Chapter 32

Before he could speak, the man’s eyelids fluttered open and Charles found himself eye to eye with that searching gaze.

“Oh…” he said. Dark brows narrowed into a quizzical frown, and those equally dark eyes ran over every inch of Charles’ face. “Oh…” he said again, and Charles held his breath, barely daring to move when the man ran his hand over his hair, actually touched him, and then trailed a thumb across his cheek. Charles’ mouth went dry and his heart thundered in his chest.

“Are you an angel?” the man said and brought his other hand up so he was cupping Charles’ face. Charles couldn’t have spoken or moved if his life had depended on it. “You must be,” he continued, his voice dropping to a whisper, and his eyes continued to search Charles’. “You are all golden. A beautiful, beautiful golden angel,” he said in an odd singsong voice, and tilted his head to one side.