Aveline remained completely unaware of the storm brewing in Theron's mind.
To her, the matter was simple. He was here. She wanted to touch him. That was all there was to it.
It had been too long since she had felt the warmth of him properly, too long since she had been able to rest her hands against the hard plane of his chest or press close enough to hear the steadiness of his breathing.
Even now, just looking at him, she found herself wondering about that terribly unfair part of him, which she had once privately thought of as a "snake". It always seemed terribly energetic whenever she was around. It had always had far too much energy, far too much life, and she could not help but wonder whether it still reacted the same way these days, whether it still stirred at her presence the way it used to.
