Chapter 10

A sound woke her up, the sound of something breaking. Elizabeth tried to get up, but there was a pressure on her waist preventing her. Julian's arm was holding her in an embrace, so she gave up on separating from him, not wanting to wake him, so she focused on watching him sleep.

He looked so peaceful, and his face reflected so much tranquility. She carefully ran her hand through the boy's hair; his curls were tangled, but his hair was still soft to the touch. She slid her fingertip over the young man's face. A small beard was forming on his angular, chiseled chin. She couldn't help but smile; he stirred many contradictory feelings in her. On one hand, he exasperated her beyond measure, and on the other, he filled her with tenderness.

It seemed she had made some sudden movement without realizing it, as Julian woke up and had his brown eyes fixed on her. A slight blush covered Elizabeth's face; she didn't expect to be caught in such an embarrassing situation.