A radiant smile glowed on her face, and his heart thudded in his chest. She opened her hand and revealed a mud-speckled diamond ring. The large, white diamond glittered and flashed in the sun, and the platinum band gleamed beneath the dirt. He recognized the ring instantly—he'd slipped it onto her finger on their disastrous wedding day.

"I wondered what you'd done with that," he said.

​​

He'd noticed that she wasn't wearing it, and he'd wondered where it had gone. Apparently, she'd tossed it as she ran away. He took a deep breath and tried to focus on the fact that she'd thrown his ring into his roses, but her smile was too distracting. A soft pink flush spread across her face, and her eyes sparkled brighter than the diamond. Surrounded by the roses, she looked like a flower in bloom.

"I was so worried I wouldn't find it," she said. "But here it is—a little dirty but still beautiful."

His heart thudded faster. She looked so happy with his ring in her hand, and she held it so delicately in her cupped palm. A sudden thought soured his good mood—the ring was the most basic symbol of their marriage, and she'd thrown it into the dirt. She could pick it up and wash it off, but it wasn't the same.

"What's wrong?" she asked.

***

Catherine stared at the strange expression on Sean's face. His mouth was frozen in a smile, but his eyes were stormy. Self-conscious, she closed her hand around the ring and lowered her arm to her side. She looked down at her muddy shoes and sighed. She should have thought it all through. Sure, she'd found the ring, but she'd also reminded him that she'd betrayed him. It was a slap in the face.

The large diamond dug into her palm, and she shifted uncomfortably. How long was he going to punish her for that day? How long would it take for him to forget about it and move on? Could a man as proud as Sean forgive? She had to try.

"I'm sorry," she said, forcing herself to look him in the eye. "This ring probably reminds you of some painful memories, but it was important to me to get it back. I made a mistake when I took it off."

He pursed his lips and stared at her with cold fire in his eyes. In spite of the glaring sun, she shivered.

"Please, Sean," she said. "Could you put it on for me again?"

She raised her arm and offered him the ring, but he didn't take it. She stared at him, and he gazed back at her in a silent standoff. The muscles in her arm started to burn, but she held her hand out. Her hand trembled, and the diamond sparkled and glittered as it shook. Exhausted and frustrated, she lowered her hand again.

"How many times do I have to say sorry?" she asked. "You know I wish I'd never met Marco. You know I wish I'd never been so stupid and foolish. I'll regret it for the rest of my life, but that won't change anything. I just want to start fresh."

Sean raised an eyebrow at her, and she felt her blood beginning to boil. She'd gotten down on her hands and knees and crawled through dirt and thorns to find the ring. Her arms stung from the cuts and scratches, sweat trickled down her back, and her skin felt hot and burned.

"What do you want from me, Sean?" she asked. "How many times do you need me to call Marco scum? How desperately do you want me to beg you? How often do I have to tell you that I don't give a damn about him?"

She waited for him to respond, but his face stayed emotionless and calm. She wiped the sweat from her hairline and sighed.

"Well, I guess I'll go back to the house," she said lamely. "I need a shower."

Too angry to look at him, she brushed past him and turned toward the house. She crossed the lawn and passed into the cool shade of the willow tree. She paused and closed her eyes as the tears of frustration began to well up. He was so unpredictable—one minute soft and kind and the next cold and distant and then vengeful and terrifying.

Suddenly, two strong hands gripped her shoulders and pushed her backward. Her back slammed into the rough bark of the tree. She gasped for air, and her eyes flew open. Sean's warm body pressed against hers and his lips pressed against her own.

She squirmed against the hardwood, and he growled low in his throat. His hands closed around her wrists, and he pinned her arms up above her head as his body pressed even closer. Held against the tree, she was defenseless as he took her lower lip between his teeth and bit hard. She groaned, and his tongue invaded her mouth, overwhelming her.

She kissed him back, arching her back to press her hips against his. He pulled away from her mouth and nibbled up her jawline, bit her earlobe, and slowly circled back down to her mouth. She was panting for breath when he finally pulled away. Her lips felt bruised and sore, and the backs of her hands were chafed and red, but he looked unsatisfied. A horrible hunger glowed in his eyes, and his hands were balled into white-fisted knuckles.

"So, this ring is important to you?" he asked, his voice low and hoarse.

"Yes," she said.

"Why?" he asked.

"It's the symbol of our commitment to each other," she said slowly, trying to choose each word with precision. "It represents my loyalty to you."

His eyes blazed, and she looked at him carefully—was it desire or anger?

"Where was that loyalty when you took it off and threw it into the flowers?" he asked.

"I'm not going to lie to you," she said. "I didn't want to marry you at first. You were basically a stranger, and I'm still young. I was overwhelmed and scared, and Marco and my family took advantage of that."

"What changed?" he asked.

"I want you," she said, surprised by how true the lie felt. "I want to make this work."

"I see," he said.

His large hand closed around hers, and he gently opened her fingers. He took the ring from her palm and kissed the red marks the sharp diamond had left on the soft skin. She raised her hand, offering him her ring finger, but he shook his head and slipped the ring into his pocket.

"Don't you ever betray me again, Catherine Stewart," he said.