One Touch of Topaz by Iris Johansen

Author:Iris Johansen
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub
Tags: Man-woman relationships, Revolutionaries, Contemporary, General, Romance, Fiction, Rescues
ISBN: 9780553593105
Publisher: Random House Digital, Inc.
Published: 2009-08-25T05:00:00+00:00

Chapter Six.

THE RING WAS beautiful, an enormous marquise-cut Russian topaz of the finest quality mounted on a gold band studded with diamonds that sparkled brilliantly under the last glowing rays of the setting sun. When Fletch had slipped it on Samantha's finger during the ceremony, she had been stunned. Even now, several hours after the ceremony, it still gave her a little start of surprise whenever she caught a glimpse of it as she moved her hand to reach for her glass of wine.

"Do you like it?" Fletch's glance followed her own to the ring. "I suppose I should have let you pick out something yourself, but there wasn't time. I thought the stone was kind of pretty, and it does match your eyes."

"I love it," she said softly. "I couldn't have chosen anything I liked better." She lifted the glass to her lips and sipped sparingly at the wine. She wanted to keep a clear head that night, and she already felt a little intoxicated with excitement and something else she refused to acknowledge. "But it doesn't look like a wedding ring."

"No, it doesn't." He leaned back in the chair. "And you don't look like a bride." His gaze ran over her melon-colored sundress, lingering on the smoothness of her golden shoulders beneath the spaghetti straps. "Not that I'm complaining. That shade is wonderful with your coloring."

"I didn't have anything that looked bridal, and I didn't think it would matter to you." Her eyes twinkled. "And besides, I wouldn't have wanted to be so elegant that I made Skip feel uneasy. He might have felt obligated to give up his baseball cap in favor of a morning coat."

"Only on pain of death," Fletch said dryly. He suddenly frowned. "He's still calling you Topaz. I told him not to do that."

"Why? It doesn't matter."

"It matters to me. Topaz was part of St. Pierre, and that's all over for you. Now there's only Samantha."

"Well, it shouldn't bother you if it doesn't me." She grinned as she tilted her head to look at him appraisingly. "I wonder how you'd look in a baseball cap? Were you ever a Little Leaguer?"

He shook his head. "I was a bookworm."

She chuckled. "Good Lord, I can't imagine that. You're so... "

He lifted one rust-colored eyebrow. "So what?"

"Larger than life."

"Well, I'm larger than several species of life, anyway."

She leaned forward, resting her arms on the table. "Smile."

"What?"

"Smile at me. You have a wonderful smile, but you don't use it enough. You either give me that flinty Easter Island glare or you study me as if I were some weird kind of fauna."

He smiled, and she caught her breath as glowing warmth shimmered through her. "Not at all weird, a very lovely fauna."

"But you do study me."

"Yes."

"Why?"

"I guess I just like to look at you," he said simply. "I thought you knew that."

The color rose to her cheeks. "That makes me feel very... bridal."

"You mean, I actually said something right?" He picked up his glass and gave her a half-mocking toast.

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