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I stare at her, unsure what to say.

“And you have something very few people have.”

“What's that?”

“A gentle heart.”

I lift an eyebrow, ready to give her shit for that one, but the words never come.

“You, Jude Hawthorne, have a heart as big as Wyoming and the gentlest soul I've ever met.”

For a moment, I can only look at her.

I've been called plenty of things over the years. Quiet. Strange. Antisocial. Too serious for my own good.

But no one's ever put it like that.

She shrugs and turns back towards the sunset, as though she hasn't just reached inside my chest and wrapped her hand around my heart.

“Besides, you taught me the beauty of quiet.”

A million different emotions rush through me, each one leaving warmth in its wake.

Lord have mercy.

“I never thought I'd love it this much,” she continues, smiling. “The quiet, I mean. I used to think I needed something happening all the time. Music, people, conversations. Damiano was the same, and I loved that about him.”

Her eyes drift towards the valley.

“But somewhere along the way, I started enjoying these moments too. Just sitting somewhere beautiful without feeling like I have to say anything.” She glances at me. “And I think that's because of you.”

Fuck.

I look away before she can see whatever the hell is happening inside me.

We stay there as the sun disappears behind the hills. Crickets start up somewhere in the grove, birds call to each other from the olive trees, and every now and then the breeze turns their leaves silver in the fading light.

Nora doesn't seem in any hurry to go back. She shifts closer until her shoulder rests against mine, settling there as though it's the most natural thing in the world.

I wait for the familiar need to move away, to find a space that's mine alone.

It doesn't come.

For the first time I can remember, I don't need someone to leave so I can breathe. I actually want to pull her closer, bury my face in her coconut-scented hair and feel her body against mine.

It's her.

She makes all the noise go quiet.

And she's completely unaware that I'm falling so fucking hard for her that I don't know how I'm supposed to get back up.

I'm so screwed.

CHAPTER 21

Eleonora

Someone is pounding on our hotel room door.