Total pages in book: 83
Estimated words: 74631 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 373(@200wpm)___ 299(@250wpm)___ 249(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 74631 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 373(@200wpm)___ 299(@250wpm)___ 249(@300wpm)
It has been so long since I allowed myself to enjoy the leisure that life has to offer. I’ve spent my days wanting to go back in time. It has been so long since pleasure was something I could have at all. Even surrounded in all of this. I had forgotten the pleasure of a beautiful voice reading an intriguing story.
As her cadence becomes more and more comfortable, I realize I’m genuinely interested in the hero and his travels, as well as Elle and the warmth of the fire. I catch myself closing my eyes for longer and longer periods of time. Once, my chin nods toward my chest and I do not know how long it stays there before I notice and lift my head.
The next time my eyes close, I concentrate on her voice until I can see the hero and his ship sailing across the waves in the sun. It’s only after quite some time that I understand I’ve begun to dream, and shortly after that I realize that Elle has stopped reading.
I jerk my head upright and my eyes fly open. The angle of Elle’s face says that she is about to peek over her shoulder. I shoot my hand forward and grasp her chin, turning her head toward the fire.
Elle trembles slightly in my hold, a faint fear in the magic between us. The fear is so slight that I realize she is also aroused by my touch, though I may have startled her by moving so quickly.
I cannot blame her for being tempted. Elle has been so obedient, but even she must wonder what I’m hiding from her. She might be tempted even now.
But Elle doesn’t put any pressure on my hand. She keeps her eyes forward, and I keep it there, forcing my breath to slow.
I could put her on the chair, or the bed, or even the cushion she’s sitting on right now. I could take her roughly and put her to sleep once again like I did last night. The desire is there, but the fear of what she could have seen…
“It’s time for sleep,” I command her, not asking her. I am also commanding myself because the beast wants Elle as much as I do. He growls for her, almost whining to be able to mark her, but I do not let him.
“Will you stay?” she dares to ask.
“No.” My answer is immediate.
Elle nods in understanding, and I want to go to my knees in front of her cushion and spread her thighs and lick her until she comes all over my tongue. I will never tire of tasting that sweetness, and from the way Elle smells, all warm with desire like she craves my touch, she would not mind if I did so.
But after nearly falling asleep in her presence, I do not know if I could maintain the kind of control I’d need to have if I took her again.
I need to hold onto this forever. If I lose her…surely I will lose myself.
If I did that, I might succumb to the urge to give in to her request to stay for the night. I know Elle would try to keep the blindfold on as she slept, but there is no guarantee it is possible, and then the worst might happen. Her eyes would go wide with horror and fear, and it would not be something I could take back.
I do not want that to happen, I remind myself sternly. I never want her to see what the curse has done to me, because everything we have together in the castle now would be destroyed.
I allow myself a moment more of feeling her breath, and then I slip my hand away from her chin. I’m saddened as I get up from behind Elle, watching her to make sure she doesn’t start to turn. She doesn’t. She keeps her eyes on the book that rests in her hands, one finger tracing the pages.
Is she imagining reading to me again?
I imagine her voice reading me more of the story. I even imagine continuing every night until we reach the end, then choosing another book from the library together. I could not let her see me, but I could read her the titles and describe them to her.
Reluctantly, I go out into the hall and close the door behind me with a firm click.
My senses and the beast’s are attuned to her, and I cannot bring myself to leave right away. Instead, I stand outside the door and listen.
I wait until I hear her pad across to the bathroom that adjoins her room, then pad back to her bed and get in. I hear the rustle of the covers as she climbs into bed and settles.
“I’m tired,” she says, and I do not hear the candles go out, but I know they do.