Desirable Beast

oken up from her usual afternoon nap on the gra

ere?" her mother called. She was stan

up and ran to her, carry

freshly picked vegetabl

st starts tomorrow,

. Javier del Mundo, the man who lived in the m

tel uttered i

our vegetables, and he wanted to buy everything we got. If he likes it, he'll be

began picking ripe tomatoes. "I'm sure he will be happ

ly get the chance to meet

mother with a sheepi

to take a closer look at that mansi

hould get there before sunset. M

** **

me bigger in her eyes while they came closer. It

ion, Gretel. Do you dream of livin

er. I won't be very happy to li

d, you'll move out e

n old maid, though, " sh

olded. "I won't be around forever. You

acked her

yway, Mother. So, I don't w

* ***

he horse right away and rolled to the back of the cart, helping their

w behind the gate. The garden looked lively, wit

mother greeted the man wearing a butler

Mrs. Hermosa. You

etel. Children, this is Mr. Martinez,

etel greeted

er you, Mrs. Hermosa, "

other b

nk y

e foll

te. The three proceeded into the mansion while Gretel remained in the gar

es. There are roses as red as blood, an

roses and the entire garden

an arm on her knees as

n roses as beau

in their garden, but th

for the stem

k, but you c

t thing she knew, tiny drops o

iar voice that startled her. Her eye

than her finger getting pricked. She blinked as she s

their distance

to steal my roses

o you mean 'your roses'? Y-you..." Then i

soul who does not know me." Javier p

. It was as if tiny bolts of electricity were creeping thr

u were worth knowi

She felt him suck and lick her finger. She swallowed as her heart began to pound hard ins

et go of her hand. "And for the record, I'm not trying to

me your name in exch

sounded ridiculous, but she found it tempting

don't have to bribe me. Is that how you look at the thing

Javier asked ma

feel sorr

ht her arm and pulled her toward him. She sucked a breat

just say?" he

You look powerful on the outside. But on the in