She opened her lips to protest, but he shushed her. “I want you to marry me, Naomi. To move into this house, or any other, and make it a home together. Have children, raise them from cute pups and kittens to outstanding adults. To grow old together, Naomi. I want it all.”
She could only stare at him, speechless, her heart pounding so hard she could hear the beat in her ears.
“M-marry?” Longing rose in a tide, images in her mind’s eye that his words evoked.
“So.” Liam ran his hands up and down her arms, coming to rest on her shoulders. A smile quirked the corner of his lips. “Can I kiss you again?”
She was saved from a decision by the quick tap-taps of heels on the hardwood floors, and a moment later Miranda came into view. She was smiling as she stepped through the doorway.
“Liam, the sellers have accepted your offer!” She beamed at them both, while Liam looked startled.
“They have? Already? I only just filled out the paperwork.”
Miranda laughed. “I called them with the offer. The paperwork still has to be done, but we’ve got the acceptance.”
Apparently still a bit stunned, Liam just looked at the realtor. Naomi recovered herself, laughing, and tackled him in a full-on body hug. “You got it! You really did! Congratulations, Liam!”
“Wow,” he said, hugging her back automatically. Naomi giggled at the dazed look in his eyes. “I’m really doing it. Buying a home.”
“You are,” she agreed, giving him a final squeeze and stepping back, while Miranda held out her hand to Liam with an understanding smile.
“Congratulations on becoming a home owner, Mr. McConnell.”
Chapter26
Naomi lay in bed,sleepless, staring at the ceiling. Liam wanted to marry her! She could have it all, the life she’d always longed for, but knew it could never be hers. And oh! She wanted Liam! When they were together, it was like everything was right in her world. As if they were meant to be. He’d called her his Chosen. If she were free to Choose, she would choose Liam. But, was she? That was the huge question.Everyone told her to trust them when they said she would never turn Rogue. And with her fears about what had happened in Manhattan laid to rest by her conversation with Renee, still… there was what happened to Beth. She, too, had fallen in love. She, too, had taken a chance that she wouldn’t turn Rogue. And her lover had paid the ultimate price... as would Liam, if everyone was wrong about her.
But Beth… she suddenly hugged herself, grinning like a loon. Oh! To have seen her sister again, to have held her, hugged her. It had felt like a piece of her that had been missing, but had suddenly been reunited.
Naomi sat up in bed, and switched on the table lamp, looking around her room. It really was a lovely room, with its antique furniture, the cozy rug on the floor and warm comforter on the bed. Beth would love to see this. Maybe she was still awake.
Getting up, she turned on the rest of the lights in the room, and fetched her phone from the charger on the desk. The other end rang only once when a familiar, beloved voice sounded.
“Naomi?”
She couldn’t help squealing in delight. “Beth!”
Her sister’s giggle was the most wonderful thing she’d ever heard. “So, were you asleep?”
“No… I was awake. Thinking.”
“Same. But hey! Want to see my room here at the bed and breakfast?”
“Really? I’d love to! I have Facebook all set up, so we can FaceTime, but if you want to Zoom or Discord, you’re out of luck, I remembered my Facebook password, but not the others.”
“Nope, FaceTime works.”
Moving to stand at the door to her room, she did a slow sweep with the camera, panning the room.
“Ohmigosh, it’s so gorgeous,” Beth enthused. “I love the duvet on the bed, and the matching shams. And a fireplace, how cool! What’s your balcony like?”
“It overlooks the front of the inn, which has a huge lawn, so it’s really nice. There are woods all around, too. Maples, and oaks, and I don’t know what else. Way different from Florida.”
“Tomorrow will you show me?” Beth’s voice held longing. “I’d love to see it.”
“Of course I will. But it won’t be til evening,” Naomi warned. “I have to work tomorrow. But I can text you on my breaks and at lunch.”
“Yes! Oh, Naomi, I’m so happy.” But it sounded more like Beth was weeping. “I’ve missed you so much. I’m so glad that we can at least talk and text, and be in touch.”
