by MJ Haag
“Who is paying for this dinner?” I asked, feeling disgusted with her.
“Edmund’s father knows our situation so he offered to pay a portion.”
“And the rest?”
She didn’t meet my eyes.
“Father assured me he had been saving for just such an event.”
I thought of the two gold I’d given for the hair oil. No doubt the change had gone toward Bryn’s feast, but that wouldn’t have been enough. I swung my gaze to the almost barren bookshelves. My heart broke for my father.
“You could have helped,” Bryn accused. “When you forage, you always find something worth trading. I asked you to come back with something to trade, and you always return with nothing. It’s as if you think you no longer have a responsibility to your family.”
No responsibility? I’d sacrificed myself to save Father’s life and set them all free.
“Tell Father I couldn’t stay, but that I will visit again soon,” I spoke through clenched teeth as I moved to the door.
“I understand if you don’t want to attend,” she called as I left.
So I was an embarrassment to her, too? I wanted to scream and hit something.
Swiftly sensed my mood and laid his ears back as I mounted.
“Home, Swiftly,” I said harshly.
Chapter 10
Still seething, I crashed through the kitchen door and searched for something to throw. Bryn had gone too far. How could she so publicly disassociate herself from our father? The man who’d given everything to care for us. He never asked for anything in return. He’d known about Bryn’s interest in Tennen, her money hoarding, and he accepted it. Accepted her.
Stalking into the room, I found a platter of fruit on the table. I hefted the tray, ready to throw it into the fireplace when it was plucked from my hands.
“And what, dearest, has you so agitated? Surely the letters didn’t cause this,” the beast said quietly beside me.
I spun to face him.
“My sister told my father that she doesn’t want him at her wedding feast. Can you believe her? After all he’s given. He’s good enough to pay for her wedding feast but not to attend.” I tossed my hands high into the air in my frustration then sat heavily on a chair. “I think she meant to exclude me, too, had it not been for her betrothed’s cousin. Bryn hinted that the way I dress would embarrass her.”
He set the platter to the side and studied me intently for a moment.
“What do you plan to do?” he finally asked.
“What do you mean?”
“Revenge. Will you tell Edmund about the baby?”
“Of course not. It would only cause more pain to the people I care about.” I paused and frowned at the beast. “How do you know his name?”
He gave a small smile. “I like to be kept current on what your family is doing. I wouldn’t want any surprises to take you from me.”
His comment struck a chord in me. And, I realized I wouldn’t want to be taken from him either. Especially if it meant living with Bryn again.
“I wish my sister would see what she’s doing,” I said with a sigh.
“Perhaps you should tell her what a selfish bitch she is.”
I gave him a sharp look. I might have been mad at her, but I still loved her and didn’t like anyone speaking ill of her.
He gave a deprecating laugh and shook his head.
“It’s the truth. I well know selfish.”
“She won’t listen.”
“You are very persuasive,” he said.
I sighed again.
“The feast is in three days. I do want to attend, and I want to bring my father. I will need Swiftly again. Do you have a coat that might fit my father? I would return it.”
The beast nodded slowly.
“I can provide what’s needed for both you and your father. But I need your word that you will return before sunset.”
“Of course,” I agreed easily, glad that he didn’t mention it would be an extra visit.
* * * *
As a precaution, I went to bed fully dressed. Having clothes again was nice, and I hoped to keep them. However, when I woke I was once again naked. The beast lay curled next to me, sleeping peacefully.
Warm and comfortable, I stayed in bed a moment. His dreams never seemed troubled when he slept beside me, and I was glad my presence gave him some measure of comfort; he seemed to derive very little elsewhere.
I studied his sleep-relaxed face. Where others might see a wild brute, I saw a bored, clever creature who had forgotten what it meant to be a man—if he ever really knew. I wasn’t blind to his faults, just as I wasn’t blind to his regrets.
Quietly, I slid from the bed and moved to the wash water as I continued to consider the beast.
His past misconducts had brought him fifty years of questionable punishment. A punishment that didn’t inspire reform but, rather, loneliness.
I ran the cloth over my face and wondered if that wasn’t the real reason he’d brought me here. Yes, he wanted to break the curse; but, perhaps, he had wanted a companion more. I rinsed the cloth and wiped my arms and torso.
The drag of cloth over my breast distracted me from my thoughts and brought forward the memory of his mouth on me. My nipples tightened. Since he’d first set his mouth on them, they felt more...alive. Perhaps I was only more aware.
I rinsed the cloth again, and a furry chest pressed against my back as if my thoughts had conjured him. I froze. His fingers trailed down my arm, leaving goosebumps in their wake.
“Beauty,” he whispered.
His lips pressed against the curve of my shoulder as he stole the cloth from my grasp and set it against my stomach. I couldn’t move. The cloth skimmed over my skin, from ribs to navel, while his breath tickled my neck.
“Allow me to help,” he said.
The cloth sank lower until it swept over my curls. My breath hitched. He stopped and swept up over my stomach again and further still, until it smoothed over my breast. I leaned back against him and forgot to breathe as he gently circled one then the other.
