When Beauty Met The Beast

by Khardine Gray

  Chloe was waiting for Chase to return with her drink. She wouldn't normally have agreed to a second date so soon—and this was next day soon—but she thought why not. It was good to do something out of the norm, and it was even better to get away from her worries. She'd had another rough day, and even found herself snapping at one of the fashion assistants for leaning on her desk. Chloe didn't do things like that. She wasn't that type of person, and she wasn't in the habit of making others feel bad or like they were beneath her. She planned to apologize tomorrow and sort out her head too.

  They were preparing for the Pierre Beaumont fashion show in a few weeks. Chloe was in charge, and she was excited for this particular show because Pierre had some eye-catching designs that everyone in the fashion world was talking about. He was fairly new in terms of being on par with some of the other big designers but had been designing clothes for about twenty years in Spain. He'd set up shop in New York three years ago, and things just took off from there.

  Those were the sorts of stories Chloe loved to hear, and she loved it even more that she had the opportunity to show off his masterpiece designs.

  The club was starting to fill out, and it was only nine. More people floated onto the floor as the music changed to Rui Da Silva's "Touch Me". Chloe liked that song, too, and appreciated the solid bass that enhanced the beat as it echoed throughout the room.

  She looked across to the bar to see where Chase was. He was still waiting to be served and looked like he'd be awhile, too, with the host of people in front of him. It was a shame. She would have enjoyed dancing to this song with him.

  It was fine. Maybe they could on their third date. She decided that not only was he good looking, but she really liked him. He was easy to talk to, funny, and had a great personality. So yes, if there was a third date she'd say yes.

  Warm, strong hands slipped around her waist awakening her senses and pulling her from her thoughts. Good, he'd come back to dance with her. His hands pressed on to the flat of her stomach and pulled her up against the solid wall of his chest. She smelled the alluring fragrance of woodland aftershave that turned her knees to water and made her melt.

  Sinking into him, she slipped her hands over his. This boldness he exhibited was very attractive. Chloe was always on her guard when it came to men, but maybe she could allow herself a little indulgence. If only for tonight. She leaned her head to the side as he bent down to press his lips to her neck. She smiled and turned to face him so she could kiss him properly but froze when she found herself gazing up into Wade's steely gray eyes.

  Her breath caught somewhere between her chest and sternum, and her body stiffened.

  "Keep moving just like that, baby. Why'd you stop?" His boldly handsome face smiled down at her with that paralyzing, strong, confident, sexy smile.

  Her mouth dropped, and all she could do was glare at him, unable to move.

  "Wade?" she breathed. As her strength and awareness returned to her, she straightened up and tried to step out of his grasp, but he held her in place.

  He lowered to her ear, tantalizing her with the scent of his aftershave, which exuded his masculinity.

  "We need to talk, Chloe." His warm breath caressed her skin like a gentle touch.

  Talk? She didn't want to talk to him, and she didn't want to feel like this either.

  "I don't know what you could possibly want to speak to me about." She wished he would remove his hands from her waist. Wade was one of those guys who could charm you into anything, bamboozle you with his slick talk and make you forget that there was anything to dislike about him. He could do that with one touch.

  "We need to talk about us."

  Chloe gazed up at him open mouthed. This was odd, very odd, and she was starting to wonder now if this was one of those weird dreams she used to have when she got too stressed out.

  "Come on, baby, let's go." Wade smiled. The arrogance in his smile told her it was real. Along with the sexual energy that vibed off him.

  "I'm with my friend," she said dismissively.

  "She looks busy," Wade replied. The set of his chin displayed his stubborn streak.

  "Oh, just leave me alone," she huffed.

  With that he finally released her, allowing her to move closer to Kelly and get her attention. If Chloe wasn't feeling so weak kneed she would have walked away, and as far as talking went, whatever it was he had to say didn't matter.

  "Hey, what's going on?" Kelly asked looking at Chloe with an I-told-you-so grin.

