Chapter 12
As their hands connected, Soraya felt something electric shoot up her arm—not painful, but warm—like her veins had suddenly flooded with zinging energy, making her skin tingle in a rather pleasant way.
“This way, Love,” Lestis said, pulling her closer and threading her arm through his.
She gripped his clothed bicep, the material soft against her fingertips. “Why, you’re quite the gentleman, Lestis,” Soraya declared with a smile, collecting her clutch in her other hand.
His lip tugged up at that. “Manners make the male.”
Well, that’s one way to say it, she supposed.
He led her away from the bar and toward the side of the room, where a set of brown double doors stood.
Anxiety bloomed in the back of her mind as they approached the doors. She clung closer to him as he pushed them open, leading her into a hallway.
The hallway had a red stone floor and ceiling, and a wall to the right with sconces mounted high on it. On the opposite side was a wall made of bronze latticework, with wooden doors spaced evenly along its length.
“Why did we leave the restaurant?” Soraya asked as she looked back at the way they had come. Her hand tightened on her clutch purse. Where was he taking her?
“I thought we could have a more private setting, away from prying eyes,” he responded smoothly, reaching for one of the doors to their left.
Soraya vaguely recalled the sensation of being watched as they left the restaurant, but she had been too preoccupied with her sudden spike of anxiety to care.
As they stepped into the new space, it took her eyes a moment to adjust to the dim lighting.
She spied a cozy nook with a floor seating area, a U-shaped sofa and a low wooden table at its center. Colorful, decorative rugs covered every inch of the stone floor, and oversized, tasseled pillows were scattered about, adding to the cozy ambiance.
Besides the lattice wall and wooden door they entered through, the walls on either side of the room were made of the same material as the hallway, adorned with thick, colorful tapestries.
The wall opposite them was also constructed from metal latticework, draped with gauzy curtains that swayed on a gentle breeze.
Soraya stood still for a moment as a soft breeze whispered through the lattice, making the sheer curtains flutter. Her gaze snagged on something just beyond them…
There was a door hidden within the metal lattice.
A memory started to form, but before it could come entirely to fruition, Lestis gently tucked one of her unruly curls behind her ear—the touch startling her.
“Please, make yourself comfortable, Soraya. I will be but a moment,” Lestis informed her.
Snapping out of her daze, she turned in time to see him slip out the door and gently close it with a soft click. The lingering scent of jasmine and sage drifted in the air.
“Okay, then,” she mumbled under her breath, shifting uncomfortably on her feet. The feel of his fingers brushing against her ear still burned hot against her skin.
She didn’t like the idea of being left alone in this room. Glancing back at the lattice door, a wave of unease swept over her.
Blowing out a breath, she tapped her clutch against her thigh, telling herself to get a grip. This anxiety wasn’t because of Lestis—she was sure of that. She was a grown woman, and she’d leave if he ever made her uncomfortable. Simple as that.
So why was she still hesitating to stay?
Her gaze flicked back to the door before she looked away again. If she wanted to leave, she could. Nothing was keeping her here.
Her stomach growled. How was she still hungry after devouring an entire meal? She had no clue.
She quietly scoffed to herself.
Turning on her heel, she made her way to the yellow floor sofa adorned with dark blue, fringed pillows, her steps near silent on the rugs. She threw herself down on the plush fabric cushion, and the ends of her dress fluttered around her as she made up her mind.
Leaning back, she tucked her legs under her, heels pointing to the side wall, and settled in to wait for Lestis.
Then, curiously, the scent of sand and roses tickled at her nose as a dry, hollow breeze whispered faintly through the latticework.
Sniffling, she opened her clutch and pulled out her phone to keep her mind occupied. Scrolling through her school email, she found a few introductory messages from her professors. Not quite ready to dive into pre-class assignments, she switched to her text messages instead.
None of her three friends had reached out, and though she felt tempted to message them, she figured they were all busy preparing for the week ahead. With a sigh, she slipped her phone back into her clutch just as the door from the hall opened.
Perking up, she watched as Lestis entered, dangling two empty wine glasses by the stem in one hand, while holding a curved beige box in the other.
“I was just wondering where you went off to,” she said, slightly relieved at his presence.
