After having a moment to look at the two rings side by side, Jonathan knew immediately which one he could see on Jennifer's finger and he paid for it on the spot. The good people of De Beers put it in a black velvet box which Jonathan put in his pocket to surprise her with later.

He walked out to the car and caught the tail end of what Max was saying to Jennifer as they stood there.

"…But I've never seen him like this."

"Seen me like what?" Jonathan asked Max, assuming they were referring to him.

Jennifer was the one to answer. "I asked if you usually sweep women off their feet with lavish gifts and big romantic gestures."

"And I told her that you're a pretty romantic guy, but this is all new," Max added.

Jonathan wrapped his arm around Jennifer's slim, beautiful waist and kissed her cheek. "I am a romantic guy, but I've never been in love like I'm in love with you. I've never been engaged before."

"Yeah? How do you like it so far?" Jennifer teased, resting her hand on his chest. She was already so easy and free about these small touches and little kisses. There was a comfort and intimacy about it that Jonathan had never experienced so early on with anyone before. Yet more proof that Jennifer was perfect for him.

He took her hand and kissed the back of it. "I like it a whole lot. How about you?"

"I've never been engaged before either, but it looks to me like we're pretty good at it so far," she answered with a grin.

"Great," he agreed, smiling back at her. "Now, what do you say we go on that shopping trip that got derailed yesterday? You can help me pick out a new suit and we can find something for you, and we can paint the town red tonight to celebrate our engagement."

"What a good idea!" Jennifer said eagerly. "And Savile Row is only a few blocks away, why don't we walk and take advantage of the unusually good weather," she suggested.

"I can meet you there to take the bags back to the hotel," Max offered.

"Alright, thanks, Max," Jonathan said. "We'll see you over there."

He and Jennifer walked hand in hand down the street. "You know," she ventured, "I feel like the sun came out in honor of us."

Jonathan laughed lightly. He couldn't help it. "Sounds like I'm not the only one who's romantic."

She shrugged. "I suppose I'm properly motivated toward romance. Being in love will do that."

The way his heart swelled at those words, Jonathan thought he might burst with joy. He couldn't recall ever being so happy before. "I agree," he said. "Do you mind if I ask you more questions while we walk?"

"Sure. As long as I can ask some back."

"Of course. So where were you born?"

"Hillhaven, Maryland," she answered. "It's about an hour from Washington, D.C. and my parents had some land there. I was born at home because the roads weren't paved yet and there was an early snow so they couldn't get my mother anywhere in her condition, but the doctor managed to come by horse just in time to deliver me."

Jonathan looked at her in disbelief. "Were you born in 1850!?" he laughed.

"I absolutely was not," she answered, nudging him playfully. "It's out in the country. And how about you, where were you born?"

"San Francisco," he told her. He wasn't ready to reveal his whole sordid history yet, so he hoped she wouldn't want him to elaborate just now.

"City boy through and through?"

"I guess I am," he conceded. "And Max is from New York, of course, so we tend to stick to cities. But I like the country, too."

"You like riding horses," Jennifer recalled.

"I do. And so do you."

"Yes, I do. My father always had horses at the old house in Maryland. But after I finished high school, I always lived in cities. New York, mostly, and then Paris and back to New York and various other places for a few months here and there when I'm working."

"So you don't just work for the London Herald?" he asked, recalling that she had a job here but an apartment in New York.

"No, I had a contract to write four stories, and the one I didn't write about you still has my name on it, so that's technically my fourth. I've been here six months," she explained.

"So it's back to New York?"

"That was the plan. But I suppose now instead it's LA."

Jonathan couldn't help but grin. "We can stop off in New York to make arrangements."

"Don't you have to get back to LA?"

"I can do things over the phone. And we've got offices in New York if I'm needed for anything. A week in New York won't be a problem," he assured her.

"And when will we be leaving London?" she inquired.

"I was originally going to go back after signing the papers with Kingsford Motors, but now I've got very good reason to enjoy my vacation. Today's Friday, so how about we stay through the weekend and fly to New York on Monday?" he suggested.

Jennifer agreed to that, and they suddenly found themselves in front of Jonathan's favorite menswear shop in London. She saw a suit in the window that she liked and dragged him inside. Jonathan had no qualms about following wherever she led.

The afternoon of shopping was a lot of fun. Jonathan got a gorgeous new suit that was measured perfectly for him and promised to be altered and delivered to the Ritz in two hours.

They then went over to some of the women's fashion houses on the next couple streets. This time it was Jonathan's turn to drag Jennifer into a store when he saw a gown in the window. All she had to do was mention that she thought it was beautiful, and the next thing she knew, he was asking for a shop assistant to help Jennifer try it on in her size.

"Oh Jonathan, it's gorgeous. I think I'll wear it when we go out tonight," she called to him from the dressing room.

"Can I see it?"

"You can see it tonight," she promised him.

By the time she'd put her own clothes back on, Jonathan had already paid the exorbitant price and gotten it wrapped up in a dress bag for her.

And then, as she was already learning to expect from him, Jonathan had a plan for what to do next. He seemed to have a plan for everything.

"I think maybe we should take you home. Mostly so I know where your apartment is and also for you to do whatever you need to do, get dressed and whatnot, and I'll come pick you up tonight for dinner," he suggested.

