Page 31 of The Billionaire's Bride for a Day

“Dane, I felt the same way about you. I still do…I was just so torn about…well, I couldn’t understand it. I was with Jack and then when he left…he left a void but it wasn’t that you filled that void, you…made me realize you were the one I’ve been waiting for my whole life. My soul connected with you in a way that it never connected with my ex. In a weird way, Jack was the catalyst that brought us together. Dane, I was terrified of what I was feeling. I thought something was wrong with me but now I know what it was,” she said, rambling on as her heart hammered in her chest. She was blurting out everything she felt in her heart and she wasn’t ashamed. She felt so right about it.

“Nothing’s wrong with you, Olivia.” Dane traced the outline of her jaw with his fingertip. A delicious shudder heated her body.

He was the one. She felt it inside. She knew it. And all this time he’d felt the same way about her.

“Are you ready to become Mrs. Belmont?” Dane whispered to Olivia as they cuddled.

Her heart fluttered in her chest. Am I ready to become Mrs. Belmont? Is he saying what I think he’s saying?

Dane slid his fingers down her arm and pressed a soft kiss on her lips, then on her cheek. Before she knew what was happening, she felt something smooth, hard and cold sliding down her arm to her hand. She opened her eyes, tilted her head forward and looked down…

“Dane?” Olivia swallowed hard, her eyes wide. “What is this?”

How on earth did he manage to hide a ring from her, a beautiful sparkling diamond ring the size of the Hope diamond. “My God!”

Dane looked deeply into her eyes, holding them with his smoldering gaze and she melted inside. “Will you do me the honor of marrying me, Olivia McAlister?” Dane didn’t wait for her to answer, a grin on his sweet lips as he slid the diamond ring on her ring finger. It fit perfectly.

“Oh, God, yes!” she cried. “Yes,” she said, her voice breaking with emotion.

“Olivia, I was terrified when I thought I’d lost you today. I knew I couldn’t live without you and I wasn’t going to let you out of my sight again, or my heart. I promise, I’ll never leave you again. I’ll treasure you the way you deserve to be treasured.”

“Dane, I promise I’ll always love you, too. You’re the best thing that ever happened to me.” She admired the ring on her finger, disbelief and amazement flooding her. Was this all real? Was she going to wake up and find this was a dream? God, she hoped not.

“Dane, it’s beautiful and it fits perfectly. How did you know my ring size?”

He grinned and his sexy dimple appeared on his cheek again. She loved when he did that. She loved everything about Dane. My God, she would be married one day to this sex god and he could arouse her by his touch alone, each and every time.

“Now, you know that wasn’t hard to do,” he said, clasping her hands.

“No?”

“No. Remember, you had your ring at your…wedding on Christmas Day.”

“Oh, Dane. You remembered.”

“Yeah, you gave it to me and told me to toss it, but I didn’t, of course. I just kept it to get your ring size, dreaming this day would come.”

“Dane, I don’t know what to say.”

“Just say you love me the way I love you.”

“I love you, Dane!” She flung her arms around his neck and tugged him closer to her.

“Mmm,” she moaned in her throat as Dane lowered his head to hers and pressed his soft, hot lips to hers.

He then pressed his lips to Olivia's ear and sucked on the lobe as he slid his hands down her back. He then maneuvered himself so he could slide his fingers under her silk lace bra and stroke her taut nipple.

Olivia writhed under his touch and slid her hands up and down his smooth, naked, muscular chest. Hungrily, they French kissed and pleasured each other.

No longer able to contain themselves, they made hot passionate love like animals in the wild. Her orgasms were loud and violent; she convulsed as she peaked.

Dane thrust his hard, long erection inside her pounding inside her hard until she came over and over again with loud screams that could probably be heard outside. She was with her man, her husband-to-be, her other half. She was not going to be holding back while experiencing his carnal touch.

Later, they relaxed in the soaker tub filled with iridescent bubbles and caressed each other tenderly, washing each other—an erotic experience Olivia had never experienced before Dane.

