Page 42 of Tainted Love

‘It would mean you’d have to start listening to me.’

‘I can do that.’ He looks up from his feet and releases his lip from his teeth.

‘And I’d need benefits.Goodbenefits. Financial and…’

‘And?’

I blush, running my tongue across my lip. ‘And good physical benefits.’

His nerves are replaced with his exquisite half-smile. ‘That can be arranged.’

I waft a hand flippantly through the air. ‘Oh, what the hell, Neil hates me anyway.’

‘So you’ll do it?’

I pause for a second, then laugh. ‘Yes. I’ll do it.’

‘She’ll do it!’ He picks me up under my arms and turns me in a fast full circle then sets me back down in front of him.

‘Gregory, you don’t owe me anything, please remember that.’

‘God, you’re amazing.’ He takes a deep breath in then kisses me. My body instantly yields, instinctively curving into his. I wrap my fingers around his neck and pull him towards me.

‘Wait, wait.’ He removes my hands and places them by my sides. ‘My second question.’

Panting, bereft and confused, I shrug. ‘What was the second question?’

His chest visibly expands beneath his shirt, then he exhales, a long, tense breath out, and reaches his big palm to my cheek. ‘It amazes me every day that you know everything about me. You know my worst. And you’re still here.’

I feel my eyes widen. My lungs slowly emptying.

‘You’re the most beautiful, brave and true woman I’ve ever met. More than that, you’re the best person I know.’

My stomach starts doing summersaults.

‘You were wrong when you told me I couldn’t see what was standing right in front of me. I’ve always known. I knew from the second I first laid eyes on you in my boardroom.’ He sighs on his exhale. ‘But I was afraid. Afraid of what I could feel, what that would mean, and afraid to believe that you could love me back.’

He lowers his hand from my cheek but his big, brown gems wrap around my soul, making my heart rate soar. ‘All my life, I’ve searched for a reason why I’m still here. A purpose. After everything I’ve put you through, by some miracle, you’re still standing in front of me, utterly spellbinding. I know, in this moment, thatyouare the reason I exist, Scarlett.’

Tears cast a haze across my eyes that I will to disperse so I can see him clearly.

‘Youare my reason. My angel. My light. My everything. I’d like you to let me show you that for the rest of our lives and after.’

A silent tear trails my cheek. ‘That’s quite a speech.’

‘I mean every word.’

He takes a step back then drops to one knee, taking my left hand in his. My other hand moves to my heart in a bid to stop it exploding from my chest when I see the glaze over his eyes.

‘Scarlett Heath, please do me the greatest honour. Please say you’ll be mine forever.’

I wish I could speak but words, breath, running blood, a beating heart, all have escaped me and I stare helplessly at this perfect man.

He reaches into his trouser pocket and presents me with a ludicrously lavish ring. A large, clear princess cut diamond rests in the middle of two entwined rows of diamonds, one white, one black.

Finally, an almost inaudible whisper escapes me. His eyes widen, his brows rise. ‘Yes,’ I say louder. ‘Yes. Yes. Yes.’

He pushes the extravagant ring onto my finger and pulls me into his arms as he stands, twirling us round in the sand until my head is physically and metaphorically spinning. When he sets me down, he finally kisses me, his fiancée.