Valentine’s Billionaire Auction

Epilogue

ROMAN

Six Months Later

Rome was even more magical than I remembered from my visit more than ten years ago. Granted, that visit had been during the height of my wild rebellion. I spent most of my time drunk out of my skull and chasing every woman that looked twice at me.

The cobblestone streets, ancient ruins, and the hum of life in the Eternal City felt a lot different with her as my traveling companion. Kaira walked ahead of me, her eyes darting between the architecture and the locals bustling through their routines.

The sun was high, casting a golden glow on everything it touched, including her. She wore a simple sundress, her hair hanging down her back, and a leather satchel slung over her shoulder—the quintessential writer in her element. She was wearing a floppy sunhat that really made her look like a tourist.

“You’re staring,” she said, glancing back at me with a smirk.

“Caught me,” I replied, unrepentant. “It’s hard not to. Rome looks good on you.”

She rolled her eyes but couldn’t hide her smile. “You brought me here to help with my writer’s block, remember? Not to boost my ego.”

I shrugged. “Can’t it be both?”

She laughed. “You’re impossible.”

“What do you want to see next?” I asked her. “You’re in Rome so when in Rome…”

“Cheesy.” She laughed.

“But true,” I countered playfully. “Come on, what’s on top of your list?”

Kaira paused, biting her lip in thought. She pulled out a crinkled piece of paper from her satchel and unfolded it. “I was thinking the Pantheon first, then maybe we can head over to Piazza Navona?”

I nodded in agreement. “Sounds perfect.”

As we walked toward the Pantheon, weaving our way through the crowded streets, I couldn’t help but observe how natural Kaira seemed here. Perhaps it was the writer in her, forever in pursuit of stories and soaking up the atmosphere, that made her blend seamlessly into any backdrop, however foreign it might be. She wasn’t snapping pictures or posing for selfies. She was doing her best to absorb all of it. She made notes here and there, but mostly, she was committing herself to the experience.

We reached the Pantheon along with what felt like three million other people, but she didn’t care about the crowd. Kaira looked up in awe as we stepped inside. The shaft of light from the oculus overhead illuminated her face, highlighting her expression of pure wonder.

“Imagine all the history here,” she murmured in a near whisper. “The stories these walls have witnessed.”

I watched her as she traced her fingers along the cool marble, her eyes lit with a spark of inspiration. “Do you feel it?” she asked, turning toward me. “The weight of all those centuries?”

I nodded, taking her hand in mine. “It’s incredible,” I replied. “Every corner of this city feels like stepping back in time.”

Kaira squeezed my hand and pulled me closer to the center of the Pantheon. We stood together under the open oculus, bathed in a column of light.

“This is why I write. To capture even a fraction of this feeling in words.”

I smiled, understanding her passion more clearly than ever before. “Are you thinking about making the leap into historical romance?”

She sighed. “No. I love to read them, but it would require a lot more research. I don’t feel like I have the knowledge to do it justice. I’ll stick to reading them rather than writing them.”

“But I bet you could do a good job,” I said.

She laughed as we walked out. “My biggest cheerleader.”

Kaira checked her paper again, squinting in the bright sunlight. “Piazza Navona is next,” she confirmed, folding the map and stuffing it in the satchel.

The walk to Piazza Navona wasn’t long. Street vendors shouted out in lilting Italian, gelato stands boasted arrays of colorful flavors, and musicians added a soundtrack to our journey. Watching Kaira take it all in was easily one of the best experiences of my life. There was pure wonder in her eyes.

When she told me she wanted to write a book with her characters coming from Rome, I knew I had to bring her. She had never traveled. I felt like an ass because I had spent a couple of years traveling but I barely remembered the places I had seen. I had traveled to party, not to see and experience the places.

Kaira’s face lit up at the sight of the fountains and sculptures that made Piazza Navona famously enchanting. She tugged on my hand with childlike eagerness. “Look at the Fountain of the Four Rivers! Isn’t it magnificent?” she exclaimed, her words almost lost amidst the murmur of the crowd.

I leaned closer to whisper in her ear. “Every detail. Bernini really knew what he was doing.”

She nodded enthusiastically, her eyes scanning every curve and crevice of the artistic masterpiece. “It’s all so captivating,” she said, pulling out her notebook and beginning to jot down thoughts hurriedly.

Watching her scribble rapidly, I felt an appreciation for her passion. She had this remarkable ability to see layers and meanings that I would have missed otherwise. I felt like I was seeing all of this for the first time. After spending an hour or so at Piazza Navona, I led her back toward the next stop. It was my plan, but she was unaware of it.

“I’m hungry,” I said. “There’s a rooftop restaurant I’ve been dying to take you to.”

She arched a brow. “A rooftop restaurant? That sounds suspiciously romantic.”

