Page 60 of Billionaire’s Promise

“Why not?” He brushed a misbehaving strand of hair off my face. “I’ve wanted to ask you out since you turned 18.”

“Wait… Do you mean thirteen years ago when you came to my birthday party? When my eyes were swollen from months and months of grieving and my face was covered in snot?”

“Precisely.” His glance was soft. Perhaps the champagne had gone to his head, or my head rather, he seemed really dreamy right now. Like we were in an airbrushed dreamy scene in a movie. “It upset me to see a princess so sad. And back then, I wanted to kill the person responsible. Then when I found out the reason you were crying, it broke my heart even further.”

He leaned in and I welcomed his lips with mine.

“My brothers aren’t going to like it.” I mumbled, still kissing him.

“Yeah, I can handle that.”

“How?” Another mumbled word. His lips left mine and I immediately missed them.

“Thirteen years ago, I wanted to ask you out. Of course, I asked Lincoln, you know, bro code and all. We made a pack that I could date you on three terms. One – when you’re all grown up, working, and have your own career. Two – when I’m all grown up,” He chuckled to himself, “have my own career, business, empire or whatever I saw as a career path.”

Did he really mean that? My overprotective brother gave his consent to date me? Liam, sure, he made it a point to stay out of my business, and I out of his. But Lincoln? He would never leave any of us alone. Even my mother was scared of his meddling.

“And three?”

“When I’m ready to settle down.” Butterflies, a warm sensation filled my belly. That was followed by doubts as Chloe’s words about him looking for a bride came back to me. Was I his last hoorah before he settled down with Lucy? Or did he mean me?

There I was, ready to have ten dates, some good sex, and fuck him out of my system. And he just casually hints that he sees me as his future wife? Fuck. He had a way of messing with my heart.

“What about your girlfriends? Your supermodel dates? Your special hobby?” I emphasized the word ‘special’ with a raised eyebrow. I didn’t want to say the obvious. It certainly wasn’t public knowledge what Kai Li was into, but him being my brother’s best friend, I’d learned things about him.

“That was exactly why Lincoln had term three. Your brother wanted me to date all the women I wanted. Any kind. And if I still felt the same way about you, he wouldn’t stand in my way. If you’ll take me, that is.”

What feeling was he talking about?

How could he feel the same thing about the same person after all these years?

I admit that I’ve had a huge crush on him since I was eighteen. But I was naive. I was barely past believing that Santa was real. As much as I wanted to believe that Santa was real, my scientific mind would just kick me back to reality.

But Kai was my Mr. Right. My soul mate. The one I wanted as my forever love. All these were just some abracadabra made up words, as I’d come to believe over the years. Sitting at our empty table, the large empty ballroom felt small, as the world started to close in on us.

“How did you know that I would date you?”

“Oh princess.” He kissed me on my forehead. “I had ladies, young and old, eyeing me up from the day I became a young man. So, trust me when I say I know who likes or dislikes me. My radar has never failed me.”

Cocky. But no one could blame him.

He was right. I would always date him. But I wasn’t sure I trusted my heart with someone like him.

“How about the other thing?”

“Supermodels? Oh, you know, a lot of them are nothing but good clothes racks.”

“Don’t be mean.” I punched him in the chest.

“Sorry. Yes, I know some of them are very smart but not those that I dated.”

“And the other thing?” I started to think that he was dodging my question.

“Oh, that–” He took a deep breath. “That world was fun. But it gets boring when you’re not into your partner. I’m sad to say it, but I haven’t felt any excitement in that world for a while. And I’m ready to give it all up.”

“Don’t.” My voice was small.

The sparkle in his eyes told me that he heard. “Are you serious?”