Liam woke because he was too warm.
His face was tucked beneath Arik's chin, one cheek pressed against the smooth skin above the open collar of his sleeping shirt while a heavy arm remained wrapped securely around Liam's waist. One of Arik's legs had somehow ended up between his, effectively trapping him against the center of the enormous bed.
The curtains remained mostly closed, although a thin line of morning light had begun slipping through the gap between them and stretched across the carpet in a pale gold stripe.
Outside, Agaron was already awake.
Liam could hear the distant movement of vehicles beyond the palace grounds and the occasional muted footsteps of guards crossing the terrace below their windows, but inside the bedroom everything remained still.
He inhaled slowly.
Smoky caramel surrounded him.
