“I did want you from the moment I saw you,” she said softly, and continued to run her fingers along his side, up his neck, cupping the side of his face.
He knew she was confused over everything he’d said, knew that he would have to show her why he wanted her, why he had craved her for this long. But he also knew that they had all the time in the world. He wasn’t an old man, thirty-seven only, but compared to him she was inexperienced. “I will not control your life outside of what I want in the bedroom. I will not tell you what you can and can’t do when you are not in my presence. This isn’t a fairytale, Belle, and it isn’t this romanticized story where all your dreams will come true and you’ll have a happily ever after.” He stared into her eyes. “This is real life, what I want, and how I go about getting it. You can leave, run from me, but I want you like I want to breathe.” He leaned in and took her bottom lip between his teeth, gave it a little tug, and then smoothed his tongue over the abused flesh.
“And you want me to just hand myself over to you? Give my submission freely?”
“Yes,” he said without hesitation. “But I only want what you want to give me, and unless I am blind I can see you want me as much as I want you.” He cupped her breasts, molding his hand around the soft globe. “You are the woman that tempts my beast, but also tames me enough that I can’t think of anyone else besides you, no matter how hard I try.”
“I’ll say it again…. this is crazy,” she said but leaned into his touch. “But I have never felt this alive, never wanted someone with such intensity that I can’t even think straight.” She glanced down and said softly, “and I’ve never wanted so much pain with my pleasure before, but you give just enough.”
He pulled her close and wrapped the blanket around them. There didn’t need to be anything else said, because right now all that was spoken was what they needed to hear. They had time to sort through things, to grow comfortable with where they were at, and he had ages to teach her what he wanted, and vice versa. He was ready for that, ready for her.
He was ready to give her everything that he was, because for the first time in his life he actually had something he wanted more than money, power, or the control he had also lived with. Jackson had Belle, and she was his Beauty to his damaged and feral Beast.
The End
Aurora wove through the frat house, slamming her hand on the wall to steady herself, and feeling sickness churn and cramp her belly. She had come to the party with an acquaintance. Aurora had reluctantly agreed to come along, but as the beers kept getting shoved in her face she’d lost track of Melanie. Now she was trying to find her way to the front door, because fresh air sounded like it might help this nauseating feeling currently dominating her.
“Hey, you okay?” A slurred masculine voice said.
She looked over at the guy standing right behind her. He wore a Sigma Kappa Alpha Beta shirt, his muscles bulging, and a very drunk expression on his face.
“No, I’m good,” she said in an equally slurred voice. Aurora squinted, feeling woozy as she stared at this frat member, turned around, and then walked away when he tried speaking to her again. Pushing through the thick throng of people congregating in the living room, she blocked out the blasting music, and the scent of sweat and beer. She spotted Melanie in the corner with one of the frat guys, her lips locked with his, their mouths fused together. Aurora wouldn’t consider Melanie her friend since they had only met at the beginning of the semester—two months ago. It was clear Melanie cared more about getting laid than keeping track of each other and making sure they were safe.
Aurora moved over to her, cleared her throat, and waited until the burly frat dude and Melanie broke away enough to suck in some oxygen.
“Oh, hey, there you are, girl,” Melanie said, her eyes bloodshot, and her breath smelling rank of liquor.
“I think I am going to call a cab and head home. I’m not feeling very well.”
Melanie shrugged and wrapped her arms around the guy even harder. “Lightweight, aren’t you? Your loss. They’re about to do keg stands right now.” She went back to kissing him, and Aurora knew it was time for her to go.
She moved through the crowd again until she finally stepped onto the porch. The chilled fresh air helped her to sober slightly, but then a wave of nausea hit her and she ran off the steps and away from the crowd. Finding a secluded spot between some shrubs, she pulled her long blonde hair away and threw up. She instantly stared to feel better, and when the dry heaves ended she leaned back against the house and breathed out.