Page 66 of The Billionaire and the Nanny

He frowned at me.

“What do you mean?”

“I mean that you owe me nothing. You’re free to get on with your life. I’ll be out of the hospital in a week, tops. And I’m going back to my apartment. You never have to see me again.”

“Can you cut us out of your life so easily?” he asked bitterly.

“It’s the only solution, Leo. Tell me, do you honestly think you can forgive me for what I did?”

“You protected and saved Maddie. I need to get on my knees and thank you for that. What’s there to forgive?”

“Ohmigod! Did you hit your head in the crash, too? I was the reason your daughter was kidnapped, Leo,” I yelled. “I followed Rico into his car. If I’d just called you to check if it was okay to go with him, none of this would have happened. By the way, he’s not as bad as I thought. He helped me get Maddie to you safely.”

“I know. He’s an undercover cop,” said Leo.

Ah, that explained a lot of things, I thought.

“Tia, get one thing into your thick head,” began Leo severely.

“Hey,” I exclaimed, but he ignored me and went on.

“There is only one person who was responsible for what happened, and he’s dead now. That chapter is closed. If you still love me, we can open a fresh chapter in our lives. A happier one.”

The man needed therapy, I decided.

“Of course, I still love you. But how can you still want me, Leo? I’ve brought nothing but trouble into your life. After this last misadventure, Maddie will need therapy for years. As will I. How can you want this walking-talking disaster machine in your life?”

“Because you’re the love of my life, you daft woman,” he yelled, and I raised the call button threateningly. “Without you, Ihaveno life. Why can’t you understand that?”

“Yell at me one more time, Donovan, and you’ll be out of this room before you can blink.”

“And if that happens, I’ll camp outside your room for as long as it takes you to forgive me,” he replied. “The nurses are quite fond of me now. They even offered me a sleeping bag if I wanted one.”

“I bet they did,” I muttered sharply, twisting the edge of my hideous hospital gown around my finger.

Leo rolled his eyes and went on.

“Tia, we both need to forgive ourselves, not each other. You’ve turned my life upside down ever since you bumped into me at the costume party three years ago, but I wouldn’t have it any other way. I’m going to spend the rest of my life showing you how much I love you. Whether I do it from up close or from afar like a stalker is up to you.”

“Just don’t start writing love letters in blood,” I told him with a grimace.

“I’ll hire an airplane to write you love letters in the sky,” he promised, with a grin.

“Ugh! Stop being so sappy, Donovan. It’s very uncool,” I said, putting a hand out to him.

“This is just the beginning, baby. I plan to get a lot sappier. Just wait,” he threatened, bending to kiss me gently.

I kissed him back, but he pulled away with a laugh.

“If your heart rate goes any higher, that machine is going to start beeping, and your doctor will come down on me like a thundercloud. Are you trying to get me kicked out of the hospital, Tia?”

“Well, I do have my eye on a couple of cute doctors, and you’re in the way,” I complained, stretching my arms over my head.

“Stop trying to tempt me, you little devil. From now on, I’m going to stay on this side of the room. As for those cute doctors, I’ll sue them for malpractice,” he growled. “I’ll have them debarred.”

I held my arms out, and he gave in with a huge sigh.

“Fine. One hug, and then you’re taking a nap. If you follow my orders and build up your strength, I’ll bust you out of this joint before the week is out,” he promised.

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