Page 81 of Unlocking my Boss's Heart

Celia sighed, walking past me to sit on the bench.

“My parents don’t even know why I’m here yet…. You didn’t have to come. I’m realizing maybe I’m not cut out for your elite world.”

“My world?” I frowned, following her to sit by her, carefully keeping a respectful distance. “Celia, my world is better with you in it. You don’t have to be part of any elite to be important to me.”

“That’s just it, isn’t it? Your world has these...expectations. I’m just a girl from Texas, Anton, look around you.” She gestured with her hand. “My mom is a teacher, and my dad builds houses. Yesterday, that foundation crumbled when I became the center of a gossip piece because I was dating someone out of my league.”

Her use of the past tense while talking about us didn’t escape me. It wasn’t too surprising. The fact that she’d taken off without reaching out to me told me she wanted me out of her life. But I planned to do the exact opposite.

I took her hand. “Celia, you aren’t just datingsomeone. You’re dating me. And I’m in love with you. I came here to ask you something important.” My voice was soft, and I hoped the depth of my sincerity was clear in my hushed tone.

Confusion, and perhaps a glimmer of hope, edged across her face. “What are you asking?” she said.

“I want you to marry me, Celia. Not because of the gossip or as a reaction to it, but because last night, when I thought I might lose you, nothing else mattered. Not the firm, not New York, not any socialite’s drama—just you.”

She stopped breathing for a moment, but I could see her heart beating on the side of her neck. She looked into my eyes, her own softening as they filled with a tentative hope. Her breath hitched, and she blinked rapidly, as if trying to process the depth of my words. Her lips parted slightly, a flicker of something unspoken crossing her face, before her brows drew together, and a flash of uncertainty clouded her expression

“Marriage? Amidst all the chaos swirling around us, this is as unexpected as it can be—the furthest thing I thought of.”

“I know,” I simply said. I waited, letting her ponder on my proposal.

“Anton, do you know what you’re saying?”

Wasn’t this what she wanted when she was at my parents’ dinner? Now, I wanted the same thing. I thought, regardless of the situation, she would jump up and throw her arms around my neck, completely happy.

I could see the wheels turning in her head, probably weighing the pros and cons. The very thing I’d detested not finding in other women I dated was going against me now: her intelligence.

“Last night, I thought that I couldn’t live life the way I did since meeting you, with a nonstop whirlwind of emotional ups and downs, plus office drama….” she finally said.

I caressed her hand.

“The past six months haven’t been an easy sail, I admit. But believe me, my life has never been this chaotic. Ever.” I paused and scratched my chin. “About the office drama and stress…that can be eliminated if you—”

“I know. I’d thought before that I could work in another firm.”

That wasn’t what I had in mind. I wanted to ask her if she could stop practicing law and just be my wife. Seeing the long hours I worked, I couldn’t imagine us both doing that.

“But this isn’t just fixing something. Marriage is.... It’s big,” she continued.

“I know it’s big. I’ve never been more serious about anything in my life.” My voice was sincere, my gaze locked with hers. “Look, I know I’m not perfect. I have fears about marriage and all that, but I know I want you permanently in my life. I’m willing to face those fears if it means I can be with you every day, learning how to be better together.”

It hit me just then that here I was, confessing my love to Celia and pleading my case to become her husband. She had certainly humbled me.

The emotional weight of the moment was unlike anything I could have imagined. My eyes misted, and my heart tugged loudly in my chest. I took several breaths to calm myself.

A tear slipped down Celia’s cheeks. “But your family…your reputation….”

“My family loves you, Celia. And as far as my reputation goes, it means nothing unless I have you,” I was as loving as I could. She needed to know that I truly and completely loved her. With the gentlest of touches, I wiped away her tears with my thumb. “Remember the words you said as we explored my parents’gardens? A partner, a confidant, standing by each other. Isn’t that what marriage is about?”

As I spoke those words, a small smile formed on her face. Hope rose in me amidst the chaos as her smile brought a little ray of sunshine. The love I had for her was overflowing, threatening to burst out of my chest. I watched every movement of her face expectantly, even as fear and uncertainty nagged at me again.

“I loved you too, Anton.”

Instantaneous relief washed over me, though I was acutely aware that she left out the marriage part. Pulling her up with me, I picked her up by the waist, her feet dangling. She raked her fingers through my hair as I linked my mouth to hers and kissed her until we were breathless. When we pulled apart, I set her down.

“I love you,” I murmured and held her tight.

The quiet of our surroundings enveloped us, a stark contrast to the noisy tumult of New York, which neither of us desperately wanted to return to.

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