The hallway upstairs was dark except for the faint golden glow leaking from under her bedroom door. He paused outside it, hand on the knob, listening. The air smelled different already — warm, heavy, musky and earthy, like incense burning. Sandalwood and something darker, almost primal. It made the back of his neck prickle.
He opened the door.
The room was transformed.
Candles flickered everywhere — on the dresser, the nightstands, even along the windowsill — casting shifting shadows across the walls and the large bed. The overhead light was off. The only illumination came from the flames, warm and intimate, painting everything in gold and deep amber. Thin curls of incense smoke rose from a small burner on the dresser, filling the air with that rich, musky scent that clung to the back of the throat and made everything feel slower, heavier, more sensual.
And in the center of the room, standing perfectly still, was Kate.
