Page 49 of Claiming My Cocky Boss

I smiled down at her, brushing a strand of hair away from her face. “I always have. And I always will.”

We stood there for a moment, savoring the quiet stillness of the morning, the world just waking up around us. Then I leaned back slightly, looking into her eyes with a playful grin. “Howabout we take this energy outside? I could use a good jog to start the day.”

Mia laughed softly, stepping back with a nod. “You’re on. Let’s see if I can keep up.”

With a light chuckle, I grabbed our running shoes from the corner, tossing hers to her as we headed toward the door.

This is the perfect time to unveil my surprise.

The air was crisp, the kind that hit your lungs in a clean rush and made you feel alive. I inhaled deeply, my breath puffing out in little clouds as I pushed myself up the incline of the trail. Mia was right next to me, keeping pace like she’d been doing this for years. I had to admit, I was impressed.

"How are you holding up?" I asked, casting a sideways glance at her.

She shot me a look, her lips quirking into a grin. "I’m fine, Liam. Don’t worry about me."

I laughed, shaking my head. "Hey, just making sure you’re not regretting getting into this running thing. You know I don’t go easy."

"I’ve noticed," she said, smirking as she adjusted the hair tie that held her ponytail in place. "But someone has to keep up with you. And besides, it's kind of growing on me."

As we reached the top of the hill, I slowed my pace, letting the moment linger between us. Below, Cedar Cove stretched out in all its morning glory, the lake shimmering in the early light. It felt like our own little world—untouched, peaceful.

"Not bad, huh?" I said, gesturing to the view.

Mia stopped beside me, catching her breath but still looking as determined as ever. "Not bad at all," she said, her eyes scanning the horizon. "I’m so glad you love it here in Cedar Cove."

I turned to her, the weight of what I was about to do pressing against my chest. This was the moment I’d been planning forweeks, ever since we started running together, working together, and building this life.

"Speaking of loving it here," I said, reaching into the pocket of my sweats and pulling out my phone. "I wanted to show you something."

She raised an eyebrow, intrigued. "What is it?"

I unlocked my phone and pulled up the plans. “See this deed? It’s for the 100-acre plot of land right over there.” I pointed to a spot just beyond the ridge.

Her eyes widened with curiosity. "What’s the land for?"

"It’s where our new cabin is going to be." I scrolled to a rendering of the cabin and then to the blueprint. "Here, take a look."

Mia’s hand flew to her mouth, her eyes full of surprise as she stared at the screen. "Our cabin?" she whispered, her voice soft with awe.

I nodded, feeling my heart race for a whole new reason. "Yeah. It’s going to be right here, overlooking the lake. I’ve been working on the plans for a while—wanted it to be perfect before I surprised you."

Her gaze flicked from the phone to me, and I saw the emotion flicker in her eyes. "Liam... this is amazing."

I smiled, but I wasn’t done yet. Slipping my hand back into my pocket, I pulled out the small velvet drawstring bag I’d been hiding for days now, waiting for the right moment. My pulse hammered in my ears, but I pushed through the nerves.

"And I figured," I said, opening the velvet bag to reveal the diamond ring inside, "that we could start building something else too. Together."

Mia’s breath caught, and I could see the realization dawning on her face. "Liam... are you...?"

I couldn’t stop grinning as a surge of emotion rising in my chest. "Mia, I love you. I want everything with you. The cabin,the work, the future—all of it. So, what do you say? Will you marry me?"

Her eyes shimmered with tears, but the smile that lit up her face said it all. "Yes," she whispered, nodding as her voice trembled with joy. "Yes, of course, I’ll marry you."

As I slipped the ring onto her finger, the moment felt both surreal and perfect. We stood there for a beat, the lake glittering in the background, the world around us fading into that single moment where everything felt right. We were starting something real, something that would last forever.

"And by the way," I added, pulling her close into my arms, "I bought this ring with the cash I got from selling the Lambo."

She laughed softly, wiping away a tear as she gazed up at me. "You sold your car for this?"

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