Julian Sterling lay obediently in Ethan Caldwell's embrace, his entire body still carrying a trace of the biting cold left behind by the recent consciousness synchronization. His body temperature was lower than normal, exactly like a small block of ice unconsciously nestling deep into his sole source of warmth.
Ethan was not asleep at all.
He lay there, his deep dark eyes wide open in the darkness, both arms still holding Julian extremely tightly. So tight that it seemed as if he wanted to embed this slender body deep into his own flesh and blood.
One of his large hands rested firmly on Julian's slender waist, cutting off any path of retreat. The other hand delved deep into the soft, silky hair, his rough fingers weaving through the pitch-black locks.
It was as if just by loosening his grip a little, just an instant of negligence, Julian would immediately evaporate from his arms, dragged away by some invisible, dark force out there.
