full, and you still have half of your stuff back at the mansion.”

She giggled. “No, silly. I’m not going shopping. Well, maybe later, but I was thinking about what you said before about buying a bigger place.

“How would you feel about putting the money down on a house?”

“It’s your money. You should keep it for yourself. I can afford to buy us a house.”

“I know you can, but since it’s going to be both of our houses, let me do this. Just so you know, I will be looking for one with an extra-large walk-in closet.”

He couldn’t help but laugh. He’d already counted on that.

“All right. We have a lot to celebrate, so why don’t you go into the bedroom and get naked and into bed while I open up a bottle of champagne.”

“Okay, but don’t take too long, or I might start without you,” she said, winking at him before leaving the room.

When he walked into the bedroom carrying the bottle of champagne and two glasses, he was happy to find her in bed. She was sitting up, with the sheet covering her breasts.

“Drop the sheet, so that I can admire those beautiful breasts of yours.”

She got turned on when he ordered her in that forceful tone of his. It was the same tone he’d used on her when he first arrived to protect her.

The tone told her she had better do what she was told, or else. Moving the sheet down to her waist, she licked her lips seductively.

“Now it’s your turn. Take off your clothes, so that I can admire what belongs to me.”

He did as she requested and went over to the bed and sat down, handing her the glasses so that he could pour the champagne into them. His eyes kept going to her breasts.

“Damn, I love your breasts, and I enjoy playing with them.”

“You’re so naughty,” she said, taking a sip of her drink.

They spent the rest of the night making love, until they were both exhausted and fell asleep. True to his word, he delighted in touching, licking, and sucking on them.

The next day, while she was preparing a speech to give to those who were now her employees, Dexter told her he had to go on some errands.

She gave him a kiss goodbye. She had heard him talking on the phone earlier that morning and figured it was to do with his new job.

Later that afternoon she had finished the speech and worked out some new changes she wanted to make for her company.

Since Carson and Cathy had worked for them for several years and had been holding down the fort while she was off, she decided to make them co-office managers.

Dexter was whistling when he got on the elevator, carrying flowers and Chinese takeout.

His life was perfect. He’d found the woman of his dreams and was starting a new job where he could be home every night.

Yes, it wasn’t dangerous or as exciting, but he was so done with all of that. Entering the apartment, he called out, “I’m home, and I brought dinner for us.”

He heard her answer from the kitchen, so he headed in that direction.

She looked up from all of her notes and smiled. “Oh, good. Dinner. I was going to make something, but time got away on me. What’s in the small box?” she asked, pointing to what he had in his hand.

“Dessert from that bakery across the street, the one you love.” He handed her the flowers. “These are for you, my sweet love.”

“Thank you. I love them. Grab some plates while I put these in some water. You know, you’re going to spoil me if you keep surprising me like this.”

She put them in the vase and placed them on the table where they were going to eat, so that she could look at them.

When they were done eating, he slid the small box from the bakery toward her. “Here you go. It’s your favorite. Chocolate cupcake with white frosting and a strawberry on top.”

“Oh, I couldn’t eat another bite, so I’ll save it for later.”

“Roxie, I really think you should have it now.”

“But I’m full.”

“Please, just open it.”

“All right, but if I get sick later, it’s all your fault.”

He sat back, watching her face when she lifted the lid and saw what was inside. Her face lit up, and she let out a squeal.

“Oh my God, Dexter. It’s so beautiful,” she said as drops of tears fell down her face. Wedged between the strawberries was the most amazing diamond ring she had ever seen.

As she was admiring the ring, he reached over her, taking it from the strawberry, and got down on his one knee.

“I know I already accepted your proposal, but I feel that me being the man, it’s my duty to propose to you.

“Roxie, you have become my life, and it would make me very happy if you would agree to marry me. I love you. Will you marry me?”

She got down on her knees so that she was at eye level with him. “Yes. Oh God, yes, I’ll marry you.” She started crying when he placed the ring over her finger.

He pulled her to her feet, his arms going around her waist. He gave her a kiss, one that had her moaning his name when he picked her up and carried her to the bedroom.

Later they lay in each other’s arms as she admired the ring.

“Is this the errand you had to run today?”

“Yes, and then I went to the bakery and had this ring put in the strawberry. I also went to see Chad, and he showed me where I would be working.”

