IS HE A BEAST

ess corridors, snoopi

ran my finger down e

nd over again. I was st

ays that I’d been at th

rting to weigh down on m

place was different. It

t dinner, where he req

tarting to look forw

sed and I would stare a

n’t as frightening as

scary in appearance, wi

gs, his hands that weren’t

I’d thought about what t

e

ur soft o

touching me with

ht about such things,

him for long moments ov

father much, because I

ill be the same. He would

going into debt, and not

g into the kitchen, whe

ook shouting in Fr

the names of anyone

o just calling them by th

that was, if they bo

of the kitchen and gla

with a shock of white ha

most sour expression o

ess appro

lete opposite physical

a braid that hung down t

xion, bushy dark eyebrow

’d ever

rds and sour attitude,

d make Sous Chef laugh

and grippin

lled out two roasted

r platters. Then Sous Ch

d dessert, which I could

h fresh whi

ey saw me, before Cook

iked the dinners to be a s

ual at

ng around again, having a

meet the Beast for dinner

he brush strokes prec

ps as I felt this warmt

I laughed softly because

g so delicate. And then I

h an awfu

n’t purposefully frigh

d his visage, whic

at all the paintings that

of my neck that I rea

r and for a second didn’

ned corridor that forked

ing eyes of the Beast, hi

nearly touching the edge

e side so his horns didn’

am

ed this otherworldly sha

the small sp

e very well, just the ov

e was starin

miliar hesitancy I’d gott

eel anything but this war

ep closer, could see his

ted to the

I took another step close

other. I had to crane my

onary, yet his focus

er but couldn’t place wh

I didn’t feel any fear or

y belly, a flut

as lifting my hand until

rom his wide, barreled ch

if he had been too

hat the shirt couldn’t c

, I wondered if it

ed out in that rumble

en more concerned at t

d within them. But I’d be

ll moving

, ease your curiosity.” I

humane voice,

place my hand on the cen

hat fur, when I heard a

cursing. I curled my fing

ity, and too

nd me into the kitche

vering, which had nothing

between my thighs inst

id was add more pressure

p br

so primal and animal-li

bles and heard the stall

through their no

the Beast took one forw

e. Again I felt more hea

nostrils flared, and

ould scent me. And

kept moving forward unt

wasn’t escaping, I wasn’

, invading my personal sp

irled ar

ness clung to his fur—a

unshine. But underneath t

ky aroma that tingled in

sorts of ways t

l at dinner t

d extra growly, and I fe

across my collarbones an

at couldn’t be contained

molded to my form perf

’t hide the lushness

ur energy when, after s

o bath

his hand, one black, de

fore he gently wrapp

d one of his big fingers

s nose, inhaling deeply a

no

on right between my thi

letting the curl fall

nce more, just a moment

m out for me, and waited

ok of h

that did he lead us

about was what we wo