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Epilogue - Six Months Later
Bennett
One thing I’d learned over the year I’d been with Dex was that rich people worked incredibly quickly. Not that I didn’t know it before I’d met him, but money pulled strings, and the more money a person had, the easier it was to pull those strings. All that to say, when we announced our engagement in the summer, Mom, Tam, and the guys all expected us to have a long engagement to plan a lavish, extravagant wedding. Because Dex had what amounted to basically unlimited resources, we were able to pull things together pretty quickly. That part, at least, was good because neither of us wanted to wait too long. We both wanted to start our forever as soon as possible. I’d moved into the mansion shortly after our engagement was announced, but we both wanted what Dex called “the paperwork.” I wanted to give him what he wanted, and he wanted to give me everything.
At first, I’d thought we would keep the guest list small, but Dex convinced me that a huge party was much better than a small one. He invited literally two hundred people, if not more. I lost count, because the only people I cared about were the guysfrom the team, Mom, Tam, and Dex. We held the event at the art museum where we’d met, with the reception in the same hall as the banquet we’d attended almost a year prior. Dex called it a full-circle moment, and I figured I’d let him have that one, because it didn’t matter to me where we said, “I do,” as long as I got to call him mine.
Tamara walked me down the aisle, my heart fluttering as I kept my gaze locked on Dex’s, except when I glanced away to notice Mom beaming at the end where she sat. Her energy could dip pretty low some days even though she was done with the experimental treatments and was tentatively cancer-free. They didn’t call it remission because it was too early to be sure, but the day I heard the words “No evidence of cancer” come out of Dr. Lockhart’s mouth was right up there with the day Dex proposed for the best days of my life.
The kickball team made up both sides of the wedding party, which made sense for us. Ethan and Archer were gradually becoming a part of the team too, and I didn’t want to leave them out, but I also didn’t want to have seven groomsmen and none for Dex. Because he was an only child whose family had all passed years ago, and because he was what I lovingly and jokingly called “a rich hermit,” he had nobody that wasn’t on his payroll to stand up for him. He did have Jude stand as his best man, though. Jude knew him better than anyone and was more than happy to be there. Archer, Ethan, and Jared filled in the rest of Dex’s side, while Cam, Theo, Parker, and Levi stood by me.
As I took my place at the head of the aisle, in front of Dex and our attendants, my hands trembled. When Dex took hold of them, something inside me steadied, and I took a deep breath, ready to do what we were there to do.
The officiant, a woman in her fifties with short-cropped hair and a nose ring, started the ceremony. “Thank you allfor gathering here today to witness the marriage of Dexter Thompson and Bennett Cantrell. They are honored to have you as their guests. Let’s begin.” We’d decided to keep the ceremony simple and mostly scripted. Neither of us felt clever enough to write our own vows, so instead, we asked the officiant to come up with something short and sweet instead. She turned to Dex first and asked him to recite the vows she read out. I was next, repeating the same set of vows directed at Dex. As we spoke, we held tight to one another’s hands, Dex stroking the back of my hand with his thumb.
Eventually, the officiant smiled and nodded. “It’s time to exchange rings.”
I turned to Cam and took a ring from him, ready to slide it onto Dex’s finger. He did the same, taking my ring from Jared.
Dex went first, sliding the ring onto my finger. “I give you this ring as a symbol of my love. I promise to love you for all the days of my life.” I repeated the action, and we both turned to the officiant, ready for the pronouncement.
She beamed. “With that, I officially pronounce you husbands, partners in life, and in love. You may kiss.”
He stepped toward me and slid a hand along my jaw and the world disappeared as he pressed his lips to mine, his other hand gripping my lower back. My breath caught in my throat as my lips parted, letting his tongue glide along mine. I could feel the way he held himself back from ravishing me right there in front of our friends and family. The hand on my lower back made a fist in my suit jacket and he groaned ever so softly. I couldn’t stop the chuckle that bubbled up from inside me.
When we parted, Dex kept his gaze locked on mine. “That’s it,” he murmured. “We’re married, Mr. Cantrell.”
I frowned and furrowed my brow. “I think I prefer Mr. Thompson.”
“Don’t you want to keep your own name? Doctor Cantrell has a nice ring to it.”
I couldn’t imagine anything I wanted less. I wanted to be Dex’s, in every way. I wanted the world to know. “So does Doctor Thompson. No more arguing.”
“Whatever you say, husband.” He winked.
“Damn right, you’re my husband. And you better look out, old man. I’m coming for your fortune,” I said with a grin.
Dex’s age wasn’t a problem for me, but it had taken Mom a while to get used to the fact that he was practically her peer, rather than twenty years younger than she was, like the guys I’d dated before. The real issue of contention for most folks, though, had been the fact that he had so much money. So many people—his lawyers and people he worked with—had recommended he insist on a prenup. Dex had refused, which surprised almost everyone we told, including my friends.
He shrugged as we made our way up the aisle to the reception. “What’s mine is yours now.”
I stopped walking and pressed another quick kiss to his lips. “That means more to me than you’ll ever know.”
We walked hand in hand past our guests and made our way to the courtyard, where the photographer wanted to take some pictures, before we joined our guests at the reception. Tables with piles of food and desserts were along one wall. There was a dance floor in the middle of the space, and guest tables skirted the dance floor. We did the obligatory first dance right away.
As we danced, Dex murmured dirty things in my ear the whole time, mostly to the effect of how he couldn’t wait to take me home and fuck me six ways to Sunday. “You won’t be able to walk when I’m finished with you,” he said, low and hot in my ear, and my cock took immediate notice, my ass aching in anticipation.
“Stop it,” I hissed. “You’re going to get me hard in front of everyone. Then what will I do?”
His eyes twinkled, and he squeezed my ass as he spoke. “I suppose we’ll just have to sneak off into the museum somewhere and take care of it, won’t we?” I dropped my head to his shoulder and stifled a groan, his chest shaking in laughter. “Fine, fine. I’m sorry. Here, think of baseball.”
“That’s not helpful. That was our first date, and it definitely didn’t end chastely.”
“Hmm, good point.” A moment later, the song ended. Dex twirled me around to the edge of the dance floor and patted me on the ass once more before he called over Jude.
“Sir?”
Dex cleared his throat. “We’re going to need a few minutes alone, if you don’t mind.” He gestured with his head toward the adjoining hall of artwork. “We just want to have a few minutes to take a breath.”
