Jude laid his hand over mine when we got onto the main road behind Alve. “Cry all you need to. You’ve had the worst possible day.”
I turned my hand beneath his, letting our fingers slot together. It was our first time holding hands, and the steady warmth of his skin on mine had my stomach tightening. “You make me look like I’ve never seen the sun in my entire life.”
He glanced down at our hands when we stopped at a red light, taking in the contrast of his warm brown skin against mine. “You areimpressivelypale for someone who spends time outside.”
“I might be a bit obsessive about sunscreen.” That was a much safer topic with a far lower risk of crying. “This wasn’t where I expected my life to be when I was pushing thirty. I thought I’d have it all together, you know?”
“It happens sometimes. Maybe the universe was shaking you loose from something that didn’t suit you to make space for something better.”
Okay, we were back onto dangerous topics. If I thought about that too hard, I would start imagining my list coming together to save me from this bullshit.
“Yeah, maybe. How much of the store are they going to have the steam clean after I ran through there?”
“Don’t worry about that. The store has to be kept immaculate anyway, no harm in an extra steam clean,” Jude assured me. “I’m a little bummed my first exposure to your scent was when you were upset. I don’t think I would’ve guessed raspberry tarts.”
“No? What did you think it would be?”
Had Jude spent time wondering that about me? Did he not like my scent now that he knew what it was?
“Chocolate, or something like peaches, but now that I know it’s raspberry tart, I feel dumb for thinking it was anything else. It suits you perfectly.”
My cheeks warmed. “What’s yours?”
Jude’s scent had always been carefully locked down to accommodate his job, and even his vehicle didn’t have a hint of it. “Pomegranate and cranberry.”
“That’s my favorite herbal tea.” The statement fell out of my mouth before I could think about how he might take that.
What the hell was I thinking? That was weird, wasn’t it? How else could he possibly take me saying it was my favorite tea, besides that I liked the taste of him?
If the gods were kind they would open a portal and let me fall through it right now.
Jude, ever the gentleman, didn’t even get close to a lewd comment. “I’ll be sure to stock up on some for you.”
I shoved down the unruly and deeply inappropriate disappointment that curled in my chest. All it took was a few moments of kindness and I was ready to beg for his attention,even though he always gave it freely. Instability made me crave comfort, and I knew I could get that from him.
Not fair.
I refused to use him that way.
Jude had always been good to me, and I needed to be good to him now.
We pulled to a stop at a luxury apartment condo. The complex had ample visitor parking, and Alve met us at the door, quickly and quietly ushering us inside.
“I should start off by saying this is not an omega-only building. I forgot to mention it, but if it’s going to be a dealbreaker…”
“Mixed designation is fine,” I promised.
His shoulders slumped in relief and he guided us to the elevator. “The suite is on the top floor.”
“Thepenthouse?”
“Uh, yes. Is that a problem?”
“Alve, I can’t afford a penthouse suite. I don’t even have a job yet.”
We stepped off the elevator and Alve paused in front of the door. “I wasn’t intending to charge you rent.”
“What? Why not?”
