Chapter 2
Two
Astrid
His warm palms traveled up my bare arms, sending goosebumps skittering across my skin. My breathing synced up with his slow, deep breaths, our chests rising and falling in harmony.
One of his hands reached behind me, adjusting whatever was against the wall—a mirror, I presumed. While he was distracted, I took a moment to note everything about him, because God only knew if I'd ever be this close to such a stunning man again.
First of all, he smelled divine, the scent bypassing all rational thought and going straight to the most primitive part of my brain. But that wasn't all. Lordie, that wasn't all.
Every part of him was rock hard. Not only his chest, but his arms that felt like steel, and thick, thick thighs that pressed up against me. I was positively drowning in him—in his presence, his scent, his warmth—and it was by far the biggest thrill of my life.
"Got it," he said.
I expected him to back away, but he didn't. Instead, he slid something between us.
"Can you sneak a peek, baby?"
Baby? First he'd called me beautiful and now baby? I almost squealed.
Somehow, I managed to grasp the cool paper that he'd slid against my heaving bosom—God, I finally understood that phrase—and opened it as slyly as I could.
Up the steps where stories climb, seek the glow of a wintry rhyme.
After I whispered the clue to him, we stared at each other for a moment. "Looks like we're headed for the stairs next," he said. "Too bad. Because I like it right here."
Smiling up at him, I became lost in his gaze, until he sighed softly, pulling away from me, cool air flooding the space between us.
Handing the clue to him, he quickly tucked it into his pocket.
"Shouldn't you put it back for the next person?" I asked.
"Absolutely not."
"No? But... but that doesn't seem very fair."
His eyes lasered in on me, intense and unrelenting. "Fairness has nothing to do with it," he said, his voice low and deliberate. "When I want something, I take it."
Oh. Oh, wow.
There was nothing I could think of to say to that, except remind myself to breathe.
A noise to the side of us drew our attention. "This mirror isn't the only mirror in this room," mystery man uttered under his breath. "Come on. We've got to get to the stairs."
Taking my hand—taking my hand—he strode across the room while I managed to keep up with him. Good thing I loved to wear heels and had a lot of practice walking in them. I was not ashamed of being a very girlie girl.
Trying not to totally freak at the fact that our palms were clasped together, his hand so warm and strong and full of life, I also did my best to appear nonchalant. Nope. We weren't heading for the next clue or anything suspicious.
Now that I'd met this man, I desperately wanted that midnight dance. I mean, what better prelude to the evening of passion I was dying for?
Once we reached the grand staircase, I practically ran up the steps myself, but mystery man's grip stopped me. "Easy there, love. Wouldn't want you to sprain an ankle."
Love? Was he kidding me? And he was seriously thinking about the health of my joints? I was in danger of swooning for the first time in my life.
Clinging to my sanity, I did my best to come up with something cute and flirty. I had to charm this man, darn it.
"Oh, please," I said, swiping my free hand against his sleeve. "I could climb Mount Everest in these heels. I'm a professional. You should probably worry about your own ankles, honey."
Oh, my God, why had that come out so sassy? I was trying to make this man like me, not push him away.
While I waited with bated breath, I watched as he processed my words then laughed. He actually laughed!
And something about that sound caused a reaction inside me. Not the one you'd expect either. Because it was startlingly familiar.
I narrowed my eyes at him from behind my mask. "Do I know you?"
He stopped laughing and became serious again. "No. We've never met. Masked or not, I would never forget you."
While that made me all melty inside, he also had a very good point. If we had ever met, I would definitely have remembered him. Maybe the laugh had just reminded me of someone else. That had to be it. Of course that was it.
Someone walked past which instantly stopped our conversation before it really began.
"Hold on," he said, rushing up the steps.
I smiled to myself at the sight. The man was in a hurry. Because of me. Maybe he wanted that dance as much as I did. If only I could figure out who he really was.
But that wasn't what this evening was about. Tonight was all about anonymity, and I needed to keep it that way.
