Beauty and the Beast (an erotic re-imagining) by Shoshanna Evers Page B

get your six month sentence going, don’t you think?” he asked. This time, yes, it came out as a growl. Not what he intended, and most definitely not the best way to woo her.
    “Yes,” she said, standing. “Absolutely. Let’s begin and be done with it, once and for all.”
    The Beast rose once more, until he towered over her. Belle quieted and looked up at him, as if waiting for him to make the first move.
    He would, if only he knew what to do, and how to make her love him.
    “Very well, he said. “Let’s discuss some ground rules.”
    Belle waited silently.
    “You should probably respond with, ‘Yes, Sir,’” he offered.
    “Yes, Sir,” she said.
    “We’ve already decided that I will not harm you, and I will release you in six months—”
    “Wonderful,” Belle interrupted.
    “—provided you do what I say,” he finished.
    “Yes… Sir. I understand.”
    “Are you through you with your breakfast, Belle?”
    She glanced longingly at an orange. “May I have one of those, first, Sir? I usually only got oranges for Christmas. It’s sort of a novelty for me.”
    The Beast plucked an orange from the bowl of fruit on the table, and snagged the rind with one long fang. She watched with interest as he peeled the fruit for her, revealing the juicy sections inside.
    “I want you to become more comfortable with my appearance,” he said. “You may eat this from my fingers.” He broke off a section and held it out to her.
    Belle frowned, but the expression was fleeting. She quickly replaced it with a serene nod. “Of course. I will do whatever you say, as promised.”
    She took a tentative step toward him, and as she did so, he pulled the orange slightly closer to his body, so that she soon found herself close enough to his body to be in a most intimate range. The Beast offered her the orange slice, and she nibbled it gently from his thick, dark fingers.
    “It’s delicious, Sir,” she said. “But I think I’m quite done now.”
    “Have another piece,” he said, holding out another slice.
    “I’m full, thank you.”
    “That’s fine.” He set the unfinished orange down on the table and smiled at her.
    The poor girl winced, then laughed a bit. “A smile.”
    “You’ve pleased me by eating from my hands. But while you may be done eating, I’m not done having you lick at my fingers like a little cat.”
    Belle’s eyes widened.
    “Come, put my finger in your mouth. Think of it as an easy way to get used to me.”
    Belle moaned and looked around the empty atrium, as if seeking an escape.
    “You’re not ready for this,” the Beast said. “We can start your sentence when you’re prepared to actually follow instructions.”
    “No!” she said. “I mean, I am ready. I’m ready.” She took his large hand in her two small ones, and ran her fingers along the thick skin and fur that covered the back of his knuckles.
    He didn’t like seeing her so uncomfortable, but their time together was limited. The sooner she became comfortable with his body, with being near him, touching him, letting him touch her… the better.
    Belle pressed her lips to his fingertip and kissed him there.
    “Good girl,” he said. “Use your tongue.”
    Her pink tongue darted out past her lips, sliding up his finger for just a moment before she stopped.
    “Are you getting some sort of… enjoyment out of this? Is this pleasurable for you?” she asked.
    “It’s pleasurable for me to see you obeying me, yes. But if you’d rather put your pretty mouth to work on another appendage in order to give me the pleasure you seem to be inquiring about, then go ahead.”
    Belle gasped and dropped his hand. “I couldn’t.”
    “You don’t have to. It’s only breakfast time. Perhaps today we’ll just touch each other, nothing more. How about that?”
    “Yes,” she breathed, clearly relieved. “Yes, thank you.”
    The Beast paused. “Do you…do you want to touch me?”
    ***
    Belle looked up at the Beast, at his massive