Page 234 of Between Secrets and Obsession

He’s going to propose?

Blinking, I contemplate what to do. If I pretend I didn’t see anything, I’ll be obvious and he’ll think something’s wrong with me. Acting coy isn’t my strong suit.

I should put it back.Yes, put it back, Maddie.

“Mads, where’s your?—”

I spin around before he can finish his sentence, and his eyes fly to my shaking fingers.

“Sorry! I wasn’t trying to snoop, I just wanted to see what you packed so I knew what to bring and then I felt something weird, so I pulled it out, and oh my God, I’m sorry.”

Liam chuckles at my ramblings. “It’s fine. I’d rather surprise you with it later, but you can have it now.”

Wait, what? Why is he so calm and cool?

Why isn’t he freaking out with me?

“Huh?”

Liam steps closer and grabs the box from my hand. “It was five years ago this month we first met, and I wanted to take you somewhere special, but then I saw these earrings and thought how beautiful they’d look on you. So I got them too.”

“Wow, five years.”

I hold my breath as he opens it and reveals gorgeous sparkling studs. “Blue, to match your stunning eyes.”

“Earrings?” My voice comes out high-pitched. As much as I’m freaking out, I thought there was an engagement ring in there.

What is the man waiting for?Five more years to pass?

I force a smile so he can’t sense my disappointment because they’re beautiful.

“Wow,” I say a little too eager. “I love them.”

Liam’s face drops, and I know he sees it written all over my face. He steps closer until the space between us is gone and tosses the box on the bed.

“Goddammit, Maddie.” Cupping my face, he rests his forehead against mine, chuckling.

I’m so confused. My heart pounds so hard, he can probably hear it over my harsh breathing.

“What?” I ask softly.

Then he retreats, grabs something from his back pocket, and gets down on one knee.

Oh my God.

What’s he doing now?

“Didn’t you learn from the last time you dug through my things?” He smirks, holds out a different velvet box, and opensit, revealing a diamond ring. “I should’ve known you’d find the decoy box.” Shaking his head, he reaches for my left hand and rubs the pad of his thumb over my knuckles. “I should make you wait since you snooped, but now I can’t.” Then he winks.

A gasp releases from my throat as I cover my mouth with my hand.

“Madelyn Grace Corrigan, my beautiful girlfriend, the love of my entire existence…” He leans in and kisses my knuckles. “You mean more to me than I could ever express, and I hope by now you know how much I love you. Before you, I wasn’t living, and it wasn’t until you became mine that I had a real purpose. You gave me that. To look forward to every day just to wake up to your beautiful smile. To hear your contagious laugh. To kiss your soft skin. I can’t think of how life can truly get any better than you agreeing to marry me. So baby, will you take morning showers with me and let me kiss you to sleep every night for the rest of our lives? Marry me, please.”

“I don’t even know what to say…” I wipe tears that escaped from the most heartfelt thing I’ve ever heard. “Except yes!”

Liam swoops me in his arms, and I wrap my legs around his waist as I hold tightly around his neck. He lays me on the bed and covers my mouth with his.

“This was supposed to be so much more romantic, just so you know.” His lips trail down my jawline. “Think roses, champagne, and being under the stars.” He moves down my neck. “But you’d have a bad attitude for the next twenty-four hours if you thought I brought you up there to give you a pair of earrings.”