“We’re going to be busy for the next little while, what with us going to work and finding a house. We also have a wedding to plan,” she said, already exhausted just thinking about everything.

“We could hold off on the house hunting until after the wedding,” he said, because there was no way he was going to wait to marry the love of his life.

“Should we wait to set a date?”

He shook his head. “No, I want to get married as soon as possible. How about six months from now?”

“That’s awfully fast. But it can be done, if we hire a wedding planner. With the help of one, it will make things a lot easier for us, and maybe we’ll be able to start looking for that house after all.”

“All right, you go ahead and hire one, and I’ll start checking out the real estate market. What type of house are you thinking of?”

She thought about it for a minute. “I don’t want anything too big, and yet not too small. I was thinking of four bedrooms, three and a half baths, and a nice backyard with a pool.

“With us both working, would it be all right if we had a housekeeper come in three or four times a week?”

“Whatever you want is fine with me. But I think you’re going to be pretty busy for the first few months with your business, so we should actually hire someone full-time.”

Well, she wasn’t going to argue with him on that. Having grown up in a rich family and having household staff, she wasn’t used to housework, even though she did know how to cook.

“Yes, I think that’s a good idea. I’m a good cook, but I’m a lousy housekeeper.”

“That’s all right. You’re amazing in other areas,” he said, climbing back on top of her.

On Monday, she walked into her office and was greeted by all of the employees. It was obvious that they already knew she was now the owner and the boss.

She set up a meeting and had all the employees gather around. She made her speech, and at the end of it was when she announced that Cathy and Carson had been made managers.

The two were pleasantly surprised to find out that they were now a bigger part of the company. They also had a surprise for Roxie, which they told her in private.

Carson took hold of Cathy’s hand, both of them grinning like a pair of teenagers. “We’re a couple now, and we’re madly in love,” he said, smiling at Cathy.

The first week back to work was busy for the two of them. Roxie was busy designing clothes for the customers she’d met at the party where Douglas had tried to kill her.

She had to deal with suppliers and set up appointments with potential clients, among other things. Dexter was getting to know the rookies for the FBI. The first week of training was a little brutal.

At first, the rookies couldn’t understand why they needed such intense training, and they were reluctant to do it.

He gathered the newbies together and stood before them with his arms crossed, a stern look on his face. He did not crack a smile.

“You think that carrying a gun is all you need to take down the criminal? What good will your gun do you if someone comes up behind you and slams a board, gun, or lead pipe across your head?

“I am going to train you to hear when there is no sound. I’m going to train you to see when your eyes are closed. Then I will teach you moves that may save your life someday.

“Many of you will have cases that are extremely dangerous, and just your gun and badge will not protect you.

“You also have to learn how to profile criminals, get to know what makes them tick, their traits and their personality. I’m going to warn you right now: I’m tough, and I will not take any shit.

“I’m going to work you hard, and you’re all going to hate me, but I don’t care. You will do as I say when I say, or you will be out of this class and out of the FBI.

“Now anyone here who thinks that carrying a gun is all you need, then you get the hell out now.”

He looked around the room, staring each and every one of them straight in the eyes. When no one made a move to leave, he clapped his hands.

“Okay, let’s get started. I want fifty push-ups from everyone, and then I want to see you climbing that rope in under thirty seconds. Go, go,” he shouted.

After two straight hours of physical endurance, he dismissed the class, telling them that next time he would start teaching them the necessary skills to keep them alive and capture the criminals.

By the end of the first week, they were both exhausted, but she managed to book a wedding planner, who they had to meet the following Saturday.

As they lay in bed, they went on his laptop, going through the houses for sale.

“There are so many beautiful homes to choose from,” she said, yawning.

Seeing how tired she was, he closed his laptop. “We can go through this another time. Right now, I think we both need a good night’s sleep. I don’t want us rushing into picking something out.

“It has to be the perfect house, one that we’ll both fall in love with.”

“You’re right. I’m too tired right now to think clearly,” she said, snuggling into his arms.

“What’s the name of the wedding planner?”

“Vince Weller.”

“Wait a minute. Are you telling me our wedding planner is a man?”

“Yes. What’s wrong with that?”

“A male, isn’t that a little unusual? I’ve never heard of a man being a wedding planner.”

“Oh Dexter, sometimes you can be so old-fashioned, just like your mother,” she said, giggling before falling asleep.