  "What's your name, sweetheart?" Wade asked Kelly, shifting his weight from one leg to another in a self-possessed stance that emphasized the strength in his powerful, muscular body he took pride in.

  Chloe looked him over, standing there before her, devilishly handsome with the gleam of the lights making his blonde hair sparkle. Even in a crowd, his presence was compelling. Only he could manage to bring such character and style to a simple long-sleeved black T-shirt and dark jeans. It would look too casual on anyone else.

  "It's Kelly." Kelly glanced at them both. Her date moved closer to join them.

  "Kelly, I'm Wade, Taylor's brother. You won't mind if I borrow Chloe for a while, will you? We have some unfinished business to tend to."

  Unfinished business? What a way to put it, as if they'd been involved or something.

  Chloe gave Kelly a weak look hoping she'd save her from whatever craziness Wade had planned for her, but no, of course Kelly wouldn't save her. She didn't know why she even bothered to be surprised when Kelly said, "Not at all," and offered her sweetest smile.

  Noticing her despondent reaction Kelly pulled Chloe closer and leaned in to hiss, "Go. For heaven's sakes, go with the man." She was trying to be as discreet as possible, but Wade heard her. So did her date who chuckled at her encouragement.

  "Great, you've been told. Come on, baby."

  "Stop calling me that," Chloe retorted. Wade, however, ignored her and took her hand with gentle authority to pull her away.

  Just then, Chase returned with her drink. A very puzzled look filled his face when he saw Wade holding her hand.

  "Can I help you with something?" he asked Wade.

  "Nope," Wade replied.

  "Chloe is my date."

  Chloe liked that he would be so protective of her. She opened her mouth to speak, but Wade intercepted.

  "Sorry buddy, your date just ended."

  Embarrassment flushed her cheeks, and she felt terrible when she saw the disappointment on Chase's face. It was so hard as it was to find a nice, normal guy and Wade just made her look like one of those women who came to a club with one guy and left with another.

  All she could do was look back as Wade dragged her off through the crowd. He guided her down the ornate staircase to the foyer where they could be alone. As soon as they stopped, she hit him hard in his chest. If he'd been anyone else, he would have at least said ouch, but her strike had no effect whatsoever on the solid mass of muscle her hand contacted with.

  "What is the matter with you, you jerk!"

  Wade laughed. "I didn't do anything."

  He thought it was funny to make her life miserable. What kind of person did that?

  "Wade Vanderville, grow the hell up. We are in our thirties and you act like this is some kind of playground where you're allowed to mess with me. I've had enough of your shit."

  He must have been able to see how mad she was at him, yet he continued to grin at her.

  "I was on a date. I actually like that guy."

  "How long have you known him?" He tilted his head to the side drawing her eyes to the rich outlines of his shoulders strained against the cotton fabric of his T-shirt.

  "What? What relevance is that?" And it was none of his business.

  "Come on, baby, tell me." The baby every minute was irritating enough, but then he went and picked up a lock of her hair, and that made her fume even more.

  She made an attempt to smack his hands away, but he caught her hand and held onto it.

 
"Tell me." He stared deep into her eyes with that look that tended to paralyze her no matter how hard she tried to resist the effect.

  "I've known him since last night," she firmly declared.

  "Good. Forget him." He said that as simply as if he were talking about food or the weather.

  Chloe gasped and stared at him wondering what the hell he was up to. "Wade something is wrong with you."

  "Could be, but that's not the point here. The point is you're right. We're in our thirties and it's way past time to address this elephant between us."

  "What elephant?" She knew what he was talking about but wanted to make it seem like she wasn't bothered by the past.

  "The massive elephant that fuels this nonsense between us. I know we can do better things with our time."

  "Like what?" She shook her head at him.

  He smirked. "Baby, you don't want to ask me things like that." His look was filled with raw desire. She broke eye contact and frowned as she felt her cheeks warm, and only looked back to him when he released her hand and reached out to turn her face to him.