I grinned. “Maybe I’m just trying to butter you up so I can get a sneak peek at your manuscript.”

“Oh, please,” she said, nudging me as we turned the corner onto a quieter street. “Like I’d let you read it before it’s ready.”

“Hey, I’m the guy that gives you ideas.”

“Too many ideas,” she teased.

We continued to banter back and forth as we made our way through the winding streets, past stained walls and windows framed with lush greenery. We climbed the narrow staircase to the roof of the apartment we were staying in during our visit. Each step felt heavier, not from exhaustion but anticipation. I’d been planning this for months, and every detail had to be perfect. When we finally reached the top, I let her step out first.

Her gasp was everything I’d hoped for.

The rooftop was transformed into a private haven. A single table set for two was adorned with crisp white linens, candles, and a centerpiece of fresh flowers. String lights crisscrossed above. The panoramic view of Rome surrounded us, the city sprawling out in all its timeless glory.

“This… this is incredible,” Kaira breathed, spinning around to take it all in. Her eyes met mine, wide with wonder. “Roman, there’s no restaurant, is there?”

“Nope,” I said, stepping closer. “Just us.”

She laughed. “You really outdid yourself.”

I pulled out her chair and gestured for her to sit. “Only the best for you.”

Dinner was a feast of Italian cuisine, each course better than the last served by a single server I had hired. We talked and laughed, reminiscing about our first meeting, the wild ride of our fake engagement, and everything that had brought us to this moment. The sun was setting, the heat of the day finally letting up. The city glowed all around us as if it were alive.

The server brought our last dish, a rich tiramisu. I nodded, letting him know his services were no longer needed.

She took her first bite and groaned. “Delicious,” she said, her eyes closed in appreciation. “Everything has been just perfect. I still can’t believe I’m here. With you. It’s magical.”

“I wouldn’t want to be anywhere else,” I said.

“Thank you for this,” she said earnestly. “For bringing me here, to Rome, to this moment.”

“It’s my pleasure,” I replied, squeezing her hand gently. “But there’s more.”

Her eyes widened in surprise. “More?”

I reached into my pocket. My heart pounded, and for the first time in a long time, I felt nervous. But it was a good kind of nervous—the kind that came with knowing you were about to take a leap worth everything.

“Kaira,” I said, my voice calm despite the chaos in my chest.

She looked at me, her expression softening. “What is it?”

I stood, pushing my chair back. Slowly, I lowered myself onto one knee next to her. Her hand flew to her mouth, and she let out a tiny gasp.

“Oh my God,” she whispered.

From my pocket, I pulled out the ring—the same one we’d used during our fake engagement. The irony wasn’t lost on me, but it felt right, like it had been waiting for this moment all along. It was a beautiful ring and it suited her. I had given it to her at the wrong time before, but now it was the right time.

“I know what you’re thinking,” I said. “The media is going to have a field day with this. They’ll dig up every photo, every headline, and dissect the whole thing. They’re going to assume this is another charade.”

She laughed. “It’ll be chaos.”

“Let them,” I said, holding her gaze. “Because for the first time, I don’t care what anyone else thinks. Kaira, you turned my life upside down in the best way. You taught me how to be better, how to feel again, and you loved me even when I didn’t deserve it. I can’t imagine a single day without you. So, here I am, asking you—no PR stunts, no contracts, just us—will you marry me?”

Her eyes shimmered with tears. She slid out of her chair and knelt in front of me, taking my face in her hands. “Roman,” she said, her voice breaking. “Yes. A million times yes. I was always going to marry you. You were always my happy ever after. I love that it wasn’t a straightforward journey to this point. I fell in love with you the first time at that auction, but that wasn’t the real thing. This is real. I love everything about you, even when you’re cranky. I wouldn’t change a thing.”

Relief and elation crashed over me as I slid the ring onto her finger. It fit perfectly. It was finally back where it belonged. She threw her arms around my neck, and I pulled her close and kissed her.

We stayed like that for what felt like forever, wrapped in each other and the magic of the moment. When we finally pulled apart, her cheeks were flushed, and her smile was unstoppable.

“You’re going to regret giving the media that much ammo,” she teased, holding up her hand to admire the ring.

“Not for a second,” I said, brushing a strand of hair from her face. “Let them say what they want. I’ve got the only opinion that matters right here.”

Her laugh was pure joy. She kissed me again. “Let’s finish this tiramisu and then go downstairs. I’ve got some thoughts about how I would like to celebrate our engagement. I don’t want to risk getting kicked out of Rome, possibly Italy if someone in one of those windows happens to see us.”

I laughed. “Now you’re making me want to skip dessert.”

“Oh no,” she said as she picked up her fork. “I am not skipping one bite of this.”

This was it. My forever. And for the first time in my life, I felt complete. I was whole. I had a real future. I was finally getting the dream I never thought possible. The dream I never knew I wanted.