Page 71 of Modern Romance Collection February 2025, 5-8

He guided her to the side of the room with another group of people. ‘I’ll be back in a moment,’ Aston said. ‘Save me a seat.’

He walked away, and she couldn’t help but admire his broad shoulders, hugged lovingly by a dark suit jacket. The length of his legs and how he always seemed to stride with such confidence and authority. Yet he’d left her to herself and her thoughts. Not really a pleasant place to reside.

Ana glanced at the people round her and took a deep breath, trying to settle her growing nerves that twisted higher and tighter. When she’d been shopping, Aston had sent her with his private secretary and a discreet personal protection officer. Today, they’d come here alone. Still, there was no reason to think anyone would know where she was. In Halrovia, all her moves were diarised in a court circular, her royal engagements publicised. With Aston, no one knew what they were doing. None of their time was advertised or documented. She couldn’t help feeling thankful at the anonymity of it all, keeping her safe.

Aston returned after a few short minutes and took a seat beside her. The smile on his face was warm and genuine, self-satisfied. It made her heart flutter in anticipation, his mood so infectious. In his hand he held a paddle with a number on it.

Ana frowned. ‘What’s that for?’

He sat next to her. ‘I’m bidding.’

‘What are you buying?’

‘An engagement ring for you.’

Her heart stopped for a second, then bounded to restart, as if it had been shocked.

‘But...but...why?’

‘Don’t you believe you deserve it?’

Ana had no words. She leaned back in her comfortable seat, looking at the people around them all with paddles of their own, oblivious, flipping through catalogues, talking. Whereas she sat silently, unable to say a word. She hated that this was even a question for her. Once, her first thought would always have been,of course I deserve it. Now? She didn’t feel worthy.

‘But nothing’s agreed.’

‘I’m a man who likes to be well prepared, but you’re under no obligation to accept me. Still, there’s no harm in having the perfect ring in case you do. I saw the auction advertised and thought of you immediately.’

Had he?

Aston leaned over to her, so close, she could sense him. That smell...was cool, like the granite of the mountains surrounding Halrovia’s capital. The slight salt of an ocean breeze, the wild and enticing scent of spice... She could breathe him in for days and never get tired of it.

‘Sit back and enjoy. Auctions are fun—the thrill of the chase.’

‘Where’s your catalogue?’

‘I don’t need one. I know exactly what I want.’ She didn’t think he was talking about the jewellery. His eyes darkened. Goose bumps peppered her skin at the intensity of his attention.

‘What if we don’t win?’

‘I won’t fail because what I have in mind is perfect for you. Nothing else will be good enough. You’ll soon discover when I want something, I do everything in my power to get it.’

Aston’s intensity thrilled her. Even more so, the realisation that he’d thought about this, planned it for her benefit. When had anyone ever done anything like that? Never, that was when. Most of the time people only expected things of her. They didn’t much think of what she wanted at all.

The auction began with a fanfare. Exquisite jewels were projected onto a large screen, diamonds bigger than quail’s eggs. The jewellery twinkled like constellations as the auctioneer coaxed the best price for the purchases. She couldn’t help being caught up in the bidding. All the while, Aston quietly narrated the purchases—who had bought a diamond brooch for his mistress, what collector had won an emerald-and-diamond rivière to lock away in some vault.

He was expressive as he spoke, and at first she was terrified that with an errant flick of his hand he might purchase something he didn’t mean to. Aston had laughed, deeply and throatily, reassuring her that that only happened in the movies. After that, she’d allowed herself to get carried away by the excitement as jewel after jewel sold to a hammer strike.

Then the auctioneer began to speak. Aston stiffened, alert, like a predator waiting to pounce.

‘Now for lot twenty-one. This is a six-carat, internally flawless, cushion cut, fancy vivid-blue diamond set in platinum...’

A picture flashed up on the screen of a ring being modelled by a woman. Ana couldn’t help herself; she gave a little gasp and stopped focussing on what the auctioneer was saying. She turned all her attention to the magnificent stone of deep-blue with an extraordinary internal fire. Had she been asked to choose her own engagement ring, she couldn’t have imagined anything more perfect.

Ana knew without any doubt this was the ring Aston would bid on for her. He looked over at her with an intensity that burned. She realised then that the vivid blue of the diamond was the same colour as his eyes. It would be a reminder of him on her finger for ever.

‘We’ll start the bidding at two million.’

Twomillion? Suddenly it was hard to breathe. Aston did nothing, lounging back and watching the bids progress higher and higher, although the tension remained. He was coiled like a spring. The bids reached five million and he still hadn’t made a move. It was too much money, that was why. She didn’t know why her heart sank a little. Perhaps it was the thought of having something so beautiful on her finger before realising it wasn’t going to happen. She might have worn all manner of precious gems, but none of them had been her own.

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