  Wade was standing a breath away from her; anyone passing by would have thought they were a couple.

  "I already know what I want." The corners of his mouth slid up into a grin. There was something dangerous about his smile. Something that made her hover between desire and anxiety. "The real question is, what do you want? And when you give me the answer don't think about it. Just do it." He turned his smile up a notch.

  She narrowed her eyes at him, not knowing what to say. All she wanted was to be the creative director at Runway. That was the only desire she'd ever had in her life. That and…

  Damn it…

  Him.

  The only other thing she'd ever wanted in her life was him, and he knew it. The arrogant smile on his face told her he did, and suddenly she felt extremely uncomfortable. She didn't want to be her stupid eighteen-year-old self again, and it was absurd that she could still think of him like that.

  "I don't know what I want," she lied. "But I do need to get back inside and salvage the remains of my date." It wasn't healthy for her to be near him.

  "No," he shook his head. "You don't need to do that. I told you, forget that guy. How about you give me your answer." His menacing smile spiked her nerves.

  "I'm not like you, or some kind of animal. I can't just do what I want, who—"

  His lips pressed over her mouth, stealing away her next words. Electricity rippled from his lips to hers and washed over her entire body. It held her in place and seized her mind, teasing her to give into the gentle thrust of his tongue as her lips parted. He tasted like raw passion, like the desire that fueled fantasies, and like that thing she needed but hadn't realized.

  How could this be?

  How could she feel like this?

  Wade pulled back with a smile on his face and looked down at her.

  Chloe felt light headed like she might faint, so she leaned against the wall behind her.

  "Why did you do that?" she asked, bringing her fingers to her trembling lips, now swollen from the heat of their kiss. As far as she knew, he didn't want her, and all the taunts were a way of goading her. Was this another game?

  "I wanted to," he breathed.

  "You didn't exactly want me in the past, is this some kind of joke to you?"

  He laughed, unphased by her question. "You were barely eighteen, and no, this is not a joke. So doll," he rested his hand on the wall beside her head and leaned in closer, tracing the line of her cheekbone and jaw with his other hand. "What do you want?"

  Her brain was nowhere to be found, neither were any form of constraints to police her thoughts. He'd given her a taste of what she wanted and was offering it up again. Instinct and want steered her hand up to his face to guide him back to her lips. He smiled as he lowered again to kiss her.

  This time when they kissed their unsated desire was on parallel to what they wanted. If Chloe allowed reasoning to guide her she would have run far away from him. Far, far away. Wade was bad for her, seriously bad news, and just wrong for her in every way, but she wanted him, and she enjoyed the taste of him. And didn't want him to stop kissing or touching her.

  He tilted his head so he could kiss her more deeply, his tongue claiming her mouth as hers tangled with his. Then he stopped, before they really got going, and pulled back. As his lips left hers and he moved his hand from her waist, she felt the heat from their passion slip away. It slipped away and dissolved into the hazy cloud of desire that surrounded them.

  "We'd better stop there, doll, unless that promise to rock my world is still on the table." He smiled slow and sensual.

  She pulled in a breath and looked into his eyes, trying to will herself to think past her desire for him.

  "I should get back to Kelly." She signaled back to the door and tried to stop blushing as he looked at her.

  "Alright doll, now that it's clear what we both want I'll see you tomorrow."

  "Tomorrow?"

  "Yup." He winked at her and backed away. "Tomorrow." He smiled then turned.

  She watched him go, still feeling the tingle of electricity ripple throughout her body.

  What just happened?

  As her senses returned in gradual amounts, she wondered what the hell had just happened indeed, and what would happen tomorrow.

  Wade

  Obsession was a bad thing. Even for him. It was a bad thing with people with his temperament who did whatever they wanted.

  His focus on Chloe was bad enough before, but now that Wade knew what she tasted like it had awakened a desire within him that he didn't think he could control.

