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I’ve never loved her as much as I do in this moment. This woman has done everything for me. She forced me to open up my heart and home to her. She made me realize that not everyone in the world is heartless and cruel. She made me believe in humanity once again.
Without even thinking about it, I drop to one knee. Emma gasps.
“Dane! He’s hurt,” she says in a panicked voice as she pushes the reporter away. “Get away, give him some space!”
“I’m not hurt,” I assure her. Taking Emma’s hand in mine, I look into her soft brown eyes. “I’ve just realized something.”
Emma cries out. Her lips part and she licks them with her little kitten tongue. She’s breathing hard and I know that she can tell what’s coming.
“Emma Hadley, you’re the woman who brought me back to life,” I say in a deep voice. “I never thought that anything about the outside world would make me want to return, but I can’t live without you.”
Tears come to Emma’s eyes and she reaches up with her free hand to wipe them away.
“Oh, my god,” Emma whispers. “Dane!”
I chuckle. There’s nothing that I love more than making my beautiful baby girl smile.
“I don’t have a ring,” I say. “But as soon as we’re done here, we’ll stop by Cartier and I’ll have them close the store just for us.”
Emma’s face crumples and she starts to cry in earnest. She’s smiling widely as the tears stream down her cheeks and I want nothing more than to pull her into my arms.
“But I’m getting ahead of myself,” I say smoothly. “Emma, I love you. I can’t live without you, and I want you by my side every day. Will you do me the honor of becoming my wife? Marrying you would make me the happiest man in the world.”
Emma’s crying so hard that she can’t speak, but as soon as she nods affirmatively I get to my feet and sweep her into my arms. Her curvy frame trembles against me and I tangle my hand in her brown curls and twist her head back for a deep kiss.
I don’t care who’s watching.
I want everyone in the world to know that Emma Hadley is mine forever.
Reporters’ bulbs are flashing blindingly bright when I pull away from Emma.
“My sweet baby girl,” I whisper in her ear. “Now let’s get out of here. I want to get you a ring … and then I want to see you in nothing but that ring for the next week.”
Emma’s cheeks are bright red as she nods happily. “Yes,” she whispers. “I love you, Dane.”
“And I love you, baby girl,” I say in a low voice. “I always will.”
As I lead Emma away from the courthouse, I know that I’ve finally gotten my life back. Because with this woman at my side, we’ve defeated seemingly insurmountable obstacles. Her father. My shattered reputation. A protracted legal appeal. And yet, here we are with my ring on her finger … and the future laying before us in all its glory.
Epilogue
Emma
Six months later.
“I can’t see!” I complain playfully. “I’m going to fall in a chuckhole and sprain my ankle!”
“You’ll live,” Dane growls. The sound of his voice sends a shiver down my spine. “Just a little further. You can do it, baby girl.”
I flush. The ground underfoot is uneven and I take shy, cautious steps in the direction Dane is leading. The bandana tied around my eyes hasn’t even slipped a little bit, and I have no idea where Dane is taking me.
But I know that I’d follow him anywhere.
After the appeals process, everything seemed to happen in a rush. My father was arrested and sent to Federal prison, and now it’s very likely that he’ll rot there for all eternity. In addition to the charges pressed by Dane and Jed, several of his female employees came forward with damning sexual assault allegations. In the era of #MeToo, it was pretty much a ticket to hell.
It had all been very frightening at first. Dane took great care of me, though. He’d even helped with my mom. When my father’s assets were seized and she lost the house, Dane found Ramona the perfect condo in a luxury community. Now, Mom loves Dane too.
Well, he is awfully easy to love. He’s the perfect husband to me, and I’m sure that Mom thinks he’s a great son-in-law.
“Is it much further?” I ask.
“No,” Dane says. “I promise, Emma, we’re almost there.”
I flush. “I can’t believe you’re trying to surprise me,” I say. “It’s not like you.”
Dane chuckles again. The sound is pleasant and low and a thrill of arousal shoots through my body. “Well, I like making you happy,” he replies. “And if this is the best way to do it, then, well….”
I giggle nervously. “Everything you do makes me happy,” I say honestly. “Surprises or not.”
