"What are you thinking about?"
The man's voice pulled her back from her thoughts. Aldana Candi lifted her head and saw Philip Shaw's eyes narrowed slightly in scrutiny. She hurriedly smiled, pushed her thoughts back down, and supported him as he sat down on the sofa.
"Nothing. The rain's really heavy. You eat first, I'll go turn on the light."
Dark clouds pressed low, dimming even the light inside the room. Aldana Candi let go of Philip Shaw's hand and turned to switch on the light, but the man tugged her arm and, caught off guard, she fell onto his knees.
"What are you doing!" She lifted her head in shock, flailing as she tried to stand up, but he wrapped an arm around her waist and pulled her into his arms. His strong yet cold arm circled her waist, his palm pressing against her back, pressing her whole body into his embrace.
His heartbeat, muffled through his thin clothes, thumped again and again, and for no reason it made Aldana Candi feel an urge to cry.
