THE
OUNCE. WE LOAN MONEY TO ANYONE, AND WE MEAN ANYONE.
He gave her a pointed look. "Now, for the last time, Dr. Carmichael—one emerald cocktail ring."
Feeling helpless, she removed the ring from her finger, then threw it at him, aiming for an eye.
He caught it neatly. "Thank you." Donning a jeweler's monocle, he held the ring up to the light for a few seconds, then
punched in a number on the calculator, his fingers too big for the buttons. He dropped the ring onto a snowy handkerchief
spread on the table. "Next, one pair of diamond stud earrings, total weight, two point five carats."
Her hands flew to her earlobes. "These were my aunt's—they're family heirlooms!"
"Lucky for Raymond, your aunt had good taste in jewelry."
Cut to the quick, Natalie bit deep into her lip to stem her tears, but failed miserably.
He winced and covered his face with his hand. "Oh, no, no, no. Stop with the tears, okay? I'm just trying to feed my family
here. You married the bum, not me."
Furious, she sucked in her tears with a giant hiccup, then handed him the earrings with shaking hands. He inspected them
and whistled. "Nice." Then he added them to the hanky. "And finally, one diamond solitaire pendant."
Remembering she'd dropped the piece inside her sweater, she said, "I don't have it with me."
His gaze fell to her chest, and the skin over her heart tingled. Slowly, very slowly, he moved to stand in front of her,
zeroing in on the small lump of the pendant beneath her sweater—and not exactly ignoring the more sizable lumps on either
side.
Her face burned as she clutched her hand to her chest.
"Come on, Doc, don't make me take it from you."
"Raymond gave this pendant to me for our anniversary."
"I know, I sold it to him. By the way, happy anniversary."
Never before had she so thoroughly despised a person. "You... are... vile."
A scowl darkened his face, illuminating the scar. "Tell you what, Doc, I'll give you a choice. The necklace—" He
snatched up her left hand. She resisted, but his fingers were stronger than her entire arm. "Or your wedding ring." His voice
was soft and teasing, offering a choice that was no choice at all.
Quaking, she glanced down at the thick gold band, etched with gold leaves and studded with emeralds, designed by
Raymond and custom-made for her. She would never part with it. "Let go of me," she hissed, "and I'll give you the necklace."
He released her fingers so abruptly, her arm shot back. Trembling, she lifted the necklace over her head, then pitched it
across the floor, sending it skidding to the door. Chest heaving, she met his gaze and injected as much bravado into her voice as
she could muster. "Now get out ."
He stared at her for a few seconds, and when an emotion resembling pity shot through his eyes, she understood how one
person could injure another in the red haze of rage. If she'd had a gun, she would've deposited a bullet in one of several areas
that when compromised, according to Gray's Anatomy , posed a minimum threat to life while ensuring a maximum amount of
pain.
Emitting a soft laugh, the man turned and ripped off a pink carbon copy of the form he'd been filling out. "Your receipt," he
said, then folded it neatly and pushed it to the edge of the table. He shoved the rest of the papers back into his jacket, which he
draped over his corded arm.
After gathering up the hanky, he crossed to scoop up the necklace and added it to the glittery pile. He shoved the small
bundle into his pocket, then unlocked the door with a snap of his wrist. When a pained expression crossed his face, he touched
a hand to his flat stomach. "Oh, by the way, Doc, I do have a touch of indigestion."
Seething, Natalie glared. "Lay off the Happy Meals."
Suddenly he smiled, revealing even, white teeth. Probably caps, considering his line of work. Then he gave her a mock
salute, and walked out.
Chapter 2
A full minute passed before Natalie sank to the stool, her entire body shaking as
OUNCE. WE LOAN MONEY TO ANYONE, AND WE MEAN ANYONE.
He gave her a pointed look. "Now, for the last time, Dr. Carmichael—one emerald cocktail ring."
Feeling helpless, she removed the ring from her finger, then threw it at him, aiming for an eye.
He caught it neatly. "Thank you." Donning a jeweler's monocle, he held the ring up to the light for a few seconds, then
punched in a number on the calculator, his fingers too big for the buttons. He dropped the ring onto a snowy handkerchief
spread on the table. "Next, one pair of diamond stud earrings, total weight, two point five carats."
Her hands flew to her earlobes. "These were my aunt's—they're family heirlooms!"
"Lucky for Raymond, your aunt had good taste in jewelry."
Cut to the quick, Natalie bit deep into her lip to stem her tears, but failed miserably.
He winced and covered his face with his hand. "Oh, no, no, no. Stop with the tears, okay? I'm just trying to feed my family
here. You married the bum, not me."
Furious, she sucked in her tears with a giant hiccup, then handed him the earrings with shaking hands. He inspected them
and whistled. "Nice." Then he added them to the hanky. "And finally, one diamond solitaire pendant."
Remembering she'd dropped the piece inside her sweater, she said, "I don't have it with me."
His gaze fell to her chest, and the skin over her heart tingled. Slowly, very slowly, he moved to stand in front of her,
zeroing in on the small lump of the pendant beneath her sweater—and not exactly ignoring the more sizable lumps on either
side.
Her face burned as she clutched her hand to her chest.
"Come on, Doc, don't make me take it from you."
"Raymond gave this pendant to me for our anniversary."
"I know, I sold it to him. By the way, happy anniversary."
Never before had she so thoroughly despised a person. "You... are... vile."
A scowl darkened his face, illuminating the scar. "Tell you what, Doc, I'll give you a choice. The necklace—" He
snatched up her left hand. She resisted, but his fingers were stronger than her entire arm. "Or your wedding ring." His voice
was soft and teasing, offering a choice that was no choice at all.
Quaking, she glanced down at the thick gold band, etched with gold leaves and studded with emeralds, designed by
Raymond and custom-made for her. She would never part with it. "Let go of me," she hissed, "and I'll give you the necklace."
He released her fingers so abruptly, her arm shot back. Trembling, she lifted the necklace over her head, then pitched it
across the floor, sending it skidding to the door. Chest heaving, she met his gaze and injected as much bravado into her voice as
she could muster. "Now get out ."
He stared at her for a few seconds, and when an emotion resembling pity shot through his eyes, she understood how one
person could injure another in the red haze of rage. If she'd had a gun, she would've deposited a bullet in one of several areas
that when compromised, according to Gray's Anatomy , posed a minimum threat to life while ensuring a maximum amount of
pain.
Emitting a soft laugh, the man turned and ripped off a pink carbon copy of the form he'd been filling out. "Your receipt," he
said, then folded it neatly and pushed it to the edge of the table. He shoved the rest of the papers back into his jacket, which he
draped over his corded arm.
After gathering up the hanky, he crossed to scoop up the necklace and added it to the glittery pile. He shoved the small
bundle into his pocket, then unlocked the door with a snap of his wrist. When a pained expression crossed his face, he touched
a hand to his flat stomach. "Oh, by the way, Doc, I do have a touch of indigestion."
Seething, Natalie glared. "Lay off the Happy Meals."
Suddenly he smiled, revealing even, white teeth. Probably caps, considering his line of work. Then he gave her a mock
salute, and walked out.
Chapter 2
A full minute passed before Natalie sank to the stool, her entire body shaking as
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