by Emily Sharp
They both laughed, then entering the library, both women stopped.
The television cameras were set up, the lighting fixtures in place. There were two women and three men hurrying about, and the reporter named Rachel walked over. She was around thirty-five with long blond hair. The makeup she wore was heavy, but she had a nice smile.
“Ladies, when you are ready. And thank you again for reaching out to us Ms. Vandercourt. I think this is going to do a lot of good today.”
“I think so as well,” Louise said, then turned to Adara, giving her a smile. They headed over to the bay window and sat down, Adara gripping Louise's hand, letting her know that she was there. The sun was behind them, the warmth feeling great.
“Thank you, Adara, for everything, for supporting me. I couldn't do it without you,” Louise said, and Adara turned toward her.
“No, my love, thank you. You show me time and time again what courage is. I love you.” They shared a quick kiss, and one of the cameramen moved in closer to them, about ten feet away. Rachel came to the seat facing them, and sitting down, she smiled.
“All right, ladies, we’re going live.”
They had talked this morning to Rachel for an hour outside, discussing the process of the interview. It would last twenty minutes, a special on the National Cable Network. Now it was time, and Adara hoped all the good thoughts she had for Louise would go to her.
“This is Rachel Livingstone, and I am live with a very special guest. With me today is none other than the daughter of the late Phillip Vandercourt, Louise, and her girlfriend, Adara Monroe,” Rachel said.
Adara felt Louise stiffen a little bit, and giving her hand a gentle squeeze, smiled at her. Then as the questions started, Adara felt a tear come to her eye, Louise’s words ringing true to her own heart, and she hoped millions more who were listening.
“So, because of the accident and losing what people knew me for, that was when I decided to retreat to my home, not wanting to leave. Scared of what I looked like, and more scared of what others would think,” Louise said, a few minutes into the interview.
Rachel crossed her legs, the camerawoman at her side moving around to get another angle.
“What would you tell people at home watching right now, that may be suffering from similar feelings?”
“That you have to overcome the insecurities within yourself. Not everyone will like you, but you only need to find one that loves you.”
Adara turned her head, wiping at her eye. The interview continued, with Louise sharing so much about facing her fears and no longer hiding.
“Ladies, before we end this interview, I am going to ask what I am sure millions at home are wondering. What brought you two together?”
Adara smiled, thinking of the rose that was taken. Then the arrival to the castle, the mockery, the anger. And then the laughs, tears, and friendship that grew. Through ups and downs, rights and wrongs, one thing was solely responsible. And turning, she faced Louise, who looked over at the same time. Both women smiled and they spoke as their hearts were, in unison.
“Love,” they both said.
***
Adara stood in front of the fireplace in their bedroom and took a drink from her glass of wine. The interview had gone well, though it had been exhausting for Louise. They had both taken a nap that afternoon to rest and then enjoyed a dinner prepared by Thomas. When she heard the door open behind her, Adara smiled, setting her glass to the side, her heart racing in anticipation. Her simple red silk robe had nothing underneath it, and she could not wait to finally be with Louise on a physical level.
“I love you,” Louise whispered, her hands coming around Adara’s waist from behind.
Adara looked up and gazed into Louise’s blue eyes, so deep they pulled her in with promises of a wonderful night together. When Louise lowered her head, their lips met, and fire coursed through Adara’s body, a spark that had not been lit in a long time igniting inside her. Their tongues probed, and Louise’s hand came up and grabbed Adara’s breast, massaging it and causing Adara to moan and her breathing to become labored. A hunger burned inside her, and she could not wait until they could share each other’s bodies and become one.
“Come, my princess,” Louise said, grabbing Adara’s hand and pulling her toward the bed. When Adara went to sit down, Louise pulled her back up. “Uh-uh,” she whispered. Then Louise’s lips were on hers once again, her hands around her back pulling her in tighter against her, their breasts pressed together, making Adara breathless. And when she thought she could not handle much more, the kiss stopped, and Louise pulled on the belt on Adara’s robe without taking her eyes off Adara. “Have I told you how beautiful you are?” she asked.
Adara grinned. “Not in the last hour,” she said, wishing that Louise would not take so long to remove the robe.
“Then I have done wrong, for you are beautiful.”
Adara reached for Louise’s robe, which was just as short at Adara’s with a soft feathery collar. “Well, you are also beautiful, and I love you so much.” She loved the way that Louise beamed at the compliment. But it was too true not to say. A moment of regret rushed through her for not saying so sooner, but then it passed. She could not dwell any longer on the past. She looked at Louise’s nude body that peeked out through the front of her open robe and smiled. There was too much to focus on now to worry about the past.
Louise lightly pushed Adara onto the edge of the bed and pulled her pink robe down over her shoulders, locking her arms beside her. “I am so happy I will be able to show you how much I love you,” she said as she stared at Adara.
“I can’t wait,” Adara replied, and she couldn’t. Her body was so on fire, she was sure she would explode at any minute.
