He can’t be serious. I look at the giant, glinting diamonds, then back at him.
He arches a brow in amusement.
“Which one?” he repeats.
I purse my lips, heat blooming across the back of my neck as I fluster.
“I mean, I guess I like that one best out of all of them.” I point to a ring that has a row of diamonds. The one in the center is the largest, and either side taper down in size. “It reminds me of the beams of a sunrise.”
“Hmm.” Sterling takes the ring from the display and studies it. Then he slides it onto my wedding finger. “Looks good on you.”
My breath snags in my throat, and I follow his burning gaze to my hand. He’s stroking my knuckle above the huge ring. I can’t deny it, it does look good, all twinkly and pretty. But it’s the way his thumb moves over my skin without breaking contact to prevent me from taking if off that sets my heart racing.
“Looks really damn good,” he rasps.
My cheeks heat as we stare at one another, just like we have so many times now, with something magical swirling between us. He’s told me multiple times, and I’ve told him, that we’re in this together. Yet, seeing a ring on my finger and noting the way his eyes are full of an intense, sinful possession, entwined with all that love and adoration, makes my head light and fuzzy.
“Nice,” Sinclair says, nodding her approval as she appears next to me. “This is my favorite.” She points to a solitaire princess cut diamond the size of a dime.
“They’re all gorgeous.”
I slip my hand out of Sterling’s and remove the ring, placing it back onto the display cushion. His eyes are fixed on my face, a darkened heat smoldering in them. His hands might have kept to respectable places tonight, but the way he’s looking at me is enough to let the world know there’s something between us.
I shake my head, indicating to cool it down. He clears his throat, looking away and biting back a grin.
“This one looks like Trudy’s.” Sinclair points to an emerald cut diamond flanked by other smaller stones, making it look like a flower, oblivious to the come-fuck-me eyes her father was just giving me. “Uncle Mal chose the diamond himself from one of our mines. It’s a shame she couldn’t make it; she’d have liked to have seen these.”
“Where is she?” I ask, concentrating on Sinclair so my cheeks will cool.
“Some college reunion with girlfriends.”
I glance at where Mal is talking to an older couple, the woman pointing at a display of necklaces.
“He’s flying to Botswana in the morning for a week to visit the mines. I’m so jealous,” Sinclair groans theatrically. “I haven’t been out of the city in weeks. All my jobs have been here.”
“Do you have any location shoots coming up?” I ask, a familiar head of blonde hair across the room catching my attention.
“Yes, next week, thank god. A swimwear shoot in Bermuda.”
“That sounds great,” I say as Lavinia makes her way to us.
Sterling steps closer to me and slides his hand onto my lower back as she reaches us. She gives me and Sinclair a small smile and says hello, but her eyes quickly dart to Sterling.
“Quite the turnout.” She moves closer, then retreats like she’s about to kiss him hello but thinks better of it.
“It is. Sullivan’s done a great job. You look well,” Sterling says, oozing his usual polite charm.
Lavinia’s eyes brighten. “So do you. I was hoping we could talk. I accompanied William here”—she waves in the direction of man wearing glasses—“but we can’t stay for long.”
“Nice to see you, Lavinia,” Sinclair chirps as she’s drawn away by another guest.
Sterling clears his throat. “Lavinia?—”
“I want to apologize.” She looks at me and I feel bad for her. She must be embarrassed after what happened at his penthouse. She has no idea I was there and heard everything.
Or any idea what Sterling and I did against the door after she left.
I shift a little on my feet, ready to excuse myself, but Sterling slides his hand from my back and around to my hip, clasping it so I don’t move.
