They were THE ruby earrings - from that fancy auction.

Half a million dollars for some collector's piece I'd mentioned liking in passing.

I never thought Richard was the mystery buyer.

My emotions went haywire.

'When I was head over heels for him, he couldn't care less what I liked. Now that I'm walking away, he pulls this?'

"Like them?" Richard's smile deepened.

"They're way too much..." I started to refuse. We ...