Chapter 21 Like Cold Jelly

• Arthur carried Erin back to her room. He pushed the pink bed curtains of the canopy bed aside and gently placed her down before he pulled the blanket up to her chest. He then sat by her bedside with one hand holding onto her as he gently pressed his fingertips into her small, delicate joints.
• He glanced at her rosy cheeks as she slept. Erin was a natural beauty—she had wide, round eyes that made her look like a cat and long, luscious lashes that curved upward naturally. She had a small, oval-shaped face that ended with a slightly pointed chin, a tiny mouth below her sharp nose, and lips that were always smooth and pink like jelly. Arthur’s gaze fell on Erin’s slightly parted lips before he ran his fingers gently across the skin around her lips.
• With a swift, careful motion, he leaned forward and planted his thin lips on hers. This time, he was certain that it was all true—it wasn’t a dream anymore. He was grounded in reality; he had actually kissed his own little girl. Her lips were just the way he had expected them to feel—soft, moist, and slightly icy on the surface—just like cold jelly.