Movement out of the corner of her eye caught her attention, and she turned her head to see Chrysander striding down the beach.
She grumbled under her breath even as he approached. Stopping in front of her, he fixed her with a frown. He pursed his lips then shook his head before moving to sit down beside her on the log.
“I can see you’re going to keep my security team very busy,pedhaki mou.”
She shrugged but didn’t say anything.
“What are you doing out here?” he asked mildly.
“Enjoying the beach. It’s very beautiful.”
“If I promise to bring you out again, will you come back to the house with me? The jeweler is waiting for us, and he must return to the mainland soon.”
She glanced sideways at him. “Why is a jeweler here, and why must we meet with him? Doesn’t one usually visit a jeweler in his shop?”
Chrysander stood and gave her an arrogant look that suggested everyone came to him, not the other way around. He held out his hand to her, and she extended hers in resignation.
“You’re really no fun,” she muttered as he pulled her up to stand beside him.
“I can see I will have to change your opinion of me.”
She tried to pull her hand away as they started back toward the house, but he held it fast. Hot then cold. At this rate, she’d never figure out the man. Memory loss or not, she couldn’t imagine not wanting to tear her hair out around him.
They walked into the library, where an older man was arranging velvet-covered trays on Chrysander’s desk. When they entered, he looked up and beamed.
“Sit, sit,” he encouraged as he walked around the desk to grasp Marley’s hand. He raised it to his lips and brushed a polite kiss over her skin.
When Chrysander had settled her into a chair, he took the one beside her, and the jeweler hastened around the desk.
Marley took in the stunning rings, the dazzling array of diamonds, in front of her, and gasped. She turned a questioning gaze to Chrysander.
“He is here so we can choose your ring,” Chrysander said matter-of-factly. As if having a jeweler personally come out was an everyday occurrence.
“I don’t understand,” she began lamely.
Chrysander picked up her left hand and raised her fingers to his lips. “It is important to me that you wear my ring,pedhaki mou.We had not gotten around to choosing one when you had your…accident. I want to rectify that matter now.”
“Oh.” As responses went, hers wasn’t terribly brilliant, but it was all she could manage.
Chrysander urged her to turn her attention to the rings, and she did so a little nervously. They were so huge. And expensive! She didn’t even want to know how much they cost. After trying several on, she spotted one that she loved, but then wondered if he’d be offended by her choice.
Her gaze kept wandering to it even as she continued to try on the rings the jeweler pressed on her.
“That one,” Chrysander said, pointing to a ring to the far right.
To her surprise, the jeweler plucked the one she’d been staring at and handed it to Chrysander. Chrysander slid it onto her finger, and it fit perfectly. It was smaller than the others, and simple, but it suited her. A single sapphire-cut solitaire sparkled on her finger, and suddenly she had no wish to take it off.
“You like it,” Chrysander said.
“I love it,” she whispered, then looked quickly up at Chrysander. “But if you’d prefer another, I don’t mind.”
“We’ll take this one,” Chrysander told the jeweler.
If the jeweler was disappointed, he didn’t show it as he smiled broadly at the couple. He efficiently boxed the jewelry back up and stored it in a briefcase that he locked. A few minutes later, Chrysander walked the jeweler out to the waiting helicopter but not before issuing Marley a stern order not to move from her spot.
She giggled as he left. He looked so exasperated, but then he was probably used to people obeying his every command and staying where they were put. A sudden thought horrified her. Had she been one of those people? Surely not. She may have lost her memory, but she hadn’t had a personality transplant.
With that in mind, she left the library and went in search of something to eat. Her nonbreakfast was now a regret as her stomach protested.
