Captivated by the Millionaire

Jess felt the sting of joyful tears behind her eyes. He really did see all that in her. The knowledge served to finally break the guarded walls she’d built around her heart all these years.

“The sketch is yours if you want it,” she offered once she found her voice.

He stepped closer to her and cupped her chin in his palm, then lifted her face to his. “I want it.”

Jess willed her knees to keep from buckling underneath her.

“And I want this,” he added, then placed another kiss on her lips. This time it was the faintest brush of contact. It was just enough to take her breath away.

EPILOGUE

THE AIR WAS definitely chillier than the last time they’d been up here. But Jess didn’t mind the cold. She was right where she wanted to be at this moment—atop Jordan’s building once more, watching the breathtaking New York skyline. The weather wasn’t the only thing that was different since that fateful summer night he’d first brought her up here. Everything had changed. In ways she could have only dreamed of.

“Cold?” Jordan asked behind her. He held her tight against him, her back to his chest as they admired the view.

“Maybe just a little,” she admitted, snuggling just a bit tighter against his length.

“I’ll just have to see what I can do about that,” he teased, trailing his lips softly down the side of her neck. His kisses immediately had the desired effect. Her blood heated in her veins.

“That definitely warmed me up, Mr. Paydan.”

“But you’re still shivering. I guess I better get started, then.” He spoke against her ear, his breath warm against her cheek.

“Started?”

“I brought you up here for a reason.” Jess felt him reach inside his pocket. She shifted to turn and face him.

“More than just to admire the beautiful view?”

“Yes, there’s more.” He handed her a square cardboard box with delicate gold trim decorating each corner. “I also wanted to give you this.” Jess uncovered the lid to find a playbill inside.

“Are we going to see another show?”

He nodded. “Not just us.”

What was he up to? “I don’t understand.”

“I secured a whole section of seats. For the children and their parents. Whoever wants to attend. You said that day that you wished your students were there to watch the matinee with us.”

He’d remembered that. And all these months later he was giving her that wish. How had she possibly gotten so lucky to have found this man? “Jordan, this is so sweet of you, so thoughtful. I don’t know what to say. Aside from thank you.” Though it seemed hardly adequate. The thought that had gone into his gesture had tears stinging her eyes.

“Consider it an engagement present.”

Jess’s breath caught. Had she just heard him correctly? Between the noise of the wind gusting around them and the sudden pounding of her pulse, it was hard to be sure. Maybe her mind was playing tricks on her, having her imagine that she was hearing things she would be elated to hear.

But then Jordan took a knee and reached for her hand. In his palm, he held another box—this one small, velvet and black. He flipped the cover open to reveal a square-cut stone that glimmered like the bright city lights in the distance.

“Jordan?” She barely managed to get his name out. Emotion flooded from her chest down to her very toes.

“Jessalyn Nadia Raffi, would you do me the honor of attending this show as my future wife?”

He’d barely gotten the last word out before she answered him. “Yes!”

And then her voice simply failed her. Her very equilibrium seemed to have fled. She could barely remain upright as time seemed to stop. Jordan took the ring out of the satin cushion and slipped it on her trembling finger. Jess felt as if she was watching a dream play out in the middle of the night.

Then he stood and took her lips with his own. And she knew all her dreams had just come true.

* * *

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