Page 202 of The Secret of Secrets

It was just before seven o’clock when Langdon turned off the steam shower in the Royal Suite. The night was young, but a wintry darkness had long since settled over Prague, and he and Katherine had agreed they were headed directly to bed.

Wrapping a towel around his waist, Langdon stepped from the shower and found Katherine submerged in a bubble bath with one lithe leg extended and a safety razor in her hand.

She’s shaving her legs? he thought, surprised. “Are we going out?”

Katherine laughed. “No, Robert, we are not going out. Do you really not know why a woman shaves her legs before bed?”

“Ah…” He hesitated. “I just thought…you were exhausted.”

“I was. But when I saw you get in the shower, I woke up.” She motioned to his toned abs. “You look pretty good, Aquaman…for someone your age.”

“My age? You’re older than I am!”

“Do you really want to go there?”

“No, my darling…I do not.” Langdon walked over to the tub, sat on the edge, and placed a hand affectionately on the back of Katherine’s neck. “What I meant to say is you’re beautiful, brilliant, hilarious, and I adore you.” He kissed her softly on the lips. “And I’ll see you in bed.”

It’s official, Katherine thought as she finished her preparations and got out of the tub. I’m in love.

She suspected maybe she’d loved Langdon all along, and finally their timing was right. It didn’t matter. Either way, they were here now. Together. Savor these moments.

After drying off, she reached beneath the sink and pulled out the handsomely wrapped package that she had hidden there earlier. It contained the most elegant piece of lingerie Katherine had ever purchased. Simone Pérèle macchiato silk. She hoped Robert liked the sophisticated one-piece from their Dream Collection.

After letting her hair down, Katherine dropped her towel and slipped into the near-weightless lingerie. The silk felt luxurious against her warm skin, falling perfectly over her body. Forgoing her usual Balade Sauvage, she pulled out the tiny spritzer sampler of Mojave Ghost that had come with the lingerie. She sprayed a cloud of mist into the air and walked through it, her senses aroused by the notes of Chantilly musk and powdery violet.

After checking herself one last time in the mirror, she opened the door to the bedroom, pleased to see that Langdon had already turned off the lights. Perfect, she thought, knowing her sheer lingerie was now backlit, leaving her lithe silhouette on full display. Smiling coyly, she struck a seductive pose in the doorframe awaiting Langdon’s reaction.

But the only response she heard was the soft, rhythmic cadence of his gentle snoring.

Chapter 128

In a modest apartment in the Dejvice district, Dana Daněk sat alone on her couch watching television news. The U.S. military had now taken full responsibility for the Folimanka explosion, which had been caused apparently by a vast store of natural gas that the engineers had brought in to heat and cure the fresh concrete they were pouring. According to numerous outside construction specialists, this technique was very common, especially in damp underground spaces in winter, and this was not the first such accident.

Even so, political pundits were starting to question the story. Nonetheless, whatever had caused the blast, the U.S. military was already sealing the area and preparing for a massive cleanup operation.

“Ms. Daněk?” a man called from the hallway after knocking on her door. “It’s Sergeant Kerble.”

Surprised, she walked over and looked through her peephole. Sure enough, it was the ambassador’s lead security detail. Am I in trouble? No Marine security guard had ever visited her home. Dana was wearing a sweatshirt, glasses, and no makeup, and she wondered if Sergeant Kerble would even recognize her.

When she opened the door, the baby-faced Marine was standing a polite distance away. “Ms. Daněk,” he said, “I’m sorry to bother you at home. The ambassador asked me to convey once again her deep personal sadness over the passing of Attaché Harris. The entire embassy is shaken, of course, but Madam Ambassador said you two were very good friends.”

“Thank you, Scott.”

“I also should mention that the ambassador’s arrest was a misunderstanding, and she has been released with a full apology.”

“She may regret it,” Dana said, motioning to the television behind her. “She’s going to have her hands full with this. Your government is already taking heat.”

“Yes, this entire situation is a bit…”

“Fucked?” Dana offered.

Kerble smiled. “I was going to say ‘politically nuanced.’ ”

“Then you should take over my post in PR.”

“Actually,” he said, “that’s why I’m here. The ambassador very much hopes you’ll come back and work PR on this crisis.”

Dana laughed out loud. “Scott, do you know what happened to me today?! A woman pointed a gun in my face, my boyfriend was strangled to death, the U.S. ambassador was arrested in front of me, I was escorted off embassy grounds, and Folimanka Park exploded! Am I missing anything?!”