Page 5 of Ready or Not (The Nape #I)

“I have a question,” Solène said as we walked the block towards the L train entrance.

“Ask away.”

“Other than my name and age… You haven’t asked me anything else about myself.”

“I have my reasons.”

Looking down at her, I saw her expression shift to one of curiosity, so I decided to satisfy her unasked question.

“I haven’t asked ‘cause I learn people from their actions,” I continued, maneuvering her out of the flow of nightly pedestrian traffic with a gentle hand on her back. “I observe and it tells me everything I need to know about a person.”

“Like?”

Opening the subway glass entrance door for her to enter first once we arrived at the station, I kept my eyes fixed on her as she stepped through.

"Like the way you hesitated before stepping onto the escalator just now," I said as we descended underground towards the payment machines.

"Tells me that you're cautious, maybe even a bit wary of new situations. It’s also the reason why you went to your friends when I asked to spend more time with you. You needed some reassurance before you said yes.”

She looked back at me with wide eyes as if I had revealed a big secret of hers.

“Am I wrong?”

“What else?” She ignored my question as we approached the turnstiles. I swiped my subway card and held the gate open for her to follow through.

"Another is how you refused to take an Uber—or a taxi—even though I offered to pay," I noted as we approached the platform and found a place to stand. "Tells me that you value your independence and prefer to rely on yourself rather than others for assistance.”

“Or it could be that I prefer the subway over trying to navigate traffic in a cramped car.”

I scrunched my mouth at her, not believing her lie. “You really want me to believe the subway system in New York City is more appealing than a comfortable car ride?”

She chuckled, shaking her head. “Believe what you want, but the subway got its own charm.”

“Other than the occasional performances and musicians, the random spoken word poetry, and the snack people? There’s nothing fun about a train that’s always either late, overcrowded or smells like piss. Don’t let me get started on the high school kids and rush hour.”

Just then, an announcement came through, letting everyone on the platform know that the train would be delayed by fifteen minutes.

I smirked. “Look at God proving my point.”

"Bruhhhh…" She grumbled, crossing her arms, which made her chest puff out in a way that I found distracting.

Yet I quickly shook off the thought and focused on the conversation at hand.

"Now we have more time for me to learn about you through your actions.”

“Yeah, yeah, yeah, anyways.” She shooed away my teasing with a wave of her hand. “You still never answered my question.”

“Which one?”

“Why didn’t you ask me about myself?’

I got into her personal space, giving her no options but to look up at me.

“If I ask you everything so early.” I leaned closer until our faces were only inches apart. “Then how can I spend more time with you? How can I show you how much I pay attention to the little details that make you who you are?”

Solène's breath hitched as she searched my eyes for an answer. I watched as her lips parted ever so slightly, her eyes flickering between my eyes and my lips.

“I guess you have a point.”

“I do.” I smiled, enjoying the effect my proximity had on her, as if it wasn’t also affecting me in the same way. “I like taking my time with my treasure.”

“Treasure?”

“Mhmm.”

The dim lighting of the subway platform, casting shadows across her face, made her look even more alluring. She looked delectable, and it took all my self-control not to close the small gap between us and kiss her right then and there.

However, my mind intervened.

Is this going to be another casual thing, or… was this going to be more?

Are we only hanging out tonight and going with the flow until we part ways, or do I want more than that?

Do I care enough to get to know her past my observations? Everything about her beyond surface level shit?

What exactly was I looking for?

Before my thoughts could spiral any further, the loud screeching of the approaching train interrupted our moment.

“Well,” I said, taking a step back to give her space, “looks like our chariot has arrived early.”

As the train came to a stop in front of us, its doors slid open and we stepped inside an empty cart—save for another person sitting in the corner engrossed in a book. Solène found an empty seat by the window, and I sat down next to her.

“About those questions of yours,” I began, turning to face her as the train started moving. “I think I got a few to ask.”