Chapter 75

HARPER

" M arry me?"

A gasp escaped my lips as the words sunk in. Jasper asked me to marry him. I didn't know what to say so I said nothing. I stared into his eyes, waiting for him to say he was joking or for him to take it back but all I saw was hope, and as the moments passed a little bit of panic in them.

Was he serious? Why did he want to marry me? I'm broken.

"Jasper," I whispered tears falling down my cheeks suddenly overwhelmed with emotion I couldn't explain.

"No, don't talk just listen," he demanded as he got up and grabbed his pants from the heap on the floor. He reached into one of the pockets and gripped something so tight his knuckles looked white against his olive skin.

He kneeled in front of the small bed and pulled me to a sitting position while I struggled to hold the sheet up to cover my breasts. He pulled both of my hands into one of his as he yanked the sheet away from my body.

"Don't hide from me Doll. this," he raised his hand waving it in front of him gesturing towards my flushed naked body, "Is beautiful. You're a goddess, My goddess."

He popped open the little box in his hand and there was this stunning emerald, with perfect diamonds all around it, sitting on a band of white gold. It was stunning. my breath hitched when he removed the ring from its velvet case and slipped it on my finger.

It was a perfect fit.

I glanced at my hand and saw this stunning ring – seriously, the prettiest one I'd ever seen. The stone was the same color as the gem on the wings of my guardian angel pin. The one I had attached to my satchel the night Jasper saved me from that lunatic outside the lounge.

I‘ve never told him, but that pin means a lot. I found it covered in dirt the day I escaped my captors. It was lying there buried, the only visible part was the stone that sat on the wing, a small emerald gem. I stumbled upon this beautiful thing among the trash on the path and thought it deserved to be picked up and treasured. I carried that thing around with me everywhere I went. It served as a reminder of my strength, and only now did I realize that I stopped needing its comfort since Jasper had come into my life.

I looked up to see Jasper watching me with eager eyes, while I admired my hand with his ring on it.

"Harper, until you I had no desire to ever marry. I didn't want anything that would cause me to show weakness, to force vulnerability. It's not something that has come easily to me. I have always seen love as a joke. something unattainable, especially for a man like me. When you walked into my life, your fire, your strength your tenacity woke something deep inside my heart that I had buried with hate and disdain all these years. Your light has shown through all my darkness, and I can't even imagine a life without you in it now. I want to be your salvation just as you are mine, please don't say no. If you need time, I'll give it to you but if the answer isn't yes, I don't think I could handle it. I need you in my life forever."

He looked down at my hand and then back up meeting my gaze. Such raw emotion written in just one look.

I felt the slight tug of my lips as a smile formed. I couldn't believe that this was happening, I couldn't believe he wanted to marry me. I was even more shocked that I wanted to accept his proposal. I always felt unworthy of anything like this. I thought I was going to live my life forever in the shadows, afraid to be loved, but Jasper has changed all of that for me. Jasper has shown me that despite my flaws and imperfections, I am worthy, and he shows me that every day.

"Jasper Whitlock, I will marry you, on one condition." A look of relief washed over his face, which was quickly replaced by curiosity, he nodded his head in agreement.

"Anything Doll, it's yours." He responded without any hesitation.

"I get to pick the cake." I giggled pulling him into a kiss that he deepened the moment I parted my lips. His hand gripped my hair keeping me flushed with him. He kissed me like it was his last breath. We only stopped when the need to breathe was undeniable.

The pilot issued the seat belt light, and since I was a scared little kitten when it came to flying, I insisted we take our seats. Even though Jasper tried to distract me, my newfound passion for life and what it meant to become Mrs. Jasper Whitlock was more important than his eager attempts to get me back in that bed.

He rolled his eyes but eventually agreed. We sat down and he reached over to fasten me in before he fastened his own seat belt. I leaned over resting my head on his shoulder glancing at my hand wrapped around his forearm, like my ring finger was sitting on a muscular, tattooed pedestal. He must have caught me staring because when I finally glanced his way, he wore a grin bright enough to light up the entire cabin.