Chapter 21.1: You stink

His entire body froze as if possessed by an ice demon, but contrary to the ice statue state of his body, Midnight's heart was restless, beating hard against his chest as if trying to leap out of it. The breath he was inhaling at the moment the two arms circled his waist and the tender and soft voice of Ryder spoke, got stuck in his throat, almost choking him. In those moments, Midnight was so stunned and speechless he was unable to react, his thoughts were in chaos and he even dared to think he was dreaming.

Have I gone crazy? Am I hallucinating now because I'm sleep-deprived?

With a trembling hand, his fingers touched lightly the skin of the back of Ryder's hands almost as if he was scared that by touching her, she would disappear in thin air like an illusion his tired mind created. But the warmth of those hands almost scalded his fingertips. Yet he couldn't bring himself to pull his hand away. Instead, as soon as his hand touched Ryder's, his fast-beating heart slowly calmed down and