He began inspecting the banister, subtly though, as I watched. Glancing around the ballroom, I noticed quite a few couples examining the myriad of mirrors that reflected all this magical light. And then a man and woman began to head this way, their strides determined.
Oh, crap.
Turning back to the stairs, I studied the area, a small blue spotlight suddenly standing out.
I rushed up, past my new man, and looked to the illuminated space.
Gliding my hands under the wooden banister, I felt something there, along with a jolt of excitement.
There was something immensely satisfying about being the one to discover the next clue.
Triumphantly, I managed to peel it away, going up a few more steps, hoping to conceal what I was doing.
A large hand at the small of my back should have surprised me.
But I knew who it was. And it felt right, like it had always belonged there, even though it also felt like a warm brand.
Yeah, I wouldn't mind being branded by this man.
At the top of the grand staircase, we turned to the left, and I found myself backed up against a wall once more. I didn't mind. This man could repeat that maneuver an infinite number of times, and I wouldn't grow tired of it.
There was a gleam in his eyes as he caged me in with one arm. "Sexy and smart..." he said. "So what'd you find?"
"Um, right." When he looked at me like that, I kind of forgot everything else. I unfolded the clue and read it aloud.
Amid frosted tales where secrets lie, the clue you seek hides cold and shy.
"Frosted tales..." he repeated. "Tales. Sounds like stories or books... or..."
"A library!" I filled in. "I know where it is. I've been here so many times, starting as a kid, and then later when my sis—"
I stopped talking abruptly, realizing I was giving away far too much while I was supposed to be concealing my identity. My oldest sister Annalise had recently done something similar, and she'd already warned me to not let myself babble. Keep things close to the vest, she'd said.
He cocked a brow. "Your sister? What about her?"
"Oh, nothing. Never mind. I was just... well, we don't have time for all that." I was the one to grab his hand this time around. "Let's go."
Leading us down the hallway, I wondered if my memories were accurate or if they'd become distorted and hazy with the passage of time. The sounds of the party faded behind us, the only noise the soft clicking of my shoes.
Holding hands with mystery man was sublime, and so was the feeling that we had become an instant team. "What should I call you?" I asked him, needing something more than just mystery man in my head.
He hesitated, and it dawned on me that maybe he didn't want to reveal his real self any more than I did. I knew my reasons, but I had to wonder what his were.
Was he really a criminal? Maybe a celebrity? Or a politician? Perhaps all three in one. He certainly wouldn't be the first.
"Why don't you call me daddy?"
I burst out laughing, the sound loud in the otherwise quiet hallway. "Please tell me you're joking." Never in my life could I call a man daddy, not with the real-life father I had.
"Totally joking," he said with a breath-taking smile. "How about something dark and mysterious, like Phantom or Midnight..."
I had to laugh again. This guy had a sense of humor too?
"Or better yet, you can call me Wolf."
Now I was downright giggling. "I can't. Oh, my God. I think it'll have to be Phantom then. That's the least worst."
"When in doubt, always go with the least worst. That's a good life philosophy."
The twinkle in his eye as he squeezed my hand was irresistible.
We practically ran into the library's door because this man was way too distracting. Taking a breath, I tried to stay focused on the task at hand and the ultimate prize—that midnight dance—which would hopefully lead to the ultimate, ultimate prize...
Oh, my. Could I really go through with my plan? Now that I'd met a living, breathing, handsome, incredibly sexy man, it seemed terrifying.
Phantom—no, that did not work at all—opened the door, the warm scent of old books filling the air as we entered. Inside, the room was dimly lit by a few golden lamps, the hushed atmosphere making everything more intimate somehow.
"Just a few books in here," he grumbled, eyeing the floor-to-ceiling shelves surrounding us.
I walked toward one end, memories flooding back... not the particulars really, like why exactly I'd spent a big chunk of time in this particular room, but the vibes, the smell, the scenery like something out of a familiar recurring dream.
If I remembered correctly, there was a children's area in one corner, and sure enough, the spines were different, more colorful, bright, and fun than the rest.
