Not Quite Belle: A Beauty and the Beast Retelling (Romantic Retellings) by Heather Kindt

Author:Heather Kindt [Kindt, Heather]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Heather Kindt Romance
Published: 2023-05-08T16:00:00+00:00

16

Bella

There.

I laid my heart on the table. My adventurous spirit taking a giant leap, one I never thought I’d make in Idaho. The man I’d always dreamed of when reading my romance novels was smart, cultured, and endlessly handsome. God, Asher had all these things going on. But he also had baggage. What person in his right mind locks himself away from the world? And if we started a relationship, would the distrust he held for Charlotte continue with us?

“What about your life in McCall? Your father will think you’re as crazy as I am.”

I tried to slip my hand away, but he wrapped his fingers around mine tighter.

“You said your boyfriend might come up here looking for you.” The corner of his lip lifted, giving me flutters in my chest.

“He’s not my boyfriend.” I pulled my hand away and crossed my arms. It wasn’t something to joke about. Jack would go to great lengths to tear me away from Asher. I’d seen his obsession in action.

Asher reclined in his chair and crossed one leg over the other. “That’s right, your fiancé.” He grinned, seeming satisfied with his teasing. “If he’s not your boyfriend, then I guess you’re a free woman, open to the proposals of other men.”

I unfolded my napkin and placed it on my lap. “I presumed it was the reason we’re in our present circumstances, Mr. Coventry.” Two could play at this game.

He remained reclined, swirling his wine in his glass. “You could presume anything, Miss Ricci.” His chair scraped against the flooring as he stood. “That I lured you here in what you believed was your own free will. Or maybe I am a killer, searching for my next victim.” Asher dropped to his knees beside me, resting his hands on the arm of my chair, his breath hot in my face. “A beast, ready to devour you.”

Not moving an inch, I continued to play his game. Telling him I didn’t want to leave scared him. If he dared to fall in love again and I hurt him, he might never recover. I held out my arm.

“Do you want to start with an arm or a leg?” I kept my lips set in a straight line. Now that I found him—a man as wonderful as the ones I found between the pages of a book—I wouldn’t let him scare me away. “Though I prefer you devouring my lips.”

He growled as he leaned closer to me, making me quiver. “You don’t know what you do to me, Bella Ricci.” The hard lines of his face relaxed as he ran a hand down my arm. “I never want to hurt you. Never in my life have I felt more protective of another person.”

“Even Charlotte?” I whispered.

His hand stopped moving, and a tear rolled down his cheek. “I couldn’t save her.”

“I know.” I brought my face close to his, my lips brushing against his as I breathed out, “You’re forgiven.”

His whole body relaxed as he kissed me, tasting of the bitterness of wine and wasted years.

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