“They’re his,too.”
I absorbed his loaded comment, analyzedit.
As he turned to leave, I said, “I’m not trying to take Jarod away fromyou.”
The silk fabric of his vest strained as the muscles in his back bunched. He tossed me a look over his shoulder. “I’m not worried aboutthat.”
The smile he shot me before he left unsettled my stomach more than the image of the drowned man onTV.
Had Tristan meant that he wasn’t resentful about the attention Jarod paid me or that he didn’t think I was capable of taking Jarod away fromhim?
Chapter 51
The next fewdays blurred together. The only highlight was when Celeste visited. Even though she wasn’t her usualhappy-go-lucky-with-a-side-of-self-deprecationself, she’d come and stayed an entire afternoon with me. Not to mention, she’d sat through two meals with Jarod during which she was only passably aggressive. Animprovement.
“I think she’s starting to like me,” Jarod said the following night, as I slid my feet into a pair of crystallized black heels Muriel insisted suited the green tutu-like dress I’d purchasedbefore—
Ishuddered.
Before the episode I was still desperately trying to magick out of my mind. “Who?”
He sat on the bed to fasten his black diamond cufflinks. “Celeste.”
I grinned. I couldn’t help it. “What exactly led you to think she was warming up toyou?”
“She only called me a unicorn noodleonce.”
My smileincreased.
Done with his cuffs, he adjusted the placket on his tuxedo shirt, then patted his lap. “Comehere.”
I traipsed over and perched on histhighs.
“Have I mentioned how stunning you looktonight?”
I ran my fingers over the poufy tulle. “You really thinkso?”
“I really thinkso.”
“Tristan said you’d hate thisdress.”
“Tristan can be a dicksometimes.”
I straightened his bow tie even though it was already straight. “You look incredibly handsome yourself, but then again, you always look handsome.” He’d slicked so much gel on his hair it seemed almostblack.
“I have something for you.” He slid his hand into the breast pocket of his jacket and extricated a small velvetbox.
“You’ve already given me so much,Jarod.”
When I didn’t reach for his gift, he flipped my hand over and placed the box inside my palm. “I bought it to match your eyes, not your dress, even though it’ll go superbly withboth.”
I popped open the lid, my mouth going round before shutting to steady the rising tremors. A pair of yellow filigreed gold and emerald earrings sparkled against the black cushion. Pearls no bigger than needle heads and raindrop-sized diamonds were sprinkled throughout thesetting.
“I’ve never owned anything so beautiful,” I whispered, voice thick withemotion.
He tucked a lock of hair behind my ear, then removed one of the jewels from the box and speared it through my lobe. “They were apparently the property of the Romanov family. At least, that’s what the man at Sotheby’s told me when I asked him for the rarest and most beautiful piece of jewelry they had up for auction.” He lifted the second earring out of the box, then gently turned my head to gain access to my other ear. “The czar had them fashioned the day he met the woman who was to become his future wife. Word has it, he even designed them and handpicked the stones. If I had any talent, I would’ve done the same. Since making pretty things isn’t myforte—”
I pressed my still trembling lips against his before he could demean himself any further. I was certain he was just as capable as the czar of Russia of designing something of beauty. “I love them, Jarod.” I curled my hand around his neck, my thumb strumming his nape. “I love you.” The words came out before I could speculate if they might scare him off. Bullets through hearts, he was used to, but declarations oflove?