Letting my fingers trace the old books, I forgot about phantom man behind me, lost in the nostalgia of a time when my sisters and I were so young and na?ve, a little trio of best friends in our gilded world, no clue that we were so privileged or wealthy, each of us with our own pressures, mine always, always my stupid weight.
I'd despised being the fat kid, my mom harping on at every mealtime about making "healthy" choices, the focus forever on my expanding waistline and never my personality, the way I cared for others, or the intricate fashion doodles that filled every corner of my notebooks.
But not anymore. Not anymore. I was my own person now. Free to do as I pleased.
My eyes suddenly locked on the silver-etched cover of a familiar book. "There," I said, my voice barely above a whisper. I could sense him close behind me without even turning, the electricity between us palpable. My skin tingled with awareness as I withdrew the book from its spot.
"The Snow Queen," his deep voice read.
I thumbed through the pages, knowing instinctively that this would be it, and sure enough, near the end, there was another clue. Holding up the piece of paper, I whirled around to beam at him.
"You literally found a needle in a haystack," he whispered in awe as I handed it to him.
This night, this whole experience, was truly meant to be. I could feel it.
"Step out where the chill meets the grand facade, and find the key where winter stands guard," he read. "Not quite the perfect rhyme, but they gave it a good effort."
I laughed. "So where do you think that is?"
"Definitely outside somewhere. But I doubt they'd send us out front or back. And we know the rooftop is off limits. So maybe a balcony?"
"Yes! That has to be it." I slid the book back into its place, along with the memories it evoked. Tonight wasn't about the past, and it wasn't about the future. It was purely about the present. The now. And I was determined to make the most of it.
Phantom man—so freaking silly but maybe slightly better than mystery man—held the door open for me then did that hand on the small of my back thing once more, making me hot and bothered all over again. It didn't take much these days, which was a little pathetic.
But that was okay. Tonight, I'd scratch that itch and hopefully be good for a long while.
"Back to the ballroom?" I asked. "Maybe there's a balcony somewhere there."
"Sounds like a plan."
As we walked back down the long hallway, someone passed by us, heading in the direction we had just come from, and we exchanged a concerned glance. "Do you think there are a bunch of other hidden clues, and maybe different paths to get to the final prize?" I asked.
He thought for a beat before answering. "I suppose that would be the smart thing for them to do."
We made our way down the stairs, past a few people inspecting the banister. I wanted to gloat that they were very far behind us, but I couldn't be sure of anything tonight.
Once we reached the ballroom, I was parched and reached for another champagne glass, but my new companion abstained, I noticed.
He led me to the perimeter of the room, and we made a path around it, soon finding a set of doors artfully hidden behind glittering string lights. While he held them aside, as stealth as possible, I opened the doors to step outside onto a balcony.
"Well, what do you know?" he mused behind me. "A hidden terrace."
The balcony was super small with barely any room to maneuver, and I began to wonder if this was indeed where we were supposed to be.
I glanced behind me, and we both must have noticed it at the same time.
Sitting on a tiny table in the corner was a snow globe, out of place and conspicuous on the otherwise empty balcony.
Mystery man strode toward it and lifted it, inspecting the contents inside, careful not to shake it. So I was the first one to notice a small envelope that had been concealed beneath it.
"Aha!" I said. "Another clue!"
A brilliant smile dazzled me momentarily—God, this man was handsome—until a noise from the other side of the doors prodded me into motion. I ripped open the envelope to find a key, and yet another clue.
This was so incredibly fun. I couldn't remember the last time I'd been on any sort of scavenger or treasure hunt, which made me realize... I really needed to get out of my studio more.
"Amidst the city's towering spires, the garden hides where love inspires," I read. "So this is it, the final clue, I'm guessing."
"Do you think this key really unlocks the rooftop door? It seems a bit old-fashioned, don't you think?"
The man had a point. "I guess we'll find out? And how on earth do we even get there? And what if other people have the key too? We need to haul ass just in case."
He laughed. "Yes. Definitely haul ass."