Julián said, “I hope you still feel that way when you see it. I had a hard time choosing.”
“I helped,” Chris said, with a wink in Julián’s direction.
“I’m sure I’ll—” She opened the box, revealing the golden ring inside. She was silent as she traced a fingertip along the overlapping rows of baguette diamonds. He’d decided on it because he’d like the way the three rows of diamonds were braided into a ropelike design.
She looked up at him in confusion. “This was incredibly expensive, guys. My gosh, did you both empty your savings?”
Julián wasn’t surprised that her first concern was them depleting their savings. “No, love. Our savings are just fine.”
“I’m not sure I can accept such a—”
“Stop, darlin’,” Chris suddenly said. “It was my idea. I talked him into it. He was looking at watches, and I talked him into a ring. Lily showed all these rings to us and assured us they weren’t engagement rings. She called them—oh hell, Julián, what’d she call them?”
Chris sounded almost panicked and Julián started to worry too. The last damned thing he wanted was for her to give them the ring back. “Fashion rings. She said they were fashion rings and that you’d understand that. She said that it would be a good choice for you since all the diamonds are inside the setting, not prongs or anything sticking up to catch on stuff when you work. Please don’t be overwhelmed, Gwen.”
She put the box in her lap and placed hands on both their knees as they turned to face her. Julián had never felt as vulnerable with a woman as he did right then. It’d hurt if she refused the gift.
“Guys,” she interrupted. “I know it’s a fashion ring.”
“You do?”
She giggled. “Of course. I may be a cowgirl, but I’m still a girl. I know you’re not proposing. I’m just worried because of the cost. I’ve worked on a ranch nearly all my life. I have a pretty good idea of what ranch hands make in a month.”
This didn’t seem like the right time to tell her about the millions he had set aside in savings and investments. She’d had enough surprises for one day. “Gwen, I promise, we had enough money to pay for it without feeling the pinch. Try it on.”
Lifting it from the box, she slipped it on her left forefinger. “It fits.” She held it out to look at it and then let Julián hold her hand so he could see it on her too. He took the opportunity to kiss her knuckles.
“I’m glad you like it. I was getting worried.”
“Hell, me too,” Chris said, sounding profoundly relieved. “I thought I messed up royally.”
“Every time I look at it, the three rows of intertwining diamonds will remind me of the three of us.”
“It’s inscribed too,” Chris said softly as he peered at her.
She slipped the ring off and turned it so the light from the living room window shone on it. “‘Wish I was there, or that there was here.’” She smiled as she looked at Julián. “I remember that from the day I came home, or thought I was home, anyway.”
She sniffled and whispered, “Thank you, guys. I love it.” The last word cracked a little as she said it and she folded her hand up under her chin and gulped.
Taking a deep breath, she blew it out and cleared her throat. “It’s time for your lunch. Are you hungry?”
“We could eat,” Chris said with a chuckle as she squealed when Julián lifted her into his lap so she straddled his hips. “Julián, I’ll make the three of us some lunch. Why don’t you tell her your news and make an appetizer of our girl?”
Julián grinned, and nuzzled her silky throat. She smelled like sunshine and fresh grass. “Mmm, I like the sound of that.”
She motioned for Chris to come close and kissed him before thanking him again, then turned to Julián. He held her head and tilted her back a little so she had to hold on to him or slide from his lap. The feel of her wrapping her warm limbs around him erased all traces of the anxiety he felt. He sucked at her lower lip and placed little kisses along her jawline as he whispered, “So you like the gift?”
“I love it. Were you that worried?”
“A little. I was afraid you’d get upset or get the wrong idea.”
“No. I hate drama like that. There’s no reason to be upset about it. I’m more curious than anything about it being from both of you though. Chris didn’t even know me at the time.”
“Chris helped me pick it out, obviously before he met you, and he seemed to be very sure of what he was saying. And then when he met you, and you took to each other so fast, I knew it really was from both of us. Even though he didn’t know that when he was helping me pick it, he was picking what he’d like to give you too. Later, he asked me to let him pay for half of it so it could be a gift from both of us. I wish I’d known that when I had the ring inscribed. Then it would read as though from both of us instead of only me.”