Unable to pretend disinterest, she put down her cup again.
“And I want to know from you how that can happen.If you want to move in, I’d love it.If you want to stay at your house a few nights a week, fine.If you want to firebomb my place and build a castle with a turret, fine.”
Don’t do this to me.This Nathan was impossible to resist.
“I talked about what I wanted from you, but not what I was willing to offer you in return.I want you to chase your dreams and choose whatever life you want.I will not stand in the way of anything you hope to achieve.”
“BHI?”
“Even that.”
Kelsey reached for a pen and tapped it on her blotter, thinking through what his words meant.She needed to leave him as badly as she wanted to stay.
“And I started thinking about the fact Lara has you on her shortlist.And it occurred to me you should run Donovan Logistics.”
She dropped the pen.“What?”
“There’s no one better.Even me.You have the trust of the employees, of me.You’ve got the qualifications and the experience.I think you’re suited for it, and I think you’d look good in the executive office.I talked to Newman.He agrees it’s an excellent idea.”
“And Connor?”
“Agrees with me.Freeing up more of my time for the Dallas deal would be a good thing.”
“Are you moving there?”
“No.Even if the deal closes, we’ll insert one of our own CEOs.But I would be vacating this office.”He jerked his finger toward the open door.
“I’m not quite sure what to say.”
“My five minutes are almost up.”
“You have more?”
“Yeah.The hard part.”
“That was the easy part?”
“I want to marry you.”
In stunned silence, she looked at him.This was everything.And every bit as impossible as her moving into his house as his sub.“I—”
“I’m not your father.I want what you want for your life, not what I want you to have.There’s a difference.”
“It’s…huge.My dad only wanted the best for my mom.Whathethought was the best.And for me.”
“We can go as slow or as fast as you want.You can say yes now, tomorrow or in ten years.But I’m in.There is no other woman for me.No one I’d rather have as a sub.No one I’d rather have in charge of this company.No one I’d rather marry.It’s you, Kelsey.You.You complete my heart, challenge my brain, satisfy me physically.I love you.”
“You…”
“Yeah.TheLword.I love you.Even if you have nothing to offer in return, even if you don’t want to submit to my spankings or have me fuck you hard…”
Everything in her turned molten.
“I still want you to become the CEO.And if that’s not what you want, and you want to pursue a position in oil and gas, you have my support.I love you so much that your happiness is the most important thing to me.And you can say you’ll marry me.Or not.But it won’t change the fact I’d be honored to have you as my wife.As Mrs.Donovan.”He scowled.“Or Ms.Lane, if you don’t want to change your name.I’m not perfect.I’m going to screw up.You’re going to wish I were way more attentive, or less attentive.And I may slip back into my old ways, but I want you to be strong enough to remind me where I failed, and I will do my utmost to make it right.Your terms, Kelsey.”As if all of his energy had drained, he sat.“Please put me out of my God damn misery.One way or the other.”
It took another full thirty seconds for everything he’d said to filter through her disbelief and shock.“This is a lot.”
He gave a half-smile.“That’s why I brought you the mocha.”