When the cloth left my chest and drifted lower, I reached back and set my hand to his cheek. He turned his head and kissed my palm. All the while, the cloth continued its downward glide. My skin heated, and a burning ignited in my middle when the cloth swiped over my curls once more. Without meaning to, I widened my stance and then almost groaned when he retreated without exploring further.
“Please,” I whispered, trembling.
He growled low and worked his way down again. This time, he parted me and gently ran the cloth over me. Once. I gasped. Twice. I panted. Thrice. My legs shook. He removed the cloth and set it on the wash bowl.
My insides had liquefied. I wanted, but I didn’t understand what. I ached, but couldn’t name an exact spot.
His fingers trailed over the skin of my arms and stomach. He swept my hair aside and pressed his lips against my neck, nuzzling and licking. The attention caused tingles and shocks to course through me, ending between my legs.
He prowled around me, his arm supporting my back. His hungry gaze held mine for a moment, then he dipped his head and suckled my nipple, causing a sweet ache that made me groan. He growled in response and nudged me back a step...two. I bumped against the bed.
He lowered me to the mattress, grasped my hands, and held them slightly out to my sides. His mouth roamed my chest, then lower. Too consumed by heat, I didn’t protest.
His tongue touched my curls, and I gave a soft whimper. My hips lifted of their own accord. He teased me, never going lower to the spot that ached so badly for his touch. My muscles tensed from anticipation. I whined and shifted when he skimmed by me again. Heat crested and ebbed, rolling over me in confusing waves. Gasping, I struggled for air as the tension coiled tighter.
Then his lips, his touch, left me. Cool air confused me. I lifted my head. The room was empty. Letting my head fall, I stared at the ceiling as I realized how close I’d come to letting him taste me
. Oddly, the thought didn’t disturb me.
Slowly, my breathing and pulse returned to normal. Though I physically recovered, mentally I replayed the encounter until I frowned with annoyance and understanding. Pent energies. He’d woken something inside me with patience and persistence. Whatever it was, I wanted something only he understood. Well, others might understand; however, he was the only one likely to tell me about it.
I stood and moved to the wardrobe, surprised to see he’d given me a full selection once again. Though I eyed the plain dresses and even the shirts and pants, I did not move to wear them. The remembered feel of his lips stopped me.
Moving around dresses, I found one of the gossamer types he’d first made me wear and grinned. Taking the dress and a shirt, I prepared myself for an interesting day.
Awhile later, I stepped through the study door, carrying a tray.
When he glanced at me, he froze. The shirt reached the top of my thighs just barely covering the v of my legs. I’d buttoned the hole just above my breasts and left the rest loose, exposing flesh from the valley between my breasts and everything downward each time I moved. Yet, the gossamer dress underneath the shirt gave the illusion of decency.
“Did you eat?” I asked politely, setting the tray on his desk.
He shook his head slightly, not taking his gaze from my body. I felt like stretching, to bask in his attention, which I thought odd since I’d always had it.
“What are you wearing?” he finally managed.
“A compromise, I hope,” I said with a smile. “You want to see me. I want to feel covered. This is a little bit of both, don’t you agree?”
I held out my arms, which inadvertently lifted the hem of my shirt by two inches and parted the edges. I executed a slow turn for him. Before I knew what had happened, he had me up in his arms, and we raced through the halls back to my room.
“It is better to wear nothing,” he growled, setting me on my bed and stripping me of the clothes. The fabric tore in his haste. He sank to his knees and looked up at me.
“I’m begging you, stay in your room today. You will want for nothing.”
I nodded, disappointed. I’d hoped for more from him.
His hungry gaze swept over my face, then he closed his eyes. In that moment, I understood that he’d wanted more from me, too.
Blushing deeply, I inched my knees apart.
With his eyes still closed, he gave a groan and kissed my knee.
I inched my knees further apart. He opened his eyes. His gaze locked with mine. Then, he leaned forward and kissed the side of my knee. Further still saw a kiss a few inches up. Barely breathing, I leaned back on my elbows and boldly drew up my legs and placed my heels on the edge of the bed, giving him the view he’d wanted just a few days ago.
My cheeks burned with uncertainty and wanting.
“I will not take,” he said. “Tell me what you want from me.”
“Taste me. No more,” I begged.
He obliged, leaning forward to run his tongue along the crease of my hip and thigh. I fought not to squirm.
I felt myself part and his breath on my center. His tongue touched inside, just skimming to the left of my opening, missing the spot that burned for his attention. He shifted his focus to the right side, giving it the same. My hands drifted to his head. Then, his tongue touched my center. My hips bucked as he skimmed it lightly, at first, then with more urgency. When his lips closed over it and he suckled, noises escaped me. Moans and whimpers.
Gasping, I arched my hips. He closed his hands around my thighs. The firm touch of his fingers aroused me further. He left my center to tease my opening, dipping in for a small taste before plunging the length of his tongue into me. He lapped and sucked for a moment, all the while the area he’d left cried for more attention.
He seemed to sense my need because he returned to it and suckled with greater intensity. The tension inside me coiled tighter and tighter. By reflex, my legs tried to stiffen and close. His firm grip kept them open, enabling his feast until the coiled tension inside me broke free with a scream. I convulsed, thrusting up into his flicking tongue as my legs locked in their stretched position. Waves of pleasure coursed through me, tightening and releasing my muscles in slow rolling waves.
