Meanwhile, Ariel slumped over Stephen's chest, her fingers still curled around the front of his pajamas. She didn't dare to move an inch. His body temperature was unusually high, making his chest an extremely warm place to lean on. Ariel could feel her heart beating wildly, causing her to tighten her grip on Stephen's pajamas.

The latter's mumbles pulled her back to reality in the next moment. "Yvonne, I won't let you …"

Ariel froze on the spot, feeling like she'd been drenched in a bucket of