During the night, she was on top of him grinding her hips into his hardness and enjoying every moment of him pumping hard and fast inside her. Olivia could not think of having anyone else inside her besides Dane. It was as if they were meant for each other. They were meant for each other---soul mates who were bound to find each other, no matter what.

If she hadn’t believed in true love before, she certainly did now.

“You are the best thing that has ever happened to me. Period,” Dane declared, later after they’d made love during the night. “I need you, Olivia, like I need air to breathe. I loved you before I even knew you existed. We were meant to be together.”

With Dane, Olivia had a deep friendship and they were concerned about each other’s well-being. She also had experienced her first real toe-curling, mind-blowing orgasm. With Dane, she’d learned about being with someone who made you feel as if you were not in their world but you were their world.

Olivia flushed. “I love you, too,” she murmured, laying her head on his muscular chest. “I love you more than anything else in this world.”

And she was looking forward to being his bride, not just for one day, but for all eternity.

* * *

The next morning, Olivia was blindfolded and led by Dane into the room beside the glass conservatory. “Dane, where are you taking me?”

“Shh, it’s a secret.”

When the silk blindfold was removed, she froze. Emotion overcame her.

“You like?” he said.

Her eyes filled with tears. The beautiful oil painting Dane had started but hadn’t finished was now…complete. Olivia walked slowly to the portrayal by the window and glided her hand over it, too stunned to speak.

“Dane, it’s…I…I don’t know what to say.”

“You don’t have to say anything.” He drew in a deep breath. “All this time, I couldn’t finish it, because, remember I told you something was missing?”

She nodded. “Yes.” Her lips trembled.

“The reason I couldn’t complete the portrait before because I didn’t know what was missing until you came into my life, Olivia.”

The beautiful landscape of the beach at Lake Belmont, outside the window was breathtaking but there was a new figure in the artwork. A woman on the beach sitting on a deck chair … writing. Dane had been watching her and painting her all this time when she went out there every day to sit and write in her journal. She knew she was being watched that one day!

“You complete me, Olivia. You’re what was missing from my life—from this painting. I came alive again when you moved here. I was terrified it wouldn’t last and I wanted to capture you forever on this canvas—much like the blank canvas I felt like inside. I know it might sound weird.”

“No. It sounds beautiful, Dane. You painted what you felt inside. Dane, it’s gorgeous. I’m stunned beyond words.”

“I hope you don’t mind.”

“Mind? I’m flattered. Honored.”

“I came here one morning to see if I could finish it since you showed so much interest in it and when I saw you out there out the window, I had no choice. It was as if you were meant to be in it.”

“Oh, Dane. That is so beautiful. I’m so…wow…blessed.”

Dane embraced Olivia, holding her so tightly as if he never wanted to let go. And she never wanted to let go of the love of her life, either.

Epilogue

Three months later, the day Dane had been waiting for his entire life arrived. He was to be married to the woman of his dreams. He’d been waiting for Olivia his whole life without even realizing it. She was the one. And this time, she would be his bride for more than just one day.

Dane looked around, feeling overjoyed, not believing this was really happening. His family and close friends surrounded him.

There was nothing more spectacular than exchanging vows with Olivia near one of nature’s most spectacular venues. A pristine private beach near Lake Belmont.

The day was perfect for a beach nuptials ceremony. The gazebo, draped in silky white fabric, was right near the water. The chairs were bedecked with matching chair-back ties.

Keeping with family tradition, Dane agreed to have the red and gold colors of the Belmont family crest and coat of arms incorporated into the silk-white decorations.

The water glistened under the spring evening sky as the sun set in the west, creating a warm orange glow. The rolling waves lapping against the shore was relaxing and created a surreal ambiance.

“Olivia,” Dane said, looking deeply into Olivia’s lovely mahogany eyes as he began his personal vows in the presence of his brothers, cousins and close friends on the beach. “I never thought this day would come, but…you are the most amazing part of my life. I feel so blessed and so honored to share my life with you. You complete me and stir all the wonderful emotions inside me. I want you to know that every day, I will cherish you and honor you and respect you. May our days be long and our lives be fulfilling as we share this journey together.”

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