Their lips came together once again, their tongues searching, and Adara tried to raise her hand, but her arms were still held at her sides. “Let me touch you,” she whispered, but Louise shook her head.
“Not yet, my princess, I must show you how much I truly love you.” Louise’s hand came to Adara’s shoulder and slid down her arm, a light caress that left flames in its wake. She gently pushed Adara down onto the bed, her legs still hanging off the side, and began to explore. When Louise’s hand reached Adara’s breast and lightly tweaked the nipple, Adara moaned with pleasure and arched her back with desire. “Oh, you like that, do you?” Louise asked with a hoarse snicker.
Adara nodded her head wildly, and Louise grinned as she leaned over and took the nipple into her mouth, never taking her eyes off Adara’s. As she suckled, her other hand trailed down Adara’s stomach, inch by excruciating inch, until it found it’s mark between Adara’s legs where she circled that sensative area, and Adara felt as if she were walking on a tightrope. Her breath caught in her throat and her gasps rang out and Louise’s fingers worked their magic. Just before she thought she would fall, Louise stopped, and the sensation left Adara feeling as if she were hanging in midair.
But Louise did not make her wait long. Her lips kissed first her stomach and then moved down to her inner thighs. They worked their way up, leaving tiny fires in each time her lips touched the skin. Adara found herself bucking, wanting her to quicken her movements. It seemed an eternity when her lips found Adara’s sweet spot, Louise’s tongue flicking against her, once again bringing about that suspended feeling.
As she worked between her legs with her mouth, her hand reached up and grabbed Adara’s breast, rubbing the nipple between her fingers, sending an electrical current through Adara that made her call out. Adara put her hand on the back of Louise’s head in an attempt to pull her in even more, an ache she had not felt in a very long time needing to be released.
The fire built as Louise’s tongue worked faster and faster, and Adara knew she would fall off the edge of the world, until finally, she could take it no more, and she fell, spiraling into the canyon below her. Explosion after wonderful explosion overtook her and tiny lights played behind her eyelids as her orgasm brought about such a rapture as she had n
ever felt before in her life.
When the fires calmed and her body returned to normal, Adara opened her eyes. Louise looked down at her with such love that Adara thought she would cry.
“Have I told you how beautiful you are lately?” Louise asked.
Adara was still trying to calm her breath, but she smiled and replied, “Not in the past fifteen minutes.”
Louise laughed. “You are more beautiful now than you were before, if that is even possible.”
Adara shook her head. “No, you are even more beautiful because you gave me something I have needed from another woman for a long time.”
Louise raised her eyebrows. “Oh? And what is that?”
Adara took Louise’s hand in hers and kissed the knuckles. “A lover’s love.”
A tear formed in the corner of Louise’s eyes. “You have given me something that I have wanted for so long as well. You have shown me so much love, I now have to share with you. It is because of you.”
“No,” Adara replied, running her hand through Louise’s hair. “It was there inside you the whole time.”
The floodgates opened and Adara pulled Louise into her and they lay there for over an hour, sharing in each other’s love, never wanting to let the other go.
And it was beautiful.
Epilogue
“We need to take the carriage sometime soon. I'm sure Star wouldn't mind, would you?” Adara said, leaning forward from atop the horse.
Louise laughed, stopping her horse beside Adara. “I think Sun would be fine with it as well, my princess.”
Adara smiled, looking out across the vast land that occupied the area around the castle. The land that Louise once was scared to go venture on, now the land they went out to everyday. Whether it be their white horses or vehicles, the time inside the castle grew less and less.
Soon they would be leaving for France to visit Sofia and her family. A two-week holiday was planned, and Adara was looking forward to seeing her friend. Afterward, Sofia was coming back to join them for a while, so she could spend time with them both.
Adara looked over at Louise, the sun shining bright, highlighting her blond hair and the smile on her face. The castle was just behind her, its walls magnificent, shining against the plains. It was like in the dreams she used to have, but this time she was able to see her lover and know her name.
And her name was Louise and she loved her.
Adara had once believed in fairy tales and then for a brief time dismissed them as simply fantasy. Though as her eyes looked back at Louise, she knew that they were not. Fairy tales were hopes and dreams being passed down from one generation to the next. Looking forward to the brighter days ahead, finding magic in a world of hurt, loneliness and sorrow. That special fairy-tale magic was love and its powers so great, it could even transform a beast into a princess.
As they began to ride off toward the mountain range, the sun shining brightly on them, a smile crept over Adara's face. Just as how all good fairy tales ended, she knew deep down in her heart, they would live happily ever after.
A Note from the Author
Thank you for taking the time to read Adara and the Beast. If you enjoyed it, please consider telling your friends or posting a short review. Word of mouth is an author’s best friend and much appreciated.
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ALSO—
Can a modern-day Cinderella find the fairy-tale ending she deserves? Find out in The Perfect Fit.
