Chapter 41
Chapter Forty-One
Bella
I stepped off the elevator and kicked off my shoes.
Glancing at my phone, Simon wouldn’t be home from his meeting for at least another hour, which gave me enough time to take a hot, relaxing bath.
I walked into the living room and placed my hand over my heart when I saw Simon standing near the window with a drink in his hand.
“Oh my God, you scared me. What are you doing here?”
“I live here,” he smirked.
“You’re supposed to be at a meeting.”
“It ended early,” he said.
I took off my coat and tossed it on the chair. “How early?” I asked.
“A while ago.”
I walked over to where he stood and kissed him softly. He’d changed out of his suit into dark pants and a black button-down shirt. There was something different about him.
“We’re not going out, right?” I asked.
“No.” He smiled.
“Did you order dinner already?”
“No.”
“Oh. What have you been doing since you got home?” I asked.
“Thinking,” he said.
“I gathered that when I saw you standing in front of the window, drinking. What were you thinking about?”
“The first time I saw you in my kitchen wrapped in a towel.”
“Oh, God.” I laughed.
“I’d just gotten back from Los Angeles. I was tired, and all I wanted was a shower, a drink, and my bed.”
“And instead you got me.” I grinned.
“Exactly.”
“You were so mad.” I placed my hands on his chest.
“I was fucking furious, but I let you stay anyway for a month. I kept thinking that if I could just get through the month, you’d be gone, and I’d have my life back.
Then something happened.” He placed his hand on my cheek.
“When I look at you, there’s not a single doubt you’re the person I want beside me for life.
You know why? Because I know what it feels like to want to come home to you every night.
To wake up with you every morning. To want you involved in my family, my work, my weekends, my vacations, my bad moods, and all the boring shit in between. ”
My eyes filled with tears.
“I know what it feels like to want forever with someone.”
He reached inside his pocket, pulled out a small velvet box, and got down on one knee. I’d literally stopped breathing as my heart pounded out of my chest. He took hold of my left hand.
“Simon.”
“I wanted to do this here. Because this is where everything started.” He flipped open the box, and my right hand flew over my mouth when I saw the exquisite diamond ring.
“I don’t want another arrangement with you, sweetheart. I don’t want an expiration date. I love you more than I ever thought I could love anyone. You’re my forever and always will be. Will you marry me, Bella?”
“I love you so much, Simon. Yes, of course I’ll marry you.” Tears started streaming down my face.
He took the ring from the box, slipped it on my finger, stood up, and wrapped me in his arms. He broke our embrace, cupped my face in his hands, and kissed me.
“You have made me so happy, Bella.” His thumb swept over my lips.
I held out my hand in front of me and stared at the gorgeous ring on my finger. “Not as happy as you’ve made me, Simon.”
“Do you like the ring?” he asked.
“It’s the most beautiful ring I’ve ever seen. You picked this out on your own?” I smiled.
“With a little help from my dad.”
“Your dad knows?” I asked.
“He came with me.”
More tears started to fill my eyes as I stared at him. “Oh, Simon.”
“Why are you crying again?” he asked.
“Because you took your dad engagement ring shopping.”
“I needed a second opinion.” A smirk crossed his lips.
I couldn’t believe I was engaged to Simon Montclair. I looked around the penthouse, and it finally sank in.
“You did this here on purpose,” I said.
“Yeah. I did.”
“Because this is where we started?” I smiled.
“This is where I tried to get rid of you.” He wiped a tear from my eye.
“You didn’t try very hard, Mr. Montclair.”
“I gave you ten rules to follow.”
“Look how well that turned out. I broke almost all of them.” I laughed, and so did he. “Everything really did come full circle, didn’t it?”
His thumb swept over my cheek. “Yeah, sweetheart. It certainly did.” He leaned in and kissed my lips.