“Apologies for the wait, Soraya. I had to track down a dessert I think you would particularly enjoy.” He closed the door behind him, and the familiar scent of jasmine and sage filled the space, making her shift in her seat.
He did that just for me, she thought to herself.
Arching a brow, she gave him a playful look. “Tracked down just for me, huh? How do I know you don’t use that line on every lady who scarfs down your dinner?”
He smiled. “If I gave you the answer to that, would it stop you from trying it?”
Soraya pursed her lips.
Lestis continued smoothly, “I could always take it back—”
“And deprive me of my sweet treat?” She huffed, crossing her arms in front of her. “If you do that, then I will have to take back my comment about you being a gentleman from earlier.”
His lips twitched, as if suppressing a smile, but his face remained neutral. Setting down the mysterious parcel and wine glasses, he mused, “Well, I can’t have that, can I? My reputation would be in complete ruins after all these years.”
Pleased, Soraya uncrossed her arms and was just about to ask about the wine glasses when he reached behind him, producing what looked like a glass bottle of champagne from his back pocket. The golden liquid seemed to glow in the dim light with shimmering specks within.
She batted her eyelashes at him. “Wow, you’re really going all out here. Is there any particular reason why?”
“Because it will give me pleasure to treat you to some of life’s little delights,” he answered simply, his gaze heavy as it flicked toward her before returning to his task.
That casual glance sliced through her defenses, but Soraya managed to maintain her composure, resisting the urge to squirm in her seat.
Sitting down beside her, Lestis reached for the bottle of wine. With a fluidity that sparked a flicker of envy, he popped the cork and poured the drink smoothly into both glasses in a single, effortless motion.
Handing her a glass, which she accepted graciously, he leaned back on the sofa with one knee propped up. He settled his wine glass atop his knee, while his other hand draped casually over the back of the sofa, just behind her.
She was acutely aware of the warmth of his presence surrounding her—and she didn’t mind it one bit.
Bringing the glass to her nose, she inhaled the aroma.
A tempting, delicious, semi-sweet toastiness drifted up to meet her senses.
Taking a sip, she savored the sparkling liquid as it bubbled across her tongue, her taste buds lighting up with a symphony of light, nutty notes wrapped in smooth vanilla undertones.
“Oh my God,” Soraya groaned. “Holy shit. What is this?”
Lestis raised his glass slightly, “This is Solaris demi-sec, from Aurea Vinea.”
Soraya hummed and looked at him with a smile. “You just said a lot of words I don’t understand.” She certainly wasn’t a wine connoisseur. “But it sounds delicious.”
He laughed quietly under his breath. “Then you’ll be pleased to know it’s from the Frugifera Late Harvest Collection.” He swirled the sparkling, glowing liquid in his glass before taking a slow sip.
“Mm-hmm, I know some of those words.” Soraya nodded her head. “Is the mysterious dessert also from this late harvest collection?” she asked cheekily. Her stomach was dying to know.
An amused look crossed his face. Setting his glass down on the low table, he reached for the beige parcel he had brought, leaning closer to her in the process. The scent of jasmine and sage caressed her nose, tempting her much like the wine had.
Subtly, her knees pressed together, and the cool fabric of the dress slid across her legs, tickling her skin.
Soraya’s back straightened as Lestis slid the parcel closer to the table’s edge.
She eyed it curiously, noticing the parcel’s top was twisted in a spiral, like a dumpling.
With a deft flick of his wrist, the parcel unfurled like a blooming flower, the soft flaps drifting gracefully to the table.
She had never seen anything like it before.
At its center sat a circular pie with a golden-yellow custard filling, drizzled with an amber-hued syrup. It was no larger than the palm of her hand.
The fragrance wafting from the pie was a tantalizing blend of sweet cream and fresh, floral honey. Delicate and inviting.
Her mouth flooded with saliva.
She waited for him to produce something to cut the pie with, but instead, she watched as he took it and lifted it to her lips.
“Take a bite. Let me know if it’s also to your taste, Soraya,” he said, his voice low and inviting.
Her gaze met his, and she felt the intensity of his stare, causing her to shift her hips slightly. A knowing look flickered in his eyes.
Turning her attention back to the pie, she took his wrist—which he allowed—and guided him, along with the custard pie, to her mouth. Closing her eyes, she took a bite of the soft treat.