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He chuckled as he set down his book and stood up. “I’ve about had it for the day too. Might as well go to bed.”

Jude sent Nancy a text, letting her know they were turning in for the night. Then they both walked upstairs.

Eve was very tired. Definitely too sleepy for sex. But she would still have liked to sleep in Jude’s bed the way they had during their trip. She’d gotten used to it. It might have made her feel less bleak and heavy.

Lonely.

They reached her door first and both paused. Jude turned to face her. “All right,” he murmured. “Sleep well.”

She nodded, her chest sinking since her hopes of sleeping with him weren’t going to be realized. “You too.”

“Thank you.”

“For what?”

“For the trip. For keeping me company. For everything you’ve done for me.” His eyes were deep and sincere. “I had a really good time, and that was thanks to you.”

“Y-you’re welcome. I had a good time too.”

“Did you?”

“Yeah. Except for the day you were so sick, it was the best trip of my life.”

His mouth softened. Then he leaned down to press a light kiss against her lips.

It felt good but didn’t last long enough to evoke much of a physical response. It was her heart more than anything else that was clenching as he straightened up.

“Good night, Eve.”

“Good night.”

He lingered for a moment but didn’t say anything else, so finally she had to open her bedroom and step inside.

She looked back at him once before she closed the door.

Eve had lunch with her father the following day since Jude was busy writing.

After she’d asked him about how he’d been doing, the conversation turned to her trip. She told him about everything they’d done and all the sights they’d seen and about the one day Jude was so sick. She’d always had a good relationship with her father, and the only topics they’d ever avoided were details about her romantic or sexual life. So naturally she left out all the intimate stuff with Jude, but she had plenty of other interesting anecdotes to tell him.

He appeared to enjoy her narration, asking a lot of questions and reacting in a way that proved he was genuinely listening. But as they were finishing their meals and she ran out of trip details to share, he got quiet.

Her dad wasn’t an expressive man. He was quiet like she was but more uptight and professional. She knew him well enough, however, to see that he was worried.

“What’s wrong?” she asked when his expression started to get to her. “Something is bothering you. I thought you liked Jude.”

“I do like Jude. I always have—even when he was a boy.”

“Then why do you look kind of… disapproving?”

“I’m not disapproving, Eve. You’re grown now, and you’ve always made good decisions.”

“Then what is it?”

He cleared his throat. “I’m a bit worried is all.”

“Worried about what?” Her stomach twisted slightly. Not like her father was about to offend her but like he was about to tell her something she already knew but couldn’t admit to herself.

“You sound like you’ve had a great time with Jude. Like you’re getting… closer.”

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