Beauty and Her Beastly Love (Passion-Filled Fairy Tales Book 2) by Rosetta Bloom

walk out. That is what he had done the past several days.
    “I’m sorry,” she said, before he could walk out. “I shouldn’t have accused you of lying, and I should have believed you when you said you didn’t invade my dream on purpose.”
    A look of relief swept his animal face, his snout looking less tight, and the change it produced made him seem less animal, more human.
    “I accept your apology,” he said, walking closer to her, then finally sitting in a chair across from her. “I shouldn’t have behaved so childishly the past few days because my feelings were hurt. You don’t know me. So, I shouldn’t have expected you to believe me.”
    “You’re right,” Beauty said, running her fingers across the book in her hand. “I don’t know you, and if we’re going to be here together, in this house, on the grounds, I should get to know you. We should get to know each other.”
    Beast nodded.
    “Honestly,” Beauty added.
    Beast frowned, and squished his eyebrows together. “I haven’t lied to you,” the Beast said.
    Beauty took a deep breath. “I imagine you haven’t. But, I’ve lied to you, sort of.” Beast looked surprised, as if he couldn’t imagine Beauty lying about anything. “I’ve been pretending I don’t want to try having relations with you, that it’s been all you, all you invading my dreams and lusting after me,” she said, pausing, not sure she wanted to admit the truth, but feeling obligated to tell him, since she’d said she’d be honest. “I … I do want you. I’m just afraid. I’ve never been with a man before. And you’re, you’re,” she looked at him and realized she couldn’t say a beast, nor could she say a man. “You’re more than a man. You’re different, and it frightens me to say yes to something I have no idea about with someone who is so unlike anyone I’ve ever met or read about.”
    Beast leaned forward, took her hand. “I know it must be frightening to be in this situation, with someone like me, but I promise you, I will be gentle with you. Like in the dream.”
    “And if we did that, my choice would be made?” Beauty asked. “I would be your wife.”
    Beast smiled, and shook his head. “You would have what you wanted if we were intimate, but you would only be my wife if you wanted to be.”
    “So, being with you in the bedroom wouldn’t mean we were married?”
    Beast sighed. “No. Marriage is about a true, uniting love. Only if we had that, would we be married.”
    Beauty nodded, looked deep into his brown eyes, leaned in and kissed him. The electricity she felt was immediate when her lips touched his, like a bolt of lightning had run through her. His mouth opened and his tongue slid in, their breath mingling together, causing Beauty to feel tingly all over. She pulled back, breathless. It had been a good kiss, and she’d hardly noticed the furriness of his face during it. He was a beast, but he was gentle in so many ways. She stood and turned to leave the room.
    Beast stood, confused. “Where are you going?”
    She turned back to him. “We,” she said, elongating the eeee, “are going upstairs, and you are going to help me experience the passion I’ve only read about until now.”
    Beast’s lips parted as if in shock. “Right now?” he said, more statement than question.
    Beauty quirked her ruby red lips up into a smirk. “Unless you have another pressing engagement you must attend to.”
    Beast strode toward her, shook his head. “No,” he said, lifting her off her feet and carrying her up the stairs. “I’ve got hours and hours of free time.”
    Beauty blushed, not sure she could handle that, but gladly willing to try.

Chapter 11
     
    Unwilling to put Beauty down to open the door, Beast kicked it open, the door swinging precariously on its hinges and smacking the wall behind the door.
    He carried Beauty to the bed, and laid her gently in the center of the bed. He climbed on top of her, just as she had remembered it from the