The Birthday Deadline (Billionaire Brides) Read Online Free

long ago, in fact I was sure women were constantly throwing themselves at his tailored shoes, but he was still single?
    He shook his head, lips pursed into a severe, taut line, “But now there is.” He said hopefully, staring at me intently.
    “Sebastian…” I said, frowning, “I can’t do that…I can’t lie to your family. I can’t…marry you!”
    Marriage.
    The very word twisted in my stomach like a sharp knife, it made me want to puke all over the billionaire’s fancy black shoes. I’d never even thought of myself as the marrying type. I couldn’t give myself to a man who I didn’t know, I couldn’t stand at the altar with someone who only wished me there to ease his burden.
    “Your shop is failing.” Sebastian said matter of factly.
    He didn’t even bother to point out the dust, the lack of customers during our entire conversation, or the sparseness of my shelves. He didn’t have to point out any of that, because I was already well aware.
    “And?” I asked, pushing the end of my ponytail off my shoulder. I could tell where this was going. I wanted to hear the words, yet, at the same time, I dreaded them.
    “I will save it.” He said, “I can help your shop find its life again. I have the money, the publicity specialists, I can find you so much business you won’t even know how to keep up with it.”
    “Won’t I find myself in the same spot you’re in now?” I asked, “Won’t I owe everything to you?”
    “No.” Sebastian responded quickly, “Everything will be in your name, plus, we’ll be married, Delilah. My money will be your money. I will owe you my entire life. I’ll owe you anything and everything, I will give you everything you see, everything you ever desire, even in the slightest.”
    I held up my hands, overwhelmed by the offers he was throwing, eyes squeezing shut, “I don’t want all those things.” I insisted, “I don’t want anything except for my shop. That’s all I’ll need.”
    “Then you’ll have it.” Sebastian responded.
    He walked closer to me, dropping down to both of his knees as he grabbed my hands into his, squeezing my fingers delicately.
    “Delilah,” He whispered, “I’ll ask one more time. Will you marry me?”
    Though our circumstances were different, our needs were very similar. My florist shop was going under, and fast. These four walls had been my parents dream, and when I'd inherited the shop it became my dream as well. Unfortunately, I lacked the finesse that they had with business, and I'd been unable to keep the small flower shop afloat. Before Sebastian walked through those doors that day, I'd been sure I'd have to close down within a week.
    I swallowed, lost in the emerald jewel eyes of the billionaire.
    “Yes.” I finally whispered back, “Yes.”

Chapter Five
     
     
     
    Later that night, I lay in the bed of my tiny apartment, staring up at the ceiling above my head.
    In the adjacent bedroom, I could hear my roommate giggling on the phone with her boyfriend. They talked constantly, spending hours and hours fawning over each other. They’d been dating for almost a month and were desperately in love.
    I wanted to mock them, but I’d known a man for less than an hour and was already engaged.
    “You hang up!” Trisha squealed, “…you first!” She giggled wildly, bed creaking as she squirmed on it.
    I rolled my eyes, trying not to groan aloud. It was obnoxious. Or perhaps I was jealous. Either way, I didn’t have the money to get a place all on my own, so I would have to deal with the quirks that come with roommates.
    Would I be leaving this place before I knew it, to settle down in some huge mansion with my new husband? The thought of all that change made me nauseous.
    “Stop being petty.” I scolded myself as I rolled onto my stomach, pulling the pillow over my head.
    Inside the dark little pillow cave, it was much more quiet. Too quiet, actually, as it gave my mind time to whir to life. I’d put the conversation with