A Ring of Truth

Tina leaned her hip heavily against the warm glass counter where jewelry reclined none-too-innocently against black velvet props; she cloyingly gripped Atlas’s arm, lank from sitting behind a business desk most of his life. The clerk’s glassy eyes darted hungrily back and forth between Tina and Atlas as they gazed at the overly wrought rings with colored gemstones. Atlas fought Tina’s grip, finally shrugging her off completely to reach for his wallet. The salesclerk snapped up his platinum credit card with a quick hand and turned her back on the couple for the first time. Atlas took the opportunity to glance at Tina. He was annoyed with her, yet the tapping of his wallet against the glass indicated a large puff of noblesse oblige. He lowered his gaze to her nose, chin, the top of her breast, where he stopped and lingered on the slight depression created by her lace bra trenching into her buoyant cleavage. He swiped his tongue across his teeth as he did when making any decision.

Excerpted from A Ring of Truth by Rachel Dangermond
Copyright ©1998 by Rachel Dangermond