Page 79 of A Dance Macabre

The tentative intonation of his question finally snaps me out of my daze. My arms wrap around his neck. “Yes,” I say, my lips close to his. “Of course. I love it.”

His hands slip over my hips, clasping them together behind my back while he kisses me softly. “There’s a studio room behind that door for your pictures,” he says, tilting his head toward a door to our right.

I laugh warmly and return his kiss. “You’ve thought of everything.”

He smiles, his arms squeezing even tighter around me. “Anything to keep you close.”

We spendthe next few hours together, most of it in the bathhouse as I sit in a plush chair next to the water, listening to Wolfgang play the violin near the large windows, the sun’s rays bouncing off his instrument.

It’s the first time I can bask in the vision of him like this, without having to hide from view or taunt him into paying attention to me. Sleeves rolled up his forearms, hair slightly messy. He’s a masterpiece at play. An animate carving of a god himself. He is beauty in material form.

Abruptly, Wolfgang ends the song he was playing, pulling me out of my reverie. Checking his watch, he curses under his breath while hurriedly putting the violin back into its case.

“Something wrong?” I ask.

His smile is warm and inviting as he looks over to where I’m sitting.

“Nothing, I’m just late for a meeting at Vainglory Tower. I’d usually let Dizzy attend in my place, but she’s busy with a lead.”

“A lead about the bombing?”

He nods as he shrugs his jacket back on. Walking up to where I’m sitting, he leans over to rest his palms on the arms of the chair. His grin turns seductive as he peers into my eyes, nudging my nose with his before kissing me softly on the lips.

“Will you miss me?” he asks smoothly when he pulls away but still stays close, his voice like a pleasant trickle down my spine. His lips graze mine as he waits for me to answer.

“Perhaps,” I say, acting coy.

He chuckles darkly, leaning into a deeper kiss before pulling away. “Are you okay with walking back upstairs alone? I need to leave now,” he says as he fixes his tie.

I press my lips into a mocking pout. “I think I’ll manage.”

He smiles warmly, then sends me a kiss with a quick press of his hand to his lips before walking out of the bathhouse. I stare at the spot where he disappeared, my chest full of strange affection, our kiss still tickling my lips.

Stepping into the drawing room,I hide the small jolt of surprise at unexpectedly seeing Dizzy standing near the fireplace.

“Dizzy,” I mutter, eyebrows pulling together in irritation. “Wolfgang isn’t here.”

Upon hearing my voice, she turns to face me, her expression cold while her eyes sweep over my body, then back up. “I know.”

The hairs at the back of my nape rise, my senses suddenly on high alert.

Something here is wrong.

“If you know that he isn’t here then you should also know you aren’t welcome in our private quarters,” I say, squaring my shoulders, my fingers instinctively brushing my dagger under my skirt.

Dizzy’s dark brown eyes dip to my thigh before flashing me a forced, thin-lipped smile.

“Don’t you want to know why I’m here?” Her voice is sickly sweet, and the urge to dismiss her strengthens the more I pin her with my stare.

“I don’t care,” I reply with a small sneer.

Her laugh is dry as she approaches the two settees facing each other. “Oh, I think youwillcare.”

She smooths her ruffled blouse before sitting down, inviting me to do the same with a quick wave of her manicured hand.

The chilly bite to the air around us whispers that I won’t like what she has to say but something prevents me from kicking her out. My curiosity wins. I step up to the settee but stay standing.

After a tense beat, Dizzy speaks. “Congratulations on your win, it was well deserved.”

---