Page 51 of The Billionaire's One-Night Baby

‘Are we still talking about you missing sex?’ Dodi asked, puzzled.

He sighed and shook his head. ‘I’ll get back to that in a minute, but first...’ He shoved his hands into his hair, his eyes filled with emotion. ‘I messed up at the hospital. I was tired, scared and emotional. I wanted you with me and I made that happen without taking your feelings or opinion into account. That was wrong of me, and I will never do that again.’

She wanted to believe him, she did. ‘Never is a long time, Jago.’

‘I promise, Elodie Kate. And I don’t make promises easily and often.’

The knots around her heart started to loosen and she took in the first deep breaths for hours, days.

Jago rubbed his hands over his face before dropping them to dangle them between his knees, his face turned to look at her. ‘As I was saying earlier about the sex...yes, I miss sleeping with you, but I miss waking up with you more. I miss hearing about your day and your crazy brides, seeing your smile and have been irrationally worried about whether you were eating enough, sleeping, taking your vitamins. I love the sex, Dodi, but I love you more.’

His words were sweet, a balm to her scoured soul. He’d mentioned her smile, was worried about her...wait!

What? Had she heard him correctly?

‘Did you just tell me you love me?’ Dodi demanded, her voice nearly drowned out by the roaring in her ears. She must’ve heard wrong. Jago didn’t believe in love.

‘Of course I love you,’ he stated calmly. ‘I think I have since the first moment I kissed you in your salon. Maybe even when I kissed you all those years ago.’

Right, she’d fallen down a rabbit hole. ‘You don’t believe in love, remember?’ Dodi told him, scooting away from him and holding out her hands.

‘I do when it comes to you.’

Dodi stood up and started to pace the area next to the sofa. She waved her hands in the air. ‘I’m feeling a bit overwhelmed here, Jago!’

Jago leaned back into the sofa and placed his bare ankle on his knee. ‘Tough,’ he gently said, smiling. ‘And, at the risk of overwhelming you some more, I don’t want a loveless, tidy union with you, I want a messy one.’

‘A messy one?’ And yes, she really should stop repeating his words.

‘I want the fights and the hugs, the laughter and the disagreements. I want the drama love brings, the excitement you bring to my life. I most definitely do not want a quiet life. Not with you.’

‘I... What...? You’re not making any sense!’ Dodi wailed.

‘I am and that’s what’s scaring you,’ Jago calmly told her. ‘You’re scared, just as I am, of being with me, of loving me, of being in a relationship that makes us feel like we’re riding a roller coaster. You’re scared of being hurt, of trusting another man, another person. Scared that I will disappoint you and hurt you.’

All true, every word.

‘I won’t, you know. Hurt you or disappear on you or disappoint you, not in any of the big ways. Oh, I’m going to mess up, of that I am sure, but I will always be in your corner, Elodie Kate. I will always be there, standing by your side, carrying you when you need me to, standing behind you if you don’t. I’ll be the rock you need.’

Dodi lifted her fist to her mouth, startled to find tears running down her cheeks. ‘Don’t... Jago, please.’

Jago stood up and walked towards her, his thumb brushing the tears off her cheek. ‘Don’t what? Love you? Too late for that. Stand behind you? I’m going to do that whether you marry me or not. Even if you can’t love me, you’re the mother of my child and I’ll do anything and everything to give you what you need, including my friendship and protection.’

Dodi looked up at him, his lovely face blurry from her tears. She sniffed. ‘You want to marry me?’

‘More than anything in the world, sweetheart.’

‘Butwhy?’

‘Because with you I feel like I’m Jago, not the corporate shark or Theo Le Roux’s son or Micah’s twin. I feel like me. You make me better, lighter, so damn happy.’

She bit down on her bottom lip. ‘So, this has nothing to do with the baby?’

He shook his head. ‘I’m excited, still a little scared about becoming a father, but right now I’m talking about you and me. And our feelings for each other.’ He pulled a face. ‘Though so far I’ve been rambling on, and you’ve mostly just repeated my words.’

Dodi winced. ‘I have, haven’t I?’

‘Well, here are some words I wish you’d repeat... I love you too, Jago.’

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