Beneath Her Bastard Boss

Chapter 77

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After their shower, Blair wrapped herself in a towel and padded back to the bedroom, her body still humming from their morning activities. She was reaching for her clothes when she heard Roman clear his throat behind her.

She turned around and her breath caught. Roman was on one knee, wearing nothing but a towel wrapped around his waist, holding a small velvet box.

“What are you-” she started, but the words died in her throat.

Roman opened the box, revealing a stunning diamond ring that caught the morning light streaming through their windows. It was perfect. Classic but not boring. Elegant, but not ostentatious. Exactly what she would have chosen for herself.

“I bought this weeks ago,” Roman said, his voice rough with emotion. “Before Peter, before the investigation, before everything went to hell. I’ve been carrying it around, waiting for the right moment.”

Blair’s hands flew to her mouth. “Roman…” Her heart swelled not just at the proposal, but at how romantic he was being, getting down on one knee properly.

“I know we’re already engaged because of the Jessica situation, but that’s not how I wanted to do this. I wanted to ask you properly. Because I love you, not because we needed to fool anyone.”

Tears were sliding down her cheeks now, and she didn’t even care.

“Blair,” Roman continued, his eyes never leaving hers. “will you marry me? Not because of fake death schemes or crazy relatives or office politics. But because I’m completely, desperately, stupidly in love with you and I want to spend the rest of my life with you? I want us to grow old together.”

“Yes,” Blair whispered, then louder, “Yes, of course yes, you manipulative, controlling, wonderful man.”

Roman’s grin was blinding as he slipped the ring onto her finger. It fit perfectly, because of course it did. He’d probably measured her finger while she was sleeping or something equally sneaky.

As he stood up, Blair threw her arms around his neck, kissing him hard. “I love you,” she mumbled against his lips. “Even when you’re being all secretive and orchestrating my life.”

“I’ll try to keep the life orchestration to a minimum,” Roman promised, holding her tight.

“Liar,” Blair laughed, but she was looking at the ring, watching it sparkle. “God, it’s gorgeous. How long have you really been planning this?”

“Honestly? Months. Maybe longer. I just… I knew. Almost from the start, really. You were the one for me. The only problem? You had that awful cheating fiancé. I had to deal with him first.”

Before Blair could respond, the doorbell rang.

“Ignore it,” Roman murmured, nuzzling her neck.

The bell rang again. Then again.

She looked down at herself and at him. Grinning.

while Blair quickly pulled on jeans and ran her fingers through her hair. She was still grinning like

her ring.

downstairs–Roman and… were those her

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Chapter 77

the stairs. “We brought coffee and

time they’d eaten a real meal?

she was fully dressed in jeans and one of Roman’s t–shirts, she headed downstairs to find Sutton and Keira in the kitchen with Roman, who was pouring coffee.

overwhelmed, dark circles under her eyes that matched

his

holding up?” Blair asked, accepting the coffee Roman

quietly. “But Blair, we need to talk about… everything. Mom and Dad’s business. What happens now? We know it’s going to take some

lawyers want to meet with us this week. There’s so much to figure out. We need to think long and hard

heavy weight of other people’s lives on her shoulders. They couldn’t worry about

are you thinking?” she asked carefully, settling at the kitchen table

Keira exchanged

as the oldest, I suppose our parents, if alive, might have groomed me to take over. But Blair… I’m pregnant, and honestly? I’m a

jumped in. “And I’m only twenty–four. I just graduated from college. I’m nowhere near ready for that kind of responsibility. I can barely manage

at her now. Blair could

though

where he was leaning against the counter. “You’ve been essentially running Kingston by my

just any business,” Blair protested. “It’s Mom and Dad’s company. Their legacy. I

the three of us…. You are the best suited to look after their business. With Roman by your side, you have his

Keira added

overwhelmed. “I… I don’t know. This is huge.

don’t have to decide anything today. Just know I will be there to help you every

pride settle on her heart. Not only did her sisters trust her to look after the business, but Roman believed she could do it… maybe. Her parents had built something beautiful, something important

was time for their daughter to

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