Hot Rocks

laughed and let the last stone drop.
    “Just seeing if you were paying attention.”
    “This is a new aspect of you, Laine. Something must be a little twisted in me because I like it. Maybe you could clean this mess up. I’ve got to go get a couple things.”
    “You’re taking them with you?”
    He glanced back at the doorway. “Safer for both of us that way.”
    “Just so you know,” she called after him, “I counted them, too.”
    She heard him laugh and felt another click inside her. Somehow fate had tossed her the man who was perfect for her. Honest, but flexible enough not to be shocked or appalled by certain urges that still snuck up on her. Reliable, with a flicker of the dangerous about him to spice it up.
    She could make this work, she mused as she swept the broken shards into the center of the newspaper. They could make this work.
    He came back in, saw she’d put the dog’s head on a lace-edged napkin, like a centerpiece. After a double take, he snickered.
    “You’re a strange and unpredictable woman, Laine. That sure suits me.”
    “Funny, I was thinking the same about you, except for the woman part. What’ve you got there?”
    “Files, tools.” He set the file folder down, opened it to a detailed description of the missing diamonds. Sitting, he took out a jeweler’s loupe and a gem scale.
    “You know what you’re doing with those?”
    “Take a case, do your homework. So, yeah, I know what I’m doing with them. Let’s take a look.”
    He spread the diamonds on the pouch, selected one. “It’s eye-clean.” He held it up. “No inclusions or blemishes visible to my naked eye. How about yours?”
    “Looks perfect.”
    “This one’s a full-cut, weighing . . .” He laid it on the scale, calculating. “Whew, a whopping sixteen hundred milligrams.”
    “Eight gorgeous carats.” She sighed. “I know a little about diamonds myself, and about math.”
    “Okay, closer look.” Using a small pair of tongs, he lifted the stone and studied it with the loupe. “No blemishes, no clouds or inclusions. Terrific brilliance and fire. Top of the sparkle chart.”
    He set it to the side, on a small scrap of velvet he’d brought down with him. “I can cross the eight-carat, full-cut, Russian white off my list.”
    “It would certainly make a wonderful engagement ring. A little over the top, and yet, who cares?” His expression, one of mild horror mixed with hopeful amusement, made her laugh. “Just kidding. Sort of. I’m going to pour us some wine.”
    “Great.”
    He chose another diamond, repeated the routine. “So, does this talk about engagement rings mean you’re going to marry me?”
    She set a glass of wine by his elbow. “That’s my intention.”
    “And you strike me as a woman who follows through on her intentions.”
    “You’re a perceptive man, Max.” Sipping her own wine, she ran a hand over his hair. “Just FYI, I prefer the square-cut.” Leaning down, she brushed her lips over his. “A nice clean, uncluttered look, platinum setting.”
    “So noted. Should be able to afford one considering the finder’s fee on these little babies.”
    “ Half the finder’s fee,” she reminded him.
    He gave her hair a tug to bring her mouth back to his. “I love you, Laine. I love every damn thing about you.”
    “There are a lot of damn things about me, too.” She sat beside him while he worked. “I should be scared to death. I should be racked with nerves over what’s happening between you and me. I should be terrified knowing what it means to have those pretty shiny rocks on my kitchen table, aware that someone’s already been inside my house looking for them. And could come back. I should be worried sick about my father—what he’ll do, what Crew will do to him if he finds him.”
    She took a contemplative sip of wine. “And I am. Under here,” she said, with a hand on her heart. “All those things are going on under here, but over it, and through it, I’m so happy. I’m happier than I’ve ever been in my life, or expected to be. The worry, the nerves, even the fear can’t quite outweigh that.”
    “Baby, I’m a hell of a catch. Nothing for you to be nervous about on that score.”
    “Really? Why hasn’t anybody caught you before?”
    “None of them were you. Next, whoever—and we’ll assume it was Crew—broke in, tore the place up looking for these didn’t find them here. Not much sense in coming back to go over the same ground. Last, your