Page 151 of Marrying the Billionaire Single Dad

"Only as long as you are with me." He cups my cheek, "Say you’ll be by my side, wife?"

"Wife?" I blink. "The marriage?"

"I didn’t annul it." He swallows.

"You didn’t?" I sit up. "But the headlines?" I ask.

"All speculation. You know how the journalists are." He pulls me back to his chest.

"And you encouraged the conjecture?"

"I didn’t do anything to stop it. I was too busy beating myself up for not being able to protect you."

"But you told me..." I frown.

He shakes his head.

"But—"

He presses his finger to my lips, "I tried... God help me, I truly wanted to, but I couldn't bring myself to do it." His tone dips. "You belong to me, and while logic told me that I had to let you go, my heart... My heart insisted I shouldn't." He frames my face, and gazes into my eyes. "My soul was already yours. You're my muse, Flower. You are inside of me, imprinted in my every cell, you are the reason for my existence."

Warmth fills my chest. I stare up, knowing that he's speaking the truth, that he's never been this open, this completely bare as he is in this moment.

"I belong to you and there is no way I could knowingly sever the bond between us." His lips kick up in a smile that illuminates his features. "Besides, you don't think I'd let you go, not after I have you where I want you, do you?"

"And where is that?"

"By my side; always mine."

Epilogue

Julia

For Riley Alice Savage who loved this park

Forever in my heart

"It's beautiful." I glance from the epitaph on the bench in Waterlow Park to the stern profile of the man at my side. Damian stares down at the bench, his features reflecting complete focus. His gaze is trained on the bench, yet his eyes are unfocused. Is he recalling her as he last saw her, the day her mother took Riley from him and left? Or is he remembering the happier times when he read to her, played with her in this park, watched movies with her? He's told me that those were the best times they had together as father and daughter, when he'd put her to bed and read to her.

"She was beautiful." He exhales, then turns to me, "You're beautiful." His lips tip up. "Riley will always be with me." He wipes the tear that slides down my cheek, "But you Flower, you are my present and my future."

"Oh, Damian." I rise up to my tip-toes and press my lips to his throat. I wrap my arms around his neck, bury my face in his chest. His heartbeats mirror mine as he folds me in his arms. He kisses the top of my head. "I mean it Julia. I am never letting you go."

I tip my chin up, peer into his gaze. "There's nowhere else I'd rather be than right here by your side."

He presses his lips to my forehead, "I love you Julia Child Andrews." He peruses my features, an intent look in his eyes.

My heart begins to race and my pulse rate ratchets up.

He releases me, only to slide his hand into his pocket. Then he bends his knee into the ground, holds up a ring, "Be mine."

"Oh." Sensations course through my veins and my stomach trembles. I glance down at the platinum ring with the emerald in the center, surrounded by tiny pink stones. It is simple, joyous, gorgeous, and so utterly charming and so...so perfect.

He holds out his palm and I place my hand in his. He slips the ring onto my finger. "The green is for your eyes, the pink..." he swallows, "the pink is for—"

"Riley," I whisper.

He nods. "She'd have loved to meet you. She'd have loved you."