Page 21 of Stalked By the Billionaire

I try to blink back the water in my eyes. “I did. Why did you keep lying to me?” I whisper.

“I was going to tell you the day the reporters came. We were going to our new apartment, and I was going to confess everything. I know I kept everything under wraps, but it wasn’t a trust issue. And I wanted to tell you first. Nobody was supposed to find out who I am, but somehow the news leaked.”

I stumble backward and collapse into a nearby chair. I could feel his eyes locked on me as he slowly realizes that I’m wearing his T-shirt.

“Gabby.” His voice is soft and my eyes flash to his as he crouches low and moves my hair away from my face. His touch elicits a response from me as my head turns towards him. It’s instinctual. His touch makes me feel as delicate and content as a kitten being petted.

“Can I take you out for something to eat?” he asks quietly. “Just food and a chat.”

His eyes seem more gold than normal, like he’s some kind of god. I watch the rims as they turn darker and darker, but the glimmers of gold still flicker.

He kneels between my legs, opening them so he can get closer to me. He looks as broken as I feel as I look at him, and I hate he feels as bad as me.

“Please,” he pleads.

My heart clenches in my chest painfully because I don’t know if I can try again. But I still want to wrap my arms around him and take away the pain I can see in his eyes.

“I’m sorry. I wanted you to love me.” His words are so quiet, I barely hear them.

“I do love you. That’s why it hurts so much,” I whisper. He smiles at my admission. “And I know you didn’t mean to hurt me, but it still hurts that you didn’t believe in me.”

“I believe in you. I trust you and I love you. I’m sorry that I never shared that part of my life with you. But I wanted you to love me and nothing else.”

He rises from his knees on the floor and sits next to me. His arm wraps around my shoulder and pulls me to him. “You still love me?”

I search his eyes, and I see it, the same love I feel reflecting at me. It’s there, in the depths of his gaze, and it makes me believe that maybe, just maybe, we can make this work.

“If I promise to keep nothing from you again. And I promise to love you for the rest of your life. If...” He stops and searchesmy face. “Will you please try again and I promise to be the best husband you could ever wish for?”

I laugh. “We’re still in boyfriend territory.”

He drops on his knee between my legs again. “That day it all went wrong. I was taking you away to ask you to marry me. I was going to admit everything to you that same day.”

He was going to ask me to marry him.

I gasp, my hand slapping over my mouth as he pulls out a small box.

His hand is shaking as he holds the box in front of me. “This isn’t the romantic proposal I planned. But I realize the only thing important is me and you. I’m nothing without you and no amount of money in the world changes that.”

“That’s more romantic than you realize,” I whisper as tears fill my eyes.

He smiles, and I study his face for a while, biting my lip, waiting.

“What do you say?” he asks.

My eyebrows raise, but inside I’m a riot of nerves as I think about what this means. “About what?” I ask innocently.

“Getting married.”

“You haven’t asked me yet,” I say with a grin.

The smile on his face is amazing. His gaze stays on my face for a moment before he says, “I love you, Gabby—“

I press a finger to his lips. “Ask me when you’re ready.”

“I’m ready,” he argues, as he gathers me in his arms and squeezes me tightly, tears well up in his eyes. “I love you more than you’ll ever know, and I’m ready for the next step. Whatever that may be,” he says, his voice croaking as he tries to hold back a sob. “As long as it’s with you.”

I smile weakly.

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