Page 7 of Savage Romance
Zoe blinked. This man was a ruthless predator, and he did nothing that didn’t gain him either power or wealth. Since he would lose money over this… deal, her guess was he wanted power. Power over her. Power to make my life more miserable than my stepdad did my brother’s.
“Um, because we have nothing in common. There’s nothing between us.”
Zoe couldn’t deny the attraction that hummed between them. It made her angry because she wanted to hate him. And she hated that she didn’t. Dressed in an immaculate suit with a stylish shirt, he carried himself with a posture of a man of power. Even his clashing tie added a careless charm, like he just didn’t care about style. Or maybe the man was colorblind?
Dennehy closed the distance between them, halting only when he was within touching distance. Sitting on the couch she had to tip back her head to maintain eye contact. “Look I appreciate the help, but now I have to go and—”
Her sentence ended abruptly when his warm palm cupped her cheek. A tingle started at the base of her spine, and it took all her willpower not to lean into the strength and comfort his hand offered.
Holding herself stiffly upright, Zoe folded her hands in her lap and fought to regain her balance.
Tall and solidly built, he loomed over her, and Zoe found it hard to focus on the matter at hand. She sucked in a breath. “Well, thank you for the rescue. Now if you will excuse me, I have to figure out how to solve the mess Mikey left me.”
His thumb caressed her bottom lip. “Tell me, darlin’, why is the thought of marriage so upsetting to you?”
You mean, besides the fact I don’t like you and I think you’re, if not the direct cause, at least responsible for my brother’s death?
She suppressed the urge to roll her eyes. “My thoughts and emotions on the subject aren’t anything for you to consider. What’s important for you is the fact I do not want to marry you. Besides, I can’t imagine you want to marry me. This entire conversation is moot and I’m leaving.”
He stood so close, she would be pressed up flush against him if she rose. Zoe shut out the little voice in the back of her head, reminding her how wonderful he felt and how comforting it would be in his arms. Killer-by-proxy, she reminded herself, not some knight in shining armor.
“Haven’t we been in the same room the last couple of minutes?” His eyebrows drew together. “We’re getting married.”
She scoffed. “No, we’re not.”
“Yes, we are.”
Stubborn son of a biscuit eater.
“But why? We don’t love each other, aren’t in love. Seriously, Dennehy. We barely even know each other.” And wasn’t that the truth? Although she hadn’t flat out lied to him at any point, she’d withheld a whopper of a truth from him.
“Darlin’,” he drawled. “We don’t need love to marry. People marry all the time. For instance, to obtain a green card, to secure medical insurance, or for other benefits. A marriage is just another contract with mutual benefits between people.”
But, but…
Her head was spinning again, so she concentrated on her breathing.
To Ben, the next couple of days went by in a blur of preparations, documents, clothes fitting, and more paperwork. His Jaguar came to a graceful stop and idled in front of the impressive four-story, red-brick mansion with white trimmings.
The woman beside him was subdued, which wasn’t a good look for her. She was still gorgeous with her voluptuous curves, thick wavy hair, and creamy skin, but he preferred her opinionated and argumentative. He liked her vibrant temperament and sparkling intelligence. This Zoe was a shadow of the woman who told him right to his face what was wrong with his hotel during her interview, and the hotel manager who took on two bullies in her first week of work. He could only hope she would return to her normal self after this charade was all over.
Last week as his mind settled on the idea of getting married to this intriguing and enigmatic woman, Ben found he had been anticipating the wedding day and was looking forward to sealing the deal. There was definitely something about being able to say Zoe belonged to him, and the prospect of spending the rest of his life with her was inviting rather than off-putting.
By the time he escorted Zoe into the building for their wedding, he was more than ready to move from the wedding preparations to the far more enticing activities of his wedding night.. The efficient staff from Loose Mansion had taken care of every single detail, and they had been imperative in planning the blitz wedding. Ben pulled his phone from his pocket and typed a quick reminder to tip them well. Although the weather was too cold to take advantage of the Portico Deck, the staff had advised Ben and Zoe to use the more intimate parlor since they would only be hosting about thirty guests. Since Zoe seemed mesmerized by the beautiful fireplace, crystal chandeliers, and tin ceilings in the elegant space on the second level, Ben had eagerly agreed. Despite their marriage being one of convenience, he wanted his future wife to be happy and relaxed.
If someone would ask Zoe later about the days leading up to the marriage or the event itself, she would come up empty. The hours flew by in a haze, like she was watching a movie on fast forward. Her days had consisted of tasting cakes and menus, deciding on colors, dress choosing and fittings, and endless talks with lawyers and signing papers. She hadn’t talked to Dennehy alone for one moment. Several times she debated on ending the charade, but the time never seemed right.
And now, here they stood in front of maybe two dozen guests, exchanging vows and rings before the dreaded words sounded, “You may kiss the bride.”
Oh my God. Dennehy was going to kiss her in front of these people she hardly even knew. They should have practiced.
What if it’s horrible?
Or worse, what if she liked it?
Then her time to worry and think was over. Dennehy—Ben—her husband… leaned forward. His smile barely touched the corners of his lips but sparkled from his eyes with naughty intent.
She froze like the proverbial deer in the headlights. Even if she’d wanted to look away, she wouldn’t have been able to manage.
