Page 58 of The Arrangement

Anton hummed, shrugging as he lifted himself off the couch. “Yeah, but making you smile is my greatest gift. Come, it’s time to pick out a ring for me to put on that finger of yours.”

One of the silver briefcases was propped up on the oak desk and opened with a set of keys. Viviana’s soft gasp whispered in Anton’s ears. He didn’t blame her a bit. The engagement rings Richard had brought along certainly outdid just about any he could have personally picked. There hadn’t been many requests from Anton regarding the rings, and he’d left the rest up to the older man to decide. And decide he had. Ranging from simplistic designs to some of the most intricately laid pieces he’d ever seen, Anton was quite literally struck quiet, too.

Twenty rings sat resting in black velvet, the shimmer of light reflecting off the carefully cut diamonds and gems. Between the rows, a particular piece caught Anton’s eye. In the middle of a white gold band sat a blue sapphire, five carat princess cut gem, encased with a solid crown of clear diamonds. He hadn’t asked for color, but there was something about that ring that drew his attention above the others.

“Very nice,” he appraised quietly. “I quite like these.”

Richard’s hand hit the spot between Anton’s shoulder blades and the older man laughed. “I hoped you would.”

“Never failed me before,” Anton replied. Viviana made a sound under her breath, almost turning into a skittish deer at the sight of so many jewels. “See anything you like?”

“Um …”

“Pardon me, Vine?”

“Yes. Oh, they’re beautiful.”

That awed look had replaced her initial shock as her fingers hesitantly danced over the sides of the case, but never once coming near any of the rings.

“You can touch them, sweetheart,” Richard said gently. “They are meant for you to wear, or at least one of them, anyway. All sized specifically for you, so you needn’t worry about that. Take your time if you need to.”

Once more, Viviana looked back at Anton, and he could see the battle warring there. It was quite a selection, and if he had to guess, she was probably wondering which ring he wanted to see on her finger.

“I really wanted you to choose without my input,” Anton murmured, hoping she’d understand. “Sometimes it might seem like you have so little control on everyday things, and you have to wear this ring, not me. If you want something small, go with that. If you want something that looks fit to be on a queen, go ahead. It’s all on you, Vine.”

When her trembling fingers ghosted over the case once more, Anton sighed, moving to her side. An arm wrapped around her waist, pulling her close as his lips met her temple and he added, “We’ll leave you to go at it.”

“What? No, you can’t let me choose alone, Anton.”

“I’ve already chosen the bands. They’ll arrive next week. Just … do this for me, okay? It’ll make me incredibly happy, and that way, I know the ring you’ll wear is one you truly love.”

Viviana didn’t say a word, simply shook her head and glanced down with an audible swallow. The second, unopened case was passed into Anton’s grasp before the men left the office. When the door was shut, Richard laughed a low sound when another one of those quiet, disbelieving noises came from inside the office.

“You’ll spoil that girl if you keep up with all this sweet nonsense,” he said with a joking spirit. “Doesn’t she have the slightest clue of the kind of man you are beneath the charm, Anton?”

“She does, not that it matters. Couldn’t hurt her if I tried.”

“Ah, I see. Knowing Nicoli like I did, well … That makes me a very happy old man.”

“The sapphire band, you chose that one for its likeness to this, hmm?” Anton asked, lifting the silver case in his hand. What lay inside was a gift that had been held in the jeweler’s trust for many years, under instructions Anton hadn’t been privy to other than the basics of when he was to give it to Viviana, and why. The older man didn’t deny his claim about the similarity statement. “And you placed it just so, I think, hoping it would catch my eye first.”

“Not just yours,” Richard said, smiling slyly. “If I know women like I think I do, she will pick that band because it was where your gaze traveled first. She will pick it because when her hand touches your face, the piece will compliment your eyes. And, it is more than appropriate enough in style, size, and design to be worn on the hand of your wife, Anton.”

“A ring that by extension compliments me. I hadn’t even considered that.”

Richard nodded, expression darkening with pensiveness before his words turned to Russian. “But her eyes, my boy, they’re all his.”

His suddenly shaking fists hid inside his pockets. “I know.”

Chapter Thirteen

“What is this?”

Anton smiled at the confusion in his lover’s voice as the car slid to a slow stop in a paved driveway. “My … our home.”

“It is?”

“Yep. I tried to buy it not long after I turned twenty, but Nicoli ended up giving it to me instead. This was his gift, I suppose.” That, and a dozen other things he wasn’t about to mention. “The locale is perfect.”