Page 54 of Eat Slay Love

I mirrored his movements, lifting my utensil. My fingers brushed his for the briefest moment.

Then—I took a bite.

Pleasure.

Pure, unadulterated pleasure.

I continued on trying everything with absolute enjoyment.

So many different flavors danced on my tongue—rich, decadent, surprising. The mousse melted into the crisp bread, the perfect savoriness of the lobster, the layers unfolding with depth, the sweetness of the sugar butterfly dissolving into something almost otherworldly.

When I took a bite of the chrysalis, I realized the interior was whipped brie and wildflower honey.

After that, time just swept by and the subway train glided forward, carrying us through a journey of flavors, mystery, and seduction.

With every course that arrived at a new station that we stopped at, I felt myself slipping deeper into the surreal magic of this night.

First came theBlack Mirror, a dish so mesmerizing I barely wanted to touch it. A small, shimmering sphere sat atop a bed of crushed hazelnuts and saffron-infused foam.

Cosmo’s voice crackled over the speakers, explaining the dish.

One bite, and the delicate shell cracked, spilling molten chocolate infused with truffle and aged cognac onto my tongue.

“Damn.” I licked a drop from my lip. “That tastes like forbidden knowledge.”

Fabien smirked. “Then you must be the wisest woman on this train.”

Next was theMagnum Opus, a celebration of the four classical elements.

A slate platter held four precise bites—fire, water, air, and earth.Firewas a seared wagyu tartare with a hint of ghost pepper.Watershimmered with an oyster crowned with citrus pearls.Airfloated in the form of a delicate, barely-there meringue, infused with lavender smoke.

Andearth?

A tiny mushroom soufflé, rich and umami-laden, the essence of the forest captured in a single bite.

Fabien moaned at the taste of the wagyu, shaking his head in pleasure. “Every meal should have a moment like this.”

We sampled another dish calledCelestial Harmony.

Cosmo explained that this dish was inspired by planetary alignment—a duo of lobster and black truffle pasta, plated in a spiral like the Milky Way.

Then came theElixir of the Sun—a citrus and saffron sorbet, served in a crystal goblet emitting a fine mist of liquid nitrogen. The burst of cold, the sharp kiss of citrus, the undercurrent of warm saffron—it was a palate cleanser and a spell in itself.

Throughout the journey, Fabien and I laughed.

We talked.

We let the ride of the train lull us into a shared rhythm, our conversations flowing as seamlessly as the movement of the subway beneath us.

And I swore it felt like I’d known him forever.

How was that possible?

I had never been one of those hopeless romantics who believed in love at first sight.

Hell, even lust at first sight was something I tended to side-eye.

Connections took time.

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