That sounded good to her. Besides, the little case she'd packed when she originally planned to be on a plane this afternoon was waiting for her. Jonathan had, of course, arranged for it to be delivered after he'd basically had her kidnapped from the airport.

What Jennifer really needed was a nap, but by the time she got home, she would barely have the time to do her hair and makeup and get dressed before the time Jonathan promised to pick her up. Part of that was due to the fact that they'd stood outside her door kissing until they couldn't breathe, and somehow ten whole minutes had gone by.

Jennifer eventually walked into her apartment and was awed by the fact that she'd left this room just a few hours ago intending to be halfway to New York and nursing her heartache by now. But now, she was returning to her apartment engaged to marry Jonathan Hart. They would be in London for the weekend and then in New York for her to settle things there, and by next month, Jennifer would be living in Los Angeles with her fiancé.

They hadn't even discussed anything about that yet. Where exactly they'd live, what she would do, when they would be married. Good god, she hadn't even told anyone about the engagement yet! Though, to be fair, it had only been a couple of hours since it had happened. She didn't even have a ring yet. She assumed Jonathan would give it to her tonight. Or else surprise her later this weekend.

She idly wondered which ring he had picked from the two she'd chosen. The diamond on the marquis-cut was bigger but the band was simpler. And the pear-shaped had diamonds all around the band so it was a little flashier. She loved them both, but since this was going to be her ring from Jonathan, she wanted him to have a little more input than just paying for it.

Jennifer continued to think about Jonathan and their future together while she got ready for the evening. The dress was absolutely incredible, and the fact that Jonathan had spotted it and immediately wanted her to try it on just made it even better. She'd been wearing various high-necked sweaters in the three days they'd known each other, and this red chiffon gown had the most plunging neckline she'd ever seen. And thank god she wasn't too busty because she certainly couldn't wear a bra with this.

In contrast to the updo she'd sported since meeting Jonathan, Jennifer unpinned her hair and brushed and curled it so it was down and loose and volumized. She finished applying liberal amounts of hairspray just as the doorbell rang. Jennifer put on her earrings and buzzed Jonathan up.

She expected him to be smiling when she opened the door. And he was for a split second, but then his jaw dropped and his eyes practically bugged out of his head. She started to laugh, knowing she'd achieved her goal. "Good evening, Jonathan," she said pointedly.

"Wow," he answered.

"Is that all you can say?" she teased. Oh she loved teasing him.

Jonathan blinked himself back to reality, but his eyes still roamed over her hungrily. "Yeah. Wow."

With another laugh, she leaned in to kiss him gently. She didn't want to get her lipstick all over him, but she certainly couldn't resist kissing him. "This is the first time you've picked me up for a date, isn't that cute?"

"Very cute," he agreed with a chuckle. "But I hope I don't pick you up for our dates too often."

Jennifer frowned. "What do you mean?"

"Well, I hope we aren't living apart for too long. I'll hardly be picking you up when we live together."

She raised her brow in interest. "Do you intend for us to live together before we're married?"

"Well, I'm not gonna force the issue," he answered carefully.

He certainly wasn't dumb enough to fall into the trap, and Jennifer had to respect him for that. "We'll just have to see. I think you already know that I'm not the kind of woman to refuse many things before marriage," she pointed out.

It was his turn to be surprised. "Do I?"

"Jonathan, you took me back to your hotel room the first night we met. And you were the one to fall asleep," she reminded him. Under the circumstances, it was for the best, she knew now. But she really had been disappointed to miss out on the opportunity to make love to him that night.

It might have been a trick of the light, but Jennifer could have sworn that he blushed slightly. "Oh," he said simply.

"Is my lack of virtue a problem?" she challenged.

"You've got plenty of virtues, and chastity isn't really one I'm too interested in," Jonathan informed her. He kissed her cheek. "And I intend to find out every single one of your many virtues as we eliminate any hint of chastity in our relationship," he quipped.

"We're going to have a wonderful marriage, darling, because we're certainly in agreement about all the important things."

He just grinned.

Jonathan had given Max the night off to stay at the hotel—apparently there was a poker game he'd been invited to—so they took a cab to the restaurant. And as much as she did like Max so far and wanted very much to get to know him better, Jennifer was glad she was alone with Jonathan tonight.

The restaurant was grand and beautiful. It had a lobby with a crystal chandelier and antique settees in red velvet. The dining room beyond the maître d' podium was equally grand. Jennifer made to go straight through, but Jonathan caught her arm. "Hang on a second," he requested.

She looked back at him expectantly. He fidgeted slightly and put his hand in his pocket.

"Jennifer," he began, "I love you very much."

A smile appeared on her face wholly out of her control. "I'm glad, darling. I love you, too."

"And I can't wait to marry you."

Before Jennifer could respond, he took a step back and got down on one knee. There was a small box in his hand that he opened to present to her. Inside, nestled in white satin, was the pear-shaped diamond engagement ring from De Beers.

Jennifer really hadn't known which one she really wanted when they were in the store, but having Jonathan hold out that ring to her, she instantly knew that was the perfect ring.

"Oh Jonathan!" she exclaimed. She held out her left hand to him and realized it was shaking.

Jonathan took the ring out of the box and slipped it onto her finger. A perfect fit. The ring and the fiancé.