[ He mentally winces at that, because he can feel that sudden distance now opening up between them. But he has no idea how he could have evaded this one, short of not wearing his earring. Which wasn’t going to be an option.

So he cups her face in her hands, holding her in place as he meets her gaze with a firm look, frown lingering on his lips as he searches her expression. ]

Whatever you’re thinking, stop. I don’t know what it is, but I don’t like that look in your eyes. Or that I put it there. Yes, it’s for Claude. [ He wasn’t going to lie to her about it. He’d promised not to. ] It was a memento of our first date. He wanted to get me something to make up for my birthday and I chose this while we were at the beach a few weeks back.