PARIS HILTON - HILTON AND CARTER ENGAGED?

PARIS HILTON and NICK CARTER have sparked reports of an engagement after the hotel heiress was spotted wearing an engagement ring.

The socialite and the BACKSTREET BOY have been dating since December (03) and Hilton recently gushed, "He's honest and sweet and I really love him."

And, at a party at the PLAYSTATION 2 ESTATE in the Hamptons, upstate New York on America's Independence Day (04JUL04) Hilton was seen flashing a huge pear-shaped diamond ring on her left hand.

The hotel heiress was previously engaged to TOMMY HILFIGER model JASON SHAW.