Total pages in book: 43
Estimated words: 43856 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 219(@200wpm)___ 175(@250wpm)___ 146(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 43856 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 219(@200wpm)___ 175(@250wpm)___ 146(@300wpm)
The air smelled of something decadent, a lingering mix of aged wine and fresh herbs.
And to my shock, a man stood at the head of the car, draped in shadow and mystery.
His long, black leather coat fit snugly over his form, cinched at the waist.
But it was the mask that stole my breath—the long, beaked visage, smooth and expressionless, covering his entire face in an ominous display of old-world intrigue.
A full plague doctor ensemble.
Damn.
Why were masked men so hot?
Maybe it was the anonymity, the way the face—normally a person’s most telling feature—was stripped away, leaving only the mystique, the power, the presence. Maybe it was the sheer drama of it, the way a mask forced us to focus on the body, the gestures.
Either way, I had to absolutely acknowledge that a man in a plague doctor mask was unnervingly attractive.
Still.
I was damn glad I wasn’t doing this part of the experience alone. Because while the luxury, the elegance, the plague doctor, the theater of it all had been dazzling up until now, stepping into a subway car with a faceless man waiting in the shadows?
Yeah. That might have been freaky as hell if I didn’t have Fabien beside me.
Anyway, we both sank into our new plush seats.
Fabien arched a brow at the plague doctor. “Well. This is unexpected.”
The plague doctor gave a deep, theatrical bow, then gracefully lifted the silver dome from the cart before him.
Beneath it was an array of cheeses—delicately cut, perfectly arranged, each one a masterpiece in its own right.
He plated them in silence like some kind of alchemist conjuring gold from the mundane.
Then, without a word, he rolled the cart away, leaving me and Fabien in the hushed stillness of our own private world.
The doors slid shut.
And then—the train began to move with a slow, smooth glide.
This is insane.
As the outside world blurred past the tinted windows, my heart raced in time with the rhythm of the train.
The plush chairs under our bodies were so close that our thighs brushed against each other. Each lingering contact sent a ripple of electricity through me.
And still Fabien held my hand.
The motion of the train was so fluid, so seamless, it felt like we were floating through time itself.
I turned to Fabien. “I’ve never had an experience like this. I feel like a kid in a toy store.”
His lips quirked at the corners, but his gaze remained fixed on me.
Not the train.
Not the luxury.
Not the impossible setting.
Just me.
“This is quite the experience.” He nodded. “But honestly. . .I’m more blown away by you.”
My body heated.
Not just my face.
Not just a polite little blush.
No.
I felt him everywhere.
His words wrapped around me like silk, like the caress of a slow, teasing fingertip running down my spine.
Damn. I want him so bad.
“Well, I guess we should focus on the food too. . .” Frowning, he let go of my hand and went to his plate. “I keep forgetting my actual mission tonight.”
I grinned.
“Rae, you are too enticing.”
My body heated.
I picked up a slice of cheese and slipped it between my lips.
Instead of eating his own cheese, Fabien’s gaze darkened as he watched the way my mouth closed around it.
My stomach tightened, but I forced myself to focus, picking up another piece and setting it onto my tongue.
“Rae,” his voice was low, edged with something I couldn't quite place. “How long will you be in New York this weekend?”
I swallowed the bite, already knowing he wasn’t going to like my answer. “I leave tomorrow. Right at noon.”
His expression shifted, the easy seduction flickering into something closer to frustration. “Tomorrow.”
I nodded, setting my fork down. “Yes.”
He exhaled sharply, lowering his hand onto the table, fingers tapping against the surface. “Why did you decide to make the trip so short?”
“This was just about me splurging on myself for one night.” I shrugged. “Plus, I have another scene to coordinate on Monday, and I like to have a day or two, to refresh and relax before work.”
“Hmmm.”
I arched a brow. “What?”
His jaw flexed slightly before he admitted, “Upon seeing you, I had already planned on canceling my Paris flight for tomorrow.”
I smirked, trying to lighten the mood. “Because you’re starting to love New York that much?”
There was no humor in his face. His green eyes locked onto mine. “So. . .we only have tonight?”
The weight of those words settled over me.
My pulse skittered. “Yes.”
Fabien exhaled, his frustration restrained, but palpable. Then, after a pause, he straightened. “What were your plans after Alchemy?”
“Well. . .” I tucked a curl behind my ear. “I figured I would just head back to my hotel and pass out.”
“Are you tired?”
“No.”
His lips curved slightly, his eyes running over me with indulgence. “Then. . .spend the rest of the evening with me. Is there something you want to see in New York? Something you’ve always wanted to do?”