Seeing me frozen, Christian smiled a little and pulled me down. His arm naturally clasped around my waist and my head rested on his shoulder.

"Then you stay here."

The recliner was small and I had to lean sideways to be close to him.

He smelled of nicotine and seemed to be mourning.

Perhaps because his embrace was so warm, I don't know when I fell asleep.

I woke up to find Christian carrying me upstairs.

"What's wrong?" I asked.

"Go back to bed. It's cold outside," he said.

He carried me straight into the room and laid me on the bed. He put his hands on either side of...