  Before he used to just wonder what being with her could have been like. Now it was a fantasy that robbed him of sleep, engulfed his mind with nothing else, and guided his actions.

  The next day he planned to go to Runway and see her, but his mother asked him to help her put up some shelves in her office at home. He thought it would only take an hour or two, but then she asked him to help her rearrange her files and some of the furniture. It seemed to be her way of getting him to spend time with her. He wouldn't have minded if he didn't have Chloe on his brain.

  The opportunity to see her finally presented itself in the evening.

  Wade found himself on Fawn Avenue, standing in front of the beach house Taylor lived in with Chloe and Kelly.

  Taylor answered the door on the second ring. She had her hair wrapped in a white towel and some sort of gray gravelly face mask was on her face.

  "What are you trying to do, scare people away?"

  "It's an emergency mask to calm my skin. I have zits." She started saying something else, but he was too busy scanning the place for Chloe.

  He hoped she was here.

  "Oh, I just realized this is the first time you've been here." Taylor smiled, making the mask crack a little.

  He looked back at her and nodded as he walked inside. "Great place you have here." The place suited her. He looked past the corridor, through to the living room, and up the stairs. It was very feminine and had a sweet candy-like smell. There were lots of pink and purple, flowers in vases and baskets of potpourri. "Where's everyone else?" He didn't ask for Chloe specifically because he could see Taylor obviously thought he was here to see her.

  "Kelly and Chloe are in the kitchen baking. You're just in time for cake and ice cream." Taylor's green eyes sparkled.

  He followed her through to the open-plan kitchen, adjacent to the sitting room where Chloe and Kelly were. Kelly threw flour at Chloe and laughed when it went all over her face.

  "Hey, you crazy girl," Chloe cried, rubbing her face. She reached for a roll of kitchen towel, tore of a piece, and started wiping off the flour.

  Both wore plain pink T-shirts and denim shorts. Wade admired Chloe's legs and found it hard to take his eyes off her. When she whirled around and saw him her eyes widened, and her cheeks turned that sweet rose color he liked.

  "Girls, we have company, that means we nee
d more cake," Taylor announced with excitement.

  "Hi, Wade." Kelly beamed then glanced back at Chloe.

  "Oh good, you guys have met." Taylor giggled.

  "Yes, we have. Hey Kelly." Wade acknowledged her and then turned his focus back to Chloe, who was still looking at him.

  He held her gaze and admired her. Taylor said something he didn't hear again, but he could tell she'd been talking to him because her pitch got a little higher and then she nudged him when he didn't answer.

  "Can you guys not do that tonight, please?" Taylor chided, looking at both him and Chloe. "No foolishness and no arguments. It's fun night." She wiggled her fingers.

  "Okay," Wade replied, but went right back to looking at Chloe. He didn't want cake or ice cream or any part of fun night. What he wanted was looking right back at him with the same interest that sparked within him for her. He recalled the kiss they'd shared last night, and thought of how smooth and soft her luscious lips were. He remembered that point when she'd melted against him and gave herself to him. Wade wanted her again.

  "Wade, hello." Taylor shook his arm, disturbing the memory. Kelly covered her mouth and giggled.

  "Yes." He looked back to his sister, who by now had her arms folded and looked back at him shaking her head.

  "No foolishness, Wade, I mean it. Chloe is very stressed out."

  Chloe shot her a pained look.

  "I'm not stressed." Chloe raised her hands and widened her fingers.

  "Yes, you are." Kelly placed her hands on her hips. "Maybe for more than one reason," she teased, cutting her a sly glance.

  "I'm not stressed," Chloe repeated with emphasis, shaking her head.

  "Chloe, I watched you eat an entire box of donuts when you came home, and you were talking in your sleep." Taylor wiggled her finger again.

  Wade watched in fascination as Chloe's face reddened even more and she placed her hands at her cheeks.

  "Why don't you guys just display me on the ceiling and take turns to pin the tail on me," Chloe grumbled.