His licking eased as I twitched under him. I lay limp on the bed, a new world suddenly exposed to me. He kissed my sensitive nub lightly then the inside of my thigh. While I was still too weak to speak, he rose and left me there in a puddle of awe.
After several long minutes, I regained enough control to stand up and wash myself again. Every nerve ending still tingled. I felt relaxed and at ease. Sara’s cry of delight and look of shame afterward made sense. To feel that way with the baker between her legs had to be deeply disturbing. But the beast. I sighed in contentment before I caught myself.
Sitting heavily, I gave my circumstances careful deliberation. If the beast freed himself, he would undoubtedly forget me. That he would probably disregard me easily made me uncomfortably morose. I certainly wouldn’t forget him. Yet, once he was free, I would need to move on with my life. After Bryn wed, I would need to start my own search for a suitable man. However, the thought of marrying some unknown man caused my heart to lurch, and I realized just how much I’d grown to care for the beast. What I’d told him about leaving me a piece of myself was more true now, than ever.
I wouldn’t be the same if he took everything I had. I wouldn’t be able to walk away.
But, if he did not free himself, would saving a piece of myself be an issue? If he remained a beast, I could stay with him as long as I wanted.
Frowning, I considered his attitude toward Rose and amended my thought. I could stay with him as long as I had my youth. After that, I could still find someone suitable to wed. But, the prospect of doing so didn’t fill me with any sense of anticipation.
Pushing aside the dread, I focused on the immediate possibilities and made a decision. I would stay here with the beast; not because of a threat I no longer believed him capable of carrying out, but because I wanted to stay.
Not bothering to dress, I stood with a smile and went to seek him out. To my dismay, both doors were locked.
A horrible thought struck, and I flew to my window. Thrusting open the glass, I leaned out and called for Egrit. She came into view after several moments. Relief flooded me.
She looked up at me and shrugged as if asking why I called.
“I’m so sorry to yell like that. I was worried. The beast has locked me in my room, and I wanted to be sure you were safe.”
The nymph smiled and nodded. She waved me back inside, and I quickly obeyed, realizing I hung out the window with my breasts completely exposed.
Blushing, I sat on the bed.
“Sir?” I called after a few moments. “It’s cruel to lock me in my room without telling me what I did wrong. I thought...what we did...” I sighed, suddenly uncomfortable with the thought that I may have asked him to do something he hadn’t wanted to do.
“I apologize if I insisted on something that wasn’t appropriate.”
A mist filtered into the room, blocking out all light.
“Is this really necessary? We are capable of talking, aren’t we?”
Just as quickly as the mists came, they left. Next to me on the bed, lay a tray stocked with food, drink, books, and a letter.
Dearest,
You did nothing wrong nor is there any need to apologize. I’m asking you to stay in your room for your safety while I work in the study on estate business. If you have further suggestions for distraction, please speak them aloud. I will need them.
Please refrain from hanging out windows unclothed. It upsets me.
Forever your servant.
I finished reading with a small smile.
“The ledgers and records are a fount of knowledge as are the books in the library. These lands used to be productive beyond the growth and sales of flowers. I think that is why there are so many books on farming and such.”
>
Picking up a book, I reclined on the bed and settled in to read.
* * * *
He left me in my room for three days. The relaxed ease I felt after he had tasted me quickly disappeared until I paced my room in agitation.
“This afternoon is my sister’s wedding feast,” I called, looking out the window at the colorful dawn. I felt like throwing something again. Instead, I marched over to his door and kicked it.
“You said I could go. You promised to provide me with everything I needed.”
When I turned around, the large tub from the laundry sat near the end of my bed. Curls of steam drifted up from the water. Marching over to it, I slid in with a hiss and quickly washed, using the hair oil from Ila.
A towel rested on the edge of the tub when I opened my eyes. Rising from the water, pink from the heat, I toweled my skin. My mood improved only slightly with the bath.
I walked to the wardrobe and opened it. Inside waited a single dress, exquisite in its simplicity. On the floor was a pair of matching slippers. No underclothes were present.
I lifted the gown over my head and let the delicate material drift down my arms and body. It fit perfectly, but I frowned at the scooped neckline and the puckered outline of my nipples through the fabric. Though the material was not see-through, it was so fine it hardly seemed appropriate. Yet, he had given me no other options.
The door to my room unlatched and creaked open. I quickly stepped into the slippers and drifted to the door.
The hallway stood empty. Disappointed, I made my way to the kitchen and opened the outer door. Just outside, Swiftly waited. Again, there was no sign of the beast. It was so unlike him to allow me to leave without saying farewell and asking for assurance that I would return. Yet, given our last encounter, I understood his reason for staying away and applauded his progress in self-denial and control.
Swiftly quickly knelt, his ears flicking forward and back in apparent agitation. I smoothed a hand along his neck and mounted, wondering at his mood. However, his huff as my bare bottom settled on his back with only the skirt separating us wasn’t a mystery.
