Free Above Rubies (Rockland Ranch) by Jaclyn Hawkes Page B

Heaven knows your heart, Kit.  He doesn’t blame you for the wrongs others have done you.  Neither should anyone else.  In His eyes you're still clean and pure and chaste, and I want to make sure you see yourself that way too.”  He pushed the card and tiny box into her hand.  “I know that kind of abuse sometimes messes people up.  And I’m sure I have no idea what you’re dealing with.  But, in just this short ten days I’ve come to know you’re a good person.  I have no doubt that you are indeed a virtuous woman.”
                  Her eyes filled with wonder as she watched him.  She could see that he really believed that.  It was a completely foreign concept to her.  For so long she had felt used and dirty.  She could hardly even wrap her brain around this.  She still looked at him as she opened the card.
                  It read, “Who can find a virtuous woman, for her price is far above rubies.  King David, Proverbs 31:10” 
                  Slowly she opened the small box, trying to see through the tears that welled in her eyes. A small gold ring containing a single brilliant ruby lay on a bed of black velvet.  She looked up at him as the tears overflowed and trailed down her cheeks.
                  He was flustered.  “Don’t cry again.  This is a happy gift!”  He looked around as if for something to wipe her tears and finding nothing, gently wiped her face with his fingers.  He folded her into a gentle hug and spoke against her hair, “I have no idea what to do when you do this.”
                  That wasn’t true. He knew to hug her which was exactly what she needed although she hadn’t known that until she came here and had done the counseling research.  She struggled to control her emotions.  “I’m sorry.”  She spoke against his chest, “I don’t usually cry this much.  At home I never cried.  Ever.  Naomi says it’s the baby.  It might be the on-line counseling stuff.  I don’t know.  It’s just that I thought this whole virtuous thing was hopelessly gone forever.”  She raised her head.  “Are you sure God still thinks I’m okay, even pregnant?”
                  He smiled and hugged her tighter.  “Yes.  I’m sure.”
                  At length, he pulled away.  “I want you to wear it and when you look at it, always remember that you are worth far above rubies.  And someday, when some jerk insinuates otherwise, you’ll always know what God and Rossen know--that Kit is a virtuous woman, of infinite worth.  Deal?”  He put his fist out to meet hers like a high five.
                  “Deal.”
                  “Good.”  He ruffled her hair again.  “Take your nap.”  He turned and left the room, and she lay down on top of the covers to contemplate her ruby ring.  She drifted off in wonder.  Could it really be true?  She knew she could trust Rossen, so it must be.
                                                            ****
                  Kit opened her eyes and for a second she wasn’t sure where she was.  Then she remembered Rossen’s room and the ruby ring.  She lay there for a moment wondering why the house was now dark and silent and she noticed that his bedroom smelled faintly like him.  It was a combination of aftershave and leather and something uniquely Rossen.  Somehow it was comforting.  She climbed off the bed, slipped on her shoes and went to see where everyone was. 
                  She found Rossen alone in the theater room working on his lap top.  At first he didn’t know she was there and she watched him work, his long brown fingers flying over the keyboard, his concentration intense.  She wondered what he was working on.  He'd told her he was a petroleum engineer slash cowboy.  Then, she’d thought he was teasing, but