Beckett's cock strained painfully against his dress pants. That damn dress was getting the best of him. Slipping into the guest house she and Potter were in was easy. Finding Lenni's room was the real test. He didn't want to end up knocking on some stranger's door and having to explain himself. It would probably end up being the talk of the wedding.

He made a guess and went with it. His gut was telling him she was in the smallest of all the rooms. He knocked softly at the door. "Lenni?"

In the space between knock and the answer, he imagined all things he wanted to do to her. He wanted to lick every inch of her body and kiss her from head to toe. He wanted her to wrap her long legs around his waist as he pushed into her roughly. Before she'd open the door, he had ravished her a thousand different ways in his mind. When she answered, his animal went wild. She was only wearing a thin pink robe, and her bra peeked out from underneath. He was ready to kick the door closed behind him and take her, but the bewildered look on her face gave him pause.

"What are you doing here?" She pulled the sash keeping her robe together tighter.

He fingered the material at her waist. "Coming to see you, of course."

"Did you lose an outfit?" He could see the possibilities running through her head. "Did I forget to pack something?"

"I wanted to see you. I'm not lying." He put his hand on the knot and started to undo it, but she quickly put her hand over his.

"I don't think that's a good idea." She looked into the hallway. "We really shouldn't do that tonight."

He was disappointed, but he still wanted to be close to her. He held up three fingers. "Well then, I'll be good, Scout's honor."

She raised one eyebrow. "I don't think you were ever a Scout, so that honor doesn't mean much."

He smirked. "I wasn't, but that doesn't mean I'm lying. If you don't want to do anything, we don't have to. I'd just like to lie close to you and talk if that's all right."

She stepped away from the door and let him into her room. It was sparser than his but still nice. He noticed her underwear strewn around the room and the dress he found so sexy hanging in the closet. He took off his shoes and draped his coat on top of her dress on the hanger. He wished their naked bodies could be as close, but he'd make do with what he could get tonight.

He sat on the bed and patted the space next to him. "Come on, lie down with me."

"You said you didn't want to do anything." She eyed the space next to him. "I'm not going to take off my robe."

"You don't have to if you don't want to." He told her earnestly. "I just want to talk. Did you have a good time tonight?"

She had her knee on the bed but now she stopped. She took it and took one step back. "There's something I need to tell you."

He swallowed roughly. "What?"

"I got my picture taken."

"Okay." That was nothing. It happened. He knew the paparazzi had been waiting outside and knew that they wanted to get a picture of his new girlfriend. Of course she got her picture taken; she didn't even know how to avoid them yet. Plus, she was telling him and that was a good sign.

"I got my picture taken with your stepmother." She looked down and shook her head. "I don't know if that changes how you feel about it all."

Beckett shot up. "That witch."

"I tried not to, but it all happened so fast."

"Of course you didn't want to do it." He paced in front of her bed. "That woman can't ever say no to a camera. I swear she could spot one a mile away. She was just using you to get more face time for herself."

Lenni frowned. "I don't think so. She's pretty nice, actually."

He snorted. "Of course you think she's nice. She's only that way because you're new to the social circle and you are fresh blood for the paparazzi. As long as she sticks to you like a barnacle, she's sure to have her picture on the front page for this wedding."

"She seems to really love you. You should have seen how many picture she had of you." Lenni sat cross-legged and patted the space next to her until he lay down next to her. "You were such a cute kid."

"She only had so many pictures to show off for my dad." Beckett put his hands behind his head and leaned back against the headboard. "She never carried around that many pictures of me when I was a kid. I'm sure my dad said something to her and that's why she keeps them with her."

"She must be pulling the long con. And she's really sticking to her whole lie too."

"Exactly."

Lenni laughed and slapped his thigh. "You're too paranoid. You have a really great family. Anyone would be happy and proud to be part of it. She loves you like you're her own. Most people would be happy to have a stepmom like her."

"They would be happy because they don't know her," Beckett sat up and took Lenni's hands in his. "Don't get pulled in by her charm. She's done it to everyone. You should be smarter than that. She's using you."

"Why do you hate her so much? She can't help who she fell in love with. Seriously, you have a great family. She's proud to show you off because she loves you."

That was the second time she'd mentioned how great his family was and how anyone is going to be a part of it. Was she hinting? He was right to come to her room. They really did need to talk.

"Jasper is really brave to get married. You're right; you can't help who you fall in love with. But you can choose to get married or not," Beckett said. He pulled his hand from hers and leaned back against the headboard again. Carefully he arranged himself to look nonchalant. "Like how Jasper chose to get married, Steph and my dad could have chosen not to get married. That's an option too."

"Why do you keep saying that? What do you mean you can choose? If you love someone, you get married. That's not a controversial choice or an earth-shattering one. It's very common. I think choosing not to be married would make someone the odd one out."

"Really? Odd. I don't want to be married. Guess that means I'm the odd one out."

"Are you kidding me?" She gave a short laugh and looked at him, ready for him to take it back. But he wasn't going to.

"I think it's an archaic ceremony. I don't see any point in doing it."

"Why are you one of the best men in this wedding then?"

"I love my best friend," Beckett told her. "I would do anything to make him happy. That doesn't mean that I believe in what he's doing. I believe it's the best thing for Jasper though. I don't begrudge anyone of their own choice. I just hope that people can respect my decision too."

"Way to make this all about you," she sneered. "Well, I think your stepmom was nice, and I'm happy that Jasper and Leah are getting married. I think it's a lovely thing to do."

She looked like she wanted to say more, but she didn't. He could see his words had their desired effect. He didn't want her to get all riled up and think that they were going to live some kind of fairytale. Better for her to know where he stood now. That might change her opinion of him, but it had to be done.

"I'm feeling tired and think I'd like to go to bed now," Lenni yawned. "Thanks for coming to talk with me."

Beckett kissed her on the forehead. "Good night."

He might have ruined whatever they were going to have, but he had to be true to himself. They could talk about their relationship after this wedding, but he just knew it wasn't going to end in marriage and didn't want to get her hopes up. He wasn't the marrying kind.